Michelle Berc: Executive Program Director, Curator, Event Producer (CEO)
Michelle Berc’s unlimited creative endeavors include art, photography, curating art shows,producing electronic music, and most recently she’s exploring clothing design. The motivation behind Michelle’s photography stems from her passion for music and DJ culture. This musical passion also inspires her two-dimensional art work. The Depth and motion created in her work seems to entrance the mind with a rhythmic feel that is also conveyed in her music. Michelle is also the founder of Create:Fixate. By assisting innovative new artists, Michelle’s goal is to encourage the general public to look upon Create:Fixate as a venue to discover emerging talent.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Speedy Gonzalez & Cookie Monster (do muppets count?)
Favorite Sandwich: Bombay Wrap from Leaf Cuisine (do wraps count?)
Special Talent: Breaking all the rules and multi-tasking while multi-tasking and then multi-tasking some more.
Ted Werth: Growth Strategy Consulting: Chairman of the Board
Ted is a business consultant specializing in early stage companies (www.injenius.com). He’s also a chronic entrepreneur with start-up experience in digital media, music and films, marketing services, and consumer goods companies. In his spare time, Ted plays guitar, enjoys logic puzzles, and builds blinky art.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Harvey Birdman
Favorite Sandwich: Pat’s Provolone Steak With
Special Talent: Eating multiple Pat’s Provolone Steaks With
James Slazas: Vice Chair
James Slazas has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry. At Lehman Brothers where he managed a proprietary arbitrage book of derivative and structured products. While at Lehman Brothers, Slazas also created a Global Risk Management Group, encompassing the London, Swiss and Hong Kong banks. In addition, Slazas founded Global Life Underwriting, a mortality and life expectancy company. Recently, he has joined Med A-Z a fully integrated electronic health record (EHR), practice management, and billing solution for both physicians and hospitals in 2008 and currently serves as the COO. Slazas graduated from the University of Richmond, E. Claiborne School of Business and studied at Oxford University, Hertford College.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Besides myself, Hoops or Yoyo
Favorite Sandwich: Vegetarian Animal Style
Special Talent: Drawing pretty pictures
Natalie Stern: Secretary
Natalie Stern Trabin has 15 years of experience in non-profit work focusing on advocacy and programming for disadvantaged populations including the homeless, transgender, and disabled communities. She is a member of the California Bar Association who doesn’t practice law and instead uses her legal knowledge for good. Natalie is studying to become a real estate broker and has a passion for connecting people with their perfect neighborhood, community, and cultural happenings. An enthusiastic art lover, Natalie has a penchant for supporting the arts and creative endeavors. She is a native Angelino and lives in Silverlake.
Favorite cartoon character: Marge Simpson
Favorite sandwich: Egg Salad Sandwich at Europane
Special talent: Bargain Hunting
Henry Self: Treasurer: Music Committee
An associate at the entertainment litigation firm of Lavely & Singer PC in Los Angeles, Henry Self specializes in copyright and trademark law. He is also an electronic music DJ with more than 10 years of experience playing in clubs, at parties and on the radio.
What is your favorite cartoon character? Ralph Wiggum
What is your favorite type of sandwich? falafel
Do you have any special talents? yes
Leslie Repetto: Community Outreach Committee
Leslie Repetto is currently Director of Agency Communications for global advertising agency, Crispin, Porter + Bogusky. In previous roles with CP+B and throughout her career, she’s helped develop and lead large brands like VW, Guitar Hero, Gap, and even the first branding campaign for Baby Carrots. She loves devising creative, innovative solutions to business problems and enriching consumers’ experience with brands, and is equally energized by making a positive impact on the Los Angeles art community. Leslie focuses much of her time with Create:Fixate developing our community outreach programs, benefiting at-risk youth.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Jessica Rabbit
Favorite Sandwich: Mozzarella, tomato, basil
Special Talent: Emailing/texting while running on a treadmill. Sad but true.
Jonathan Daves: Strategy Consultant
Jonathan is a corporate strategy executive and early stage investor. He has held positions at firms including: Hallmark, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Platform Equity, and Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer (MGM). Jonathan holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Stanford University.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Ren Höek
Favorite Sandwich: Billy Bob’s Chicken Cheesesteak
Special Talent: Top secret
Carlos E. Alfaro: Governance and Finance Committee
Carlos E. Alfaro is an entrepreneur. In 1997, together with his brother Carlos co-founded Alfaro & Alfaro Insurance Services, now operating under the brand Insurenex, an independent insurance brokerage firm that specializes in helping businesses and families protect their assets and financial future through planning, placement and administration of quality insurance products. Carlos is an active member of the business community; served as commissioner for the City of Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Commission from 2000-2004; in 2007, Carlos was appointed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to serve as Commissioner for the Los Angeles Convention Center Authority Commission.
Favorite Cartoon: Marvin the Martian
Favorite sandwich: Toasted wheat bread, bologna, mustard and light mayo
Special talent: An entrepreneurial spirit
Gustavo Herrera: Membership Director
Herrera is the Events Manager for the Development Department of American Honda Motors. Prior to joining AHM, Gustavo Herrera worked alongside Executive and Program Directors for institutions: Autry National Center, San Bernardino County Arts, Palm Springs Arts, and UCSB’s University Art Museum. He studies Business Administration and Organizational Development at the Master’s level at the University of Judaism. He is committed to working for the strong presence of quality art and diverse culture in Los Angeles.
What is your favorite cartoon character? Johnny Bravo
What is your favorite type of sandwich? Chicken Salad Sandwich on Focaccia Bread from the Coffee Table / Spicy Mustard!
Do you have any special talents? Let’s assume I have none.
Lisa Occhipinti: Fundraising Committee
Lisa Occhipinti is an exhibiting artist and author. A mixed media painter and book artist, her work is in private and corporate collections worldwide. She is the author of “The Repurposed Library”, a book of 33 book art projects published by STC/Abrams, which has been getting global press. Her work has also been included in the art compendium, “Papercraft” (Gestalten).
Lisa was an instructor for five years at the NH Institute of Art where she also coordinated and taught their first summer abroad program at the Burren College of Art in Ballyvaughn, Ireland. She has also taught at the Currier Art Center at the Currier Museum of Art. She has won a full fellowship from the Clowes Fund for a residency at the Vermont Studio Center, and won a residency at the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild.
Advisory Board
Jonathan Tavss: Business and Marketing Consultation
After years working production and development of Television and Film properties for different companies, Jonathan made the jump to the internet and, ultimately, started his own Media Consulting firm. Teaming primarily with entertainment companies and ad agencies on brand extension, digital marketing campaigns and general business systems, Jonathan has been able to put his broad experience to use. Luckily, he is able to devote much of his time to volunteering in such capacities as; Board Member for Create:Fixate, Co-Chair for the Boston University Alumni Club of Los Angeles, Advisor for BBYO and more. He also enjoys fostering his ever-growing collection of art.
What is your favorite cartoon character? Muttley and Magilla Gorilla
What is your favorite type of sandwich? the Super Rico at Fred 62
Do you have any special talents? has an insane appetite/talent for over-packing his schedule with fun and interesting events
Jason Elias: Photography Guest Curator
Jason Elias is an accomplished photographer, lighting director, and writer living in Venice, California. He shoots commercially, works editorially on assignment and runs a Travel Photography workshop business. Jason has been a contributing editor at American Photo Magazine where he has written about photography, lighting, and travel. His corporate and editorial clients include, House of Blues, SBC, Disney, Rolling Stone and NEED Magazine. Jason also curates the all photography show every summer and has been working with Create:Fixate since its inception.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Snuffalupogous (I realize not TECHNICALLY a cartoon character, but still ranks as my number one…)
Favorite Sandwich: turkey melt on sourdough with a side of thousand island
Special Talent: rarely, if ever, bored
Staff
Andrea Giardina: Music Coordinator, Education Committee
Andrea Giardina aka DJ AquaVee has been with Createfixate from day one. She is the Music & Education Coordinator and Resident DJ for Createfixate, as well as a teacher with LAUSD. As Education Chair for Create:Fixate, Andrea organizes seminars and plans programs that involve art/music and youth. Andrea has a B.A. in Psychology & Holistic Health and M.A. in Education in addition to her multiple subject teaching credential.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Felix the Cat
Favorite Sandwich: Basil, Avocado, Hummus, tomato sandwich on toasted sourdough
Special Talent: she is double jointed in her shoulders
Theresa Behdjet: Art Sales Manager
Theresa Behdjet has been a big fan of Create:Fixate for several years and was inspired to get involved. She has worked in product marketing for several years and plans to use her experience to help Create:Fixate partner with businesses and organizations in the community. Reaching out to people otherwise unfamiliar with Create:Fixate and working with them to get excited about supporting local artists is a major goal. I’ll be working with the Marketing and Event Production committee to publicize our events and get our supporters involved.
Favorite sandwich: italian sub
Special talent: knitting
Favorite cartoon character: marge simpson
Janice Markham: High School Emerging Artists Program Director
Janice Markham is Artistic Director of VOX BOX Arts Collective. With VOX BOX Janice has produced, written, directed and acted in many theatrical productions. She is currently performing in the critically acclaimed playThe Boychick Affair at the Hayworth Theater. Janice co-founded the 8 Sundays Emerging Artist High School Program, a collaboration of Create:Fixate and VOX BOX. Ms. Markham’s TV interview show, Press for Democracy, airs on FreeSpeech TV, and she is currently working as a freelance writer for Disney Publishing. Janice is also known ‘round these parts as a violinist, having performed everywhere from The House of Blues in Hollywood and Create:Fixate, to somewhere scary in northern Idaho. She is musician in residence with her group Somnambulist at the Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum. www.voxboxarts.com
Favorite Cartoon Character: “The Count” from Sesame Street
Favorite Sandwich: mozzarella, tomato, basil
Special Talent: getting playdough out of my screen door and tempera paint off the cat
Justin Edwards: Assistant Producer
Justin currently finds himself amidst an existential crisis of sorts as he scurries from the nest of Academia into the gaping mouth of the “real world.” Doe-eyed but determined, he welcomes whatever the future holds. Graduating Cum Laude from the University of California, Los Angeles with degrees in Art History and Global Studies, Justin has his sights set high for the years to come. Intellectually, his interests fall in the space where art and activism overlap, specifically the way that an aesthetic program communicates a politicized agenda.
Favorite Cartoon Character: Garfield
Favorite Sandwich: Tuna salad w/ tons of hot sauce
Special Talent: He has moves never before seen on any dance floor
Major Contributors, Volunteers, and Interns:
A very special thank you to the following past and present major contributors, volunteers, artists, and interns to our arts organization and the Create:Fixate community:
Lynn Hasty, Erika Hoyle, Liz Mijares, Sonia Ricci, Ando Pndlian, Ashton, Trajillo, Tomas Verde, Andre Freimann, Rebecca Darke, Elizabeth Greenway, Anthony Plamondon, Dani Lindstrom, Julie Rassmusen, Jonathan Obera, Cat Lambertini, Vanyo, Eric Tucker, Jubal, Dayvid Iannaci, Brady Westwater, Andrea LaHue, John Tejada, Michael Hayden, Hope Hunter, Monica Loya, Christianne Ray, Luis Diaz, Mariana Boctor, Vanessa Schreiber, Christine Cover, Kenneth Graham, Juan Benavides, Chantell Durelli, Michael Rababy, Luc Lestemeeker, Matthew Swanlund, Ted VanCleave, Jedi, Treiops Treyfid, Neil Simon Poyuzina, Patrick Haemmerlein, Brandy Flower, Liza Richardson, Lucas Dodson, Premiere Events, Ross McFarlane, Mark Ferem, Wei Weng, The Berc Family, Rebecca Crandall, Ashton Trujillo, Janell Grace, Adam Freeland, Force Field Sound, Distant Beat, Fabrik Magazine, Keshot, LA Weekly, Flavorpill, Shana Nys Dambrot , PD Rabbit, Insurenex, Rajal Pitroda, Jeremy Sole, Raul Campos, Leif Maginnis, and many more as we will update this section quite often!
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