Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools

ICEF’s Board of Trustees includes high-level executives from leading business, education and community organizations.

Chairman

Stephen C. Smith, Co-Founder of ICEF Public Schools and Founding Chairman of the Board. Steve Smith is a well-known investment banker in the Los Angeles community having worked with Frank Baxter at Jefferies, and was instrumental in launching Libra Investments with Jess Ravich. In 2001, Steve co-founded the Seaport Group, an investment-banking firm with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Fl, and Miami, FL. Prior to founding the Firm, Steve was a senior salesperson at Amroc Securities. Previously, Mr. Smith spent eight years at Libra Investments as a broker/dealer specializing in distressed debt, where he was also a founder. Before Libra, Stephen sold high yield debt at Jefferies and Co. and was an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Stephen has also served on the board of Catholic Big Brothers in Los Angeles from 1990-1994. Stephen received his Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University.

Directors

Rebecca L. Bunn, President, The Riordan Foundation: Rebecca Langan Bunn joined The Riordan Foundation as President in late 2006. Prior to this post, she served as an independent education consultant, focusing on K-12th grade public school reform initiatives. Rebecca brings the Foundation a unique investment perspective of both a former teacher, having taught in Boston and New York public schools, as well as a former investment banker, having worked as a financial analyst on Wall Street. Additionally, Rebecca served in Chancellor Joel Klein’s administration in the New York City Department of Education, where she helped guide the design, support and launch of over 100 new, small, secondary schools, including charter schools. Rebecca received both her Bachelor’s in Government and her Master’s in Education from Harvard University.

Bridgid Coulter, Actress: Bridgid Coulter has acted in several major motion pictures and television shows. Bridgid appeared in popular television programs such as: A Different World, Family Matters, Murder, She Wrote, and Martin. In film, Coulter appeared in John Singleton’s 1997 film Rosewood and was alongside Laurence Fishburne in the screen adaptation of Walter Mosley’s Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned. Bridgid has a degree in Interior Design from UCLA. Bridgid who has extensive experience in staging annual event fundraisers will also take a leadership role in ICEF’s Annual Gala Event.

Corey Dantzler, CEO and President, Challengers Boys & Girls Club: Founded by his father, L.E. “Lou “Dantzler, the club is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the optimum social growth of inner city youth ages 6 to 17 through leadership, citizenship and educational development; cultural enrichment; health and physical education; environmental education; social and recreational activities; and parent involvement. Corey is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. He joined the ICEF board in March of 2007.

Russell Goings, Cabrera Capital: Russ Goings joined First Albany Capital in May 1996 and has over 15 years of experience in municipal capital markets. Russ served as financial advisor to the Port of San Diego in connection with the Port’s acquisition of San Diego Gas & Electric’s South Bay Power Plant located in Chula Vista. In addition, Russ served as senior banker on a City of Los Angeles financing which funded an office building for the County of Los Angeles Department of Social Services. Russ served on the Mayor’s World Port of Los Angeles Futures Commercial Task Force and is the former Chairman of the Public Finance Subcommittee for Rebuild L.S. He holds multiple securities licenses including general and municipal securities principal licenses. Russ has been on the Board of Trustees of the Watts Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club for the past 11 years.

Julie Kellner, Julie Smith Kellner is a graduate of Brown University. She began her career in banking at Mercantile National Bank in Los Angeles. She worked in the Entertainment Division of the bank from 1983-1992, ultimately becoming Executive Vice President. Julie has served on the Board of Governors for United Cerebral Palsy and the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara County Bowl. She chaired the major gift campaign for University Elementary School (Seeds UES) at U.C.L.A., and has served as the Founder and President of the Community Shul of Montecito and Santa Barbara for ten years. Julie currently resides in Montecito with her husband Jamie and teenage son Christopher. They own and operate Cent’Anni Vineyards in Los Olivos, CA.

William Lucas, Principal and Co-Founder, Cataumet Partners: William B. “Boutie” Lucas is a Co-Founder and Principal of Cataumet Partners, an investment management and advisory firm. Cataumet Partners was formed in 1995 to provide long-term asset management services to families and individuals. Before starting Cataumet Partners, William worked as Vice President in Corporate Finance for H.J. Meyers & Company, an investment bank, focusing on middle market companies in the Western United States. From 1989 to 1992 William worked for the Hughes Aircraft Company in its Space and Communications Division. William graduated from Princeton University with an AB in Anthropology and he received an MBA from Dartmouth College’s Amos Tuck School of Business.

Patrick McCabe, Director, New Roads Elementary School: Patrick McCabe joined the ICEF Board of Directors in 2008 bringing with him over 30 years of business management expertise. Since 2003 Patrick McCabe has overseen all of the budgets, admissions processes, hiring, fundraising and curriculum development at the New Roads Elementary School, an independent Pre-K through 12th Grade College Preparatory School. Prior to this he served as Head of School and CEO of Newbridge School in Santa Monica also an independent college preparatory school that ultimately merged with New Roads in 2003. Patrick was the Owner, President and CEO of the McSand Group for three years where he managed all aspects of business for the sports and entertainment marketing group, representing both athletes and corporate clients. Prior to this Patrick worked many years as an executive in sports and entertainment media. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University.

Julie Mikuta, Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund: At NewSchools Venture Fund, Julie focuses on investment strategy, human capital and management assistance to the firm’s portfolio ventures. Previously, Julie was Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at EdBuild. She has also led trainings for school board and superintendent-teams of large urban districts at the Center for Reform of School Systems. Julie also served as an elected member of the D.C. Board of Education from 2001 until 2004. Julie has worked as Vice President of Alumni Affairs for Teach For America, helped found Washington DC’s SEED Public Charter School, interned at the White House Domestic Policy Council, and served on the DC Public Charter School Board’s application review and monitoring teams. Julie began her career teaching high school science in New Orleans through Teach for America. Julie completed her doctorate at Oxford University, as a Rhodes Scholar. She graduated from Georgetown University, where she was captain of the women’s basketball team.

David G. Moore, CEO & President, Interconnect Solutions Group, Inc, a manufacturer’s representative group that is the exclusive agent in Southern California, for, Glenair, Inc. (a world leading supplier of interconnect products to the aerospace, military and commercial markets). David Moore has been a View Park Prep parent since 1999. Mr. Moore serves on the Deacon Board of West Angeles Church is an active youth leader with Boy Scouts of America and has served as a youth coach in several sports. David is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a BA in Economics modified with Engineering Sciences.

Kevin O’Brien, Founder and CEO, Global Broadcasting, LLC: Kevin O’Brien is a renowned broadcast industry veteran. His company, Global Broadcasting, recently purchased WLNE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island. Formerly, Kevin was President of the Meredith Broadcasting Group. Kevin is well known in the television industry, serving in the past as Chairman of the FOX Affiliates Board of Governors; Chairman of the California Broadcasters Association; Chairman of the Association of Local Television Stations; and President of the FOX Children’s Network. Prior to Meredith, Kevin spent 15 years at Cox Television Independent Group as the Executive Vice President. O’Brien spent 18 years with Metromedia Television and taught in the Communications Department at the University of Cincinnati. He is a winner of the John Carroll Award from Georgetown University and was a member of the Board of Governor’s of Georgetown University and currently on the board of Dominican College. Kevin holds a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from Xavier University.

Michael Piscal, Founder & CEO, has over 18 years experience as an educator and has managed ICEF through several critical growth phases during the last 10 years. Widely recognized for his success in serving South Los Angeles youth, Mike received an American Hero Award from Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America. In 2005, Mike received an honorary Ph.D. in Humanities from his Alma Mater, Wake Forest University. Mike has also been actively involved in the charter school movement. Mike was elected and re-elected by his peers in Los Angeles to represent them on the California Charter School Association Member Council from 2003-2006. Mike was also appointed by the California State Board of Education to the State Board’s Advisory Commission on Charter Schools. In recognition of his service to his students and the movement at large, Mike was named the 2005 Charter School Leader of the Year, which was awarded by the California Charters Schools Association. Most recently, Mike was awarded the “Recycling Black Dollars” award for Educators for his leadership in directing millions of dollars a year to black-owned businesses in Los Angeles.

Simeon Slovacek, Ph.D., Co-Director, Charter School of Education, California State University, Los Angeles: Professor Slovacek is a tenured Full Professor in the Division of Educational Foundations & Interdivisional Studies in the Charter College of Education. His duties include teaching, scholarship, research, advisement, fiscal and grant management, school intervention and research project administration. His areas of expertise include school reform, research and evaluation methodology, testing, statistics and technology in Education. He helped to start the successful Masters program in Computer Education and obtained several technology grants. He has worked on dozens of evaluation grants/contracts and authored or co-authored over thirty funded grant proposals at the University and school districts in the last 10 years (these have been funded form ore than a cumulative total of $15,000,000). Dr. Slovacek is also a founding trustee of the Accelerated School in Los Angeles and is considered an expert on charter schools.

Emeritus

Jim O'Brien, Managing Director, Co-Head Citi Global Fixed Income, Citi Alternative Investments
Jim O’Brien is the Co-Head of Citi Global Fixed Income, one of Citi Alternative Investment’s five main asset class divisions. Mr. O’Brien is also a Principal of Citi Credit Strategies, an investment center within CAI. Mr. O’Brien was a co-founder of Carlton Hill Global Advisors ("CHGA"), a specialized asset management firm that was acquired by Citi in 2007. Prior to establishing CHGA in 2005, Mr. O’Brien spent 19 years at Morgan Stanley in the Fixed Income Division. He worked in London for 5 years and served as a Managing Director for 12 years. Over the course of his career at Morgan Stanley, Mr. O’Brien held numerous senior management positions including Co-Head of the Global Corporate Credit Group, Co-Head of the Global Investment Grade Credit Group, Head of Global Cash Corporate Trading, Head of Global Credit Research and Head of European Corporate Bond and ABS trading. He spent his first 8 years at Morgan Stanley in the U.S. International Sales and Product Management Group.Mr. O’Brien began his career in the Unit Investment Trust Division of Merrill Lynch.He earned a BS degree in Finance from Seton Hall University in 1982.

Jim is a co-founder of ICEF and was awarded with an honorary degree from the View Park Preparatory High School Class of 2007.