Jacob Foko: Executive Director
As a Prince of the Baleng in West regional, Cameroon, Africa, Jacob Foko came to the United States in 2003 already a recognized photojournalist. He had become a staff photo reporter for Cameroon Radio and National Television, and Libre Afrique. His celebrated work, “Cameroon’s 100 Faces of Poverty” was shown simultaneously in the nation’s ten states. His list of humanitarian interests, documenting poverty, education and health issues led him to Africa Express Magazine, Africa International Magazine, and Jeune Afrique Economie, headquartered in Paris. He created the Cameroon Association of Humanitarian Photojournalists.
An invitation in 2002 by the U.S. Ambassador in Cameroon to speak about the challenges of being a photojournalist in an unfriendly political environment and a nomination for a photojournalism award by the Global Health Council brought him to Washington, D.C. He became a member in the American Society of Media Photographers. French-speaking Jacob mastered English before his move to California to pursue his Bachelor of Arts in Visual Journalism at Brooks Institute. Upon graduation he received the Outstanding Achievement Award and was chosen as the Keynote Speaker for commencement. More recently he has been selected by the Career College Association (CCA) to receive a 2009 GREAT Award in recognition of excellence, achievement and talent.
Tess Cacciatore: Board Member
Ms. Cacciatore has over twenty-fiveyears experience as a multi-media Producer in entertainment and education. As a writer, creative director, producer, videographer, photographer and journalist, Ms Cacciatore has traveled the world to capture the human spirit on film.
Through this experience Ms. Cacciatore developed a powerful and passionate vision to reach out to the youth of the world through the application of interactive communication technologies enabled through the development of the Internet. She founded the World Trust Foundation in 1994 and since that time has worked with youth around the world from America, Europe, South Africa, and India. In 2003, Ms. Cacciatore received the coveted award, MEDAL d’ EXCELLENCE, in the area of edu-tainment, for her extensive work and commitment to connecting the world through communication, media and technology. Ms. Cacciatore is directing the creation of the World Trust Network, a broadband interactive communication network providing multiple communication solutions including the worldwide deliver of classroom curriculum, edu-tainment programming as well as the broadcasting of seminars, conferences, concerts and live events. The World Trust Network provides access to these applications to all its collaborative partners.
Anthony N. Johnson: Board Member
Anthony N. Johnson is a communications and media consultant with over twenty-five years of creative and management experience in television, film and print media. He has successfully created media campaigns and programs for ABC-News, The World Bank, Merck, Greenpeace, IBM, Motorola, Abbott Laboratories and other Fortune 500 companies.
Mr. Johnson is formerly the General Manager of Henninger Media, one of the largest hi-end post-production facilities in the country. Here he was responsible for over eighty employees and annual sales of $14 million dollars. Presently, he is CEO of Anthony N. Johnson and Associates and currently launching their first feature film, “Initiation”, based upon the award-winning autobiography “Of Water and the Spirit”, by Malidoma Some.
Mr. Johnson has held media positions including Director Production and Operations for Black Entertainment Television, post-production Project Manager on “Tiananmen Square”, “Revolution In A Box” and three other nationally televised ABC-NEWS/ Ted Koppel Specials, Executive Producer Computer Animation for Optimus, where the Levis 501 Jeans and Bud-Lite, ”Give-Me-A-Lite” spots were produced; Executive Producer National Media Campaign for the National Fair Housing Alliance; print and radio ads featuring Ed Asner, Rita Moreno and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
He has been awarded The Silver Medal from The New York International Television and Film Festival and is a former Vice president of the International Teleproduction Society.
Mr. Johnson holds a BA in Radio-TV-Film from Northern Illinois University and a MA from Governors State University, Park Forest, Illinois and is a former United States Army Captain.
Lisa M. Kreamer: Board Member
Lisa Kreamer is currently the Student Service Manager at Brooks Institute in Ventura, California. She has a Masters of Art in Art Education and a Bachelors of Fine Art in Studio Art from the University of Arizona. She works with students from the Graphic Design, Film and Video Production and Visual Journalism degree programs, helping them with their Visual Identity, Resume & Cover letters, Interview Skills and job search skills in preparation for the transition from school to work. She also works with the off-campus non-profit work study program, placing students in community service positions throughout the county. Lisa oversees the mentorship program and is developing volunteer/community service opportunities for students.
Lisa began her career as a news photographer at the Arizona Daily Star. Shortly after she moved to Germany and spent several years in Europe traveling and working. On her return to the States Lisa entered a Religious Community and worked in Brooklyn as the Youth and Culture Coordinator at the Dr. White Community Center. Over the next 15 years Lisa worked in education, first running a career center at a local High School and then becoming the coordinating advisor for the University of Arizona’s School of Art.
Lisa works on the premise that humanitarian work is found where you live, part of your everyday. Whether it is the extra time you take with your family, the person on the street who needs assistance, or the trash you pick up and throw away when you take a walk, it is how you respond to the needs in your path each day that make the difference. Some can contribute with money, some contribute time or expertise in their field. Whatever your calling, each of us is part of a larger community and responsible for becoming a positive impact on that community
Dr. Marcia Sherman: Board Member
Dr. Marcia Sherman grew up near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, began a public career in singing at two and had an early interest in spiritual ideals and interpersonal and inter-racial issues. She was intensely connected with the causes of the American Revolution, had a deep love for planting in the soil, walking in the woods with her beloved trees and a special affinity for the various tribes of American Indians. She began playing the harp at nine, read a book called One World written by Wendell Wilkie at ten and spent her teenage Saturdays listening to the Metropolitan Opera Company broadcasts from New York City. She entered Boston University Music School while working at several places at the Polaroid Corporation and then married a Korean physics student at Harvard.
Their family lived in many places in the United States, her husband got his Ph. D. in physics from UC Berkeley and became a College Professor. After her divorce while raising their three children, she finished her degree in harp performance as well as minoring in Theater Arts where she wrote the music and performed in many plays, then got a double Master’s in Sociology and Counseling. Later she moved to Portland to work for the Oregon Bureau of Labor, further her music and pursue an active career in politics.
In Portland, she designed, built and sold her own harp carrier as well as recorded four tapes of her music while she worked as a legal assistant, an administrator and continued in her musical career on the harp. Her health failed badly and she moved to Santa Barbara, California to attempt a solution which she did by years of study of Western and alternative medicine. While she was ill she got a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology (Jungian) from The Union Institute under the guidance of Jose´ Arguelles, taught classes at SBCC Adult Ed for fourteen years, was very active in the Perot campaign and ran for the Santa Barbara City Council in 2001.
Marcia has a great interest in international relations which was exacerbated by her living in Korea during the Vietnam war. She came home strongly opposed to the war and with a very different view of political, sociological and psychological interaction resulting in an active interest in international affairs, The United Nations and the State Department.