Board of Directors Tina Blaine, Bob Gonsalves, Eric Kos, Colleen Marlow, Jan Mason, Michael Racela, Carolyn West Advisory Board Ellen Sebastian Chang, Amy Critchett, Elaine N. Fong, Audrey Lord-Hausman, Frank Matarrese _______________________________________________________________ Board of Directors Long inspired by global traditions and spontaneous music making, Tina Blaine (also known by her stage name, Bean) has been studying and performing on a variety of electronic and acoustic percussion for more than 25 years. She has written music for NPR, video games, TV and documentary soundtracks, and has performed/recorded with Brian Eno, Mickey Hart, D'CüCKOO, Haunted by Waters, Maze Daiko, Pandemonaeon, Shakini, The Bindi Society, and others lured by the muse. Blaine is currently curating an exhibit featuring "technology for the benefit of humanity" at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose. Prior to joining the Tech, she worked as a technology consultant and taught 5 years at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, developing collective experiences that integrate game design, sonic discovery, and interactive media. In the late 90's, Blaine led a development team at Interval Research in the creation of the Jam-O-Drum, a collaborative audiovisual instrument on exhibit at the Experience Music Project in Seattle and other venues in the U.S. and Europe. __________________ Born in New Jersey, but bred in Brazil, Bob Gonsalves demonstrated his skills with technology at an early age by 'improving' his parents' stereo system. Mr. Gonsalves has previously served as a consultant to Panasonic, Atari, Xerox and numerous startup firms and museums (Exploratorium, Randall Museum). In addition to computer hardware design, he has won several awards for a series of interactive computer games. He holds two patents based on his work on The Lingraphica System for speech-language rehabilitation. He holds a BA in Comparative Religion from Swarthmore College and an MFA in Multimedia from Mills College/Center for Contemporary Music. __________________ Eric J. Kos graduated from Rhode Island School of Design where he became fascinated with the ancient art of painting and the nascent art of computer graphics. He wrote for and designed several publications before forming Stellar Media Group, Inc. in 2001 to publish a weekly newspaper, the Alameda Sun, to which he regularly contributes. In 2004, he teamed up with Dennis Evanosky to write East Bay Then & Now which led to other contracted works: San Francisco in Photographs, San Francisco Then & Now and the upcoming Los Angeles from the Air Then & Now. Kos is a past president of the Greater Alameda Business Association. He is working on other manuscripts and a mural currently. __________________ Colleen Marlow is a 10-year veteran arts administrator, currently enjoying her post as Executive Director of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. She has worked with many other arts organizations throughout her career including the Northwest Film Forum, Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, Z Space Studio, Independent Arts & Media, Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association, and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council of Minneapolis. Colleen unabashedly holds 'having fun' as a core value and loves amusement parks, carnival midways, and Rhythmix's Three Ring Bingo! Colleen lives in Alameda with her three houseplants who were recently cast in a stop-motion animation film entitled "The Houseplants" Picnic." __________________ Making things happen is what Jan Mason is all about. Owner of OMM, Inc., an established Alameda real estate and property management company, Jan is known for her unique and artistic approach to the business of real estate. With her strong art background, her commitment to transformation – whether it is a building or a new idea, she is enthusiastic about “selling” Rhythmix Cultural Works to the Alameda community. She loves the TAIKO classes! Jan was awarded Business Woman of the Year 2007 by the Alameda Chamber of Commerce, and Professional Business of the Year, by the Park Street Business Association. With great joy, Jan Mason brings her business moxie plus her exuberant energy to Rhythmix Cultural Works. __________________ Michael Racela is a senior IT analyst at UCSF Medical Center. He was once active as a performer in the Bay Area, working at many venues including the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, the Z Collective, Berkeley Rep, TheatreWorks, and others. Michael feels the artistic pull most while lying awake at night and in the late afternoon at work. He feels that encouragement and nurturing of the non-digital arts is vital. __________________ She studied classical music throughout her youth, but it was the visceral experience of taiko drumming that really changed her life! Just days after seeing her first taiko concert in 1998, Carolyn West joined Emeryville Taiko, and studied and performed extensively with the group for seven years. In 2001, she participated in the first KasaMix trip to Japan, a cultural exchange cosponsored by Kodo Arts Sphere America and Rhythmix Cultural Works. In 2006, she joined Maze Daiko, the ensemble based at RCW, known for combining traditional taiko forms and rhythms with non-traditional instrumentation and cross-cultural grooves. Carolyn has also held a progression of positions in small businesses involved in entertainment, manufacturing, construction and law. Since 1996, she has been practicing trusts and estates law, and is currently with a firm in downtown Oakland. An Alameda resident for over 15 years, Carolyn is delighted to support Rhythmix Cultural Works, and invites everyone to attend and participate in arts events, performances, classes, theater, and other gatherings in a beautiful community venue. _______________________________________________________________ Advisory Board Ellen Sebastian Chang is a director, creative consultant and writer. She has created and directed a broad range of work: hip-hop youth performances, opera, site specific and radio. And worked with some of the most interesting artists in the country. Past collaborations include KITKA, YOUTH SPEAKS, OAKLAND OPERA THEATER, AYA DE LEON, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, JON JANG AND JAMES NEWTON. Ms. Sebastian Chang was a cofounder and artistic director of LIFE ON THE WATER, a national and internationally known presenting and producing organization at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center from 1986 through 1995. __________________ Amy Critchett began her career as Director of Special Projects for Wired Magazine during its launch years. She was Supervising Producer for ZDTV.com, and Executive Producer for the launch of Oxygen.com, the online portion of Oxygen Media. Most recently, Amy was Director of Media and Marketing for One Economy. Currently, Amy is the Director of Marketing for UthTV. Amy is a former California State artistic roller skating champion, and her first moment on TV was on her mother's shoulders at an Anti Vietnam War rally in 1969. __________________ Elaine N. Fong is the founder and artistic director of Odaiko New England, one of the few taiko (Japanese drum) groups in Massachusetts. She has over twenty five years of taiko performance, teaching and administrative experience. In addition to taiko, Ms. Fong has over ten years of dance training. Ms. Fong is also a certified TaKeTiNa rhythm instructor at the basic level. Ms. Fong received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and a Masters in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Organization and Management. In addition to her experience in the arts, Ms. Fong has over sixteen years of not-for-profit administrative experience. She has also worked in the public and private sectors. She is currently a board member of the YWCA Boston, and a United Way allocations committee volunteer. __________________ Audrey Lord-Hausman has served for the past six years as the Administrative Coordinator of the Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth & Families, City of Alameda, www.alamedayouth.org. Some of the projects include children's health, after school programming, safety, and the teen program produces the Youth Yellow Pages and a teen magazine, "Out Loud - Thoughts of a Teenage Mind." An October 21 conference is being planned entitled "In the Mix - issues and challenges of mixed race youth & families". __________________ Frank Matarrese, Alameda City Councilmember