Executive Director
Ross Holzman
Ross Holzman is a San Francisco, CA based visionary artist, social entrepreneur, and spiritual activist. He is the founder and executive director of the Create Peace Project. Ross’ passion for facilitating collaborative arts experiences and empowering positive feelings through creativity has lead him to launch numerous art-for-peace projects. Ross employs his philosophy that the cultivation of self-awareness through self-expression is one of the most powerful tools for strengthening our connection to our self, to others, and the world around us and thus creating peace. Ross is a published author, accomplished public speaker, and arts facilitator; having lead more than 100 Peace Exchange workshops, 30 Banners for Peace workshops, and several murals. Ross has worked with more than 10,000 kids in schools across the U.S., Uganda, and India since 2009.Board of Directors
Oren Jaffe
Oren Jaffe is a manager in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Supply (Chain) Network Solutions group at Intertek, a worldwide quality assurance services company that works with brands and retailers to enable global trade. Previously, Oren co-founded the national business networking organization EcoTuesday Inc., the environmental-consulting firm BlueMap Inc., and worked as a social accountability expert for Bureau Veritas Consumer Products (BV). He has worked for professional sports teams, technology firms in the Silicon Valley, and even started an outdoor advertising company that sold blimps, hot air balloons, and airplane banners. Oren has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Sports Marketing from the University of Oregon, and an MBA from the University of San Francisco.
Molly Rowan Leach
Molly Rowan Leach lives a life that has left both a subtle and not so subtle imprint for the better upon the heart of humanity. Having worked at IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences) and overseas at the Center for Graduate Research and Education/Economics Institute in Prague, she began to set in motion the independent and activist voice that resides within her quite deeply. Her publicity and production company, Mali Rowan Presents, was founded in 2009. She is currently hosting leading-edge dialogue series for Evolutionary Lawyers and a series on Unitive and Restorative Justice and Social Healing in the US and beyond, featuring the powerful work of colleagues James O’Dea, Dr. Judith Thompson, ABA Best-selling author J. Kim Wright, Riane Eisler, Sharif Abdullah, Matthew Albracht and many others. Molly is also a member of the Advisory Committee-Peace & Politics/Summer of Peace 2012 and support for the ongoing Peace Ambassador Trainings that include participants from over 23 countries worldwide, featuring James O’Dea and a brilliant guest faculty, hosted by The Shift Network. For more information: www.malirowanpresents.com
Priya Deepika Mohan, Esq
Priya Deepika Mohan holds a Bachelors degree from Scripps College in Sociology and Public Policy and a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School. As an advocate for human rights, Priya contributes to community projects involving health and wellness, oral history, and community art. As an attorney, Priya has represented the Middle Eastern Muslim and South Asian communities impacted by Post-9/11 immigration policies. She currently works with her family’s medical clinic to revise and implement policy changes to improve the quality of medical care for patients and improve the quality of work environment for the clinic’s administration. Priya is also a student and practitioner of yoga, meditation, music and dance and recently completed course work in Sound Voice and Music Healing at the California Institute for Integral Studies. Priya seeks to integrate her spiritual practice, creative inspirations and passion for human rights and justice to manifest awareness, patience and compassion in conflict resolution and advocacy.
John Van Dinther
John Van Dinther is the founder of 2hats Consulting, a strategy consulting firm serving small businesses and entrepreneurs. John helps streamline the energy & actions of entrepreneurs into a focused vision, creating breakthroughs in productivity and results for that vision. John received his Master’s Degree in Business from California State University, Chico in 2006. During his Master’s program, John developed an entrepreneurship exchange program for Philippino students in Manila, revealing their leadership potential and creating opportunities through team development & strategic planning. John’s personal passion is to create opportunities for projects that promote sustainability and cultural exchange throughout the World. For More Info on John: www.johnvandinther.com
Dr. Richard DeAndrea
Dr. DeAndrea grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City and had a calling to practice medicine at a young age. The struggles of inner city living drove him to seek healing as a life’s path. He received a scholarship to pursue a medical education at the State University Health Science Center of New York where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. After his medical training at Cornell University’s Lennox Hill hospital, he decided to study the integrative approach to healing while traveling throughout the United States. As an integrative physician who believes in a progressive approach, Dr. DeAndrea serves as medical advisor to the American Naturopathic Medical Association, the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, Whole Life Times Magazine and Earth Save International. Dr. DeAndrea is an avid surfer and a yoga enthusiast. He is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and writer who is dedicated to helping people heal. For more info on Dr. DeAndrea: http://www.naturaldoctor.org
Collaborators and Arts Educators
Laurie Marshall
Laurie Marshall is a Marin County, CA artist, teacher and spiritual activist. She has been on the cutting edge of project-based learning in public schools for thirty years. With a bachelors in history and education from Antioch College and a masters in art and education from Beacon College, she is a certified K-12 art and secondary social studies teacher. Laurie has also trained over 3,000 teachers in visual literacy for the Polaroid Foundation, led visual art and mural making workshops, facilitated leadership training and conflict prevention with NASA, the Department of Interior, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Her book, Beating the Odds Now! – Ten Steps for Teachers to Meet the Standards and Still Love What You Do, is used in teaching project-based learning around the world. http://www.unitythroughcreativity.net/
Tara Shorey
As the Artistic Director of heARTistry in MOTION™ Tara Shorey’s commitment to cultivating and protecting the creative spirit within us is expressed clearly to her audience through her work. Her approach is rooted in the beauty way of encouraging in others their true potential, enabling them to broaden their sphere of influence in the world through their Art and Dance Medicine practice. Tara has cultivated a cross disciplinary approach in her work stemming from paintings on translucent silk, incorporating her dance practice, then grounding her inspiration on large scale canvas’s. Her installations have become a cross-cultural collaborations taking place on the island of Maui, the American Southwest,, Marin County and festivals in Northern California. One of Tara’s personal projects of heARTistry in MOTION™ and greatest Joys in life, was bringing art supplies, as well as Sound and Movement Practices to the children in the villages of Thailand and Laos. http://www.tarashorey.com/
Laura Louise Aleo
Laura Aleo is a 30 year-old visual artist originally from Boston, MA. As a prolific artist her entire life, Laura has a background in welding, textile & design, clay, painting, and sketching. Having recently focused her creativity on illustration and logo design, Laura has been a key contributor in the design and creation of the Create Peace Postcard project’s slogans and continues to support the development of the Peace Pals Global Exchange. She now manages and sells her greeting cards, illustrations and logos under the name, “Illustrations By Lo.” Laura is currently enrolled in a design/animation program at City College in San Francisco. For more information on Laura: http://www.illustrationsbylo.com/home.html
Heather Wakefield
Heather is a conceptual artist, painter and photographer. She is also a social activist and organizer who facilitates community based art and theater projects for public events, community gatherings, and festivals. Heather’s event experience includes peace flags and art projects for Earthdance, Bioneers, High Sierra Music Festival, and the Oregon Counrty Fair. She served as the Creative Director (since 2005 ) and as the President of the Harmony Festival Foundation since 2008. Heather holds a BA from JFKU in Holistic Health with a specialization in arts in consciousness. She has a photography business in Sonoma County she focusing on people, pets and performers. www.heatherwakefield.com
Amanda Morrison
Amanda is an educator, counselor, activist and writer. She has a Masters degree in Somatic Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). She now teaches in the School of Undergraduate Studies at CIIS, where she employs her training in somatics, expressive arts, and ecopsychology to encourage students to engage creatively in an interdisciplinary course of studies. She was recently published in the book, Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind. Formerly a high-tech project manager, Amanda had the challenging experience of waking up to the reality of our times and the joy of changing her focus in life from climbing the corporate ladder to living on purpose as an engaged and concerned citizen. Having personally known the power of this process, Amanda is committed to helping others take the leap into a life of service. Amanda is engaged with many causes, including: local food and farming, climate change, and voter outreach. She is a regular practitioner of yoga and meditation.
Freedom Bean
Freedom Bean is a passionately creative visual artist, performer, and teacher. Freedom has studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and The Experimental Performance Institute where he earned his Performing Arts degree in 2005. For the last several years Freedom has worked in community theaters and teen centers assisting in art projects, acting classes and songwriting workshops. Free’s philosophy is that by expressing themselves through different artistic mediums (painting, performing, songwriting) children become more confident and find their unique role in the world. www.freedombean.com
Nicole Rodriguez
Nicole Rodriguez believes art is life. She has a background in Buddhist studies from Naropa University where she integrated the spiritual practice of loving kindness into her passion for visual art and performance. Having grown up in a family of artists who made art a medium for change in the movement toward equality in the US, Nicole is an inspired and active teacher of the power of self-expression. Nicole has worked with kids for over eight years as a nanny, preschool teacher, and teaching art as a way to awaken cooperation, self-expression, and self-worth through creativity. Nicole currently co-directs a community art space in Berkeley called the Subterranean Arthouse and runs her own mural painting business working with kids to help bring art into peoples homes and businesses. She is committed to bringing leadership skills to kids through art projects as a way to contribute to peace on earth. www.motifmurals.com
David Stern-Gottfried
After working in entertainment technology for five years, David temporarily left the Bay Area to travel and volunteer in Latin America painting murals and sharing his passion for community art wherever he went. Coordinating with non-profits in Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador, David orchestrated several large community murals with hundreds of children. His enthusiasm for public art landed him work with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program in the summer of 2008 where he painted with the city’s top muralists on five mural projects. David taught high school youth as well as visited the state prison to work with men involved in the mural program. He is now facilitating Banners painting workshops and murals with the C. P. P. in his commitment to bringing large- scale community arts projects to youth throughout the Bay Area. His purpose is to make art happen.www.davesg.com
Todd Berman
Todd Berman is a San Francisco artist who travels the world and his local community, sketchbook in hand. His art reflects the colorful eccentricity bound within moments and individuals; depicting scenes of people coming together to improve their surroundings. Todd promotes creativity by asking people of all ages to create small, personalized drawings which he collages into larger collaborative art works. Working as a public school substitute teacher in San Francisco’s eclectic Mission District neighborhood, Todd creates scenes that capture a chaotic sense of community in bright, expressionistic drawing, painting and collage. Named San Francisco County 2006 Bike Commuter of the Year, Todd also uses his two wheels to bring his art to events, parks, and schools. Find out more about Todd’s work at www.TheArtDontStop.org.
Carolina Stankiewich
Carolina Stankiewich is a mosaic and video artist based in San Francisco, CA. After earning her BA in communications in her native Argentina, she moved to San Francisco in 1997. She has spent the past 13 years working in photography, video, mosaic and education. Carolina learned mosaic and stained glass techniques at Sharon Art Studio and holds a digital media teaching certificate from BAVC. In 2005 she received an award for her short video “Flor” at the VideoFest. Some of her community mosaic projects are on exhibit at MCCLA and Monroe Elementary School in San Francisco. Carolina has more than 8 years of experience working with youth of diverse backgrounds in arts-education.
