Antioch University Los Angeles Adds Three Members to Board of Trustees

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Oct. 28, 2013 - PRLog -- Dr. Tex Boggs, president of Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA), is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to AULA’s Board of Trustees. Over the past several months Andy Bales, Jason Oclaray, and Laurie Petersen were elected by AULA’s Board of Trustees bringing the Board’s membership total to 14 members. They will serve a three-year term.

"We are pleased that these three incredibly talented individuals have agreed to share their time and talents with us," said Boggs.  "Their wide array of experiences and their demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice will provide tremendous benefits to the board, the AULA campus and to the University as a whole."

The Antioch University Los Angeles Board of Trustees has delegated authority and responsibility for the oversight of the AULA campus. They act as ambassadors to further AULA’s mission in the local and wider community as well as advocate for AULA on matters of public policy. AULA’s current Board of Trustees is comprised of exceptional individuals, leaders in business and nonprofits who share AULA’s commitment to diversity, academic excellence, and community outreach. The other Board members are: Grant Abramson; Susan D. Anderson; Susan Cole Hill, Jack Illes; Joseph Klauzar, vice-chair; Lillian Lovelace; Alicia Miñana De Lovelace; Dannelle-Mimi Phan, treasurer; Robert McKim, chair; Roland Palencia; and Mary E. Power.

Andy Bales is CEO of the Union Rescue Mission in Downtown Los Angeles, which houses, feeds and provides services to 810 previously homeless guests. He purchased and opened a Family Life Center Housing facility which houses previously homeless mothers and children. Formerly, he was the executive director of the Lake Avenue Community Foundation in Pasadena, CA. Andy has helped to reshape policies related to “dumping” homeless patients from hospitals onto the streets of Skid Row, and works with community partners to reduce homelessness in Los Angeles. Andy has been honored for his work by the Los Angeles Business Journal, the Los Angeles Police Department, and Fundraising Success Magazine. He is working toward a PhD in Sociology from Iowa State University and a Doctor of Ministry degree at Bakke Graduate School in Seattle, Washington. He holds an MAT in Political Sciences from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, a BA in Theology from Bethel College, and an honorary doctoral degree from Pacific Theological Seminary.

Jason Oclaray is managing director of Algonic Partners, LLC, overseeing the investment strategy and leading the management of a Los Angeles-based family office. From 2007 until 2012, Jason was vice president of Greendale Capital, LLC, where he established and ran the family office of Wells Fargo’s retired COO/vice-chair. Prior to that, Jason was a financial consultant at Wells Fargo’s Private Bank. Jason has been a Board member at The Trevor Project since 2007 and has served on its Executive Committee as Treasurer since 2009, during which time the organization more than doubled its operating budget to nearly $6 million. He also serves on the board of advisors for COLORS LGBTQ Youth Counseling Center, created in partnership with AULA. A long-time resident of Los Angeles, Jason is a graduate and supporter of the University of Southern California, from which he earned a BA in English, magna cum laude, and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society.

Laurie Petersen Laurie is the owner and administrator of Un Mundo de Amigos Preschool, providing free preschool and kindergarten ready-programs to over 120 children per year. After a long and rewarding career in health care and professional sports production, she made the decision to leave the corporate world and pursue her passion for education and social justice, focusing on underserved children and families in our community. Laurie is also the chairman of EDUCATE: Advancing Early Childhood Education, Parenting and Literacy, a 501c3 whose mission is to provide expand and provide quality services in Central Long Beach. Laurie earned her BA in Liberal Studies from Antioch University Los Angeles and her Master’s in Business Administration from Pepperdine University.

Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) provides a rigorous progressive education to prepare students for the complexities of today’s diverse societies. AULA, a not-for-profit institution and part of the Antioch University system, has served the greater Los Angeles area for 40 years. The core values of social justice, service to the community and lifelong learning lie at the heart of the BA degree completion program and master’s degree programs in Organizational Management, Education and Teacher Credentialing, Psychology, Creative Writing, and Urban Sustainability.

Inspired by the work of pioneering educator Horace Mann, Antioch University provides learner-centered education to empower students with the knowledge and skills to lead meaningful lives and to advance social, economic, and environmental justice. With campuses in Keene, New Hampshire, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Seattle, and Yellow Springs, Ohio, Antioch University is a bold and enduring source of innovation in higher education. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. www.AntiochLA.edu