“Creating Our New Normal”
Reception & Panel Discussion

WED, June 30, 6 pm

It can’t be “party all the time, party all the time” right? But, don’t worry. We’ll keep our final reception and “AMA” (Ask Me Anything) style panel discussion fun with lively music, strong ass cocktails, and a special menu for event participants.

From the owner, Chef Kim Vu, “My great hope is to bring value to the queer community through this panel discussion and reception. Whether it be personal insight, career advice, or emotional encouragement, first and foremost, this event is meant to add value to their life. I’m sure it will be insightful for those who aren’t queer, and hopefully it will help us become better allies to the queer community.”

In addition to featuring Michters, a woman-made whiskey by master distiller Pamela Heilmann, we’ll also be featuring La Gritona Tequila. Loosely translated as “The Screaming Woman”, this 100% blue agave spirit is distilled by Melly Barajas in a small distillery in Jalisco. Every step of production takes place under one roof and the facility is overseen by a small staff of local women that work each process. This tequila is not just small batch and craft-made, it’s woman-made start to finish.

There is no charge for the reception, but you must RSVP to: info@sorrynotsorryla.com

Panelists

Len Lanzi (Moderator)

Managing Director of the Preccelerator Program for Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP, Board of Directors Rotary Club & Meals on Wheels

Leonard M. Lanzi has over 30 years of organization management and fund development experience. Currently Len serves as the Managing Director of the Preccelerator Program for Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP. In that role, Len works with Tech Startup portfolio companies as they prepare for product launch and venture fundraising. Previously, Len served as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Venture Association from 2007-2019.

Len brings a well-rounded knowledge from such diverse human service organizations as the Community Kitchen of Santa Barbara, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Junior Achievement of Southern California and the Boy Scouts of America.

Leonard graduated from the University of Rochester with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He has professional certification from Pepperdine University on Private Capital Markets. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica where he served on its Board of Directors as VP Programs. Leonard also serves as Board Chair for Meals on Wheels West, as a director for Rotarians for Family Health and AIDS Prevention, Board Treasurer for the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Governors for StartOut, a nationwide entrepreneurial organization for the LGBT community.

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Liza Katsman

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consulting, Board of Directors LGBTQ Alumni Association (UCLA Anderson)

Liza Katsman (she/her) is a DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) consultant and facilitator, focused on helping organizations and leaders foster environments of belonging for their employees. She received her MBA from UCLA Anderson, and currently co-leads the Anderson Alumni for Equity group and is on the board of the LGBTQ+ Alumni Association. She previously worked at Sony Pictures, where she helped develop equity-focused initiatives, including a short-film showcase for underrepresented women filmmakers. Her B.S. is from UCLA, focused on neuroscience of memory and learning, with a minor in education inequity.

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Jonathan Wilson

M&A, Strategy, and Operations Consulting, Social Justice Task Force Leader

Jonathan Wilson is the President and Chief Value Creator for a small management consulting firm focused on delivering M&A, Strategy, and Operations solutions. For almost 20 years, Jonathan worked exclusively with Fortune 500 companies developing and executing both inorganic growth initiatives (M&A – acquisitions and divestitures) and organic growth initiatives to enhance profitability through increased revenue and / or realized cost savings. Over the past few years, Jonathan has pivoted to focused partnerships with organizations, where annual revenues are below $1B as well as select Fortune 500 companies.

In addition to running his firm, Jonathan is the President of the UCLA Anderson Black Alumni (ABA) association, the Vice Chair of the Programs Committee for the Los Angeles Urban League, and was recently selected to serve on the Social Justice Task Force for the City of West Hollywood.

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Kathleen Cohen

XR Experience Strategist and Tech Humanist, Former Creative Producer for DreamWorks Interactive, IBM Centers for Innovation, & Disney Parks and Resorts

Kathleen Cohen is an XR Experience Strategist and Tech Humanist with over 25+ years building both user and guest experiences. Kathleen’s background includes working as a Creative Producer for DreamWorks Interactive, IBM Centers for Innovation, and Disney Parks & Resorts. Kathleen also was the former Vice President of Digital Innovation & Integration for the National Constitution Center helping to tell the contemporary story of the U.S. Constitution while also contributing to U.S. Heritage Tourism. She has a personal commitment to the Persons with Disabilities community, as well as the Black Tech Mentorship Platform. Kathleen sits on the Board of holoride (Munich); recent winners of the 2021 SXSW Pitch for Best in Show and Entertainment, Gaming, Content. Also, holoride just closed their $12M Series A round. For the past three years, Kathleen also has been the Jury Chair and Keynote Speaker at the AUREA AR/VR Awards hosted by MackNext & Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. Europe’s 2nd largest themed attraction, second to Disneyland Paris.

Kathleen’s consultancy, the Collaboratorium focuses on immersive tech, AI/ML, XR and spatial computing projects as it relates to virtual beings/digital twins inside themed attractions, location-based entertainment and other business vertical, world-building projects. Kathleen focuses on product development with future storytelling narratives. Her interest is the near future of man+machine and the human expansion supporting it. Kathleen and her team are currently building a Likeness & Legacy project. Her latest talks are: The Future and Present Converge(s); a talk about teleportation, and Meet Your Digital Twin, a talk about the land rush to recreating humans.

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Zac Peeples

Director of eCommerce at FIJI Water, Board of Directors at wayOUT

Zac Peeples isa Director of eCommerce at FIJI Water and has worked at Wonderful for nearly 5 years. In his current role, he runs Wonderful’s Home Delivery programs, which includes our website and all orders placed through it. In his personal life, he’s on the Board of Directors of wayOUT, a non-profit dedicated to advancing organizations and programs that support LGBTQ+ youth in rural and conservative parts of the country. He founded the Los Angeles chapter in 2019, and since its inception, wayOUT has raised over $825,000 for 14 life-saving organizations across the country. When he has time outside of work and wayOUT, he loves to spend it running, cooking, and traveling.

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