I've lived in Tarzana for 13 years and Sherman Oaks for 20 years. My husband Chris and I have a daughter Amy and 2 grandsons, Ben and Colin. Chris and I own two small businesses and a shopping center at the corner of Ventura Blvd and Shirley Ave. Chris stays very busy with work while I spend most of my time volunteering in our community. I am involved in several service organizations. I have been the proud President of the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center since 2003. The Center is the top priority in my community service work. I am the President of the Woodland Hills Kiwanis Club, another excellent community service organization dedicated to helping young children. I am also an active member of the Woodland Hills-Tarzana Chamber of Commerce. My goal for the future is continuing to preserve the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center for future generations to enjoy and remember the hard work and generous community donations that saved the corner from commercial development.

Helen (Brown) Baker was born and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Upon receiving her BA from the University of North Carolina, she taught elementary school in Norfolk. Virginia then moved to San Diego where she taught fourth and fifth grade, learned to sail, and bought a sailboat. After marriage and moving to Los Angeles area, she continued teaching, in South Central L.A., Los Virgenes Schools, and then at Viewpoint, where her two young daughters attended. Baker was active in the Ebell Club of Los Angeles and Assistance League, where she served as president of her auxilliary. She also volunteered as a Girl Scout leader and in a homeless advocacy group through her church, and worked as office manager in the family water purification distributing business. Baker obtained her Real Estate Broker's license when the family moved to Tarzana in 1976 and actively worked in real estate in the San Fernando Valley until 1999 when an investment in a cellular license service area lottery paid off and put her to work as secretary/treasurer for South Carolina Cellular, Inc. When that business was built up and eventually sold to Bell Atlantic Mobile, the family financial situation was significantly improved. While considering a charitable donation, Baker remembered a letter written by Helen Itria Norman, president of the Tarzana Property Owner's Association, who suggested that the property on the corner of Ventura and Vanalden Avenue, then owned by Public Storage Company, would be much better used as a community center, with the trees and open space preserved. Baker became convinced that the corner should belong to the community, and that perhaps she could help to make that dream be realized. With the help of many others who also believed in the dream, and a lot of work, the property was purchased in the spring of 2002, the Tarzana Community Center became a reality, and became an independent 501(c3) the following year as the Tarzana Community and Cultural Center.

Amaris has been a volunteer for most of her adult life..She has particularly enjoyed her seven years as a docent at the los Angeles Zoo. Her life long interest in Natural History seemed to segue into a career as a travel Agent, which has alowed her to see so many wonderful places in the world. After owning Travel Ticket in Encino for almost 20 years, she now works for World O'Travel in Woodland Hills. Amaris and her husband Philip enjoy their 8 grandchildren who range in age between one and 21 years.They travel a lot around the world but come home in time to volunteer at the TCCC.

Paul Lawler is the President of Paul Lawler Risk Management, a full service insurance brokerage and risk management company. Paul has operated the company since 1989. He owned and operated the Coast Stereo retail store chain from 1980-1989. Paul attended The University of Chicago before the Reserve activation in 1969 and is an M.B.A. alumnus of California State University Northridge. He also holds two insurance industry designations: Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow and Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter. Paul served as a Navy/Marine Corps Helicopter Aviator, rising to the rank of Lieutenant (O3). He served two tours in Viet Nam and earned several meritorious citations. Lawler is an active member of several Community organizations, and currently is serving or has served in the following positions. Boy Scouts of America Scoutmaster and Wood Badge participant. Optimist International founding President of the Tarzana Club. Los Angeles Parks and Recreation, Park Advisory Board President. American Legion and Jewish War Veterans Life Member of National Post 100 AYSO Senior Level Soccer Coach Trainer, Regional Commissioner and Area Referee. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Level Two designation. Tarzana Chamber of Commerce President 1994-1995, 2000 and 2003 Woodland Hills-Tarzana Chamber of Commerce Vice-Chair Special Events 2007 Woodland Hills-Tarzana Chamber of Commerce Vice-Chair Operations 2008 Tarzana Neighborhood Council Board member and Chair of the Organizational Out Reach Committee.

She is a graduate of UCLA, with a degree in elementary education and experience as an elementary school teacher. In addition, she is a published author of children's books and of magazine articles on a variety of subjects. Since 1976 she has been selling real estate, initially for the Jon Douglas Company, which has evolved into Coldwell Banker. She has been a speaker at real estate symposiums and real estate training programs, as well as a participant on panels about real estate. Her interests include being a sponsor of Lanai Road Elementary School, a supporter of The John Wayne Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association. The Tarzana Community Cultural Center is of importance to her as it grows to become an integral part of the community.

In a long and varied public relations career, Ed Crane has served for nearly four decades as a publicist and publicity executive in the motion picture, television and broadcasting industries, as well as for non entertainment-related ventures. Starting as an apprentice with CBS-Channel 2 news, his studio associations include Universal, Warner Bros., Lorimar and Avco Embassy Pictures, publicizing such series as "McHale's Navy," "The Virginian," "Dragnet," "The Waltons" and "The Name of the Game," and such films as "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes," "The Killing Fields," "Airport 1975," "Earthquake!" and "Jaws," among many others. His non entertainment accounts range from a semiconductor manufacturer and an eye research foundation-to a leading westside interior design firm and a national pharmaceutical chain. He served two terms as president of The Publicists Guild of America, the film and TV publicists' national union--and as a board member of Entertainment Industries Council, a Washington, DC-Hollywood alliance dedicated to promoting an accurate, non-glorifying depiction of substance abuse/violence in the media. He received his BA from Stanford University and subsequently served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and California National Guard. Ed and his wife, Cheryl, have resided in Tarzana for 33 years.

Louis has been a resident of Tarzana since 1978. Throughout the years he has served on a number of boards and has donated his time to many worthy causes. Accepting a position on the board is a means of "payback" to the community that has allowed his family to grow in a pleasant environment. As a graduate of University of Arizona he holds a BS in Business Administration with minors in Marketing, Advertising and Art. He has held his current position, the President The Armored Group, Inc.-Innerspace Cases and Inner-Force since 1977. Fields of Expertise:

I am a 39-year Tarzana resident and have been active in the community for over 38 years. Forty years ago my wife Evelyn and I fell in love with a vacant lot in Melody Acres; we immediately bought it and subsequently built our house, and raised two children, along with goats and chickens, fruits and vegetables. In addition to my position as a Board member of the Tarzana Community and Cultural Center, I am President of the Tarzana Property Owners Association (TPOA) and have served on the Board of Directors for many years. I am a member of the Board of Directors of the Tarzana Neighborhood Council and belong to the Melody Acres Neighborhood Association (MANA). I have spent my working life in the aerospace and defense industries and am now a business development consultant. I try hard to balance my professional, civic, and family activities with my addictive love of travel and the demands of my garden and orchard. I believe close coordination between the various organizations in our area is critical to preserving our unique community and to help shape the future of Tarzana and the city of Los Angeles. My current major community involvement is working for the preservation of the look and feel of our unique community. Toward that end I am actively working to try and integrate the community concerns and desires into the proposed Anti-mansionization Ordinance and to promote more effective code enforcement.

I was born and raised in a small town in Iowa, the youngest of three children. Attended the University of Iowa and graduated with a BA degree in art. At the same time I received my commission as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army and was sent to Korea. When I returned I went to live and study in Chicago, attending The Art Institute and American Academy of Art. I began my art career there designing point of purchase displays, posters and collateral material for companies such as Kimberly Clark and General Motors. In 1962 I moved to Los Angeles and continued my career by working for Pacific Telephone, Cambria Studios and as Graphic Artist/Illustrator for the Beverly Hill Unified School District. I also taught design and art production at Valley College and Pierce College. In 1975 I established Studio 3 Graphic Design with two partners. However, one partner shortly withdrew and moved to Europe. I and the remaining partner continued the business in Encino for 17 years at which time she retired. I continued the business alone for another 8 years and then also retired. I was married in 1968, had 2 children, Brad now 37 and Ashley now 33. Brad is a Certified Financial Planner with his own business and offices in Encino and Calabasas. Ashley has her Masters Degree in Sociology and works at a locked facility for troubled teens in Long Beach. I was divorced in 1985 and have not remarried. I am now able to devote more time to my true loves, painting and sketching. I also belong to several social groups, go to the gym 6 mornings a week and play Scrabble on the Internet with people around the world.

Moved to Tarzana in 1965. Her husband, Ralph, found the best school in the area, Wilbur Elementary, and drove around until he found our house on La Barca Drive. Their three children have grown and moved away, and Ralph passed away in 2007. Lori remains in the house she moved into 44 years ago. She became active in the Center in 2004 and is now the Event and Rental Coordinator. She chairs the White Elephant Sales, puts together Silent Auctions and multiple gift baskets for fundraising events, and will be chairing the Mother's Day Tea in 2009. While working as a "traveling saleswoman" for a fashion jewelry company for 22 years, she remained active in Valley activities. The Valley League for Hathaway was her major concern for 18 years, as a member and then President. The Group remains as a League of our Own, and now does fundraising for a different charity every other month. She chaired an event for the LA City Schools DARE Program while a member of the Associates for Troubled Children. She was a member, then President of the Mulholland West Chapter of Women's American ORT, and put on multiple tennis tournaments to raise money for ORT Schools. Her special time now is spent with her seven grandchildren, ranging in age from 2 years to 19 years. She is also finally enjoying traveling.

A business transactions lawyer, Ms. Williams has served in numerous professional and community organizations from legal counsel for senior citizen centers to Family Law advocacy on behalf of the indigent. Her current practice interest is in the area of intellectual property as its legal applications evolve with today's technology. A past president of The Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, Ms. Williams is currently a California Bench and Bar Coalition (BBC) representative. Comprised of State judges and bar leaders the BBC offers legislative lobbying and other advocacy on behalf of the State's judicial system. Ms. Williams is Chair of the Black Women Lawyers' (BWL) Judicial Evaluations and Nominations Committee which provides for BWL endorsement of judicial candidates. Ms. Williams is a Board of Supervisors Appointee to the County's Workforce Investment Board. Spearheaded during her presidency and tenure with Jack and Jill of America, San Fernando Valley Chapter, she has a long term involvement in coordinating community and children's activities within the San Fernando Valley.

Tarzana has been my home for the past thirty plus years. My previous centers of gravity include Northern California, Texas and Montana. While living in Tarzana, I became an art educator teaching art/art history to elementary students at Serrania Ave. School in Woodland Hills. I have also been a docent for the Topanga Canyon Docents. On October 6, 2002 the First Event held at the TCCC -- I initiated a Dream and Draw Art Contest. The goal of the contestants was to depict proposed future activities at the Center. Suggestions included singing, dancing, gardening, game playing, arts/crafts and community meetings.

Mitch McKnight has been a valley resident for many years. He was raised in Woodland Hills and now he and his family live in the Tarzana area. A 22 year veteran of the Fire Department, he now has the opportunity to train the citizens of Los Angeles to prepare for disasters. He has trained nearly 10,000 as of 2009, and now holds the position of Senior Instructor. In addition to being both a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician, Mitch is also a State Certified Fire Instructor. His experience includes working at Fire Stations throughout the South Central area as well as the San Fernando Valley. He has held assignments in the areas of Training and Fire Prevention. In addition to all this, Mitch is also a lead member of the Department’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team and is involved in debriefing members after particularly traumatic incidents. He is honored to have been chosen as the newest Board Member.

Jon Tsuchiyama is proprietor of the West Valley Nursery on Ventura Blvd. across the street from the TCCC. His father Shigeru opened this nursery in 1951. The Center's rose garden "Kay's Garden" was donated in honor of Jon's mother, Kay.

Moving to California two years ago was not such a big change from the sun and deserts of Dubai, United Arab Emirates where I lived for more than 16 years. Although I am originally an east coast girl and still miss those seasons, I am beginning to understand why people choose Tarzana as their home. One of my three daughters currently lives with me and I am hoping to persuade the other two to join me. Over the years I have participated in many civic organizations i.e. Junior Women’s League of NJ, vice president of Petroleum Wives Club of Dubai, American Women’s Association of Dubai, speaker at ECIS Conferences in Europe. Volunteering in the office at TCCC for the past year and helping with the website and events offered me many great opportunities. I now look forward to actively serving on the board and learning more about the community that I have chosen to call home.