David Mathison

David Mathison is the founder and Executive Producer of HomeAid, an annual campaign and event to benefit America's homeless and displaced.

He is founder and Managing Director of the Digital Media practice at Chadick Ellig, a premiere executive search and consulting firm named by Business Week as "one of the world's most influential headhunters."

His book Be The Media was featured in the NY Times after he sold over 5,000 copies in 11 days via his website, Twitter and Facebook. He has given keynote presentations everywhere from the United Nations to Columbia University, from Berlin to Cairo.

He is host of an award-winning radio show whose guests have included author Seth Godin, Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly, singer Jill Sobule, craigslist’s Craig Newmark, and Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales.

From 1994-1999, Mathison was Vice President with Reuters, the world’s largest news agency, where he pioneered online content syndication. As founder and CEO of the Kinecta Corporation (now part of Oracle), he raised $30 million in under 2 years.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Home Aid America and Speakers Without Borders, an international non-profit created to support professional speakers committed to inspiring the human spirit in under-served communities though the power of the spoken word.

Mathison served on the Board of Conveners for the Marin Community Media Center (San Rafael, CA), the Board of Directors for Webhood.org (Cambridge, MA), the Media Freedom Foundation (Sonoma, CA) and the Mountain Play Association (Mill Valley, CA). He is a Deacon at Westminster Presbyterian church (Tiburon, CA). He has a Masters Degree from Columbia University.

In May 2009, Mathison was scheduled to speak at Belmont University in Nashville TN when the area was hit with a "500 year flood," receiving 15 inches of rain in 24 hours. They accumulated 40% of Seattle's annual rainfall in less than two days - the equivalent of 13 feet of snow (see his video).

In 2006, Mathison chaperoned 40 Christian youth to New Orleans, where they helped homeowners cope with the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Ken Kragen

A graduate of Harvard Business School Ken Kragen's illustrious career far transcends the music and entertainment industries where he has spent many incredibly successful years. He has managed some of the world's most important entertainers, including Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton John, The Bee Gees, Burt Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers and many others. He was the creator and organizer of "We Are the World", "Hands Across America", and Cisco System's "NetAid". Amazingly over 95% of the acts he managed have become stars, and 90% of the projects he created and spearheaded have achieved success.

During the past few years, Kragen has devoted an increasing amount of his time to speaking and writing as well as consulting work for leading corporations and many non-profit organizations. He has done work for Cisco Systems, New York Life Insurance, Eastman Kodak, The Hollywood Reporter and the Country Radio Broadcasters Association to name a few. His newest project is called "The Ultimate Music Success Summit" and brings together the top people in the music and career consulting industries as well as several experts in the hot field of social media. The three day event will give aspiring artists and others incredible skills with which to maximize their opportunities to be a success in a career in music.

Kragen has also produced a variety of film and television projects, ranging from the ground-breaking "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on CBS to Kenny Rogers' "Gambler" movies, and numerous series, mini-series and films. Most recently, Kragen produced the "12 Dogs of Christmas" live action, full length feature film based on his daughter, Emma's, best-selling children's book. (www.12DogsofChristmas.com) To date this project has sold 600,000 books and 750,000 DVDs.

Ken and his friend Quincy Jones produced a portion of the 1992 Presidential Inauguration and Kragen recently did some consulting work for the Obama transition team. He has written the best-selling book "Life is a Contact Sport" which is filled with unique and well tested career advice.

He has lectured at Harvard Business School, USC, Loyola, the University of Tennessee and many other schools. For years, he taught courses at UCLA's Extension Program based on his unique concepts of career development and formulas for advancing projects to a higher level of excellence. Kragen is most proud of receiving the United Nations Peace Medal for the creation of "Hands Across America", and "We Are the World", making him one of a mere handful of private citizens to receive this honor.

Among dozens of awards Ken Kragen has been celebrated by the NAACP, the Los Angeles Advertising Women, and the Boys And Girls Club of America. He received two MTV Awards, An American Music Award, several Emmy nominations, EBONY's American Black Achievement Award, Manager of the Year Award from the Conference of Personal Managers and the International Citizen Of The Year Award from the International Visitors Council. He was Alumnus of the Year at his alma matter, the University of California, Berkeley. He is the only individual ever elected President of both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music. He serves on several charity Boards including The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Community In Schools and USA for Africa.

Jim Desposito

Jim Desposito is Senior VP and General Manager of Home Aid Live.

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Jeffrey A. Slavin

Jeffrey Slavin is chief executive officer for HomeAid, a leading national non-profit provider of housing for today's homeless. In this role, Slavin oversees implementation of the organization's strategy and day-to-day operations within the national office and across HomeAid's nationwide network of chapters.

Prior to HomeAid, Slavin held various executive management positions in the homebuilding industry in California, most recently as managing member of Cinnamon Forest LLC, an Irvine, California-based homebuilder.

Previously, Slavin was president of California Pacific Homes and led its resurgence as an active homebuilder on the Irvine Ranch. The company built a variety of product types during that period and is regarded as having pioneered the use of small lot detached homes as a substitute for attached, higher density homes.

Prior to California Pacific Homes, Slavin was president and chief operating officer of Ahmanson Developments, Inc., the homebuilding and residential venture subsidiary of Home Savings of America, the nation's largest savings and loan association. He managed the development and construction of up to 1,500 homes per year as well as the company's investment in an equal number of homes in venture relationships with other homebuilders.

Slavin's industry activities include years of service on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California; the presidency of PCBC® The Premier Building Show on behalf of the California Building Industry Association; and the Board of Directors of the California Building Industry Foundation.

Slavin's philanthropic activities include serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of HomeAid for five years from 2002-2005, and 2007, and being a member of HomeAid's executive committee from 2002-2007.

Slavin received an LLB from the Columbia University School of Law in New York City. He earned his undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

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Advisors

Elizabeth Bryan

Elizabeth Bryan is an artist/writer/entrepreneur with a mission of sharing the message of social change through all things creative. With "Balderdash" game inventor Laura Robinson, Bryan co-authored and co-invented the "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings" book and game.

Her latest book, "Soul Models™: Women Transforming Challenge to Change" is testimony to the power of giving in navigating life's challenges. It includes notables such as Candace Lightner, founder of MADD, Kim Barnouin, co-author, "Skinny Bitch" and renowned autistic animal behaviorist, Temple Grandin, among many others.

Elizabeth's fine art is featured in collections throughout the United States. She is also known for her unique clothing designs, which have been worn by numerous celebrities, appeared in Vanity Fair Magazine, and been sold by Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas. A national QVC appearance featuring her jewelry designs was an instant success, also raising considerable funds for various non-profits.

To view Elizabeth's art: www.elizabethbryanstudio.com

Count Your Blessings Game: www.countyourblessingsgame.com

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