HF 2020 Board and Committees
Abram Katz
Title: Co-founder & President
Abram Katz is a passion-driven social artist with over ten years of teaching experience. He holds a Sound Arts degree from Ex’pression College for Digital Arts. He currently offers teaching internships and teaching consulting for Southern Oregon University through immersive creative arts programming. Katz creates safe and structured classroom environments where students are encouraged to get to know each other and find common ground. His strength lies in his ability to assess the passions and challenges of diverse communities, and respond with dignity and inclusivity. His team-based approach to learning creates unique opportunities for students to cultivate their voice, connect with their community, and share their unique message with the world. Katz is committed to positive change through youth development. Katz co-founded Indigital Kids, a successful SF Bay Area educational non-profit, where he brought expressive arts to underserved populations from 2005-2010. Katz has worked in the Rogue Valley for 4+ years, bridging the gap between schools and community resource and is currently working to expand HF’s youth services to Eugene and Portland, OR.
Ian Villarreal
Title: Board Secretary & Treasurer
Ian Villarreal is a mystic, altruist, poet, artist, videographer, historical video archivist, tax accountant and licensed tax preparer. In 1994 he became part of Vimala Video, a small non-profit historical video archive established in 1980 dedicated to documenting the historical transmission of Varjayana Buddhism to the West. As one of a team of two primary videographers, he has captured hundreds of hours of footage of largely Tibetan teachers teaching in various venues in California, Oregon, Montana, and Maryland. In addition to editing and producing for dissemination a number of documentary videos, he is engaged in the task of archiving, cataloging, and preserving the body of rare footage accumulated over the last forty years. He serves on the board of Vimala Video, and works in a volunteer capacity contributing to the support and maintenance of the video archive. He is also a board member of Heartisan Foundation and serves as Secretary/Treasurer.
Kelly Wessel
Title: Board Member
Kelly Wessel is the Chief Operating Officer for United Community Action Network, bringing her experience in human services and development for 25 years. She currently is mobilizing and integrating essential direct services and national service activities to build capacity to better serve those living in poverty. At UCAN, she oversees work performed for two counties in the following program areas: Housing/Homeless Services, Energy Assistance, Weatherization, Transportation, National Service, Senior/Disabled, Food Security, Economic/Social Justice, Property Management and Youth Services. Kelly has 21 years of experience working in Josephine County as community leader, educator, served as an adjunct faculty member to Rogue Community College, as well as other sites of instruction at post-secondary level in the Pacific Northwest. She is an experienced non-profit group facilitator, specializes in strategic planning, system/service integration, advocacy, diversity/equity training and conflict resolution training. Kelly has held leadership roles in statewide networks including service as a Governor’s Commission Appointee and is active in legislative affairs at the local, state and federal level. Kelly has a B.S. in Education, Training & Development from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and obtained an Oregon Mediation Certificate from Southern Oregon University and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Ashraya Ananthanarayanan
Title: Board Member
Ashraya Ananthanarayanan is an undergraduate student with Harvard University pursuing legal studies. She takes a vision and makes it a reality through sound strategy development. She harbors a diverse background, with experience in fields ranging from business development to legal compliance. She has had the opportunity of serving as a board member for various arts and educational organizations. She is also the founder of an Internet-based talk show, Generation Leader, which brings together leaders from various fields around the globe. She is currently in the process of setting up the Institution of Enactment Edification and SYSTEM Conferences, student-based leadership and legal initiatives. She has been fortunate to receive the President’s Call to Service Award, Recognition from the Governor of PA, Citizenship Award, and recognition from several local senators and the Mayor of Philadelphia for her service to the fields of education and arts.
Sarah Minarik
Title: Board Consultant
Bio: Sarah Minarik is a strategist, design-thinker and project manager with a passion for treading lightly on the earth and living with curiosity and an open heart. Her career has focused on youth development and sustainable global supply chains, resulting in positive impact on both a local and global scale. As a Program Coordinator for West Contra Costa Unified School District, Sarah managed a team to provide academic and arts programming to over 200 students daily. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Indigital Kids, a non-profit youth development program in the Bay Area, Sarah empowered students and their families through music and storytelling. Most recently, she worked to promote sustainable livelihoods for millions of farm workers globally as the Senior Manager of Business Development at Fair Trade USA, which has brought nearly $440 Million in financial benefit to producers around the world. Sarah envisions a future where we can build sustainable systems that promote rich human connections and thriving ecosystems.
Youth Advisory Council
Issac Bales
Age: 15
Strengths: Logic models, film production, puzzles
Role: Strategist
Brynna DeLonge
Age: 12
Strengths: Voice-overs, iMovie
Roles: Arts Consultant
Samuel Bishiop-Lee Fieguth
Age: 14
Strengths: Martial Arts, commentary/youth perspective
Role: Homeschool/Charter School Liaison
Marley Himes
Age: 14
Strengths: Creative Arts, motivational speaking
Role: Student Recruiter