Karen Spencer, Founder & CEO (U.S.)

Karen Spencer founded Whole Child International in 2004 to improve the quality of care for children without guardianship worldwide. By targeting the largely overlooked emotional needs of society's most vulnerable children, Whole Child's cost-effective, sustainable, and replicable program provides children with the tools they need to become productive members of society. As Founder and CEO of the organization, Karen leads an international team of trainers, researchers, and other staff to change systems of care, advocate and influence policy, and conduct related research. Whole Child programs are currently being brought to scale with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, TACA Airlines, and other donors. Karen is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, where Whole Child's 2009 Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action was selected to be highlighted as an example of how to tackle an intractable global problem at CGI's Annual Meeting on September 24, 2009. On February 20-21, 2010, joined by special guest His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Karen Spencer and Whole Child launched a global initiative to raise awareness of the plight of institutionalized children. During the two days with Whole Child, His Holiness engaged philanthropists, academics, government officials, and the public on how to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children. Karen is co-author on two articles published in 2010 in the peer-reviewed Infant Journal of Mental Health, contributing important insights and realistic solutions to the public debate. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Courtney Colman, Chief Financial Officer (U.S.)

Courtney Colman joined in September 2010 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As CFO, Courtney is responsible for the Accounting & Finance operations of Whole Child International. Prior to joining Whole Child International, Courtney was CFO at Porchlight Entertainment, where she oversaw the financial operations (accounting, finance, participations & residuals, IT, HR) of the privately-held, Emmy-winning production & distribution company. Preceding Porchlight, Courtney was the Acting Chief Financial Officer-Executive Vice President of Finance at First Look Studios, overseeing the finance, accounting and participation departments. Previously, she was CFO at Lieberman Research Worldwide (a market research company), Vice President of Participations at Sony Pictures Entertainment, Vice President at Universal Music’s Interscope label, Vice President of Film Finance at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, and Senior Vice President at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group in the UK.  Courtney’s experience at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment extended over six years in Canada, the UK, and the United States. Sher received her Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Toronto, and she is a Chartered Accountant (CA) in Canada and the UK.

Ani Shabazian, Ph.D. (U.S.)

Ani Shabazian earned her B.A. from UCLA where she majored in Psychology and History and minored in Applied Developmental Psychology. She went on to pursue a Master's degree in Human Developmental Psychology from Harvard University. Ani then returned to UCLA to complete an MA/Ph.D. program in Urban Schooling from UCLA's Department of Education. Ani is the recipient of the UCLA Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award. While at UCLA, she had the privilege of being trained at the world-renowned Pikler Institute, a Hungarian orphanage noted for its innovative and successful approach to rearing children raised in institutions. Her research interests focus on best practices in caring for children raised in institutional settings. Currently, Ani has a dual appointment at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), serving as an Assistant Professor in the LMU School of Education and as the Director of the Children's Center.

Meghan Lopez, MSN, FNP-BC, Country Director (Nicaragua)

Meghan came to Whole Child with more than 10 years' experience in program development and management, ranging from training rural community health workers, staff training and shift management in a hospital setting, patient education as a primary care provider, relationship development with local national and international partners, and international project development and management. She is passionate about evidence-based best practices for early child development and health promotion across the lifespan. She received her Bachelors in Arts in the Politics of Religion from Dartmouth College, after which she spent four years in the Peace Corps in Paraguay. She returned to the United States to pursue the Master of Science of Nursing as a family nurse Practitioner from Johns Hopkins University. Meghan has previously lived and worked in Paraguay, studied in Morocco and Haiti, and had assignments in Bolivia, Argentina, Honduras, Guatemala, Ghana, the Philippines, and as an NGO representative to the United Nations in New York.

Gabriela Serrano (El Salvador)

Leading the Central American office, Gabriela Serrano is responsible for coordinating activities in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and across the region. Gabriela previously worked within the Salvadoran government and at the University of Oregon in the United States, and is experienced in program planning and implementation.

Michelle Branciforte, Expert Childcare Trainer (Nicaragua)

Michelle has worked with multicultural nonprofit organizations in the United States and abroad for more than ten years.  She is a licensed social worker with a Master's concentrated in children and families, and completed the Latino Cultural Competency Certificate from Arizona State University.  She has extensive experience working with at-risk youth and children with special needs, most recently as a bilingual early intervention social worker.  She previously worked at a domestic violence shelter empowering women and children, with court-appointed attorneys to ensure the protection of abused children, and as a teacher for underprivileged youth.  She has completed volunteer service in Nicaragua with a psycho-educational program for young children in need of extra emotional and psychological assistance.  She was a member of Americorps, and created a tutoring program at a local community center. She also was a mentor to girls living in an orphanage in Mexico.  She is passionate about protecting vulnerable children and empowering communities to create sustainable solutions.

Collaborators

Christina J. Groark, Ph.D.

Christina Groark is Co-Director of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, Associate Professor in the School of Education, and adjunct faculty in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. She is responsible for several collaborative programs working on behalf of children and families, such as Early Head Start, Family Services System Reform, and the Starting Points Program. She has conducted an extensive intervention and research project in children's institutions in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is the author of many articles and book chapters in the areas of early intervention and international youth services.

Robert B. McCall, Ph.D.

Robert B. McCall is Co-Director of the Office of Child Development and a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. The Office of Child Development, started in 1986, is devoted to promoting and managing interdisciplinary partnerships in the domains of education and training, applied research, human service demonstrations, program evaluation, and policy studies pertaining to supporting the health, education, welfare, and development of children, youth, and families. McCall has authored hundreds of books, chapters, and articles on infant mental development, age changes in general mental performance, the prediction of later IQ, early childhood care and education, parenting, and issues in applied research methods and program evaluation. He has been an Associate Editor of Child Development and he was a Contributing Editor, monthly columnist, and feature writer for Parents magazine.

Board of Directors

Ron Burkle

Mr. Ronald W. Burkle is a Managing Partner at The Yucaipa Companies, LLC, Yucaipa Corporate Initiative, L.P., Yucaipa Corporate Initiative II, L.P., Yucaipa American Alliance Fund I, L.P, and Yucaipa American Alliance Fund II, L.P. He co-founded the firm in 1986 and was the Managing Partner at Yucaipa Equity Partners I, L.P. Mr. Burkle is also the majority shareholder of Golden State Foods. From May 1996 to September 1997, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Smith's Food & Drug Centers Inc. Mr. Burkle served as the Chief Executive Officer of Dominick's Supermarkets Inc. from 1995 to January 1996. He has been a Director of KB Home Corporation since 1995 and Occidental Petroleum Corporation since 1999. Mr. Burkle has been a Director of Yahoo Inc. since November 2001 and serves as a Member of Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and has been a Director of Kaufman & Broad SA since February 7, 2000. He also serves as Member of Dividend Committee of Occidental Petroleum Corporation. Mr. Burkle serves as a Director of Kaufman & Broad Home Corporation and Yucaipa Equity Partners LP. He serves as a Director of Dominicks Finer Foods Inc. Mr. Burkle serves as a Trustee of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The J. Paul Getty Trust, the National Urban League, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He serves as a Member of the Executive Board for the Medical Sciences at UCLA, the Carter Center, Aids Project Los Angeles, RAND's Education Advisory Board, Claremont Graduate University, National Campaign Against Youth Violence, and The Children Scholarship Fund, a Co-Chairman of the Burkle Center for International Relations at UCLA, the Founder and Benefactor of the Burkle Scholarship Award with the Los Angeles Urban League. Mr. Burkle served as the Chairman of Fred Meyer, Inc. since September 1997 and Dominick's Supermarkets, Inc. since March 1995. He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Smitty's Supermarkets, Inc. from June 1994 until its merger in May 1996 with Smith's Food & Drug Centers, Inc. and as a Director from 1996 to 1997. Mr. Burkle served as the Chairman of the Board of Food 4 Less Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiary, Ralphs Grocery Company.

George Landegger, Chairman and primary owner of Parsons & Whittmore

Landegger is Chairman and primary owner of Parsons & Whittemore. Landegger served for 22 years as Chairman of Georgetown University’s Foreign Service School, and is now Chairman Emeritus of that institution. He has also served as Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education in the State of Alabama, and as Chairman of Reading Alabama, which provides interactive computer reading education to 70 percent of the students in all public school kindergartens and first grades in the state of Alabama. He is founder and primary support of Destin Harvest, a charitable organization established to provide perishable food from the local restaurants in Destin, Florida, to soup kitchens and other recipients that serve the needy. He is the primary support of Karuna Niwas, a home for unwed mothers in Bangalore, India, which is now celebrating its 25th year. Landegger has also established a kindergarten through 12th grade school for girls in Midwest Pakistan. Landegger serves on the board of Whole Child International.

James H. (Jim) Schloemer, Chief Executive Officer, Continental Properties Company, Inc.

Jim Schloemer has been active in real estate development and investment since 1977. In 1979, he co-founded Continental Properties and has been its senior officer since that time. During its 30-year history, Continental has built a diversified portfolio of outstanding retail, multifamily and hospitality real estate across the United States. Under Schloemer's leadership, Continental has become a major presence in the real estate development industry. Schloemer attended the University of Chicago where he received an MBA with a concentration in finance. Schloemer currently serves on the board of Whole Child International.

John Schuster, Founding Partner, the Schuster Kane Alliance, Inc.

Charles Spencer

Karen Spencer, Founder & CEO

Karen Spencer founded Whole Child International in 2004 to improve the quality of care for children without guardianship worldwide. By targeting the largely overlooked emotional needs of society's most vulnerable children, Whole Child's cost-effective, sustainable, and replicable program provides children with the tools they need to become productive members of society. As Founder and CEO of the organization, Karen leads an international team of trainers, researchers, and other staff to change systems of care, advocate and influence policy, and conduct related research. Whole Child programs are currently being brought to scale with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, TACA Airlines, and other donors. Karen is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, where Whole Child's 2009 Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action was selected to be highlighted as an example of how to tackle an intractable global problem at CGI's Annual Meeting on September 24, 2009. On February 20-21, 2010, joined by special guest His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Karen Spencer and Whole Child launched a global initiative to raise awareness of the plight of institutionalized children. During the two days with Whole Child, His Holiness engaged philanthropists, academics, government officials, and the public on how to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children. Karen is co-author on two articles published in 2010 in the peer-reviewed Infant Journal of Mental Health, contributing important insights and realistic solutions to the public debate. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Edward W. (Ed) Scott, Jr.

Ed Scott is an experienced and successful business executive, former government official, and an active supporter of a number of philanthropic initiatives. In early 1995, Mr. Scott co-founded BEA Systems, which became the 12th largest software company in the world and was acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2008. Before his career in the high-technology industry, Mr. Scott was an executive in the U.S. government for 17 years. He served as an Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Transportation during the Carter Administration.

Since withdrawing from direct management at BEA, Mr. Scott initiated a variety of philanthropic initiatives. In 2001, Mr. Scott founded and provided funding for the Center for Global Development (CGD) in Washington, D.C., the world’s leading research center on global poverty and development issues. Mr. Scott is the founder and Chairman Emeritus of Friends of the Global Fight which, with the assistance of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provides support in the U.S. for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. In his most recent philanthropic initiative, The Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), Mr. Scott seeks to improve the capacity and effectiveness of the faith community in its collective effort to reduce global poverty and disease. CIFA achieves this through increased interfaith coordination, best practices and model sharing, innovative mobilization of resources, and influential advocacy to governments and the general public.

Mr. Scott earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in political science from Michigan State University. He also has a bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Oxford.