BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jeanne has been directing The MY HERO Project since its inception in 1995. She oversees all aspects of development for this award-winning multimedia project. She is a film producer and multimedia artist.

Mark Cavanagh is a screenwriter. He founded Youth Vision, Inc., which promotes television by and for kids. A Recipient of the Action for Children’s Television Award, Mr. Cavanagh has directed projects for Public Broadcast and recently released his first feature film.

Cynthia Costas Cohen is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Beverly Hills, Californa. Cynthia’s specialties include EMDR and hypnosis. She is on the board for the Trauma Resource Institute, and co-facilitates trainings for The Trauma Resource Institute that utilizes an integrative mind-body intervention based on somatic therapies.

Judith Zucker Anderson, PhD, is a clinical psychologist. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCI College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior. Dr. Anderson also serves as President of the Foundation for the Contemporary Family (FFCF), a non-profit foundation whose mission is to support innovative research, clinical training, and community programs that address the important issues facing contemporary families.

Carolyn Hodge-West is a change expert and a multi-sector business leader with extensive board leadership and civic involvement. She has served on numerous boards, advisory bodies and commissions. Carolyn is a licensed speciality Executive Mentor Coach and CEO of the Hodge West Group, an executive coaching, training and wellness firm specializing in transformational leadership development, change management, and career and life transition. She is the CEO of the HodgeWest Group, an executive training, consulting, coaching, and wellness firm specializing in transformational leadership development, and career and life transition. An entrepreneur and former educator, Carolyn integrates principles of psychology, neuroscience, human development, interpersonal communication and organizational development with strategic coaching to help clients leverage change, optimize performance and achieve business and life goals. Carolyn's lifelong passion and commitment is to promote diversity, equity and improve the status of women and girls.

Eva Haller is an activist, philanthropist with a passion for mentoring non-profit leaders serving youth, women and the arts. She received an honorary doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University and was awarded their 2014 Magnusson Fellowship. She is a trustee of the Rubin Museum of Art and the University of California Santa Barbara Foundation. Eva Haller was honored by Forbes for mentoring not profit programs serving the community. Eva was the founding board Chairman for Free the Children, she serves on the board of Blade of Grass, Asia Initiatives, Sing for Hope, News Literacy Project and annually presents the Women Transforming Media Award as part of the MY HERO Film Festival.

Elena Corchero is an award-winning technology designer and futurist in the area of meaningful innovation, focusing on sustainability, ethics and gender equality. Elena started her career as an Industrial Designer in Germany, then became a researcher at MIT Media Lab Europe on smart materials, biometrics and wearables. She pursued her Design Masters at Central Saint Martins and most recently studied AI Ethics at Harvard.  She is currently Dow Jones Live’s Director of Emerging Tech and Innovation, creating the experiences and services required for the new hybrid world, the metaverse and Web 3.0 economies. As an independent consultant she advised and created prototypes for renowned brands, institutions and artists like Ericsson, Audi, Olympic Games and Childish Gambino. As a researcher she developed and brought to market 3 lifestyle brands integrating smart materials into cyclist fashion, smart jewelry and educational toys teaching electronics to girls, which won her awards such as the Royal Pitch@Palace and Top3 Innovator of the year women in Tech. Her speaking portfolio includes TEDx and MIT Technology Review. Her prototypes and artistic technology concepts have been exhibited and featured worldwide in museums, books and publications including Elle magazine, BBC news, CNBC and Boston Science Museum.

Kathleen is a forty-year educator who taught Pre-K-8th grade and then became a division director, assistant head of school, and principal. She has always been interested in progressive education and was transformative in reshaping culture and pedagogy in every school she worked. Kathleen’s practice involves understanding the neurodevelopmental challenges in students, creating policies and resources to broaden the scope and breadth of diversity and inclusion in both public and private schools, and creating integrated, engaging curriculum.

Jennifer Borland, M.A. | Indianapolis, Indiana

Jennifer first became involved with MY HERO in 2007 as an evaluator for a Global Exchange Media Arts Project funded by the U.S Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. As part of her work for 'Rockman et al,'  she has also managed evaluations for some of the world’s leading media producers, museums, game developers, and educational institutions, with grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. She has contributed to The MY HERO International Film Festival ever since participating as a volunteer judge.

Sandy Factor | Los Angeles, California

Sandy Factor is an advocate for using innovative technology and media in the classroom to promote cross cultural understanding and social and emotional learning. Sandy has helped MY HERO enrich our resources for teachers in Los Angeles and as a result around the world. Her training and work in exotic animal management has given her a unique perspective on how we connect and communicate with one another. She lives in Southern California and works with several nonprofit organizations.

Barbara MacGillivray | Laguna Beach, California

Barbara MacGillvery is the Director of Research for MacGillivray Freeman Films. She has, over the last 50 year, worked on pre-production, production and post production for the award winning IMAX filmmaking company. Barbara has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and has also worked for 30 years in Children, Youth Services for the Orange County Health Care Agency as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She loves her growing family and making films with messages about conservation and education. Her organization, One World One Ocean, awards the Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation award annually at the MY HERO International Film Festival. The films selected for this honor feature ocean conservation stewards.

Mohamed Sidibay | New York, New York

Mohamed is an internationally recognized voice for children in armed conflict. He has been featured in Reuters, Forbes, Le Monde, BBC, France 24, and Project Syndicate, among others, and was most recently featured on the cover of Fordham Lawyer magazine. Mohamed holds a master's in law from Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas University and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Fordham University School of Law. He is a member of The High Level Reflection Group on Strategic Transformation that advises the Director-General of UNESCO. Mohamed is also the Youth Champion for the Global Partnership for Education and the host of Raise Your Hand Live, a monthly talk show featuring change makers from across the globe who believe education is key to building a better and more equal future for all. He works as a corporate associate in the New York office of the global law firm Covington & Burling.  

Rita Stern Milch | Los Angeles, California

Rita Stern Milch is an artist, a filmmaker and is a co-founder of The MY HERO Project.  She co-produced the MY HERO TV Pilot in 1994 and designed the original MY HERO website in 1995. Rita has produced several MY HERO special events: Salons for Poetry and Jazz and the International Day of Peace Celebrations with Ron Kovic and Mohamed Sidibay. Rita is a graduate of Yale. She received an Emmy for her Frontline Documentary on Abortion. She is Vice President at Red Board Productions and works with her husband, Emmy Award Winning producer and writer, David Milch on TV series and motion picture projects.  Rita's art work has been sold worldwide and she has donated several works of art to MY HERO over the years.

Greg Stamos | Santa Barbara, California

Greg Stamos presently serves on the Board of UCSB's Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration (CCBER) and formerly served as a board member of the University of California Santa Barbara Foundation. He also currently serves as a pro bono mediator for the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara's Dispute Resolution Program (CADRe).  Greg practiced law in Los Angeles County for over 40 years as an associate and partner in the law firm of Rose, Klein & Marias, specializing in environmental and toxic exposure cases on behalf of individuals who were exposed to toxic substances and who developed life threatening cancers and other diseases. He also represented children who were exposed and adversely affected by exposure to lead paint, and served on the State of California Attorney General's Task Force on Childhood Lead Poisoning.

Ellen Freeberg is an educator who cares deeply about students, teaching, and innovative new programs that prepare us to engage each other across divides and nurture democratic citizenship. She holds a PhD in political science and currently serves as associate dean for faculty and curriculum at The New School for Social Research in Manhattan. She has written and taught about notable figures in political thought, American politics and law, and the recovery of women thinkers from the past. She's moved by new and unexpected stories and how they can influence learning and lives.

Nikki Pope | San Jose

Nikki D. Pope is in-house counsel for NVIDIA, leading the company’s efforts in developing trustworthy artificial intelligence. She also is the co-founder and principal executive officer of The Pruno Fund, Inc. a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to exonerated men and women who need help reclaiming their lives after a wrongful conviction. Nikki became interested in wrongful conviction and helping the exonerees during her tenure on the advisory board of the Northern California Innocence Project. In addition to her law degrees, Nikki holds a B.A. in economics from Carleton College and an M.B.A from Kellogg. She is the co-author of the award-winning book and audiobook “Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope: Stories of Surviving Wrongful Conviction,” narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and Bill Kurtis, with a stellar cast of artists performing stories by exonerees and their families. Nikki brings to The MY HERO Project her years' of experience in business as well as her fascination with emerging technology. Nikki is a long-time resident of San Jose and is working with her writing partner on their first novel.