Andy Beers, Chair
Andy’s career has placed him at the nexus of media and technology. He began his career as a TV news cameraman. He worked his way up in the industry to become the News Director of NBC’s Seattle affiliate. He joined Microsoft in 1995 to launch the first online news service on MSN and was one of the key players involved in the launch of MSNBC. Later he led the development of interactive content and features for Microsoft’s IPTV platform. More recently he was the driving force behind MSN’s entry into the broadband video business, launching MSN Video in 2003. Andy now owns and runs a consulting firm. He advises media and technology companies that are leading the digital media industry. Andy joined the Resource Media board in 2007.
Barbara Brainard, Director
Barbara is a partner at Stoel Rives law firm focusing on employment litigation and counseling employers on all aspects of employment law disputes. Before joining the firm, she served as lead counsel for SAIF Corporation. Barbara is also a board member for the Volunteers of America, a chairperson for the Oregon Alumni Admission Committee for Middlebury College and a chair of the Oregon/SW Washington Industry Liaison Group. She is a local and national lecturer on employment law issues in professional seminars, academic symposia and college and university classes, and is a contributing author for The Oregon Labor Letter. Barbara joined the Resource Media board in 2007.
Jack Chin, Director
Jack Chin is a Senior Director of Consulting Services, leading Arabella Advisors’ program strategy and design practice, and also manages our internal knowledge sharing systems. Previously at Blueprint, Jack managed projects for numerous foundation clients including: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP): the Barr, San Francisco, Sisters of Charity and Packard Foundations; the Roots of Change Fund; and the Stewardship Council. Jack has worked as a program officer and consultant to philanthropic institutions since 1991. He has also served as Co-Director of the Funders’ Forum on Environment and Education; Program Officer at the GA P Foundation; and Program Fellow for the Environment at The San Francisco Foundation. Jack served on the Management Committee of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. He has an extensive background in the nonprofit sector, having been a board member, consultant, and staff member for a number of local and national nonprofit organizations and foundations. Jack holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stanford University.
Steve D’Esposito, Director
Steve is President of RESOLVE. RESOLVE builds strong, enduring solutions to environmental, social and health challenges. From 1997 through September 2008, Steve was President and CEO of EARTHWORKS, founded by former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Stuart L. Udall in 1998. Prior to RESOLVE and EARTHWORKS Steve worked at Greenpeace in the roles of Field Director, Deputy Director and Acting Executive Director. Steve received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1982. He currently serves as a Council Member for the World Economic Forum, on the boards of the Diamond Development Initiative and the Center for Science in Public Participation, and a Sustainability Advisory Panel to the Kinross Professorship and Chair Department of Mining Engineering, Queens University, Kingston.
Steven Gilbert, Director
Steven is the Director and Founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND), has a Ph.D. in toxicology and is a Diplomat of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT). He is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington. Dr. Gilbert’s research has focused on neurobehavioral effects of low-level exposure to lead and mercury on the developing nervous system. His book, A Small Dose of Toxicology- The Health Effects of Common Chemicals was published in 2004. He recently started the wiki-based website Toxipedia (www.toxipedia.org) with the goal of connecting science and people. He joined the Resource Media board in 2007.
Uli Haller, Treasurer
Uli Haller is the Director of Business Operations for MSN, where he manages the planning, budgeting and business metrics for the web portal. Previously, he worked as the Director of Finance, IT, at Microsoft where he led the team providing financial support for networks and systems infrastructure. In the past, he has held senior business management positions at MSNBC.com and the Talaris Research Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to parental education. He worked for a time as an archivist before getting his MBA and moving into the business world. He joined the Resource Media board in 2010.
Amy Iorio, Director
As co-founder and principal partner of Shadowfax Consulting, Amy Iorio consults on all aspects of product development and content production in digital entertainment and web development. Prior to working with Shadowfax, Iorio was the vice president of Yahoo!’s Lifestyles business unit where she launched Yahoo’s first audience centric site for women, Shine. Amy also served as the chief of staff for Yahoo!’s News and Information group, where she headed business strategy and operations for Yahoo!’s News, Finance, Health, Tech, and Food properties. Prior to joining Yahoo! in January 2006, Amy held various posts over a 10 year period at Microsoft Corporation with MSN, MSTV and Children’s Media. During that time Iorio directed an award winning short as part of AFI’s Directing Women’s Workshop. Amy is a board member for Resource Media Association and previously served as a board member for the Environmental Media Association and WA Works, a Seattle based organization moving women from welfare to work. Amy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Computer Science from Dartmouth College and a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University.
Rose Kapolczynski, Director
Best known for managing all four of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer’s Senate campaigns, Rose Kapolczynski is a nationally recognized political strategist and campaign manager. Based in the nation’s second largest media market, Rose is an expert in developing effective campaigns to win at the ballot box and in the court of public opinion. As an independent consultant, Rose directed four winning ballot measure campaigns dealing with medical malpractice, insurance reform, clean energy and parental notification. In addition to her campaign expertise, Rose has extensive experience influencing news coverage and developing persuasive messages. As an on-the-record spokesperson, she has been interviewed for hundreds of international, national and local news stories. Rose started her career as an organizer and lobbyist for the Sierra Club, Colorado Open Space Council and University of Colorado Wilderness Study Group. Specializing in public lands issues, she worked to pass landmark wilderness and wild river legislation in Colorado and the Pacific Northwest.
Lauren McLean, Vice-Chair
As owner of The Confluence Group, Lauren works with clients to increase the impact of philanthropy. Informed by her background in strategic planning, advocacy, and socially responsible investment management, she creates strategies through which values and philanthropy converge to create change. Previously, Lauren worked for Trillium Asset Management, the oldest and largest investment firm devoted solely to socially responsible investing. Recognized in the Idaho Business Review as one of Idaho’s “40 Accomplished Under 40,” Lauren holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree from Boise State University. She joined the Resource Media board in 2010.
Chris Mead, Director
Christopher J. Mead, a partner of Cooper, White & Cooper LLP, is chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, concentrating his practice in the areas of business and employment litigation. He has litigated a wide variety of employment disputes in the United States and California courts, as well as claims before the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Labor Commissioner, Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, and Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board, and before appointed arbitrators. His employment law background includes defense of wrongful termination cases, prosecution and defense of trade secret and unfair competition matters, wage and hour issues, disability, leave, and accommodation issues, and responses to claims of race, sex, and age discrimination and sexual harassment. Chris joined the Resource Media board in 2013.
Cara Pike, Director
Cara Pike is the Founder and Director of the Social Capital Project. The project has resulted in the creation of the Ecological Roadmap, a segmentation study of the U.S. public based on social values; Climate Crossroads – A Research-Based Framing Guide; and most recently, Climate Communications and Behavior Change – A Guide for Practitioners. Cara was formerly the Vice President of Communications for the leading nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice, where she created and ran a full-service internal communications agency for the organization’s eight offices, policy arm and international program. With a Masters of Science in Environmental Communications from California State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Communications and Environmental Science from McGill University, Cara has a deep understanding of environmental issues and how they intersect with cultural trends and concerns. She speaks regularly on green marketing and social change and contributed to Strategies for the Green Economy published by McGraw Hill in October 2008.
Rick Ridder, Director
Rick is President and Co-founder of RBI Strategy & Research. RBI is an international communications consulting firm providing strategy, research, and planning for political campaigns, not-for-profit organizations, and businesses. As the National Campaign Manager for Dean for America in early 2003, he oversaw the campaign as it rose from an asterisk in the polls to a legitimate contender. He has served as a senior consultant for three presidential campaigns and as the National Field Director for two other presidential bids. Internationally, his work in 17 countries includes advising the successful campaigns of four heads of state. He is a past president of the International Association of Political Consultants and a winner of the “Pollie Award” as International Consultant of the Year. Prior to political consulting, Rick was an independent radio and television producer whose programming aired on major networks. Rick joined the Resource Media board in 2006.