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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MELISSA M. WYATT, Founder and Executive Director
Melissa Wyatt founded Foundation for Second Chances (FFSC), an organization that utilizes mentoring, hands-on education, health awareness and community service to maximize the potential of youth in 2004. Striving to help underprivileged, abused, and abandoned youth overcome the vicious cycle of poverty, poor education and violence by supporting them academically, emotionally, and economically Wyatt is responsible for all programming from the After-School Program to the Community Service Events. The one thing that is amazing about Wyatt is that she funds FFSC from her own pocket, that alone shows how dedicated she is to helping the children and communities that FFSC is serving.
Through the combination of academic support and mentorship in an environment of love, trust and respect, FFSC is creating second chances for disadvantaged youth to turn their lives around. In her role as the Founder and Executive Director of the FFSC she has created a collaboration with several community based organizations, legislators, and individuals serving at-risk youth in Los Angeles County. Prior to creating FFSC Wyatt worked for several years in the Mental Health field helping at-risk youth, pregnant teens, underrepresented communities etc. Wyatt brings her substantial experience working in academia and activism with social change issues in the Los Angeles area. She is a graduate of the Cal State Bakersfield, where she majored in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. She regularly speaks about youth activism, girl leadership and social change.
VAN NUGYEN
Van Nguyen's passion for working with children started in her hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin where she donated time in the pediatric ward at a local hospital. Van also got involved with the YMCA after school program before moving to Chicago to study psychology at DePaul University. While completing her undergraduate degree she found time to volunteer in the psychology ward at the children's hospital as well as Christopher House. Van continued her volunteer work in Chicago throughout her graduate studies before leaving for Los Angeles in 2003. In LA she's continued to work with kids by becoming a wish granter for the Make-a-Wish organization, and seeking out the Foundation For Second Chances. While her work as an IT consultant keeps her busy fulltime, she occupies her spare time with violin lessons, yoga classes, charity work, craft work and numerous side projects. Her only regret is never becoming a teen model.
MIRA SHAH
Obtained B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and Finance from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo Worked 3 years at KPMG in their audit department, with experience on not-for-profit, health care, and SEC clients. During this time, I also earned by CPA license. Currently work at Disney in the corporate reporting division, focusing on the Media segment I have been looking for a volunteer opportunity where I can give back to the community and make a difference. I found FFSC through volunteer match and was instantly drawn in to it’s mission I enjoy many hobbies, such as reading, cooking, hiking, playing card and board games, spending time with family and friends, traveling. I was born in London, moved to Walnut Creek when I was 7 and moved to Pasadena when I was 23. I have been happily married for four years.
DENNIS DeMEYERE
Dennis DeMeyere is the Co-Chairman of the Board and Parliamentarian for Foundation for Second Chances. Having joined FFSC in 2006, Dennis started with the organization on the Finance committee. Hoping to leverage his previous career experience with small businesses, as a technology entrepreneur, and with larger organizations, most recently working for the Fox Entertainment Group, Dennis looks forward to assisting with the development of an extremely promising and highly efficient non-profit. A Los Angeles transplant, he originally grew up in Michigan and attended Michigan State University's School of Engineering earning a degree in Computer Science Engineering and a cognate in Business Management. Post graduation, he also trained with Duke University's Corporate Education program.
JEFFREY R. MEADE
Jeffrey R. Meade is Co-Chairman of the Board for Foundation for Second Chances. Mr. Meade is currently managing partner at The Reason, a brand consulting and integrated marketing agency. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and managing new business opportunities. Mr. Meade has been instrumental in bringing high profile clients to The Reason such as 20th Century Fox, Activision, Procter & Gamble, ESPN The Magazine, and others. He has developed and implemented marketing programs to help these organizations better reach their consumer.
Mr. Meade formerly served as the Director of Account Services at The Rebel Organization, a grassroots-marketing agency specializing in connecting brands to progressive youth culture. His primary responsibility was to manage and grow client relationships with entities interested in understanding and engaging Gen Y’s constituents.
Prior to joining the Rebel Organization, Mr. Meade co-founded Mjini - Urban Youth Experts, a marketing research company that took a non-traditional approach to researching the urban youth market. Under his leadership, the company provided real-time marketing intelligence via surveys and focus groups conducted in high schools, youth centers, records stores, barbershops, living rooms, and other youth hangouts. Key clients included: The Timberland Company, Levi Strauss & Co., The U.S. Justice Department, and Babson College. Cited as an expert on youth culture, he has been quoted in Black Enterprise Magazine, Marketing News, Washingtonian, and The Foundation Research Journal.
Mr. Meade graduated with his MBA as a Consortium for Graduate Study in Management fellow at the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis. As part of his MBA education, he also lived and studied abroad in Hong Kong at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to deepen his understanding of International business. Mr. Meade received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Mr. Meade currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
NICOLE D. CLARK
Nicole is a Project Manager for Dakota Communications, where she works with a variety of clientele to provide government relations, community relations and political guidance. Nicole completed her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of California Riverside and graduate work at the University of California Los Angeles. She is Alumni of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs and has worked in diverse government, civic and non-profit organizations throughout Los Angeles. In addition to her leadership role as a Board member of FFSC, she is a mentor in Fox’s Journey to Excellence Program, Director of the DIVA Ministry at her church and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
© 2007 Foundation For Second Chances, Inc. 453 S Spring Street, Suite 819, Los Angeles, CA 90013