Board of Directors

William D. "Bill" Fox

Chairperson

Bill is an entrepreneur who has owned businesses that range from software management and training to automotive services to the food service industry. He also spent 21 years with IBM and is a veteran having served four years in the US Army in the Army Security Agency. Bill was on the Board of Directors of White Wing Labs, Inc. from 2000-2004. He is a strong community member and has been a Rotarian for many years. From 1993-2006 he was with the Conejo Valley Rotary Club and served in many capacities, up through holding seats on the Executive Committee, including Vice President and President. He currently is a member of Simi Valley Sunrise Rotary.

J. Richard Leyner

Vice Chairperson

J. Richard Leyner is Senior Vice President of NAI Capital Commercial, one of the foremost commercial real estate brokerage firms in Southern California. Over the years, he has held many high-profile leadership positions including Past Chairman of the United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley and President of the Encino Business Improvement District. He also served as President of the Neighborhood Council, the Executive Committee of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, and serves on Assemblymember Lloyd Levine’s Advisory Commission. He served as a member of the San Fernando Valley Transportation Strike Force and is Past President and current Board and Executive committee member of the Encino Chamber of Commerce.

He is Chairman of the Board of the Child Development Institute, Vice President and Board Member of New Directions for Youth, Board Member of the Encino Tarzan Medical Center Foundation. Mr. Leyner is the 2005 winner of the Fernando Award, the highest honor given in the San Fernando Valley for a lifetime of volunteerism.

Joan St.Louis, RN MHA

Secretary/Treasurer

Joan has been on the GAP board for 4 years and has focused on strategic planning and direction. She is an Administrator for Kaiser Permanente. Joan graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing and also has a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Executive Management degree from UCLA. Joan is member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and the Association of California Nurse Executives. She also serves on the Board of OneGeneration.

Andrea L. Friedenthal

Andrea is with Off-Road Adventures Magazine. Fundraising and corporate donor chairperson for various non-profit humanistic organizations; Ocean Park Community Center, Abused Women & Children’s Home, Red Cross Disaster Relief, pilot coordinator for Flying Samaritans, coordinate monthly international medical mercy missions to remote areas; recruit, schedule and transport medical teams.

Gina Taylor-Pickens

Advocate

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Gina got her start in the New York theatre community. On Broadway she was featured in "Eubie", "Leader of the Pack", "Beehive" and the famed production "Dreamgirls".

In 1979 Gina burst onto the music scene as a member of the female disco group "Musique". She toured the world performing the chart topping hit "Push, Push in the Bush" in some of Europe's finest nightclubs and also sang for US servicemen stationed overseas.

Gina has lent her vocal prowess to back-up such artists as Barry Manilow, Anita Baker, Toto, Freddie Jackson, Jennifer Holiday, American Idol (Season 1 and 2), and Sister Act (1and 2).

Gina currently lives with her husband Jim in the San Fernando Valley. They have a son and a daughter.

Sylvie de Toledo, MSW, LCSW, BCD

Founder of GAP

Founder/Facilitator Grandparents as Parents, Inc. Founder/Charter member. National Coalition of Grandparents. Counselor, Psychiatric Clinic for Youth. Clinical consultant, Reiss-Davis Child Study Center, LA. LA County Dept of Children’s Services, Emergency Response Unit. Spr: Children Baptist Home. Advisory Board, CSULB Research Project/Andrus Gerontology Center and National Institute on Aging.

Stuart Waldman

A decorated veteran of the United States Army, Stuart served as a Cavalry Scout for an Armor Battalion of the First Infantry Division. He left the service with an honorable discharge after receiving the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. He has been Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Lloyd Levine since 2002, and prior to that he was Chief of Staff to Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg. Several community groups have recognized Stuart's continuous service to the community. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the North Hollywood Rotary Club, a Distinguished Alumnus by Los Angeles Valley College, one of 36 Distinguished Jewish Individuals by Hillel, and has also been honored by the San Fernando Valley Bar Association Worker's Compensation Section. He was recognized as one of 25 emerging leaders in the Valley by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

Barbara Wasson

Facilitator

Founding member, National Coalition of Grandparents, Calif. Coalition of Grandparents & Relative Caregivers, Grandparents as Parents, Inc. President Emeritus and Board of Directors, Grandparents as Parents. Advisory Council- Older Women’s Issue, LA Area Agency on Aging. Special awards: Congressional Recognition of Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community.

Jennifer Ortado

Jennifer has over 13 years of diversified experience in marketing and public relations. She currently manages the PR and Advertising for NAI Capital, Inc., a leading Southern California commercial real estate firm with 16 offices throughout the region. Previously, Jennifer worked in various marketing capacities in the entertainment industry. She also founded Generation Entertainment & Event Marketing (GEN-EM), a boutique marketing agency that built brand awareness for a range of corporate clients through special event marketing and associations with numerous entertainment properties. Jennifer has volunteered her time for Step-Up Women’s Network and Pet Orphans of Southern California. She is a member of the PR Society of America.

Willa Meller

Advisory Board

Catherine Goodman, D.S.W. Dept. of Social Work
Joseph MacKenzie, Esq., Attorney

Executive Director

Madelyn Gordon

Has been on the Grandparents As Parents Board since 1999. She has been the newsletter editor and was the Secretary/Treasurer. Madelyn has a BA from Oregon State in secondary education. She has a Master Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from Boston University. Past affiliations are with Association of Retarded Citizens, National Rehabilitation Counseling Association, has served on the Mayor's Coalition on Aging and several other groups involving grandparenting issues. Madelyn has been one of the principals of Rehab Data, Inc. since 1988.