Our Board of Directors
Jane Meng is a Product Manager leader at Snap Inc. leading the Camera experience for millions of Snapchat users. She has previously worked at Facebook and Amazon leading product experiences in messaging, music, and gaming. She has a passion for technology as well as early childhood education.
MBA from Harvard Business School and Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Northwestern University.
Jane Meng Board Chair
Jen Garratt recently joined the Herb Alpert Foundation as the Grants & Operations Manager, bringing more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector to the role. Prior to joining the Foundation, Jen was the Advancement Director at P.S. ARTS, where she served as a chief advisor to the CEO on all matters related to fundraising, communications, and governance. Jen also previously held positions with the UCLA School of the Arts & Architecture and the Fowler Museum.
M.A. in Curatorial Practice from USC and a B.A. in Art History and History from UCLA.
Jen Garratt Secretary
William Yung joined Angeles Investments in 2014 and is responsible for conducting investment diligence on funds and co-investments across private equity, real assets, and credit. He also oversees private capital impact investing mandates. Prior to Angeles, William worked in wealth management roles assisting independent financial professionals with building client relationships by offering a broad range of investment solutions.
M.B.A. from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and graduated with dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of California, San Diego. William is a Chartered Financial Analyst® Charterholder.
William Yung Treasurer
Olivia Forte is a proud graduate of The University of Alabama. Roll Tide! She gained valuable experience working at Synergy Global Entertainment where she produced special events, concentrating on sponsorships and brand partnerships. For the last few years, Olivia has focused on her family. During this professional sabbatical, she has dedicated her time to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles, where she has served on the board as the co-chair of the Resource Development Committee. Additionally, Olivia serves on the board of the LA chapter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. Her commitment to serving children and her dedication to advancing the causes she cares about highlight her passion for community engagement and advocacy.
B.S. in Human Environmental Sciences from The University of Alabama
Olivia Forte
Danielle Jensen brings over 15 years of experience in philanthropy, with deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, organizational planning, and board development. As an independent consultant, she partners with mission-driven organizations to design and scale fundraising programs, align donor and programmatic strategies, and support high-performing teams and boards.
Previously, Danielle served as Deputy Managing Director of the Philanthropic Advisory team at Climate Lead, where she led strategy development, team learning, and donor engagement initiatives aimed at accelerating climate giving globally.
Before that, she spent nearly a decade on the principal gifts team at Environmental Defense Fund, managing relationships with major donors and foundations across the U.S. and Asia and contributing to the organization’s significant revenue growth.
Danielle began her career in public policy consulting in Southeast Asia and holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan.
Danielle Jensen
Aaron Frumkin is a federal prosecutor specializing in cyber and technology-driven crimes. He is passionate about the impacts of technology on modern society. Prior to serving as a federal prosecutor, Aaron worked at Gibson Dunn and clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a B.A. in English from Northwestern University
AARON FRUMPKIN
Sasha Guttentag Kim is a Research Scientist at GoodRx, where she conducts research on healthcare pricing, access, and equity. Prior to her tenure at GoodRx, she received her doctoral training in Epidemiology, where her research centered on noncommunicable disease mitigation and leveraging novel methods of data collection and analysis in healthcare research. Her research has been published in leading scientific journals including The International Journal of Health Services, The Journal of Addictive Behaviors, and The Journal of Medical Internet Research, as well as news outlets including National Public Radio and The New York Times.
She currently also serves on the board of Give A Day Global, a nonprofit organization connecting travelers to one-day volunteer opportunities abroad, whose mission is to empower travelers to make a difference, support communities creating change, and connect people as global citizens.
Ph.D. in Public Health (Epidemiology) from New York University; B.A. in Public Health Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Sasha Guttentag
Sheila Shilati is currently a partner at The Malone Collective, a whole-health clinic, and WUUM Los Angeles, an educational, experiential, and community-centered space for girls and women of all ages. Her previous leadership roles include serving as COO of Seasons Recovery Centers, LLC; President and Founder of Vantage Point Recovery; and Founder of FIT Method, Health Savant Solutions, and Litshield—all dedicated to behavioral health and mental wellness.
In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for The Growing Place, Sheila sits on the boards of the Behavioral Health Care Endowment Fund and the Seasons HELP Foundation.
Sheila Shilati
Michael Koop is a Senior Director at Corebridge Financial (fka AIG), a retirement services firm, where he is responsible for investment manager research and due diligence. Prior to joining the firm in 2018, he worked at Kempen Capital Management as a Portfolio Manager in the OCIO/Fiduciary management group overseeing institutional investment mandates.
Michael holds a MSc in Finance and a BSc in Business Economics from Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Michael is a Chartered Financial Analyst® Charterholder and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® Charterholder.
Michael Koop
Amir Hammad is a Managing Director at Goodwin Procter, LLP, a global corporate law firm where he is leading a team focused on enhancing and growing firm relationships with key enterprise clients. Prior to Goodwin, Amir worked at Morgan Stanley in both investment banking and private wealth management roles. Amir started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he helped clients navigate strategic and operational issues across the financial services, healthcare and consumer retail sectors.
B.S. from Georgetown University.
Amir Hammad
Jared Weinman is an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. A former practicing trusts and estates attorney, he provides tax and estate planning advice to the firm’s clients. He focuses on helping business owners and entrepreneurs navigate substantial liquidity events, multi-generational estate tax planning, and business succession planning. He also works extensively with clients to effectuate their charitable goals in a tax-efficient manner. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Jared held similar roles at First Republic Bank and BNY Mellon.
J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, and a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan
Jared Weinman
Graham Lucas leads Accenture's Financial Services West Coast Customer Practice, which is focused on helping clients deliver incredible, personalized, omnichannel experiences for their customers across key touchpoints (e.g., brand, marketing, sales, service, commerce, and product innovation). His team is responsible for providing clients with holistic and innovative solutions to their customer needs by leveraging the full breadth of Accenture's capabilities across strategy and consulting, interactive, technology, and operations. Graham brings over 22+ years of consulting experience leading strategic, complex, value-driven projects across numerous business capabilities and industries.
In addition to his experience at Accenture, he has held leadership roles at Salesforce and Slalom Consulting.
B.A. from the University of Virginia.
Graham Lucas
Megan Kelly (she/her) has held several roles in nonprofits and philanthropy, including most recently serving as the Community Programs Manager at Tower Cancer Research Foundation, where she oversaw psychosocial programs for cancer patients and survivors and grant making to community organizations serving the Southern California Cancer Community.
She has served on the board of AFF, a subsidiary of the Surdna Foundation, advocating for youth impacted by the youth justice, child welfare and other disruptive systems. She currently serves on the Early Childhood Task Force in Santa Monica.
B.A. from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
Megan Kelly
Julie Butash is a strategic manager experienced in mission and vision development; relationship building; and operational and creative oversight of programming and participatory experiences.
Julie is committed to advancing the greater understanding and preservation of the visual arts in Los Angeles and throughout the world. In her former role as Program Associate at the Getty Foundation, she oversaw a portfolio of strategic grant initiatives that strengthened art history as a global discipline, promoted the interdisciplinary practice of conservation, increased access to museum and archival collections, and developed the next generation of arts professionals. She also managed the Getty Graduate Internship program and the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program.
M.A. in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in Art History and Sociology from Mount Holyoke College.
Julie Butash
Ben Adler is a Principal of Tailored Accountants, a boutique tax and accounting practice serving small businesses and families. As a Certified Public Accountant, he has over 15 years of experience in strategic tax planning, compliance, and financial advisory services, guiding clients through complex regulatory environments and optimizing their financial operations. As a board member, Ben brings fiduciary discipline and strategic oversight to support transparent, sound fiscal management for early childhood education initiatives.
B.A. in Economics and Philosophy, Cornell University
Ben Adler
Tyson Yu is Chief Executive Officer of Aspire Bakeries, a leading North American frozen bakery company that serves the retail and foodservice marketplace with high quality baked goods including bread, artisan bread, buns, cookies, donuts, muffins, and pastries. The company’s brands include La Brea Bakery, the leader in artisan breads; and Otis Spunkmeyer, the #1 foodservice cookie and muffin. Tyson also serves on the Company’s Board of Directors.
In his early career, Tyson was with Lindsay Goldberg, the private equity investment firm that acquired Aspire Bakeries in 2021. Prior to that, he was with Merrill Lynch’s Investment Banking
Division, focusing on food and beverage.
Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Economics from Georgetown University.
Tyson Yu
Sam Schwartz is a financial services professional with over 18 years of industry experience, including 16 years with Charles Schwab. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a minor in Entrepreneurship from the University of Florida and is a Certified Financial Planner™. Originally from South Florida, he moved to California in 2006 to begin his career and has since
built a deep foundation in client service, financial planning, and team leadership. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, reading, and playing golf. The Growing Place has been an important part of his family’s life, offering a strong sense of
community and a nurturing environment for early childhood development. He’s grateful for the opportunity to give back and contribute to the school’s mission by serving on the board.
Sam Schwartz
Join Our Community
Whether you're ready to enroll your child, interested in joining our team of passionate educators, or looking to support our mission, there's a place for you at Growing Place. Together, we're building something beautiful—a community where children flourish, families connect, and learning never stops.