WIPP Member Dr. Roslyn Blake Selected as New Board Member For The Getty House Foundation

(Los Angeles, CA – July 1, 2010) — Getty House Foundation recently held its annual meeting in which new leadership was elected for the 2010-2011 year along with nine new members of the Board of Directors, which oversees public activities at the official mayoral residence of Los Angeles. The fifteen-member Board is committed to increasing educational programs for school children, creating a dynamic speakers' series for Los Angeles residents, and raising private funds to maintain and protect this historic landmark in Windsor Square.

"For years, foreign dignitaries, Los Angeles residents, and thousands of school children have visited Getty House to learn about the rich history of Los Angeles,” said Executive Director Patrick Brown. "I am excited to announce an energetic group of leaders who will help develop new programs to enrich the lives of Los Angeles residents and visitors."

The new leadership includes Martha Swiller as President; Mónica Gil as Vice President; Paul W. Sweeney, Jr. as Secretary; and Jon Vaszauskas as Treasurer.

New Board Members are:

Luisa Acosta-Franco: Vice President of Multicultural Marketing for Farmers Insurance

Dr. Roslyn Blake: CEO of M.B. Ellison, Inc. and COO at Bob Blake & Associates, Inc.

Bruce Cohen: Academy Award-winning producer of "MILK" and "American Beauty"

Kimberly Marteau Emerson: Community Leader

Kirstin Poirier-Whitley: Law partner with Jones Day

Rica Rodman Orszag: Media and communication strategist

Kristina Schake: Principal of Griffin|Schake, a strategic communications and public affairs firm in Los Angeles and New York

Suzanne M. Steinke: Law partner with Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP

Jon W. Vaszauskas: Senior Consultant of Granet & Associates

Jonathan Weedman: Senior Vice President of the Wells Fargo Foundation

Continuing Board Members are:

Samantha Davies: Vice President of Marketing for City National Bank

Mónica Gil: Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for The Nielsen Company

Sabrina Kay: Chairman and CEO of Fremont College

Erin K. Pak: CEO of Korean Health Education Information & Research Center

Paul Sweeney: Managing partner of K&L Gates law firm

Martha Swiller: President Getty House Foundation and community volunteer

Since 1996, more than 25,000 Los Angeles area children have participated in the Getty House

Foundation's Children's Educational Programs through civics lessons, reading corners, and civic holiday celebrations.In addition, the Getty House Foundation has awarded close to $400,000 in special grants recognizing exemplary programs of outstanding public schools throughout Los Angeles.

Mayor Villaraigosa and the Getty House Foundation also have presented City of Angel Awards to recognize honorees' contributions to the City of Los Angeles through civics, art, education, business and philanthropic work.

About the Getty House Foundation:

The Getty House Foundation offers valuable civics programs for children in Los Angeles through field trips to Getty House. The goal is to inspire children to take an active role in their City and in their communities. Getty House Foundation is a charity recognized under IRS section 501(c)(3) that is responsible for a wide range of programming including children's educational programs, organized school visits, public tours, community forums and other special events. In addition, the Foundation is charged with overseeing all public activity at Getty House, the historic home that has served as the official residence of the Mayor of Los Angeles since 1975. Getty House is one of only four official mayoral residences in the United States. The home is used to host official functions from important community events to state dinners, and it provides citizens of Los Angeles with a focal point for civic pride and a place to highlight the good things happening in the community. For more information visit: http://www.gettyhouse.org/.