Directors on the IVCLA Board are elected by the membership to serve two three-year-terms. After serving six years, Directors must retire from the board, but may return after at least one year’s absence. Directors are elected by the IVCLA membership at the Annual Meeting held each year in October. Officers are elected by the Directors at the first board meeting of the new term.

Wafa Hoballah - Chair
www.middleeastlaw.com
Wafa Hoballah is an attorney at law, licensed in New York, specializing in International Business Transactions and US Immigration Laws between East and West Africa. She is an independent legal counsel with the International Finance Corporation, IFC, a division of the World Bank dealing with private project finance since December 1996. Ms. Hoballah’s National practice focuses on assisting Lebanese and Arab nationals with family, probate and estate matters as they relate to religious & civil laws and their compatibility with U.S. laws. Ms. Hoballah is a chartering board member of the Lebanese American Foundation “LAF".

^ back to top

Andrew Leeka - President
www.goodsam.org
Andrew Leeka is President and CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital. He is an innovative healthcare expert in strategic planning, and operations management for medical centers, research institutes and specialty networks. Mr. Leeka previously worked for City of Hope National Medical Center where he was responsible for the financial performance and operations of two healthcare corporations. Mr. Leeka is the Honorary Consul General of Palau where he has spearheaded several humanitarian efforts.

^ back to top

Alan Kumamoto - Vice President
Alan Kumamoto is a partner of Kumamoto Associates, a marketing, management and communications general partnership. With 40 years experience in management consulting, fundraising, and human relations, he has presented seminars in Australia, Canada, Ghana, Japan, Ukraine and Turkey. He is a planning consultant to Union Bank of California and numerous businesses and foundations. He serves on the boards of many civic and nonprofit organizations and as Chair of Youth Opportunities United, Japanese American Community Services and is First V.P. of the Historic Neighborhood Council for the City of Los Angeles, and past chair of the National Council for International Visitors.

^ back to top

Cecile V. Munoz - Vice President
Cecile V. Munoz is the Founder and President of U.S. Executive Search, Inc. She has 18 years of professional experience and began her career in financial services with First Midland Holding Company. In 1990, she transitioned her career to professional recruitment, beginning as a consultant with Diversified Human Resources Group, Inc. and quickly rising to director. In 1992 she founded her own firm, with focus continuing to be executive search consulting exclusively within the investment industry nationwide. She has completed searches for numerous clients including Ernst & Young, SunAmerica, Merrill Lynch and T.D. Waterhouse. She received a B.S. degree in Political Science and Philosophy from the Univ. of Arizona. She conducted part of her college work at the Sorbonne University in Paris and speaks four languages. She is actively involved in numerous charitable organizations and is a designated media representative for the California Republican Party on issues affecting the Hispanic community.

^ back to top

William Jerry Silva - Vice President
www.sce.com
Jerry Silva is Project Licensing Manager at Southern California Edison. He manages and implements economic and political projects on a regional basis, establishes and builds relationships with key governmental officials and business leaders. Mr. Silva has been involved with many business organizations and recognized for his contributions in government affairs. Jerry Silva has served the last three years as a Regional Judge for the prestigious White House Fellows Program.

^ back to top

Kevin Roach - Treasurer
www.pwc.com
Kevin Roach is a tax partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, providing personal financial services. He received his B.S. in Accounting from N.Y. State University. Through his 31 years of experience, he provides personal financial services to corporate executives, closely held business owners and other high net worth individuals.
He is a frequent guest on CNN and serves as an information source for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and other trade publications. Recently moving to Los Angeles he previously served on the boards of the Dallas Business Community for the Arts, Dallas Theatre Center and American Ireland Fund.

^ back to top

Haifa Azawi - Secretary
yourwomanobgyn.com
Haifa Azawi is a Medical Doctor board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Though her New Woman Medical Care she fulfills her career desire to help women understand their conditions and provide for their best possible care. Her practice includes the ProHealth Multi-Specialty Network, a group of primary care physicians and specialists throughout the greater Long Beach area and surrounding communities. She received her medical certification at the Royal College of OB/GYN in London and a Fellowship from the California Medical Center in 1984. Her hospital affiliations include St Mary Medical Center, Lakewood Regional and Los Alamitos Medical Center. She lectures on issues of OB/GYN internationally. She lives in Long Beach with her husband, who is a surgeon.

^ back to top

Ginger Barnard
Ginger Barnard was previously Deputy Chief of Protocol for the County of Los Angeles since 1983. Her responsibilities included maintaining liaison between the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles Consular Corps representing 80 countries. In addition to extending official courtesies to chiefs of state and other high ranking visitors, the mission of the Protocol Office is to promote Los Angeles County as a hospitable destination for business and tourism to the international community. Ms. Barnard is involved with many local organizations including: World Affairs Council, Town Hall, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Natural History Museum and Autry Museum of Western Heritage.

^ back to top

Mathias (Mal) Fobi
www.cstobesity.com
Dr. Mathias Fobi is Medical Director of the Center for The Surgical Treatment of Obesity and The Tri-City Regional Medical Center. Dr. Fobi has an international reputation for his expertise in the surgical treatment of obesity. He has provided lectures and presentations locally, nationally, and throughout the world, at various universities, meetings and congresses in Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia, India, Australia and Japan. In 2001 he was awarded the Women of Los Angeles Highlight Award for his support of women and issues important to women.

^ back to top

Dwayne Gathers
www.laedc.org
Dwayne Gathers serves as Regional Manager for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). Prior to joining the LAEDC, Dwayne developed an extensive background in international business development, trade and investment facilitation, and foreign affairs. He opened and managed the State of California’s Office of Trade and Investment in Johannesburg, South Africa from 1995 to 2000. Previously, he was a senior staff member at the US Department of State in Washington, DC having served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. Dwayne has participated in various leadership, democracy building and education exchange missions internationally, including to Morocco, Viet Nam, Jordan, Haiti and South Africa.

^ back to top

Bruce Ishimatsu
www.loeb.com
Bruce Ishimatsu is a partner in the Century City office of the international law firm of Loeb & Loeb LLP. Mr. Ishimatsu currently serves on the Board of Directors of the California Women’s Law Center in Los Angeles. He has served as a Commissioner on the California State Bar’s Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission and is the past president of the Japanese American Bar Association and the statewide Asian /Pacific American Bar of California. Mr. Ishimatsu has served on the State Bar’s Joint Minority Bar Diversity Task Force, the Ethnic Minority Relations Committee, the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Pacific Rim Committee. In 2000 he was appointed Deputy General Counsel of the Ramparts Independent Review Panel formed by the Los Angeles Police Commission.

^ back to top

Cyrus K. Mostofi
www.mostofi.com
Cyrus Mostofi is the founder of Cyrus K. Mostofi, CPA firm. He has twenty years of diversified public and private accounting experience with the Big Four accounting firms serving Fortune 500 companies. He has expertise in strategic financial structuring, SEC reporting, taxation, and information technology solutions. Mr. Mostofi has worked for Price Waterhouse Cooper as Senior Audit Manager, FSR Brokerage Inc. as the Director of Financial Information Systems and KPMG - Peat, Marwick & Co. in Los Angeles and London.

^ back to top

Rodney Lee Punt
Rodney Punt is Principal of Arts Pacifica L.A. where he consults on cultural projects and publications. He is also a director on the board of the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau where, as immdediate Past President, he oversaw an improving political climate for tourist business in the City, hired a new Executive Director, opened the Bureau’s first Visitor Center, and gained increased budget for the organization. Mr. Punt was for 24 years Deputy Director of the City of Los Angeles’ Cultural Affairs Department, and is currently on the Insurance Services Board of the L.A. City Employees Club, a benefits association with $2 billion in life insurance in force. Mr. Punt is a past president of the Friends of Goethe of Southern California and President of the L.A. Chapter of the Heidelberg Club International.

^ back to top

John V. Richardson Jr.
www.gseis.ucla.edu
Dr. John V. Richardson Jr. is Professor of Information Studies at UCLA and from 2002-2007 served a five-year term as Associate Dean in UCLA’s Graduate Division. During his time at UCLA he has served as Chair of the Graduate Council and Chair of the Privilege and Tenure Committee. He serves on the National Postdoctoral Association’s International Postdoc Committee and consults with the U.S. Department of State on matters of national security with developing nations. He has a strong interest in international students inbound as well as international exchanges. He therefore has worked to increase awareness of the F-1 and J-1 visa situation, to raise the TOEFL standard on the UCLA campus and to work closely with the visiting Fulbright, DAAD and Luce scholars. He received the 2007 UCLA Graduate Students Association’s James LuValle Award for Distinguished Service.

^ back to top

Lourdes Saab
lacounty.info
Lourdes Saab is Deputy Chief of Protocol for the County of Los Angeles. In her position she represents the L.A. County office of Protocol on the IVCLA board and serves as the liaison between the protocol office and the county’s international community. In addition she aids foreign missions in the county by coordinating visits for dignitaries. Lourdes served as Chief of Protocol of the City of Los Angeles from 1993 to 1997. She previously worked in Mayor Yorty’s Office of Latin American Affairs and in the offices of Mayors Bradley and Riordan. She was a founding member and has served as executive director of the Hispanic Women’s Council, Inc. She was Commissioner for the County Department of Children’s Services and has been recognized for her work with community based health organizations.

^ back to top

Eileen Sánchez
www.cnb.com
Eileen Sánchez is vice president and international strategy development officer in City National Bank’s International Department. She provides global banking services to assist clients with their international expansions and directs several of the department’s marketing initiatives. Previously she worked as an FX operations specialist at Imperial Bank (which was acquired by Comerica Bank). Ms. Sánchez began her career as a vice chancellor with the Costa Rican Consulate. She received her bachelor’s degree in international business from Pepperdine University. She serves as public relations chair for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s World Trade Week, is active with Junior Achievement and United Way, and served as president of the Pepperdine Hispanic Council’s Board of Directors in 2004.

^ back to top

Madeline D. Sell
www.wellsfargo.com
Madeline D. Sell is Regional Marketing Director for Wells Fargo. She came to Wells Fargo in 2004, where she manages and oversees this region’s marketing and advertising programs and staff. Ms. Sell's career in banking began in Los Angeles at Security Pacific National Bank, where she served as Manager of the Wholesale Middle Market Department and was later named Director of Planning for Citizens Business Bank, one of the state’s fastest growing business-to-business banks. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Bresee Foundation in Los Angeles.

^ back to top

Elga A. Sharpe
www.lacity.org
Elga Sharpe is Chief of Protocol for the Mayor of Los Angeles. One of Ms. Sharpe’s main duties is to serve as the liaison between the Office of the Mayor and the Los Angeles’ Consular Corps, consisting of Consulates General from 80 countries. She is highly skilled in all aspects of international communications, business relations, corporate development, translation, international marketing and related multinational business applications. Ms. Sharpe is multi-lingual in English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch and Papiamento.

^ back to top

Robert James Skousen
www.skousenlaw.com
Robert Skousen is the Chairman of the Board for Skousen & Skousen, a Professional Corporation, which is a full service law firm. He serves as a member of the corporate boards of the John Adams Life Corporation and Brand 33, a branding and advertising company. He also serves on the boards of the Friends of Child Advocates and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. He is a member of the Japanese Business Association and last year was a member of the San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts Committee that traveled to England to bring rare photographs to the United States for the first time.

^ back to top

Sasha Farrah Talbert
www.ctcorsearch.com
Sasha Farrah Talbert is Senior West Regional Account Manager for CT Corsearch, a Wolters Kluwer business. She joined CT Corsearch in 2002 with over twelve years of trademark industry experience. After receiving her JD from George Washington University, Sasha began her career in trademarks as a Trademark Examining Attorney at the USPTO and worked with law firms in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Prior to coming to CT Corsearch she was National Sales Manager for Hummingbird, an Enterprise Software Solutions Company. She has presented numerous speeches on intellectual protection and research, and is active with INTA, U.S. Copyright Society and other intellectual property associations.

^ back to top

Hud Warren
www.chinawestllc.com
Hudson R. Warren Jr. is co-founder of China West LLC, providing services facilitating international trade and cultural ventures. The mission of China West is to bring together businesses and cultural opportunities to and from Asia, the United States and the world.
Mr. Warren has more than 30 years experience in the international logistics arena. He previously served as Vice President of Global Distribution & Transportation at a multi-billion dollar multinational corporation where he successfully built a global network to serve the company’s distributors in over 60 countries. In addition to global distribution his responsibilities included overseeing customs compliance and a leadership role in the companies global operations team. Earlier in his career he was the CEO of Thompson Shipping Company Ltd in the Western Caribbean.

^ back to top