Alan Blakeboro
Alan Blakeboro practiced law for nearly 45 years before his recent retirement, representing clients—including nonprofit corporations—in litigation and employment matters.
Over the years, Alan has served as a board member and officer for several nonprofit organizations, including the Artist Advocacy Foundation (AAF) since its inception.
A longtime resident of California’s Santa Ynez Valley and a supporter of the Tales from the Tavern concert series, Alan is dedicated to AAF’s work because of his enduring love of music and his desire to give back to the performing artists who create it.
Anthony DiBattista
Anthony DiBattista has been proudly associated with AAF since its inception. He teaches Medieval and Renaissance History at Rutgers University and serves as Director of the Center for Historical Analysis’ Teachers Institute. A former educator, he remains deeply committed to teaching and scholarship.
Anthony enjoys bicycling, kayaking, and bass fishing whenever possible. The father of three grown sons, he splits his time between New Jersey and Woodstock, New York, with his novelist wife, Rosemary.
Jill Goldworn
Jill Goldworn is Senior Vice President of Sales & Partnerships for IC Group Inc., a 35+ year consumer engagement company.
She has been a sales leader for four companies and the founder of three—one of which brought her to the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, California, where she raised her two children while volunteering and serving on the boards of several charities.
Jill’s passion, talent, and boundless energy for helping brands repurpose existing content to generate profitable top-line revenue began in graduate school at the University of Miami. There, she discovered a talent for developing new revenue streams from established intellectual property by helping James A. Michener realize his dream of creating a board game based on his 35 novels.
She went on to specialize in IP licensing, developing a line of Nintendo Game Boy products for the educational market, representing and licensing dozens of video game brands for bundling with computer hardware manufacturers, and—over the past decade—focusing on B2B digital rewards and loyalty platforms. Her incentive and loyalty programs have reduced customer churn by as much as 46% for global clients across hospitality, financial services, lottery, gaming, technology, entertainment, and retail.
A devoted mother of two, Jill is also a passionate friend, traveler, foodie, and home cook, driven by a desire to grow, learn, evolve, challenge herself, survive, and thrive.
She serves on the Boards of Directors for ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties (ADL.org) and the Artist Advocacy Foundation, and volunteers in a mentorship program that promotes women into sales and leadership roles.
Her favorite word is “Mom.” Her guiding principle, inspired by the Dalai Lama, is: “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”
David Katz — Board President
David Katz is an accomplished professional with more than thirty years of proven success in nonprofit leadership, marketing, management, and development. He is currently the Owner and President of Daniel Consulting, LLC, a multi-client boutique lobbying firm with more than 20 years of business experience, including government procurement, regulations, legislation, and public policy advocacy. David is well-versed in building relationships that create meaningful change.
David served in various executive roles in Wayne County government over a 15 year tenure; as Assistant Wayne County Executive; as Chief of Staff to CEO Edward H. McNamara and as Director of Metropolitan Airport. He was part of the management team that worked with the Federal Administration, House, and Senate to plan and complete the $2 billion airport expansion program, balancing 10 consecutive budgets and eliminating a $135 million deficit.
David served on the Detroit Wayne County Stadium Authority for 8 years and worked on the successful completion of the Comerica Park and Ford Field stadium projects. He ran Governor Jennifer Granholm’s successful gubernatorial campaign from 2001–2002 and helped assemble Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s first campaign. He also served on the transition team for Governor Whitmer and is Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the Detroit Medical Center.
David is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and a sports lover.
Steven Reden
Steven “Steve” Reden was born and raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy in 1970 and enjoyed a 50-year career as a pharmacist.
Steve worked in a variety of independent pharmacy roles, including ownership of a store in Santa Barbara in the early 1980s. From 2000 until his retirement in 2020, he owned Star Drugs in Santa Ynez, California.
He has served on several nonprofit boards, including People Helping People in Solvang in the late 1990s, the Rona Barrett Foundation for 15 years, his homeowners association executive board for more than 20 years, and the Artist Advocacy Foundation since its inception.
Steve is married, has four children and three grandchildren, and currently resides in Solvang, California.
Beth Robinson
Beth Robinson is a writer, painter, metalsmith, and nonprofit professional. Much of her inspiration comes from the natural beauty of Michigan, where she enjoys camping along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
She has two daughters, both of whom are artists.
Suzi Trubitz
Using stainless steel and bronze sheets as her canvas, sculptor Suzi Trubitz employs welders, plasma torches, grinders, and other industrial tools to create large-scale works depicting human figures, natural patterns, and complex motifs that explore balance, sound, color, intimacy, and intelligence.
Trubitz was born and raised in New York and studied at Parsons School of Design and Boston University School of Fine Arts. She later worked on Madison Avenue as an art director before building a successful career as a business owner.
Now settled in the hills of California, she embraces the challenge of transforming seemingly rigid materials into expressive works of art. Her pieces are included in numerous corporate and private collections across the United States, Europe, and Israel, and have appeared in film and television.