Moderator: Frank Heuser, Professor, Music Education, UCLA Alpert Frank Heuser is head of the Music Education area in the Department of Music. Most recently, he served on the music education faculty at the University of Oregon, where his duties included undergraduate instruction as well as graduate teaching and research advisement. His public school teaching experience includes seven years as an instrumental music instruction in schools throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. He was director of instrumental music at East Los Angeles College and taught music education courses at California State University, Los Angeles and at Chapman College. He is active as an adjudicator and clinician in Southern California and is currently low brass instructor during summers at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.
Mark Slavkin, Director of Education, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts; Board Chair California Alliance for Arts Education Mark Slavkin is Director of Education for The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. The Wallis is dedicated to engaging arts learners of all ages, from K-12 school partnerships, to courses for young artists, to a range of activities to engage adults as audience members and as art-makers. He is widely recognized as a national leader in the field of arts education. Mark chairs the Board of Directors for the California Alliance for Arts Education, the statewide policy and advocacy organization. He served from 1989-1997 as an elected member of the Los Angeles Board of Education, including two years as President.
Arabian Prince, Technologist, Futurist, Founding member of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group NWA; Founder, iNov8 Next Open Labs; president, Next Careers A songwriter, rapper, producer, DJ, technologist Pro Gamer and futurist, Arabian is best known for being a founding member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted rap group N.W.A., pioneering West Coast electro music and producing the Grammy-nominated #1 hit song Supersonic. He is the founder of iNov8 Next Open Labs and president of Next Careers, home of the Los Angeles FIRST Tech Challenge robotics competition. He recently started the CPESL ESports gaming league and training with his technology partners. His passion for technology led to him create a 3D animation and special effects studio in the 90’s working with companies like Saban Entertainment and Fox, including 100+ video game titles for Fox Interactive and Vivendi Universal. As a consultant, Arabian has advised many companies on bridging the gap between technology and the youth, while bringing new product innovations to market. He is currently working with his tech partners to bring Open Labs to communities across the country in support of youth, women, diversity, veterans and anyone else who wants to explore the future of technology.
Crystal Starr, Recording Artist/President of Little Voices Crystal Starr is a singer, songwriter, director, and producer. With her background singers “The Bowties”, Starr’s 300+ performances have captivated audiences around the globe, from receiving standing ovations in Japan, South Africa, Budapest, and Mexico, to touring with Paul Stanley, “KISS”, Ariana Grande, Andra Day, Kanye West and Drake. As an eclectic retro pop, R&B, indie and soul artist, Starr’s single, “I Still Love You”, has made the Top 100 Billboard Charts. As the Founder of Little Voices, established in 2011, Crystal Starr produces quality concerts for children in the foster care system and inner cities while providing internship opportunities with industry professionals. Serving more than 6,000 at-risk youth by inspiring and mobilizing, Little Voices uses entertainment and media production as a platform to give voice to those who lack adequate support and resources needed to thrive. “She Sessions” concerts have featured renowned artists and performers, such as Judith Hill, Common, Andra Day, and Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams. By sharing the message “You Are Enough”, and with a new partnership with Green Dot Public Schools (Los Angeles) in March 2019 to serve approximately 250 youth at 5 school sites in 2019, Little Voices has an opportunity to establish educational implementation, build awareness and generate resources for the at-risk, fostered and adopted communities through concert programming and economic development programs.
Ilaan Egeland Mazzini, Director of Education & Community Programs, The Broad Stage; Connector Council Member, Ford Theatres Ilaan Mazzini is Director of Education & Community Program at The Broad Stage. She has served as both the Community Initiatives Program Manager and Program Manager, Artist Recruitment and Engagement at the Ford Theatres. She is an educator, curator, mentor, arts administrator, performing artist and founder of Family Dance Jam. Her eclectic past includes Cal Arts, UCLA’s World Arts and Cultures, NYC, dance companies, grants, commissions, films and music videos.
DeMarco White, LA Program Manager, HOB Music Forward DeMarco White is a Chicago native whose creativity, passion, and hunger for experiences brought him to Los Angeles. Currently serving as the Southern California Program Manager for the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation, DeMarco works to bridge the gap between industry and community while equipping tomorrow’s young emerging artists with the confidence and essential skills to not only build their seat at the table but find and develop their voice at the table.
Aparna Mukherjee, Executive in Residence, LA2050 Aparna is a product strategist and operations leader who’s run digital and mobile projects for some of the world’s biggest news outlets, and advises hardware and media startups. At The New York Times, she ran the paper’s online education ventures group, while her other innovation-focused roles include launching social media for McKinsey & Co., serving as director of operations for startup accelerator Grand Central Tech, and running Morgan Stanley’s alumni network. As a reporter, she’s written for the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Bloomberg News, and The New Yorker. Aparna earned a BS from Bryn Mawr College, where she was a Luce Scholar, and a Master’s in Journalism and an MBA from Columbia University, where she lectures on digital strategy to MBAs. As an executive adviser to the City of Los Angeles, she’s working on scaling civic storytelling to all 99 neighborhoods administered by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.
Jeremy Gruber, Head of Digital Marketing and Strategy, Friends at Work
Jeremy Gruber is the head of Digital Marketing & Strategy at Friends at Work representing artists including John Legend, Lindsey Stirling and Alanis Morissette. Jeremy has spent over a decade working with artists at all levels helping them grow their brand and businesses by bringing together traditional marketing with the latest technology. Both of his parents are classical musicians and music teachers and he picked up electric bass at 14 launching him into his passion for all forms of music. After graduating with a degree in Music Industry from USC, Jeremy started his career in artist management and marketing helping to manage the wine label, public speaking and corporate career of legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood at the boutique firm Sabre Entertainment. Jeremy went on to run digital for 10th Street Entertainment and Eleven Seven Music working with marquis rock bands including Mötley Crüe, Papa Roach, JET and Blondie. In 2010, he joined the leading independent label Concord Music Group helping to establish the direct to consumer team and later building the digital marketing & strategy department – there he worked closely with established legends like Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Gregg Allman and James Taylor as well as up-and-coming stars including the launch of Nathaniel Ratliff & the Night Sweats. In addition to his marketing work Jeremy is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s music industry program.
