Professional Advisory Board
Park Century’s Professional Advisory Board consists of carefully selected community professionals with expertise in relevant fields who advise our administration on clinical and academic programs, community outreach opportunities, recruitment, alumni mentoring, and many other endeavors.
Ms. Bowers is the former Administrator and Head of School for The Center for Early Education in Los Angeles, a consultant, and serves as chair of Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children use technology responsibly, safely, and effectively.
Mr. Brooks is an internationally known author and speaker about his firsthand experience growing up with Dyslexia. He is also a Park Century parent.
Ms. Curtis is an actress, author, and former PCS parent.
Dr. Eichenstein specializes in pediatric neuropsychological evaluations, testing for learning disabilities and ADHD, and accommodating children with learning differences and ADHD.
Dr. Ellenberg specializes in clinical neuropsychology.
Dr. Griesbach’s practice is devoted entirely to the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of children with a wide variety of neuro-developmental disorders, including autism, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, developmental and cognitive delays, learning differences like ADHD, and other behavioral disorders. Dr. Griesbach also served on the board of the Westview School for children with learning and emotional challenges and was a founding board member of the WISH Charter Elementary School, which provides inclusive educational opportunities for children with special needs.
Karen Hellman-Fried is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an Educational Therapist in Santa Monica, California. Karen holds Master of Arts Degrees in Clinical Psychology and Human Development as well as a Certificate in Educational Therapy. She has a private practice in psychotherapy and is Co-Director of the K&M Center, Inc., a learning center providing educational services to students ranging from four years old to college age.
Formerly a member of Park Century’s Board of Trustees, Justin’s service on the Board began in 2012, and he was Board President from 2013 to 2017. He is President of William Walters Company, a real estate investment and management firm, specializing in multi-family properties. He and his wife, Michelle, are graduates of the University of San Diego and have two children who both attended Park Century School. They currently reside in Jackson, Wyoming.
Anthony Jaffe is a Managing Director and head of CMBS Origination for J.P. Morgan’s West Coast office in Los Angeles. He was previously head of CMBS Origination at Credit Suisse and Managing Director of Natixis Real Estate Capital. Before joining Natixis Real Estate Capital, Mr. Jaffe worked at Credit Suisse First Boston and was part of creating the premier real estate finance company on Wall Street at the time. Additionally, he was one of the pioneering members of Nomura Capital, a leading real estate lender in the United States and a group credited with the application of securitization to commercial real estate finance. Mr. Jaffe is on the Board of Governors for Cedars Sinai Hospital, served as a member of the Park Century Board of Trustees from 2011-2019, is a Philanthropy Honoree at UCLA, and is Founder of the Tom Drysdale Fellowship at NYU where he received his bachelor’s degree.
Dr. Little is a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist.
Dr. Neiman-Kimel is a board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist and leading specialist in neuropsychological assessment for children and young adults. Over the last 20 years, Dr.Neiman-Kimel has built a practice that has provided services to schools and expert witness testimony, and she maintains a private clinical practice.
Ms. Priest is an ardent advocate for supporting the social-learning needs of children, teens, and adults. She is the founder of Kelly Priest & Associates, a resource for parents and teachers of children with mild to moderate social learning differences. She is a social-cognitive-development specialist, a faculty trainer, and parent educator.
Mr. Savett is the principal and founder of Granite Peak Partners Inc, a commercial property brokerage firm with headquarters in Santa Barbara. A PCS alumnus, Mr. Savett was the third student enrolled in the school and the son of founding trustee Lou Savett.
Dr. Shaywitz is a leader in applying functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to understand the neurobiology of reading and Dyslexia in children and adults. He is the Charles and Helen Schwab Professor of Pediatrics (Neurology) and the Co-Director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.
Ms. Spindler had a 45-year career at Park Century beginning as a classroom educator and retiring as Co-Director of the school in 2013.
Ben Sprague is a PCS alum and son of former Board Chair Marianne Sprague. A former television producer and entertainment executive, Mr. Sprague was recently appointed CEO of the Earl Warren Showgrounds Board of the 19th District Agricultural Association, located in Santa Barbara.
Dr. Visser is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in treating children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Visser is trained as a cognitive behavioral therapist.
Ms. Wachtell is the President and CEO of the Joseph P. Drown Foundation. The Foundation attempts to reflect directly the interests of founder Joseph Drown, focusing its resources on education, medical and scientific research, community, and health and social services. The Foundation’s goal is to assist individuals in becoming successful, self-sustaining, contributing citizens, funding programs that break down barriers preventing a person from continuing to grow and learn.
