Alec Longmuir

Melissa Morgan Fine Art

As Director and Partner of Melissa Morgan Fine Art since the gallery’s inception in 2009, art is built into Alec Longmuir’s DNA. As a child, he spent much of his time at his grandfather’s gallery, Honjo Galleries in Tokyo, Japan, and later went on to pursue a career in fine-arts by first attending University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Alec has lived and worked in Palm Desert for the better part of 15 years, curating exhibitions for MMFA, working with collectors, and fundraising for local charities. 

Don Maselli

La Quinta Resort and Club

Don Maselli, Director of Events and Catering at La Quinta Resort and Club, is a seasoned professional with a rich background in high-profile hospitality. Formerly Director of Banquet Operations at The Ritz-Carlton, Bacara, and opening Director of Meetings and Special Events at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, Don has orchestrated events with luminaries like Martha Stewart, Wolfgang Puck, and Howie Mandel. With a career spanning various Ritz-Carlton properties, his resilience and adaptability shine. From humble beginnings in his family’s restaurant, Don’s journey evolved into a passion for the industry. Adept at juggling tasks, a certified Pilates instructor in the making, and a Cabana Boy for The Girlfriend Factor, Don is inspired by the organization’s commitment to empowering women in pursuing higher education goals.

Fuego

Coachella Valley Firebirds

Fuego is well known in the desert as the hottest bird in town! As the beloved mascot of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Fuego will be a Cabana Boy like no other. His position with the team is Center (of Attention), his weight is, well, featherweight of course, his favorite food is spicy bird seed and his least favorite song is the Chicken Dance. Fuego’s package will include an incredible collection of CV Firebirds and Acrisure Arena experiences that the winning bidder will be fortunate enough to enjoy in the coming months. Fuego is ready to bring the heat to Club Cabana and help raise funds for future Girlfriend Factor grant recipients! 

John Scardino

JHS Properties

John Scardino is a developer, entrepreneur and visionary. After completing an accelerated law school program, he did an externship with Justice Reinhardt of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and became a member of the California and Washington Bars – specializing in corporate and real estate law. During his time in practice, he also consulted businesses in law and advised people on how to start or operate their business while becoming involved in several businesses, as well. His enterprises began primarily in real estate development, then his empire grew to the point where he was CEO of JHS Properties, an umbrella company for 50 partnerships. JHS Properties is the largest residential developer in the central coast of California, building master-planned communities in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. John resides in Lake Sherwood, California.
 

Michael Plante

Tiffany & Co.

I began as a part time resident of Palm Desert, May of 2019. My husband and I became permanent residence in November of 2020 and have been loving it ever since. I retired from my position as an Executive at Tiffany & Co. after a career in retail leadership of over 30 years. I was fortunate not only to have had my time at Tiffany but also such companies as Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Saks and J. Crew.

I enjoy hiking, cycling, working out and eating. Additionally in my retirement I have been able to up my volunteering game with organizations like The Joslyn Center and The Living. Desert. Now I can add Girl Friend Factor to the lis. Our two corgis keep us on our toes and are our delight. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to support the Girl Friend Factor.

Rod Vanderbos

Buzzbox Cocktails

Rod Vandenbos is the Founder and CEO of BuzzBox Premium Cocktails, Inc., he leads a pioneering beverage manufacturing company known for its eco-friendly approach and premium ingredients. And BuzzBox is the official cocktails of the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Acrisure Arena! Additionally, he is deeply involved in various ventures, including serving as a co-founder and director of R2 LLC, a nonprofit political consultancy agency. With a background as an Entertainment Executive at Universal Studios, Rod brings a wealth of experience to his endeavors. His passion for preserving American freedom and history is evident in his role as a Director of the Palm Springs Air Museum. Rod and his wife, Jenell, are active supporters of causes such as the Girl Friend Factor, demonstrating their commitment to education and community.

Shawn Abramowitz

Desert Ensemble Theatre

Shawn is the Executive Director of Desert Ensemble Theatre, Local Sales Manager of Spectrum Reach in Redlands, past chair of Leadership Coachella Valley, and proud First Husband to Francinni Zabata; the Director of Desert Sands Educational Foundation.
He graduated with a degree in Theatre Arts from Cal State University San Bernardino and is a proud Coachella Valley resident.
Over the years Shawn has performed on many stages throughout the valley, participated on many non profit boards, and continues to support our community any which way he can. Shawn recently received the Desert Theatre League’s, Sidney Harmon Award for his contributions to performing arts in the Coachella Valley.
 

Brandon Boswell

Joseph Goott Collection at Maison Felice

Brandon lives in Rancho Mirage with his husband Efrén and thier three furry children.  Brandon is the Creative Director of The Joseph Goott fine Jewelry Collection.  Some of his background in luxury retail includes Gucci, Retail VP for Ann Taylor and Director of the NYC flagship store on Madison Avenue for Ralph Lauren.

When not searching for the perfect Diamond or designing one of a kind jewelry for a client or friend, he likes to give back to the desert community that has given him so much.  He works closely with the Bianca Rae Foundation in their mission and fundraising efforts.  He also contributes his time to Animal Samaritans and Salvation Army.

Ken Harth

Spearhead Consulting, Vice President US Public Sector Markets

Ken works for Spearhead Consulting as the Vice President US Public Sector markets. He resides in SoCal and is responsible for the US Public Sector practice. Ken comes from a long and very successful career at AT&T where he held numerous senior leadership roles throughout his 30 year span. These roles included Vice President Sales within Global, Healthcare, National accounts, and Government markets.  In addition, he has a strong background in equipment sales and service, Emerging technology, the IOT, security and mobility/FirstNet .

 While attending the University of Texas, Ken was involved in charitable work such as Habitat for Humanity. These efforts continue today, where Ken has been the President of the Board for San Diego Futures Foundation, which provides computers and technology to children and underprivileged families. He and his wife, Jacqueline enjoy spending time with their family along with boating, travel, and all sports.

Troy Kudlac

KUD Properties

Since 2004, Troy Kudlac has been involved in multiple facets of real estate from brokerage, commercial real estate, investments, renovations, construction, and design work. KUD Properties was the product of this experience and melds residential and commercial real estate sales/leasing with the creative manipulation and new building of architecturally significant and mid-century real estate.

Dylan McCrum

Paramedic & Firefighter

Dylan grew up in Napa, but he didn’t develop a passion for wine (he was actually a beer guy until he met his wife!). Instead Dylan found his real calling was offering care and compassion to others. Dylan’s been a dedicated healthcare professional for nineteen years, serving his community as a paramedic and a firefighter. When Dylan isn’t saving lives you can find him rocking out on his guitar! He is an accomplished musician, singer and songwriter, and you can catch him belting out his original ballad “Big Man Sonoma” at one of the valley’s open mic nights. Above all, Dylan’s biggest accomplishment is his family. He is a proud husband and father to two young boys. 

Craig Michaels

Better Homes and Gardens / Leaskou Partners, Inc

A native of Southern California, Craig Michaels has entertained audiences for over 25 years as a radio and TV personality in the Palm Springs market. In 2017, Craig joined Better Homes and Gardens / Leaskou Partners Inc. to pursue his real estate career. He always finds time to spend with his six children who help him stay grounded. He is regularly involved with local charities and serves on the board of the Butterfly Mission, helping homeless mothers and children. He also serves on the board for AMP, the Academy of Musical Performance, which supports and inspires young musicians.

Marco Rosetti

CBRE

Senior Associate at CBRE, Marco is a retail specialist in the Ontario office specializing in the Low Desert area of San Bernardino, specifically the Coachella Valley. Marco is a dynamic and creative professional with a successful career in real estate leasing and sales in which he has demonstrated his ability to assist clients in finding tailored real estate opportunities. Marco currently represents over 400 acres of prime interstate land for sale and is actively involved in the development of the newly built Bob Hope overpass at Interstate10 in Rancho Mirage. Prior to joining CBRE, Marco began his commercial real estate career at Spinello Commercial Real Estate, Inc. Before his time at Spinello, he served the Food and Beverage Department Head for the Four Seasons Hotel Group in San Francisco and Costa Rica.​​​​

Sean Webb

Director of Community Engagement and Education Foundation for Desert Sands Unified School District

Sean Webb is currently the Director of Community Engagement and Education Foundation for Desert Sands Unified School District. Most recently he was an assistant principal at Palm Desert High School and the Career Technical Education assistant principal at La Quinta High School for 6 years.  Webb has his Master’s of Arts in Educational Administration from CSU San Bernardino, a Master’s of Science in Secondary Education from D’Youville College and Bachelor of Arts in History from the University at Buffalo. Sean is currently involved in various community organizations; Leadership Coachella Valley as their board president, member at large for Old Town Artisan Studios, City of Palm Desert Community Engagement Committee, Rae of Hope Retreat Advisory committee member, and most recently was a co-chair for the Desert Spirit Gala for the American Cancer Society for 2018 and 2019.  In addition, Sean was a member of the Coachella Valley Football Officials Association, ACSA Membership Vice President for Region XIX, Wedding Warriors board member, and on the American Diabetes Association Step Out Walk Planning committee. In Sean’s free time, he enjoys hiking the many trails in the Coachella Valley and spending time with his wife, Tara, daughter, Brooklyn, and their #PiperDaPug