MEET THE TEAM WORKING TO CAUSE A CULTURAL SHIFT
THE CO-FOUNDERS
DR. HARRY GRAMMER
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Harry founded New Earth in 2004 and has been helping to reform the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles County ever since. He earned his Ph.D. in Community, Liberation, & Eco-Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara and is now the Board Chair of its Alumni Association. In 2017, Harry was honored as a CNN Hero, and in 2018 he was selected as one of 20 inaugural Obama Foundation Fellows from over 20,000 applicants in 191 countries. He brings his leadership and lived experience, with a background in teaching arts and advocacy to systems-impacted youth, to his continuing work as a nationwide activist and educator.
YANA GRAMMER
CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Yana co-founded New Earth with her husband Dr. Harry Grammer in 2004, and has been crucial in shaping it into a significant force for social justice. Her visionary approach has played a pivotal role in the growth of New Earth, positively impacting the lives of over 35,000 young people in Los Angeles County. Yana brings a wealth of experience from consumer products and personal growth sectors, showcasing her refined business acumen. In her role as Executive Vice President, she employs a strategic and empowering leadership style, overseeing various aspects of business development, including marketing, sales, and administration. Yana’s commitment to excellence and passion for positive change have been instrumental in New Earth’s 20 years of success, and she is also recognized as a Roberts Enterprise Development Fund Fellow, highlighting her dedication to social entrepreneurship and sustainable impact.
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
SELAM MEKONEN
Director of Programs
STEFANIE LAHBIL
DIRECTORS OF OPERATIONs
LATAVIA PINEDA
WORKFORCE INNOVATION MANAGER
EVELYN DIAZ
SENIOR MANAGER OF MEMBER SERVICES
VERONICA ORTIZ
LEAD CARE MANAGER, CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
IMANI-GRACE KING
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
JANEE HARRIS
LEAD CARE MANAGER, NEW EARTH CAMPUS
OUR TEAM MEMBERS
BRYAN FIGUEROA
FACILITIES COORDINATOR
LILIAN VELASQUEZ
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
DESHANAE CRITTENDON
YOUTH NAVIGATOR + TRANSPORTATION MANAGER
DONTRELLE CAMPBELL
BUISNESS DEVELOPER
JOEL WARD
FLOW INSTRUCTOR
TYLER PITTS
YOUTH NAVIGATOR
NADIR MORGAN
FLOW INSTRUCTOR
JERRY QUICKLEY
FLOW INSTRUCTOR
OUR BOARD
DR. HARRY GRAMMER
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
BRADFORD BANCROFT
THERAPIST, REHEARSE FOR LIFE
Bradford has spent 25 years as a working actor in international theatre, film, and television productions. He began working as a Drama Therapist in the 1990s and added his license as a Marriage and Family Therapist shortly thereafter. He calls his work Rehearse For Life, which combines his love and use of the arts with his therapy practice. As an Expressive Arts Therapist, Bradford has delivered creative seminars and workshops around the country including a multiple-year stint in the PTSD ward of a Veteran’s Affairs Hospital doing what he refers to as “Karaoke Therapy” with the participants in the program. He is a Trustee of the Bancroft Family Foundation.
DR. ALI ARASTU, MD
Pediatric ICU Physician
Dr. Ali is a pediatric Intensive Care Unit physician, an avid outdoorsman, and an advocate for underserved communities. On a chance detour, while thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, Ali had a conversation with a homeless man that would inspire him to live on the streets in Skid Row with the highest concentration of homeless persons in the country. For his first two years of medical school, Ali forged relationships with homeless individuals which deeply planted the seed for the desire to care for the most vulnerable of patients. Ali has since founded the House of Stoked, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses the wilderness as a platform for physicians to empower unprotected youth to care for their own health, as well as the health of the environment.
MARSHA WATKINS, BOARD SECRETARY
RETIRED REGIONAL DIRECTOR, DSP AT LA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Marsha began her career with the Los Angeles County Office of Education in 1978. She taught special education for 14 years before becoming an administrator in alternative education and juvenile court schools. Marsha served in a variety of administrative positions with increasing responsibility including Principal, Senior Project Director, Regional Director, and Special Assistant to the Superintendent. She has worked tirelessly to educate and improve the lives of children with special needs, youth in foster care, and the juvenile justice system. After 34 years of public service, she retired and is currently coaching new administrators while continuing to work on behalf of at-promise youth.
CASEY AFFLECK
ACTOR, PRODUCER, DIRECTOR
Casey is an accomplished and respected actor, writer, and director. He has acted in many acclaimed films including Good Will Hunting; Gone, Baby Gone; and the Oceans 11 trilogy. His breakout role as wannabe outlaw Robert Ford opposite Brad Pitt in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford garnered him Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations. Casey later starred in Manchester by the Sea, which earned him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and over 40 regional critics’ awards, for Best Actor. In 2017, Casey established Sea Change Media with the aim to develop new works from emerging filmmakers of diverse backgrounds, to tell stories that seek to entertain, inspire, and shift perceptions. He is a dedicated activist and philanthropist, supporting causes across many areas of the nonprofit sector.
SONIA TANDON
Licensed attorney & Certified Mediator
A native Angelino, Sonia Tandon is a licensed attorney and certified mediator, with a B.A. from the University of Southern California, a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. Having been born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area, Sonia has also made time throughout her life to find ways to give back to her community. For three years during her undergraduate studies, Sonia volunteered weekly at a battered women’s shelter, where she tutored young children in math and reading. Currently, Sonia volunteers as a mediator for various California District Courts in their family law, civil harassment and small claims departments and is now teaching conflict resolution to the students at New Earth.
CASEY BRIDGES
Casey Bridges earned a BFA in Cinematic Arts from the University of Southern California and has gone on to work in the film and television industry while also pursuing a career in the non-profit field. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Africa and more recently for Tools for Peace, an organization teaching kindness and compassion to youth in Los Angeles. Casey earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development from the University of Stellenbosh School of Public Leadership in Cape Town, South Africa. He established Bridges Media Arts production company in 2016 and currently develops and produces documentary and media projects.
