Our Team

Controller

Angad Shah

Chief Executive Officer

Audrey Haberman

Audrey Haberman joined the Biller Family Foundation in September 2021 as its Chief Executive Officer.

An experienced philanthropic leader, Audrey has spent much of her career helping mission-driven philanthropic organizations grow their impact. Prior to joining the Biller Family Foundation, Audrey served as the Managing Director of The Giving Practice (TGP), a consulting firm that works with foundations across the country. In addition to leading and significantly growing TGP over the past 11 years, she worked with over one hundred foundation leaders, boards and staff members to sharpen their strategy and improve their culture and practices. Audrey also served as Interim CEO of Philanthropy NW. Prior to TGP, Audrey was the Executive Director of the Pride Foundation for twelve years, and before that she played a range of leadership roles at the Women’s Funding Alliance and Seattle Rape Relief.

Audrey graduated from the University of Michigan. She is the mom of three kids between the ages 18-21 and loves to travel, ski, and hike.

Vice President & CFO

Dean Frerker

Foundation Coordinator

Geri Auriemma

Geri Auriemma joined the Biller Family Foundation in September 2019 as the Foundation Coordinator, bringing with her several years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors. Previously, Geri served as a legislative aide to Seattle City Councilmembers Abel Pacheco and Rob Johnson, managing communications and constituent relations and tracking policy related to arts, education, and human services. Prior to her work at City Hall, Geri was a nonprofit arts fundraiser, managing the Annual Fund at Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Geri holds an MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University and a BA in Vocal Performance from Colby College. Outside of work, Geri enjoys singing with the Seattle Symphony Chorale, reviewing performing arts experiences throughout King County for 4Culture, and volunteering with Northwest Girlchoir. Born and raised in Seattle, Geri feels a strong pull towards aligning her work with advancing the public good and is excited to join the Biller Family Foundation team to help support the work of changing people’s lives in meaningful and lasting ways.

Supportive Care Project Manager

Kamera Museau

Foundation Associate

Lené Copeland

Lené Copeland joined the Biller Family Foundation in 2013 and supports all aspects of the Foundation’s grantmaking. Ms. Copeland brings a rich, diverse background to her program administration position. With formal education in architecture, much of her career has involved teaching including a 20-year role bringing architecture to K-12 school students through the built environment education program called, “Architecture in Education.”

Ms. Copeland formerly taught and helped develop curriculum in environmental technology for the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center in Philadelphia. This program focused on varied groups of inner-city schools, and engaged them daily in an interactive, hands-on teaching environment. Ms. Copeland has worked in architectural practices in Seattle and Philadelphia designing residential homes and educational facilities. She received her Master’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and studied in Rome, Italy and Tokyo, Japan.

Communications Manager

Reka Robinson

Reka Robinson joined the Biller Family Foundation in May 2024 as the Communications Manager.

She has an extensive communications background, forged through an 18-year career as a radio personality, where she honed her skills in audience engagement and storytelling. This unique experience seamlessly transitioned into a successful career in project management, where she earned her certification and demonstrated her expertise in navigating internal communications at The Children’s Developmental Center. In that role, Reka managed/worked closely with the marketing and communications teams on annual reports, newsletters and social media.

Reka leverages her rich communications and events background to craft and implement strategic initiatives that amplify a mission’s reach and impact. Her multifaceted skill set uniquely positions her to develop compelling narratives and effective communication strategies that resonate with diverse audiences.

Reka also serves as a life coach. She hosts, speaks, and produces podcasts, videos, and social media content that reach and inspire thousands of followers and listeners. She has been featured as a guest host and keynote speaker on various TV channels, universities, conferences, and organizations.

A proud graduate of Howard University’s School of Communications with a B.A. in TV Production, Reka is also deeply committed to her community. She has two dogs and loves giving back, especially through educational initiatives. You can often find her on stages, empowering women to discover and embrace their true selves.

Project Director, Supportive Care Initiative

Susan Hedlund

Susan Hedlund, MSW, LCSW

Susan Hedlund, LCSW, has been a social worker in the health care field for more than thirty years and has extensive experience working with individuals and families facing life threatening illness and loss. Until joining the Biller Family Foundation, she was the Director of Patient and Family Services at the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU. She was an associate professor at the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Sciences University, and the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University, as well as teaching in the palliative care certificate program at the University of Washington.

She is a past president of the National Association of Oncology Social Work, and received their Leadership Award in 1999, and the national American Cancer Society Quality of Life Award in 2009.

She was a 2013 recipient of Sojourn’s Award from the Cambia Foundation acknowledging innovations in palliative care.

She publishes on topics related to coping with illness, end of life issues, and loss, most recently in the Oxford University’s Textbook on Social Work in Palliative Care and the Handbook of Oncology Social Work., and is the lead editor for the Oxford University Press Oncology and Palliative Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People Coping with Cancer. She works with professional caregivers on issues of promoting resilience and attending to grief, burnout, and compassion fatigue.

She is the mental health provider on Oregon’s Disaster Medical Assistance team.

Executive Assistant

Tammy Lai

Director

Howard Behar

Mr. Howard Behar’s career in business spans over 50 years, all in consumer oriented businesses covering several industries. He retired from Starbucks Coffee after 21 years where he led both the domestic business, as President of North America, and was the founding President of Starbucks International. During his tenure, he participated in the growth of the company from 28 stores to over 15,000 stores spanning five continents. He served on the Starbucks Board of Directors for 12 years before retiring.

Mr. Behar now serves on several boards, including iD Tech, Education Elements and the advisory boards of Anthos Capital and Roadtrip Nation. His non-profit commitments are to the University of Washington Foundation, UW Business School mentoring program and as a Trustee for The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. Mr. Behar is committed to the development and education of our future leaders and has been a longtime advocate of the Servant Leadership Model. He has also authored a book on leadership titled “It’s Not About the Coffee.”

Director

Yvonne Bell

Yvonne Bell was hired by The McCallum Theatre in May 2021 to serve as the Vice President of Development. Prior to that and since 1999, Bell served as Director of Institutional Advancement for The Center Theatre Group (CTG), one of the nation’s most influential nonprofit arts institutions, home to three theaters, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre. In her leadership capacity at CTG, Bell directed all fundraising, board development, and institutional positioning and planning, along with being responsible for the content, design, and implementation of a multi-year strategy for all philanthropic revenue. Prior to joining CTG, Bell held leadership positions with the California Science Center, SoCal Institute of Architecture Foundation and The Museum of Contemporary Art, all in Los Angeles. She holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from Southern Methodist University and was the Inaugural Recipient of the Theatre Angel Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle in 2019.  Among her achievements at CTG, Bell raised money to build and open the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City in 2004; to produce and present more than 300 productions at all three of CTG’s venues; to increase the Center’s annual fund by 400%; and to significantly grow the endowment through cash and planned gifts.  In addition, she helped open the California Science Center in 1998 and The Museum of Contemporary Art in 1986. Bell has long been active in a variety of community and industry activities including serving as a Trustee for the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation in Seattle, WA (2006 to present); Executive Committee and Board Member of the Ojai Playwrights Conference (2005 to present); and on the Board of Directors for Theatre Forward in New York (2015 to 2021). Previously, she served as an Executive Board Member, Development and Membership Committee for the American Association of Museums; and Executive Board Member for the Western Museums Association.

Founder, Koz + Effect, LLC

Lindsey C. Kozberg

Lindsey Kozberg founded Koz + Effect, LLC in 2024 to put her three decades of experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to work for philanthropists and nonprofits looking for strategic counsel. She was most recently with The Smidt Foundation, a private charitable foundation

supporting courageous people in building, repairing, and making communities safe. Having helped them develop their mission and vision and build a giving plan to support those, she now works with funders and nonprofits alike to create new structures and strategies or to redefine their work to reflect their evolving resources and concerns.

A seasoned nonprofit executive as well as an experienced funder, Lindsey has led strategic communications and government relations at the nonpartisan RAND Corporation and Truth Initiative, the public health foundation dedicated to ending tobacco use. Lindsey has also worked at the federal, state, and local levels of government. She was director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Education and a White House special

assistant responsible for advancing national service and civic engagement during President George W. Bush’s first term.

A graduate of Princeton University and Stanford Law School, Lindsey began her career as a land use attorney. She has helped to plan and build projects across Los Angeles in collaboration with real estate developers as well as some of the region’s most recognizable civic, cultural and education institutions.

Lindsey supports the growth of excellent and equitable schools and systems by serving on the boards of ExED, Great Public Schools Now, and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools as well as Coro Southern California.

Director

Sarah J. Lyding

Sarah Lyding is the Executive Director of The Music Man Foundation, also known as The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charitable Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation launched a music therapy grant program for Southern California-based organizations and supports many outstanding music education programs in fulfillment of the Foundation’s mission to use music to improve children’s lives.  Before joining The Music Man Foundation in 2017, Ms. Lyding was the first staff member for The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, where she worked for nearly 10 years on programs such as BankWork$^TM and the Social Impact Theatre opportunity.

Prior to her work with foundations, she led fundraising efforts at two of Southern California’s preeminent performing arts organizations, the Pasadena Playhouse and Center Theatre Group.  Ms. Lyding also served on the board of directors of Boston Court Pasadena from 2009 – 2021.

Director

Pedro J. Martí

Pedro J. Martí is a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor with Rockefeller Capital in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Martí previously served as a Managing Director and Senior Financial Advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors, as well as an Analyst in Wells Fargo’s Corporate Development Division, as Chief of Staff to the company’s Chief Operating Officer, and helped to develop and implement a professional training program for a new generation of securities and insurance licensed employees in the LA Metro Region of Wells Fargo.

Pedro earned his MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of business and his BBA from the Emory Goizueta School of Business with concentrations in Finance, Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, and Financial Services.

Director

John R. Ohanesian

Mr. John R. Ohanesian is the President and CEO of Lear Capital. Founded in 1997, Lear is the largest direct response marketing and sales enterprise in the U.S. focused on precious metals with over $2 billion in transactions. Previously, he was President and CEO of Bosley from 1990 to 2010 as well as co-Founder, President and CEO of Aderans Research Institute, a biotech company, from 2002 to 2010. Since 2013 he has been an Advisor/Chief Strategic Officer of Theradome, Inc., which is an aesthetic medical device company based in San Jose, California.

In 2004, The Concern Foundation named Mr. Ohanesian as their honoree for his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts in the Greater Los Angeles area. He served on the Board of Directors of Center Theatre Group from 2001 to 2008. From 2005 to 2008, he was a member of the Board of Directors of City of Hope’s National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. From 2007 to 2014 Mr. Ohanesian served on the Board of Trustees of The Archer School for Girls in Brentwood, California.

Director

Richard M. Powell

Mr. Richard Powell was born in Los Angeles and now resides in Santa Monica. He graduated from Woodbury University, a private Los Angeles college. While attending college, he started a business with his father, furniture veteran Larry Powell, creating the L. Powell Company. After leading this highly successful family business for 30+ years, Rick was instrumental in selling the Powell Company to a private investment group in 1999.

Rick is currently President of Ashjer, LLC, where he devotes his time to helping non-profit organizations raise money, serving on numerous boards and committees as well as a consultant to private companies.

In 1982 he co-founded Concern II for Cancer Research. Concern II pioneered fundraising among young people 18-40 in the area of cancer immunology, specializing in pediatric cancer.

Rick has been an avid community leader for his entire adult life. He served in many leadership roles for various non-profit organizations over the years. He currently serves on the Community Benefits Committee at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, the Furniture Industry Executive Committee at City of Hope, and as the immediate past Chair of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple. Rick has also been the recipient of numerous honors recognizing his deep commitment to community service.