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LEADERSHIP
Chief Financial Officer
JENNIFER NELSON
Ms. Nelson has worked in the entertainment industry for 32 years! In her stay at Paramount Pictures, New York, she performed such an exemplary job as an analyst in ' Marketing Accounts, Ms. Nelson was asked to relocate to Los Angeles to set up and manage its new Marketing Accounting department. A position that regulated the timely reimbursement of advertising agencies and exhibitors for print & broadcast placement, auditing invoices and resolving discrepancies, skills that will undoubtedly be invaluable to Rock the Classroom, here at RTC we feel so honored to have her on board.
Ms. Nelson worked alongside Paramount's IT department, developing a cost effective, user friendly payment system that provides reports and enables better cash flow management.
In 1997 She became Manager of Print Advertising, executing marketing plans for several advertising agencies. In 2002 she became Director of Strategic Planning and currently develops print plans, negotiates package deals and added value, executing print campaigns, local online and local stunts for Paramount Pictures.
Successfully completed the CPA exams in 1994, Ms. Nelson also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from Woodbury University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from DeVry University.
PRESIDENT/CEO
BURNACQUETTA PICKENS
With 20 years of marketing & advertising, under her belt, leave it to Ms. B to come up with an ad campaign to make kids believe going to school is popular. Known for her creativity and ingenuity in writing ads for Radio & Television and Marketing Campaigns for Commercial & Nonprofit Organizations. Ms. B studied at Los Angeles Broadcasters, and took courses in Business, Film Production, & Writing at the American Film Institute, & UCLA.
Ms. B began her career in broadcasting as a Viewer Services Rep for KCET. From there she moved on to radio working in the traffic departments of popular Los Angeles radio stations KFAC, KKBT, KIIS-FM, & KLSX. It was here, working at these stations Ms. B discovered her knack for writing copy, first writing for Direct Business Advertisers who could not afford to hire an agency. Moving on to write for another group who could not afford, but desperately needed her services, nonprofit agencies.
Ms. B has spent the past decade working to better the lives of children, the homeless, and animals in her community through nonprofits like Educating Young Minds, The House of Infinite Ability, Christ The King Lutheran Church, All for Love Animal Rescue, & Fox's Cause For Paws!
The Rock the Classroom Board of Directors
Advisory Board
Mary B. Wiggington
Minister of the Gospel -- Entrepreneur – Inventor – Musician – Author - Lecturer - Her Forte: Rebuilding People
The Reverend Mary B Wigginton has spent 43 years in the Gospel Ministry, traveling throughout the United States and Mexico, building and changing the lives. Her voice was heard spreading the Gospel on Radio station KMAX FM 107/KPPC AM 1240 & KHPY AM 1530. After radio, Miss. Mary went into television network, NUSTAR Satellite Television. She wrote, directed and produced shows for many of the thirteen different productions companies and shows housed within the studio. She also has two television shows registered with the Writers Guild of America West.
Founder of Wigginton Business Group, LLC; a company specializing in corporate support services. Miss. Wigginton has worked for local and federal government; in public service as a city commissioner, non-profit chair. Operating Miss Mary’s Project Santa for nearly 25 years, she has brought Christmas cheer to hundreds of families providing food, decorations, tree and gifts for every member of the household. Calling it an intervention, Mary restores holiday hope to parents/guardians of those who would have otherwise not been able to provide for their children during the holiday season. Because there’s nothing worse than looking into the face of a child that was hoping to find brightly wrapped gifts under the tree, but found nothing there.
Mary loves encouraging literacy in children and adults. As a school librarian, she helped to improve the reading of thousands of children. After having her own education interrupted by losing the ability to read, write and walk on her own in a car accident in which Mary had actually died, and had to be brought back to life, it took 30 years for Mary to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and the first half of her MBA! Mary's cognitive learning faculties had been put on hold in much the same way as a stroke victim’s. Her HMO, a well-known hospital, did not assist in her physical or cognitive recovery. Mary was forced to re-teach herself to read and write, that took 5 months! It is very difficult as an adult to find yourself in this position after being able to read anything, at any level before finishing the second grade. But it gave me an insight into the lives of the uneducated. Rock the Classroom is something we can all participate in at different levels.
VP/TREASURER
VAUGHN E. AESCHLEMAN
(Not Pictured)
Vaughn Aeschlemann ran a successful Pool Service & Repair business that thrived in the San Fernando Valley for 45 years and served many celebrity clientele. Now retired, Mr. Aeschleman spends his free time helping veterans & other homeless individuals in the San Fernando Valley.
Advisory Board
Rahn Coleman
Accomplished pianist, vocal coach, and recipient of NAACP's Annual Theatre Award for "Best Music Director" twice, Rahn Coleman is the epitome of 'breath and imagination'. From conducting for musical theatre productions such as Kiss Me Kate' & 'Baby It's You' (on Broadway) to arranging tuneful harmonies for Aretha Franklin, Barry White, and The Temptations, he is gifted and capable. Mr. Coleman is a mastermind in coaching his students; helping them to not only learn, but to evolve as performers. His expertise he exhibits throughout every musical domain reflects his depth, passion and artistry which are unmatched in the area of innovative musical direction.
Rahn Coleman is presently the Founder and Producing Director of "The Mystic Knight Recording Studio, and a full-time performance coach.
Advisory Board
Diana Martin
Diana Martin is the Founder/CEO of Begin from Within, a youth and young adult intervention program. The program operates as a community and faith based, non-profit organization.
Mrs. Martin is a visionary committed to the empowerment and development of youth and young adults everywhere. Begin from Within was envisioned by Mrs. Martin to help solve the many problems that plague our youth and young adults. Her vision and answer to these issues and crisis is to simply begin from within. To face and solve the deep problems of today, one needs to start working from the inside out. This simple philosophy is what powers the organization’s commitment to making a difference in the lives of our youth and young adults. With her sheer passion and commitment to excellence, Ms. Martin plans to achieve her purpose with commitment, passion, integrity, and dedication of leaving no child behind, and to be a positive influence to all youth and young adults in society by demonstrating servant leadership.
Community Involvement: Mrs. Martin is an Ambassador for the Fontana Chamber of Commerce, and a Commissioner for the San Bernardino Probation Department’s Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission. She facilitates weekly Leadership, Personal Development, and Goal-Setting workshops for the Inland Empire Job Corps trainees.
Education: Associates of Arts in Criminal Justice, Bachelors of Science in Business, Masters of Science in Leadership
Advisory Board
Lisa Szanto
Lisa Szanto started helping others as a makeup artist, transforming the outward appearance of her clientele from imperfect to beautiful. Learning the greater importance of the soul, Mrs. Szanto became a passionate leader and advocate for those struggling in life.
From her partnership with Claris Health, where she helped counsel young women in crisis pregnancies, to leading her inner-healing ministry that supports those with mental and emotional affliction, Mrs. Szanto is a champion for those in need.
And in addition to be a dedicated wife and mother of three, Mrs. Szanto serves as a mentor and teacher at her church.
GAIL REED-WEST, CEO of the nonprofit ministry Girlfriend of a Gangbanger, is a Licensed Minister and Community Advocate. Ms. Reed-West worked as a Parent Involvement Coordinator for the NAACP, Riverside, California’s Maternal Child and Adolescent Health department as a Social Worker/Case Manager and Field Data Collector for Westat, in Maricopa, AZ She has assisted Fontana High School, in Advance Student Body Program and active in fund raising. She was a Parent Representative for Oleander Elementary and coordinator of their annual Black History Month Program. She assisted the City of Fontana in organizing and coordinating Fontana Days and parades, coached and served as team mother for boys’ basketball and is a Healthy Family certified application processor.
Board Secretary
Gail Reed-West
