THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Shawnee Isaac Smith, LCSW
Co-Founder, The Heart Touch Project
Seeing the needs of isolated AIDS patients with a compelling need to be touched by the hands and hearts of others, Shawnee Isaac Smith founded The The Heart Touch Project in 1994.
René Russo
Co-Founder, The Heart Touch Project, Actress, Model
In addition to being a successful model and actress, René Russo is well known for her philanthropic endeavors and as an advocate for many children’s causes. René is the media spokesperson for The Heart Touch Project.
Mario Milch, MD
Board Chair, The Heart Touch Project
Mario Milch joined the Heart Touch Board in 2018 after retiring from 50 years of medical practice. Dr. Milch attended UCLA as an undergraduate and received his MD degree from University of Southern California.
Debbie Mulvaney, MBA
Debbie Mulvaney has been the principal of Mulvaney Business Advisors, a business management and bookkeeping firm, since 2005. She has an MBA in Finance from New York University.
Treasurer, The Heart Touch Project
David Boa
David Bao is a private equity investor, CEO, and advisor. He has invested in and advised companies in healthcare, business services, franchising, software, and real estate, amongst other industries.
Keri Frankenstein, MA
Keri Frankenstein is a massage therapist focusing on neuro muscular therapy, sports massage and pain relief.
Vince Newman, PT
Vince graduated and began a career in PT helping others feel cared for and confident that their recovery would be successful.
Joel Polachek, MFT
Joel Polachek joined the Heart Touch board of directors in the summer of 2019. Joel is currently in private practice as a psychotherapist.
Stuart Smith
Stuart Smith Is a partner at Vision Computer Works with his sister Lisa for 30+ years.
Candice Zee, JD
Candice Zee is an attorney and partner at Vedder Price. Her practice focuses on labor issues and has extensive experience managing and overseeing union election campaigns.
THE ADVISORY BOARD:
Eric Daar, MD
Dr. Daar is Medical Director, Division of HIV Medicine, at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine
at UCLA. Dr. Daar was an early advocate of massage therapy to relieve the discomfort of his AIDS patients, and in his advisory and educational role with The Heart Touch Project he brings current knowledge on AIDS research and patient practices.
Margarita Loeza, MD
Since 2001 Dr. Loeza has been the Chief Medical Information Officer at Venice Family Clinic. She also serves as the physician for the school-based clinic at Santa Monica High School and volunteers at Homeboy Industries in their Tattoo Removal Clinic.
Georgia Noble, Ed.D
Georgia Noble is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a doctorate in counseling. She specializes in family systems and their impact on the individual. Using her experience in a range of group settings, Georgia helped to design The Heart Touch Project curriculum and training programs to prepare future volunteers to address the emotional issues that arise in their work.
Nirbhika Parsani-Moojani, MBA
Nirbhika completed her MBA at the Stern Business School at New York University. In her native India, she carved out a niche leading Kimaya Fashions Pvt. Ltd. from a start-up to a marquee operating business. She has launched retail
stores in India, the United Arab Emirates and, most recently, in the United States. Today Kimaya is India’s largest multi-designer luxury and fashion house.