BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AMANDA PARACUELLOS, CHAIRMAN

WARD BUKOFSKY, TREASURER
Ward has over 40 years experience as a practicing CPA and business executive, including over 15 years as a senior partner in a Beverly Hills CPA firm and the large regional firm into which it merged; and eight years as COO/CEO of a boutique financial services firm in Irvine. He currently works exclusively with one family as their “financial consigliere” overseeing all aspects of their financial lives.

ROBERT C. BRAUN
Bob Braun is a senior partner with the law firm of Rutan and Tucker where he has practiced for over 40 years. He specializes in the resolution of complex business disputes and in that capacity has represented public companies whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, smaller public companies, privately held entities and individuals, and has been the lead lawyer in disputes where as much as $1.5 billion was at stake. He has participated in numerous trials, arbitrations, mediations and negotiations. In addition to representing clients he has mentored attorneys at Rutan, has taught classes to outside attorneys who were fulfilling continuing education requirements imposed by the California Bar, has taught classes to his clients’ in house attorneys and has taught a class to newly appointed judges. Los Angeles Magazine selected him as one of the outstanding attorneys in Southern California.
Mr. Braun received his BA from USC and was selected by the University as one of the five most outstanding male graduates in the class of 1967. He received his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1970 and while there received honors from the faculty for his oral advocacy.
Mr. Braun has been member of the Board of Trustees of the Laguna Art Museum for seven years where he has served as a member of the finance committee and the governance committee, and in that capacity was active in revising the entities by laws. He served for eight years on the Board of Trustees of the Laguna Beach Education Foundation and served as its President. He served on several school board committees. He is also currently on the board of Planned Parenthood San Bernadino. He was active in the annexation of South Laguna by the City of Laguna Beach and has served on the Board of the South Laguna Civic Association.

MARI BUKOFSKY
Mari began dancing at an early age. She graduated from the UCLA dance program with a B.A. in choreography. Having an interest in psychology and the therapeutic aspects of dance she obtained her masters degree in Dance/Movement Therapy and went on to practice in clinical and residential settings. Mari then obtained an MFT before establishing a private practice. She continues to mentor and supervise Dance/Movement Therapy students.
Mari and her husband Ward have raised two daughters and they are now thrilled to have become grandparents. After moving to Laguna Beach in 2008, Mari has enjoyed the practice of yoga, the care of canines and travel. She is excited to leap from her love of dance to being a part of the Laguna Dance Festival board.

MARY DAWE
A California native, Mary has lived in Laguna Beach with her husband Michael, an attorney, for forty years. A recently retired speech pathologist, she is a lover of dance, particularly contemporary and modern ballet. She is a past board member of School Power and long time member of the National Charity League. She is a welcome addition to the Board.

RENA KAMARIOTAKIS
Rena is a software engineer at Zillow and a lifelong ballet dancer in the Orange County area. She danced professionally with the Anaheim Ballet, performing the Arabian Queen in their Nutcracker tour in Nevada and Southern California and dancing soloist roles in Hans Christian Andersen, Martini, Carnival of the Animals, and Balanchine’s Serenade. Over the last decade she has been teaching ballet at schools throughout Southern California, including Jimmie Defore Dance Center, Anaheim Ballet School, Maple Conservatory, Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet, and V&T Dance. She loves passing down her knowledge and passion for ballet to her students and places emphasis on artistry. In recent years, Rena has stepped into the role of producing short dance films that feature local professional ballet dancers and she is currently active in producing a summer ballet festival called SoCal Ballet Scene.

NANCY MEYER

ROBBIE PREPAS

EDIE TONKON
PAST BOARD CHAIRS
Stuart Byer
Janet Eggers
Christine Rhoades
Karen Wilson