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LEADERSHIP TEAM

JOSEPHINE SWAN
Founder, President, and Visionary

“… bringing world music home”

Having lived in many different environments, Josephine met her Guru in 1985 and began a more spiritually centered life work. This work has taken place in small cabins with no electricity or running water(three of which she built herself) in Maine, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, San Juan Island, on two farms, and during a three-year stint on commercial fishing vessels on the Bering Sea. She also invested long periods of time at an ashram in the fire of spiritual purification.

She is now settled in Carpinteria, California, a longtime visiting place for her, selling her book; The Right Car; a Hitchhikers Hymn to the Divine in Humanity, tracking her music in recording studios,  preparing to have her screen play filmed to make her first big screen movie, and focusing on her role as founder and visionary of The International Kids Palace of Music and the Performing Arts.

RAYMOND MCKENZIE
Chief Executive Officer

“… humanity through music and the performing arts”

Raymond (Ray) McKenzie is the Chief Executive Officer of The International Kids Palace of Music and Performing Arts. With more than 15 years of experience as a senior business executive and consultant leading global organizations ranging from small businesses, startups, and large enterprises. Ray has held various senior executive positions with companies such as Verisign, Neustar, State Farm Insurance, TeleSign, UltraDNS and has served in an advisory role for several start-up companies in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Ray McKenzie completed his studies in Management Information Systems from San Diego State University in 2001 and currently sits on the board of directors for several non-profit organizations such as My Friend’s House, Inc. based in Los Angeles, CA and Students With Aspiring Goals based in Merced, CA.

MICHAEL HAMMAN
Chief Financial Officer

“… the spiritual home of music education”

Michael Hamman is the Chief Financial Officer of The International Kids Palace of Music and Performing Arts. He has more than 25 years of diverse business experience in companies ranging from startups to global brands in business services, distribution, retail, banking, energy, and communications. Michael has extensive knowledge in most aspects of running and growing a business, including operations, finance, marketing, strategy, corporate development, HR, leading organizational change, and turnarounds. Michael received his BS in Finance and MBA from the University of Southern California. He has served in roles including President, COO, CFO, and Corporate Director, as well as on advisory boards for privately held companies, industry groups, and educational institutions.

SUZANNE STRONG

Suzanne Strong is an award-winning Los Angeles-based photographer, director and musician/DJ. She specializes in fashion, creative portraits, shooting musicians, feature films, experimental shorts, music videos, promos, and more.  Suzanne’s work has been featured in highly regarded publications including Rolling Stone, Forbes, Entertainment Weekly, The Work Magazine and The Boston Globe. Clients include Redbull, Target, ABC Family, Honda, Levi’s, Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as musicians Moby and Soko. Her films and videos have been screened and won awards at film festivals such as Zero, IFS Film Festival, and Women’s Independent Film Festival.

Suzanne plays piano, guitar, sings, produces music and DJs. As DJ, Suzanne has performed at The Ace Hotel, The Short Stop, Los Globos, as well as festivals such as Burning Man, Sasquatch Festival, Echo Park Rising, and more.

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