Board of Trustees

Jared K. Mathis, is CEO of Orange County based Moulton Company – an investment company involved in commercial, industrial and residential real estate. A twenty-five-year veteran of the real estate industry, Jared worked previously for the California Building Industry Association and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Jared received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Policy from Pomona College in Claremont and pursued his Masters of Real Estate at Georgetown University.

Jared and his wife Kate are proud parents of their three children and they spend most weekends at soccer games. Jared is also President of Moulton Museum, Co-Chair of the Laguna Playhouse Board of Directors, Member of Chapman University Board of Governors, Life Member of the Saddleback Area Historical Society and Board Member of 4-M Water District. Jared also loves to spend time on the golf course and has a deep appreciation for early California plein air art.

Hiro Kinoshita was born and raised in Japan and graduated from the Architectural School of Nihon University in Tokyo. He came to California to further pursue his career in architecture and planning.

Hiro is a founding partner of KTGY, now one of the largest Orange County based architectural firms. The firm has six offices throughout the U.S. and employs over four hundred. While at KTGY, he designed residential and resort projects in California, Hawaii, and throughout Asia.

He retired in 2014 and now spends his time playing golf and traveling to destinations on his bucket list.

Hiro resides in Newport Coast with his wife, Irene, and adorable poodles, Ben(nie) and Jerry.

Justin Thavirat is an award-winning video game developer since 1994 when he answered a local job posting at school that read, “Do you like to draw and play video games?” Since then, Justin has worked art directing games, building art departments, developing new IPs, and contributing to game art, concept art, cinematic art, marketing illustrations, and box covers for many of Blizzard’s award winning games in the Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and World of Warcraft series. Justin was art director on World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, lead artist on Starcraft 2: Legacy of the Void, and an assistant art director overseeing art for several new game development teams at Blizzard Entertainment.

Justins art has been featured in numerous publications and museums including The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, The Laguna Art Museum, and the Computer History Museum. Justin was one of the recipients of the 1995 Game Developers Choice Award for Best Visual Arts, and has presented at the Game Developers Conference, THU, Vision X Live, and numerous other conferences, art schools, and colleges. Justin currently sits on the Game Developers Conference advisory board and is the recipient of an honorary doctorate of fine arts from the Laguna College of Art + Design for his contributions to the industry and his assistance in establishing a thriving game art major at the college.

When not spending time with his wife and two boys, Justins passions are plein air watercolor painting, experimental game development, and building exceptional art teams who cultivate a collaborative development culture and strive to achieve something greater than anyone thought possible.

Ms. Burton Gray is The Founding Principal of Seniors Capital LLC. The Fund provides Equity and Debt to the Seniors Housing Industry. Ms. Burton Gray has led several national platforms in her 37 year tenure in the healthcare industry providing financing and private placement activities in the health care sector, including real estate proprietary bridge lending, GSE lending and FHA loans. Her areas of expertise include the long-term care sector of the health care industry with a focus on underwriting and portfolio responsibilities. Prior to joining Hunt, she was Head of Health Care and Senior Managing Director for Hunt Mortgage Group, RED Mortgage Capital, LLC, both divisions of Orix International.

Ms. Burton Gray has extensive banking experience in both large commercial banking platforms, including Wells Fargo Bank, as well as smaller regional and community banks. Ms. Burton Gray has also worked for finance companies, including CIT Group- where she ran the National Healthcare RE Group, GE Finance, and Finova Capital.

Ms. Burton Gray also serves on the Foundation Board of Mission Hospital, a Providence Healthcare System.

Ms. Burton Gray taught courses in SAT, LSAT, MCAT, GRE, and GMAT for the Princeton Review; and participated on many other industry specific boards including Executive Board positions with ASHA (American Senior Housing Association), and Vice Chair of Urban Land Institute’s Seniors Housing Council. Her past board memberships have included HCap, LTC 100, CALA, ALFA-Argentum, and the NIC Advisory Committee.

Pamela Banks has been a vibrant presence in Laguna Beach for over 30 years, leaving her mark on the art world both locally and beyond. An early visionary, she helped found the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles and played a pivotal role in establishing its first Curators Council. Her dedication to the arts continues through her service on the Laguna Art Museum Board and her long-standing involvement with the Pasadena Art Alliance.

Pamela’s passion for art and curation extends across the country and overseas. She served on the board of the Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock and has spent over 25 years successfully curating a private art collection for a prominent commercial family. Additionally, she co-founded L’Academie d’Arte in Arezzo, Italy, where her global influence in the art world continues to flourish.

A consummate collector, Pamela has an eye for beauty in many forms—antiques, silver, china, and ceramics, the latter of which was her first collecting passion. Her personal life is as rich as her professional one; she has a daughter, Billie Sundy Banks, who resides in New York City.

Matt Brown is a seasoned game developer, technical director, and creative leader with over 25 years of experience in the AAA video game industry. Matt served as the technical director for FIFA during its transition to modern hardware and held both technical and creative director roles for The Sims for over a decade. A key innovator in user-generated content, Matt helped open Roblox’s content creation tools to players, empowering young creators to build businesses around their creativity.

Throughout his career, Matt has mentored dozens of young designers, many of whom have become respected game or creative directors in their own right. As a frequent speaker at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Matt has shared insights on emergent storytelling and currently curates the well-known Experimental Game Workshop.

Now focused on indie game development, Matt channels his passion for music composition and innovative design into creating unique prototypes that blend these two worlds. Outside of development, Matt is an avid collector of classic video games and consoles, continuing to celebrate the history of the medium he helped shape.

Nelson Coates is an award-winning Production Designer for film, television, and theater. The fourth of five children of Abilene Christian University professors Drs. Ed & Jane Coates, Nelson graduated magna cum laude from ACU with a BA in Journalism/Mass Communications with an emphasis in design, and a minor in Biology. He was involved in more than 30 collegiate and professional theatre productions while in college, and went on to perform Off-Broadway, in regional theatre, and film & television, and subsequently began his career in theatrical feature film production design.

Coates was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the eight-hour miniseries STEPHEN KING’S THE STAND for which he designed 225 sets and locations. He was named Abilene Christian University’s Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year in 1996, and was recipient of the ACU JMC Departments Gutenberg Award. In 2013, Coates was nominated by the Art Directors Guild for Outstanding Contemporary Film Design for his work on FLIGHT, and in 2019 won that category for his Production Design of CRAZY RICH ASIANS. Other Art Directors Guild nominations include The Morning Show for AppleTV+, and the feature adaptation of Lin-Manuel Mirandas Tony winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

Nelsons film design work includes such hits as THE PROPOSAL, FIFTY SHADES DARKER, FIFTY SHADES FREED, MURDER AT 1600, KISS THE GIRLS, ANTWONE FISHER, RUNAWAY JURY, BIG MIRACLE, THE GUILT TRIP, ON THE BASIS OF SEX chronicling Justice Ginsburgs work on gender discrimination, and most recently, Disneys HOCUS POCUS 2. Coates recently was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from his adopted hometown of Abilene, Texas, and the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council.

Coates is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Television Academy. He currently serves as President of the Art Directors Guild and as a member of the Executive Committee for the Designers Branch of the Academy.

Mike has extensive experience with pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, including the development, acquisition or sale of 100’s of drug registrations. Mike has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and more than 20 years running pharmaceutical companies that produced topical pharmaceuticals, including creams, ointments and gels used for a variety of medical applications.
Mike has started several healthcare companies, and held Founder, CEO, COO and Board of Director level positions at private and public healthcare companies, including global pharmaceutical companies ICN Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: “ICN”) and Legacy Pharmaceuticals International, and diagnostics companies Ventana Medical Systems (NASDAQ: ”VMSI”) and US Labs.

Mike has an extensive educational background and has attended:
• Harvard Business School; MBA with Distinction,
• Cornell University; BS Engineering with Honors,
• US Naval Nuclear Power School graduate engineering program.

Mike is a veteran and served as a US Navy Nuclear Submarine Officer. He conducted highly dangerous missions in enemy territory on direct orders of the President of the United States. He was awarded multiple citations and medals and is a Life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mike demonstrates a community commitment including a history of local philanthropy, and serving on various Boards and Councils, such as:
• University of California, Irvine, Medical Center, Executive Council.
• Orange County Community Foundation, Board of Governors.
• Concordia University, President’s Advisory Council.
• American Cancer Society Regional Board of Directors, Orange County, California.

Mike has a strong passion for art, which began with an introduction to fine art elective he took at Cornell while studying engineering. Mike has studied, collected and enjoyed art ever since taking this class. He has been fortunate to travel extensively for work and pleasure, and never misses the opportunity to see the local art scene – he has visited art museums on 6 continents!

Mike is an avid golfer and involved on several committees at Big Canyon Country Club, where he has been a member for 30 years. Mike has two wonderful, married daughters who are leaders in their fields, and three young grandsons.

Ron Holecek grew up on a farm & ranch in southwestern North Dakota and pursued his love of drawing and making things through the study of architecture at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and receiving a Bachelor of Architecture degree.

After serving in the US Army Strategic Communications Command in Germany, Ron continued his education receiving a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington (UW).

Upon graduation from UW, Ron accepted a position with Wimberly, Whisenand, Allison, Tong & Goo, Architects (now known as WATG) in Honolulu, Hawaii. With offices in the Irvine, Los Angeles, New York, London, Cairo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Hawaii. WATG is recognized as one of the leading architecture, planning, interior design and strategy consulting firms specializing in hospitality, leisure, and entertainment design around the world.

Known for his direct involvement with projects, Ron gained invaluable knowledge of cultural variations in design and business while working with clients around the globe. He came to epitomize his firms commitment to a dynamic, personal approach by its leaders. Serving as President and CEO of WATG from 1993-2009 he led the firm through successive years of growth and expanded the firms operations to be truly global. Formally retiring after 40 years with the firm Ron continues to serve in an advisory role.

Ron is a 2001 North Dakota State University Alumni Achievement Award Honoree, and currently serves as a NDSU Foundation Trustee, and a member of the NDSU School of Design, Architecture and Art Advisory Board. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Over the years he has served on numerous advisory boards and organization panels.

Kathy Reed is a highly accomplished banking professional with extensive experience in commercial real estate. As Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Farmers & Merchants Bank, she oversees lending for the bank’s Orange County Headquarters in Newport Beach, as well as branches in Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, and Tustin. Reed manages the overall growth and quality of the region’s $1.5 billion loan portfolio, ensuring that customers and prospects receive service levels that exceed expectations.

Reed also serves on the UCI Center for Real Estate Advisory Board and has held leadership roles on the Finance Committee for the Pacific Club, among other organizations.

Miriam Smith moved to Laguna Beach in 1974, and her support and involvement in the art community have been extensive. She has contacts with leading scholars and experts internationally and founded the Art Resource Group in 1987, a firm that advises clients on the value of artworks, acquisitions, and de-acquisitions. Ms. Smith is a Member of the Appraisers Association of America, with expertise in 19th and 20th Century American and European art. Five years before forming her own company, Miriam Smith was Senior Associate and Project Director for James Lodge and Associates in 1982. Ms. Smith worked directly with James Lodge, a Certified Senior Appraiser with the Appraisers Association of America and established the corporate art division of the company. Her primary project experience includes the management of corporate and private art collections and consultation on art purchases for office buildings, private residences, restaurants, hotels, municipalities, and public centers.

Miriam studied studio arts and art history at the Art Center College of Design, Otis Parsons in Los Angeles, and had a Special Study program at the Laguna College of Art and Design. Ms. Smith’s diversified background and studies include intensive collecting and in-field research of Oceanic and Pacific ethnic and contemporary art. Before forming her company, she was a professional artist, and her critical acclaim as a painter further underscores her deep understanding of the art world.

Miriam’s commitment to the arts is extensive and inspiring. She has held two former trusteeships on the Laguna Art Museum’s Board of Directors, is a member of the National Association for Corporate Art Management and has served on the Boards of both the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art and The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art (Collectors’ Council).

Miriam’s knowledge and expertise extend beyond her professional roles. She has shared her insights at major universities, private corporations, architectural firms, and business organizations, covering a wide range of subjects from basic art history and the art market to organizing tours of public art. Her roles as a curator, exhibition juror, and lecturer on art and business further demonstrate her dedication to the arts.

Greg Washer has been a serial entrepreneur since his youth, having grown up in Corona del Mar. Born in Garden Grove, his father was the founder and minister of the First United Methodist Church. His commitment to education is reflected in the honorary doctorate he received from Chapman University, which he supported through challenging times.

Greg put himself through college by selling t-shirts and caps to fraternity and sororities and went on to graduate from USC Marshall School of Business. He has created, licensed, or bought many businesses including: Prolite, New Era Cap, Quiksilver Performance, Roxy Athletix, Cabinets Plus, Clean Fun Promotional Marketing, UFC Merchandise, Kidpoets, OC Chopper, Jane Fonda Workout Tapes. He has been involved in the marketing of most of the top films of all time in his 30+ year career working with every major studio as an outside marketing company. This also led to founding the Movie Benefit Screening for the then, OC Child Abuse Prevention Center. For over 25 years this event has been the top fundraiser for the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor that started this charity. Greg received The Book of Golden Deeds from the National Exchange Club some 10 years ago for these efforts. He retired in 2017 from “day to day work” to focus on his three amazing children (ages 16, 21, 21), his elderly parents (ages 96, 90), personal travel, and personal investments primarily in real estate. He also sits on two other boards, a public company (Consumer Portfolio Services) and a top children’s charity (Variety). Gregory has expressed interest in getting the Exchange Club Movie Night up and running again.

He climbed Kilimanjaro and to Everest Base camp with his sons. He also achieved the #1 ranking in the US in men’s 45 and over doubles in 2009.