Leimart Park Jazz Festival Board of Directors
Diane Robertson, Board Chair
Diane Robertson is an attorney with years of experience at major entertainment studios handling legal affairs for scripted and unscripted television programming, advising and counseling internal clients on a range of matters, and evaluating legal risks in alignment with creative and business objectives.
Diane demonstrates her genuine passion for giving back through her dedication to community and civic engagement. She embodies the concept of servant leadership, which is part of her definition of a purpose-driven life.
Currently, Diane serves on the Board of the Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit member-based organization that works to protect historic places throughout L.A. County, and is the Board Representative on its DE&I Task Force. She is an Advisory Committee Member of the African American Historic Places-Los Angeles Project, a collaboration between the Getty Conservation Institute and the Los Angeles City Planning Office of Historic Resources, which aims to identify, protect, and celebrate the city's rich Black history. Diane is among a group of homeowners leading an effort to have the Leimert Park community in South L.A. placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Diane was appointed as a Commissioner to the Los Angeles City Commission on Civil Rights for the June 2023-June 2027 term.
Known for her community advocacy, Diane is dedicated to effecting positive change. She has led numerous initiatives to address pressing issues affecting stakeholders, including organizing town halls on housing development legislation in California, candidates' forums for local elections, Covid-19 Vaccine Equity events in South L.A., and community clean-ups. In 2015, a year after moving to Leimert Park, Diane organized a block party with the sole purpose of bringing neighbors together. Over a five year period, the block party grew organically into the Leimert Park Jazz Festival.
Diane recently dusted off an old goal of completing a marathon on each continent. She is training for the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in Japan on March 10, 2024, which will mark her 3rd continent.
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Diane relocated to Los Angeles in 2006. She holds a J.D. from New York Law School and a B.A. in Business Journalism from Bernard M. Baruch College.
Venus Lindo, Board Secretary
Ever since she was a young girl, Venus Lindo had a passion for working with children. She went on to embrace that passion and love by becoming an elementary school teacher in the Compton Unified School District. During her nine years at Compton, she successfully raised the level of learning for her students by motivating, inspiring, and building relationships that helped to change the lives of many of her young charges. She took great joy in watching them thrive and grow as individuals. It was also while she was at Compton, dealing with many children who came from broken homes, low income, and living in various stages of poverty, that she had an epiphany which led her to pursue a path to become a counselor.
Venus earned her B.A. in Child Development and M.S. in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling. She has been a Middle School Counselor for 23 years in LAUSD and recently accepted a BSAP (Black Student Achievement Program) School Counseling Position, which she is very excited about.
Monique Earl, Board Treasurer
Monique Earl is a Director within the State and Local government segment at Guidehouse (formerly Grant Thorton Public Sector). Monique’s career spans twenty years across the legislative, executive, and administrative branches of local government. During her various roles with the City of Los Angeles and most recently the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Monique led diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in recruitment, hiring, supplier diversity, contracting, economic development and community engagement. Demonstrating a strong financial and leadership background, Monique served as Deputy Mayor of Budget and Financial Policy, Chief Deputy Controller and Executive Officer at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
A resident of Leimert Park, Monique earned a Master of Public Administration Degree from American University in Washington, D.C. and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge.
“The Leimert Park Jazz Festival has grown from the “Little Jazz Festival that Could” to a highly anticipated and essential community gathering convening world class musicians, art and culture. I was an early supporter of the festival and I am eager to help take it to the next level in my role as a founding Board member.”
Angeline Buenaventura
Angeline Buenaventura is a marketing and social impact leader with 20+ years of experience at the intersection of entertainment and politics, successfully strengthening and building brands with a focus on social impact and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for companies such as Walt Disney, the Grammy’s and Capri Capital Partners. Angeline joined Netflix's Creative Talent Development team in 2021, where she focuses on driving impact by creating programs that build career pathways and opportunities on Netflix shows in US and Canada for underrepresented communities.
Prior to joining Netflix, Angeline was Policy Liaise for Entertainment, Tourism, Convention and Hospitality for Mayor Garcetti’s Office of Economic Development, and was responsible for supporting and driving economic development programs and initiatives. Angeline is a champion for integrating diversity, equity and inclusion into media, marketing, and business practices and creating access for underserved and underrepresented communities.
She is actively involved in organizations that promote and advocate for increased diversity, equity and inclusion and serves as an advisory board mmember for NAMIC SoCal (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) CSU Entertainment Alliance, AAPI LA and AME-HRTP (Arts, Media and Entertainment High Road Training Partnership), and the Leimert Park Jazz Festival Board of Directors. Angeline holds a B.A. in Communications and Public Relations from California State University Fullerton.
“I'm honored to serve as a board member for the Leimert Park Jazz Festival Foundation. Arts and culture have always been pillars in this community and supporting the festival contributes to strengthening and preserving Leimert Park and surrounding communities.”
Curt Flood, Jr.
Curt Flood, Jr. is a career strategic communications professional, who has successfully driven corporate & crisis communications campaigns across entertainment, sports, emerging media, technology and cause-related practice areas for nearly four decades.
A serial connector and business relationship builder, Curt has a passion for pro bono major gift fundraising on behalf of children's health & wellness-related issues, as well as fundraising and friendraising for cost-free youth education, enrichment, and sports programs.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Curt was raised in South Los Angeles, California, and is the son of former St. Louis Cardinals center fielder, Curt Flood.
"The Leimert Park Jazz Festival exemplifies the very embodiment and spirit of the arts, community, and culture, and it is my honor and privilege to serve on its newly formed Board of Directors."
Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy
Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy is Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Professor of Music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) where he served as chair of the jazz department for six years (2002-2008). He has served as a consultant to the Grammy Foundation and the Walt Disney All-American College Band. McCurdy continues to tour the Langston Hughes Project. This multimedia presentation is based on Hughes’ poem, Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz. In 2008 he premiered the orchestral version of The Langston Hughes Project with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with rapper and television actor, Ice-T. McCurdy has also created or co-created two other interdisciplinary productions including, Letters From Zora (Hurston) and Shanghai Jazz: A Cultural Mix.
McCurdy is the co-author of The Artist Entrepreneur: Finding Success in a New Arts Economy (Rowman & Litterfield Publication 2019). He is co-author of a vocal jazz improvisation series titled Approaching the Standards, (Warner Bros. 2011). McCurdy authored, Meet the Great Jazz Legends (Alfred Publishing, 2010). He contributed chapters to two publications: Teaching Music in Performance Through Jazz: Vol. I (Gia Publication) and African Americans and Popular Culture (Edited by Todd Boyd, 2008).
Dr. McCurdy is a performing artist for the Yamaha International Corporation. (beyondcategoryproductions.com)
“I am excited to join the newly formed Board spearheaded by Diane Robertson. Los Angeles and specially Leimert Park has a rich history that has played a major role on the furtherance of jazz!”
Deborah Watson-Triggs
My career in the Financial Industry began in banking. I have over 25 years’ experience in the Financial Industry and in Management. I have had the privilege of working for some of the largest Financial Institutions in California, managing some of their largest branch offices winning several awards and recognized for Circle of Excellence, and Branch of the Year. I attended Long Beach State University and have a BA degree in Business Management and a ChFC designation from the American College of Financial Services. I own a State Farm Insurance Agency in California located in the city of Redondo Beach and our Agency is licensed in Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia. We have a team of licensed Agents assisting customers and business owners with their insurance needs, risk management, protecting against unforeseen occurrences and helping families realize their dream. My Agency includes Financial Services for Retirement Planning — both Accumulation phase and Retirement Income Planning. My Agency has several Securities Licenses 7, 6, 63, 66, 26, L & H, and NMLS, the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing Service & Registry.
My passion and purpose are to help find solutions for families and businesses to reach their financial goals. I enjoy serving the community where I work and live. I am an Alumn of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program and received a fellowship from the Southern California Leadership Network.
My husband, Lance Triggs, is the President of Global Financial Dignity and CEO of Operation Hope LA. We have two beautiful daughters. Our family has served the community of Los Angeles in many aspects from volunteering to empowering kids and family through teaching Financial Literacy.