About
About Us
About
About Us
Adam Wolf
Trustee
Adam Wolf is a Shareholder with the law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane Conway & Wise, LLP. A civil litigator, Adam has argued cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and appellate courts throughout the country. He is a graduate of Amherst College and the University of Michigan Law School. Adam and his wife,
Sumana, have three children at St. James, Naveed ’27, Nikhil ’29, and Indi ‘33. In his spare time, Adam enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and cheering on the Michigan Wolverines.
Chris Cowan
Trustee
Chris Cowan is a Managing Director for Commonwealth Asset Management, an alternative investment manager where he focuses on real estate and infrastructure opportunities. Previously, he held roles at various financial services institutions primarily in real estate and private
equity. He earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from Stanford University and his MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Monica, and two young children both of whom attend St. James’. In his spare time he enjoys cooking with the family and all things blues guitar.
John Roman
Vice President
John Roman is the President of West Side Advisory, a boutique merger and acquisition consulting firm which also makes private equity investments in leading midsize companies. Previously, he held investment banking positions at Macquarie Group, Stifel Financial, and Phillip Roman Company.
A graduate of Harvard-Westlake, John earned his undergraduate degree in Economics and Sociology with distinction from Tufts University and his MBA from Northwestern University. He has three children, a daughter who is currently enrolled at St. James’, a son who graduated in 2024 and a son who is a future Husky. John also serves as an Admission Ambassador for St. James’.
Elizabeth Fain-LaBombard ’92
Trustee
Elizabeth Fain-LaBombard ’92 is an alumna of St James’ and of Marlborough School. She is an executive at Walt Disney Imagineering and co-leads the Master Planning Studio, overseeing the land and urban planning of new business initiatives and
expansion projects in the Disney Parks & Resorts global portfolio. She previously lived in New York City and worked on significant development projects in both the public and private sectors. She was awarded the 2013-2014 Prince Charitable Trusts Rome Prize in Landscape Architecture at the American Academy in Rome and lived in Italy for a year with her family while completing the fellowship. She serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Virginia School of Architecture and on the Society of Fellows Council for the American Academy in Rome. Elizabeth received a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University. Her two sons are alumni of St James’ and currently attend Harvard-Westlake and her daughter currently attends St James’.
Esther Chang
Trustee
Esther Chang is a partner at WME in the Talent Department. She represents a diverse roster of leading talent and filmmakers such as Steven Yeun, Karyn Kusama, Keri Russell, Andra Day, Bob Odenkirk, Deborah Chow, Elisabeth Moss, Gemma Chan, Michael B. Jordan, and Olivia Rodrigo. Chang began
her career at the William Morris Agency. She is a graduate of Columbia University, where she majored in English literature and minored in Asian American studies. Chang is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is also on the board of both Women In Film and the American Cinematheque. Chang resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two young children.
Kate Cress
Trustee
Rev. Kate serves as Rector of St. James’ in the City Episcopal Church. Previously Rev. Kate served as Rector of Church of Our Savior in Somerset, Massachusetts following her ordination in 2009. Prior to her calling to the priesthood, Rev. Kate worked as a social scientist and teacher earning her Doctorate in
Educational Leadership from Harvard University as well as her M.A. Ed from Brown University and M. Div from Boston University. In addition to her academic achievements, Mother Kate has spent a considerable amount of time abroad. She lived in Botswana for two years, three years in South Africa and Uganda, and two years in Korea.
Phillip Gharabegian
Trustee
Phillip Gharabegian currently serves as the head business and legal affairs executive for Diamond Sports (formerly Fox Sports regional networks). A corporate and sports entertainment business affairs attorney for the last two decades, Phillip has represented regional and national sports networks
and negotiated in excess of 100 transactions with professional sports leagues and teams, including the NBA, MLB, NHL and FIFA. He was the co-founder of a Los Angeles based animal advocacy non-profit group, and has served on various boards, including the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School and CSUN. Phillip and his wife, Anne, have a daughter at St. James, Emma Luna ’29. In his spare time, Phillip enjoys traveling with the family, taking Emma to golf lessons, hiking and his childhood love for graphic novels.
Erica Hanson
Treasurer
Erica is the Controller and Tax Director of DoubleLine Capital LP. Prior to joining DoubleLine, she was a Partner in PwC’s Asset Management practice where she spent 11 years providing tax services to numerous asset management clients in the Southern California market. Erica started her public
accounting career at Deloitte & Touche. She has been a speaker at industry events such as the PwC Asset Management series and the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries. Erica holds a BS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She is a licensed CPA in the state of California. Erica grew up in Illinois and lived in New York before moving to Los Angeles. She lives with her husband and three daughters, all of whom attend St. James’.
Victor Joseph '98
Trustee
Victor Joseph is the president and chief operating officer of Mercury General Corporation. Victor leads Mercury’s operations, including product management, underwriting, sales, technology, and claims.
Victor earned an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management
and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University. Victor and his wife Nan have two children, both of whom are enrolled at St. James’. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and watching movies that have mixed reviews from critics.
Sandra Lee
Trustee
Sandra Lee is a recognized leader in the marketing industry where many Fortune 500 companies have benefited from her counsel, providing strategic solutions to expand markets and drive growth.
Sandra is the President and CEO of ES Advertising, a Los Angeles based full-service advertising agency
specializing in multicultural markets. ES Advertising has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Marketing Agencies in the nation by Agency Spotter in 2020.
In 2022, Women We Admire named Sandra Lee as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Los Angeles. She was recognized as one of the countless women who is making a significant impact on gender equity.
In addition to her professional role, she is appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles to serve on the Board of Los Angeles City Tourism Department (Term: 2022 to 2027). She also serves as A board member to National Association of Women Business Owners California, Koreatown Youth & Community Center, & Asian American Advertising Federation.
Jennifer Lin
Trustee
Jennifer is the Managing Partner at Gonring Lin Spahn. She specializes in public affairs, with extensive experience in federal, state, and local government relations, community outreach and fundraising. She provides counsel to Fortune 100 corporations, private companies, prominent individuals,
philanthropic foundations, and non-profit organizations seeking to build coalitions and achieve their policy goals. Jennifer also leads political fundraising for the firm, amassing tens of millions of dollars for Democratic candidates each cycle.
Jennifer previously worked at DreamWorks SKG where she directed the company’s government, political and community affairs. She was also responsible for special fundraising events and political giving on behalf of the studio and its principals.
Jennifer, appointed by President Biden, serves on the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. She also serves as the Chair of the Exposition Park and California Science Center Board, and on the board of Emily’s List.
Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and English. Her husband, Allan Edmiston, is a partner at the law firm Loeb & Loeb LLP. They reside in Los Angeles with their children.
Kevin MacLellan
Trustee
Kevin MacLellan is a senior media, digital, and production executive with over twenty-five years’ experience launching and managing entertainment businesses around the world. Most recently he served as Chairman, Global Distribution and International at NBCUniversal,
where he was responsible for over $7 Billion a year in revenue and managed over 2,500 employees across 36 offices in the US and worldwide. MacLellan also had direct oversight of NBCU International Studios, which produced over 1,000 hours a year of high-quality programming, including Downton Abbey, Hanna, Last Kingdom, and Click Bate. Additionally, he managed the Business Development and M&A functions for NBCUniversal and their parent company, Comcast, outside of the United States. Prior to joining NBCUniversal in 2010, Mr. MacLellan held senior roles at several premier media companies, including Comcast, Sony Pictures, and HBO. Mr. MacLellan is a founder and Trustee of the Soho Recovery Center, one of the largest rehabilitation facilities for drug and alcohol recovery in Europe. He also proudly serves on the Boards of several charities including Tribute to Humanity, and Covenant House California. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his husband of 29 years and their two wonderful sons, who bring them joy every day.
Sarah O'Brien
Trustee
Sarah Lee O’Brien, MD is a double board-certified physician specializing in the reduction of suffering from chronic pain, trauma, addiction, and mental health disease. Her clinical practice focuses on empowering patients through the integration of ancient traditions of healing, modern
medicine, and evidence-based neuroscience. With her background and training in cognitive neuroscience, acupuncture, Reiki, sound healing, breathwork and meditation, her clinical goal is to widen access to treatment approaches which address the root causes of chronic illnesses rather than simply addressing outward symptoms, specifically in underserved populations. She serves on the Pathways to Partnership Physician Leadership Development Program for new associate physicians at Kaiser Permanente as well as volunteering on St. James’ Medical Advisory Board, on the Committee on Trustees, and the Executive Committee. Sarah and her husband Jack are parishioners at St. James’ and parents of Ramsay ’29 and Beau ’30. In her free time, she loves playing tennis, boxing, spending as much time with her family outdoors as she can, traveling, and exploring the unknown.
Diane Rich
Head of School
Boston College
B.A. in English
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Ed.M.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Diane made her way east to Boston College for
undergraduate studies, then to Harvard, where she earned her Masters in Education. Diane launched her teaching career on Cape Cod, and after five years in classrooms in the Bay Area, she settled in New Hampshire, where in addition to teaching she held leadership positions including dean and department chair. Prior to becoming Head of School at St. James’, Diane worked at Rocky Hill Country Day School (nursery-grade 12) in Rhode Island, serving as Dean of Faculty, Dean of Studies, Assistant Head of School, and Head of School for 6 years. Throughout her 30-year career, Diane’s love of teaching and empowering students of all ages has only grown stronger, and she thrives on the mixture of joys and challenges that she faces each day as a Head.
Diane and her husband, Tim, have four children in their 20’s. Outside of school, Diane is involved in her Episcopal church, where over the years she has served as a Vestry member, a church school teacher, and even the Cookie Room Director for the Christmas Fair. Her participation in the life of a church, and even that as a cookie lady, reflects her love not just for making cookies, but for making community.
Laura petersen
Preschool Director
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
B.A. in Administration
Pasadena City College
Child Development
Certificates/Recognition
Responsive Classroom, Child Care Center Application, Outdoor Classroom
Laura is an experienced educational leader with more than 20 years of experience in education. Throughout her career, Laura has worked with children and families across a variety of educational settings, with a particular passion for creating nurturing, engaging, and supportive environments where children can thrive. Prior to joining St. James’, Laura served as the Director of a private school in Pasadena serving children from infancy through sixth grade. She also spent 12 years at Saint Mark’s Episcopal School in Altadena, where she developed a deep understanding of the importance of strong relationships between educators, children, and families.
Laura holds a degree in Business Administration, but has always had a passion for early childhood education. Laura believes children learn best when they feel safe, valued, encouraged, and genuinely known. Her approach to leadership centers on creating a warm and welcoming school community while supporting teachers in providing meaningful experiences for every child. Outside of her professional life, Laura is a proud mother of two children. She has also opened her home as a foster parent to multiple children, an experience that has strengthened her understanding of the individual needs, experiences, and strengths every child brings with them. Laura is honored to serve as Preschool Director and looks forward to partnering with families to create a joyful, supportive, and enriching foundation for each child’s educational journey.