Jai Luster is the founder and executive director of the not-for-profit Luster Learning Institute NFP. He is member of the adjunct faculty at National Louis University and offers a graduate level course in Calm Classroom. Mr. Luster conducts an Illinois State Board of Education Administrator Academy course in Calm Classroom at the various regional offices of education located throughout Illinois. During the last 35 years, Mr. Luster has been publicly teaching workshops and seminars that specialize in training both children and adults to control and concentrate the mind, enhance alertness, improve physical stamina, decrease stress, and find greater personal satisfaction. He has designed, conducted, and contributed to numerous teacher training programs. Mr. Luster was a senior executive director at Mesirow Financial in Chicago, where he served as an institutional money manager for over 20 years. Today the investment limited-partnership that he founded, is one of the largest hedge-funds in the world. His clients included international companies, Fortune 500 corporations, and some of the largest insurance companies in the world. He retired from his corporate career at Mesirow Financial in 2001 to begin the process of establishing the Luster Learning Institute NFP and to grow the Calm Classroom program. He attended primary and secondary school in the Chicago Public School system and graduated from the University of Colorado in 1969.

Joy Luster co-authored and edited the various instructional manuals for the Calm Classroom programs. She also directly helps teach in the schools. In addition, Joy has taught Jazzercise to both children and adults for over 23 years. She completed the Cortiva Institute’s 650 hour certification program in anatomy, physiology, and massage in 2000. Joy graduated from the University of Illinois in 1979 with a degree in business and finance.

Jori Griffith began working full time for the Luster Learning Institute in September of 2009.  Jori oversees many of the day to day operations as well as works to maintain client support. Jori also teaches in the schools as a Calm Classroom professional development trainer and classroom mentor. In 2009, Jori graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois with a double major in sociology and communication studies.  She has previously worked in the nonprofit sector with Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois in the spring of 2009.  She is thrilled to be working with her family, Joy and Jai and feels fulfilled to be a part of such a positive, service organization.

Elvrid Lawrence is a social worker and teacher trainer for the Luster Learning Institute. He actively works in schools with teachers and students. Mr. Lawrence has been featured in publications such as the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Parent, and African Business and Culture. He has also been interviewed and featured on WGN TV, ABC TV, NBC TV, CBS TV and has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He has provided services to major corporations, large social service agencies, Chicago Urban League, the city of Chicago, State of Illinois, and Cook County. He is a professor at DePaul University School for New Learning, where he teaches courses in Stress Management, Cultural Diversity and the African American Family.

Mr. Lawrence was a pioneer in training children, their teachers, and social workers in the art of becoming calm and maintaining focus. He first began this work in 1979 working with children at the Better Boys Foundation and Chicago Public Schools.  Since 1980, he has also worked with the treatment of substance abusers and those addicted to alcohol.  As a social worker and therapist, he has worked with children who have been traumatized by abuse and neglect, to overcome the debilitating effects of their experiences to live whole lives.

In 2004, Mr. Lawrence was awarded by the Easter Seals organization for his work with helping children with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. He has provided services to the Centers for New Horizons, Southwest Youth Collaborative, Chicago Urban League, One Hope United, and numerous public and private schools throughout Chicago and other cities nationally and in Ghana.

Kathryn delivers the professional development training to school staff and is a Calm Classroom mentor.  She enjoys visiting the classrooms to assist the students and teachers.  Kathryn teaches part-time in the primary grades, and personally enjoys the benefits of Calm Classroom and other mindfulness techniques that she incorporates in her classrooms.  Kathryn also provides private relaxation and stress management therapies to adults.  It is her deepest wish that she could give to the world the beautiful education she has received.

Ms. Jo Sgammato serves as the director of operations for the Luster Learning Institute�s Calm Classroom program in New York.  She is a former book publishing executive, New York Times bestselling author of biographies of country music stars, the co-author of an exercise book and continues to publish articles regarding holistic health.  Ms. Sgammato has created, taught and administered relaxation and stress management classes for thousands of public school students throughout the five boroughs of New York.

Alexa is the Calm Classroom’s general counsel and business manager. In addition, she helps organize fundraisers for the Luster Learning Institute.

Randall D. Baker is the founder and president of Randall Dexter Baker Consulting Group. While he has served in this capacity since 1994, he has also held several senior management staff positions in the Midwest. In his current role as a lead consultant, he assists non-profit and public purpose agencies in all areas of fundraising, organizational development, strategic planning, and community outreach.

Randall Dexter Baker Consulting Group has assisted numerous non-profit and public service organizations in the following ways:

Collaboratively led strategic planning efforts to ensure appropriate strategies were developed and translated into operational plans with measurable outcomes/goals.

Played a primary role in resource development for organizational operating and capital needs, especially the cultivation of major donors and government funding agencies.

Helped organizations build capacity, including social enterprises, to ensure all initiatives and organizational programs were properly integrated to achieve desired outcomes.

Developed and maintained a high performing, diverse and highly engaged team of employees to ensure that the organization has the talent needed to carry out its mission and execute its strategic plan.

Doctor Rossman is a founding Executive Board Member of the Luster Learning Institute and is the founder and president of the Civic Leadership Foundation. With a background in psychology and deep experience in organizational leadership and entrepreneurship, he has provided guidance to aspiring elected leaders and developed and founded the Civic Leadership Foundation to promote the principles and practices of ethical leadership. In addition, Dr. Rossman has chaired the boards of several not-for-profit organizations and currently serves as a Board Member of the Third Way, Truman National Security Project, America Speaks, and the Democratic Leadership Council.

Dr. Rossman is the Chairman and Founder of Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc., one of the largest hedge funds in the world, and a Vice Chairman of its parent, Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc.  In those roles, he has been a member of the investment, executive and management committees, and responsible for all aspects of organizational management, including due diligence, strategic analysis, and planning and market development. As the author of many articles on alternative strategies, Dr. Rossman has spoken at numerous conferences on non-traditional investing and asset allocation, and has been a recognized leader in the hedge fund of funds business for over 25 years.

Dr. Rossman received an A.B. in sociology from Princeton University, an M.A. in educational psychology from the University of Oregon and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from The California Institute of Integral Studies.

James Sances is a founding Executive Board Member of the Luster Learning Institute NFP.

In his professional capacities, he has been employed by Alexian Brothers Health System’s affiliate Alexian Brothers Medical Center since 1978 serving as Controller, then Senior Vice President and Treasurer before moving to Alexian Brothers Health System as Vice President of Finance. In 1998, Mr. Sances joined Lovelace Health Systems in Albuquerque, New Mexico as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and returned to his current position in 2001.

Mr. Sances is currently the CFO of Alexian Brothers and is responsible for overall financial direction for system activities including strategic financial planning, investment portfolio management, debt and capital structure management, insurance, operating and capital budgets, managed care strategies, tax management, and financial reporting.

Mr. Sances received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Masters of Business Administration from DePaul University.

Gail Sturm is a founding Executive Board Member of the Luster Learning Institute NFP.  She is also an Executive Board Memeber of Athletes Against Drugs, Lake Forest Symphony, and Swedish Covenant Hospital. In addition, Ms. Sturm is actively involved with the Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation and the  Chicago Theological Seminary Visiting Committee.

In her professional career, she specializes in professional portfolio advisory services, build-to-suit, brokerage, and consulting and
 representation for the real estate needs of corporate clients. She is a commercial and industrial real estate professional with more than $2.5 billion in sales and leases completed during her 29-year career.

Previously, Ms. Sturm was President of a National Real Estate firm. While there, she was instrumental in shaping the company’s structure and developing its philosophies.

Ms. Sturm is a member of the Rocky Mountain Institute and its “Green Development Services.” She co-authored 
“Seeing the Light,” an article illustrating the impact of new lighting opportunities on lowering energy cost to tenants. She was a featured speaker at the 2003 Annual Crew Network Convention in San Francisco,
 “Energy & Real Estate – Adding Value in a Changing Market Place.” In addition, in 2007 she served as the moderator of a panel discussion on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design regarding neighborhood development (LEED-ND).

Education and awards: BBA (Marketing/Management), St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame;Licensed real estate broker in Illinois and Colorado;Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International

In addition to being a Board Member of the Luster Learning Institute,  Sylvia Ewing is the Director of External Affairs for the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS), responsible for internal and external communication strategy. Ms. Ewing originally came to INCS from Chicago Public Radios’ Eight Forty Eight show in 2007. She served briefly as Communications Director then left to spend a season as Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Traffic arts series and the Director of their Public Square civic engagement program for the 2007-2008 season. Ms. Ewing has been nominated for three local Emmys, shares an Edward R. Murrow award with her WBEZ colleagues. During this time she served on the INCS Board of Directors. Sylvia came back to INCS in 2008 as Deputy Director and served for a time as Interim Executive Director before her current position. Ms. Ewing has worked for social change in the non-profit sphere at the Center for Neighborhood Technology, where she worked over the years as a leader of sustainable development and industry transformation in an EPA-funded program to create “greener” dry cleaners. She led the communications and public education efforts for the Community Energy Cooperative, I-Go car sharing, and at Access Living, a center for disability rights. Ms. Ewing has also worked on both sides of the microphone, helping nonprofits communicate effectively and covering issues on radio, television, in print and online. She is an award-winning journalist who has worked as a producer and reporter for Chicago Public Radio, WTTW (Chicago’s public TV station), and other outlets. Her community service includes serving as past board president of Young Chicago Authors, and she currently serves on the board of the Illinois College Access Network, the City of Chicago Committee on Urban Opportunity Advisory board and the advisory council of the Right To Succeed Foundation.

Ms. Ewing is also an adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago, teaching an undergraduate course called “The Business of Broadcasting.” Sylvia has been featured in TimeOut Chicago, the Chicago Tribune, and The Chicago Defender, and is a popular moderator and speaker known for her warm and engaging style.

In addition to serving as a Board Member of the Luster Learning Institute,  Mr. Rice is the current executive director & chief executive officer for Albany Park Community Center since December of 2008. Mr. Rice is a senior level executive with accomplishments in achieving revenue, profit, and business growth objectives within both profit and not-for-profit sectors. Known for his ability to integrate his entrepreneurial experience with a consistent long-term vision, Harold has launched several strategic plans that have led to substantial fiscal growth. Furthermore, Harold has excelled in creating both the structure and team dynamic necessary to guide companies through turbulence and economic uncertainty, while making employee and customer-centered policies a top priority. He also serves as a member of the Swedish Covenant Hospital Foundation Board of Directors.

Harold earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Engineering Technology from Kennedy-King College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota. He completed post-graduate studies in management at Cardinal Stritch University and received his Master of Science Degree.

In addition to being a Board Member of the Luster Learning Institute, Mr. Denton is currently the Director of Children and Youth Services at The Salvation Army and has worked in various capacities in the early childhood field for many years.  He has served as the president of the  Chicago Metro Association of the Education of Young Children, which serves the early childhood community by continuing to promote new pathways to quality education. He has also served on a number of other  Boards, including The National Black Child Development Institute, The Partnership of Quality Child Care, Action for Children, and Kennedy King College. In each of these positions, he has contributed to the Board’s mission of improving the lives of children and adults in the early childhood field.

Superintendent, Illinois School District #80 – Norridge, Illinois

Principal, Miner School – Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization

Co-Director, Midwest Principals Center

Professor of Curriculum & Instruction in Education, National Louis University

Principal – Samuel Gompers School (Chicago Public Schools)

Principal – Shoop Math and Science Academy (Chicago Public Schools)

Principal – Grissom Elementary (Chicago Public Schools)