Our Founders & Our Board
Meet Will & Cary
Will and Cary Singleton founded the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship for two reasons: to create a viable means to combat the dire problem of financial illiteracy in our society; and to promote entrepreneurship as a way to inspire individual achievement. These goals are complementary and essential to our dream of financial freedom for all Americans.
The high percentage of US citizens with significant student debt, the lack of economic and financial literacy education available in schools, and the alarming statistics about the number of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck coupled with the need to prepare our citizens for the careers and opportunities presented by rapid technological advancements motivated them to take action.
Will and Cary believe that each of us can become the CEO of our own lives with access to education and resources, and have dedicated themselves to focusing on programs which they hope will have a positive long-term impact on the health of the nation.
Will Thorndike, Director
Gary Krisel, Director
The Walt Disney Television Animation department began in November 1984 with Gary at the helm, and he grew it into a powerhouse. During nearly 23 years with Disney, Gary developed some of its most iconic properties, including the Ducktales TV show and “DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp.” In music, his hits included “Mickey Mouse Disco” (2x Platinum) and “The Making of ‘A Goofy Movie’”. Post Disney, Gary joined Dreamworks SKG where he was the backbone of the studio’s plan to enter Saturday morning cartoons.
Jean M. Gadea, Treasurer/Secretary
A Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner, Jean has her own practice and over 32-years experience with a wide range of clients and industries. She has expertise in all aspects of taxation and accounting, from compliance to planning. Jean has served on a variety of committees and boards for different community organizations. She’s a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Our Team
We believe that through the power of storytelling, entertainment and play, we’ll be able to capture attention, get people engaged and motivate them to learn, take action and make positive changes in their lives. To do so, we’ve assembled a team of entertainment, technology, education, financial and nonprofit professionals.
Sarah Adolphson, Philanthropic Advisor
Courtney Appell, Philanthropic Advisor
Erik Bass, Technology Director
Anahit Begluyan, CPA
Larry Bracco, Sponsorships, Venture Valley
Tim Carr, Head of Marketing, Million Stories
Jon Chen, Marketing Manager, Venture Valley
Amanda Chin Yee, Director, Strategic Alliances and Partnerships
Jeff Davidoff, Strategy and Marketing Advisor
Tara Farrell, Manager Research, Rights and Clearances
Ryan Groves, Head of Entrepreneurship
Jeff Hare, Public Relations
Beth Harris, Head of Game Marketing
Danny Harris, Producer
Roger Hector, Executive Producer, Venture Valley
Geoff Howard, CFO/COO
Steven M. Hughes, Director of Business Development, Groove
Scott Lange, Business Development, Million Stories
Lynette Marroquin, Virtual Assistant
Shelley Miles, CEO
Andy Mogren, Pre-Editor
Nick Night, Producer, Venture Valley
Nikki Noborikawa, Senior Marketing Manager
Jessica Patel, Head of Content and Learning Resources
Landon Phillips, Head of Innovation, Entrepreneurship
Jan Ross, Head of Content Production and Acquisition
Monaco Schmidt, Operations and Project Lead, Slyngshot
Rachael Pope, Art Director
Lea Reed, Community Manager, Million Stories
Grace Searles, Creative Project Coordinator
Reiley Selinger, Social Media Manager
Previous Reporter for Laughing Place LLC, as well as Attractions Cast Member at Disneyland. Reiley uses her passion for video games to create entertaining content for the Venture Valley!
Molly Stone, Philanthropic Advisor
Lisa Thai, Customer Success Specialist, Groove
Phoebe Voss, Slyngshot University Relations
Advisory Council
The Singleton Advisory Council consists of young leaders that bring innovative and fresh perspectives to the Singleton Foundation with their Millennial and Gen-Z backgrounds. All members form a Leadership Committee that lays the groundwork for a grassroots movement to advance the Singleton Foundation’s purpose of boosting economic freedom and financial empowerment for all. This team of volunteers is also responsible for working with the executive team in the recruitment and the formation of sub-committees that provide feedback and guidance on the direction of Singleton’s content and programs.