Our Mentors
In True Fashion’s mentors are the lifeblood of the program. These dedicated professionals contribute their time, energy and most emphatically their hearts, to empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. In True Fashion’s minimum requirement for mentor participation is three class visits over the course of one semester. After just one class, however, mentors are hooked. Most of the program’s mentors attend each and every class for the duration of the semester. Witnessing the growth of the students over the course of the semester is an addictively, infectiously rewarding feeling that, once introduced to, mentors find hard to abandon. In True Fashion can proudly say that its number of consistently volunteering mentors is climbing rapidly, just in time for the program’s expansion!
If you are interested in becoming an In True Fashion mentor, please contact questions@intruefashion.org.
Lisa Nicole Bell, Filmmaker, Author, Entrepreneur
“Power comes from commitment and diligence.”
A passionate communicator, creative businesswoman and relentless solution finder, Lisa is a unique hybrid of social change agent, on air personality and behind-the-scenes powerhouse. As an award winning filmmaker, media personality, international speaker and media entrepreneur, Lisa sits at the helm of a burgeoning empire that includes business and media properties.
Today, Lisa is the CEO of Inspired Life Media Group where she and her team create media with message™. Using film, television, stage, new media, print and live events, Inspired Life Media Group employs media as a vehicle to start meaningful conversations, ignite positive action and create lasting change.
Her forthcoming anthology, The Legacy Letters, features letters written by 30 high-profile women to the teenage version of themselves.
Barbara Bishop, President/Founder of BBPR Inc., In True Fashion Public Relations Advisor & Mentor
“Love and gratitude are the true keys to success.”
Barbara Bishop is president and founder of BBPR, Inc., an award-winning public relations firm, specializing in the non-profit, medical, public education, consumer product, food and wine industries.
Barbara has been the architect and key strategist behind the many successful marketing/communications and media relations campaigns for her clients. In addition to creating general awareness for her clients, she has effectively use marketing/communications and media relations to help raise millions of dollars on behalf of her clients.
Barbara is also an Emmy-nominated television producer, receiving this nomination for a fundraising video she produced for Saint John’s Health Center, featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. In addition, she created the television show “Secret Family Recipes,” which made its Southern California debut on CityTV 36. The first show to air won a regional programming award.
Barbara also wrote and produced the award-winning show Healthy Living TV, a ½ hour, weekly field-produced series that aired on local CBS affiliate Channel 2 in the Coachella Valley, right before national program “60 Minutes.” The show was made for Eisenhower Medical Center.
In addition, Barbara and her team produced “Coffee Break,” a weekly, live, in-studio show that ran for 5 years, airing on CityTV Santa Monica. The show was made for Saint John’s Health Center.
Her latest television project is co-hosting and co-producing “Santa Monica Plus” with Boyd Flinders, M.D., airing on City TV Santa Monica.
Barbara is a member of the Radio and Television Academy and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. She was a board member for Meals on Wheels West for 8 years, and member of the Santa Monica Rotary Club for 4 years. She also served on the Board of Wise and Healthy Aging.
Barbara is an accomplished cook, and regularly runs, hikes and cycles. She also practices yoga and meditates on a daily basis.
Sarah Butler, Metalsmith/Graphic Designer
“Do what you can with what you have.”
Growing up in the heart of the Rocky Mountains marked a distinct visual signature on the elemental factor of Sarah Butler’s designs. Using light and space as defining boundaries in her pieces, she produces an organic style that is inspired by nature while maintaining the inherent influences of other acquired experiences within her lifetime.
Sarah is an exceptionally innovative and multitalented Metalsmith with distinctive experience in marketing and design. She is an innovative creator of design solutions with an appreciation for the finished product. From graphics to cocktail rings, all of her custom creations embody the essence of the purveyor , seamlessly conveying their necessity and desire.
Having gained her metalsmithing expertise under the study of Bryan Peterson, she continued to refine her skills mastering the art of fine Stone Setting with the accomplished Goldsmith Blaine Lewis.
The innate need to help those who cannot help themselves was emphasized in Sarah’s adolescence by her parents. She quickly adapted to the rewarding responsibility and continues to foster a life of philanthropy and volunteerism.
After serendipitously accepting an offer to become part of JAMAH and In True Fashion, Sarah couldn’t be more enchanted watching the facets of her hard work and experience culminate in a crown of opportunity. For this, she is profoundly grateful.
Baeth Davis, Founder of YourPurpose.com
“Find your purpose, live your right life.”
Known as the “Palm Pilot for the Soul of Your Business™,” Baeth is devoted to helping entrepreneurs and spiritual seekers of truth to discover and unleash their life purposes, so they can get paid for their passions and BE the change they wish to see in the world.
As Featured in Women’s World, Cosmopolitan, and Los Angeles Times and heard on Radio Europe, NPR, and the BBC-5 as well as seen regularly on the internet and network television, Baeth is an advisor to people in the healing professions, coaching, business, the arts and many other industries using her extensive intuitive abilities and a unique personality profiling system called scientific hand analysis.
Dienna D’Olimpio, Vice President at BBPR Inc.
“Once you accept the fact that you’re not perfect, then you develop some confidence.”
A public relations professional with nearly 10 years of experience, Dienna D’Olimpio directs a wide variety of public relations activities for BBPR clients, including media relations, special events, social media campaigns, advertising design and placement, account management, and the development of strategic partnerships. She has worked with clients in a diverse set of fields, and specializes in the areas of healthcare/medical, mental health, wine and food, travel, entertainment, education, and childrens issues.
Dienna’s particular expertise is developing a comprehensive media strategy for a client, and then implementing a diverse, multi-layered media relations campaign. Key placements in local, regional and national media outlets include: The Today Show, NPR, National Geographic Television, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, AP, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, La Opinion, Daily News, Sacramento Bee, Daily Breeze, Press Telegram, US Magazine, People Magazine, Angeleno Magazine, LA (formerly Los Angeles Times Magazine), Los Angeles Magazine, Santa Monica Daily Press, LA Watts Times, Santa Monica Mirror, The Argonaut, the Brentwood Media Group, KABC-TV, KNBC-TV, KCBS-TV, KMEX-TV, KVEA-TV, KTLA-TV, KTTV-TV, KNX-AM and KFWB-AM, among many others.
Prior to her work with BBPR, Inc., Dienna worked with The Creative Coalition in New York as a communications assistant. There, she focused on internal communications and special events, as well as outreach to Coalition members in the entertainment industry. Dienna utilized a variety of communications tactics to communicate the Coalition’s mission, including newsletters, public service announcements, and media relations.
Dienna graduated from Fordham University in New York with a Communication and Media Studies Degree. Originally from Boston, she now lives in Pasadena. She enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her family.
Brent Freeman, Founder & CEO of Roozt, In True Fashion Curriculum Advisor & Mentor
“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and get to work.”
Brent Freeman graduated from the University of Southern California in 2006. He launched Roozt, an online marketplace for socially conscious consumers, in the fall of 2010. Brent represents the new standard of social entrepreneurship, where the business model is cause-oriented from the start. Roozt was listed on Forbes 2011 “Names You Need to Know” list. Brent has also developed a pilot social entrepreneurship program of his own for NFTE.
David Kinney, Founder of The Kinney Group, In True Fashion Business Strategy Advisor & Mentor
“Be clear on goals, diligent in strategy and systematic in execution.”
David Kinney believes in Win-Win-Win situations. He enjoys working alongside business owners and building systems to optimize the execution of their business Vision – not only for the benefit of company stakeholders (including employees, vendors, contractors and investors), but also for the personal benefit of owners and key managers (when they find greater balance in their lives as a result of following a systematic approach to business execution).
David Kinney entered Fortune 500 management training with Monarch Financial Services immediately after leaving Harvard and worked on the team that created Prime Plan; the first single premium variable annuity introduced in the United States. He joined Merrill Lynch upon their acquisition of Prime Plan and was instrumental in the development of sales and broker support.
Mr. Kinney consistently gravitated towards and ultimately discovered a natural talent and inclination, if not obsession, for quantifying the critical factors that drive business success and developing systems for the strategic execution of those critical factors.
Among the achievements of the systems he has created; Monarch realized a sustained 225% increase in agent production within five weeks of implementation of his sales system; Advanced Financial Services, the pioneer in the brokerage of home refinancing, developed into the national leader in the second-mortgage industry; he strategized the startup of a niche food company that then obtained 92% distribution and garnered a 4.4% share of Southern California market sales within four months of introduction; he strategized a direct mail publication that generated average coupon redemptions of 17% in an industry where the national average was and remains 1%; and he also developed and launched the first universal (applies to all media), globally applicable (adaptable to any country or culture) content-based entertainment ratings system.
David Kinney has testified extensively as an expert witness on Capitol Hill including three times before the U.S. Senate. THE KINNEY GROUP capitalizes upon his expertise in corporate governance, management system customization and implementation, management training and leadership development as components of a systematic approach to optimizing the productivity, profitability and valuation of client companies.
Crystal Kung Minkoff, In True Fashion President & Mentor
“Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.”
Crystal Kung Minkoff started her international brand development company, CK Productions in 2007.
After spending four years running a multi-line showroom in downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District, she ventured out on her own and began bringing American clothing brands to Asia. In early 2007, she and her husband moved to Beijing for 9 months for his work. Recognizing the speed of the world’s fastest growing economy, Crystal wanted to capitalize on China’s expanding middle-class market. She successfully partnered Christine Alexander, a 30-million dollar missy line with one of the largest distribution companies in China and since has opened multiple stores throughout Mainland China. Since then, Crystal has expanded into food and domestic products.
Crystal has both a Bachelor of Science in Biology and History from University of California at Irvine. She also received her culinary degree in 2009 from the New School of Cooking in Los Angeles. Her passions are traveling, cooking, and yoga and is also the 76th-generation descendent of Confucius. Crystal lives in Beverly Hills with her husband, Rob Minkoff.
Star Ladin, Brand Strategist, Founder of Star Marketing Media, In True Fashion Operations Advisor & Mentor
“A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.”
Branding permeates every aspect of your business and Star Ladin knows that the art of branding is crucial for building your bottom line. Star’s expertise for creating powerful and authentic brands has inspired multiple 7-figure businesses and helped entrepreneurs stop struggling, stop choosing between passion and profit and achieve Success On Your Terms™.
As founder of Star-preneurs, Inc., and Art Farm Creative, Star applies her gift of common sense to demystify the art of branding for her clients, breaking it down into simple steps and making it easy for them to grow. Star’s 20 years of focused work with entrepreneurs inspired her signature one-on-one business consulting programs, the creation of the Five Stages of Star-preneurs™, and 6-Figure Brand Secrets™ – a signature process for developing your best success.
Star’s heart-centered approach of rolling up her sleeves and guiding her clients personally has garnered her recognition from around the world. A dedicated mother and wife and a passionate artist, Star is known for her great love of service and gratitude and she continually breaks the mold by generously sharing her knowledge and insight through her consulting, her philanthropic endeavors and her life.
Lilly Lee, Calligrapher
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”
Lilly Lee is a extensively trained and talented calligrapher, having trained in London at the Roehampton Institute under Ann Camp where she received an advanced diploma in calligraphy and bookbinding. Lilly then applied her expertise teaching at the London College of Printing, The American College and West Dean College. Along with type designer David Quay, Lilly helped found an event called The Letter Exchange, where lettering professionals meet in an exclusive environment to collaborate and exchange industry knowledge. Since returning to the U.S. in 1991, Lilly’s work is commissioned by a variety of media including editorial, music, fashion, publishing, corporate and communications. Lilly has a long list of distinguished clientele including Apple, American Cancer Society, BBD, Chiat Day, Estee Lauder, Mondavi, General Mills, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Warner Bros., Starbucks, and Stevie Wonder.
Since 2008, Lilly has been a volunteer for the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) held annually in Seattle, WA. The festival showcases the work of filmmakers under 22. Lilly is creating a women/minority panel for the festival.
Lilly also functions as a producer and executive mentor to aspiring artists of all kinds.
David Lewis, Founder of Law Office of David Lewis, In True Fashion Legal Advisor & Mentor
“Don’t be a pimple on the ass of progress!”
A British educated Barrister, David is a fiery addition to the mentoring team with civil and criminal litigation experience in England, including cases in the High Court and the Old Bailey and civil litigation in the Los Angeles Superior Court. After being a partner with a major Los Angeles based national real estate law firm for many years, David began his own firm. Offering big firm experience at boutique firm rates, he specializes in all aspects of real estate transactional work including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, secured loans and business entity formation.
Rosalind Ross, Writer, Equestrian Vaulter, Rosalind Ruth Ross, In True Fashion Executive Director & Mentor
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.
“Rosalind or “Rosey” Ross has enjoyed a highly successful career as an athlete in the combined sport and art of equestrian vaulting. She holds four FEI World Championship medals and five National Champion titles, making her the most decorated U.S. team vaulter to date. She holds the current World Champion title after the U.S. team’s historic gold-medal win at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
Inspired by her early successes in athletics and the arts, Rosalind is passionate about the importance of instilling a strong work ethic in young adults. Diligence, she believes, is an invaluable trait in its universal applicability.
Rosalind took her interests of writing and reading to Emerson College where she studied writing, literature and publishing. She currently works as a freelance writer and editor in Los Angeles.
