Written in partnership with Eva Keller
1 – Cathryn Litvack Dhanatya
Cathryn Litvack Dhanatya is a highly skilled strategist with a proven track record of success in the non-profit sector. Her career has been marked by a diverse range of roles and responsibilities including conducting and managing research and providing funding for research and programs. Having earned a Ph.D. from UCLA in Social Sciences & Comparative Education, she demonstrates her strong intellectual curiosity and dedication to advancing research and programs in her philanthropic endeavors. Being an expert in the industry has been critical to the success of large-scale research operations, and she has been instrumental in providing capital for critical projects that have had a significant impact on the field.
Her impressive track record has garnered recognition throughout the non-profit sector. Notably, she has held a range of key leadership roles, including serving as Co-Founder of Growing Good Inc., Chief Scientific Administrative Officer for Stand Up to Cancer, Chief Program and Administrative Officer & Policy Scholar at UCLA Williams Institute, and Assistant Dean of Research at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education. Cathryn‘s many accolades highlight the significant impact of her contributions to the field.
Her professional accomplishments are rooted in her dedication to making a positive difference in the world. As a servant leader, she encourages those in leadership positions to support and build up their communities and employees to something greater than themselves. With the belief that collaboration is essential to addressing complex global problems, she advocates for interdisciplinary teams to work together in the spirit of “Team Good” to make a meaningful difference. Looking ahead, she plans to become more involved in disrupting the philanthropic space through impact giving, venture philanthropy, capacity building, interdisciplinary research and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Cathryn’s dedication to positive change, her focus on collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches, and her commitment to serving others make her a true leader in the non-profit sector.
2 – Taly Goody
Taly Goody, a trailblazer in the field of law, has solidified her position as a formidable force in the legal landscape as the founder and proprietor of Goody Law Group. Taly’s reputation as a lawyer who prioritizes a personalized, authentic, and honest approach to her craft has earned her widespread recognition. Alongside her husband, Greyson, they form a dynamic duo that offers legal services to individuals who have suffered injuries and those their employers have exploited. At the law firm, Taly and her husband work tirelessly to provide legal services to individuals who have sustained injuries and employees mistreated by their employers. They bring a fresh perspective to the legal industry, prioritizing human connection and empathy.
Taly’s professional achievements are diverse and exceptional, bearing witness to her outstanding legal knowledge and steadfast commitment to her profession. After establishing her law firm, she was invited to speak at various events and conferences, sharing her legal acumen with aspiring lawyers. Taly also dedicates her time to pro bono work and mentoring future lawyers. She goes above and beyond by hosting several mock law school classes every year, which have gained tremendous popularity – with some of her classes gaining an astonishing 500+ registrations.
With a firm resolve to advance her legal career, Taly has set her sights on ambitious goals. Beyond her current successes at Goody Law Group, she is steadfast in her commitment to building her brand and expanding her firm. Driven by her dedication to mentorship, she strives to create meaningful programs and opportunities that equip upcoming lawyers with the knowledge and skills to excel in the legal profession. At the same time, she prioritizes the crucial role of motherhood in her life, striving to maintain a work-life balance that inspires other women to pursue their goals while remaining present in their families lives. As a role model and champion for work-life balance, Taly hopes to make a significant and lasting impact on the legal profession.
3 – Sam Brenner
Sam Brenner has become an exemplary figure of hard work and steadfast commitment, earning him a prominent position in the business world. As the founder and CEO of CRB Workforce, one of the fastest growing recruitment agencies in the country, he has navigated the treacherous terrain of multiple industries, emerging as one of the most accomplished professionals in his field. In his relentless pursuit of excellence, Sam has adhered to an unfailing motto that has served him well throughout his illustrious career: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” A relentless work ethic and unyielding drive have propelled him to the top, enabling him to succeed in his endeavors.
Sam has accomplished the most remarkable feat in his career by leading CRB Workforce, a boutique recruitment agency based in LA. Starting as a small operation in his apartment in 2018, the agency has rapidly grown and now has employees throughout the United States. They provide services for short and long-term hires, executive search, and consulting, all with a guarantee for their contingency-based placements. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, the agency services impressive businesses across the U.S., Canada, and occasionally in Europe. Their recruitment team has successfully placed over 500 professionals over the past four years.
CRB Workforce offers a unique approach to recruitment, focusing on trust and collaboration with its clients. Their culture is about feedback, the power of attitude, freedom and responsibility, and the belief that pressure is a privilege. According to Sam, people should voice their opinions without hesitation, possess an entrepreneurial spirit, and empower those around them. Looking to the future, he hopes to build his company into a household name and spend more time with his wife and daughter. Under Sam’s leadership, CRB Workforce will surely become a powerhouse recruiting team, changing the lives of those they place and positively impacting the industry.
4 -Thomas Feher
Thomas Feher, founder of Feher Law, APC, has become a prominent name synonymous with justice in the Los Angeles legal community and beyond. Growing up with immigrant parents from Hungary and Romania, and as a first generation American, Tom has always been attuned to the struggles people face while trying to earn a living to create a better life for their families.
His upbringing has fueled his passion for leading his law firm in representing people who have been seriously injured due to the negligence of a corporation, governmental entity or individual with insurance. Feher Law also specializes in a variety of employment-related matters, such as wrongful termination, discrimination and retaliation. As a veteran of over 40 jury trials, he has achieved more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements for his clients with multiple seven and eight-figure judgments.
The focus Tom places on the complexities surrounding brain injuries, spinal injuries, and catastrophic injuries has earned him widespread recognition as one of the leading Plaintiff trial attorneys in California. The legal community has acknowledged his exceptional legal aptitude through multiple prestigious awards. In 2018, he was awarded the “Rising Star” award by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, the “Young Gun” award from the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association in 2017, and the “Street Fighter” award from the Consumer Attorneys of California in 2016. Furthermore, Tom’s judicial prowess was recognized by Southern California Super Lawyers, who honored him as a “Rising Star” annually from 2015 through 2021 before naming him a Southern California Super Lawyer in 2022.
Tom credits his success to hard work, empathy, and a commitment to telling the stories of the people he represents. Coupled with his strong belief in the value of life and liberty, this has enabled him to obtain life-changing settlements and verdicts for people who have been harmed.
As part of his commitment to the legal community, he is frequently invited to speak on trial practice and willingly volunteers his time to mentor, teach, and consult with Plaintiff lawyers. Ultimately, Tom’s goal is to help serve and positively change the lives of as many people as possible.
5 – Janine Hamner Holman
Janine Hamner Holman is a CEO and keynote speaker passionate about helping people thrive in the workplace. Born in New Orleans, LA and raised in Cambridge, MA, her parents instilled in her the belief that giving back was a duty that she happily accepted. Initially trained as a lawyer, Janine transitioned into non-profit organizations, where she led significant changes within organizations and learned the importance of change management, leadership, and organizational health.
After joining a Fortune 200 company in 2008, where she worked for nearly a decade, she enhanced her business knowledge and acquired valuable insights into change management, organizational culture, and leadership. However, her passion for helping organizations integrate younger generations and their need for positive work experiences into their structures remained strong. This inspired Janine to start her business, J&J Consulting Group, in 2017. As a CEO and keynote speaker, she assists organizations both by hands-on work through trainings, strategic planning, and plan implementation, as well as by delivering speeches on organizational development to foster an environment where everyone can succeed and thrive. Having worked with hundreds of CEOs and business leaders, Janine is incredibly passionate about improving the working environment for people, especially since younger generations are willing to leave their jobs if their workplace is unsatisfactory, leaving organizations constantly searching for quality talent.
Janine has achieved remarkable success on her professional journey, with notable accolades to her credit. These include delivering the concluding keynote speech at the US Navy’s inaugural Summit on Diversity, being tapped to be a member of the invitation-only Forbes Council, and being asked to be a guest on over 50 podcasts, as well as hosting her own podcast, “The Cost of Not Paying Attention, now heard in over 30 countries. Additionally, she has contributed to two books, “On the Shoulders of Mighty Women” and “Mission Matters Volume 8: World’s Leading Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Top Tips to Success.” Recently, she released her first solo book, “Mind The Gap: A Thought Leader’s Guide to 21st Century Conscious Leadership.” Looking to the future, she envisions her business as a keynote speaker growing, with her ultimate goal for the company being to spend most of her time as a keynote speaker and author. To achieve this dream, Janine is building an exceptional team to support consulting work with organizations.
6 – Louis Todaro
Louis Todaro is a visionary and bold industry leader who leads Black Iron Development, a real estate development company focused on Southern California’s multi-family rental housing market. Through Louis’s fearless entrepreneurial spirit, he has made an enduring contribution to the industry. Coming from humble beginnings, he moved from New Jersey to California with only one goal: to make it in Los Angeles.
Louis started his career as a child actor and later transitioned to the music industry, where he enjoyed success both in TV and as a DJ. Upon making his move to LA over 10 years ago, he has devoted his time to a career in real estate development, and has set the bar high with his one-of-a-kind apartment developments and redeveloping older residential real estate in Southern California that contributes significantly to the general well-being of communities. He is trend setting with his designs with apartments and he is always trying to disrupt the normal way apartments have been designed in the past.
Throughout his career, Louis has firmly held onto the belief that positive thinking is the key to success. With an unwavering dedication to personal growth and the pursuit of his dreams, Louis’s unbridled positive energy and attitude have been instrumental in his personal journey and success.
Beyond his personal goals, Louis finds great fulfillment in contributing to various charities and helping those in need. In all his endeavors, Louis exemplifies a winning formula of hard work, dedication, and a positive outlook that continues to inspire others.
7 – Tarun Raj
Tarun Sunder Raj is a visionary inventor and entrepreneur who is pioneering new methods of healing that are revolutionizing the wellness industry. His work on the bleeding edge of personalized health technology is allowing for people to reach profound states of well-being without the need for drugs or invasive procedures. Tarun and his team are spearheading a remarkably effective healing process which uses light, sound and vibration to rebalance the nervous system while addressing many of the root causes of trauma. These innovative initiatives have earned him multiple patents and the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the world.
Tarun’s mission is to make these advanced biohacking tools accessible to anyone regardless of their social and economic status. His methods have been used effectively by thousands of people ranging from Navy Seals to athletes and executives, but Tarun‘s dedication to helping underrepresented populations get access is notable. As a co-founder of Reality Center, he regularly donates treatments to veterans, first responders, and front-line workers while at the same time developing public-private partnerships with a goal of expanding free services to all.
Looking to the future, Tarun plans to leverage his research to unlock the power of vibration, providing tools for anyone to heal themselves naturally. He is leading an effort to utilize artificial intelligence in a positive way, empowering individuals to improve their well-being through technology and self-awareness. Tarun’s unwavering commitment to this cause is truly inspiring, as his dream of universal access to healing modalities that were once reserved for a privileged few becomes a reality.
8 – Nicholas Guay-Ross & Damien Wilpitz
Nicholas Guay-Ross and Damien Wilpitz, principal partners of Experimental Designs Consulting, LLC, have established themselves as pioneers in science management. With a combined background in science and business, their passion is to provide innovative scientists with the knowledge and skills necessary to establish and supervise successful labs and life science enterprises. Nicholas and Damien’s extensive experience as lab managers has given them an innate understanding of the inner workings of such environments, allowing them to create custom programs and systems that directly cater to technical individuals’ specific needs. In turn, their clients can effectively communicate their visions and become more proficient in the science business due to their work.
Throughout Nicholas and Damien’s career, they have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their craft, including raising and securing over $200 million in seed and startup funding and supporting over 100 talented scientists at leading academic institutions and commercial enterprises. Their dedication to science is further illustrated by developing an adaptable and teachable management system capable of maintaining and setting up a biomedical laboratory. Using this system, scientists can maximize productivity by using all available resources to concentrate on their primary responsibility – Science.
The duo envision creating a support ecosystem for technical founders that will enable them to convert their ideas into flourishing businesses and develop multiple ideas. According to their philosophy, ideas hold more power than money, and communicating your vision effectively is the key to controlling it. Nicholas and Damien’s contribution to the field is unmistakable, and their work will undoubtedly inspire future generations of scientists and business leaders.
9 – Karen Park
Karen Park, Co-Founder and Partner of Advise RE, has over ten years of working with ultra-high net worth families, C-Suite executives, and investment funds. Karen regularly collaborates with international counterparts in Asia, continuously engaging in multinational business activities. Her career in the international space took off after repeated success in the market providing bespoke solutions to high-profile foreign investors. Through her passion for cross-border transactions and her ability to navigate the complex issues surrounding international taxation, she has become one of the industry’s most respected practitioners.
Karen has an impressive educational background, earning a B.A. in Business Administration with 1st Division and Second Honors from the University of Derby. Furthermore, she holds a Master’s degree in Business Taxation from the University of Southern California, where she was awarded the prestigious Hemphill/Redmond Tax Fellowship for her outstanding academic performance during her graduate tax programs. Along with her academic achievements, she also serves on the board of ACE NextGen, SoCal Chapter, a non-profit organization that provides resources to young Asian American entrepreneurs. Karen’s dedication to education and philanthropy testifies to her well-rounded character and desire to impact those around her positively.
With her sights set high, Karen’s plans for the future are inspiring and impressive. She seeks to remain a leading figure in international taxation, where she can assist foreign investors and businesses in navigating U.S. tax laws. As a tax professional, her primary objective is to help her clients achieve their business goals while ensuring compliance with all applicable tax regulations. In doing so, she hopes to establish long-term relationships based on mutual respect and trust. Combined with Karen’s relentless drive to succeed and her thorough knowledge of international taxation, she has the potential to remain a key player in the field and make significant contributions to it.
10 – Stephanie Pliha
Stephanie Pliha, a powerhouse female entrepreneur, is the visionary founder of Tribe Agency, a concierge medtech consulting and digital marketing firm that burst onto the scene in 2022. With her over 25 years of unparalleled expertise in the medtech industry, Stephanie has built an impressive track record with companies like Johnson & Johnson, Fujifilm Sonosite, and Intuitive Surgical. She possesses a unique and dynamic skill set that includes sales leadership, team-building, branding, and marketing, as she has led multiple high-performance teams to success. At Intuitive, the pioneers behind the da Vinci robot, Stephanie gained invaluable experience in building key opinion leaders, launching disruptive technologies, and building marketing strategies for robotic surgeons and pulmonologists. Driven by her corporate achievements, Stephanie fearlessly founded Tribe Agency in under 30 days, showcasing her unwavering determination.
Stephanie has had a distinguished career, marked by numerous achievements and recognitions as a respected leader and consultant. Among her most notable accomplishments, Stephanie was privileged to receive the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2008. She further distinguished herself by ranking first nationally in total quota and finishing in the top 3% of the US leadership team at Intuitive in 2015. In recognition of her leadership and professional acumen, Stephanie was also deeply honored to be nominated for the renowned “Leonardo Leadership Award” in a subsequent year.
In addition to her career achievements, Stephanie’s commitment to professional development is evident, as she recently received a business consulting certification through Harvard Business School, Division of Continued Education. Alongside her professional pursuits, Stephanie is excited to launch the Leadr Podcast in April 2023, which will feature industry leaders and emerging technologies in the medtech space. Unlike most marketing agencies and consultants who lack professional experience in the industries they serve, Tribe Agency offers a unique advantage.
What sets Tribe Agency apart from other consulting firms and digital marketing agencies is the founders direct experience in the field of robotics, medtech, and branding for physicians. Drawing from her own journey of leaving the corporate world to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams, Stephanie’s approach with her clients focuses on building a strong brand and marketing strategy that scales their business and makes them stand out. Through sharing her own experiences and insights in building her business, Stephanie humbly inspires and empowers others on their path to success, urging them to chase their dreams and never give up.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.