PHIL JACKSON

Phil was born in Deer Lodge, Montana and is the third son of Charles and Elisabeth Jackson. His parents were both ministers with the Assembly of God Church.

In 1967, Phil was drafted by the New York Knicks, a team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He won two NBA championships with the Knicks. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1977 and served as a player/coach with the Nets for two years before ending his playing career in 1980.

Phil became the Chicago Bulls head coach in 1989 and had a successful nine years as their head coach, winning six NBA championships. He became the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999. During his 11-year stint with the Lakers, his teams won five NBA championships. Phil was hired as President of the New York Knicks in March of 2013 and worked to rebuild the Knicks until 2017.

He is the author of six books: Take it All, a photo book of the 1969 to 1970 New York Knicks championship; Maverick with Charley Rosen; Sacred Hoops with Hugh Delehanty; More than a Game with Charley Rosen; The Last Season with Michael Arkush; and Eleven Rings with Hugh Delehanty.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a public high school teacher in Northern Virginia. She previously worked in international relations and financial services in Washington, DC and Newark, New Jersey. She holds a BA from Trinity University and a MA in International Affairs and MEd in Secondary Education from The George Washington University. As an educator, Elizabeth supports causes that build capacities for children and youth in need.

Chelsea

Chelsea is an interior designer and the principal of Chelsea Sachs Design. She graduated from Penn State University in 1997 and worked in Manhattan and Washington D.C. in television production, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. She was the Communications Director of America’s Heath Together in Washington D.C. and worked on issues such as universal health care and mental health following the 9-11 attacks on Manhattan and Washington D.C. Chelsea currently lives in the Bay Area with her husband her two children. Chelsea’s life experience has made her passionate about environmentally conscious design, health care, social justice and building sustainable communities.

Brooke

Brooke lives in Santa Barbara, CA where she works as a psychologist. She has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology CGI of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Ryokan College and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Colorado. Brooke is a certified grief therapist and has an eclectic orientation as a psychologist. She loves working with people in all ages and stages of life. Brooke is married to an entrepreneur and has three dynamic children. Brooke has a passion for emotional and spiritual health and is excited to support non-profits who focus on spiritual and psychological growth.

Charles

Charles currently resides in Pacific Palisades, CA. He has been an accomplished entrepreneur having led the start-up and scaling of businesses engaged in consumer goods, merchant banking, and sports management. He received his BA in Communications at the University of Colorado. From his upbringing in Montana and the years he spent in Colorado as a student, Charles became passionate about the outdoors and environmental causes.

Ben

Ben is the executive director of The Writing Salon, a San Francisco Bay Area creative writing school for adults. Over the past fifteen years, he has taught composition, literature, and creative writing at a wide range of colleges, schools, and retreat centers, including the University of San Francisco, The Writing Salon, and the Esalen Institute. His writing has appeared in New England Review, Southern Review, Hudson Review, Poetry Daily, and elsewhere. A graduate of the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, he has won awards and fellowships from the Tor House Foundation, Jentel Artist Residency Program, and Vermont Studio Center, among others.