Patricia Rachel Schwartz, Executive Coach, Author
Patricia Rachel Schwartz MA, PCC, is an ICF certified executive coach with 4 decades of experience in leadership and management. She works with leaders locally, nationally, and internationally who are at the forefront of change in their companies. Patricia is based in Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
Ms. Schwartz delivers coaching sessions, workshops, retreats and organizational strategic summits for those leading change and development, using a strengths-based approach informed by the latest research in positive psychology. Patricia has supported thousands of leaders in corporations, small business, higher education, health care, government, entertainment, and nonprofits. She was worked with leaders in organizations such as Alpha Resource Center, Anthem, Antioch University, BLKBX Creative Group, Coca Cola, DreamWorks Animation, Fielding Graduate University, Foodbank, Mayo Clinic, Museum of Contemporary Art, Reiter Affiliated Companies, Santa Barbara Foundation, Starr King PCW, The Salvation Army, Treebones Resort, US Navy, United Way, UC Santa Barbara, University of Chicago, Ventura College Foundation, Ventura County Community Foundation, Verizon, Wayfinder Family Services and Women’s Economic Ventures.
Two of Patricia’s in-depth research manuals have been published for nonprofits and higher ed (Give Peace a Dance: A Manual and an International Management Certificate Program Curriculum for the University of Massachusetts) and she has been a contributing author in other publications, among them her chapter called Leaders, Thrive Through Transition in the recently published Experts and Influencers: The Leadership Edition Anthology.
Patricia is a senior faculty member of the College of Executive Coaching where she teaches courses and coaches senior leaders. She is also a faculty of Cal Lutheran University’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership. She holds an MA in International Administration and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT. She is a Professional Certified Coach, Board Certified Coach, Certified Mentor Coach, and Master Trainer. In her free time, Patricia enjoys volunteer leadership in the community, hiking, cycling, enjoying our beautiful city, and dancing with her sweetie.
Patricia often says: “Sometimes we need to retreat to advance.”
Claudia Bratton, Artist
Claudia came from an artistic family with both her sisters Julie and Andrea Anderson being professional artists. Painting all her life, her love affair with color and sea in Hawaii began as a child. She studied printmaking with Tony Askew, and sumi-e painting with Norbu Yamamoto. Her series of koi fish, with her posters, serigraphs and originals have sold around the world, and her works have appeared in galleries in Los Angeles, New York, and Santa Barbara. She was featured as an emerging artist of Dresherville, in Santa Monica. She has taught art at Laguna Blanca’s Ultimate Arts Camp, Santa Barbara Museum of Art Ridley Tree Center, Cold Spring School, and Marymount of Santa Barbara. In addition to her work as a painter, one of Claudia’s poems was put to music by her ex-husband, Creed Bratton, and the song “Open Up” was a finalist in the American Songwriting Festival that came with a $500 prize.
Claudia also had careers in broadcasting, television commercial production. She was the first woman board member elected to the California Broadcasters Association, served on the National Association of Broadcasters, Southern California Broadcasters, Santa Barbara Radio Broadcasters Association. For the sixteen years, she was Executive Director of Santa Barbara’s Summer Solstice Celebration. Each Solstice she creates an ensemble with a float, and many costumes, hats and masks. She loves getting people involved in the arts.
How did Claudia Bratton become a hat maker? Claudia learned to sew as a child and created clothing, costumes and hats which was an impetus for her Miss Tickle Hat Company. She describes it as “Art for your Head” and some range from her best-selling tiny fiesta fascinators to some of her huge creations covered in numerous flowers.
She is always affirming that, “Art is my first language!”
Penny Little, Author, Artist, Musician, Project Shepher
Penny Little was signed as a singer songwriter to Warner Brothers UK. Prior to that She toured Japan as a singer, and Hawaii schools with her Bach to Rock Program. She has recorded on numerous albums and toured the US, UK, Europe, and Japan with various musical projects of her own and others.
In addition to writing and performing in the Away Team, Penny’s cartoon character, Little Savage™ has run for President since 1996, “but the other cartoons always seem to win.” Penny’s most recent book “Goodbye Yellow Butterfly” explores her grieving process after the death of her husband and musical partner Nik Green. She choreographed a performance of Nik’s music by professional modern ballet dancers and an ensemble of amateur performers. Penny has directed and produced shorts and feature documentaries including the awarding winning “Electile Dysfunction,” “911 Dust and Deceit” “Healing Journey.” Penny has also worked with Gang Prevention Through the Arts, Artists in the Schools, Summer Solstice Celebration, the Association for Global New Thought, Empowerment Project, Santa Barbara Dance Alliance, Angels Bearing Gifts, and numerous non-profits to produce events, videos and messaging for good causes. Penny was a co-producer of the Awakened World Film Festival in Santa Barbara, 2013. In 2016, she co-produced two events in Tokyo for American artist Howard Lamar, for philanthropy and art. She has facilitated creative arts workshops – music, drama, dance, and fine arts – for children and adults in Japan, the UK, and the US.
Nik Green (1954-2016), Composer, Musician
Nik Green, keyboardist and founder of the Away Team, died on March 13, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer. There is a Memorial Site which is a Tribute to his life, love and music. Nik was born in Somerset, England, and spent his childhood on the Welsh border. At age four, his mother caught him picking out the melodies of popular tunes on the radio, and promptly sent him to piano lessons. Nik says, “I was taught piano in the uptight, rigid English tradition — I hated it and completely rejected formal training” but his relationship with music was rescued by his great aunt who encouraged Nik to imrpovise as well as teaching him old Broadway tunes, ragtime and syncopation, “and all things frowned upon”. Nik quit piano at 17, and soon after was “fired up” by the sounds of the synthesizer: “I re-taught myself pretty much from scratch”. “Most of my family, appalled by my failure to become an obedient military/corporate citizen, promptly disowned me — resulting in an incredible feeling of freedom to follow my muse”.In 1980, Nik formed an all electronic trio with John Connell and Will Douglas, known as The Really Schmaltzy Cabaret Boys (!), playing electronic dance/ambient music — “[e]veryone thought we were totally crazy because we had no bass, guitar or standard drum set when everybody else around us was playing punk and metal”. [“Good timing, Nik!”] John went on to join the English National Opera, singing Wagner and Verdi, but Nik joined English folk artist Roy Harper whose band featured guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist Tony Franklin. In the late 80’s, when electronic dance music was really catching on, Nik was recruited into hard rock/heavy metal, with former Whitesnake’s guitarist,John Sykes and his band Blue Murder, featuring Tony Franklin on bass and Carmine Appice on drums. [“More Good Timing, Nik!”] Nik moved to Los Angeles. Blue Murder, “yet another casualty of arbitrary corporate politicking and industry foibles” dissolved in 1995. Nik cites his musical influences as Charles Ives, the Beatles, and Steve Reich, amongst many others.