Our Team

  • Dominique D. Daniels

    Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer

    Dominique Daniels is the youngest child of Billy and Pierrette Daniels, our Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Billy Daniels Foundation. Dominique has a Masters Degree in Historic Preservation and a BFA in Interior Architecture and Design from the Academy of Art in San Francisco.
    In memory of her late father and mother, it has become her life mission to provide leadership, opportunity, and financial support to students of all diversities seeking Arts Education. The Daniels Family and our Advisory Board believe in the positive benefits of an arts education and how this knowledge, experience, and skill will enhance their educational prospects and personal achievements.

  • Peter G. Lawson

    Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

    Peter Lawson, our Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, joined our Board in 2012.
    His past affiliations include Board membership on the Los Angeles Chapter of the Huntington Disease Society of America serving as their Vice President during 2006-2008, and President from 2006-2008 and 2009-2011. He was recently invited to serve on the Goodwin Family Memorial Trust's Advisory Board which grants organizations funding in support of disadvantaged youths in Los Angeles County. Peter Lawson is honored to work with the Billy Daniels Foundation and fellow board members facilitating opportunities to disadvantaged students seeking assistance with Arts Education.

  • Andria Daniels Lang

    Chief Operations Officer

    Andria Daniels Lang, our Chief Operations Officer and family member currently lives in Atlanta, GA. has worked in hospital administration for over 20 years. Currently she serves as Executive Director of Alliance Charitable Foundation in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Her civic engagement includes outreach activities in 1994 in South Africa with the African National Congress and the late, former President Nelson Mandela for the 1994 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Edwin Lang, Andria's son is trumpet player and a proud member of the Florida's A&M University Marching Band. Andria's mission is to provide support and encouragement to performing arts students nationwide including her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

  • Kenneth M. Daniels

    Chief Information Officer

    Ken Daniels, our Chief Information Officer, is an accomplished information technology professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in managing people, processes and technology across several industries including: mortgage banking, financial services, electronics manufacturing, distribution/logistics, life sciences, healthcare and management consulting services.

  • Adrian Matthews

    Advisory Board

    Adrien Matthews is the eldest grandchild of Billy Daniels, and an accomplished musician, composer and educator. He currently living in Ontario, California where he has been teaching music education to students in Nashville and the Ontario area for over 14 years. The BDF Foundation relies on his ability to give a first hand insight and perspective to our board members for the needs of students seeking music education and financial support.

  • Desiree L. Daniels

    Advisory Board

    Desiree Lucienne Daniels is the youngest grandchild of Billy Daniels. She is a graduate of Santa Clara University, CA. An enthusiastic marketing professional, she has extensive skills in social media management, strategy, and public relations. Desiree is working to spread the word nationwide with social media and fundraising events about the benefits of ARTS education to underserved students of which can be achieved through the support of the Billy Daniels Foundation.

  • Dr. Marjan Nourai, D.D.S.

    Advisory Board

    Marjan graduated from USC with a degree in dental surgery and owned a successful private practice in Murrieta, California. She has recently put aside dentistry to pursue her lifelong passion of philanthropy, especially in the field of children education. During the last ten years, she has supported many young female students in her native country of Iran making it possible financially for them to complete their high school education. Having been nurtured in a musical family, her goal through the BDF is to bring the arts to children who thirst for learning music. Marjan currently lives in Los Angeles and San Diego.

  • Dr. Keerthy Sunder, M.D.

    Advisory Board

    Keerthy is a physician trained in Obstetrics and Psychiatric Medicine who has a deep and abiding interest in empowering people to embrace wellness and lead a purpose driven meaningful life. He is the founder and Medical Director of the Mind & Body Treatment and Research Institute that embodies an integrated approach to wellness. Raised in an environment rich with music, dance and arts in India, his goal is to apply positive encouragement to students seeking opportunities for personal growth and enrichment through arts education while serving on our advisory board. His aim is to teach students about the benefits of music and sound meditation as part of an integrated approach to wellness and self confidence. He currently lives in the Wine Country in Temecula, CA.

  • Leslye Kassoff

    Advisory Board

    Leslye has a Master's Degree in Organizational Psychology and an extended background in education and community relations. For 20 years, she has served as Board President of her homeowners association and is active in her local community. Leslye taught and directed at a private pre-school and currently works as a Sr. Management Analyst with the Los Angeles Superior Court. Professionally, she works closely with the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles in a partnership with the Court and inner city high schools to teach students the vital importance of tolerance and provide them with the tools needed to
    speak out against bullying and bias. Personally, Leslye is an avid supporter of the arts and strongly believes in the transforming power of music and theatrical arts. Her mission is to liase between the BDF and Los Angeles area schools to distribute resources to under-funded and non-existent arts programs.

  • Helen Gelzer Schneider

    Honorary Member

    Helen Gelzer is a singer, dancer, and performer of stage and screen. She appeared with Billy Daniels in the London tour of Bubbling Brown Sugar at the Royal Theater on the West End of London in 1970's. Helen is very honored to work with the Billy Daniels Foundation and is instrumental in developing Arts Presentations designed to introduce students to theater, dance, and music. Helen and her husband Richard Schneider are now retired and passionate about numerous philanthropic causes which focus on Arts Education, they live in Boca Raton, FL. and Ashville, North Carolina.