Brian L. Schwalb has committed his legal career to using the law in service of others, advocating for what matters most to the people and organizations he represents. As the District of Columbia's second independently-elected attorney general, Brian is committed to fighting for D.C., advancing the public interest, and ensuring that the law works to make the District safer, healthier, and more equitable for all who live and work here.

Brian is a third-generation Washingtonian. After graduating from Duke University and Harvard Law School, and completing a two-year judicial clerkship, Brian served as a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. After completing his service with the Justice Department, Brian entered private practice representing clients – individuals, businesses, nonprofits and families — in a multitude of high stakes matters including advocating for people injured by excessive, unconstitutional police force, defrauded out of their assets, and fighting for their lives on death row.

Chief Neil H. Gang has served in law enforcement for over 34 years and has been the Chief of Police for the Pinole Police Department since 2014. He is the Chairperson of the California Police Chiefs Association Organizational Wellness and Resiliency Committee, the Co-chair of the IACP Officer Safety & Wellness Committee, the author of the Asher Model-7 Point Approach to a Culture of Wellness, the host of the 6th Pillar Podcast, is a POST-Wellness Instructor and was named Public Safety Hero of the Year by the House of Representatives in 2020. His innovative work as a law enforcement leader has been featured in several national Police magazines. He is a graduate of the prestigious Northwestern School of Police Staff Command, where he was the president of the class and the recipient of the Franklin M. Kremel Award for excellence in the field of leadership.

In the only Olympic race he ever ran, Robert Esmie became an Olympic champion. He was the lead off runner of the gold medal winning Canadian 4x100m relay team at Atlanta 1996 with Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin and 100m Olympic champion Donovan Bailey. Replacing an injured Carlton Chambers who ran in the first two rounds, Esmie showed up to the Olympic relay final with the words “Relay Blast Off” shaved into his head in an attempt to relax his team mates and shut down the partisan crowd, while wearing a t-shirt that said “Relax. You’ve been erased” in hopes that he would get the mental advantage over American lead off runner Jon Drummond – which he did when he caught him reading his t-shirt.

Despite being in a minor traffic accident enroute to the stadium and the relay final being delayed by a disqualification, Esmie ran the race of his life. He had a considerable lead in the first 60 metres with a perfect baton exchange with Gilbert, who had a great leg of his own. After anchorman Bailey crossed the finish line, Esmie fetched Chambers from the stadium so the whole team could celebrate together. He grabbed the baton which Bailey had thrown to the ground in celebration. Since the event was introduced to the Olympic programme in 1912, no one had ever beaten the United States to the finish line in an Olympic final they had actually started.

Esmie was a consistent member of the Canadian 4x100m relay program that dominated the 1990s. He won golds at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, 1995 and 1997 World Championships, and bronze at the 1993 World Championships. Individually, Esmie won the 60m bronze medal at the 1995 World Indoor Championships and made the 100m semi-final at the 1993 World Championships.

Born in Jamaica, Esmie moved to Sudbury, Ontario at age 11 attending Lasalle Secondary School. By Grade 10, he signed with Nike, as one of the youngest athletes ever. His mother Mavis wanted him to become a medical doctor, which he said he would do if his Olympic dreams didn’t come true. After spending 22 years in Vancouver, British Columbia, Esmie returned to his hometown of Sudbury with his wife and children to look after his ailing mother. Esmie remained involved in sport and high-performance track and speed training to help athletes from all disciplines reach their fitness goals. 

As a member of the men’s relay team, Esmie was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

HRATCH MISSAKIAN

Hratch Missakian is a healer who utilizes a variety of acupressure and body manipulation techniques combined with spiritual and philosophical teachings influenced by the likes of Jesus Christ, Lao Tzu, Bruce Lee, and Buddha.

Born in Lebanon, Hratch studied these philosophies from the young age of thirteen and was deeply moved by their ideas and universal truths. He graduated from Beirut’s prestigious Haigazian University with a degree in business administration and went on to self-teach and master the eastern arts of acupressure, anatomy, and correcting the flow of energy within the human body.

After opening his first clinic, the Pain Relief Center in Pasadena, he transitioned to his current practice in Glendale, California, and has now been healing patients in the United States for nearly 40 years.

His patients often suffer from asthma, back pain, migraines, arthritis, and discogenic diseases, from which Hratch analyzes and creates unique treatment plans that lead to recovery.

He preaches and practices the importance of addressing all aspects of health: from mind and body to emotions and the soul. His latest book, Messages and Quotes from the Universe, contains a compilation of his teachings and philosophies.

SANDRO FRIEDRICH

As musician and composer, Sandro’s strength lies in the originality and passion of his melodic lines, the power of his rhythmic grooves and his ability to competently and flexibly support diverse musical atmospheres. His technical knowledge enables recording jobs via internet in addition to traditional studio work and live performances.

As a studio musician Sandro has recorded for numerous international films, video games and CDs with composers such as Howard Shore, Mychael and Jeff Danna, Atli Oervarsson, Shigeru Umebayashi, Andreas Vollenweider, Tina Turner and many others.

He has performed as an orchestral soloist for presentations of film music, including an international debut performance of Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings Symphony” with the 21st Century Orchestra under the direction of Ludwig Wicki and performances of the music of Shigeru Umebayashi under the direction of Dirk Brossé at various international film festivals.

Sandro began his musical education with Baroque music. For over 40 years he has been working with instruments and music of many cultures. His skills have grown to include an astonishing spectrum of over 300 different wind instruments.