Robert M. Gould, MD graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and from 1981 until 2012 worked as a Pathologist at Kaiser Hospital in San Jose. In 2012 Bob was appointed as an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the UCSF School of Medicine, to serve as Director of Health Professional Outreach and Education for the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE). 

Since 1989, he has been President of the San Francisco-Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), and in 2003 was President of National PSR, to serve again in this capacity in 2014. Since 1986, Bob has been an active in the Peace Caucus of the American Public Health Association, for which he has been Chairperson for numerous years, and in 2009 APHA awarded Bob the prestigious Sidel-Levy Peace Award.

In addition to speaking and publishing extensively on the clinician’s role in environmental and public health advocacy, Bob is an expert on the environmental and public health impacts of nuclear weapons; he is a contributing author to chapters on health impacts of nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism in “War and Public Health” (2008) and “Terrorism and Public Health” (2011) published by Oxford University Press. Since 1992 Bob has been a leading member of the Environmental Committee of the Santa Clara County chapter of the California Medical Association (CMA), and through this work has authored and submitted numerous environmental health resolutions adopted by CMA as policy.

For his work within CMA, he received the Santa Clara County Medical Association’s "Outstanding Contribution in Community Service" award in 2001, and “Outstanding Contribution to the Medical Society award in 2012. Dr. Gould was also listed as one of Santa Clara County's "Top 400 Physicians" in peer-review surveys published in San Jose Magazine in 2001 through 2007.
Areas of Expertise:

"As a human being and physician I am deeply drawn to PSR's mission to "protect human life from the greatest threats to health and survival." Being active in PSR greatly strengthens my determination to help preserve the web of life that sustains us all, and which is severely threatened by nuclear weapons and rampant militarism, toxic pollution and global warming."  --Robert Gould MD

Since joining Friendship Place in 2006, Jean-Michel has drawn on his 25 years of clinical experience in human services, training in psychiatric rehabilitation, expertise in recovery and a commitment to person-centered programming.  This tool kit had allowed him to pioneer innovative program models that have moved DC's entire homeless services system forward.  In 2009 he was named to the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness and the board of the Coalition of Housing and Homeless Organizations (2009-20130).  In 2010 he received the Meyer Foundation Exponent Award for visionary nonprofit leadership.

Jean-Michel's focus on cost-effective, permanent and rapid solutions to homelessness has been lauded by the DC government, the Department of Veterans Affairs and homeless service advocates.  He also authors a blog on Huffington Post.

Margo M. Mateas is an intuitive strategist and spiritual advisor who helps people all around the world.  She is the creator of the Career Cards, a powerful and unique oracle that is used in 14 countries that delivers practical advice for life, career and relationships.

A highly respected corporate trainer to Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and the U.S. government, Margo successfully bridges the worlds of spirituality and business by using her intuition to successfully pinpoint client issues and solve institutional problems. She’s helped many executives from companies including Verizon, Wyndham and State Farm become happier and more successful. She is an award-winning writer, newspaper journalist and accomplished public speaker who began speaking professionally at just 14 years old. Margo works directly with the Archangels to do energetic clearings and chakra work over the phone that result in immediate transformations.

After years of studying Musical Theatre, Opera, ballet, tap, jazz, violin, and classical piano, Makeda traveled to New York City where she received a BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College.   While in New York, Makeda landed leading roles in the Off-Broadway productions of Road and The Colored Museum. One of the highlights of her career was touring throughout Northern Italy with famed Opera/Jazz singer, Cheryl Porter.   As a result of her operatic studies, she is comfortable singing in many languages, including Italian, French, German, and Spanish.

A few months after arriving in Los Angeles, Makeda became a member of the world renowned Los Angeles Jubilee Singers, under the direction of Dr. Albert McNeil.   While traveling with the Jubilee Singers, the coloratura soprano performed in operas such as Porgy and Bess and Carmen Jones. Makeda has also studied piano under Wycliff Gordon, trombonist for the Winton Marsalis Jazz Quintet.

Shortly after graduating from Pepperdine University (MA Psychology) Summa Cum Laud, Ms. Tene’ was cast in the musical, If You Don’t Believe: A Love Story, which was nominated for a 2005 NAACP Award for Best Play. The soul stirring musical, which featured the classic music of Deniece Williams, starred actress/singer Tatyana Ali, and was directed and produced by Michael Ajakwe, Jr. and Deniece Williams. In June 2007, Makeda world premiered her original One-Woman Show, “Love-In Concert”, at Lucy Florence Cultural Center in Los Angeles to sold-out audiences. She also toured the production in Georgia, and was featured on the renowned television program, “The Parade of Quartets” on ABC.

Other notable performances include: 2009 Verizon Wireless “How Sweet The Sound” Gospel Competition: Marvin Sapp noted that Makeda’s voice “reminds me of a young Kathleen Battle singing in the style of Porgy and Bess”; 2008 Holy Ghost Congress in Lagos, Nigeria (the Congress was also broadcast on LIVE TV throughout Nigeria and neighboring countries). “A remarkable performance by an American artiste, not only got all enraptured in a frenzy of worship, but calling for more when the time came for her to exit the stage”—Nigeriafilms.com; Guest International Artist at historic Wesley Church in Belize City, Belize; Featured Soloist for Claremont Institute’s Winston Churchill Dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel; Vocalist for the 21^st Annual New York Alumni Night of Nostalgia honoring Neil Sedaka and Mitzi Gaynor—Joan Mangum of the Beverly Hills Courier wrote, “ Robbie Britt and Makeda Tene’ opened the show with God Bless America (the most stirring rendition I’ve ever heard)…”; and Guest Soloist at City of Angels Church in Los Angeles—“An electrifying version of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ was magnificently performed by Makeda Tene’”–Virgie Murray ,The Los Angeles Sentinel.

Dr. Lisle Staley is currently the Head at Berkeley Hall School. A lifelong educator, Dr. Staley has a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Learning and Instruction from UCLA.

While pursuing her Ph.D., she developed and tested assessments at UCLA’s Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing before becoming Director of Research and Evaluation for the Santa Barbara School Districts.

In 2000, Dr. Staley joined LessonLab, a Santa Monica-based startup education company. As VP of Teacher Learning she oversaw the creation of technology based professional development programs. Later Dr. Staley became Senior VP of Design and Development for Pearson Achievement Solutions following its acquisition of LessonLab, focusing on large-scale solutions for school districts and professional development programs around the nation.

Lisle has enjoyed working with Berkeley Hall’s faculty to create a professional development protocol that allows teachers and administrators to clarify performance standards across the grade levels and among subject matters.

Sheldan Nidle was born in New York City on Nov. 11, 1946, and grew up in Buffalo, New York. His first extraterrestrial and UFO experiences began shortly after his birth and were highlighted all through his childhood by various modes of contact phenomena, as well as accompanying manifestations - light-form communications, extraterrestrial visitations, and teaching/learning sessions on board spacecraft. During most of his life, he has enjoyed ongoing telepathic communications and direct 'core knowledge' inserts (etheric and physical implants). Sheldan has visually observed and physically experienced spacecraft throughout the years.

Around the age of fourteen, Sheldan requested that the Sirians and their Galactic Federation of Light Allies discontinue communications with him because he was experiencing overwhelming conflict between their scientific knowledge and what he was learning here on Earth. They left, but the Sirians and their Galactic Federation of Light Allies told him that they would be back when it was time to complete his mission for planet Earth and her people. In high school, he was placed in advanced science programs in subject areas such as physics, chemistry, and calculus.

Sheldan received an M.A. in Political Science from the University at Buffalo in 1968. He also received an M.A. in Southeast Asian Government from Ohio University in 1970 and an M.A. in American Politics and International Public Administration from the University of Southern California, where he also pursued a Ph.D. program (1974-76). In the 1970s, he was Vice-President for Scientific Programming at Syntar Productions, where he co-created a documentary on the life and accomplishments of Nikola Tesla. From the 1970s through the mid-1980s, he was involved in scientific research on alternative sources of electrical energy. In the mid-1980s, his extraterrestrial contacts resumed. Currently, Sheldan is a representative and lecturer for the Galactic Federation of Light and, in November 1997, founded the Planetary Activation Organization (PAO).

Friedemann Schaub, MD, PhD, is a physician specializing in cardiology and molecular biologist who has helped thousands of people with his Personal Breakthrough and Empowerment program that combines his medical expertise with NLP, Time Line Therapy™, clinical hypnotherapy, and more. His book The Fear and Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind  was published in 2012.He lives in Seattle, Washington.