Life Changes Show, March 16, 2015
Life Changes with Filippo with Filippo Voltaggio and Mark Laisure
Developing Teachers to Inspire and Prepare Their Students To Lead Lives of Meaning, Purpose, and Accomplishment, Thus, “Inspiring The Unlimited Potential of Teachers and Students,” with our Guest, Dr. Lisle Staley and Musical Guest Makeda Tene’.
Guest, Dr Lisle Staley
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.
Guest, Makeda Tene
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 21st 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.
Life Changes Show
Come and join the conversation about what's going on and what we can do together about it, with it, and for it. We have the choice, we have the power. We can do magic if we just believe!
A show about the changes going on in us, to us, around us, and because of us. Therefore, it's technically a show about "Everything," only with a how to make it better, see it better, be better.
In the show, there is talk about, and with, people who have either been through major changes, are helping others with major changes, or people who are changing the world for the better in a major way.
The show is a one-hour talk show format with a monologue by the host, a 30 minute interview with a guest of note, capped by a "Producer's Wrap" segment, in which Filippo and Co-Host Mark Laisure, and sometimes surprise guests, bring it all home for the listeners in a sometimes humorous and sometimes touching, but always entertaining conversation.
