About
Frames For Change® is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, visual art & educational organization focusing on shared social issues. The intention of FFC is not to address politics, religion or flawed corporate agendas. Instead, we seek to remind those participating and viewing that we have more in common with each other than not, and that the true power in creating positive change resides with motivated and empowered individuals working together to overcome shared challenges.
CURRENT PROGRAM:
PROJECT WHITE FRAME™
Project White Frame hopes to unite us in a common passion for our shared natural world as we learn to navigate, and balance, the digital world as we apply the solutions needed to curb the climate crisis.
The project was launched in the Spring of 2009, to bring awareness to the Copenhagen Conference. Now, nearly fifteen years later, the climate issues presented in Copenhagen are much larger in scale. We no longer have the luxury of time to point fingers or add our voices to the endless echo chamber. Curbing carbon emissions and addressing the realities of climate change is going to take effort from all of us, putting our individual skills and abilities to work on a collective level.
A special thank you to all those who have supported Project White Frame from its inception. We are deeply grateful to the many friends and associates who have stood by us over the decades. Your unwavering support has been invaluable in driving our mission forward. Additionally, a thank you to Jeff Skoll and the Skoll Foundation for the startup grant that bolstered our project’s mission.
THE TEAM
Laura “L” Wineteer – Founder & CEO
Laura created and implemented the Iomega Corporation’s first set of work instructions and department operating manuals for the company’s Shipping, Receiving and RMA Departments within the ISO 9000 and ISO 9001 certification processes (Freeport Center, UT). She later joined the Multek Corporation then RTC Media, a marketing company with two print and online publications (RTC Magazine & COTS Journal), which inspired her to go to art school in Los Angeles where she now lives. Laura is a producer and production manager in commercial print and television production.
Joel Settles – Chief Financial Officer
Joel has worked with numerous community based and public service organizations administering non-profit public programs. In 2020 he successfully raised foundation and government funding for three Los Angeles based organizations in the service areas of Domestic Violence Counseling, Foster Care Services, and Fine Art. His previous position at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, he secured nearly one million dollars in funding from both private foundations and government funders over the course of three years while developing a strategic economic revitalization and creative placemaking plan for the organization. In addition, he has designed and implemented numerous cultural programs and public events while managing multiple budgets, submitting all necessary reports, and writing all necessary public relations and marketing copy. Joel holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Texas San Antonio.
Abigayle Althouse Syrios – Secretary
Abbi is an Indiana-born, California girl at heart living in the Texan suburbs with her two children. By day, she is a Special Education Instruction Assistant at an elementary school, by evening she is a tennis/baseball/volleyball/soccer mom. She has previous years of experience in TV commercial production where she was responsible for coordinating communication for multiple departments, production accounts receivable and payable as well as maintaining production reports. Abbi graduated from Indiana University where she majored in Telecommunications with an Apparel Merchandising minor.
Dr. John T. Reager – Board Member
JT is an Earth Scientist specializing in the topic of freshwater. His research focuses on measuring changes in Earth's water cycle with a particular focus on hydrologic extremes, changing water resources, and implications for society. JT is most interested in working on improving our understanding of hydrological processes, uncertainties and observational gaps across the interfaces of ocean/land water cycling, carbon/water interactions, and water/solid earth interactions. He also studies human impacts on the Earth System and natural resource sustainability. JT studied aerospace engineering as an undergraduate, and physical oceanography as a masters student. Upon realizing a predisposition to kinetosis (sea sickness), he switched fields to remote sensing hydrology and Earth System Science for his PhD. JT joined JPL in 2014, and is a member of the NASA GRACE/GRACE-FO science team, the NASA Sea Level Change science team, and the NASA Applied Science Water Resources science team.
Mark Pellington – Board Member
Mark was born in Baltimore, Maryland and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1984 with a degree in Rhetoric. He worked at MTV from 1984 to 1990, winning awards as a producer and creating the landmark TV documentary series Buzz (1990). Mark became a freelance director in 1990, directing music videos for U2, Crystal Waters, De la Soul and Pearl Jam. His video for Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" won four MTV awards in 1993, including Best Director and Video of the Year. He then began directing feature films and directed the landmark mini-series The United States of Poetry for PBS in 1995, which won the International Public Television Award. Mark created the look of pilots for hit network TV shows including Blindspot, Red Widow and Cold Case, as well as numerous commercials and personal documentaries, art projects and personal short films.
Regina Taufen – Board Member
Regina was born in Wilmington, Delaware and attended the University of Virginia. She is an experienced actor, producer, writer and director of independent content, winning acting and writing awards at The New York Television Festival and the 100 Words Film Festival.
Regina has lent her voice to 100’s of feature films and television programs including “Stranger Things,” “Ford vs. Ferrari,” “Birds of Prey,” “Finding Dory,” “Cars,” “The Lego Movie,” “Night at the Museum I/II/III,” “Veep,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Grinch,” “Ready Player One,” and “The Blacklist.” She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two young daughters.
Neil Giugno – Advisor
Neil’s been working with early stage companies in capacities from COO to Board Advisor and Investor, helping them build their products, grow and raise capital. With a background in Marketing and Operations, Neil spent 10 years working in Latin American and Asia for Colgate-Palmolive, leading innovation new product development while also turning around a $300MM business in Mexico. He has an MBA from Kellogg and a BS in Finance from Boston College.
Kristina Gsell – Advisor
Kristina is an educator and environmentalist located in Los Angeles. She holds a degree in Earth and Environmental Engineering from Columbia University and has years of experience in both sustainable agriculture, from composting to crop-modeling, and in education, focusing on individualized, one-on-one instruction in the math and sciences. She is passionate about uniting efforts around climate change prevention, environmental justice, and social justice.
LEGAL
Knobbe Martens, Orange County CA
Adler & Colvin, San Francisco CA
Project White Frame is dedicated to Derek B. - there is a solid tribe here still missing you, loving you, and wondering what you figured out.
Frames for Change® is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible. Tax ID: 27-1122745