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CCF Board of Directors
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Scott Neeson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. At age 5, he emigrated with his family to Australia.
Neeson grew up in Adelaide, South Australia and started what was to be a long, successful career in the film business when he joined a company that operated local and rural drive-in theaters. He moved to Sydney in 1983 to further his film career by joining the Greater Union Organization cinema chain. Soon thereafter he was chosen to head Hoyts Theaters film programming and purchasing, and then became General Manager of a joint venture in film releasing between 20th Century Fox, Columbia/TriStar and Hoyt's local film productions.
By 1993, he had relocated to Los Angeles to join 20th Century Fox as head of international marketing. In 2000, Neeson became President of 20th Century Fox International, overseeing the release and marketing of several of the top films of all time – including 'Braveheart,' 'Titanic,' 'Star Wars' and 'X-men' – and managing gross revenues in excess of $1.5 billion dollars. In 2003, Neeson left Fox to head Sony Pictures International marketing operations.
In the five weeks between new positions, he took a mini-sabbatical through Asia, but a two-day stop-over in Phnom Penh became a four week mission that started him on the path to establishing the Cambodian Children's Fund.
Several early attempts at assisting the most impoverished children failed. Parents often removed their children from the schools where Neeson had placed them, preferring that they be earning money instead. The gifts of clothing, shoes and books that he left them were usually sold within days.
Neeson left Cambodia in September of 2003 to start his new role at Sony Pictures, but the impact of his experiences in Cambodia stayed with him, and it became increasingly apparent that incorporating a senior film industry position with his philanthropic mission was not an option. In the following year, as he laid the first tenuous plans for a permanent facility in Cambodia, he made the commute from Los Angeles to Phnom Penh eleven times.
While still maintaining personal ties with respected media industry leaders like Rupert Murdoch and Sumner M. Redstone, in 2004 Neeson resigned from his 26-year film career and began the process of the long-term move to Cambodia, selling his home, car, boat and other assets. All initial costs for the establishment and operation of the CCF1 facility were covered by Neeson, who now acts as the organization's full-time Executive Director.
In 2007, Neeson was awarded the inaugural Harvard School of Public Health "Q Prize" in recognition of his extraordinary leadership in advocacy for children. In the same year, the CCF received the Rex Foundation Bill Graham award for creating a safe haven for Cambodian children to thrive, learn and grow.
Today, Neeson divides his time between the CCF administrative offices and field work in Steung Meanchey and the rural provinces of Cambodia. He knows all 315 children in his care, their names, histories, personalities and aspirations. Having successfully established CCF1 – CCF4, as well as the CCF Community Center and Daycare Program, Neeson's future goals include plans for an agricultural training college in the Cambodian countryside.
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John Whaley was born and raised in Michigan, spent time in Minnesota and now resides in Southern California. He has spent most of his professional life as a consultant helping not-for-profit organizations with planning, organizational issues and fundraising.
Before entering consulting, John served as Vice President and Chief Development Officer for the University of Minnesota Foundation. There he developed the concept for the Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University and headed the drive to secure the capital funding for a new building.
John began his consulting career in 1983,.and he has led consulting engagements for many prestigious organizations and important projects, including the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island campaign. Additionally, he has worked with clients such as the San Francisco Opera, American University in Cairo (Cairo, Egypt), the Grand Canyon National Park Foundation and University of Massachusetts. He has served on the governing boards of several not-for-profit organizations, most recently he served as chairman of the Board of the California Philharmonic in Pasadena, California.
John joined the board of the Cambodian Children's Fund after being deeply moved upon seeing the poverty of the region. He started giving and raising funds from friends for work in the villages near Siem Reap in Central Cambodia. Then he met Scott Neeson, took a trip with him to the dump, and knew he had a new purpose in life& helping Scott reach as many of the desperately poor children as possible.
As Chairman of the CCF Board, John has cut back on his consulting to spend time on CCF matters. He travels regularly to Cambodia, spending six to seven weeks a year actively working with staff on various issues. He also sponsors two CCF students, and believes being a part of CCF is the most important and satisfying part of his life.
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Tim Misenhimer was born and raised in Southern Calfornia. In 1980 Tim started his career in the motion picture industry working for a local production company and producing the Johnny Grant Show in Hollywood, California.
In 1992 he started his own production company, TM Productions, which has been serving the Motion picture industry for twelve years. He is also a partner in Neighbors Entertainment, an independent film production entity.
Tim has donated a percentage of his profits to various charitable organizations, both local and national, including The American Cancer Society, The Help Group, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society to name a few. Tim also is a benefactor and serves on the Board Of Directors to the Museum Of Latin American Art in Long Beach.
"When Scott shared with me the stories of the children, and the families that live in Cambodia, and showed the video I was incredibly moved. I knew I had to do something to help and it is more rewarding than anything I have ever done."
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Cathey Paine was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 1973, she moved to Southern California where she had a successful career in the film industry for nearly 20 years.
In 1994, Cathey changed careers and moved into the financial services industry. In 2001, she joined Sagemark Consulting, the Financial Planning Division of Lincoln National Corporation.
Cathey has travelled extensively around the world for business and pleasure. In the late 80’s, she worked with children in African villages. In early 2005, Cathey went to Cambodia with the intention of working with land mine victims. Through one of her business associates, Cathey was introduced to Scott Neeson and the Cambodian Children’s Fund.
Her second day in Phnom Penh, Scott suggested they go to Steung Meanchey, the garbage dump. The plight of the families and children living in the dump broke her heart. Scott asked her to pick a child to take to CCF. How do you choose among so many desperate children? Cathey saw the twin girls, who she later found out were Horn and Hoeurn. They were 7 years old, filthy, lice-ridden and suffering from malnutrition. That evening, Scott brought them to CCF. That was the beginning of her sponsorship and her work with CCF. She will gladly talk to anyone about her experience with the children and the Cambodian Children’s Fund. Since she not only developed a bond with the twins, but many of the other children as well, she plans to go back to Cambodia yearly.
“A little goes such a long way in Cambodia. We have the ability to change the destiny of these children. I was greatly depressed after my trip to Steung Meanchey. All I could think about were the children left behind. Then Scott asked me if I wanted to take some of the children to the market shopping. Spending a day at the market with a group of the children brought me out of the depression. I realized I needed to focus on the children I was able to help. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Through my personal experience, I know we can make a difference.”
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Mr. Hensley is the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Samuels Company.
Prior to joining Morgan Samuels Company, Mr. Hensley was a Vice President/Partner at Korn/Ferry International where he was a member of the general practice and led the industrial practice for the Los Angeles office.
Mr. Hensley was previously a General Partner of Meridian Strategies, Inc., a full-service strategic consulting and venture management firm that was a spin-off of McKinsey & Company. There he served a broad range of clients on engagements involving corporate strategy, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; organization analysis and design; and process and systems improvement. Additionally, he worked with a capital partner to acquire and turn around a sole-source manufacturer of satellite components.
Prior to joining Meridian Strategies, Mr. Hensley was a Building and Project Manager at LaSalle Partners. Before that, he was an Associate Brand Manager of a $430 million national brand for Kraft-General Foods.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Hensley served five years in the United States Army Aviation Branch, where he held various leadership and staff positions, including helicopter pilot, aviation detachment commander, battalion adjutant, and brigade war plans officer. He received several achievement and services awards for his contributions while on active duty, including the Meritorious Service Medal.
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Gina Kilberg is a New Jersey native, born and raised. She began her domestic travel adventures when she headed off to study at The University of Colorado, Boulder. She began her professional career in 1986 with the advertising agency Young & Rubicam in New York City. After taking a year off to travel extensively throughout North America, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 to begin the second chapter of her life and work in entertainment at 20th Century Fox in International Marketing. She had previously travelled quite a bit domestically, but developed a curiosity and passion for foreign travel as business necessity began to dictate. Through careers at Warner Bros. and now as Senior Vice President, International Media for Sony Pictures, she has seen much of the world.
Kilberg met Scott Neeson at Fox in the mid 90’s with the two becoming dear friends over the past 10 years. Kilberg became more invested in Scott’s efforts in Cambodia and soon became a devoted disciple ready to help the children in anyway she could. Kilberg now sponsors a child, Savun, who thanks to CCF support, is enrolled in a vocational program where she is learning English and training to become a licensed hair stylist and cosmetologist. She writes of working hard in hopes of one day earning an independent living and supporting herself. Kilberg met Savun in person in Phnom Penh in spring 2006 where she happily left a big tip and big hug for her new hairdresser. |
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Paul is currently a partner at TriSpan Partners, LLC, a boutique merger and acquisition and financial advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to joining TriSpan Partners, Paul worked in the investment banking group of WR Hambrecht + Co, where he focused on the information security sector.
Prior to WR Hambrecht, Paul worked for seven years at SoundView Technology Group as a senior sell-side research analyst covering information security companies such as VeriSign, RSA Security, ISS, and McAfee. In 2001 he was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as the "Best on the Street" analyst for the sector. He was involved as an analyst in IPOs, secondary offerings and M&A events of several information security companies while at SoundView.
Prior to his career in technology investment banking and research, Paul worked for fifteen years at various Silicon Valley companies, including Sun Microsystems and IDEO, in both engineering and product marketing positions.
Paul has been involved with a variety of charitable organizations over the past decade, and has been a financial advisor regarding accessing capital markets to Unitus, a Seattle-based organization that accelerates the growth of the world's highest potential emerging microfinance institutions (MFIs). Paul is also on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and Sacred Sites International.
Paul holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering from Stanford University, and an M.B.A. from UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management.
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The Cambodian Children's Fund is a U.S.-registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization no. 20-0764162. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. The organization is also registered with the State of California and the Kingdom of Cambodia.
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