Chair, Franchise Practice Group, Lewitt, Hackman, Shapiro Marshall and Harlan

Kurtz is a shareholder at Encino-based Lewitt Hackman and the chair of the firm’s Franchise Practice Group. He represents franchisors and franchisees in national and regional restaurant, retail and service businesses. Kurtz has been certified as a legal specialist in franchise and distribution law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization since 2009. He was recognized by his peers in the 2023 and 2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America to be among the top 5%of attorneys nationwide for his work in franchise law. He has been named a Super Lawyer by the Journal of Law & Politics since 2010 and has been listed in Martindale Hubbell’s National Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers since 2008.

Founder, Richard Katz Consulting

Katz’s Sherman Oaks firm focuses on public policy and government relations. In April, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass asked Katz to serve as president of the LADWP Oversight Commission. Katz has spent more than 40 years in the public service sector, including 16 years in the state Assembly, starting in 1980. He served as a member of the California State Water Resources Control Board from 2001 to 2006, and served as a member of Metro’s Board of Directors from 2005 to 2014. He was on the Metrolink Board of Directors from 2008 to 2015. Katz graduated from Santa Monica City College with an associate degree and received his bachelor of arts in political science from San Diego State University.

Owner, Law Offices of Mark L. Levinson

Levinson has spent more than four decades as an attorney with a primary practice in family law. He has also served in positions with the United Chambers of Commerce, the Valley Village Foundation, the Encino Chamber of Commerce, the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce and the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce. Levinson received a B.S. in Political Science from San Fernando Valley State College (now known as California State University, Northridge) and a J.D. from the Gould College of Law at the University of Southern California.

Managing Partner, LightGabler

Light has more than 40 years of experience in employment law. As co-founder and managing partner at his Camarillo-based firm, he consults with almost 2,000 companies throughout California regarding their day-to-day employment law needs. Light speaks dozens of times a year to employer and human resources groups including chapters of the Employer Advisory Council, Professionals in Human Resources Association and Society for Human Resource Management. He graduated from the UCLA School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. He is the author of two editions of the nationally acclaimed and award-winning book, “The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball.”

Owner, Law Offices of Mark L. Levinson

Levinson has spent more than four decades as an attorney with a primary practice in family law. He has also served in positions with the United Chambers of Commerce, the Valley Village Foundation, the Encino Chamber of Commerce, the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce and the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce. Levinson received a B.S. in Political Science from San Fernando Valley State College (now known as California State University, Northridge) and a J.D. from the Gould College of Law at the University of Southern California.

Partner, Founder, Withum, Provisors

Martini focuses on tax planning, tax compliance, business consulting and management advisory services at Withum, a top 25 CPA and advisory firm based in Encino. He provides a wide range of services and has built a name for himself counseling business owners seeking exit strategies and other liquidity events. Martini is also a managing director of ProVisors, a community of professionals who serve their clients as trusted advisors. In 2023, Martini was named Business Angel of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal and has been honored with the Ben Gurion award by the Jewish Federation. He also serves on the Los Angeles Police Department Executive Strategic Planning Group for the L.A.P.D. Valley Bureau Foundation.

Founder, On Board

Matsuda has been a San Fernando Valley community and business leader for more than 30 years. She opened On Board, a Sherman Oaks-based consulting firm, in 2018. She works with small business and nonprofit clients to evaluate and redesign major processes to more effectively manage their business. She is the former publisher of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, where she raised the profile of the publication by creating business-focused special events and unique content. Matsuda also serves on the board of the Los Angeles Valley College Foundation and on the Valley Economic Alliance. She is also on the advisory board of the Community Foundation of the Valleys. She holds a Master’s of Arts degree from Woodbury.

Managing Partner, Miller Haga Law Group

Miller is the managing partner of Calabasas-based Miller Haga and is a highly-recognized legal advisor with more than 25 years of experience as general counsel. Prior to entering private practice, Janice was NBCUniversal’s vice president of business affairs for Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk. Janice also held the role of vice president of business and legal affairs for more than 12 years, playing an important role in both the business and legal sides of the billion-dollar expansion of Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and the CityWalk retail, dining and entertainment complex. Before joining NBCUniversal, she held positions at Walt Disney Imagineering, Sega GameWorks and MCA Recreations Services.

Founder, Owner, Musella Group

Musella has been in the building industry for more than 25 years, helping to entitle more than 50,000 new homes and more than 30 million square feet of commercial space across greater Los Angeles. His Santa Clarita-based firm manages high-profile client regulatory and reputation issues with an emphasis in the land use industry, which has resulted in the creation of more than 40,000 new jobs and an equivalent number of construction jobs. Musella currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Los Angeles County Business Federation and on the boards of the Building Industry Association of Southern California LA/Ventura Chapter and the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation.

President, Oschin Partners

Oschin is president of Oschin Partners in Encino, a consulting firm for those wanting to do business with local governments. Oschin is a specialist in transportation, environmental and public policy advocacy. Her firm celebrated its 20th anniversary in January 2024. Oschin is active in community organizations including as a member of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association board, where she co-chairs the Transportation Committee; the Soraya Performing Arts board; the League of Women Voters Los Angeles board; the Move L.A. board; the Executives of the Jewish Home board; and the Local Agency Formation Commission of Los Angeles County. She served as chair of the L.A. County Beach Commission.