Board of Directors
While BCM’s daily operations are guided by our faithful staff, we also have a Board of Directors that helps BCM fulfill its mission on a larger scale!
The Board of Directors meet monthly to serve BCM’s needs. Board Meetings happen at BCM’s on the second Monday of every month at 7 pm!
The BCM Board of Directors consists of multiple elected members and three board-appointed officials. The term for elected members are two years. Appointed members serve a one-year term. Each board member must be a current BCM member, attend monthly board meetings, and participate in board committees. BCM members are welcome to attend board meetings for the Public Comment segment of the meeting.
The BCM Board is interested in hearing from potential board members from a wide range of interests and backgrounds. A commitment to supporting community media and free speech is the most important requirement. Community people with a background or interest in law, finance/business, media production and fundraising are especially welcomed. Most of our board members live in Berkeley but there are a limited number of slots for non-Berkeley residents. We are actively recruiting board members.
Please contact Winston Burton at winburton85@yahoo.com with information about yourself if you’re interested.
Harold Adler : Vice Chair
Harold was born in Oakland, California and is an independent curator, photographer, videographer, and owner/operator of the Art House Gallery in Berkeley. His works are in the permanent collections of The Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley, the Berkeley Historical Society, the California State Library at Sacramento, California, Getty Images in New York City, the Allen Ginsberg Trust in New York City, the Oakland Museum of California, and the Media Center at the Moffitt Library of UC Berkeley. His website can be found at www.adlerphotovideo.com His pictures have appeared in many news publications: Californian Geology (Nov/Dec 1993, front cover); L.A. Weekly; Montclairion; The Daily Cal; The Daily Planet; East Bay Daily News; and Newsweek. His photos were included in the PBS series, Making Sense of the Sixties, first broadcast on Jan. 21-23, 1990. Producer Varied Directions, Inc.
Winston Burton : Board Chair
For over 35 years, Winston has created, developed and administered employment and training programs for low income and disadvantaged people across the United States. Since moving to California in 1982, he has done fundraising and strategic planning work for a number of programs in the area. He is looking forward to bringing his fundraising and development skills to BCM to help further this great community resource.
Ken Osborn : Board Member
Retired Laboratory Scientist/Teacher now exploring ways of communicating concepts using the visual expression tools of photography and film making. Berkeley Community Media has provided a rich resource for that purpose and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of the future of BCM as a board member serving as liaison to the Berkeley Camera Club.
Katherine Burge : Board of Directors Secretary
Katherine Burge grew up between Miami and the East Bay. She is currently based in New York, where she works as an Instructional Designer. She began as a volunteer at BCM in 2015, where she was able to nurture her interests in computer programming, audio/visual equipment and conceptual art. Katherine’s involvement in BCM has helped her develop a strong sense of ownership and a talent for bridging the gap between concept and community. In her free time, Katherine enjoys participating in her local amateur radio club, going geocaching and cooking.
Helen Walsh : Board Member
Helen Walsh previously worked in broadcasting and documentary film making. She is a resident of Berkeley and is the owner of Diverse Disability Media. Her business consults, tests and designs/edits using principles of inclusive design and accessibility. She is known for creating the first PSA for the ADA Legacy project celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. She is both an artist and an innovator. She is all about ? Nothing About Us Without Us? when it comes to access to media and telling our stories.
Sam Speilman : Board Member
Sam is a Junior at Berkeley High and has been an intern at BCM since the seventh grade. He is proficient in a wide range of production equipment and software platforms and has produced many PSA’s and other content for BCM over the years. He has been our main technician for many of our film festivals. He is committed to bringing in more youth and BUSD media production entities.
Becky Jo Benson: Board Member
Becky Jo Benson is a grammy award winning folk music artist who has a passion for community and music.
She is passionate about making sure that folk have what they need to be able to tell their stories in their own voices.