Team
Gary K. Michelson, M.D.
Founder and Co-Chair
Dr. Gary K. Michelson is a board certified orthopedic spinal surgeon, an inventor who holds nearly 1,000 patents throughout the world, the founder and funder of three private foundations, recipient of numerous medical and humanitarian awards, and one of only a small group of individuals to ever be inducted into both the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Inventors.
Alya Michelson
Co-Chair
Alya Michelson is an artist, philanthropist, and journalist who is passionate about uplifting women’s and immigrant stories. She led an awarded career in journalism covering business, political, and military matters for Russian press and elected officials before moving to the United States and launching a career as an artist working in multiple genres. Alya also holds a Master’s Degree in Economics.
Geoffrey L. Baum
Executive Director
Geoffrey Baum is executive director of Michelson Center for Public Policy and Michelson Philanthropies. Previously, he served in senior leadership roles at the University of Southern California, Claremont McKenna College, C-SPAN, and the Milken Institute. An energetic advocate for public higher education, he is past president of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and served three terms on the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees.
Vince Wong
Director of Government Relations
Vince Wong serves as Director of Government Relations for the Michelson Center for Public Policy and is the primary liaison to elected officials, government agencies, and civic organizations. He serves on the Inner City Law Center Board of Directors and is a past Board President of Animal Grantmakers. Previously, Vince was Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations at the University of California and a legislative deputy to Los Angeles City Council.
Brett Yates
Senior Advisor, Animal Welfare
Brett Yates advises the Michelson Center for Public Policy on its legislative efforts related to animal welfare. He is also chief executive officer of Michelson Found Animals Foundation and chief operations officer and chief financial officer of Michelson Philanthropies. Prior to joining Michelson Philanthropies, Brett held senior positions at companies ranging from startup to multinational conglomerates including J2Global and CoreLogic, a division of First American.
Philip J. Kim
Senior Advisor, Education & Equity
Phillip Kim advises the Michelson Center for Public Policy on its policy efforts related to educational access. He has led The Michelson 20MM Foundation, the education practice of Michelson Philanthropies, since 2015. With a background in entrepreneurship and venture capital, he has also overseen the development of the social impact investment platforms at Michelson 20MM and Michelson Found Animals, providing seed funding to more than 40 mission-aligned technology startups.