Board Members
BRANDI BRANDES
Brandi is a seasoned nonprofit financial administrator who has led or supported dozens of organizations in identifying, procuring, and managing financial and operational resources to effectively execute their missions.
Her 15+ year career spans nonprofit operations, fundraising, and finance including both strategic management of lean budgets as well as long-term planning and investment in situations of abundance.
Her journey from entry level to Executive Director overseeing mission execution, finance, operations, fundraising, marketing and personnel puts her in a unique position to understand the needs of non-profit stakeholders from the floor to the boardroom.
Experiences include Director of Administration for an agricultural nonprofit during a period in which the organizational budget and staff size nearly quadrupled, Executive Director of a nonprofit community center dedicated to multicultural performing arts, management of a $1.2mill payroll with funding allocations from 18 different Federal, State, and Foundation grants, service on the Board of Directors that brought an historic 600-seat theater from near insolvency to a path of success, and an extensive history of laying the organizational groundwork for success for small to midsize innovative performing arts organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
She currently lives in Madison, WI with her husband and pre-teen, where there is plenty of space for a multi-drummer household.
Lauren Nagel
Lauren Nagel is an experienced creative director, composer, and vocalist who specializes in leading teams at the intersection of creative and technology. She is passionate about sonic diversity, universal design, and creating content experiences that help audiences connect to themselves, and to each other, through the extraordinary power of music and storytelling. As a multidisciplinary strategist and seasoned creative leader in tech, she is thrilled to support the mission of Rayna Cares.
Lauren currently serves as CEO and Chief Creative Officer for short-form audio leader SpokenLayer, crafting award-winning content for publishers and brands to amplify their messaging through innovative media. Previously, Lauren served as VP/Executive Creative Director at Pandora / SiriusXM. As a musician and producer, she is one half of electronica duo BronzeBeforeGold with songs featured across tv and film. She is a seasoned public speaker with engagements at the Cannes Festival of Creativity, SXSW, CES, OneShow, VoiceCon, WorldZ and many more globally-recognized creative conferences to evangelize all things audio, culture-driven business, AI and creativity, authenticity in the workplace (with obvious side-eye to capitalism), and women’s leadership.
Lauren is based in Portland, OR. She dedicates her support of Rayna Cares to the memory of her mom, Susan.
Olive Mitra
Olive Mitra comes to this work through many pathways. Teaching and designing curriculum on the intersections of social justice and public health for the METRO student success academies at San Francisco State University and art directing anxiety reducing patient education materials for Smarter Medical Care are the professional avenues.
Olive’s personal experiences advocating for his father navigating the challenges of communication and understanding in the medical system cemented the dedication to make all people better able to confidently understand and advocate for themselves and loved ones in health care. Olive is very excited to be working with this incredible group of people.
Kyra Gordon
Kyra Gordon, celebrated for her soulful voice and enchanting stage presence, is a distinguished vocalist and songwriter. Her artistic pursuits have led her to Hollywood's acting stages, to artist communes in North Carolina and West Virginia, to the musical depths of Maui, and to the heart of Paris where she embraced the blues.
In 2007, drawn back to the Bay Area with a renewed musical purpose, she refined her piano talents with mentors Rebeca Mauleón and Frederick Harris. Her aspirations to excel in writing and arranging guided her to the California Jazz Conservatory. At the CJC, she not only received the Mark Murphy Vocal Jazz Scholarship but also made her mark as the first vocalist to earn a Bachelors in Jazz Vocal Studies. Subsequently, she served on the CJC faculty for seven illustrious years.
Residing in the east bay, Kyra has imparted knowledge in local elementary schools, provides private lessons, graces bay area stages, and annually tours the nation with her house concert series.
In her teaching ethos, Kyra champions the idea that singing is both therapeutic and spiritual. Joining Rayna Cares, she finds a deep alignment with its mission.
Brian Rodvien
Brian, in collaboration with his father, Dr. Robert Rodvien, founded Rayna Cares.
Throughout his life, Brian has been deeply influenced by his father's understanding that serious illnesses often lead individuals into profound states of anxiety and confusion. Dr. Robert Rodvien's compassion and dedication to easing these emotional challenges have left a lasting impact on him.
Though the medical community works assiduously to address both the physical and emotional facets of illness, reducing the anxiety endured by patients and their families is an enduring challenge.
Brian's personal perspective was shaped further by his mother's 12-year struggle with two separate cancers. The significance of patient education became apparent as his father played an essential role in translating complex "medical speak," enabling her to better comprehend her situation.
Considering their family's journey, they discerned a pressing need to aid others grappling with severe illnesses, assisting them in understanding their conditions and navigating the emotional challenges.