Joseph A. Ekman
Founder & Chairman of the Board

Joseph A. Ekman is the founder of About The Kids Foundation and its division In Case of Emergency Standard. He additionally serves as its chairman of the board. A father of two girls, Ekmanhas been involved with child safety issues since 1984, including work on the legislation that banned the use of headphones while opperating a motor vechicle or riding a bicycle in the State of California.

He is the creator of In Case of Emergency Standard and In Case of Emergency Standard Card which was used in Ekman's University of San Francisco Research Paper / Study in 2010. He is also the inventor of In Case of Emergency Standard Card and its three color coded medical status process, In Case of Emergency Standard Card iPhone Application, as well as The Freedom Speaker which has been cited over 45 times in scholars research papers. He is the author of the Kids Ultimate Online Homework Resource Guide, and the co-author of Ekman Co-Parenting Journal, both we're published by Duke Publishing & Software Corporation.

While working for Oracle Corporation, Ekman successfully sold CRM OnDemand (SAAS) solutions for Net New business customers in the commercial market. Ekman was responsible for sales to all companies with sales revenues up to $500 million in seven southern U.S. states, three western U.S. states and half of Canada.

Ekman also served on The Advisory Board of Clear Methods, Inc., in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a software company offering an advanced XML and Web services platform. Prior to joining the Advisory Board he was the Vice President of North America sales for Clear Methods. His focus was growing business with enterprise IT customers and strategic relationships.

Prior to joining Clear Methods, Ekman was Director of Worldwide Alliances and Business Development for Jeeves Solutions, a division of Ask Jeeves, Emeryville, California. While at Jeeves he developed and managed key strategic partnerships with One Economy Corporation, Oracle Corporation and IBM Corporation.

Previously, Ekman spent more than 11 years in various sales positions at IBM Corporation and Sun Microsystems where he was responsible for strategic planning, management of field sales teams, and the development of sales models which included "The Double Check Program", "ERP Advocate", "Global ERP Advocate" and "The SWAT Team Sales Approach".

Ekman can also be found actively working in the community. In 2010 he was the Assistant Head Coach for Archbishop Mitty High School's Varsity and JV Lacrosse teams in San Jose, California. Prior to Archbishop Mitty, Ekman was the Assistant Head Coach for Junipero Serra High School's Varsity Lacrosse team, San Mateo, California in 2009. Ekman was also the Head Coach to Sunnyvale Middle School's Girls 6th and 7th Grade Softball team in Sunnyvale, California in 2008.  Ekman also coached the Defensive line and Linebackers for Gunn High School's Frosh/Soph Football team in Palo Alto, California in 1981.

In addition, Ekman developed a marketing plan for the new Cultural Arts center for De Anza College in Cupertino, California in 2008. Ekman is currently attending the University of San Francisco where he is completing his Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management.

Joseph A. Ekman has a few Honors and Awards:

Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores, California

Oracle Corporation 2009 - Q3'09 ~ 190% Quota Achievement

IBM Corporation, Armonk, New York
Recognized by IBM ERP Vice President of North America Sales as top quota achiever

Received the "IBM Enterprise Application Solutions Global Award" for driving $16.7 million in one quarter.
Received IBM North American Leadership Award given to top 2 percent of North American sales force.

First Sales Rep to receive the IBM High Performance Sales Award for North America.

U.S. Patents:

4,764,962 Stereo Speaker System For Walkman-Type Radio And / Or cassette Player

4,764,962 Stereo Speaker System For Walkman-Type Radio was cited 45 times

Peter is a California Certified Public Accountant and holds a master's degree in taxation from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California, and a Bachelor's in Science in Accounting from CSU, Chico State University, Chico, California.

Ricki Bianchi is currently Senior Vice Presidnet of Legal Affairs & COO for About The Kids Foundation. A father of four children, including twins, Bianchi is a 13 year veteran in the  technology industry, having spent 11 years at Microsoft Corporation, where he held various roles within the corporation, most recently in Sales Management, with a core focus over his career on driving software licensing revenue, and customer satisfaction goals while supporting some of Microsoft's largest Fortune 500 clients. Before joining Microsoft, Bianchi worked at Phoenix Technoloies where he specialized in supporting intellectual property, corporate and technology, software licensing, megers and acquistions. 
 

Bianchi holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Santa Clara University as well.

Sr. Board Member

Vincent Barletta is a Board Member of About The Kids Foundation. A father of three children, including twins, Barletta has more than 27 years of progressively responsible manufacturing, business consulting, materials, and production, sales development management experience. Barletta is currently the Strategic Account Manager at Greatbatch Medical, Buffalo, New York, where he is responsible for developing the Orthopedic and Spinal Marketplace. Prior to Greatbatch Medical, Barletta was President of Pulse Systems, Barletta was Vice President of Operations at Foxhollow, a medical device start-up where he was responsible for all manufacturing and distribution activities. Prior to Foxhollow, he held positions at Agile Software, Heartport, cardiometrics, and Acuson, where he focused on sales, marketing, production and manufacturing of medical devices and software to the industry. Barletta also worked for System Software Associates, where he was a business consulting manager, he was a senior consultant at Gemini Consulting.

Barletta holds three medical device patents, a master's degree in business administration from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering technology/manufacturing processes from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.

Adela Ekman is currently the Senior Division CEO of About The Kids Foundation. At 80 years of age, Adela is also the youngest oldest active woman CEO and Board Member in the United States.

Adela E. Ekman was married to Einar aka "The Duke" Ekman Jr. for 49 years when he passed away in 1997.  Adela Ekman is the mother of the Founder Joseph A. Ekman and the Grandmother of both Elizabeth Sarah Ekman aka "Boo" and Emily Rose Ekman aka "Em".

Adela Ekman retired in 1986 after 22 successful years with Hewlett Packard Corporation, Palo Alto, California, where she was responsible for Quality Control and Process Auditing for the Data Systems Division. She was also responsible for Supplier and Vendor Relations for the Outsourcing management program for Hewlett Packard Corporation as well.

Adela Ekman has been very active during her retirement from Hewlett Packard Corporation. She has enjoyed traveling, golf and playing bridge with her close friends. Adela Ekman also enjoys her life long passion of painting and drawing.

Executive Advisory Board

Deborah Conrad
 Executive Advisory Board Member

Deborah Conrad is corporate vice president and chief marketing officer. Conrad is responsible for Intel Corporation's brand management, product positioning, product launch management and marketing research, as well as sales and integrated marketing communications, advertising and promotional campaigns designed to reach consumer and business customers worldwide.

Prior to leading the Corporate Marketing Group, Conrad created and directed Team Apple and oversaw all aspects of the Intel and Apple relationship since the beginning of the partnership in 2005 through 2008. She was responsible for all aspects of the Intel and Apple business, including sales and revenue, product engineering, software development support and market develpment.

Before her role with Team Apple, Conrad led the Solutions market Development Group, where she was responsible for worldwide sales development efforts and industry parnter programs. She oversaw Intel's extensive direct relationships with CTO/CIOs, industry-specific business development programs and alliances with enterprise ISVs, solution providers and telco services providers. From 1993 to 1999, she was marketing director for Intel's Asia-Pacific Region, responsible for building brand equity and marketing development efforts throughout China, India, Taiwan, Korea, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. Conrad joined Intel in 1986 as Microprocessor Group Communications manager, where she managed press relations, marketing communications, product advertising and related strategic communcations programs.

From 1990 to 1993, Conrad worked in corporate communcations and helped build the worldwide press relations organization, including developing broadcast media, executive speech development and brand programs.

Elisa M. Lagana, is a Senior Advisory Board Member  with About The Kids Foundation. She brings 12 years of clinical and surgical experience in the field of Podiatric Medicine and Foot and Ankle Surgery. She has training in foot and ankle arthroscopy and limb salvage using external fixation techniques.

Dr. Lagana received her B.S. Cum Laude in Biotechnology and Business Managenent from Menlo College after which she continued on to pursue her medical education in San Francisco at the California College of Podiatric Medicine. After receiving her degree in Podiatric Medicine, she completed her internship/ residency year at Veterans Healthcare System-Palo Alto/Stanford Hospital and her residency in podiatric surgery at the Veterans Healthcare System-Palo Alto and surrounding local bay area hospitals and surgery centers in the Silicon Valley.

She has experience in both private practice and HMO's. Employment includes: San Jose Medical Group, and associate positions at Dr's Bruce Lerman; Vittorio Lagana and as a solo practitioner on the Monterey Peninsula.

She has been on staff at O'Connor Hospital, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, and  currently at Community Hospital of the Monterey Pennisula.

Dr. Lagana lives on the Monterey Peninsula and has a  3 year old daughter Sophia.