Traveling Muse Staff
Leslie Foster - Executive Director
Leslie Foster is an award-winning filmmaker with over 20 film credits to his name, including camera work on the 2006 Crystal Heart award-winning feature Secret of the Cave. He served as line producer on the 2009 Crystal Heart award-winning short film Marbles with Thoreau and holds degrees in both Film Production (Bachelor of Science) and International Studies with an emphasis in German (Bachelor of Arts). He also received the DSH German language certificate from Friedensau University in Germany.
Leslie’s passion for under-represented communities, activism and his love for literature and philosophy inform his storytelling. He has worked for over seven years in the film industry, including a year spent working in London as a producer, director, and cinematographer for tedMEDIA Productions. Having grown up all around the world, he thinks of himself as an urban nomad and fantasizes about joining a roving band of vagabond artists. You can see his work over at his website.
Leslie’s passion for under-represented communities, activism and his love for literature and philosophy inform his storytelling. He has worked for over seven years in the film industry, including a year spent working in London as a producer, director, and cinematographer for tedMEDIA Productions. Having grown up all around the world, he thinks of himself as an urban nomad and fantasizes about joining a roving band of vagabond artists. You can see his work over at his website.
Adam Buck - Artistic Director
Adam Buck is an award-winning filmmaker and artistic director of the non-profit film collective Traveling Muse. His primary background is in the production and direction of numerous short films, documentaries and music videos. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Film Production and received the SONscreen 2009 Best-in-Show award for his senior thesis film, Electronic Solutions.
Global film is a passion of Adam’s and he spent several years traveling to Australia, Fiji, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa creating short documentaries for various production companies and volunteering for a year in Guyana. He has also served as a mentor and teacher for the Association for Visual Arts' film education program. Adam’s expertise ranges from composition and editing to effective project management and knowledge of production equipment. Previously, he enjoyed managing a lighting lab and assisted in teaching lighting techniques. He currently serves as cinematographer and head editor on the Traveling Muse produced project, "Map the Music: Love Letters."
Global film is a passion of Adam’s and he spent several years traveling to Australia, Fiji, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa creating short documentaries for various production companies and volunteering for a year in Guyana. He has also served as a mentor and teacher for the Association for Visual Arts' film education program. Adam’s expertise ranges from composition and editing to effective project management and knowledge of production equipment. Previously, he enjoyed managing a lighting lab and assisted in teaching lighting techniques. He currently serves as cinematographer and head editor on the Traveling Muse produced project, "Map the Music: Love Letters."
Heather Dappolonia - Intern
Heather is a talented cinematographer and set designer who is currently completing her degree in Film Production at Southern Adventist University in Chattanooga, TN. She has worked on numerous short films and is the director of photography of the award-winning short film, "Blue."
Board of Directors
Leslie Foster
Christina Attiken
Christina Attiken, MPT, has translated her 13 years of clinical experience and ownership of a successful physical therapy clinic in Orange County, CA into a holistic approach to physical wellness. A skilled entrepreneur, she founded her first company at the age of 25. She graduated with a Masters degree in Physical Therapy from Loma Linda University in 1999.
Her passion for healing led her to Rwanda to consult for the Ministry of Health in improving the conditions of their rehabilitative facilities. Shortly after her return, she was inspired to leave the traditional clinical environment in search of long-term wholeness for people who suffer from chronic conditions and pain. She currently serves her clients in Orange County and Los Angeles in their own home or work environments.
Her passion for healing led her to Rwanda to consult for the Ministry of Health in improving the conditions of their rehabilitative facilities. Shortly after her return, she was inspired to leave the traditional clinical environment in search of long-term wholeness for people who suffer from chronic conditions and pain. She currently serves her clients in Orange County and Los Angeles in their own home or work environments.
Brian Lauritzen
Brian Lauritzen is the producer and host of Classical KUSC’s nationwide concert broadcasts of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as KUSC’s weekly arts magazine Arts Alive and the early music program Baroque & Beyond. Additionally, Brian writes and produces features for KUSC’s more than 50 concert broadcasts each year including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Piano Spheres. His work as part of these series has been broadcast internationally by NPR, American Public Media, and the WFMT Radio Network.
Brian has interviewed dozens of top classical musicians and artists, including Gustavo Dudamel, Itzhak Perlman, Dawn Upshaw, Valery Gergiev, Placido Domingo, John Adams, and many others. Brian is also the host of several critically acclaimed podcasts: Behind the Curtain at LA Opera, the LA Chamber Orchestra podcasts, and Concrete Voices – real stories from the streets of Hollywood. He got his start in classical radio at WSMC in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he served as Head Announcer and Music Director.
Brian has interviewed dozens of top classical musicians and artists, including Gustavo Dudamel, Itzhak Perlman, Dawn Upshaw, Valery Gergiev, Placido Domingo, John Adams, and many others. Brian is also the host of several critically acclaimed podcasts: Behind the Curtain at LA Opera, the LA Chamber Orchestra podcasts, and Concrete Voices – real stories from the streets of Hollywood. He got his start in classical radio at WSMC in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he served as Head Announcer and Music Director.
Richard Strickland
Richard Lloyd Strickland has spent 20 years working as a contractor across the southeastern United States. He has spent the past 10 years as a lead carpenter at Southern Adventist University, where he worked on the restoration of the campuses historic buildings including Hackman Hall and Lynwood Hall (Circa 1887).
He also works as carpentry mentor, providing students with positions on his projects in order to educate and train them in the art of his craft. Richard was born in Los Angeles County, California and spent most of his childhood in the southeastern United States where he spent much of his time exploring the southern forest - something that continues to inspire his art today. He attended the University of Oklahoma where he studied Life Sciences. Afterwards he spent several years honing his skill as water color painter, a composer, and an author of short stories.
He also works as carpentry mentor, providing students with positions on his projects in order to educate and train them in the art of his craft. Richard was born in Los Angeles County, California and spent most of his childhood in the southeastern United States where he spent much of his time exploring the southern forest - something that continues to inspire his art today. He attended the University of Oklahoma where he studied Life Sciences. Afterwards he spent several years honing his skill as water color painter, a composer, and an author of short stories.