Meet The MacDayLA Experts
We want you to have the very best Macintosh experience possible so we'll be bringing in some excellent people we know to be tops. As we schedule an Expert we'll post his/her bio here. We'll keep all of our "regulars' bios so you can always come back and fingure out who you saw, who you learned from, and how to find that person. We’re working on getting all of our experts listed.
~~ Anton Anderson • Chuck Behrman • Martin Blasick • Scott Bourne • Bruce Brown ~~
~~ Denise George • Bruce Gerson • John Goodchild • Mark Hartman ~~
~~ Scott Immerman • Elena-Beth Kaye • Chris Keller • Liana Lehua • Jonathan Levit • Tyler Regas ~~
~~ Deborah Shadovitz • Allison Sheridan • Rick Thues ~~
Anton Anderson
Anton has a broad background in applications programming and graphic design. He is the Senior Partner of Productivity Consulting, based in the Pasadena area. Over the years Anton has been involved with a large number of locally, nationally, and internationally-focused projects as part of his consultancy. His practice is focused upon solutions, based on a strategy emphasizing utility within a business's work flow and corporate psyche. This philosophy of helping computers work with people has proven effective in a wide variety of businesses, ranging from publishers to sole proprietorships to large companies, often advising directly the principals of these firms.
Anton has been a featured speaker at industry trade shows and private seminars since 1990, presenting solutions geared toward small businesses and start-up ventures. Additionally he is a member of several professional organizations.
Anton started in technology as a youth, working as a part of 1984 Olympics Technology staff. Attending Dartmouth College, he worked as a student consultant for the Computer Resource Center, providing phone and personal support for an 8,000+ user networked campus. Graduating with a combined degree — Computer Science and Visual Arts — Anton remained as Assistant Director for the center. In late 1989, he returned to Los Angeles to found Productivity Consulting, building upon a client base he had been developing since 1986.
Chuck Behrman
Chuck Behrman has spent more than 30 years in professional photography, over 10 utilizing digital imaging techniques. His 700 square foot studio is fully equipped and private, utilizing only the finest cameras, lighting, and state of the art computer equipment. An engineer by training, Chuck has developed a systematic approach to the production of still, video and multimedia projects.
C.H. Behrman Photography currently handles the production of photography, multimedia presentations, and advertisements from concept through delivery. This includes the planning and execution of principal photography via digital imaging. A heavy user of digital imaging and photo-manipulation products, Chuck Behrman has experience in desktop publishing, page layout, design and production of multimedia presentations, as well as teaching and troubleshooting problems involving software and various peripheral devices.
The studio's multimedia related skills include the conceptual planning and authoring of projects for education, advertising and promotion. This includes the creation and integration of text, still images, full motion video, and virtual reality objects as well as the coding and de-bugging of the applications that can then be presented via CD/DVD on the desktop, projected to a large audience, or incorporated into websites on the internet.
In addition to principal photography, Chuck currently consults and coaches one-on-one and teaches workshops and classes. Many of Chuck's workshops and classes are available on tutorial CDs at the classes and workshops or via his site.
Martin Blasick
Martin Blasick is a music composer, producer and songwriter whose work has been heard in productions such as The Matador, Ugly Betty, Cold Case, Dirty Sexy Money, Princes Diaries I & II and more.
Using ProTools, he's mixed "in the box" since the early 90's. His fist Mac was a Classic running performer. Martin also performs as a singer/songwriter and has completed his cd debut as a solo artist.
You can read more about Martin and hear some of his music at MartinBlasick.com.
Scott Bourne
Scott Bourne has been covering technology since 1992 and been an Apple user since the days of the Apple II. He’s owned just about every Apple product ever made (including a Lisa) and has devoted much of his time to helping others get the most out of technology. He is a digital media pioneer and has been involved in photography for more than three decades.
In the photography realm, he's the co-host of This Week In Photography; author of four photo books including, 88 Secrets to Selling & Publishing Your Photography; Captivating Wildlife, with Daid Middleton, 88 Secrets to Photoshop for Photographers, and 88 Secrets to Wildlife Photography with Rod Barbee. Scott’s also authored three photography-related titles for Lynda.com.
In the tech realm, Scott is also an author, lecturer, teacher and new media pioneer, and the president of Podango Productions in San Francisco. He is the founder of the world’s first Internet-only radio network, Netradio and the first Internet-only TV network called First-TV. Additionally, he has hosted or co-hosted several prominent podcasts including MacBreak Weekly, the iLifeZone and GMT.
Scott is also Executive Producer and Host of The Apple Phone Show. Are we missing anything here? Probably.
Scott Bourne has been a featured speaker at events such as Macworld Expo, Blogworld and the Podcast & Portable Media Expo.
Bruce Brown
Bruce has been involved with computers since the mid-1960's and Macs since October 1994, when he bought a new PowerMac 7100. His experience includes programming and electronic design, plus years of experience writing hardware and software manuals for network devices, printers, and other electronic equipment. In addition to working extensively with Mac OS X and its predecessors, he's worked with several other flavors of Unix, and yes, even Microsoft Windows. Bruce was a cofounder of the North Orange County Computer Club (ca. 1975), and was their first newsletter editor. He currently serves as a Director of the Orange Apple Computer Club and as the President of the Southern California Mac Owners/users Group (SMOG). For the past several years, Bruce has been an independent Mac consultant, doing what he loves best: Helping local Mac users with their problems in their homes and offices, as well as tutoring them when asked. Bruce also writes and distributes via email a free publication for the benefit of local Mac User Group members. Called "Bruce's Picks," this short newsletter lists bargains in computer storage and accessories that are found in the current ads of the local computer stores.
Denise George
If you live in LA, you may recognize this photo as The Apple Store at The Grove. This is Denise as she greeted us upon the launch of Jaguar. Denise George was one of the elite folks selected to help people buy Macs at this flagship Apple Store.
An actress herself by trade — she’s appeared in commercials, soap operas and TV shows — she also created a unique presentation about how a Mac can answer the needs of Actors. It’s this aspect of Denise’s experience and expertise we’ll be tapping for MacDayLA. For starters, she’ll be available during lunch to help actors and actresses.
You can learn more about Denise at DeniseGeorge.net and ActorWebDesign.
Bruce Gerson
Bruce has been in the computer business since 1983 when he bought his first computer, an Apple //e. From writing his first program (a résumé writer) on the //e to dBASE and Lotus 1-2-3 programming on the PC, through Microsoft Basic and Pascal on the Macintosh 128K in 1984, Bruce has always been one to get into the technology of a product and determining how to tweak it and make it easier and more fun to use.
After selling the first Apple Lisa in Southern California, he attended a pre-release training class for the Macintosh and was hooked! He was one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Macintosh Users' Group and continued to support local users' groups when he worked for Apple in the late 90's. Upon leaving Apple in 1999, he began a consulting business in Southern California (MacSquad, formerly BSG Solutions). His mission is to take some of the mystery out of getting computers to do what we want them to do rather than the other way around. He takes his years of experience and turns the highly technical world of computing into everyday language and concepts which EVERYONE can understand.
When he isn't working with clients, he spends time with his wife, Linda and his remaining dog and cat, Brownie and Tigger. He's an avid photographer and rose grower and loves to travel whenever he can. (He used to never leave home without his Treo phone but this is an older photo. Now he's using an iPhone, of course.)
John Goodchild
John's Mac expertise varies from graphic arts to software programming to network administration. But most of all, he is the President of Fixamac Software, Inc.
In May 2002 my good friend and GoLive Bible Book Nanny Cathy Scrivnor, found a cool app for fixing OS X printing issues and excitedly told me about it. If Cathy recommends something I'm on it.
Checking out this magic Print Center Repair application (now updated as Print Therapy), I was not only impressed by the utility but by the meticulous documentation. I was so impressed that I wrote to tell him and somehow learned that he lived in Los Angeles.
I remember lamenting the loss of drag and drop text editing in TextEdit and other Apple apps and receiving a call the next day because John had figured out that you could still drag and drop — if you clicked just right and moved your mouse just so.
John became one of my go-to friends — and the programs he writers are always go-to apps.
Mark Hartman
Mark has been professionally counseling inanimate objects and their owners for over 30 years. As a certified member of the Apple Consultants Network, he provides consulting services to customers from Ventura to the Mexican border.
After working for several small software companies and third-party systems suppliers, Mark started his own computer services and consulting firm. He later merged it with a full-service computer company, becoming Vice-President of Engineering for that company. When Apple released the Macintosh, he left to start Mark Hartman Computer Solutions, and has been consulting for individuals, business and government since. His industry experience includes financial, transportation, manufacturing, entertainment, education, communications, medical - and more. One of his many distinctions in the Macintosh arena is the authoring of the very first 32-bit color paint program for the Macintosh (Photon Paint for Mac).
His other interests include his involvement with MasterpieceBanner.com (our show's official banner supplier), his long-time service to the people of California through the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and amateur radio (AA6MH). He has been married to his wife Kimberly for over 27 years and they have five children. He lives just east of San Diego.
Scott Immerman, ACN
Scott Immerman is a certified member of the Apple Consultants Network. His Los Angeles-based consulting agency S.E.A.L. Systems specializes in support for Apple's Macintosh computers.
Scott began working with Apple computers back in 1978, going back to the Apple ][, six years before the Macintosh. He's worked with just about every Apple model you can name, and some you can't.
Scott's expertise includes Mac OS X (both the client version and OS X Server), networking, the Xserve, programming, and much more.
This photo by Cathy Scrivnor is of Scott as he demonstrated advanced iPhone abilities at the first MacDayLA.
Elena-Beth Kaye
Elena-Beth was a long-time trainer at Mac Emporium (NYC) and Mac Universe (Tarzana), which both had excellent international reputations. She has been teaching people how to use Apple computers since 1984, when Citibank sent her to twenty branches to teach employees how to use Direct Access, their first bank-by-computer program. She has since worked with training centers such as the Computer Factory, the New York Mac User Group (NYMUG board member) and the Los Angeles Macintosh Group, and is now the emcee of the monthly MacValley User Group meetings in Northridge. She was a repeat speaker at the original MacFair-LA and the MacGathering, and is pleased to be asked to MacDayLA. For the last ten years, Elena, an ACHDS certified member of the Apple Consultants Network, has run her own referral-based business as a private Mac tutor and consultant, teaching everyone from celebrities to their grandmothers.
When she's not doing Mac work she's usually performing; she received a Regents diploma from Art & Design, a BFA in Drama from NYU. As a storyteller she's been featured at CTMS folk festivals. She also appears as a radio drama recreation actress. Visit elenaweb.com to learn more.
Chris Keller
By day Chris is Chief Technical Officer of Consultant Alliance and many a business depends on him to keep their computer systems running.
We know Chris from his years of presenting to, running the meetings of, and helping with Q&A for the San Gabriel Valley Mac User Group (SGVMUG). He knows his stuff and we're happy to have pulled him on board.
Liana Lehua
Liana is a new media producer who spends her days pursuing any combination of her life's passions: teaching, creating, surfing, working out, mountain biking, or climbing. She has worked as a web developer, producer and project manager at Disney, Universal Studios, Wayans Bros. Entertainment, and the House of Blues. Fresh from her position as Chief Architect for comedian Damon Wayans' web project, WayoutTV, Liana is creating content and producing several shows including, Girls Gone Geek, a technology-based show from a female perspective.
Certified as a Personal Trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Liana has had the desire for living a healthy, active lifestyle since she was a wee baby. She continues her personal training by helping people learn about, apply, and maintain health and wellness principles and actions in their own lives.
Liana is founder and creative director of Creative Cartel, a new media consulting company based in Santa Monica, California.
Jonathan Levit
Jonathan is one of the premiere trainers in desktop publishing technologies.
With a background in advertising and graphic design, Jonathan joined the ranks of Quark, Inc at their Denver headquarters. There he received the technical knowledge required to understand the intricacies of QuarkXPress and surrounding products. He also become a member of the training team and a founding member of the Quark Evangelist team — where he honed his skills as a trainer and speaker on all things Quark. The Quark experience fostered a progression into the workings and utilization of Adobe InDesign. Now, as an ACE certifi ed trainer, Jonathan has been introducing and consulting companies to the world of desktop publishing and design as they work with Adobe InDesign. He has also been the driving force migrating scores of companies from QuarkXPress to InDesign.
Jonathan's background and history as a performer and actor have aided in his ability to communicate with small or large groups and to instruct in a way that encourages learning. He conveys knowledge in an understandable way as he creates a fun atmosphere. You can learn more about him at LevityTraining.com.
Tyler Regas
Tyler Regas is a 20-year veteran of the technology industry.
He has contributed to over 250 different computer technology books including the bestselling Windows for Dummies and The Internet for Dummies books.
He has been the editor-in-chief of PHM Publication's Mobodojo.com and Certless.com sites for 7 years.
He has worked for IBM, Cemex, Pepperdine University, and a range of technology startups. Tyler currently works for a small company in Los Angeles, developing their new business plan to offer a new kind of technical support for SMBs. He is equally fluent in Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Deborah Shadovitz
Deborah, better known as Deb, is a Mac instructor, consultant, and author. In the decade past she penned several books, a newspaper column, a magazine column and a popular web column. Since 2002 she has been a Contributing Editor to MacAddict, which is now called MacLife magazine. She also writes about other aspects of life for other types of publications.
Allison Sheridan
Allison Sheridan has been using a Mac since 1984 when she and her husband bought the Mac 512K.
She began podcasting in May of 2005 when she realized that instead of bothering her friends about all the freeware and shareware she was finding that made her life easier and more fun, she could send that message out to, literally, the world!
"What problem are we trying to solve?" is her favorite saying — no application gets mentioned without solving some problem. She delivers her podcast with wit and wisdom, but also relies on the collective wisdom of her listeners. Check out the NosillaCast podcast at Podfeet.com.
Rick Thues
Rick Thues is the iMentor. This isn't just his company name; it's what he does. He mentors people about how their computer works. Rick is an Apple certified technician who can troubleshoot a Macintosh, yet explain the computer in non-technical terms. The iMentor is a private tutor who makes housecalls to your home or business.
In his other life, Rick is an avid skydiver who has participated in several world records. He has made over 3200 skydives.
Rick's first computer was an 8K Imagination Machine in 1979 — a Motorola 6800 game machine (like an Atari 2600) which had a keyboard and audio cassette storage drive bused onto it from the game cartridge slot. You could program it with Apple basic. In 1984 he bought his first Mac 1 month after the legendary Super Bowl commercial that introduced it.