board of directors

Board of Directors

ADILAH BARNES
President/Co-Founder/ Executive Producer

Adilah Co-Founded LAWTF in 1993. She is a producer, actor, acting teacher, writer, talk show host and writing retreat proprietor. A film, television and stage actor, her internationally toured solo show, “I Am That I Am: Woman, Black” has toured three continents including North America (including the US and the Caribbean), Africa and Europe. Film credits include roles in the award-winning ‘Erin Brockovich” and “Iron-Jawed Angeles,” as well as television roles that include “Anne-Marie” for 5 seasons on “Roseanne.” She owns and operates “The Writers’ Well,” a writer’s retreat for women in Atlanta. She has also taught writing classes for LAWTF’s “Wisdom Wednesdays” writing program. Adilah received her BA in Theatre Arts at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

BARBARA ROBERTS
Festival Committee/Finance and Fundraising Committee

Barbara is an actor, writer and union activist. She serves on various committees with both the Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG). She also lends to LAWTF her grant writing talent.

JEANETTE VINES
Administration Committee/Festival Committee

Jeanette is a retired management executive in retail. An award-winning General Manager for Robinson May Department Stores, she held a number of positions with that department chain during her 15 years of service. She also holds the office of National Treasurer of the 100 Black Women Coalition. She received her BS in Business Administration/Marketing at the University of Southern California.

GAYLE WATTS
Festival Committee/Treasurer/ Finance and Fundraising Committee

Gayle has worked extensively with community-based organizations including the United Nations association in Pasadena, California Commission on Addictions and the West African AIDS Foundation. She has served on numerous Boards, taken leadership in numerous community development initiatives, and has a strong background in research and evaluation, strategic planning and policy advocacy. She received her MA in Organizational Management at Antioch University and BA in Business Administration from Cleveland State University.

KAYRETHA HALE WILLIS

Kayretha Hale Willis is practicing attorney in the downtown Los Angeles Area. She has practiced over the last 17 years and deals primarily with civil litigation and issues affecting the elderly. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles in Political Science and her Juris Doctorate from Western State University's School of Law. Her memberships include the Beverly Hills Bar Association, US Supreme Court Historical Society, Black Women Lawyers, Coalition of 100 Black Women of Los Angeles and she is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. She is also an active member of UCLA's Ralph Bunche Advisory Board. Her many awards include the recent "Ambassador of Peace Award" from the Women's Federation Group