The Team
Meet the passionate leaders, educators and advocates driving the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change forward, united by a shared commitment to advancing music as a force for social change.
About Alec Glasser
Alec Glasser’s life has been shaped by music—from school band halls in Queens to nights at NYC’s Drake Hotel. Now a philanthropist, restaurateur, and founder of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine, he channels that passion into proving that music can inspire, connect communities, and create lasting social change.
Alec Glasser
Chair, Executive Committee
Alec Glasser is the founder of The Drake restaurant in Laguna Beach and The Drake Gives, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to music education for underserved youth. A former attorney, real estate investor, and USC Law faculty member, Alec has combined his passion for music and philanthropy to drive meaningful social impact. As Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Glasser Center for the Power of Music at UCI, he plays a key role in advancing the Center’s mission to harness music as a catalyst for education, well-being, and community transformation.
Executive Committee
Alec Glasser
Founder, Executive Committee Chairman
Alec Glasser, founder of The Drake restaurant in Laguna Beach and The Drake Gives foundation, has dedicated his life to ensuring that all children—regardless of background—have access to the transformative power of music. His journey with music began at age 12 when he learned to play the saxophone in a public school program, an experience that shaped his life in ways he never could have imagined. Before his ventures in hospitality and philanthropy, Alec built a distinguished career in law, specializing in real estate and securities, and later served as a faculty member at USC Law School. He then transitioned into commercial real estate investment and development, but his passion for music never waned. In 2019, he opened The Drake restaurant, not just as a fine dining and live music venue, but with a purpose—to give back. This mission came to life in 2021 when he established Drake Gives, a nonprofit dedicated to providing underserved youth with music education, materials and instruments. Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $625,000, funding programs in schools across the U.S., with a strong focus on Orange County. Alec’s vision expanded in 2023 when he made a transformational gift to launch The Glasser Center for the Power of Music at UC Irvine. In partnership with Richard Matthew, Ph. D., and Dean Jon Gould at UC Irvine, Alec helped design the initiative that integrates music into education, researches its societal benefit and fosters community engagement. As executive committee chairman, Alec plays a key role in driving the center’s growth, building partnerships and ensuring that music remains a powerful force for positive change. His commitment to supporting future generations is also reflected in the Glasser Scholarship, an annual $100,000 scholarship fund administered by the center. These scholarships support students who want to incorporate music into their careers—whether in medicine, social services, marketing or other fields—ensuring that music’s influence extends far beyond traditional industry roles. Alec Glasser’s journey is defined by his passion for music, his vision for social change and his dedication to ensuring that everyone has access to music’s transformative power.
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Jon Gould
Executive Committee Member
Jon Gould is a distinguished scholar in justice policy, social change and government reform who has held key positions in the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Science Foundation. He assumed the deanship on Jan. 1, 2022. Gould leads the nation’s only school of social ecology, established in 1970 in response to high demand for more socially relevant research. For more than 50 years, the school has been an internationally recognized pioneer in developing interdisciplinary approaches to social problems. Its highly ranked faculty in criminology, law and society; urban planning and public policy; and psychological science engage in research and education to foster informed social action and make the world a better place. Gould’s expertise covers justice policy, social change and government reform. He was the principal investigator for the Preventing Wrongful Convictions Project, a multiyear research initiative funded by the National Institute of Justice. He is the author of five books and more than 100 articles and reports on such diverse subjects as erroneous convictions, indigent defense, prosecutorial innovation, police behavior, hate speech, sexual harassment and international human rights. He earned a master’s degree in public policy and a law degree at Harvard University and a Ph.D. in political science at The University of Chicago. Gould has filled a range of government leadership roles, including senior policy adviser in the U.S. Department of Justice and director of the Law & Social Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation. In 2015, U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts appointed him as reporter for a committee of the federal courts evaluating the operation of the Criminal Justice Act. Gould is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a former U.S. Supreme Court Fellow and a former trustee of the Law & Society Association. He received the Administration of Justice Award from the U.S. Supreme Court Fellows Alumni Association in 2017.
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Jerry Mandel
Executive Committee Member
Jerry Mandel is a longtime leader in both higher education and the performing arts. After earning his PhD in organizational communications from Purdue University, he spent two decades as a senior academic administrator. Dr. Mandel then transitioned to the arts in 1997 when he was invited to serve as President and COO of the Orange County Performing Arts Center (now Segerstrom Center for the Arts). From 2015 to 2023, he led the Irvine Barclay Theatre as President. Dr. Mandel continues to support the arts through board service with several local organizations, including the Irvine Barclay Theatre and UCI’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts. Dr.Mandel, who is UCI Vice Chancellor Emeritus, is currently serving as Senior Advisor to The Vice Chancellor of Advancement at UCI.
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Alec Glasser
Founder, Executive Committee Chairman
Founder of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine and The Drake Gives, a nonprofit advancing access to music education. He serves on the Board of Directors for Save The Music Foundation and is the CEO of Glasser Family Holdings, a privately held family office with investments in real estate, restaurants, publishing, and social impact initiatives. Alec is the owner of The Drake in Laguna Beach and the soon-to-open The Drake on Sunset in West Hollywood. Known for his deep appreciation of quality, culture, and bold ideas, Alec brings a visionary approach to everything he builds.
LEARN MOREJon Gould
Executive Committee Member
Jon Gould, a distinguished scholar in justice policy, social change and government reform, heads UC Irvine's School of Social Ecology as dean. The school has been an internationally recognized pioneer in developing interdisciplinary approaches to social problems. Its highly ranked faculty in criminology, law and society; urban planning and public policy; and psychological science engage in research and education to foster informed social action and make the world a better place. Gould has a J.D. from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago.
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Jerry Mandel
Executive Committee Member
Jerry Mandel is a longtime leader in both higher education and the performing arts. After earning his PhD in organizational communications from Purdue University, he spent two decades as a senior academic administrator. Dr. Mandel then transitioned to the arts in 1997 when he was invited to serve as President and COO of the Orange County Performing Arts Center (now Segerstrom Center for the Arts). From 2015 to 2023, he led the Irvine Barclay Theatre as President. Dr. Mandel continues to support the arts through board service with several local organizations, including the Irvine Barclay Theatre and UCI’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts. Dr.Mandel, who is UCI Vice Chancellor Emeritus, is currently serving as Senior Advisor to The Vice Chancellor of Advancement at UCI.
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Alec Glasser
Chair, Executive Committee
Alec Glasser is the founder of The Drake restaurant in Laguna Beach and The Drake Gives, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to music education for underserved youth. A former attorney, real estate investor, and USC Law faculty member, Alec has combined his passion for music and philanthropy to drive meaningful social impact. As Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Glasser Center for the Power of Music at UCI, he plays a key role in advancing the Center’s mission to harness music as a catalyst for education, well-being, and community transformation.
Staff
Richard Matthew, PhD
Executive Director
Richard Matthew is a Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at UC Irvine and is the Executive Director of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change. A member of multiple global organizations, including the UN Expert Group on Environment, Conflict, and Peacebuilding, Dr. Matthew co-chairs the IUCN Task Force on Climate Change and Migration. His research explores the intersections of climate change, conflict, public health and migration, as well as innovative approaches to address human trafficking, flood risk modeling, and youth mobilization through music. His work spans field sites across Africa, Asia and the Americas, with over 200 publications and a research impact reflected in an H-index of 42.
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Anna Kamanzi, PhD
Director
Anna Kamanzi is the Director of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine. An anthropologist by training, Dr. Kamanzi brings deep international experience to her role, having spent several years living and conducting research in the Great Lakes region of Africa. There, she led impactful research and evaluation initiatives for organizations such as USAID and the World Bank. Since joining the Glasser Center, Dr. Kamanzi has played a pivotal role in expanding partnerships, guiding operations, and amplifying the transformative role of music within the UC Irvine community. Her strategic management continues to propel the Glasser Center into new and exciting directions, reinforcing its mission at the intersection of music, social change, and community engagement.
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Michelle Ly
Coordinator
Michelle Ly is the Coordinator of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine. A proud first-generation alumna of UC Irvine, Michelle brings a fresh perspective, strong organizational skills, and a deep commitment to the Center’s mission. In her role, she is responsible for managing a range of operational, logistical, and administrative tasks, while also coordinating and planning events that further the Glasser Center's impact. Michelle’s enthusiasm for fostering social change through music is evident in her proactive approach to supporting the Glasser Center’s initiatives.
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Wendy Misner
Partnership Liaison, The Drake Gives + UC Irvine
Since 2020, Wendy Misner has played a pivotal role in creating and expanding Alec Glasser’s philanthropic efforts. With a background in scaling innovative start-ups, she was one of the initial hires on the GoPro team, Wendy brought her entrepreneurial mindset when establishing The Drake Gives Foundation, building strong partnerships and championing music education through creative fundraising and donor engagement as well as overseeing the Foundation’s successful partnership with Save The Music. Wendy has also been deeply involved in the creation of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine, where she continues to nurture collaboration and expand the center’s reach and impact through multiple initiatives from marketing to special projects.
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Richard Matthew, PhD
Executive Director
Richard Matthew is a Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at UC Irvine and is the Executive Director of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change. A member of multiple global organizations, including the UN Expert Group on Environment, Conflict, and Peacebuilding, Dr. Matthew co-chairs the IUCN Task Force on Climate Change and Migration. His research explores the intersections of climate change, conflict, public health and migration, as well as innovative approaches to address human trafficking, flood risk modeling, and youth mobilization through music. His work spans field sites across Africa, Asia and the Americas, with over 200 publications and a research impact reflected in an H-index of 42.
LEARN MOREAnna Kamanzi, PhD
Director
Anna Kamanzi is the Director of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine. An anthropologist by training, Dr. Kamanzi brings deep international experience to her role, having spent several years living and conducting research in the Great Lakes region of Africa. There, she led impactful research and evaluation initiatives for organizations such as USAID and the World Bank. Since joining the Glasser Center, Dr. Kamanzi has played a pivotal role in expanding partnerships, guiding operations, and amplifying the transformative role of music within the UC Irvine community. Her strategic management continues to propel the Glasser Center into new and exciting directions, reinforcing its mission at the intersection of music, social change, and community engagement.
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Michelle Ly
Coordinator
Michelle Ly is the Coordinator of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine. A proud first-generation alumna of UC Irvine, Michelle brings a fresh perspective, strong organizational skills, and a deep commitment to the Center’s mission. In her role, she is responsible for managing a range of operational, logistical, and administrative tasks, while also coordinating and planning events that further the Glasser Center's impact. Michelle’s enthusiasm for fostering social change through music is evident in her proactive approach to supporting the Glasser Center’s initiatives.
LEARN MOREWendy Misner
Partnership Liaison, The Drake Gives + UC Irvine
Since 2020, Wendy Misner has played a pivotal role in creating and expanding Alec Glasser’s philanthropic efforts. With a background in scaling innovative start-ups, she was one of the initial hires on the GoPro team, Wendy brought her entrepreneurial mindset when establishing The Drake Gives Foundation, building strong partnerships and championing music education through creative fundraising and donor engagement as well as overseeing the Foundation’s successful partnership with Save The Music. Wendy has also been deeply involved in the creation of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change at UC Irvine, where she continues to nurture collaboration and expand the center’s reach and impact through multiple initiatives from marketing to special projects.
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Faculty Affiliates
A diverse array of faculty from across the UC Irvine campus have enthusiastically signed on as affiliates of the Alec Glasser Center for the Power of Music & Social Change, bringing their unique expertise and passion to this transformative effort.