#BehindTheBoard 🔊✨ Meet Ronnie Madra — a true master of connection, culture, and community. 🙌💫 We’re so grateful to have him as part of our board. From his early days promoter and DJ in NYC’s fashion and nightlife scene to co-founding the iconic 1 OAK nightclub brand and shaping global hospitality culture, Ronnie has spent his life bringing people together and creating spaces where creativity thrives. 🌍🎵 A visionary entrepreneur, he’s built everything from world-renowned nightlife experiences to tech innovations like EAROS (high-fidelity hearing protection), and now has entered an exciting new chapter as Creative Director of Crane Club, a private members’ club lounge in New York City. 🏙️🔥 Ronnie’s “secret sauce” has always been his gift for building genuine, lasting relationships — supporting communities, elevating artists, and cross-pollinating ideas everywhere he goes. His influence extends into philanthropy, lending his expertise to organizations like WHO and the Center for Hearing and Communication. ❤️ We’re honored to have Ronnie’s passion, creativity, and heart guiding our mission. 🌎✨ #PlayingForChange #BoardSpotlight #Leadership #CommunityBuilder #Innovation #Gratitude
Playing For Change Foundation
Non-profit Organizations
Santa Monica, California 2,165 followers
Creating positive change through music and arts education.
About us
Playing For Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The Playing For Change Foundation (PFCF) was established in 2007 and is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to create positive change through music and arts education. We support music schools and programs that are created and operated by the local community and then purposefully connect those communities around the world. 27 music and education programs have been created in 19 countries including: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico, Perú Jordan, Rwanda, Ghana, Mali, South Africa, Uganda, Thailand, Nepal, Morocco and the US. More than 3,000 young people attend free classes in dance, instruments, languages and musical theory, all taught by qualified local teachers. Projects also meet basic needs for some of the world’s most economically vulnerable children. This includes primary education, literacy, and the provision of humanitarian aid such as clean water, food, medicine, clothes, books, and school supplies. Solar light and energy, laptop computers, and other modern technology have also been introduced in areas where previously unavailable. When children play music together, collaboration increases and conflict is reduced. And critically important to children, particularly those who are vulnerable due to poverty, conflict, drugs, and neglect, is that learning music increases self-esteem and fosters resilience and joy. To date, over 20,000 children and community members have been impacted through the Foundation's music programs and local development efforts.
- Website
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http://playingforchange.org/
External link for Playing For Change Foundation
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Headquarters
- Santa Monica, California
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 2007
- Specialties
- Music Education, Outreach, International Development, Fundraising, Community Empowerment, Communications, Arts Education, Non profit, and Sustainable Development
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
171 Pier Ave
271
Santa Monica, California 90405, US
Employees at Playing For Change Foundation
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Josh Taekman
PLTFRM | AMPD | Entrepreneur | Investor | Advisor | Connector | Philanthropy
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Stacey Glassman Mizener
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Karen Korponai
Founder Konscious Konsulting | Impact Investor | Philanthropic Advisor | Chief Sustainability Officer | Bus Dev | People Planet Purpose Prosperity -…
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Jessica Reed
Chief Operating Officer at Playing For Change Foundation
Updates
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🌟 #BehindTheBoard 🌟 Louis Upkins Louis Upkins is a renowned thought leader, entrepreneur, and advisor to some of the world's most influential executives and organizations. With a career spanning decades, Louis has mastered the art of helping leaders bridge the gap between professional excellence and personal purpose. His unique perspective has made him a trusted partner to Fortune 500 CEOs, entertainment industry icons, and global changemakers. Louis has worked with executives to design strategies that elevate leadership impact, foster organizational resilience, and create lasting legacies. His work has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, and he is a sought-after speaker for his ability to inspire transformative change. He is also the author of the acclaimed book, "Treat Me Like a Customer," which challenges leaders to rethink how they approach relationships-both personal and professional-by applying the same intentionality they bring to their businesses. With a dynamic blend of practical wisdom, visionary thinking, and heartfelt authenticity, Louis Upkins empowers CEOs and executives to lead with clarity, purpose, and impact. #behindtheboard #changemakers #iplayforchange
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✨ #BehindTheBoard — Meet Pamela Silva We’re excited to kick off our new #BehindTheBoard series, shining a light on the visionary leaders driving the Playing For Change Foundation’s mission. This week, we proudly feature Pamela Silva Conde, Vice Chair of our Board of Directors. A seven-time Emmy® Award-winning journalist, Pamela is the co-anchor of Univision’s “Primer Impacto”, one of the highest-rated newsmagazines in the U.S. and across Latin America, and was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Hispanic Women by People en Español. Beyond her journalism, Pamela is a passionate philanthropist. She established the Pamela Silva Scholarship for first-generation, low-income college students. Through her leadership, expertise, and dedication, Pamela helps the Playing For Change Foundation continue driving unparalleled social impact through music — uniting communities, inspiring change, and nurturing the next generation of creative voices. #PlayingForChange #BehindTheBoard #DrivingChangeThroughMusic
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Dear friends, We’re excited to invite you to the third edition of the PFCF Global Coalition Call. Join us on Tuesday, September 30th at 12:00 PM EST and build connections with the Tintale Education Foundation (TEF), a very special primary and secondary school in rural Eastern Nepal operated by PFCF. TEF welcomes more than 300 children each week and boasts some of the highest success rates in the region. Shyam Basnet, TEF’s founder, will join us on this call to highlight the inspiring work and lasting impact he and his team have built over the past decade. Together, we’re growing stronger—bridging communities, inspiring collaboration, and making meaningful change happen. Be a part of this growing movement for positive change! Learn more ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dSvTsG6w
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We’re honored that the Salam Music Program in the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement (Northern Uganda) was featured in Forbes ! 🎶💛 Huge thanks to Shain Shapiro PhD for highlighting how music is changing lives here. 💕 Read the full article here ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
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We’re so excited to finally announce our partnership with the incredible Shawn Mendes & The Shawn Mendes Foundation! Over the past six months, we’ve been collaborating alongside Shawn’s festival run in India and Latin America to expand access to music education for youth in underserved communities around the world. We’re proud to continue our global partnership throughout Shawn’s upcoming tour ‘Shawn Mendes - On the Road Again’. While on the road, we’ll be continuing our work by directly engaging with students and making donations to a local PFCF program in each country of the tour to help ensure lasting impact. Music is a universal language that unites us, empowers young voices, and helps create meaningful change around the world. Follow along for more information and to learn more about global music education.
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New Music Program in Ukraine 🇺🇦 Facing one of the most critical challenges of our time, Playing For Change Foundation has partnered with Humanitarian Innovation Group (HIG) to expand their humanitarian work and bring music and art therapy to youth in the cities of Ternopil and Vinnytsia in Ukraine. Led by certified art therapists, the program includes guitar, vocals, percussion, ensemble performance, and visual arts—offering young people a safe space for creativity, hope, and resilience in the midst of war. Your support is needed more than ever to expand programming to bring more youth across Ukraine into our safe spaces, redefining the types of learning possibilities accessible to Ukrainian youth. Watch this video recorded just a couple of weeks ago and visit https://lnkd.in/eWrJ-FaN to learn more.
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Playing For Change Foundation reposted this
Fortalecemos y conectamos liderazgos extraordinarios para impulsar sociedades más pacíficas, democráticas y regenerativas.
Este fin de semana celebramos un momento que nos llena de orgullo y esperanza: Nuestro cofundador, Juanes, recibió el #ImpactAward de Playing For Change Foundation un reconocimiento a su trayectoria artística, su compromiso social y su incansable labor en la construcción de paz a través de la Fundación Mi Sangre. Este premio no solo destaca su impacto en la música, sino también su dedicación a transformar vidas en Colombia. Desde hace 19 años, desde la Fundación Mi Sangre hemos fortalecido liderazgos extraordinarios, promoviendo sociedades más pacíficas y democráticas. Con más de 2 millones de personas impactadas a través de nuestros programas y 11 millones con nuestras estrategias de comunicación y movilización para el cambio, seguimos creyendo en el poder del arte y la educación para generar cambio. “Sigo soñando con una Colombia que es posible para todos. La Fundación me ha enseñado a entender el país y a ver otra realidad distinta, desde las víctimas y desde otras realidades que me han inspirado a pensar que tenemos mucho por mejorar y que a pesar de la adversidad siempre hay una oportunidad para hacer algo maravilloso.”– Juanes Este reconocimiento es para él, pero también para todas las personas del equipo de trabajo de la Fundación, que creen que un mundo mejor es posible, y que lograrlo está en nuestras manos. - This weekend, we celebrate a moment that fills us with pride and hope: Our co-founder, Juanes, received the #ImpactAward from Playing For Change Foundation — a recognition of his artistic career, social commitment, and tireless work in building peace through Fundación Mi Sangre. This award not only highlights his impact on music but also his dedication to transforming lives in Colombia. For 19 years, Fundación Mi Sangre has been strengthening extraordinary leadership, promoting more peaceful and democratic societies. With over 2 million people directly impacted through our programs and 11 million reached through our communication and mobilization strategies, we continue to believe in the power of art and education to create change. “I keep dreaming of a Colombia that is possible for everyone. The Foundation has taught me to understand the country and see a different reality — from the perspective of victims and other experiences that have inspired me to believe that we have so much to improve, and that despite adversity, there is always an opportunity to create something wonderful.” – Juanes This recognition is for him, but also for every member of the Foundation’s team, who believe that a better world is possible — and that making it happen is in our hands.
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Amplify Native Voices! We’re thrilled to announce that 12 artists from the Wicahpi Olowan Music Studio on the Pine Ridge Reservation have been nominated for the Native American Awards! The Nammys are the first national awards program for Native American music, recognizing the incredible talent and diversity of Indigenous artists. Public voting is open now! 🔗 Vote here: https://lnkd.in/dr23J6Rh 🎤 Wicahpi Olowan Nominees: ✨ Tiana Spotted Thunder | ✨ Willian Thunderhorse | ✨ Colton Sierra | ✨ Elizabeth Skye (w/ Mato Wayuhi) | ✨ Cyrus Stone & Franklin Adams | ✨ Kyle Mesteth | ✨ Juliana Brown Eyes | ✨ Terrance Jade | ✨ Dawson Dayne Rooks | ✨ Nyna Matowin | ✨ Santee Witt | ✨ Talon Bazille Ducheneaux The Wicahpi Olowan Music Studio, a joint project with First Peoples Fund, is dedicated to uplifting Native artists and providing access to creative opportunities. >Learn more at wicahpiolowan.org