Project Cuddle Board of Directors

Ed Idell is an attorney admitted in California, New York and Florida. He works at a general practice law firm in Los Angeles, where he’s lived for 30 years after moving from the East Coast. He attended the State University of New York at Stony Brook and received his law degree from the University of Miami Law School. His law practice concentrates on commercial law, business litigation, creditors’ rights and appeals.Ed became involved with Project Cuddle about ten years ago when he was introduced to Debbe Magnusen and read her first book. Up to that point, like many others, he was not aware of the magnitude of the problem of baby abandonment and what could be done to prevent it. He soon became a board member and currently serves as board president. He is deeply committed to Project Cuddle’s mission of providing counseling to pregnant women in crisis and its school program of educating teens about safe and legal alternatives to abandoning a baby, and is currently focused on expanding awareness and funding of Project Cuddle and its work.

Ed is active with other charitable organizations, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, where he’s coached its West LA marathon training/ fundraising team and with which he’s completed at least ten marathons and hopes to finish at least ten more. Maybe a Project Cuddle marathon is in the future.

Bill May – Vice President
Bill is a Certified Public Accountant and has practiced in Pasadena, California for 35 years. He owns May Consulting Groups, Inc., a C.P.A. firm specializing in small closely held companies, partnerships, non-profits, trusts and income taxes. He served in the U.S. Army and attended California State University at Los Angeles using the G.I. Bill. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in business/accounting. Bill and his wife Pat have lived in Pasadena for 37 years. Son Scott May is the executive chef and part owner of Charcuterie Bistro in Sierra Madre, Daughter Lynn Harris is a pharmaceutical representative living in Arcadia with husband Michael and daughter Samantha Grace. Bill and Pat got involved with Project Cuddle with they met Debbe in 1997. They put on the annual Flip Flop Formal fundraiser in Pasadena area. Bill is also a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and the AAF Rose Aquatic Center Board of Directors. He is the past president of the Exchange Club of Pasadena and a 30 year member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.

Gary Eisenberger
Gary is the co-founder of Karma Tequila, an ultra-premium 100% agave spirit, based in Malibu, CA.  Gary is also involved with a new hair treatment product, called the Brazilian Blowout and a partner in the Argyle Salon and Spa in West Hollywood, CA. Previously, Gary was one of the co-founders/VP of Alternate Channel Sales for PAETEC Communications, a $1.6 billion dollar national telecommunication/data company. Gary attended the University of Bridgeport in CT and focused on ‘Business and Marketing’ as a major.  Gary decided to not complete his Bachelors degree and focus on his entrepreneurial endeavors. Gary currently serves on the board of Kids Courage and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and wants to use his time and expertise to work with an organization such as Project Cuddle. The idea of assisting an organization whose ‘hearts and energy’ go into saving every babies life, is the most rewarding

Stacy Sarian-Luhrs
Stacy is a stay at home mother to two young children. Stacy is a resident of southern Orange County where she enjoys spending time with her family at the beach, at their homes in the desert and in the local mountains and traveling with her two young children and husband. Stacy attended Arizona State University where she graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. She went on to Graduate School at Azusa Pacific University where she attained an MA in Curriculum and Instruction of Education and became an elementary school teacher in Southern California. Stacy became involved with Project Cuddle after a high risk pregnancy she experienced. After learning the statistics of babies that are abandoned and how Project Cuddle works to save them she wanted to be involved and help in any way that she could. She is so proud to be serving on a board for an organization that helps so many babies and creates so many families. The work that Project Cuddle does is unlike any other organization and her hope for it is that it will become an organization that everyone knows about.

Karie Foster
Karie Foster is a proud mother to one daughter who is currently attending Loyola Marymount University. Karie owns and operates Miss Priss Cupcakes & Such in Long Beach. Karie is a 3rd generation native of Long Beach and currently resides in Naples with her daughter. Karie has always had a passion for community service and held board positions with the PTA for 11 years. Karie was also on the board with the Nightingales for Miller Children’s Hospital for many years. Karie became involved with Project Cuddle because of her love for babies and a strong desire to help make a difference where baby abandonment is concerned.