THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY
  • HOME
  • ABOUT PRS
    • Manly P. Hall >
      • Manly Hall, A Personal Perspective
      • MPH Reading Group
    • PRS Board & Staff
    • Contributing Artists >
      • Arianne Ayu Alizio
      • Guadalupe Arellanes, PhD
      • Syd Buffman
      • Cecelia Condit
      • LD Deutsch
      • Paige Emery
      • Nailah Hunter
      • Marcella Kroll
      • Matt Marble
      • Brian Merriam
      • Lezley Saar
      • Radha Vishnubhotla
      • Senon Williams
    • Press
  • EVENTS
    • PLANTSTOCK
    • Visit
    • Accessibility
  • CLASSES
  • PRS ONLINE
    • CLASSES
    • On Demand
    • Videos >
      • Series
      • Subjects
    • Audio
  • EXHIBITIONS
    • Hansell Gallery
    • THE OUTER PLANETS
  • Library
  • Shop
    • Recent Publications
    • PRS Merch
    • Knapp-Hall Tarot
    • Books by Manly P. Hall >
      • The Secret Teachings
      • The Signature Editions
      • New Editions for Contemporary Seekers
      • Vintage Lecture Notes
      • MPH Essays
      • MPH Book SALE
      • Manly P. Hall Book Bundles
    • MPH Audio >
      • MPH Collection at BetterListen.com
    • MPH E-Books
    • Reprint Series curated by MPH
    • Online Gift Cards (not valid in store)
    • Symbolic Prints and Posters
    • Shipping Update
    • WHOLESALE
  • Rentals
  • BECOME A MEMBER!
  • FUNDRAISER FOR PRS!
  • Support
    • DONATE TODAY!

The Board of Directors and Officers

​
John Pillsbury, President
John Sanborn Pillsbury has been a student of the works of Manly Palmer Hall since the age of fifteen, and a continuous supporter of PRS throughout his adult life, serving in many different capacities. John also serves as president of a private philanthropic foundation, and is co-founder, producer and secretary of the Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company. He is about to enter his fifth decade of service to these and other nonprofit organizations.


​Ann Slichter, Secretary
Ann Slichter is a six-time WGA award-winning television writer. She has produced and written for popular network TV series and Emmy-Award winning talent including Jane Lynch, Megan Mullally, Larry Wilmore, Rainn Wilson, Yvette Nicole Brown, Anthony Anderson and Bill Nye among others. For the past five years she has co-written The Sentinel Awards for Hollywood, Health & Society, a program for the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center. A graduate of Occidental College, Ann deeply values both spiritual and scientific knowledge as a path to the wisdom of the ages. In 1998 her late mentor, Jerry Luedders, introduced her to concepts rooted in spiritual philosophy, including thewritings of Manly P. Hall. She has been inspired by Hall’s teaching ever since.​


John Bucher
John Bucher is a mythologist and story consultant who has been featured on the BBC, the History Channel, in the LA Times, and on numerous other international outlets. He serves as Executive Director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation and is a writer, podcaster, storyteller, and speaker. He has worked with government and cultural leaders around the world as well as organizations such as  HBO, DC Comics, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, A24 Films, and Atlas Obscura. He has served as a producer, consultant, and writer for numerous film, television, and Virtual Reality projects. He is the author of six books including the best-selling Storytelling for Virtual Reality, named by BookAuthority as one of the best storytelling books of all time.  John has worked with New York Times Best Selling authors, YouTube influencers, Eisner winners, Emmy winners, Academy Award nominees, magicians, and cast members from Saturday Night Live. He holds a PhD in Mythology & Depth Psychology and has spoken on 6 continents about using the power of story and myth to reframe how individuals, organizations, cultures, and nations believe and behave.
 

Maryam Sayyad, Treasurer
Maryam Sayyad is a mythologist and noetic artist driven by a lifelong quest for esoteric wisdom. With a PhD in mythological studies, a philosophical mindset, a visual and theatrical arts background, and an evergreen urge to distill meaning from myths, she can be found researching, writing, consulting, speaking, or otherwise creating noetic events.

As Director of Art and Education for Cross Cultural Expressions (CCE), her task is to draw out connections between myth and psychology, and to communicate them in consulting room, classroom, and the arts. She is Director of Storytelling on CCE film and stage productions, as well as for the performing arts group, Namah Ensemble, where her role is bringing Iranian mythology and esotericism to the stage through performances blending dance, music, and cinematic craft with the ancient art of live storytelling.

​Maryam is dedicated to the mission of PRS in tending a worldwide community of truthseekers whose search transcends national and religious boundaries.



Jon Deutsch
Jon Deutsch is a community organizer and public policy advocate with extensive experience across government agencies and non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting homelessness. He previously served as President of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council and Vice President of the Greek Theatre Advisory Committee. He has been recognized for his work by the LA City Council, LA County Board of Supervisors, and the California State Legislature.
 
Prior to this, he was an independent writer/director whose work was featured in The Hollywood Reporter, Newsweek, and Funny or Die.
 
Originally from New York, he studied political science and comparative theology at Georgetown University. An alumnus of both USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and UCLA Law, he has lived just down the street from PRS for 17 years.

Rob Feng
Rob Feng is an Emmy Award-winning creative executive with over twenty years of experience uniting film, immersive media, brand marketing, and interactive technologies. He has led cross-functional teams on award-winning projects and advised startups on forging innovative content strategies. An alumnus of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, he has long explored the philosophical underpinnings of creativity—drawn to PRS’s mission of preserving and sharing wisdom traditions. Through his service on the PRS board, Rob aims to unite tradition with transformation—showing how advancing technologies can enrich timeless teachings and help PRS continue illuminating the world’s wisdom for seekers everywhere.

​

STAFF

Executive Director 
​​Kelly Carmena

Director of Finance
Aster Tsegay

Grant Writer & Fundraiser
Victoria Kraus

Shipping Manager
Amanda Brass

 
​Shipping Coordinator
Robin Blanchard




Social Media & PR Manager
Alison Stevenson

Graphic Designer & Marketing Specialist
Elizabeth T. Vazquez


Membership Manager
Malik Ever


​Operations & Events Coordinator
Michael Dorsey
​
Librarian
Amanda Maciel Antunes

Lead Event Manager
Kristen Phillips

Event Manager & Programmer
Alex McDonald
Emily Rose Epstein


​AV Technician
Jarrett Schaefer

Emilía Turner
Amy Zimmitti 
​
​
Bookstore Clerk
Kristal Gittens
Bailey Salwey
​Justin Taylor


 
The Philosophical Research Society
3910 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.663.2167 
info [at] prs.org
Picture
DONATE TODAY!
BOOKSTORE & HANSELL GALLERY:
Tuesdays-Fridays: 12-6 ​​pm & during events

​​LIBRARY
Thursdays & Fridays: 12-6 pm
​THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY IS A LOS ANGELES-BASED, 501(c)(3), NONPROFIT CULTURAL INSTITUTION FOUNDED IN 1934 AS A REPOSITORY OF MULTICULTURAL WISDOM SOURCES AND A CENTER OF LEARNING WITH A UNIQUE LIBRARY CONTAINING OVER 30,000 RARE VOLUMES.  ITS HISTORIC LANDMARK BUILDINGS ARE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PRESENT SEMINARS, CLASSES AND CONCERTS ON MYTHOLOGY, THE HUMANITIES AND METAPHYSICS.
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • HOME
  • ABOUT PRS
    • Manly P. Hall >
      • Manly Hall, A Personal Perspective
      • MPH Reading Group
    • PRS Board & Staff
    • Contributing Artists >
      • Arianne Ayu Alizio
      • Guadalupe Arellanes, PhD
      • Syd Buffman
      • Cecelia Condit
      • LD Deutsch
      • Paige Emery
      • Nailah Hunter
      • Marcella Kroll
      • Matt Marble
      • Brian Merriam
      • Lezley Saar
      • Radha Vishnubhotla
      • Senon Williams
    • Press
  • EVENTS
    • PLANTSTOCK
    • Visit
    • Accessibility
  • CLASSES
  • PRS ONLINE
    • CLASSES
    • On Demand
    • Videos >
      • Series
      • Subjects
    • Audio
  • EXHIBITIONS
    • Hansell Gallery
    • THE OUTER PLANETS
  • Library
  • Shop
    • Recent Publications
    • PRS Merch
    • Knapp-Hall Tarot
    • Books by Manly P. Hall >
      • The Secret Teachings
      • The Signature Editions
      • New Editions for Contemporary Seekers
      • Vintage Lecture Notes
      • MPH Essays
      • MPH Book SALE
      • Manly P. Hall Book Bundles
    • MPH Audio >
      • MPH Collection at BetterListen.com
    • MPH E-Books
    • Reprint Series curated by MPH
    • Online Gift Cards (not valid in store)
    • Symbolic Prints and Posters
    • Shipping Update
    • WHOLESALE
  • Rentals
  • BECOME A MEMBER!
  • FUNDRAISER FOR PRS!
  • Support
    • DONATE TODAY!