george pepperdine society
MEET OUR NEWEST MEMBERS B E N E FAC TO R S C I RC L E
Karen and Morteza Khaleghi
Karen and Morteza Khalegi are leading the way in community outreach efforts at GSEP. Affectionately known as Dr. Karen and Dr. K, they stand tall in the fields of mental health and addiction treatment as the renowned founders of Creative Care Inc. Founded in 1989, Creative Care is the largest and oldest residential treatment center in Malibu, designed to work with individuals to stop the cycle of co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders known as dual diagnosis. Parents of Farrah (MA ’13); Seymone, a GSEP student; and Dustin, a Seaver student, they are the benefactors of the Creative Care Fellowship Program, supporting GSEP students who provide free mental health services at Union Rescue Mission’s Hope Gardens Family Center.
Thomas A. Lucas (MBA ’83)
Retired industrial engineer Tom Lucas understands the importance of education in empowering lives for success. A Penn State Outstanding Engineering Alumnus, his illustrious career has included management positions with Johnson & Johnson, Bausch & Lomb, and a variety of pharmaceutical and medical device industries. In 2002 Tom and business partner Juan Valdes launched Alliance Medical Products (AMP). Under their direction AMP rapidly expanded, more than tripling in size, and in 2012 was sold to Siegfred Holdings AG of Switzerland. A member of the Graziadio School Senior Fellows in Entrepreneurship, Tom supports the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program and serves as a mentor for students and alumni wishing to pursue innovative business ideas.
Brett J. Nelson (’92)
Seaver College alumnus Brett Nelson is changing lives through scholarships at Pepperdine, recently establishing the Bruce and Vicki Nelson Memorial Scholarship for Seaver students. Brett is head of tactical asset allocation for Goldman Sach’s Investment Strategy Group (ISG), overseeing a global team that generates investment ideas across major asset classes. The Harvard MBA graduate joined Goldman Sachs in 2007 as vice president in ISG and was named managing director in 2009. Beyond his career, Brett participates in Goldman’s Community Teamworks, a global volunteer initiative that enables participants to drive tangible progress in their local communities. A resident of New York City, he is an avid reader, watch collector, and fitness enthusiast.
Kathleen (MBA ’92) and Gregory (’84) Outcalt
Kathy and Greg Outcalt have been generous donors to Pepperdine Athletics and the men’s water polo team since 1989. An accounting major at Pepperdine, Greg was the water polo team captain and an NCAA All-American and now serves as chair of Pepperdine’s Athletics Advisory Board. Involved with managing alternative investment portfolios since 1996, Greg is currently a senior vice president at Alliance Bernstein LP. He is on the board of No Greater Sacrifice, a nonprofit organization that provides college scholarships to children of fallen and wounded U.S. Armed Forces members. Kathy enjoys snow skiing, golf, and watching their four children—Matthew, Andrew, Megan, and Alex—play sports.
Elva and Henry Respess
Parents of Pepperdine regent Kim Lindley and grandparents of twin granddaughters Alanna (’12) and Evanne (’12) and Seaver College senior Caroline, Henry and Elva Respess are no strangers to Pepperdine. After a successful career in which they built their own company in the oil industry, they are now also proud benefactors of the Respess Fellows program, taking their passion to inspire and encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to the classroom by supporting research pursuits, scholarship, and internship experiences of students in Seaver’s Business Administration Division. We are pleased to welcome the Respesses to the Benefactors Circle this evening and are grateful for their profound impact on the educational experience at Pepperdine.
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