Our Team Bios
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PATRICK ERLANDSON
Founder & Executive Director
Patrick Erlandson was born and grew up in Los Angeles, the 2nd of 7 children. He has been married to his wife Machiko since 1982 and has 2 adult daughters.
He has travelled to Cambodia, Paraguay, Zambia, Israel, Korea, Thailand as well as Canada and Mexico in various capacities of service.
In 2010, while working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Los Angeles, USAforUNHCR, Patrick first learned of human trafficking in organs from field agents working in Africa.
In 2012, he began leading the prevention subcommittee of the Long Beach Human Trafficking Task Force.
Mr. Erlandson is a speaker and activist, and has organized a number of events, such as two Youth Exploitation Safety Symposiums for the city of Long Beach.
He founded Father-Con which has held 4 conferences.
In 2018, he founded the See It End It Film & Arts Festival, and in 2020 added a Global Platform for international online participation.
He led a demonstration against human trafficking every month for over 4 years in Long Beach as Men Standing Against Trafficking (MSAT).
Focusing on prevention, Patrick has presented multiple workshops on the link between human trafficking and pornography, concentrating on the two areas of vulnerability and entitlement that contribute to both, the supply and demand sides of human exploitation.
Patrick is a board member of Artists 4 Change and works in partnership with the YWCA which came aboard as the financial non-profit partner of See it End it Film & Arts Festival and Father-Con.
In 2023, Patrick was asked to present at both, the plenary session and side event, at the 32nd Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in Vienna, Austria.
He highlighted the urgent need to invest in fathers and to recognize that present fathers prevent greater poverty, criminal behavior, and deterioration of education.
JOSEPH LUISI
Executive Board Chairman
Joseph Luisi is a father of 3, a grandfather, and a father figure to many.
He has been a community advocate for children and families since 2010, actively providing support for children who have suffered abuse and homelessness, as well as inspiring fathers and parents to unite for their children’s benefit.
Seeing the importance of addressing domestic violence, Joseph earned certification as a Batterers Intervention Facilitator through the California Cognitive Behavioral Institute in 2019.
By 2020 he added certification as a Domestic Violence Advocate.
Joseph is currently a Domestic Violence facilitator with Second Chance, working with groups on Domestic Violence, Anger Management, Parenting, Fatherhood, and Co-parenting.
As a board member of Father-Con, Mr. Luisi supports educating families on the importance of fathers in the healthy development of children and the prevention of human trafficking.
Joseph also works as a Design Engineer in the Electrical industry.
MARK WINKLER
Board Member
Mark Winkler is an author, family advocate, and motivational speaker.
Through his non-profit organization Manhood Camp/Fatherhood Circle, Mark provides guidance, leadership, and life-skills coaching to men and boys.
Recently, Mark has centered his work around helping men and fathers take a new look at and approach to manhood through his work he calls De-Radicalizing Masculinity.
Before his work with Manhood Camp, Mr. Winkler worked as a music agent with United Talent Agency (UTA). During his tenure at UTA, he signed and booked many artists including Nelly, Patti LaBelle, Teena Marie, Anthony Hamilton, Nas, and Mase. While at UTA, Mr. Winkler worked very closely with talent management teams to package and route various regional/nationwide tours & negotiated and prepared booking contracts. In addition to his agent duties, Winkler facilitated UTA’s High School Youth Mentor Program.
Mark Winkler’s website: markrwinkler.com
“My Daughter’s Keeper”: Amazon
RICK RODRIGUEZ
Board Member
Rick Rodriguez has been many things to many people in Downey, CA, and around the world.
The youngest of 6 siblings, he chose Downey to raise his family in.
Two values became entrenched in Rick and his wife Lupe’s heart and lives: hard work will get you want you want and service to one’s community.
Together Rick and Lupe started Rodbat Management Inc. (RMI), a privately held Southern California professional security organization that would provide clients with quality security services that employ over 1000 people, work in 18 states and 3 countries.
In 2014, they established the Living Tree Foundation, a non-profit organization that benefits returning Combat Veterans and their families, providing job training and housing, and arranging therapy dogs for those in need of assistance.
Rick and Lupe are dedicated to serving their community through their passion to help others and volunteerism that gives them their greatest enjoyment.
Mr. Rodriguez has proudly served as Chairman of the Emergency Preparedness Committee for the City of Downey, Past-President of the Downey Chamber of Commerce, Chamber Street Faire Committee Chairman, Past-President of Gangs Out Of Downey (G.O.O.D.), and currently serves as Law Enforcement Chaplain with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Inspired by the community's rich history, Rick wants to bring his strong leadership skills to the city that he loves. When Rodriguez was elected Mayor, he brought a spirit of collaboration to see actual results.
BOB LEVY
Board Member
Due to Mr. Levy’s parent’s divorce, his father being a gambler, and mother being emotionally and mentally unstable, Bob was placed into foster care from ages 10 to 13.
He was then reunified with his father who realized how important his role as a father was.
Later, after being married and having children of his own, as well as fostering and adopting children, Mr. Levy realized that as a man, there is no greater joy, privilege, and honor than being a father.
For the last 17 years, Bob has been very fortunate to work for an organization called FosterAll, that finds good homes for children in the foster care system, many of whom are there because of father absence.
While on the one hand, Bob is dedicated to helping children without dads have a foster or adopted father in their lives, his ultimate effort is to see biological dads like his come to their senses and embrace fatherhood so their children don’t have to be in the foster care system.
As a board member of Father-Con, Bob Levy brings a passionate dedication to the mission of protecting children from threats resulting from absent and distracted fathers, and inspiring dads to find their life’s fulfillment as parents of thriving children.
ANDY WEISS
Board Member
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Andy Weiss has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years, opening many businesses from Miami, Florida to southern California. In his experiences as an employer, he has encountered many people in many challenging stages in life.
“I believe in using my successes in business to enhance the lives of those suffering, and children suffering through the loss of a healthy father in their lives is more than deserving of support. I am honored to support the work of Father-Con and its goals of eliminating the conditions that make children vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking and able to thrive!”
Mr. Weiss has succeeded in operating:
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A&S Flower Exchange Inc., selling over 7 million roses a year;
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MBE (Miami Bouquet Exchange), distributing flowers in 150 Winn Dixie food stores in Miami, FL;
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ASAP Trucking operating 3 over the road tractor trailers nationwide;
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A&S Booksellers, Inc. dba Crown Books with 33 locations in 2002;
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RIP Halloween, pop up Halloween stores, opening 62 stores over 5 years;
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Pacific Prime1 Amazon Seller;
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Yardsale Thrift store at 940 S Grand Ave, Glendora, CA.
AMANDA (CASEY) PULLEY
Auxiliary Board Member
Amanda (Casey) Pulley has 7 years of experience working in anti-trafficking.
As a survivor of human trafficking herself, she began her career as an advocate for those still in the life.
She quickly realized her passion for impacting lives.
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CECILIA GONEZ
Auxiliary Board Member
Cecilia Gonez is a passionate advocate for the end of human trafficking and liaison with the city of Downey.
She has organized events to create awareness of domestic sex trafficking and has been an intrinsic part of Father-Con’s success and growth.