ABC7 Special: Profiles of Excellence

"Profiles of Excellence" is an Emmy Award-winning series produced by the ABC7 Public Affairs Department to celebrate the Bay Area's rich cultural diversity. For the past 26 years, the program has been featuring local residents who have made important contributions to the community.

Hosted by ABC7 News Reporter/Anchor Katie Marzullo, "Profiles of Excellence" features five truly impressive individuals.

Mestra Marcia "Cigarra" Treidler: Our first profile explores the exciting Brazilian art form of Capoeira. Mrcia Treidler founded ABAD-Capoeira San Francisco in 1991, and it has grown into an important cultural bridge between Brazil and the Bay Area.

>> Website: www.abada.org

Alecia DeCoudreaux: Our next profile highlights the work of Alecia DeCoudreaux, President of Mills College in Oakland. The school has been an institution in women's education since it was founded in 1852, and Alecia carries on this important legacy.

Website: www.mills.edu

Seth Kilbourn: Our next profile introduces the man overseeing an important organization providing vital support to elders of the Bay Area's LGBT community. Seth Kilbourn and his team at Openhouse are keeping these seniors engaged in their community.

>> Website: www.openhouse-sf.org

DCARA: Our next profile looks at the oldest deaf-controlled agency in the nation. DCARA stands for the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency, and service as a role model for other deaf agencies around the world.

>> Website: www.dcara.org

Raj Jayadev: Our final profile spotlights a passionate group of community organizers in San Jose. Silicon Valley De-Bug was started in 2001 to give voice to the voiceless. It was the turn of the millennium, and the historic tech bubble was just collapsing. Raj Jayadev was working on the assembly line in the South Bay, and he witnessed his fellow temp workers struggling to make ends meet.

>> Website: www.siliconvalleydebug.org

Sitting right on the San Francisco Bay, The Exploratorium is a place for creativity, tinkering, and an open-mind. For over 40 years, the innovative exhibits and interactive activities have encouraged people of all ages to explore science, art, and the imagination. Here you can discover new ways to understand how our world works. With 600 exhibits inside and out, the Exploratorium is not to be missed.

>> Website: www.exploratorium.edu