CADPA Board of Directors
Gregory Allen
Gregory Allen, was born in Seattle Washington in 1951. He graduated from Garfield High School in 1970. After attending Western Washington State College from 1970 – 1972. He began a nine year career as a hair stylist. He continued his career as an entrepreneur and in 1990 he enrolled in Seattle Central Community Colleges Video Production Program which was under the direction of Nate Long. After graduating from the program he enrolled at Evergreen State College in Olympia to study filmmaking. He received his B.A. in Communications in 1994.
In 2016, Mr. Allen founded That’s My Baby Productions, Inc. a full service 4K video production company. That’s My Baby Productions, Inc. provides video production services from pre-production, production (with its state of the art camera’s lighting and crew) and post-production with its state of the art editing capabilities.
Robert F. Gant, was born in Seattle Washington in 1953. He graduated from Garfield High School in 1971. He attended North Seattle Community College in 1972 and 1973 majoring in Business Administration and the University of Washington in 1974 majoring in Communications. Mr. Gant’s career in the entertainment industry started in 1969 as a film editor at KOMO TV the local ABC Network affiliate in Seattle.
In 1978 Mr. Gant formed GPI Communications, Inc. a full service entertainment production company engaged in the financing, production and selling of motion pictures and television programs, music publishing, record production and artist management. The general theatrical and amusement business. The general advertising and public relations business. The management and coordination of all types of events, and the publishing of books, magazines and other printed material. He currently serves as CEO of GPI Communications, Inc.
He is also the principal of RF & Associates Consulting, LLC. where he advises business entities and individuals on general corporate/business matters including formation, capitalization, employment, intellectual property and licensing/assignment. RF & Associates Consulting, LLC also drafts and negotiates applicable general business and corporate documents for their clients, including employment/services, confidentiality and consultant agreements, and commercial documents.
William Espy, was born in Seattle, Washington in 1949. He graduated from Garfield High School in 1968. Mr. Espy has had an extensive career in the music industry as a musician, composer, arranger and producer. He has played with Rufus Thomas and Johnny Taylor. He was a member or founding member of legendary local groups 48lbs 3oz., Kings of Soul, Cooking Bag and Seattle Pure Dynamite.
Marsha Andrews J.D was born and raised in Seattle’s Central District. She was an honor student at both Washington Jr High School and James A. Garfield High School. During her years at Garfield, she was sponsored by the late Senator Henry M. Jackson, to represent Garfield at the Presidential Class Room for Young Americans, for two years, in Washington D.C. During her Senior Year, she studied abroad in a comparative government program at the University of Redding, Redding England, the University of Paris, the University of Luxembourg and the University of Madrid.
She attended and graduated from Howard University in Washington DC with a double major in Political Science and Business Administration. Marsha obtained her Juris Doctorate from Miles Law School and became an Environmental Lawyer / Regulatory Analyst with the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.
She has had an extensive career as a Commercial Realtor, with several real estate firms in the Seattle Metropolitan area specializing in the purchase and sale of gas stations. She was a former executive board member of the Seattle King County Advisory Council for Aging and Disabilities Service, the Mayor’ Council for African American Elders and wrote a weekly Column entitled “A Senior Moment” for The Seattle Medium Newspaper regarding senior issues.
Sista Leetta was born and raised in Seattle’s Central Area the fourth child of a family of fourteen children. She graduated from Garfield High School in 1970. After graduating from Garfield she attended
Western Washington State College.
Sista Leetta states “I come from a long line of Warrior Women. In my upbringing in Seattle’s Central Area there was a great sense of community. Respect was a given and our elders made sure we knew what it meant. Life is wonderful, and I’m still enjoying it.”
In Memory of Founding Member & Board Members
Joe Staton (1948 – 2022) was born in Seattle, WA. In 1966 he graduated from Garfield High School and where he won the 1966 Metro League Baseball Triple Crown.
After graduating from Garfield he played semi-pro baseball. This led to him signing a professional major league baseball contract with the Detroit Tigers. He played first base for the Detroit Tigers the 1972-1973 season.
Joe continued his career in sports after playing professional baseball. He was Head Varsity Baseball Coach at Seattle’s Franklin High School and Garfield High School.
As president of Central Area Youth Association, a position he held for more than 20 years. He took it upon himself to make sure that C.A.Y.A. continued its 54 year plus legacy of being a historical institution in the Central District of Seattle, also known as the ‘CD’.
Joe was a founding member and served on the board of directors of the Central Area Documentary Association.
Deborah McBeth Glover, (1952 – 2020) was born and raised in Seattle the beautiful Emerald City, at King County Hospital, known today as Harborview Medical Center. She graduated from Garfield High School in 1970.
In 2018 she expressed her feelings about the Central District and the importance of the mission of the Central Area Documentary Association. “We, as a group of people who love our city, the CD, where we were once a strong community, strive to maintain that identity and to educate those who never had the opportunity to realize what a true community is all about.”
“The feelings of helplessness as I witness the CD/Central District become less homey is overwhelming and heartbreaking. I am honored to be a member of the Central Area Documentary Association to ensure the Central Area as we know it, will never be forgotten. God bless you, God bless the Central District of Seattle Washington, ‘the 206’”.
Debra was a founding member and served on the board of directors of the Central Area Documentary Association.
Marsha Andrews J.D was born and raised in Seattle’s Central District. She was an honor student at both Washington Jr High School and James A. Garfield High School. During her years at Garfield, she was sponsored by the late Senator Henry M. Jackson, to represent Garfield at the Presidential Class Room for Young Americans, for two years, in Washington D.C. During her Senior Year, she studied abroad in a comparative government program at the University of Redding, Redding England, the University of Paris, the University of Luxembourg and the University of Madrid.
She attended and graduated from Howard University in Washington DC with a double major in Political Science and Business Administration. Marsha obtained her Juris Doctorate from Miles Law School and became an Environmental Lawyer / Regulatory Analyst with the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.
She has had an extensive career as a Commercial Realtor, with several real estate firms in the Seattle Metropolitan area specializing in the purchase and sale of gas stations. She was a former executive board member of the Seattle King County Advisory Council for Aging and Disabilities Service, the Mayor’ Council for African American Elders and wrote a weekly Column entitled “A Senior Moment” for The Seattle Medium Newspaper regarding senior issues.
CADPA Projects
The CD Uncovered
The CD Uncovered is a continuing series of video interviews by former residents of the Central Area documenting their stories...
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Generations
A CADPA & GPI TV collaboration documenting the first 100 years of the musical history of Seattle’s "Central Area"...
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Telling the Truth
Telling The Truth –‘Aaron & Elmer Dixon is a video expose about two iconic figures who implemented and organized...
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