Branden Butler - Department of Fair Employment and Housing

Branden Butler is the Assistant Deputy Director of Education and Outreach for the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Prior to joining DFEH, Branden was the Senior Attorney of the Fair Housing Center of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. (LASSD), where for nine years he was instrumental in creating the first fair housing services program at LASSD that provides education, outreach, testing, and enforcement of fair housing laws.

Branden began his career as a Housing Advocate at Communities Actively Living Independent and Free, a disability rights organization in downtown Los Angeles where he advocated for housing rights for persons with disabilities.  Branden is a native Californian and graduated cum laude from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and received the Charles T. Bumer Civil Libertarian Award. Branden earned his B.A. graduating magna cum laude from California State University, Chico.

Karie Bennett - Salon Atelier

Karie became a hairstylist at age 3 when she cut her own bangs.  Fast forward to today: She’s been a California-based Cosmetologist for over 35 years, and a multi-location salon owner for over 2o.  Her employment-based Atelier Salons are located in San Jose, California, in the heart of the Silicon Valley.  Karie has been a part of the Aveda tribe since 1985, still sees clients in the salon two days a week and was recently re-elected for a second term to the Professional Beauty Association's Salon/Spa Advisory Council.  A recent career highlight was to represent the PBA on Capitol Hill in DC to lobby for FICA tip tax reform, helping to protect the industry she loves.

Kristen Deazeley - IRS Communications & Liaison Division

Kristen Deazeley is a Public Affairs Specialist in the Tax Outreach, Partnership and Education office of the Internal Revenue Service Communications & Liaison Division. She works with employers, industry and trade associations and has regularly presented on behalf of IRS at tax practitioner and industry virtual and face to face events. Kristen joined the IRS in 2004 as a Revenue Agent where she performed examinations of sole proprietorships, C corporations and flow through entities. She has also held assignments as a Stakeholder Liaison, Taxpayer Advocate Service Group Manager and performed details with the National Research Program.

Kristy Underwood - California Board of Barbering & Cosmetology

Kristy Underwood was appointed to the position of Executive Officer of the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology on August 10, 2005. As Executive Officer, Kristy oversees one of the largest barbering and cosmetology regulatory boards in the country with 104 employees and a budget of over $19 million.

Since her appointment, Kristy has made it a goal to provide education to consumers and licensees on the dangers that face consumers while receiving barbering, cosmetology and electrology services. In Kristy's efforts to protect consumers she implemented new regulation for the cleaning and disinfecting of whirlpool footspas and legislation that takes disciplinary action against a licensee where a whirlpool footspa is found to be an imminent risk to consumer safety.