Dedicated to helping people

Laurie Ahart, Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Ahart has served as Chief Executive Officer of Abacus Credit Counseling since Abacus was founded in 2007. Ms. Ahart is a Certified Personal Financial Counselor and has conducted hundreds of free sessions helping individuals to improve their financial situations. Ms. Ahart is also an attorney and member of the State Bar of California. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Stanford University and received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. Prior to founding Abacus Credit Counseling, Ms. Ahart was an associate with Hogan Lovells LLP in Los Angeles.

Marisa Hawkins, Chief Operating Officer and Director

Ms. Hawkins serves as Chief Operations Officer with Abacus. Prior to joining Abacus, Ms. Hawkins was a senior staff attorney in the Consumer Law Project at Public Counsel Law Center in Los Angeles. There, she administered Public Counsel’s bankruptcy project for the benefit of indigent Chapter 7 clients. In addition to managing individual cases, Ms. Hawkins adminstered monthly legal clinics to assist pro se filers, and was instrumental in developing the Self Help Desk at the Central District of California Bankruptcy Court, where individuals can receive free assistance with their bankruptcy filings. Ms. Hawkins received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Berkeley with high distinction and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor's society. She received her Master’s Degree in East Asian Studies from Harvard University, as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the State Bar of California and was the recipient of the 2005 William J. Lasarow Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service in Bankruptcy.

Henkie Barron, Director

Ms. Barron is an attorney specializing in corporate restructuring and bankruptcy matters. She has experience representing debtors and secured lenders in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Stanford University and her Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Michigan, where she was the associate editor for the Michigan Journal of Race and Law and the Michigan Journal of Law Reform. Ms. Barron is currently an associate in the bankruptcy practice at Winston & Strawn LLP, where she received the “Cube of Justice” award recognizing her pro bono efforts. Prior to Winston & Strawn, Ms. Barron was an associate with Sidley Austin. Ms. Barron does not represent individuals seeking personal bankruptcy protection.

John Frye, Director

John Frye is a founder of Crane Asset Management LLC in Beverly Hills and serves as Crane’s Chief Investment Officer. He oversees all aspects of Crane's investment and portfolio management processes. Mr. Frye has 30 years of experience in the investment field. Before co-founding Crane Asset Management LLC, he served as Executive Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Renberg & Associates in Beverly Hills. He began his career with E. F. Hutton & Company in New York and subsequently worked with Alex. Brown & Sons in Baltimore. Mr. Frye received his Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Princeton University and his M.B.A. from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He is a member of the CFA Society of Los Angeles.

Jason Szatkiewicz, Director

Jason Szatkiewicz worked in strategic development for the retail bank network group at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., formerly Washington Mutual. Prior to his position at J.P. Morgan Chase, Mr. Szatkiewicz was a senior analyst in the retail home loans finance group at Washington Mutual, and was a financial analyst at American Airlines and Intel Corporation. Mr. Szatkiewicz holds his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Finance from Boston College, where he graduated from the Carroll School of Management Honors Program. Starting in Fall 2009, Mr. Szatkiewicz is currently pursuing an M.B.A. at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin.

Julie Whiting, Director

Julie Whiting has been an educator in the Los Angeles area for more than 10 years. Ms. Whiting currently teaches at Campbell Hall in North Hollywood. She has also worked as a property manager, and has volunteered with organizations such as Stop the Traffic and the Lake Avenue Church, helping homeless individuals, foster children and other people in need. She received her Bachelor's Degree from the Manhattan School of Music and received a Master's Degree from New York University. Ms. Whiting is also a Certified Personal Financial Counselor.