Jeff Mettais – President
Jeff manages the company’s business affairs with a focus on strategic planning, brand development, sales and marketing. Jeff’s grandmother’s ongoing battle with dementia has given special meaning to his work with Memory Lane.

"When I see how much dementia has changed my grandmother, I understand the hardships loved ones face when dealing with the disease. My mother works tirelessly as the primary caregiver and it’s gratifying to know our products will help ease her burden, and bring a smile to my grandmother." -- Jeff Mettais

Jeff formerly served as executive vice president of The Baby Einstein Company where he oversaw sales, marketing and distribution for the company’s line of developmental videos, music and print products. During his three years at the company annual sales increased from $1 million to $20 million through a robust online effort and strategic relationships with specialty distributors, domestic and international licensees, and promotional partnerships with leading consumer products makers. Prior to joining Baby Einstein, Jeff lived and worked in Japan for 12 years where he co-founded COMTEC, a specialty media publishing and distribution company that was acquired by Disney Japan in 2003. Memory Lane represents a natural convergence of Jeff’s interest in health and wellness, entrepreneurship and specialty publishing.

"I'm committed to making products that bring people with Alzheimer's a better quality of life. And for caregivers, there is nothing more powerful than seeing a loved one smiling, responding and enjoying life. That's the magic of Memory Lane." -- Brian Raffety

Dr. Raffety received his doctorate in Clinical, Social and Personality Psychology from the University of Washington, and a M.S. in Gerontology from the University of Oregon. His areas of basic research include stress and coping, modeling interpersonal relationships and learning theory and applied systems. He has received funding from the National Institutes of Health to develop interactive learning environments for caregiver training and for teaching medical professionals strategies for increasing patient motivation. His current NIH-funded projects include technology-based tools for enhancing informed consent in mental health and HIV research.

Bill has been a successful publishing executive for more than 20 years. He was the founder of Optical Data Corporation, a multimedia educational publisher, and a co-founder of The Baby Einstein Company. Optical Data pioneered the use of laser videodisc and CD-ROM as educational publishing formats and Bill was named one of 10 "Educators of the Decade" by Electronic Learning Magazine for this ground-breaking achievement. Bill also was named an "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Ernst & Young in the same year. Under his management, Optical Data grew from a basement startup into a company with $30 million in annual sales before it was purchased by Cox Enterprises.

In 1998, Clark joined his wife Julie’s start-up company, Baby Einstein, as publisher and chief financial officer. Together the Clarks created the infant developmental media market, established Baby Einstein as a world-class brand, and grew the little-company-that-could into a highly profitable enterprise. The Walt Disney Company acquired Baby Einstein in November 2001.

Julie founded The Baby Einstein Company in 1997. Her goal was to provide fun, interactive ways to expose her own babies to the arts and humanities, subjects that were important to her as a mother and former English teacher. Five years, 10 videos and 30 children’s books later, Julie sold Baby Einstein to The Walt Disney Company.

Baby Einstein videos received accolades for giving infants and toddlers a way to experience joy and laughter through classical music, poetry, nature and art. As reported in The New York Times on October 28, 2003, 32 percent of all new babies born in the United States own Baby Einstein videos.

Prior to the sale to Disney, Julie and the story of Baby Einstein were covered extensively by the national media, including appearances by Julie on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, Live! With Regis and Kelly, The View and The John Walsh Show, and feature articles in USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, People Magazine, Redbook, Elle, Entrepreneur, Parenting Magazine, Child Magazine, Baby Talk and Working Mother.

Along with her interest in Memory Lane, Julie has started a new company called The Safe Side. Her collaboration with John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted will combine a series of video and other consumer products that teach children to stay safe in a variety of situations. (www.thesafeside.com)

"My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when she was 50 and I was 16 so I grew up fast. I spent the next 23 years of my life watching my father take care of her before she passed. This was the most difficult as well as the most moving experience of my life. I feel blessed to have an opportunity to bring my life experience to this project and make a difference for people with dementia and their families" -- Mark Burr

Mark is an award-winning videographer and editor. He has over 20 years experience behind-the-camera, both directing and producing corporate, children’s and documentary videos. Mark was instrumental in the success of The Baby Einstein series, having shot and edited a number of the company’s video titles. Other clients over the years have included Disney, ABC, NBC, Time Warner, Encore, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.