Members of the Board

Tom Hopkins

Tom Hopkins presently coordinates a large EU research project “Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessments (SPICOSA). SPICOSA is developing and testing a self-evolving, operational research approach framework for the assessment of policy options for the sustainable management of coastal zone systems. The project represents a pioneering attempt to implement the societal transition to sustainability.

Tom Hopkins is a Professor Emeritus of Oceanography from North Carolina State University, where he taught Oceanography, Global Problems, Environmental Science, and Simulation Modelling. He has enjoyed a long and varied career in research, teaching and studying marine systems on both coasts of the United States, the Arctic and the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Over this career, his interests have trended from specific descriptions of marine environments to the complex systems that involve the interaction of man and nature.

The conclusion of this trend is dominated by his present concern for raising public awareness and political effectiveness in confronting our immediate global problems, e.g. relating for example to climate change, energy availability, loss of diversity, fresh water scarcity, agricultural production, pollution, and social inequality. On a larger political scale, this concern relates to global transition that starts with the shared goal of reining in the two diverse trajectories of our rich and poor societies that are destroying our planetary habitat: those of over-consumption and overpopulation, respectively. As a Board member, Tom will continue to advise MediaGlobal on setting up initiatives to raise awareness on the impact pf Climate Change on developing countries.

Yiping Zhou

Yiping Zhou is the Director of the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation at the United Nations Development Programme. He is responsible for the promotion and coordination of South-South cooperation in the global South and on a United Nations system-wide basis. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Cooperation South, one of UNDP’s signature development journals. Before assuming charge of the Unit, Mr. Zhou served as Regional Programme Officer of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific from 1992 to 1997 and Project Management Officer at the Office for Project Services from 1985 to 1992.
He served as Policy Officer in the Department of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade of the Government of the People’s Republic of China from 1980 to 1984 and for a year thereafter as a diplomat in the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations.

Sam L. Ervin

Sam L. Ervin is a visionary leader, social entrepreneur, innovator and executive. For almost 30 years he has creatively worked to improve the present and future lives of aging Americans. His career has been dedicated to pioneering more effective solutions to medical, health and social service needs, and to bringing these solutions to Washington D.C. to inform and enhance national healthcare policy.

Mr. Ervin was a leader in securing 6 acts of Congress between 1984 and 1999 that implemented, extended and expanded Social HMOs. He has extensive experience and insight in legislative and regulatory relations. On television, radio, in publications and at national conferences, he has presented thoughtful predictions regarding the aging of America and healthcare trends. His unique and pragmatic insight springs from progressing through several levels of the health care arena in the course of his career and from articulating lessons learned.

He started his career as a social worker, holding positions as a planner and manager in various aging programs, and ultimately growing SCAN Health Plan from 1 to 650 employees, from 0 to 55,0000 subscribers and from $270,000 to $500 million in annual revenue over 24 years. At SCAN, he was selected as Executive Director in 1978 and appointed President/CEO in 1983. In 2000 he was elevated to Chairman of the Board, in addition to his role as President/CEO.

Building upon the legacy of his extraordinary contributions in healthcare and aging, Sam Ervin is committed to making a positive contribution toward successfully addressing these issues on a broader, international basis.

Geoffrey P. Wight

Geoffrey P. Wight has served as General Manager of the Eric Hawkins Dance Company through the Dance Touring Program of the National Endowment for the Arts. He later represented the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York, developed publishing business for corporate clients, produced polo events with His Highness the Maharaja of Jaipur and served with International Management Group (IMG) in New York, as Director of Special Projects.

For IMG, he created and executive produced the worldwide and NBC broadcast reunion of the Jackson Family, The Jackson Family Honors and USA Network’s To The Ends of the Earth. He organized several special polo events in the United States, England and India through the Polo Ambassador Series with HH The Maharaja of Jaipur that included HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Sultan of Brunei. He has conducted marketing programs on behalf of companies who were sponsors of sports and entertainment events, such as Continental Airlines, Air-India, KLM, Audemars Piguet, Piaget, Concord, Bertolucci, Snapple and The Casino Association of New Jersey. As Executive Director of the American GrandPrix Association, he conducted strategic planning, marketing and packaging for television (ESPN and FOX Sports Net) and produced the Mayor’s US Open Jumper Championship presented by FedEx (Miami); and initiated innovative marketing for the Budweiser American Invitational (Tampa) resulting in the most successful event in its history. At this time, he serves as Chief Executive of MaxTec, a high-tech hurricane protection company based in Florida.