Our activities include:
- Advocacy and research. Bizparentz provides technical advice to other organizations, law enforcement, legislators and news media. Subjects include pedophilia, child labor law, artist copyright, etc.
- Writing and facilitating articles to educate the public, parents, and industry professionals about the safety, education and rights of young performers.
- Maintenance and expansion of a free website, the largest bank of information about child performers in the world.
- Presentations and live events for parents and families designed to both to educate and celebrate
- Individual family assistance via information and referral. Bizparentz averages 1800 requests for help each year.
- Media Interviews with a goal to encourage a positive image for professional young performers.
For more than a decade, the BizParentz Foundation has been sustained by an unpaid board of directors and volunteer staff. We are also grateful for the enduring support of hundreds of volunteers across the country who are “paying it forward” to the next generation of young performers.
The BizParent
z Foundation Story
Paula Dorn and Anne Henry co-founded Bizparentz in 2004. They both have children who were professional performers and they first met in a Disney audition room as their sons competed for the same role (they both booked it!). That was the beginning of a life-changing friendship and non-profit volunteer partnership.
Paula Dorn worked in corporate accounting. She has worked as a volunteer leader with school PTAs at the local and council level. She also served as a parent advisor to the Screen Actors Guild Young Performers Committee. Her son worked in voiceover, professional theater, and was most recognizable on the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful.
Anne Henry spent 15 years working in city administration, including roles in parks and recreation, special events, social services, youth services, and legislation and public policy. She currently works as an administrator at a private elementary school. She has served as a parent advisor to the Screen Actors Guild Young Performers Committee. Anne’s three children had three very different professional careers: one did theater and small parts in Oscar-winning movies, another did mostly commercials and sitcoms, and the third excelled at voiceover and comedy feature films.
Bizparentz began in 2003 when California was passing a new version of the Coogan law, known then as SB210. It was very clear at the time that organizations creating the law were not interested in sharing the new information with parents — information that was going to profoundly affect how they do business on behalf of their children. Bizparentz was first born as a mailing list of families interested in the new Coogan law and who were tired of the “child star gone bad stories” affecting their daily lives. Very quickly after the law’s passage, parents started to ask Anne and Paula for advice on all sorts of business related topics — talent scams, agents, publicity, juggling family life, and even entertainment contracts. Parents were hungry for someone they could rely on — an objective voice that wasn’t making money off their child. Bizparentz was the perfect destination since there is no financial interest here — all services, and this website, are free. Children and families are always the priority!
Starting in 2005, new family needs began to emerge related to predators: both predators of money (talent scams) and predators of sex (pedophilia) in the entertainment industry. Paula and Anne found there was no solid research in these areas and embarked on a path that landed them squarely as experts in the field, while still juggling Bizparentz’ day to day work with parents. Yet another need is emerging: child safety in relation to social media.
Today Bizparentz continues to be run by volunteers: Paula and Anne take no salary from the organization. Teams of volunteers, including industry professionals and parents volunteers help according to their expertise. The organization has a presence in over a dozen social media groups for parents. Bizparentz is recognized as the the leading organization serving families in the entertainment industry, and the organization has partnered with actors and legislators all over the United States to develop safe standards for children in the industry. Paula and Anne have been quoted in publications all over the world, and articles on this site have been translated in more than 10 languages. See our list of News Articles here.
Bizparentz Foundation is an IRS 501 c(3) non-profit organization. We are incorporated in California, one of the most highly regulated states for charities in the nation. Our California registry information is here. You may check our status on the State website. and you may check our federal status on the IRS charity site. Despite our grassroots, team approach, there are real expenses to the organization including the costs for this website. Bizparentz survives solely on donations. If you would like to support our work, please consider a donation here.
