James Willis, a native of Oregon, has been a performing magician for over 15 years.  His love for entertaining surfaced at an early age.  James started out as a child actor, appearing in independent films such as Ricochet River and Mud Therapy. He’s performed in musicals at the Hult Center, Actors Cabaret of Eugene, Willamette St. Theater, Spotlight Theater, and the Annex. His stage shows include, The King and I (feat. Rod Loomis), 42nd Street (directed by Joe Zingo), Singing in the Rain, The Hobbit, The Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cinderella, and Robin Hood. At the age of 9, however, he went into his first magic shop on a family vacation in Nevada. It was no illusion, he was enamored and dedicated from the moment he opened the magic book.  His parents, who were very supportive of his acting and music, bought him his first magic book. He found that magic was like acting, but with something extra….something that grabbed his attention, it was, for lack of a better word, he was spellbound.

He started out doing children’s birthday parties, corporate events with Key Bank and similar venues, but after awhile he realized he wanted to do more with his magic.  After doing numerous shows for people who were sick, and in need, he found just how he could help AND do what he loves. Magic For Life was created just for that reason. It not only is built to help Children & Seniors in appropriate Care Centers, it’s setup to give magicians an avenue to express their talent. His goal with Magic For Life is to have a large participating network of Development Centers, Hospitals, Care Facilities, and Magicians all dedicated to the same idea; that by creating moments of optimism, it will inspire health, happiness, and well-being.

Born and raised an Oregonian, Alexis has always been intrigued by magic and the effect a performance can have on people. When offered the chance to join Magic for Life, there wasn’t an instant of hesitation. For Alexis, helping people and giving someone a reason to smile is one of the most important things a person can do in life. Raised by parents who taught her the value of following the Golden Rule, Alexis has been volunteering for community service in different ways, through multiple avenues since she was in knee high to a grasshopper. Her strong sense of dedication to helping people matched with her love of magic made Magic for Life an irresistible organization to be involved with.

When asked about what intrigued her about working with Magic for Life, Alexis said, “My mother once said that there’s a little magic inside all of us and the best way to show it is to use it for the good of others.”

James recruited Alexis to join MFL in 2006 when the two worked together during her undergraduate studies at University of Oregon. James gave a performance at a local venue that inspired Alexis to want to further the cause of Magic for Life; so that others may experience similar moments of joy. She joined the Board of Directors shortly thereafter, and has utilized her business skills to further the reach and the inspirational touch of Magic for Life.

Pete Zugelder, Secretary of Magic For Life, has been with the organization since it’s inception. As a native of San Francisco, Pete has developed a keen interest in cultural differences and adaptation to diversity. One constant, though, is his philanthropic endeavors. A long-time contributor and volunteer for such charities as United Way, Looking Glass, The Eugene Mission, Food for Lane County, St Vincent de Paul and Goodwill, Pete has seen what a little glimmer of hope can do to improve an individual’s outlook. It is this very reason that brought him to participate in Magic For Life. “Some people just need a diversion, a break from the cold hard reality of life. The sheer joy on the faces of the kids and adults that get transported to the How did he do THAT? land of Magic is worth all the hard work”. Pete strives to continue to have a positive impact on his community and Magic For Life provides an excellent vehicle. “All I ask is a few minutes of your time to watch the performance, but more importantly the reaction of the audience. It’s like there’s nothing else in the world and that’s what some of these people need”.