Inspiring Stories from the OC

The heart of our mission at VoyageLA is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our city. In the recent weeks we’ve had the privilege to connect with some of Orange County’s finest artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with our city’s incredibly deep talent pool.  Check out the Orange County’s rising stars below.

Mervat Gabrielle

After relocating to the U.S. as a mother of two young children, I faced numerous challenges, but giving up was never an option. My persistence, patience, and passion for what I do have always helped me stand out. Today, I am proud to have established a successful and reputable café, built from the ground up with integrity, hard work, and heart. Read more>>

Micki and Anthony Purcell

This year, Stand Up for a Cause gala, taking place Friday, October 24, 2025, at the prestigious Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. This year’s event also marks the organization’s milestone 15th anniversary of delivering critical funding, advocacy, and hope to SCI survivors across the country. Read more>>

Leah Smith

I’ve always believed creativity isn’t something you do, it’s something you live. After years of working (in a variety of careers) I focused on marketing and storytelling, and realized that the most powerful brands weren’t just selling products or services… they were creating feelings. That’s when I founded The Creative Cabana, a boutique marketing agency rooted in nostalgia, storytelling, and style. Read more>>

Hà Vandervorst

I had a desire to work in Medical field so I attened Medical program in Huntington adult school, then working at several doctor offices. When Pandemic happened across the country and spread out the world, I began to study at home and get certificate as Life, Health, Accident Insurance Agent. Read more>>

Brett Bolich

I started performing magic professionally 8 years ago but I have been in magic my whole life. I watched a lot of great magic growing up in the 90’s and early 2,000’s. I got my first magic set on my 5th birthday. I have done some shows growing up but it wasn’t to the level of shows I do now. Read more>>

ed postal

Back in 1991, a friend of mine who worked in corporate sales told me she had just hit $1 million in sales—but wasn’t happy where she was. I told her, “I’ll start an agency.” I knew absolutely nothing about the business, but with a bit of research and determination, I launched a company from scratch—with a manager and six agents. Read more>>

Yolanda Coronado

My story with Senor Big Ed started in the 1980s. I started working as a dishwasher, prep and cook or anything that needed to be done, one day at a time, with dedication and a love for hard work. In 2002, the restaurant was offered to me. Read more>>

Sarunyoo ( Petch ) Phisuttharom

Hi, my name is Petch. I’m originally from Bangkok, Thailand. Since I was a kid, my family moved around a lot, and they always encouraged me to try different kinds of food—from the south to the north of Thailand. Read more>>

Jacqueline Micallef

I have been an educator for a little over 30 years, with a strong focus on Early Childhood Education (ECE), which the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) defines as the developmental period from birth to age eight. Read more>>

Rhonda Ducote

I started my career in the financial industry over 30 years ago at a large firm that was very revenue-focused. While I gained valuabl I started my career in the financial industry over 30 years ago at a large firm that was very revenue-focused. While I gained valuable technical experience there, I quickly realized that this approach wasn’t what interested me most. Read more>>

Lynn Girvin

I started my own estate planning practice in 2012, when my youngest of three boys started kindergarten. I began my professional career practicing litigation as in-house defense counsel for a national insurance company. I really enjoyed my position and had the opportunity to travel. Read more>>

Frank Lee

My journey began with martial arts, which has always been a deep part of my life and identity. The movements and demands in martial arts are unique — often difficult to explain or even understand unless you’ve experienced them yourself. Read more>>

Mark Spearman

Cecil and our family purchased the club in 1984, and it’s been a true family business ever since. Mark was still traveling and competing on tour for the next four years before joining his father, Cecil, as a tennis professional and later becoming Tennis Director in 1990. Read more>>

Zach Ficke

Salt & Lime is the culmination of a 10 year old boy’s dream. Ever since he can remember, Chef Zach Ficke loved to cook! His passion for cooking stemmed from assisting in cooking family dinners each night, until soon thereafter, his parents realized they could relax and upgraded him to sole dinner cook, preparing multiple course meals for family and friends! Read more>>

Aamir Kadri

It started when my father placed me in Taekwondo. That’s where I met someone who became very dear to me, Ernie Rivas. At the time, I was 9 years old, and something about his energy drew my attention right away. During one tournament, I kept following him around, probably annoying him. Read more>>

Kaitlyn Kuo

I came to the U.S. with one dream which was to earn my doctoral degree in psychology. I didn’t know if I could survive, let alone succeed, in a new country with a different language, culture, and set of expectations. Like many immigrants, I experienced deep imposter syndrome — the fear that I wasn’t good enough and didn’t belong. Read more>>

Barry Paschall

I started off just rapping with my friends for fun. Just trying to say the craziest, funniest thing but still with some artistic integrity. Think Odd Future meets like Sesh Hollow and Lil B. We also had a pretty funny YouTube series called After School Special where we interviewed local artists which got us more involved in the scene. Read more>>

Charles Breeden

I was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky in the early 70s. I grew up moving around a lot because my father was in the US Army. During my childhood, I lived in Kentucky, Germany, Texas and South Korea. I graduated high school in Mannheim, Germany, my father’s last assignment prior to his retirement from the Army. Read more>>

Okkyum Kim

Since I was young, I’ve always loved music — not only playing it, but also listening to it through high-quality audio systems. In 1998, while living in Sydney, Australia, I was introduced by a violinist friend to a violin making workshop. The moment I stepped inside, I was completely fascinated by the art and beauty of instrument making. Read more>>

juaneice Munoz

My Design journey started in 2007 when the mortgage industry crashed. My husband and I lost our home , and were forced to move with our 3 young children and regroup. I decided to go to school and get a formal education in interior architecture and design. Read more>>

Jessica Rodriguez

I grew up in Riverside CA, and always loved visiting the beach, often spending much of my childhood at local beaches in Newport, surfing and learning to SCUBA dive at Corona Del Mar beach when I was 15 years old. In college I studied Biology, and always had aspirations of working on or near the ocean as a professional. Read more>>

Christopher Snell

I live in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, and started my travel agency, Not So Hostel World, to show clients that travel doesn’t have to be stressful, complicated, or out of reach. Read more>>

Julia Sackis-Breaux

I’ve always been fascinated by the way food and herbs can influence our health, even from a young age. When my mom moved us to California and began working in the wellness field, it sparked a journey we would eventually share. Read more>>

Andrea Elmore

My Story – Andrea Elmore My name is Andrea Elmore. I’m a professional dancer from Colombia, trained in contemporary dance, Colombian folkloric styles, and aerial silks. Dance has always been my language — a way to express, connect, and survive. In 2016, I moved to the United States with my American boyfriend, stepping into a completely new world. Read more>>

Rebecca Williams

My professional journey started in education, with a desire to help teenagers, who I think are often given a bad-rap when really they are curious, creative, and trying to figure themselves out and where they fit in the world. Read more>>

ALI SHEMIRANI

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. My journey started with a passion for helping people achieve one of the biggest milestones in their lives — homeownership. Coming from a background that taught me the value of hard work and community, I wanted to build a career that combined financial expertise with genuine human connection. Read more>>

Sharon Vidano

In high school, I really found what lit me up. I loved the visual and performing arts. However, growing up in a very strict Asian family, I was not allowed to choose Art as a major in college. I was given the choices of being a nurse or an accountant. Read more>>

Angel Ramirez

I’m a college student going through school again to pursue Graphic Design at The Laguna College of Art and Design or LCAD. beforehand I went to Cal State Long Beach for screenwriting but when I realized that career wasn’t for me I had to make a change. Read more>>

Edel Legaspi

Edel Legaspi is the Owner and Principal of Legaspi Courts Design, a full-service interior design and interior architecture studio based in Los Angeles. The studio’s work spans from large-scale luxury residences to creative commercial interiors. Each project reflects a design philosophy that combines Edel’s commitment to her clients’ vision with her passion for creating dynamic, engaging spaces rich in color, texture, and form. Read more>>

Kaffee Peck

I was born in Malaysia, a Muslim country, but my father was a Methodist pastor. Music was a part of my life from a very young age. I began piano lessons early, and one day I saw a harp at my piano teacher’s house. That moment stayed with me. Read more>>

Donna Burkland

Orange County is a hub for Evangelicalism, namely Evangelical Mega-churches. A lot of folks grew up in the Evangelical church here in Orange County. During the 2016 election, a lot of Evangelicals woke up to the rising concerns in social issues, like immigration, racial injustice, and LGBTQ+ inclusion to name a few. Read more>>

Andrew Phillips

I grew up in an accounting family, so in many ways this work has been part of my story from the beginning. My father built a respected accounting firm in Orange County that served dentists and physicians. I had a front-row seat to how trust, relationships, and specialized knowledge can make a real difference in people’s lives and businesses. Read more>>

Hillary McCrumb

Hi-C Wellness Retreats came about in 2018, but the seeds were planted much earlier. When I started as a personal trainer in 2015, it became apparent early in my career that just helping people lift weights wasn’t enough to help them reach their goals and truly feel good. Read more>>

Clayton Allison

Well to start this business came to be after I was faced with a sad situation and a hard decision to make. Through out my career life I had always been involved in customers service and mechanical maintenance along with manufacturing. Read more>>

celeste DiRocco

In November 2021 my husband Philip and I went out on a limb and purchased our first Airbnb / vacation rental in Gatlinburg, TN. Was a risk being many states away, and actually had never even been to TN. We purchased the small cabin site unseen to satisfy the urge to fix up a property and invest in our future for our children. Read more>>

Steven Lockhart

You know, it really started with seeing a gap that just didn’t sit right with me. Here were all these incredible people—doctors healing patients, therapists restoring hope, healthcare providers changing lives—and they had something genuinely valuable to offer their communities. But when it came to getting their message out there digitally? Read more>>

Alexis De Lugo

I started cosmetology school in 2018 in Santa Monica immediately after graduating high school. At the time I was trying to study textured hair like my own to help others embrace what they have naturally instead of spending hours damaging their hair regularly like I did for 6 years. Read more>>

Nikki Randhawa

In my last interview, I shared how my passion for acting began when I was five years old, after watching trailers for Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End. Even though I wasn’t allowed to watch the movies at the time, I became fascinated by the idea that one person—like Johnny Depp—could transform into a completely different character. Read more>>

Greg Jones

I am a career working chef and teacher with 20+ years experience . I have worked in fast paced environments ranging from the most hi-tech kitchens to make-shift grills on the beach. I have had many amazing adventures working as a chef in my career but there are two that stand out. Read more>>

Julie Williams

In 1996 my daughter was born with spina bifida. At 6mo old she began receiving services like physical therapy for example. Her first PT was phenomenal- I expected all professionals to demonstrate the same level of passion, commitment, and quality of intervention. I quickly realized this PT was the exception and not the norm. Read more>>

Gwen Bijayayothin

I was born in Thailand to Thai and Vietnamese parents, and moved to California in 2002 with the dream of building a better future. Shortly after arriving, I began my journey in nursing — a career that has become both my passion and my purpose. I earned my first nursing degree and immediately fell in love with the art of caring for others. Read more>>

Ayse Ademuwagun

My story began in Turkey, where I grew up with big dreams and a deep curiosity about how the world works. Education has always been very important to me — it opened doors and shaped the person I’ve become. Years ago, I made the brave decision to move to the United States to continue my studies and build a better future. Read more>>

Tim Braun

Tim Braun is an internationally renowned medium, and has conducted over 22,000 sittings over the past 28 years. Born in Whittier, California, and as a USC graduate with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, he is the youngest of six children, and currently resides in Orange County. Read more>>

Robert Thomas

Massage Integrity is the evolution of Rob Thomas’ CMT HHP, the owner of Massage Integrity LLC, 20 year journey in the sports, health, wellness, and sports industries. The journey started being Pedorthicly trained fitting footwear and giving gait and posture analysis for athletes and those with medical needs. Read more>>

Natalie Holt MacDonald

I am a professional actor, singer, dancer, and voice teacher in the Los Angeles area. I have been working professionally as a stage actress for over a decade in regional theater, touring productions, theme parks, and cruise contracts. I have done some tv and film projects as well, but my current passion is musical theater. Read more>>

Joel Marshall

I am from Edmonds Washington, which is a little north of Seattle. We were kind of goofy kids, and liked to do public improvisational events. We are credited for inventing an early form of planking, we called face dancing. I went on to The University of Washington, where my dad taught metalworking, and majored in Drama. Read more>>

Zach Huber

My journey with video/film has honestly been quite silly, rooted in following my intuition and working tirelessly through failures. Read more>>

Brendan Martin

I started rapping in high school, which led me to opening locally for Wu-Tang and Mac Miller. Through college I kept that momentum, opening for major artists like Lupe Fiasco and J. Cole at both my school and big venues around Albany, New York. After graduating, I gave myself one year to see if I could make music financially sustainable-and I did. Read more>>

Yuna Bae

My journey began with a simple passion for teaching math and a strong belief that every child can develop confidence in learning when guided with patience and creativity. Since high school and throughout college, I tutored math as a side job, and it quickly became something I truly enjoyed. Read more>>