Portraits of the Valley

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around the Valley.

David Cohen

Growing up my dream was to be a plastic surgeon. Restoring people’s self confidence through the power of altering their appearance. Going through school I realized that I still had the same goal but I could do it through dentistry. To me dentistry was not just teeth it was a hyper speciality when it came to the face. Read more>>

Lindsey Glass

I have always had a very strong connection to the natural world. Out of high school, I attended Hawaii Pacific University where I graduated with a degree in Biology and then went on to pursue a career as a microbiologist. Read more>>

Jack Ritter

I started out obsessing over rock and metal bands in middle and high school, mostly from the 90s and early 2000s. Bands like Deftones, Korn, and Slipknot inspired me to start taking my guitar playing more seriously, and to start paying more attention to production value in songs. Read more>>

Tiara Estupinian

I never thought I’d get the chance to pursue art, especially growing up in a Hispanic household where stability and security were always the priority. At 15, I volunteered in a baby delivery department, and by 16 I had already graduated high school to get a head start on my journey to becoming an OB/GYN. My life felt planned out. Read more>>

Karen Scott

There have been many defining moments throughout my life that have led me to the path of service in the holistic wellness industry. One of the most defining, was losing my mother to cancer. Read more>>

Angela Mona

I come from an Armenian immigrant family of hardships and broken dreams, one that sacrificed everything and lived in survival mode to make ends meet, build security for their children. Within that pain and cultural tragedy though came music, and girl was there music everywhere. Practically my first language before I could properly speak anything. Read more>>

Orsela Hakoupian

About ten years ago, I opened an Instagram account simply because I loved fashion and getting dressed up. Like many girls, I enjoyed putting outfits together, going out, and capturing those moments. Back then, social media looked nothing like it does today. It wasn’t a business strategy or a career path. It was just something fun that brought me joy. Read more>>

Kendra Fuchs

I was actually born a Valley Girl — I was born at Valley Presbyterian Hospital — but my family moved to Riverside when I was about two years old, so that’s really where I grew up. Later, I moved back to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, where I studied history. Read more>>

Rishi Sharma

I grew up inside stories. In India, wisdom doesn’t arrive in textbooks — it’s told. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata came to me the way they’ve come to children for centuries: at night, from elders, in fragments, with the warriors and kings half-real and half-dreamt. I didn’t plan to become a choreographer or a filmmaker. Read more>>

Debra Vazquez

My story starts with my mom; I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for her resilience. At a very young age, she had to risk her education in order to help provide for her family. She eventually moved from her small town in Mexico to the US, in search of better opportunities. Read more>>

Natalie Kasif

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been creating. What started as a love for art evolved into crafting one-of-a-kind jewelry, inspired by the natural world and striking architecture. Entirely self-taught, my journey is hands on and intuitive, each piece telling its own story. Through my work, I hope to share a bit of that wonder and individuality with you. Read more>>

MARCELA IGLESIAS

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and from a young age, I dreamed of something bigger. At 20 (or around 22), I took a huge leap and moved to the United States with just $3,000 in my pocket. The first years were tough — I lived as an undocumented immigrant, worked odd jobs, and even started as a movie extra in Hollywood. Read more>>

Sandy Stein

I had been a flight attendant for over 30 years, when my husband decided to retire. My son was only 10 and a flight attendant’s part-time salary did not cover our expenses. Read more>>

Emily Barber

Filmmaking was a career path I was neither encouraged nor advised to go into. My family would always cite Harrison Ford’s carpentry background saying that even he had a backup plan. I was never the lead in any plays, or a featured vocalist in choir, in fact I wasn’t even allowed to watch tv and film growing up without my parent’s permission. Read more>>

Christine Melendres

My story began in the Philippines. I was born in Iba, Zambales, known as the home of the world’s sweetest mangoes. I proudly carry my Kapampangan and Sambal roots from Bacolor, Pampanga, and Botolan, Zambales. When I was three and a half years old, my family immigrated to the United States, and I was raised in Daly City, California, surrounded by a large Filipino community. Read more>>

Presley Hawk

I grew up in Los Angeles and was already influenced by entertainment. Fell in love with Musical theater and dance. It helped me explore my creativity but also kept me active. I had really bad ADD (attention deficit disorder) so it helped me cope and mange my body and emotions better. This love of dance and musical theatre led me to AMDA college and conservatory. Read more>>

Jade Capasso

I was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, which is full of dark history and ghost stories. A lot of people consider it one of the most haunted places in the world. It’s also where I had my first paranormal experience. Read more>>

Elizabeth Valenti

I was born and raised in New Jersey, which I’m very proud to say! I love going back to New Jersey and visiting. There, my family enrolled me in musical theatre and dance classes, and I really fell in love with the stage and storytelling. Read more>>

Logan McNay

I grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and got into filmmaking and VFX when I was 10, watching YouTubers like Freddie Wong and Corridor Digital. I admired how they made films with their friends, and I wanted to do the same. Read more>>

Gabby Robinson

My name is Gabrielle Robinson, but everyone calls me Gabby — a nickname given to me by my very first dance teacher when I was about five years old. It stuck, and I’ve been “Gabby” ever since. I started dancing around age four and trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop. Read more>>

Claire Rodriguez

In high school, I watched Up and Toy Story 3 and my love for animation grew from there. I attended Cal State Northridge to major in art and took mostly animation classes. I always loved drawing backgrounds even in high school. Once I took a perspective class, I focused more on background art and painting. Read more>>

Skylar Brown

I have known since a young child that I wanted to be an actress. As far back as I can remember, I was always entertaining. As an only child, I learned the art and power of entertainment, of others, and especially myself. Read more>>

Nikki Dimitrijevich

I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember, even before I knew that’s what I was doing. As a kid, I was always performing. One of my earliest images of myself is dancing in the living room in a matching sweatsuit set, doing karate-dance moves to Michael Jackson like I was training for a very tiny arena tour. Read more>>

Kenneth Ko

In 2018, we built a Japanese sushi and skewer restaurant with professional karaoke from scratch—literally starting with four empty walls. We wanted to create a high-quality venue, not a typical nightlife spot. Right after we opened, COVID hit. It was a massive challenge, but with the support of our team, we survived. That experience taught me a lot about business. Read more>>

Isabella Fernanda Perez

My journey as a performing artist began practically at birth. I was raised in West Hills, California, in a Mexican immigrant household where music was part of everyday life. Read more>>

Cierra Guerra

Picture it, Tampa in the 99’s and 2000’s where a fun, outgoing, spunky talkative and tenacious gem was being taught life lessons that created her foundation to today’s life’s successes and tough lessons. Read more>>

Lonnie Mintz

I’ve been an Award Winning Realtor since 1998. During my college years, I interned for Top Agents with Fred Sands Realty. After graduating CSUN with a degree in communications, I began his full-time career in Real Estate with Sunset Realtors and was quickly recognized for my top sales performance. Read more>>

PK Kugasemrat

I was born and raised in Thailand and came to the United States for school. While I was in school, I worked part-time at a Thai restaurant, and I started feeling that maybe one day I could own a small Thai restaurant of my own. I want it to be simple and fast, like Thai street food, with affordable prices just like in Thailand. Read more>>

Kierra Dixson

My journey has been anything but traditional, and honestly, I think that’s what shaped me most. I’m originally from Detroit, and growing up there taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and the importance of community. Before stepping fully into public relations and entrepreneurship, I worked in social work and case management, where I developed a deep understanding of people, communication, and advocacy. Read more>>

Jacqueline Gutierrez

Grow Love Coffee, a mobile espresso bar emerged from my love and passion for coffee. I would constantly brew up ideas on the notes app on my phone. I love drinking coffee and trying new coffee shops in the LA area. I knew I wanted to create a mobile espresso bar to serve the community of the San Fernando Valley. Read more>>

Rachel Ramirez

Ever since I was a child, I’ve adored flowers. I was known to go around my neighborhood with my doll stroller loaded up with lemons and picked flowers to sell for a nickel (sorry neighbors!). Inspired by my mother’s yard and botanical gardens around the world, I’ve always been drawn to natural beauty. Read more>>

Johnnie Smith

Chef Johnnie Smith, after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu 18 years ago, has been an executive chef that has traveled the country cooking for some very exclusive clients including a host of well known Rappers, Athletes and some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Read more>>

Tyrone Perry

I grew up in Los Angeles with a clarinet in one hand and a basketball in the other. I played in orchestra on clarinet and alto saxophone while chasing serious hoop dreams I even earned trials with The Long Beach Push. Then life hit me with a major injury that changed everything. Read more>>

Nathan Wright

I grew up in Australia and fell in love with acting around 10 years old. If I’m being honest, it probably started because I was the middle child and loved the attention — but over time it became something much deeper. Read more>>

Tatiana Chao

Fourteen years ago, our family had a simple dream: to bring real, organic food to our community. Back then, there wasn’t much around Santa Clarita offering fresh juices, organic smoothies, healthy breakfasts, or wholesome lunches made with quality ingredients. Read more>>

Jonathan Cohen

My grandfather migrated to Los Angeles from Argentina in the 1950s/1960s. He was a painter who started making mosaics once he got to America. One day, he saw someone across the street making mosaic and asked if he could help. The guy said yes, and the rest was history. After years of practice, he showed his son, who showed his son (me). Read more>>

Brian Edwards

I’ve been in dentistry for over 16 years, but the version of dentistry I practice today looks very different from the one I was originally taught. Like many dentists early in their careers, I entered a system heavily driven by insurance limitations, production pressure, and reactive treatment. Read more>>

Yahli Alron

My journey with health and fitness started from a genuine passion for wellness, movement, and helping women feel strong and confident in their bodies. Over time, that passion grew into Yahli Fit, where I began sharing my approach to fitness, nutrition, and sustainable healthy living in a way that felt realistic and approachable. Read more>>

Gary J. Cole

Hello, my name is Gary J. Cole and I’m a meditation and energy practitioner born and raised in Los Angeles. I’ve always been fascinated with individuals process in life. What routines will bring you happiness, love and luck. Read more>>

CrayonCrate LLC

My journey into design started in high school, where I was always sketching in my notebook instead of focusing on traditional subjects. While many friends headed to big-name schools, I attended community college still searching for direction. Everything changed after taking a graphic design class with Mrs. Gardner, who helped me realize design was my future. Read more>>

Katherine Scott

The perplexities of the human mind have always been a source of curiosity. Growing up as an only child surrounded by a monotony of adults and different dynamics, I found myself a consistent observer of people’s patterns. I was raised by fierce nurturers, so I knew I wanted to do something that made a helpful impact. Read more>>

Stephanie Kim

I spent 15 years working in television, in brand content and production. Once I had my children, I decided to stay home full time. I’ve always enjoyed social media. Read more>>

Noosha Kohandarvish

I was raised in Tarzana by incredible immigrant parents who fled the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley was something I truly loved—I attended Wilbur, Portola, and Taft, and I’m still close with my childhood friends from those days. From an early age, I was drawn to both animals and medicine. Read more>>

Jaelen Edmonds

My journey has truly been the unfolding of a lotus flower, growing through layers, guided by purpose, and rooted in transformation. From a young age, I always carried big dreams. I was inspired by multi-hyphenate creatives like Raven-Symoné and Hannah Montana, and I knew early on that I wanted to live a life that blended creativity, expression, and impact. Music was my first love. Read more>>