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.

Ana Papanyan

I think my story is really a story of transformation – and of learning that sometimes the path that doesn’t look straight is exactly the one that brings you where you are supposed to be. I was born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, and music was a very important part of my life from an early age. Read more>>

brittany cole

I currently work in animation as a production assistant in TV. Working in animation had been a dream of mine since I learned I could work in this field when I was in high school. I have always had a love of animation and film making. Read more>>

Bri Cirel

I’ve been artistic my whole life. My mom said I always had crayons in my pockets ready to draw. I attended gifted art programs from third grade through high school, built a portfolio, applied for grants, and got myself to art college. I never considered doing anything else. I went to California College of the Arts in Oakland and loved every second. Read more>>

Lucca De Oliveira

I was born and raised in New York, Manhattan to be exact. Raised in the city, my parents both had a passion for all things art. It’s an incredibly artistic and inspiring city, and I spent almost all my weekends going to plays, galleries, or museums. Read more>>

Aliyia Williams

I’ve spent my career at the intersection of music, culture, and brand, the space where a good song meets a great deal. I’ve worked on the management team for artists like Normani, Coco Jones, Flo Milli, and Isaia Huron, and completed partnerships with brands including MAC, Olay, Bose, and Vogue. Read more>>

Rocio de la Grana

I’m originally from Argentina, and I came to Los Angeles to pursue my dream of working in the entertainment industry as an actress. I’ve been living in LA for nine years now. I studied at the Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory, and after graduating, I started building a career in the entertainment industry while challenging myself in a completely new environment. Read more>>

Goldmond Fong

I actually got my start editing Call of Duty montages on YouTube and watching After Effects tutorials back in 2011. I was just a teenager messing around, teaching myself how to edit, make graphics, and create effects because I thought it was fun. I definitely didn’t know at the time that it could turn into a career. Read more>>

Jazmin Perez

My mother wouldn’t take care of me well as a baby within the womb and out as she would intoxicate herself with drugs and alcohol. I was neglected. DCFS took me away to foster care at age 3-5, I am not sure,I remember one foster home at age 5 and my paternal grandmother fought to get legal guardianship and through the obstacles she obtained me. Read more>>

Pete George

I come from a pretty musical family, so I guess some of this was inevitable. My father, Gil George, served in the Army at West Point and was its first accordion soloist. He would play VIP events, sometimes going table to table, and performed for people including President Eisenhower and Fidel Castro. My parents were actually married in the church at West Point. Read more>>

Christina Brophy

Women of Impact was founded with one simple belief: when women come together with purpose, they create lasting change. I wanted to build more than a networking organization—I wanted to create a movement that united businesswomen, athletes, community leaders, and youth through service, mentorship, and opportunity. Growing up, I experienced firsthand how sports can transform lives. They teach discipline, confidence, leadership, and resilience. Read more>>

Maria Mocanu

I am the founder and CEO of Glareon Media, a creative marketing agency based in Los Angeles. I am originally from Bucharest, Romania, which is where I spent my entire childhood. Read more>>

Selwyn Huqueriza

I grew up in the Bay Area. Pursued tennis competitively in hopes to be a professional since I was 5. Played through high school on Varsity and decided to give it up in college At that point I was already taking drama classes since middle school and high school. Read more>>

Olivia Rush

I am a professional dancer, choreographer, model and philanthropist. I am represented by Bloc LA/Bloc NYC and have been blessed to be trained and mentored by the best in the industry. Eleven years ago, when I was 14 years old, I suffered a traumatic brain injury that almost ended my life as a result of bullying. Read more>>

Grace Evanoff

I started writing when I was a kid. I come from a family of writers and grew up in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, so I was fortunate to be surrounded by creatives and open-minded thinkers. I write poetry, plays, screenplays, and prose. Wet Cement Press just published my book of micro essays, Tiny Little Landslides. Read more>>

Mike Milo

I grew up in Old Tappan, New Jersey, and I’ve been drawing since I was five. What did it was a promotional brochure for The Art of Walt Disney that showed up in our mailbox. Inside was a Mickey Mouse model sheet, expressions and turnaround rotations, the whole thing. Read more>>

Jordan Abright

My journey began with an internship in public relations, where I initially thought I had found the path I wanted to pursue. I quickly realized, however, that PR wasn’t the right fit for me. Instead of staying on a path that didn’t feel authentic, I took the opportunity to explore what truly inspired me and find where my passion lived. Read more>>

Rebecca Tarabocchia

I took my first acting class in early 2018, and I just knew I had been right all along. This was what I was supposed to be doing. Today, I’m a three time award winning actress and a first time director. My feature film, Gumshoe Gals, was just selected for SIMI Film Fest 2026, and I couldn’t be more excited! Read more>>

Carolyn Hennesy

I was and am (what is known in the entertainment business as) a studio brat. My father was an (Oscar winning) motion picture production designer and I was constantly visiting him at whatever studio he happened to be working, running around soundstages, climbing onto sets, discovering the false-fronts, making believe I lived in these wood and nails creations. Read more>>

Ofer Yakov

I’ve been obsessed with visual storytelling for as long as I can remember. I started photography at 16 in Israel, and during my military service I worked as a photographer, which eventually pushed me to turn that passion into a career. In 2015, I started my first video production business in Israel. Read more>>

MeLissa Luna

It wouldn’t be until a childhood best friend’s wedding after college that a mom I’d known since I was 4 said she always knew I’d be a comedian. For me, I tap danced backwards into comedy. Read more>>

Maria Alba

At the age of 18, I began working with children from many different backgrounds, including those with challenging behaviors. I wanted to understand the “why” behind behavior, which led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Child Development. As I continued through graduate school, my passion for helping children continued to grow. Read more>>

alyssa bernal

I am a San Antonio–born singer-songwriter who first exploded online with over 657k YouTube subscribers, leading to my discovery and signing by Pharrell Williams under Star Trak/Interscope Records. Read more>>

Tara Whitaker

I’m Tara Nicole Whitaker, animation director, writer, and NYT Best Selling Illustrator. I’m a creator with a passion for representation, character-led stories, and uplifting marginalized voices with my artwork. I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY and the Poconos, PA. I fell in love with animation, filmmaking and children’s books from trips to the local library and theater with my parents. Read more>>

Jason D McKean

I’ve been a professional Tarot Reader in the Los Angeles area for about 15 years now, and have run the gamut of private readings, podcasting, teaching, writing three books on Tarot, and reading at events in all kinds of environments. I truly enjoy the challenges that are offered in this line of work, as the nature of it is indeed Magical. Read more>>

patrick malone

I was coming off of being series reg on a tv show and things had slowed down for me so I decided to do what I believed I could do which was teach. I opened my studio in my garage at the time with 3 students. Eventually I started to get some recognition when my students started booking jobs. Read more>>

CHRIS DAMON

My roots are in Pittsburgh, PA. I take great pride in being from Pittsburgh; it’s a hard working town that celebrates its history, heritage — and especially their sports teams! Like many do, I began acting in the high school drama club. Then I quickly got involved with local theater programs, as well as professional theaters, primarily performing in musicals. Read more>>

Tara Rochelle

My love affair with photography actually started in a literal dark room — my parents built me one in our basement in Seattle back in high school, and I would disappear in there for hours! Your typical Seattle teen (wearing all black and hanging out in the dark all day and night). Read more>>

Jake Stark

I was a failed musician to begin with. I had no connections to anything in entertainment or Hollywood and kinda ran into a dead end. So I began writing and producing music for people behind the scenes, and one day an artist needed a music video done. I had always enjoyed films so I thought I to myself, I could direct it. Read more>>

WenChun Catherine Cheng

I grew up between Taiwan and mainland China before moving to the United States, and film became the language through which I learned to connect different cultures and ways of seeing the world. I began as a writer-director, creating films such as *YAO-HUA* and *CHOICE*. Read more>>

Brianne Ross

I got into makeup when YouTube tutorials started getting popular in middle school. When I realized makeup can be a career my heart was set on becoming a makeup artist. Out of high school I attended college at Cal State Northridge for 2 years. From there I went straight to makeup designory in Burbank. Read more>>

Matondo Kiantandu

I started writing. Short stories then scripts. Then I got interested in acting. The last step was independent filmmaking. It took sometime but I was able to put it all together. This was in Atlanta. Eventually I moved to LA. It took about 10 years to be able to make a living do it Read more>>

Andrea Joy

I was always a sensitive and intuitive child, so much that I kept a lot of what I was thinking or feeling to myself because it didn’t feel safe to share. I have always been a feeler of energy and that manifested as having anxiety at a pretty young age, I remember at the age of 9 my anxiety heightened. Read more>>

Mercedes Young

My story is really about creativity, entrepreneurship, and building a life on my own terms. I’ve always been drawn to creative expression, and acting has been an important part of my journey. As an actress, I’ve always loved storytelling and bringing different characters and experiences to life. Read more>>

Abby Ramsay

I got my bachelors degree in acting from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in 2018. I was working on a few short films, doing some modeling, and other various projects before covid hit. The industry came to a halt, and I turned to writing. Read more>>

Joey Gonzales

Joey Gonzales, 22, is a Tataviam, Chumash, and Chicano social justice advocate born and raised on his ancestral homelands in California’s Antelope Valley. He is a content creator, social media strategist, mental health advocate, artist, actor, and model dedicated to uplifting Native and Indigenous communities. Read more>>

Moimoi Gilmore

Sophomore year of High School I stand still, tears bubbling in my eyes. I am reading a letter from a dear friend. He writes me a letter every night, but tonight is the last one. We close tonight. The stage shrinks to just the spot where my feet stand and I speak my lines, but this time it’s coming from a different place. Read more>>

Ellen Surrey

I started working as an illustrator just before graduating from Art Center College of Design. After college, I went freelance, working on editorial projects, books, posters, products, and a USPS postage stamp. Most of my client work comes from my personal projects, and some of my oldest projects continue to generate work for me. Read more>>

Sarah Intelligator

I entered UCLA as an undergraduate majoring in art. I intended to become a fashion photographer. However, after a few months, I was so disillusioned by the art program that I switched my major from art to English. After graduating in three years, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. Read more>>

Iva Red

Since I was a child growing up in Serbia, I have always loved drawing and painting. Art was my favorite subject in school, and creativity has shaped every stage of my life. I later studied Multimedia in Ireland and earned a Master’s degree in Visual Effects for Film in England. Read more>>

David Vito Gregoli

“I call myself a sound painter…” My musical journey has been diverse. My earliest musical explorations were rooted in Pop, Rock, Jazz & Blues. Born in Los Angeles & by my teens was already hailed as a guitar virtuoso & working in L.A. clubs with original and cover bands. Read more>>

Masha Katz

I have always been interested in medicine & more specifically, how the body works & why. When I was 18, I stumbled upon ‘physical therapy’ in the spinal cord injury and stroke rehabilitation department at Northridge Hospital. I volunteered there for several months and was in awe of the ‘miraculous’ recovery of mobility, overall movement, and balance that was achieved with the therapists’ hands. Read more>>

Zoe and Savannah

Zoe: Growing up in the Philadelphia area (go birds), I always found myself in teaching spaces through being a camp counselor, coach, or student teacher. I attended Penn State University to obtain a degree in education. This opportunity allowed me to gain experience teaching not only in a rural area, but also in North Philadelphia and the greater Philadelphia suburbs. Read more>>

bigmason86

Born in San Bernardino, Ca. Grew up in East Highland, Ca. Which is in San Bernardino County. My parents use to take me to church as a kid & ended up getting close with the pastor of the church. He would let me come in and play the instruments before service and after service. Read more>>

Annie Edmonds

I grew up on a dairy farm just outside Spokane Washington. After receiving my Associates in photography I went on to get my Bachelors from Brooks Institute of Photography. I then moved to New York where I assisted Mary Ellen Mark for several years. Read more>>

kittie KaBoom

I started out with a Journalism degree, drawn to writing and storytelling from the beginning — which led me into radio and eventually voice acting, where I’ve spent over 25 years originating characters for Disney, Nickelodeon, Marvel, and BET, among others. But the part of the work I kept gravitating toward wasn’t just performing — it was teaching others how to do it. Read more>>

Susan Krebs

I’ve been on my performing artist path since early childhood — all singing & dancing in front of the bay window! Growing up in my Baltimore home, it was filled with the sounds of Bach, Beethoven, Gilbert & Sullivan, Broadway musicals and the foundational American vocalists Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Read more>>

Caroline Fahrer

My journey started 30 years ago when I began assisting a stylist in Los Angeles, and I knew almost immediately that I had found my happy place. I loved that every project told a different story—each one brought new people, new ideas, and a fresh creative challenge. That constant sense of discovery kept me inspired and motivated. My passion for clothes started long before that. Read more>>

Bex Swenson

I moved to LA in 2012 to finish college and to pursue my dream of working in animation, and ended up on a winding path through LA’s art scene. I got very involved in the underground scene and secret warehouse parties. I met a lot of people live painting and started bringing my own art to burning man. Read more>>

Zack Eritz

Like many creatives in LA, I’m a transplant. Originally from Pittsburgh, my plan wasn’t actually to be in the film industry. Back in my early twenties, my goal was to teach English Literature. I just wanted to be around storytelling. But life usually has a different plan. Read more>>

Elon Townsend

My journey into the creative industry really began during the pandemic. I relocated from Miami, Florida, after spending 10 years in law enforcement. During that time, I experienced some of life’s hardest moments..from losing coworkers who had dedicated more than 25 years to the profession, to losing my father to COVID-19, and even contracting the virus myself. Read more>>

Aries

I’ve always been someone who believed creativity could change lives. I grew up loving music, entertainment, and storytelling, and over time I realized I didn’t want to choose just one lane. I wanted to build a career where I could create in as many ways as possible. That mindset led me down a path that’s been anything but conventional. Read more>>

Paige Gerai

I was born and raised in South Central LA, where I learned early on that if you wanted something, you had to work for it. My journey wasn’t a straight line. I originally pursued dentistry but while there, I started doing makeup to earn extra money. What began as a side hustle quickly turned into something much bigger. Read more>>

Jen Murphy

I yearned to be a writer and performer since I was very young. I used to write poetry in high school, short plays in my twenties. I wanted to be a dramatic actress so I moved to New York at twenty-two to get into the theatre world. Read more>>

Fariba Nafissi

I was born and raised in Kerman, Iran, where food was never just about eating—it was how we expressed love, welcomed guests, celebrated life’s happiest moments, and comforted one another during the hardest ones. Some of my earliest memories are of my mother and grandmother baking in the kitchen, and those moments shaped the way I see food today. Read more>>

David Chattam

My start as an actor sounds made-up, but it is totally true. In 2001, A 30-something tech worker with no acting experience, and even less of a desire to be in the entertainment industry, gets talked into being an extra in a major Hollywood movie being shot in Nashville, TN, of all places. Read more>>

Loren Chadima

I always wanted to act. Then, at my high school musical audition, I got up to sing “Steam Heat” — and blanked. “I got steam heat…” That’s all I could remember. Only the first line. Read more>>

Abigale Force-Mizell

Growing up in a small town outside of Detroit, my parents made an effort to take my sister and I into the city to experience plays, music, sports and other cultural moments that we wouldn’t experience otherwise. It inspired me throughout my youth and continues to today. When things are presented one way, I always have a curiosity around what else it can be. Read more>>

Stacia Peters

ORIGIN STORY: STACIA PETERS & T.O.P. ELITE CARE I am the Founder and CEO of T.O.P. Elite Care, an integrated, concierge support firm serving high-profile individuals and families. For more than three decades I worked behind the scenes for talent, executives, and other public figures, quietly managing the confidential infrastructures that surround their lives. Read more>>

Justin Phillips

In September i’ll have been in L.A. for 21 years pursuing the arts. This year I got my very first YES. My traditionally published debut novel, AMERICAN LIMONCELLO, released last month. After six years chasing acting gigs my interest jumped tracks when a friend suggested I write (he noticed a quality in my emails). A daily habit of writing short stories began. Read more>>

Heather McDonald

I’ve been a barber for 18 years, and what started as a career quickly became a true passion. I’ve always loved the combination of creativity, precision, and the relationships that come with this profession. Read more>>

Dominic Parker

My musical journey began in childhood. I always had melodies and rhythms stuck in my head throughout the day. I was infamous for tapping beats on whatever surface I could find that made a satisfying sound. My early obsession with rhythm gave me dreams of becoming a drummer. However, it would be the acoustic guitar that ultimately became my vessel into earnest musical creation. Read more>>

Katie Rosario

My path into food has never been linear; it’s been layered, creative, and very personal. I actually started working in television while I was still in culinary school, which gave me an early look at a completely different side of the industry. Read more>>

Syedah Garland

I started Day Task out of burnout , frustration and feeling like there are just not enough hours in the day for me to get my errands done. I work in the tv and film industry , so I’m on set before establishments are even opened and off by the time that they are closed. Read more>>

Vanessa Dove

I’m an artist, Muay Thai fighter, and yoga teacher from California. I travel the world documenting wellness, martial arts, and culture while building communities for women through retreats and embodied practice. I’m also a Sagittarius, Leo moon, and Libra rising. I wasn’t always into wellness and spirituality. Read more>>

Ryan & Richard Taylor

This year is a special one for us because we’re celebrating five years of I.F.B. Studios, which officially opened its doors on March 7, 2021. Looking back, it’s funny because the idea didn’t begin with a business plan. It started with curiosity. Read more>>

Kira Buckland

I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Starting from a relatively young age, I knew I wanted to be some kind of a performer. As a teenager in the early 2000s, my life goal was always to be in a rock band—I idolized singers like Gwen Stefani and Billie Joe Armstrong, and would practice writing songs and recording covers for fun. Read more>>

Damian Barajas

I was going to school at CSUN when I got called into ministry being a worship leader. When the pandemic hit and I graduated college (covid graduation) I decided to pursue my masters degree to become a therapist. Read more>>

Jack Siegel

My name is Jack Siegel, I go by Jack Siegz, and I am a producer/songwriter/music director in LA. I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and started my music journey at age 7 when I first picked up a guitar. I was immediately obsessed and it was my main focus growing up. Read more>>

Mat Gurman

I was drawn to music as a child and would play percussion on anything around me. I particularly love washing machines and dryers and the sound I could get on the dashboard or center console of my parents Thunderbird. Read more>>

Benjamin DeWitt

I started my running company in 2010 with the idea in mind of creating running events that runners would want to participate in. Focusing mainly on aesthetics. It quickly morphed into a hybrid approach as our main event, the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon and Half became a California favorite for chasing a Boston Marathon qualifying time. Read more>>

Harry Terrell

Oh well I started off playing drums in bands with my friends in the valley back in the mid 2000s … my first gig was at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood. I quickly got into jazz and went that route for a while, moved to New York to cut my teeth and hone my craft. Read more>>

Noke Reynolds

I opened The Patty Wagon because I missed the taste and feeling of real Jamaican patties and the yard-style hospitality I grew up with. When I moved to Los Angeles, patties were either hard to find or didn’t taste like home. I wanted to create a business that didn’t just sell food, but carried that culture, music, and energy into every neighborhood we visit. Read more>>

Shaphan Roberts

I grew up in South Central Los Angeles at a time when the city was deeply divided by race, geography, opportunity, and trust. I attended school across town, which meant I was constantly moving between communities that often viewed one another from a distance. Those experiences taught me early that people can live in the same city and experience completely different realities. Read more>>

Danny Rivera

I was born and raised in Brooklyn New York. At 17 I joined the Marines and served 10 years. Upon completion of service, I became a Professional Wrestler – Under the name Danny Limelight I traveled the world, won many championships and performed for major companies like – AEW, NJPW, AAA, TNA, MLW & more! Aside from wrestling I’m also an Actor, Stuntman and writer. Read more>>

Nkemdilim Nwosu, Ric Serena & Jennifer Serena

Meet The LA Filmmakers Behind Food Forward’s “The Art of Sharing” Documentary-Short Filmmakers: Ric Serena, Jen Serena, and Nkemdilim Nwosu We have worked with Food Forward since nearly their beginning. Our first project together was a documentary series called Faces of Food Forward, which highlighted many individuals who make Food Forward’s work in the community possible. Read more>>

Eli Gabrieloff

So it goes way back — I grew up in the early 90’s in Tel Aviv, playing guitar and there just wasn’t really a guitar repair guy around, so I started fixing my own guitars. Then I started fixing my friends’ guitars too, and just kept getting better at it. Read more>>

Raj Patel

I dropped out of pharmacy school about two years in and came home without much of a plan. I knew I wanted to help people, I just didn’t know what that looked like yet. For a while I thought it might be law enforcement. I was pretty overweight back then, and people told me I wouldn’t be able to do it. Read more>>

Olga Falevich

I was born and raised in Siberia, Russia, and moved to the United States when I was 20 years old. I spent many years in New York before moving to Los Angeles in 2019. I never imagined I would become an entrepreneur. I spent years working in corporate roles, but I always had a creative side and loved bringing people together. Read more>>

Melissa Miles

I was born and raised in Michigan where I started dancing at the age of 10. By the time I was 12 years old I knew I would be a dancer for the rest of my life. After high school, I moved to NYC to train at Broadway Dance Center on scholarship and later as a work study at the studio. Read more>>

Marion Kerr

I was born in Sacramento, California and studied theatre at UC Irvine and at Landsdowne College in London. After I graduated, I decided I wanted to pursue a film/TV career as opposed to theatre so I moved to LA…and my car died the day I moved here! Quite an auspicious beginning! Read more>>

Alex Yarijanian

I was born in Iran and came to the U.S. as a refugee in September 1998. My family fled after I — as a toddler — was confronted by Islamic Republic enforcement simply for eating ice cream outside during Ramadan, when public fasting is compulsory there regardless of age or religion. Read more>>

Talo Silveyra

Well, thank you for having me! I am a film Writer-Director originally from Argentina, based in Los Angeles. I founded Pocket Films, a groundbreaking platform streaming 1 minute short films and wrote, directed and produced over 60 short films to date. I was lucky to write, direct and produce TNT’s first Original Mini-Series ‘Tunnel Vision’, for Latin America. Read more>>

Ziba Shirazi

I started singing at family gatherings when I was just 7 or 8 years old, and during my teenage years, I discovered a passion for writing poetry. As I grew older, I naturally blended these two creative passions. By the age of 27, I had established myself as a singer-songwriter, using music and lyrics to express my emotions, life experiences, and artistic vision. Read more>>

Darius Bearden

Hi, I’m Darius Bearden, currently based out of LA. I’m not from a traditional film and television background. I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia surrounded by blue-collar workers. That environment shaped my work ethic early on. When I had the chance to come out to LA and work on The Voice and American Idol, it opened the door to other opportunities. Read more>>

serena jordan

Born and raised in Burbank, I started performing in school choirs when I was in elementary school, which then swiftly evolved into middle school musical theater. I joined local theatre programs with the intention of studying movements to later go into the animation field. However, about 4 years or so deep into performing, I found myself wanting to pursue that as a career path instead. Read more>>

Gareth Jones

I grew up making home movies with my older brother. We didn’t always get along, but he would always cast me as one of the bad guys or henchmen in the stuff he would make so he could justify beating me up without our mother getting too upset. We would choreograph fight scenes and film them. Read more>>

Rory Schmitt

Rory’s story? I like this question. Well, I’ve always been curious about storytelling, whether through education, books, or film. I’m fortunate to balance academia as a faculty manager at University of Southern California and a Visiting Fulbright Scholar with creative production. What sets my work apart is my interdisciplinary perspective. Read more>>