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.

Wanda Wen

Had a dream of opening a paper store, a space devoted to beauty & inspiration, and rooted in mindful living and daily gratitude. That dream came true in 1995, along with my late partner Grant Forsberg. Soolip, in Chinese loosely translates to ‘one’s life destiny is to seek wisdom’ and is my middle name. Read more>>

Jana Bunge

My start in the beauty industry began over three decades ago and has evolved from early experience with major cosmetic lines, to on location hair & makeup for red carpet events, television shows, film, photo shoots to my favorite…weddings! I’m honored to be part of the working beauty industry! Read more>>

Lisa Datz

It’s funny—I’ve always been a bit of a “multi-hyphenate,” even before I knew what that meant. I never much understood staying in one lane when I was curious and capable of more. I grew up as a competitive figure skater, equestrian and modern dancer, and lead-sang in rock bands through high school and college—even though most of my vocal training was classical. Read more>>

David Ortiz

It all started as a lil youngster, watching my Grandmother sing lead for a mariachi group, at restaurants and parties. So of course my mother put me in the church choir. As I got into my teenage years, I realized that I could hit certain notes. Ive always had a love for music. So in high school, I decide to join a metal band. Read more>>

Phil Cater

I studied film and television in college, with an emphasis on animation. Out of school, I worked at a public television station, and as an actor and visual artist. One of my earliest acting opportunities was with a local improv comedy group and needless to say I was hooked. Read more>>

Vincent Guastini

My journey into the world of special makeup effects began on the East Coast, working throughout New York and New Jersey. Unlike many artists who come through traditional schools or established studios, I was largely self-taught. Read more>>

Blu Nyle

Gratefully was born seeing and feeling energy from a young age and had a massive connection with Spirit. As a creative artist I channeled cosmic energy with writing, singing, poetry and more. When my healing journey began through overcoming life obstacles, I had encounters with my higher power, ancestors and angels. They told me I just needed to learn how to live. Read more>>

Kimberly Schulz

I didn’t set out to become a yoga teacher; somehow, yoga kept finding me. When I was sixteen, my best friend’s mother introduced me to the expansive world of meditation. During this time with her as my mentor, I was beginning to embrace a whole new way of living and experiencing a deeper sense of well-being. Read more>>

Katherine Schieffer

I wasn’t the kind of girl that cut my Barbie’s hair, I treasured her hair. I was the girl watched Bob Ross and tried to paint next to him. I was told I’d never make enough as an artist, so I went to business school. Halfway thru college I started taking art classes. Read more>>

Kelly Piliouras

I grew up in Michigan and always knew I wanted to move to LA. After college, I moved to Chicago for four years to gain some experience, and then finally made the move to LA in 2018. Read more>>

Peter Anderson

I grew up in Boise, Idaho, and at eighteen moved across the country to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University. At the time, I had no idea that move would eventually lead to a career in music—or to Los Angeles becoming home. After graduating, I took what seemed like the responsible path and joined Dell in business technology sales. Read more>>

Kaan Karahan

I am Turkish/American, born in New Hampshire but mainly lived in Istanbul, Turkey until I permanently moved to the US during college. My dad is a huge cinephile that gave me an appreciation mainly for indie movies, US, European, and Scandinavian, and my mom has the most popcorn film taste which gave me a very broad appreciation of movies. Read more>>

YOOYCA

YOCOYA started as an accident. Our drummer Angelo was invited to provide music for a film festival and decided to get all the members of our band together to read through some of his original music. The funny part is the coordinator of that film festival actually told Angelo later on that she was actually looking for an avant-garde solo drum performance. Read more>>

Lisa Grayson

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, so I’ve been an LA girl for most of my life. Before real estate, I spent years working in fashion sales, and when I decided to make a career change, real estate felt like a really natural fit. I’ve always loved homes, neighborhoods, people, and honestly, knowing everything that’s going on around me. Read more>>

Kaci Johnson

I started in Los Angeles as an aspiring dancer, which I did for many years. Along the way, I realized that planning a night of entertainment is a lot like planning a wedding;). The rest is history! Many long days, learning from my mistakes, and just truly enjoying what I do has led me to where I am at. Read more>>

John McCrite

When I was 10 years old, my mother gave me an 8mm camera for my birthday. The first reel I ever shot followed our Siamese cat, Simon, on a spring day as he wandered onto the porch and went outside to meet his girlfriend. I called it Simon’s Spring. Read more>>

Makiah Corum

Makiah’s Bookshelf is really a combination of every part of my story. I’m a Detroit native, educator, children’s book author, entrepreneur, wife, and mother. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Afroamerican & African Studies from the University of Michigan and my master’s degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State University. Read more>>

Tina

My career has always centered around people and helping organizations build strong teams. Over the years, I gained experience in human resources and recruitment across a variety of industries, which gave me firsthand insight into the challenges businesses face when trying to attract, hire, and retain the right talent. Read more>>

Anthony Tedesco

I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, and I found my way into photojournalism while studying journalism at California State University, Northridge. I initially became interested in storytelling more broadly – radio, television, and print – and had never considered anything behind a camera. Read more>>

Velas Negras

It all started in the summer of ‘22 when we started dating. Being the hopeless romantics that we are we expressed our love for one another through art; paintings, photography, poems, and music. We first connected musically by doing covers that we liked. We would just sit around with our acoustic guitars and sing Bauhaus and Ampersan songs. Read more>>

Esmeralda De La Cruz

I was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. My parents are from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Since I was very young, I knew I wanted to be part of the entertainment industry. I loved watching movies over and over again, and I was always fascinated by the world of cinema. Read more>>

Chef Ameera Muhammad

I’m a third-generation Angeleno. My grandfather, my father, and I all have roots in Los Angeles. I’ve spent more than 20 years working as a private and celebrity chef, cooking for clients including Common, Martin Lawrence, and Kelly Rowland. Read more>>

Terrance Spann

I started Good Hurt Apparel at the intersection of fitness and personal growth. As a track and field coach and personal trainer, I’d seen firsthand that real change comes from discomfort, not shortcuts. The brand was built on mantras like ‘because pain is necessary’ and ‘where comfort ends, growth begins,’ which turned into gear that carried that message. Read more>>

Tsova Yan

My journey really started in a very ordinary way. I was a stay-at-home mom, and I began creating little videos simply because I enjoyed it. I would film my kids’ birthdays, DIY projects, family moments, and things I found creative or fun. There was no business plan behind it at the beginning. I just genuinely loved creating. Read more>>

Samantha Berman

My story started long before my little voice-over business began. In my twenties, dance, singing, and acting became my life. Performing was everything—it was where I felt most like myself. I loved being in a room with other creative people, rehearsing, figuring things out, making something from nothing, and experiencing that little bit of magic that happens when everyone is working toward the same story. Read more>>

Danielle Oberosler

I started tattooing in 1992 in a biker shop, drawn in by that wild lifestyle and everything it represented. I loved the folk art aspect of tattoo designs. Read more>>

Paulene Phouybanhdyt

I have always liked drawing and watching cartoons from a young age. I’m very drawn to storytelling! I was not very good at expressing my feelings and communicating as a child, so I’d draw comics to help process everything going on in my life and try to connect with my peers. And, I wasn’t a standout student in any way except for art classes. Read more>>

Ralston Vaz

I’m a writer-director who grew up in the boroughs of New York City, raised a family across Providence, Atlanta, and DC, and now lives in Santa Clarita. For over 20 years, I worked as a designer and communicator—moving through the disciplines of UX, product design, brand development, and corporate internal communications. Read more>>

Glessy Magaling

Hi! I’m Glessy, the founder of By Hand & Heart, and the brand really started from my love for creating things that feel personal and special. I originally began with self-care gift bags and curated kits for women, and over time that creative idea naturally evolved into a much bigger focus — a fragrance brand. Read more>>

Rosalinda Tinajero

Of course. I removed the C-CAP reference and kept the Culinary Institute of America part. My story really starts in the San Fernando Valley, where I grew up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. My dad is from Guanajuato and my mom is from Oaxaca, and I was raised watching my parents work incredibly hard to build a life and a business for our family. Read more>>

Ishajeet Singh

I was told I should be an attorney at age three, but the idea didn’t feel real until middle and high school, watching attorneys speak on career day and visiting courthouses — that’s when I decided to make it happen. I majored in legal studies in undergrad, then went on to Whittier Law School. Read more>>

FundSpace

Fundspace really came from being in the music business and seeing how complicated the financial side can be for artists, producers, songwriters, and other rights holders. We saw an opportunity to become a bridge. Read more>>

Anahit Sevoyan

My journey with the piano began over 50 years ago. What started as a personal passion for the instrument naturally evolved into a lifelong commitment to music education. Over the last five decades, I have dedicated myself to mastering both performance and pedagogy. I have guided generations of students from their very first notes to advanced repertoire, helping them discover their own musical voice. Read more>>

William Fix

I was hired as a Land Agent by U.S. Borax, Inc. in 1988. I represented their property in Agua Dulce, CA known as Langside Holding for filming use. During this time I got to know location professionals within the Film Industry and slowly had other companies and individuals hire me to promote their properties for film use. Read more>>

Deborah Lindquist-Vanatta

I started my business in 1983, first designing belts and accessories while living and working in Manhattan. I had studied fashion design at Parsons, and like many young designers, I was figuring out where my own point of view lived within the larger fashion world. Read more>>

Andy Greiling

I’m Andy Greiling, a character designer and story artist working in the animation industry. I’ve worked in animation for the last 12 years and my journey’s taken me all over the place from Toronto Ontario (in my native Canada) to Vancouver British Columbia, and now to Los Angeles where I currently work and live. Read more>>

Mich Page

I’d been absolutely fascinated by makeup since I was twelve. I’d do my makeup over and over again just for fun but eventually, I started doing my friends’ makeup, my family’s. I started playing with hyper-creative makeup looks on myself in college and that definitely opened a new door for my brain creatively. Read more>>

Camille Fehr

Ever since I can remember, I wanted to dance. I grew up in San Jose, CA, and started dancing at just two years old. And as I got older and began developing my own voice and opinions, I fell more and more in love with the art form. Read more>>

Uneak Music

My story really begins when I was a young boy. Music captivated me at just six years old. I started out playing the drums, and from there I became fascinated with learning other instruments. I eventually picked up guitar, bass, piano, and saxophone. I think learning all of those instruments at a young age really shaped the way I hear music today. Read more>>

Annalee Scott

I’m a SAG AFTRA actor and award winning narrator of 200+ audiobooks but the journey getting here certainly wasn’t a straight line. It never is for creatives. Like life, it meanders, forks, has dead ends, winds back on itself, and branches off on dozens of detours. Read more>>

Shirley Méndez

First of all, I’m very thankful for the invitation and the opportunity to share my story. My name is Shirley and tell me, have you ever met a Mexican Shirley? Most people know me as Sel or Flaca. Flaca actually came from my mom. Read more>>

Joseph Harvey

My obsession with filmmaking began when I was a little kid. I grew up the youngest of three boys on a small street in southern New Jersey, where you would typically find me glued to the TV. Read more>>

Rachel Tseng

Rachel Tseng Founder, Miso Life | Entrepreneur | Author | Functional Wellness Advocate Hello, I am the founder of Miso Life, an anti-aging, beauty, and wellness destination built around a simple philosophy: looking and feeling your best starts from the inside out. What began seven years ago as a skincare and body-sculpting clinic has evolved alongside my own journey and passion for whole-person wellness. Read more>>

Jada Adkins

Grew up in the Bronx, Ny as the only child to a single mother who worked for the city( ACS). Read more>>

Candace Suero

Tenderoni Lashes was born from nostalgia, creativity, and a deep love for the beauty and music that shaped me growing up in the early ’90s. R&B, pop, and hip hop were the heartbeat of my childhood home and I remember being completely enamored with the music videos, the fashion, the choreography, the different ways people expressed themselves through beauty and style. Read more>>

Brittany Burton

Yes! So I started off as a journalist at the age of 19 and decided to specialize in entertainment. I started my own blog called “Enfired” which led to me writing for Huffington Post and Buzzfeed while attending Howard University. That eventually led to me interning with DJ Drama and working with Grammy Award Winning singer SZA. Read more>>

Jasmin Morales

My journey into the beauty industry actually happened pretty unexpectedly. I’ve always loved beauty, but when I first started doing eyelash extensions, I was still in college and saw it more as a hobby and something I genuinely enjoyed doing on the side. At the time, my original plan was to finish school and eventually pursue law school. Read more>>

Anna Voloshyna

My story has taken a few turns, and I definitely didn’t start out thinking I would become a chef or cookbook author. I was born and raised in Ukraine and moved to the U.S. in my early twenties. Read more>>

Ken (HARAJUKEN) Evet

I moved to Los Angeles in 2020 to attend FIDM, where I studied Graphic Design and Advertising. While in school, I started working as a graphic designer for the fashion brand Ty Stephano, which led to additional creative opportunities, including a project with iCreative. Read more>>

Emily Breslin

My story definitely wasn’t a straight line. I started my career as a licensed veterinary technician, so animals have been part of my professional life for a long time. But in 2009, I had brain surgery for Arnold Chiari Malformation, and eventually my health changed what I was physically able to do. Read more>>

Pimptress

Im just a black girl from a small city in Florida called Clearwater. I had a fun childhood honestly! I always knew i wanted to be a singer. Since I was a little girl. I grew up singing in my church choir. I started out writing poetry in middle school before I really felt confident or ever wanted to rap. Read more>>

Alex Cordova

I started The Magic Oil Box in 2021, but my love of horror goes back much further. I grew up loving movies and even worked at a video store for a couple of years. I’ve always been drawn to the atmosphere, the characters, and the comfort of returning to my favorite films. Read more>>

caleb cameron-lee

I started dancing when I was 3 and I’ve always had a passion and love for dance ever since. However when I was younger dancing, I started realising I wasn’t a naturally gifted dancer. I struggled to pick up choreography and often had to attend extra dance classes just to catch up with everyone else. Read more>>

Rebel Robbie

Hi. My earliest memories were a turntable in our living room and everything from banjo blue grass to the beach boys, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie and so many types of wonderful music. I have pictures at 2 years old playing plastic guitars next to my dad who was a musician. Read more>>

James Kruk

I started playing Elvis in 1999 in a broadway National Tour of a play written by comedian Steve Martin. I was an actor at the time, I was watching my then wife perform, and I coincidentally sat next to the casting director, she thought i looked like Elvis, and they were looking for an Elvis to replace the current actor, and asked me to audition. Read more>>

Carly Dahan

Champagne Dreams & Co. grew from a shared passion for creating meaningful celebrations and delivering an exceptional client experience. Before entering the wedding industry, I spent over a decade as a bank manager, where I developed a strong foundation in leadership, organization, client relations, and customer service. Those skills became an unexpected but invaluable foundation for my career in weddings. Read more>>

Victoria Rose Hasson

I’ve always been an artist! I started taking voice lessons from Brett Manning when I moved to Nashville around 2017 and years later became certified to teach through his program Singing Success. I live in Los Angeles in Hollywood and have built my coaching business by myself over the past few years and am loving teaching to support my artistry. Read more>>

Foday Sillah

I started fighting as a teenager in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. I began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing, not because I dreamed of becoming a professional fighter, but for much simpler reasons: I wanted to stay in shape, learn how to protect myself, and challenge myself. At the time, I had no idea where fighting would eventually take me. Read more>>

Sara Amaya

I started Writing when I was Nine years old. I would Carry around a notebook and pen and jot down ‘visions’ I would have. Eventually I ran out of space and continued writing on my laptop. Somehow these ‘visions’ turned into a story and I was published in 2020. My first YA Fantasy Novel called Knox warrior: Discovery Isles. Read more>>

Maryna Kostogryz

Hey, sure. I have started 10 years ago in Ukraine, Kyiv as an independent designer of costumes for performers and dancers, then I started to design and tailor gowns, and add vintage and European designer jewelry (from Greece, Turkey, France) to my showroom to style my clients head-to-toe! Read more>>

Antoine Tava

In my early career, I worked as 2D animator and Animation Director, but around 2010 I decided to take a real chance on myself and pursue my own art full-time. At first, it was very grassroots. I was painting, creating characters, doing murals and basically saying yes to opportunities that allowed me to build a world around my work. Over time, that world started expanding. Read more>>

Debra Oh

My journey in media has never been completely linear, but storytelling has always been at the center of it. I’m a Nigerian-American journalist, producer and creative who grew up in New York and built much of my career in Los Angeles. I studied journalism at Howard University, and from there, I found my way into the rapidly evolving world of digital media and entertainment. Read more>>

Peggy Farah

My story really began with my own relationship with food and my body. I struggled with food and body image for much of my life, beginning when I was young. Read more>>

Daisy Lee

I started sharing my everyday life as a stay-at-home mom, focusing on home cooking and grocery shopping for my family. My content began with a simple idea: showing how I manage our family’s monthly grocery budget in the $400 range while still preparing fresh, homemade meals. Read more>>

Stanislavs lazdans

As a kid of 90’s, i was in love with films of Jackie Chan. I wanted to be a stunt man. Unfortunately, leaving in a small city (Daugavpils/Latvia) where no one even heard about cinematography, this dream evaded fast. Later when i was 15 years old, i started to go to breakdancing classes. There i met some guys who could do flips!  Read more>>

Angela Claffey

Today, I find myself hanging twinkle lights over the puppet theater in the child art therapy room at Hungry Girl Ministries. As I look around this room, I know that what I am creating is about so much more than paint, puppets, art supplies, and a welcoming space for children. This room represents a calling. It represents a journey. Read more>>

Xinyue Gu

I began studying piano at a young age in China, where I first developed a deep connection to classical music. From the beginning, I was drawn not only to the technical aspects of playing, but also to the expressive and emotional depth that music can convey. This curiosity led me to pursue advanced studies in the United States, where I earned my Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and my Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kansas. Read more>>

Cara Kiff, PhD & Asal Houshiarnejad, PsyD

We come at this work from two different corners of psychology, and that is the whole reason Evidence Based Psychological Care works the way it does. Cara trained as a child clinical psychologist. Read more>>