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.

Hunter Davis

I was born and raised outside the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. After high school I attended TCU in Fort Worth, TX. (go Frogs!) The Summer between my Junior and Senior year I snagged an internship at Misher Films on the Universal Lot doing script coverage…along with constant coffee runs. At the time, it was the greatest job ever. I was in heaven. Read more>>

Thomas Perez

I started Content Creating in 2023 when Super Nintendo World had its grand Opening at Universal Studios Hollywood! My content is fast paced for the most part where I like to make it as engaging & presentable as possible. I tend to live on the moment and like to capture in real time what’s going on at the specific event I am visiting. I love a great character interaction at Theme Parks as well as doing food reviews. Throw in comedic points while still providing the necessary information for my viewers. Read more>>

Dea Lazzari

My story did not begin with connections, recommendations, or an easy path into the music industry. I started taking singing lessons when I was just 12 years old, with no idea of where music would eventually take me. By the age of 19, I was already performing professionally, and my first real opportunity came from my own singing teacher, who invited me to sing with her gospel group, 5 Friends of Gospel.  Read more>>

Joelle Nanawa

My name is Joelle Nañawa, and I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After years of training, practice, and mentorship, I founded my business Warrior Healing Arts in 2020. My work explores the intersection of martial arts, mindfulness, myth, and ritual to help people cultivate a more empowering relationship with themselves and the world. Read more>>

Ernie Charles

I’m a writer, actor, and producer. I love being creative and enjoy working with a supportive team. Growing up, creativity would pop up in different ways as I proceeded through my educational journey in life. I grew up in rural Ohio with farming all around us, and our family loved sports, so how would I ever end up doing what I’m doing now? Read more>>

Charleen Martinez

My creative journey actually started with graphic design. At the time, I was especially interested in creating cover art for music and loved the idea of using visuals to help bring an artist’s vision to life. I started college with that direction in mind, but eventually realized that the traditional college path wasn’t the right fit for me and decided to drop out. Read more>>

Brittney Yarbrough

Brittney’s love of beauty started early. At 13, while growing up on the hockey rink and not feeling especially drawn to girly stuff, she became the friend everyone turned to for help getting ready. She realized she had a natural eye for hair and makeup and a knack for helping people feel great. Read more>>

Brenda Olsson

I became pregnant with my first son in 2015, and like so many first-time mothers, the experience changed my life. Despite choosing a doctor I trusted, taking the classes, and doing everything I thought I was supposed to do, I often felt isolated and unsupported. By my second birth, I experienced a completely different kind of care. Read more>>

Laurie Adachi

I began as a school psychologist working with students ages 2 years to 22 years with moderate to severe disabilities. Then I worked as a school psychologist at an elementary school district. I decided to leave education to work directly with parents and children, teens and adults. I’ve been a licensed educational psychologist in private practice since 1996. I started private business with one associate. Read more>>

Johan Macaraeg

Music has always been a massive part of my life. My parents love to tell me that I had an obsession with NSYNC and Spandau Ballet when I was little which is funny to look back on because my actual musical education started with classical piano. Read more>>

Marika Takeuchi

I was born and raised in Japan. I started playing piano at the age of three, and played violin and French horn for several years when I was young. I also loved singing and dancing, and I always knew music was my passion. As I’ve grown into my teen years, I started struggling with depression, and music really helped me through it for years. Read more>>

Bairton Brown

I share a birthday with Prince (June 7), and I’ve always had similar gender-nonconforming qualities. I was born on the St. Joseph river in South Bend, Indiana to a veteran, civil-rights-era social worker and a harm-reductionist registered nurse. Traveling with their jobs, I grew up between Portland, Oregon and on the University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Read more>>

Yelizaveta Sorkin

When I was a little kid, I was a runner. Not in a cool, sporty sense, no, I would rip my hand out of my parents’ and book it through neighborhoods, theme parks, and especially department stores where I could hide in the middle of circular clothing racks. Read more>>

Liisa Lee

Dancing is part of my heartbeat. I grew up following in the footsteps of my mother, who danced with New York City Ballet. The women in my family were all artistic, dancers and a RISD artist who animated for Disney, so I grew up steeped in movies and music and art, dance and musical theater. It was more an osmosis thing, than learning. Read more>>

Alex Firestone

My journey has been anything but traditional, and looking back, I think that’s what makes it so meaningful. I spent much of my twenties trying to figure out where I belonged. I started my career working in television production before transitioning into sales and the travel industry. On paper, I was building a career, but personally, I was struggling to find my footing. Read more>>

Nicole Briggs

I was gifted Pilates private lessons from a boss in 2002. After dancing for many years through back pain, I was reintroduced to it and was amazed at the healing powers of it. I gained strength and a better understanding about my body. While working in a physical therapy clinic, I decided to purse a Pilates education. Read more>>

silvana johnson

My journey began with a lifelong love for art, design, and creating beautiful things. I spent many years working in the fashion industry, but after reconnecting with my Catholic faith, I felt a desire to use my creativity for something more meaningful. I wanted to create something that would honor God while bringing beauty, peace, and inspiration into people’s everyday lives. Read more>>

Thomas Gallagher

I grew up in Los Angeles, and music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Read more>>

Jennifer Tripet

I was born in Kailua, Hawaii, but Burbank is home. I grew up here, graduated from John Burroughs High School, and come from a family that believed in showing up for this community. I’m a second-generation Burbank volunteer, and that sense of service has shaped everything I’ve built. Working with young children has been my calling for more than 30 years. Read more>>

Hitomi Demers

Ever since I was a kid, I was always obsessed with pop culture. As a millennial, I came up in the TRL and tabloid era, so being plugged in was easier than ever. Once it was time to enter the workforce, I got my first job as a CBS page, which threw me right into the heart of the entertainment industry. Read more>>

Harry Karidis

I’ve always thought of myself as a content creator with an agenda. The goal has never been just to make something look cinematic. It’s to create messages that inspire people and move them toward positive change. That’s guided my career in marketing and creative work, including building my business, Karidis Productions. Read more>>

Siranush Sargsyan

I grew up around art. Painting runs in my family, and my grandfather taught me to use sand in oil paint to build raised texture on the canvas. I studied art at university. But my working life went in another direction, into food. Gev’s Kitchen started at home, in our garage. Read more>>

Peter Jang

My path into entertainment started with martial arts, long before I thought acting could be a career. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where my father introduced me to kung fu through a family friend. I began taekwondo at eight and eventually became a five-time national champion. That upbringing taught me discipline, persistence, and how to stay committed to something without expecting immediate results. Read more>>

Matt Stubbs

I’ve been awarded the title of “best jazz clarinetist of all time” by the highest authority on the subject; myself. To most people that title is equivalent to a world record for one-legged hula hoop spins, but an important distinction to make is that hula hooping on one leg is actually impressive. Read more>>

Opie Macleod

Beginnings are tricky things. Each start has something that proceeds it. I suppose the easiest answer is that I got my start watching the Star Wars trilogy on the big screen; the re-release in 1997 to be specific. From there a causal discussion between friends turn into a full on search and return to a childhood dream. The pursuit of becoming a Jedi Knight. Read more>>

Camille Cabrera

Writing has always been my home. A nest I’ve tended to one branch (book) at a time. At a young age, I fell in love with stories and couldn’t wait to take flight into new, untouched worlds. The funny part? I started to write my own short stories before I eventually graduated to novels. Read more>>

Dariush Apfelthaler

I’ve been making beats since middle school, starting on my parents’ MacBook Pro. My dad has always been an Apple fan, so I was lucky that we were early adopters of their products. The iPod played a huge role in my early love of music, and when I discovered GarageBand on that MacBook Pro in sixth grade, I was instantly hooked. Read more>>

Raquel Kuner

I have always been fascinated with pregnancy and birth since I was a small child. I would go into my Mom’s bedroom and flip through pages from a pregnancy book she had on her shelf. Read more>>

jacey hayden

The Story Behind Vita Beata Swim Vita Beata Swim was born during a season of rediscovery. After becoming a mother, I found myself longing to reconnect with a part of me that had always been there — the creative, intuitive side that had always dreamed of bringing my visions to life. Read more>>

Destiny Howell

My journey into mental health began with a deep curiosity about people, their experiences, and the ways our environments, relationships, and life circumstances shape who we become. I have always been drawn to understanding the stories behind people’s behaviors and the experiences that influence how they see themselves and navigate the world. That curiosity eventually became my career. Read more>>

Laura Raulinaits

My story begins in the backwoods of Maine, where I grew up working at my family’s hunting and fishing camp. That upbringing taught me to work hard, be resourceful, and take care of people. At the time, I had no idea those lessons would become the foundation of a career in wealth management. Read more>>

Marty Stevens-Heebner

I’d already run a couple of businesses of my own, including Rebagz, an eco-friendly handbag line that was named California Small Business of the Year in 2009. Whenever I needed business advice, I called my dad. He had a Harvard business degree and no shortage of opinions. As Dad moved into his late 80s, he became the one who needed help. Read more>>

Chelsea Rose Cook

Hi, I’m Chelsea. I’m an actress, author, and podcast host based in Los Angeles. I’ve been a storyteller for as long as I can remember. In third grade, I created a series of short stories that my teacher read out loud to the class, and I’ve loved bringing stories to life ever since. Read more>>

Amy Smathers

My career has taken me all over the world, from LA and Washington, D.C. to Europe, Asia, and Africa, working with organizations like the U.S. State Department, U.S. Institute of Peace, Atlantic Council, and Human Rights Watch, as well as advising celebrities and major corporations on global philanthropy and social impact. Read more>>

Patrice Bening

I was born and raised in a small city in Transylvania, Romania. As a child, I grew up worry free, even though the early part of my childhood was spent during the times that Romania was under the horrible communist regime and as ruled by Nicolae Ceausescu. I also remember the year when the Chernobyl disaster happened – I was just 8 years old. Read more>>

Polina URA Herman

My story has never been about following a traditional path. It has always been about discovering who I truly am and finding the courage to create a life that reflects that truth. I was born in Ukraine, where my creative journey began. For the past 14 years, I have been working as an independent film producer, bringing stories to life through cinema. Read more>>

CAM MONTGOMERY JR

After graduating from college in Indiana, I moved to New York City where I was determined to become a star! Four months after my arrival, my first theatrical performance was at Amateur Night at the Apollo in Harlem. I performed an original monologue. The act just before me was a singer who was mercilessly booed off the stage. Read more>>

Vicki Juditz

When I lived in NYC in the 80’s, I starred in over a hundred TV commercials as a young character actress. I was a 1950’s secretary with cat eye glasses in a Dragnet spoof for Bell Telephone, an angel on a hydraulic cloud for Heaven Ice Cream, a raging diva with twin beehives and twin poodles dyed pink for Kentucky Lottery. Read more>>

Vardi Murad

I started working in fashion when I was around 16, and since then I’ve kind of just followed whatever felt right – styling, designing, making things, assisting during fashion weeks, and slowly understanding what my own visual language is. A few years ago I randomly decided to move to LA. It wasn’t really about the ‘American dream’. Read more>>

Felisa Dees

My entrepreneurial journey began in 2004 with a simple frustration that eventually turned into a passion. I’ve always loved candles and the way a beautiful fragrance can transform a space, create an atmosphere, and become part of a special moment. Read more>>

Preston Craig

After getting injured on a mural job for a non-profit Hollywood Arts program, whose negligence caused the accident, I went back to school to earn my M.F.A. I graduated Cum Laude in 2012 and turned my master’s thesis ‘Twisted Teddys’ into a part-time business selling ltd. edition prints, t-shirts, greeting cards, etc. which utilized my teddy images. Read more>>

Annika Sumby

I’m originally from Germany, but life has taken me to a few different places along the way! I moved to London, where I spent several years working for companies including Discovery Channel and Sohonet. That’s also where I met my husband, Patrick. When he was transferred to California for work in 2016, we packed up and made the move across the pond. Read more>>

Heather Roma Wicks

I’m Heather, founder of Lupasamama, Sacred Woman Collective Hi Desert, and Beer Burros & Brands, and the host of Morongo Valley Ranch, a ten-acre desert retreat near Joshua Tree. I was born in the Virgin Islands and grew up with a yoga teacher dad who introduced me to breathwork and retreats at age three. That early rhythm shaped everything I create now. Read more>>

Russell Baingo

I started P’ZAZZZ Industries in 1984, and I can tell you that a 40-year business plan was about the last thing on my mind. I had a wife, a young child, and a sales job that wasn’t bringing in enough money to support my family the way I wanted to. Read more>>

Jim Francis Meza

I was born in South Los Angeles and raised in Lincoln Heights. LA, music, and movies are part of my DNA. I studied political science at Cal State LA, but my journey has taken me through acting, comedy, writing, driving limousines, and eventually radio and podcasting. Working as a limousine driver put me around some incredible personalities, including Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, and Mel Brooks. Read more>>

Kaya Chyla

I’ve never been particularly good at sticking to just one thing, which probably explains why my life has taken a few interesting turns. I spent much of my childhood growing up overseas before eventually making my way to Los Angeles about 11 years ago. I can adapt to anywhere at this point. My journey started in all kinds of work. Food, accounting, supplements, and fitness. Read more>>

Benai Boyd

I’m incredibly proud of the life I’ve built and the work I get to do today. But none of it happened the way I imagined it would. In fact, to understand how I got here, you have to understand everything that came before it. Read more>>

Pierre Beaufrand Jr Mendoza

My story begins in Caracas, Venezuela. I grew up surrounded by color, noise, music, and people who told stories with their whole bodies. I didn’t know it then, but that city was my first design school. It taught me that every message has a feeling behind it, and that feeling is what people remember. I started as a graphic designer. Read more>>

Yunqing (Sally) Pan

I have always loved stories and told stories. In my free time, I drew comic strips, wrote stories, and made short films with my friends, and eventually, this passion led me to pursue animation at CalArts. Animated filmmaking is full of possibilities and especially suits my love for whimsical stories that combine real-life details with a dose of imagination. Read more>>

Joe Avendaño

Rough Draft Leathercraft started out of necessity. My first leather good was a belt. I was tired of buying belts that would fall apart after a year of use, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and make one that would last. At the time, I was also shooting 35mm film photography, and that led me to making leather camera straps. Read more>>

laura uribe

**Who joins their sister to open a mortgage business in the middle of a market crash? Apparently, I did!** Looking back, I sometimes laugh at how determined I was. I was young, ambitious, and probably didn’t fully understand what failure could cost me. But I think that attitude was something I inherited from my father. Read more>>

Dana Rubin

My love for photography actually began with my dad, and the story behind it is something very close to my heart. My grandfather passed away when he was just 49 years old, and my dad had very few photographs of him. Because of that, my dad was always taking pictures of our family. Read more>>

Warrior Dave

Born in NYC originally. I grew up lving in SoCal since I was 12 years of age (10/1/99, still remember the date like its literally yesterday). My mother and my grandparents (RIP) ultimately were responsible for my move, since my mom moved here in the 80s for a job opportunity at the time, and my grandparents wanted me to have a better life… Read more>>

Gary Landry Jr

I am a native SoCal – Angelino. I grew up in the South Bay and I am a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, El Camino College, CSULB and CSUDH. I started working in corporate sales through college and I eventually got burned out with the 9-5 corporate life and the ever-escalating sales target goals just to keep a monthly bonus. Read more>>