Inspiring Stories from Pasadena

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 Pasadena’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 Pasadena’s rising stars below.

Sadhana Savani Brar

My husband and business partner, Pardeep Brar, and I met at USC where we both were accepted into a 6 year accelerated program that included 2 years of undergraduates studies and 4 years of dental school. It was a challenging program, and the fact that we were both going through it together is part of what started our friendship. Read more>>

Modest Fly Art team Tsaturyan

Modest Fly Art began in 2009 as a creative space where children and adults could learn the fundamentals of art. For many years, it served as a place for people to explore their creativity and grow artistically. In 2017, the founder decided to transition Modest Fly Art into a nonprofit organization, marking an important turning point in its mission. Read more>>

Anahi Carrillo

My husband Dennis and I started this because I recognized my husband’s talents. I saw how hard he worked. I recognized where we lived and I saw a need in the community for odd jobs, and small repairs to be completed. When we started picking up jobs on the weekend, he started getting referrals, and we met a lot of great people along the way. Read more>>

Jonathan Gutierrez

Hello there my name is Jonathan and I am the owner and detailer from Best In Class detailing. BBB Accredited, veteran owned and operated small business. I started detailing cars ever since i owned my first car. Throughout the years it grew into a passion. Fast forward a couple of years and now I decided to take that passion and turn it into a business. Read more>>

The Nextdoors

We (Mika Larson and Russell Mark) are husband-and-wife musicians, playing music together since literally the day we met. We both have formal musical training, in addition to lots of experience playing in rock bands both individually and together. Read more>>

Steve Gerali

Founded by a former University Dean and Professor, Sanctuary grew out of years of mentoring and discussions with students who dreamt of a viable way for people to meet, be mentored and impact social needs and injustices right within their own communities. With the commitment of some former students, Dr. Steve Gerali launched Sanctuary Claremont, a 501c3 non-profit organization. Read more>>

Abby Wills

I grew up in South Louisiana among the rivers. From a young age, I was captivated by the healing power of movement. Being a dancer contributed to my resiliency. By the time I hit adolescence, I was committed to sharing the gifts of dance with younger children. Read more>>

Wangjie Li

I’ve always loved telling stories through images, and that passion eventually led me into concept design, where imagination turns into living worlds and characters. After years of study and collaboration, I’ve built a career creating visuals for games and entertainment projects. Read more>>

Mark Bedor

Mark Bedor Bio: A TV Newsman takes his skill-set horseback to blaze a new career It’s a brisk Saturday morning in May in northwest Colorado. A herd of 500 restless horses mill about in a huge, arena-sized corral, at a ranch in a remote area known as Brown’s Park, where such Western legends as Butch Cassidy and Tom Horn once rode. Read more>>

Cheralla Bussey

My story of fashion began, when I was in the 6th grade. I would style my sibling’s and my cousin., unbeknownst to me I was becoming a stylists! I would style them in anything from an oversized t-shirt to a haltered Sun dress. As i grew up I always wanted to be neat and well put together. Read more>>

Shixin Zhang

Hi, my name is Shixin Zhang, a composer based in the Los Angeles area. I am currently running my own music company, Infinity Tunes LLC. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Electronic Music Production and composition from the Communication University of China and my master’s degree in Music Scoring for Visual Media from the Jacobs School of Music. Read more>>

Matt Elliott

Hello there, I’m Matt Elliott and I’m here to help you with your home loan needs as a Mortgage Loan Originator with the Veteran Lending Team. I grew up in in a blue collar community which takes great pride in military service. In fact, many of my high school classmates, including myself, decided to serve our country. Read more>>

Blue Trimarchi

I started Art Works in 1987. I had just sold my silk screen business in Santa Barbara and was trying to figure out my next move. I had a fine art, commercial printing and sales background. My roommate from Art Center suggested that we start a business photographing art for reproduction. Read more>>

April Peveteaux

I worked as a writer and editor in New York, then relocated to Los Angeles. As my life began here, I began to experience debilitating symptoms of an unknown illness. Having two small children and working from home in a new city, I chalked it all up to ‘stress,’ as did my doctor. Read more>>

Natalie Sokolova

Our journey began when we realized the need for a fresh, exciting way to capture moments at events. We wanted to offer something more interactive than traditional photo booths, and the Mirror Me Booth was the perfect solution. The idea was to combine cutting-edge technology with creative design to create an unforgettable experience. Read more>>

Ann Louise Christensen

I’ve dedicated my whole life to music endeavors; started piano lessons at 6, studied piano in college, came to LA for music school, started performing internationally in my 30’s….I opened up my studio business in 2010. During the Pandemic , my teaching business boomed as I lost all my gigs. Now I have a nice balance of both performing and teaching. Read more>>

Grace Sanchez

was born and raised in Compton, California, by immigrant parents who taught me a strong work ethic and that anything is possible. I discovered early that I had a talent for sales. I was the kid selling candy bars for school and realizing I enjoyed connecting with people. That led me into medical sales, where I built valuable skills in communication and relationship building. Read more>>

Maria Giammattei

When I think about my story, I feel a flood of emotions, because I realize that my journey has always included the people I love. I come from a large, close-knit family with deep Hispanic and Italian roots. Read more>>

Zhen Wei

The seed of wanting to make art was planted in me very early, though I couldn’t recognize it back then. As a child, I was never the one standing in the spotlight. For many reasons, I preferred to stay on the side — quietly observing. That space of quiet observation became my most comfortable place. Over time, I got used to being the observer. Read more>>

Neal Lee

Young Scholars (YS) was founded with the belief that every child deserves a better education and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Inspired by the vision of “Better Education for a Better World,” YS began as a small tutoring center and has grown into a comprehensive education campus that fosters innovation, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Read more>>

Nicole Whaley

Half a decade later….. We are still here  Five years ago, @proverbscounselingservices opened its virtual doors. On 3/15/2020, I got an email asking clinicians to see patients via telehealth because they were anticipating that during this “two week period of lockdown” there would be a lot of patients in need of mental health services. Read more>>

Yumeng (ILSA) Li

I have always been captivated by how technology transforms the way we see culture and ourselves. My path began in UX and interaction design, creating AR and digital experiences that opened windows into stories beyond the screen. Read more>>

Star Thomas

In 2016 I WAS ON THE HAMSTER WHEEL FLOATING THROUGH MY DAYS, LACKING ENERGY TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF WORK LIFE BALANCE AND NOT FEELING SEXY IN MY OWN SKIN. QUESTIONING WHY I NO LONGER FELT MY BEST AT 40 YEARS YOUNG. After my Mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and full kidney failure that same year, it really woke me up! Read more>>

Neha Jespersen

Hi! My name is Neha and my story, although unique, is a probably a familiar one to many of your readers. A first generation born in the US to two Indian parents, my story began in New York. I was then raised in India by my aunt and uncle, who I still call and adore as my Mummy and Papa. Read more>>

Marjorie (Jorie) Hanscom

I was inspired to become a psychotherapist after therapy helped me navigate a really difficult era of grief and overwhelm in young adulthood. I got a masters degree in sociology from Stanford, but then took some time to gain life experience and work in a few other industries. Read more>>

Anna Brown

I have been dancing since I can remember. I grew up dancing at a small local studio, but quickly started competing across the country in all styles of dance. At the age of 11 I got into ballroom dancing. By age 12 I was competing in it and by 14 I won a World Title. Read more>>

Sabrina Li

I began my career as a solo practitioner with a deep passion for helping individuals navigate the complexities of U.S. immigration law. Over the years, that passion evolved into a mission to build a law firm dedicated to excellence, integrity, and results. Through dedication and perseverance, I expanded from a single office to three locations in Pasadena, Santa Ana, and Dallas. Read more>>

Lyrva Sanchez

I’ve always had a thing for real estate. Back in college, during my fourth year, I went through all the steps to get my license and even sold a few houses shortly after graduating. But it didn’t feel like “me.” I loved the idea of real estate, I just hadn’t figured out where I fit in yet. Read more>>

Dr. Kristen Wheldon

I was born and raised in Northern California, spending much of my time in the Bay Area, with significant time also in the Central Valley and Sierra Mountains. As a young adult, I felt Southern California offered more professional opportunities and life experiences, so I made the move to Orange County. Read more>>

Elaine Hong

Good Karma started with a gift from my friend Nudee, who gave me a handmade cotton dress from Chiang Mai embroidered with bright orange carrots. It was so unique. I wore it so much that it eventually fell apart, and when I asked Nudee to find me another, she couldn’t. It was something special to that region that rarely made its way to the States. Read more>>

Rania Bouza

After completing my Interior Design degree, I pursued an additional certification specializing in Kitchen and Bath Design, with an emphasis on ADA compliance through the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). In 2021, my student kitchen design won First Place in the NKBA National Student Design Competition, and in 2023, I was honored again with First Place in the Traditional Kitchen Category at NKBA SoCal. Read more>>

Matthew Rohr

It was working with veterans that caused me to refocus my work with individuals dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I studied modailities with trauma and became a trauma informed therapist certified in TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as well as E.M.D.R. (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) therapy. I also work with Counseling Team International assisting first responders (Police, Firemen and Ambulance Personnel). I now own my own clinic in Pasadena, CA with four associates. Read more>>

Dan Davidson

Dan’s journey began not in a boardroom, but on the steps of a church. While pastoring at Rose City Church in Pasadena, he met a group of homeless youth camping outside. He responded first with food and clothing, but quickly realized they needed opportunity, not just charity. So, he created one. Read more>>

Jay Dubois

Heart Center LA began as a dream shared by my wife, Dr. Winnie Chan Wang, and our dear friend Howie, both devoted students of Master Sha. Their vision was simple yet profound — to create a space in Los Angeles where people could come together to practice spirituality in community. Read more>>