theteamthatgetsitdone

Black, Filipina, Educator, Ally, Actor. Growing up as a “military brat” in an unconventional and multicultural household, Alexis has cultivated a passion for the arts, adventure, and community service.

Years before joining the Young Storyteller’s team, Alexis discovered her passion for raising young voices while serving as an AmeriCorps literacy interventionist at a Title 1 school in Washington, DC. Following her service, Alexis worked with various nonprofits in Washington, DC to empower black and brown communities through the power of education, organizing, and connection. Now based in sunny Los Angeles, Alexis is excited to learn from and empower the young voices of the community with Young Storytellers. She has a BA in Philosophy with a minor in Political Science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In her spare time, you can find Alexis traveling, running absurdly long distances, or channeling her inner child in local acting/improv classes.

Child of Mexican immigrants. Bilingual. Plant lover. Astrology nerd and crystal collector. Bookworm. UCLA grad. Andrea is a passionate community advocate and relentless optimist, born and raised in the City of Angels.

As a Media Studies graduate student at the University of Oregon, she researched the role of Instagram in exploring Latina identity. Andrea has also volunteered with different literacy programs and community engagement events like Adelante Youth Alliance, as well as interning in social media for organizations such as BeVisible Latinx and The Culture Trip. Andrea initially found Young Storytellers through her time as an AmeriCorps VISTA in 2018 before being hired full time. She now builds connections between Young Storytellers and other local organizations doing impactful work in their communities. You can usually find her taking pictures of the sunset from our Arts District office window, and she secretly dreams of being a successful #bookstagram influencer.

Silly, bilingual, tricultural, movie lover, a typical extrovert, comedic writer, all around nerd, foodie, 1st gen baby. Andrea grew up in Norwalk, CA. She lives her life through one motto: kindness & connection. She strives to heal intergenerational trauma, advocate for her communities and since you asked the one meal she would have every day would be -Tom Kha soup.

Before arriving at Young Storytellers, Andrea Ohlsen-Esparza worked as a Program Coordinator for WriteGirl, developed curriculum, led creative writing workshops and oversaw participation of teaching artists and special guests. She has a wide variety of experiences in the non-profit field from creating email campaigns for LA’s BEST to leading bilingual literacy classes for parents with the Boys and Girls Club. She has an intense passion for the arts and is a trained improvisational actor/comedian and co-hosts frequent live shows with her comedy teams. She has a BA in Anthropology from California State University, Dominguez Hills (GO TOROS!) with a Minor in Theater Performance.

A daughter of an immigrant single mother, she passionately pursues her dreams while cherishing her love for music, nature, and the power of storytelling. Damaris is a Los Angeles native, music lover and foodie. She enjoys learning new recipes, going on long hikes and is passionate about accessibility for inner-city communities. With an Associates in Communication, she has worked in the non-profit sector for over 6 years and enjoys learning about different cultures and life experiences.

Before joining Young Storytellers, Damaris was the volunteer engagement supervisor at Safe Place for Youth, a non-profit aiming to meet the unique needs for homeless youth ages 12-25. Prior to working in volunteerism and development, Damaris managed the Food Pantry at St. Joseph Center, the largest food pantry in west la which supported over 2,000 families and individuals. Damaris has always been passionate about her community and is very excited to be giving back to the community she grew up in.

Jaylene is Kadazan-Dusun and Chinese, an artist, a plant collector, and loves trying new restaurants. She grew up in the Bay Area, and is passionate about equity, accessibility, and the outdoors.

After a long educational career – a BA in Biology, a Master of Theological Studies, and a MBA with a Nonprofit Management emphasis – and raising money and organizing for different groups and organizations for fun, she made nonprofit and development work her career. She also founded Climb the Gap, a group dedicated to increasing diversity and equity in the climbing community. She enjoys surfing, illustrating, biking, eating her way through LA, and making lists. She won a Reading Rainbow contest as an 8-year-old, and is just trying to make that kid proud.

Jess is a midwesterner, pet dad, writer of untold forms, and proud queer/trans goof with a calling to pass along the power that words have to transform personal narratives and create societal shifts of perception.

Growing up in the small town of Greenwood, MO, Jess explored new worlds by devouring books and movies at an alarming rate whilst spinning their own tales of monsters and mayhem. Coming of age, they decided to channel this passion for writing by studying screenwriting at Columbia College Chicago where they brought absurd feminist sketches and screenplays to life. During school, Jess was also an intern for the youth development division at the cinema non-profit, FACETS. After college they moved out West to work in the TV industry bouncing about as the receptionist at Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, Writers' PA for both NBCU and FreeForm shows, fellow for Outfest's Outset: young filmmakers program, and freelance writer for Moonbug's short form webseries, Rainbocorns. After a major "aha moment" during their time as a Mentor with Young Storytellers, Jess decided to mosey on over into education with the goal of helping young folks fight through the noise to find their true voices and create their own world-expanding-status-quo-shattering stories.

Jessica is a Latina who grew up in Koreatown and currently attends USC as a first-gen college student. In her free time, she surrounds her desk and life with whimsy by collecting trinkets, meticulously assembling LEGO sets, and braving horror movies.

Jessica is a Cognitive Science major at USC, where she also minors in Web Development. She currently serves as a Research Assistant at the Huey Lab, and previously supported LAUSD students as a Site Coordinator with Wise Readers to Leaders. Before that, at the Bresee Foundation, she was the Teen Tech Center Assistant, where she helped facilitate programs such as Youth Voices and a community mural project, which she filmed and edited into a documentary. Having grown up benefiting from community programs herself, she finds fulfillment in helping build that same impact for others.

Netta is Israeli and American, a former New Yorker, performing artist, proud mother of two and partner to her husband.

Netta joined Young Storytellers as an actor in a Big Show in 2005, quickly became a mentor, a Head Mentor, and has been a proud team member for over a decade. Netta graduated from Circle in the Square Theater School and later completed her BA at UCLA in the dept. of World Arts and Cultures. At the start of her YS professional journey, Netta was inspired to produce, co-write and star in her very own short musical film titled A Minute Forever. Netta is passionate about community, self expression and the arts. An advocate for social justice, diversity and equity, Netta hopes our work at YS brings light, empowerment and joy to the world we live in.

Pilar began her career in the arts as an actress but decided to commit herself full time to education after teaching theatre and seeing, first hand, the positive effects of arts education on her students.

Before joining Young Storytellers, Pilar was After School Program Arts Coordinator at LA’s BEST where she helped create successful partnerships between teaching artists and various LA’s BEST sites at LAUSD Elementary schools. Pilar was the Education Director of the Ovation Award winning Open Fist Theatre Company and coordinated California Shakespeare Theatre’s Summer Conservatory Program. Before supporting teaching artists as an administrator, Pilar taught theatre arts with Leap Arts in Education (San Francisco), The Theatre of All Possibilities (Santa Cruz), Big Up Kidz (Compton), STAR Education (Los Angeles and Culver City) and The Southwest Arts Center (Atlanta). Under Pilar’s guidance, her students have created their own commercials, monologues, short plays, theatre masks and puppets. Pilar holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from The College of Santa Fe and a M.A. in Theatre for Youth from C.S.U. San Bernardino.

BrownBruin, first-gen, Bad Feminist, Mexican-American, and proud Child of Immigrants. Yazmin is a daughter of immigrants, proud first-gen student, advocate for Dreamers, higher ed femtor, DIY-er, spicy food enthusiast, with a dash of paranormal curiosities.

With over 7 years of experience in higher education, Yazmin's journey has been nothing short of transformative. Having held various college access counselor roles at non-profits, community colleges, and universities, she has dedicated herself to empowering historically underserved students to discover their unique voice and become catalysts for social change in their communities. Beyond her professional endeavors, Yazmin loves thrills and immersing herself in gripping true-crime and horror podcasts and movies, LEGO-building sessions with her nephew Max, or getting crafty by attempting yet another DIY project she might or might not regret starting. Although she grew around the corner from the "Happiest Place on Earth," Yazmin's heart remains deeply connected to her family's homeland in Durango, Mexico. Her story is one of resilience, passion, and an unwavering spirit that never stops exploring new horizons.

AJ is half-Greek, half-Syrian, first-generation, and he grew up in suburban Pittsburgh. He is also a brand new father to an objectively adorable baby boy!

AJ is a screenwriter and that is what initially drew him to Young Storytellers 15 years ago, as he is passionate about expressing oneself through any kind of writing. Trust that any email you receive from him has gone through multiple drafts. While temping on the front desk of a post-production company in 2008, AJ decided to spruce up company-wide "lost and found" emails by giving the orphaned items a backstory. This lead to a full-time job and a crash course in post, and eventually a move to Sony, where he has been ever since (and where he learned about Young Storytellers). If you ever watch a Sony movie or TV show on a streaming service, AJ is part of the team that put it there. When he's not making all the Spider-mans watchable worldwide, he is writing and producing his own movies. AJ studied journalism at Marist College in New York before earning an MFA from USC.

Mother, woman, lawyer, history and culture enthusiast. Mother to Devin, Johnny, and Henry, lawyer turned business executive, Briar works hard, and is always dreaming of a beach vacation. Forever a student, Briar finds joy in exploring history and cultures through reading, travel, food, and conversation. She loves the theater, aspires to be a gardener, and her favorite superhero is Batgirl (Barbara Gordon).

Briar currently serves as Vice President of the Business Affairs group at DC, leading negotiations in support of DC's publishing and media strategy initiatives. She is driven by work that broadens representation in storytelling, and that supports and amplifies stories of underrecognized voices. Previously, she was a member of the Entertainment, Sports, and Media practice at O'Melveny & Myers. Briar is a graduate of The University of Virginia School of Law and Duke University.

Carolyn Gan is the Executive Director of the California Partners Project, a non-profit organization co-founded by CA First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Olivia Morgan to advance gender equity and champion child well-being across the state. Previously, she led the programming, production, and creative strategy for the California Conference for Women; built organizational capacity and fundraising strategy as the Development Director for 826LA; raised funds and operated a fiction award for the New York Public Library; and created public events for the Rubin Museum of Art and San Francisco's City Arts & Lectures.

Darian is from Brooklyn, New York, a competitive powerlifter, lover of Stoic philosophy, and a whimsical mom to two baby girls and a rescue dog named Sky.

Darian grew up in Princeton, New Jersey before graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a film degree. She moved out to Hollywood to represent great storytellers which led to her career as an agent at CAA for 12 years where she represented a diverse array of writers, directors and producers. In 2025, Darian left CAA to help build Mattel Studios after the release of the BARBIE movie. In her job at Mattel, Darian leads the film team, turning their toys and IP into stories for the big screen. As a grateful mom of 2 baby girls, this move integrated her mission in both work and life, in committing to responsibly and creatively shepherd the stories shaping minds of young audiences.

Darren is creative, entrepreneurial and a supporter of human and non-human animals.

Darren joined Young Storytellers because he is passionate about helping children develop confidence and find their voices. His involvement with Young Storytellers has included initiating its expansion to New York City and raising funds for all of its programs.

He is a lawyer with over two decades of experience representing financial services and private fund companies in different capacities (litigation, regulatory and internal investigations, compliance/advisory work). More recently he shifted to a role in business development. In his personal life, Darren focuses on real estate investing as well as providing operational support for his two entrepreneurial daughters.

Native Angeleno, devoted husband and proud Dad, passionate storyteller, and fierce advocate for artists and creators.

David co-founded and co-runs the boutique entertainment management firm and production company, TFC Management and TFC Productions. Prior to launching TFC, David was a senior partner at WME, one of the preeminent talent and literary agencies. He grew up in Pasadena and attended Wesleyan University where he currently sits on the President's Advisory Council. He then received his MFA from the Peter Stark Producers Program at USC Film School. David now serves as an Adjunct Professor for the Stark Program. In 2017 David was appointed by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti as a Commissioner on the Board of Convention & Tourism Development for the City of Los Angeles. David is passionate about his clients and his work and firmly believes that storytellers and great stories can change the world.

Child of immigrants. Dad to Dominic and Rylen. Basketball fanatic and youth basketball coach. Nike sneaker nerd. Native Angeleno. Cal and USC Alum. Former lab rat.

David is a strategic leader, brand innovator and storyteller, and consumer decipherer. He has an ability to extract true insights, make sense of disparate pieces, and create strategic simplicity that is holistic and adoptable across a breadth of disciplines. Challenging pre-existing norms throughout his career, David has been passionate about unlocking the meaning behind brands that allows for the evolution and extension of their stories. He has worked on some of the most beloved and exciting portfolios in entertainment and gaming through his time at Epic Games, Disney, and Mattel. An alum of UC Berkeley (Molecular and Cell Biology) and the Marshall School of Business at USC (Marketing), David lives in LA and enjoys staying active with his family, coaching and mentoring kids, and buying more sneakers than he has space for.

Eliana is a playwright, performer and filmmaker. She’s a YoungStorytellers alum, Notion enthusiast, queer Black/white/Puerto Rican woman, Angelino, Missy Elliot superfan, and advocate for diverse and inclusive storytelling.

Eliana fell in love with storytelling when she participated in the Young Storytellers script to stage program in the 4th grade at Linwood E Howe and has been writing scripts ever since. Her play DREAM HOU$E recently had a world premiere triple co-production at The Alliance Theater, Long Wharf Theater and Baltimore Center Stage and her plays have been workshopped at Second Stage, The Playwright’s Realm, South Coast Rep, NNPN National New Play Showcase, and more. She's been awarded the The Academy Gold Fellowship for Women through AMPAS, the KCACTF Harold & Mimi Steinberg Award, Leah Ryan Fund Prize for Emerging Women Writers, the WAVE Grant. She’s passionate about making careers in the arts more accessible. She holds a BA in English from Columbia University and an MFA Playwriting Boston University, more at www.elianapipes.com.

#4 of 7. Jersey boy. Musician. Surfer. Brown grad. Storyboard artist turned writer. Emmy winner. Proud husband of a fellow writer and dad to two LA-raised sons. Lifelong believer that stories change lives.

An award-winning screenwriter and television producer, Jay graduated from Brown University before starting his career in film production on films including Dead Poets Society, Pretty Woman, and The Thin Red Line — before finding his voice as a writer and winning an Emmy and multiple Writers Guild Awards for The Young and the Restless. He then took his storytelling to the WWE as head writer for RAW, SmackDown, and WrestleMania, writing over six hours of live entertainment each week before going on to write for the reboot of Dynasty on the CW and Netflix. Through it all, Jay has woven three decades of service to Young Storytellers — as a mentor, its first Executive Director, and founding (and ongoing) board member.

Llisa is a So Cal native, a Mom and a foodie. As a self-proclaimed talker and extrovert, her passion for people is infectious.

Llisa is an innovative leader with experience in Diversity & Inclusion, Human Resources, career advising and all things people and culture. She’s worked in a variety of industries from entertainment, academia, retail, utility/energy and as an independent consultant working with non-profits and start-ups. Llisa has extensive experience in DEI strategy development, ERGs, training development and facilitation, communication strategies and community engagement. She creates unique approaches to building an environment where everyone feels included and valued for who they are.

Born and raised in Sweden, Marika is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. She is a writer, mother, and music enthusiast, known for building meaningful connections and community wherever she goes.

Marika earned her MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute and began her career in film and television before transitioning to the live music industry. She has been with Bill Silva Entertainment since 2015, where she serves as Chief of Staff, and is also the Director of Artist Relations and VIP Experience for Live Nation–Hewitt Silva at the Hollywood Bowl. Marika has been a dedicated supporter of Young Storytellers since attending its first Big Show in 1997.

LA native, USC grad (Fight On!), mom of 2 with an introvert's personality stuck in an extrovert's body. Michelle is a wildly organized gal who loves dounts, chocolate milk and seeking out delicious food.

Michelle currently serves as the SVP, Global Special Projects and Events at Universal Pictures. Her team oversees all film red-carpet productions along with parties and Awards Events. Prior to Universal, Michelle has served in similar roles at Paramount Pictures, LA Times and 20th Century Fox. Michelle is passionate about details, giving back and her two children, Amelia (4) and James (2.5).

French native, London-raised, and now embracing the LA sunshine. Cambridge psychology grad and storyteller. Strategy consultant turned media exec. Avid reader, sailing fan, and coastal explorer. Lifelong learner who finds joy in connecting people and creating vibrant communities.

Olivia is a strategic advisor and senior executive in the entertainment industry, focusing on shaping the future of storytelling, emerging media, and audience engagement. She began her career at Apple in business planning before joining McKinsey & Company and Strategy, where she advised leading media, entertainment, and tech companies on growth strategies, acquisitions, and business model innovation. Most recently, as General Manager of the Growth Portfolio at Moonbug Entertainment, Olivia led strategy, content planning, and commercial execution for beloved, narrative-driven brands—transforming digital-first hits into global franchises. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Sciences from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD. A passionate champion of storytelling, Olivia believes in its power to spark imagination, build connection, and inspire change.

Massachusetts born and raised, Proud husband, Dad to two amazing boys and an anxious, loving terrier, avid skier and cyclist, amateur baker, middle-child, Colgate grad, tireless champion for the current and future generation of artists.

Pete graduated from Colgate University with a degree in International Relations. He began his career at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where he currently serves as an agent representing some of the world’s leading writers and directors. Pete was named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Rising Executives 35 and Under. He also co-founded CAA Moebius, an annual screening series that highlights diverse graduate student filmmakers from around the globe.

Raymond is a Christian, a child of 2 cultures - America and Cameroon, a two-time girl dad, an advocate for artists, a basketball fan and a science-fiction/fantasy/anime nerd.Raymond believes that kindness and empathy are the best ways to change the world and he tries to employ those 2 tools everyday.

Raymond Tambe is an partner at Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP law firm. Alongside his JSSK colleagues, Raymond represents some of the best actors, writers, directors and producers in the world. Raymond was born in Austin, TX and grew up in Plano, TX before returning to Austin for undergrad at UT Austin. He made his way to the Bay Area to attend Stanford Law School before moving south to Los Angeles, where he currently practices law and lives with his wife and 2 little girls. Raymond is an avid believer in mentorship and creating opportunities for the leaders of tomorrow, which is why Raymond is excited to be on the board of Young Storytellers.

Sam Brown currently oversees all aspects of film and TV development and production as President of STX Entertainment. Brown is responsible for STX’s entire film slate, which has included such films as GREENLAND and GREENLAND 2 with Gerard Butler, HUSTLERS with Jennifer Lopez, I FEEL PRETTY with Amy Schumer, and the BAD MOMS films. Brown also oversees STX’s TV development and production, including shows based on the STX films BAD MOMS and HUSTLERS, amongst many others. Brown came to STX in 2016 from New Line Cinema where he had worked since 2002.

While at New Line, Brown produced GOING IN STYLE, the comedy FIST FIGHT, the Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart comedy CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, Key and Peele’s film debut, KEANU, the latest installment in the VACATION franchise starring Ed Helms, as well as the global blockbuster SAN ANDREAS starring Dwayne Johnson.

His other credits include the hit film HORRIBLE BOSSES and its sequel HORRIBLE BOSSES 2, the Adam Shankman musical ROCK OF AGES, the worldwide hit JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, the HAROLD & KUMAR series, and the highly successful romantic comedies NEW YEAR'S EVE and VALENTINE'S DAY.

During his 24+ year career, Brown has managed and produced over 70 films that have grossed over $4.5B in the worldwide box office.

Outside of work, Brown is the President for the General Alumni Association for Phillips Exeter Academy as well as a Trustee of the Academy.