Joannza is a Toronto native and daughter to a pair of audacious Chinese immigrants first taught her the value of creativity, particularly when resources are limited. Over the last 10 years, she has been able to share her love for arts through teaching in various educational settings in multiple cities including Toronto, Providence and Los Angeles. In 2010, Joannza joined the Inner-city Arts team as a teaching artist for the animation department. Over the past 6 years she has expanded the offerings to meet the growing needs of our student body. Joannza in collaboration with other teaching artists has brought the Graphic Design department, The Multimedia Portfolio development workshops and the Heart and Soul Youth Artist Collective to our community. Through these workshops, she is able to create dynamic spaces to support her students’ process in finding their confidence and their unique voice through the vehicles of animation, media arts and graphic design. As her students engage in the process of “bringing their art to life” they also learn essential life skills such as critical thinking, experimentation and collaboration. Joannza has a B.F.A in Film/Animation/Video from the Rhode Island School of Design and a M.A. in education from USC.
Leadership & Staff



Gladys Avila
Work of Art Program Coordinator
Nancy Avila
Accounting Supervisor


Jamie Cataldo
Director of Individual Giving and Events
Wendy Cruz
H.R. Generalist
Amy Cuenco
Director of Finance


George Garcia
COO & Interim Executive Director



Justin Izbinski
Grant Writer

Samantha Longman
Teaching Artist, Creativity Lab





Orlando Moreno
Programs Coordinator




Michael Sample
Co-Artistic Director

Marissa Sykes
Lead Teaching Artist, Creativity Lab
Rebecca Tager
Teaching Artist, Ceramics



Board Officers

Jonathan Schreter
Chair, Bolton & Company
Susan Luehrs
Secretary, Wells Fargo BankBoard Members

Erikk Aldridge
AEG
Patricia Brum
Snell & Wilmer, LLP
Eric Coleman
The Walt Disney Company
Malik Ducard
Google/Youtube
Peter Gal
Dreamworks
Brian Goldsmith
Lionsgate
Kapil Gupta
Cedars Sinai
Jackie Harman
COYN
Sean Howard
MGC Sports/ Solomon Page
Brian Ishida
Pacific Western Bank
Jeffrey E. Jaeger
Standard Properties
Wade Killefer
KFA, LLP
Sam Kunianski
SK Consulting
Kevin Pleasant
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Tom Stillwell
Big Fish Consulting
Vanessa Walker Oakes
Flintridge Preparatory School
Grant Withers
Capital GroupThe Founders
- Bob Bates Co-Founder
- Irwin J. Jaeger Co-Founder
Founders Board Members
- Geoffrey Anenberg Creative Space
- Wallis Annenberg
- Kim Baer
- Bill & Tamara Bagnard
- Jon Basalone Trader Joe's
- Frank Baxter
- Craig Benell
- Alan Berro
- Michael Becker
- Cynthia Harnisch Breunig
- Al Brooks
- Marvin G. Burns
- Vera R. Campbell
- Ira Cohen
- Bob Davidson
- Sharon DeBriere
- Susan Emerling-Torres
- Mitchell Frank Spaceland Productions
- Bobbie Greenfield
- Crosby Haffner Synan Holdings
- Eugene L. Hernandez
- Douglas Hinchliffe
- Steve Hirsh
- Linda Hothem
- Paul C. Johnson
- Glorya Kaufman
- Laurie Konheim
- Melanie Lundquist
- Rick Madden Kirkland & Ellis LLP
- Kathleen Maguire
- Michael Maltzan
- Jay Mangel
- Jeff Marine
- Silvia Marjoram American Business Bank
- Randy Miller
- Connie Moran-Romero
- Scott Morielli Graff Californiawear
- Anthony E. Nicholas
- Drew Planting
- Maura Rampolla
- Monica Rosenthal
- Joseph Sanford
- Martha Saucedo
- Steve Schoenholz Tempted Apparel
- William Schoenholz
- Eric Schotz
- Michael Schreter
- Bob Shearin
- Mithra Sheybani Attorney
- Mark Slavkin
- Beatriz Stotzer
- Katerina Tana
- Joni Topper JP Morgan Chase
Young Professionals Board Members
- Huwayda Fakhry Nabih Youssef Associates
- Justin J. Garza The Dream Adopters
- Sarah Hanner Charly West
- Amanda Hovest KBDA
- Michael Khosravifard UX Design
- Toyin Moses Actress