Susie Buckman is the newest member of the Creativity Lab team, joining the team in Fall 2015. Susie found her dream job when she walked into the Creativity Lab, as it combines her love of working with kids and her love for engineering. Susie graduated from UCLA with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering and has her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Cal State Northridge. Susie is a native Los Angeleno and has spent 20 years of her profession working in the corporate industry as a Mechanical Engineer. She has worked on satellite design at TRW, designing medical devices at Medtronic and her latest job was at Mattel engineering Hot Wheels and Barbie toys. She has also taught in the Long Beach Unified School District as an 8th grade Science Teacher.
Susie is excited to come to work everyday to pass on her knowledge of engineering and the workplace to young budding engineers. Susie loves to be creative on her own time and enjoys making crafts, exploring with paints, mixed media and jewelry making. In her spare time, Susie volunteers as a Sunday school teacher at her church. She loves spending time outdoors with her husband and their 7-year old daughter.
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