MEET THE COACHART STAFF

Greg is a second-generation nonprofit executive from Virginia. He was previously the Development Director of Friends of the Urban Forest in San Francisco, and has consulted for nonprofits in the arts, environment, LGBT and education sectors to optimize their online fundraising. Prior to his nonprofit work, Greg served on the staff of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and created monologue content for seasons 3 through 6 of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Greg was also a walk-on member of the basketball team at the University of Virginia, where he earned a degree in Politics.

Victoria has lived in Los Angeles all her life — with the exception of her time at the University of Puget Sound, where she earned a Bachelors degree in Sociology & Anthropology. During that time she was active in the struggle for immigrant rights. She is proud of her Chicana roots and is always looking for ways to serve, empower, and uplift her community. She has a background in journalism, administrative support, and library services, and loves working with young children. She’s interested in all things photography-related, and hopes to see the world one day.

Born in New York City and raised in the heart of Los Angeles, Jessica earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing from California State University, Los Angeles. Her passion for travel has taken her to seven countries in four years. She enjoys learning about cultural diversity, and plans to add more travel destinations to her list. She also enjoys hiking and watching reality TV with her cat Sakie. Before CoachArt, she was a Digital Marketing Specialist for a consulting company and has held positions in the fitness and financial industries.

Jasmin was raised in the Filipino Town, Echo Park, and Pico-Union communities of Los Angeles. Her personal mission is to transform youth through arts and movement. Her commitment to empowerment and inclusiveness for CoachArt students was inspired by a cousin who had cerebral palsy; he wanted to dance but did not have the support or guidance that would have helped him do so. Jasmin has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and she’s a bilingual English and Spanish speaker. Previously she worked at the Bresee Foundation, Chapter Two Inc., and Homies Unidos. She’s an artist with the Comfort/Disturb Healing Cooperative. She loves dancing and writing (and performing) poetry.

Lizzie has specialized in visual thinking and designing inclusive, user-focused content. As an expat she studied yoga, mindfulness, and meditation while living in India, Spain, and Los Angeles. She is a Yoga Alliance registered RYT 200 Yoga Teacher and has a degree in Visual Communications from The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Lizzie is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a CPT & Group Personal Training Specialist. She is devoted to cultivating growth and positivity and providing healing opportunities for the community’s overall well-being.

Marci is an award-winning website designer, developer and internet marketer with an extensive background in publishing, graphic design, social media, and search engine optimization. She founded the Market it Media Group and co-founded the Web Success Team LLC. She grew up in Granada Hills and played softball, volleyball, and tennis as a kid. She attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She enjoys painting in oil and watercolor.

Maia is a Los Angeles native. She graduated from Bennington College, where she studied Drama and Community Development, and co-founded Check All That Apply, a student network organized around equity and inclusion advocacy. She’s passionate about liberating underserved residents of Los Angeles through creative expression and cultural enrichment, and has worked with Q Youth Foundation and CASA 0101 Theater to bring opportunities for emerging LGBTQ and Latinx storytellers to write for the stage. She enjoys performing, writing, cooking, and rock-climbing. Maia is thrilled to be part of an organization that enriches the lives of kids and provides a community of support to their families.

Jessica was born and raised in Washington D.C. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Southern California with a B.A. in psychology, she participated in an Americorps program, Public Allies, and worked with a non-profit organization in D.C. that focused on youth mentoring and college access. The program helped her realize how much she loves working in the non-profit sector developing programs and helping kids reach their goals. When she’s not in the office, Jessica enjoys writing poetry, painting, gardening, and basking in the sun.

Desiree is a seventh-generation Oakland native. She experienced chronic illness in her own childhood. She has an M.A. in Culture and Spirituality from Holy Names University. While there, she was a college mentor for high school students. Since then she has been a literacy instructor and teacher’s assistant, among other positions. She’s active with the Martin Luther King Baptist Church, where she managed the food bank and the summer school retention program, and developed a neighborhood cleaning team and a feeding program for the homeless. She has twice participated in AmeriCorps.

Molly Dirr began working at CoachArt in 2011. Prior to joining the CoachArt team, Molly was the Site Director for an HIV/AIDS case management program at Community Healthcare Network in New York City.  Molly has an M.S. in Health Care Services Management and Policy from The New School University and a B.A. in Theater Performance from Ohio University. Molly completed 2 years of service in Swaziland Africa as a health education and community development volunteer for the U.S. Peace Corps. Some of her other adventures have included a 3,000 mile cross country bicycle ride, an ultra-marathon, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Patricia grew up in Ventura County and the Washington D.C. area. After becoming a mother, she pursued a career with a focus on social responsibility. She held leadership roles at public broadcasters WHRO and KQED, and produced several educational public TV series. She was executive director of a science and wildlife environmental museum. As CEO of Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area she created a permanently restricted endowment for future sustainability and led the creation of the viral Batkid phenomenon. At CoachArt she will primarily focus on national expansion and funding diversity.