Jessica Mele joined the Workshop in April 2006, where she combines her love of the performing arts with her interests in education and community building. Under her leadership, its programs have increased the number of youth served by 15 percent.
In the community, she currently serves as the Advocacy Co-Chair for the Arts Provider's Alliance of San Francisco and as a member of the steering committees of Teaching Artists Organized and the Alameda County Office of Education's Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership.
From 2002-2005, Jessica managed the academic research projects of Marshall Ganz at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. She also developed her own negotiation and community building skills as an organizer for the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (AFSCME, AFL-CIO).
She holds a B.A. in Anthropology and French Studies from Smith College and an Ed. M.in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
E-mail: jessica@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Artistic Director: Gary Draper
Gary has held many roles at Performing Arts Workshop, including student, artist, mentor, and administrator. Gary conducts professional development workshops and supervises the Workshop's Internship programs and the Workshop's artistic staff. Gary's additional duties include curriculum design, writing and revising educational resource materials, program evaluation and fundraising. Gary's education in Theatre Arts and Literature includes study at the American Conservatory Theatre and UC Berkeley.
E-mail: gary@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Finance and Operations Manager: Ivy Ho
Ivy joined the Workshop in March 2012. Before taking part in the current position, she has had 10 years extensive experience in the capacity of Manager in the areas of Budgeting, Finance and Accounting in various sectors and different sizes of non-profit organizations. She is an MsBA graduate of San Francisco State University and holds an MBA degree from University of Leicester, UK. At leisure, she enjoys traveling, hiking and dining. Mostly, she shares passion in visual arts and performing arts.
E-mail: ivy@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Program & Administrative Assistant:
Larry Jones
A Native of East Palo Alto, California, Larry studied English Literature at San Francisco State University and interned with the San Jose Mercury News, as one of the first reporting interns for EPA Today, East Palo Alto's first local newspaper. Prior to working at Performing Arts Workshop, he worked as the Assistant to the Executive Director of The East Palo Alto Arts Initiative sponsored by Community Development Institute, which brought performance art classes to Ravenswood City School District Schools no longer offering performing arts education to their students.
Outside of work Larry enjoys car spotting, photography, record collecting and cooking.
E-mail: larry@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Program Manager:
Aurora Toshiko King
Aurora has spent the majority of her career immersed in the world of education and community-based organizations, most recently as the Extended Day and Enrichment Director at Paul Revere K-8 in San Francisco, where she first came into contact with the Workshop. Beginning with her own exposure to the creative process as young writer and continuing though her work in public schools, Aurora has observed the expansive power of creative exploration and the need to integrate quality arts curriculum into every classroom. Over the course of her career, Aurora has had the opportunity to work with a variety of non-profit organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and PBS.
Outside of work, Aurora enjoys running, travel whenever she can, cooking with friends, reading, and hanging out with her dog Zora. With her husband Justin, she is currently developing an art and literary journal online. creosotejournal.com
Aurora studied Ethnic Studies at UCSC and holds a degree in Creative Writing from SF State.
E-mail: aurora@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Institutional Giving Manager:
Laurie Loftus
Bio coming soon.
E-mail: laurie@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Individual Giving Coordinator: Beverly E. Mislang
Beverly has a lifelong commitment to serving youth. Prior to joining the Workshop, Beverly fundraised for several non-profit organizations in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, most recently at Streetside Stories. An AmeriCorps alumnus, Beverly has worked with several organizations that ensure all young people have the resources they need to succeed in school, and in life. Outside the Workshop, she enjoys jamming on the piano and faux guitars, rocking the karaoke mic, and reading. Beverly received her B.A. in Political Science and History at UCLA.
E-mail: beverly@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Program Director: Karena Salmond
Karena joined the Workshop in the fall of 2007 and quickly grew to love working closely with teaching artists and school staff. She brings experience as a former visual arts instructor at Mission Day Care in San Francisco and education administration at Chicago Children's Museum. Her operating values of social justice and community align with her interests in youth development and non-profit work. She holds a Bachelors degree in Fine Art from her hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan and a Masters in International & Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco. When not working, she enjoys cooking, dance classes, and wandering around the city.
E-mail: karena@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Program & Communications Manager: Anne Trickey
After growing up in Seattle, Anne decided to study at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While doing undergraduate work in Political Science and History, she spent time at the Goethe Institute in Berlin and the University of Vienna improving her German Language skills. Anne interned with the Workshop as the Executive Assistant for Tom DeCaigny during the summer of 2005. This experience working in a well established, goal-driven organization, helping coordinate the 40th Anniversary Event, and getting to know the Workshop's dedication to Bay Area arts education led to her decision to return to San Francisco after graduating. As Program & Communications Manager, Anne hopes her contributions will only strengthen the Workshop's ability to help young people develop their critical thinking and creative expression skills. Outside the Workshop, Anne follows her own creative tendencies by singing with the Choral Project, writing, and crafting.
E-mail: anne@PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Board Liaison: Linda Belden
Linda Belden began working at Performing Arts Workshop over 10 years ago, writing grant proposals on a part-time basis. Soon after, then board president, Nina Kwan, asked her to help develop and expand the board of directors, and Linda used her experience with other non-profits, to recruit a new group of supporters to the Workshop board. Since then she has developed and directed recruitment and orientation programs, written a board manual, helped set up and advise an individual donor program, and contributed to two board committees. She considers herself to be the Assistant to the Board of Directors. She also owns a textile design business and is a watercolor painter.
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