2025 West Coast Regional Gathering

Ndindi Kitonga

Co-Founder Angeles Workshop School

Ndindi Kitonga, Ph.D., is a Kenyan American educator, community organizer, and human rights activist dedicated to radical education, mutual aid, and abolitionist care, co-founding Angeles Workshop School and Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA) while also teaching ethnic studies at California State University, Long Beach.

Ivonne Chand O’Neal

Founder and Chief Research Officer of MUSE Research

Ivonne Chand O’Neal, Ph.D., is a leading expert in creativity research, arts impact assessment, and cultural strategy, serving as the Founder and Chief Research Officer of MUSE Research, where she works with educational institutions, government agencies, and the entertainment industry to advance equity, access, and human flourishing through the arts.

Marianne Diaz

Founder of CleanSlate

Marianne Diaz is the Director of Outreach Services at the Southern California Counseling Center, using her lived experience to provide accessible mental health support and gang intervention in Watts and the greater Los Angeles-area, creating a community-centered space for healing and transformation.

Helen Lessick

Artist & Public Art Consultant

Helen Lessick is a creative catalyst and nationally recognized arts consultant dedicated to fostering artist-driven public art projects, cultural policy, and community engagement, with a legacy of enhancing under-resourced communities through the arts in the U.S. and internationally.

Dan Trahey

Manager of Creative Youth Voice & Leadership at El Sistema USA and the Director and Founder of Peabody’s Tuned-In Program

Dan Trahey is a musician, composer, educator, and social entrepreneur who designs socially conscious music programs rooted in youth and community voice. He has helped launch initiatives across the U.S. and internationally, including OrchKids and Tuned In at Peabody Conservatory, where he serves as Director. He also founded The Collective Conservatory to expand immersive music-making nationwide. Dan holds an M.M. from Yale and a B.M.E. from Peabody.

Mary Elizalde

Founder of Classically Imperfect

Mary Elizalde is a freshman at USC studying Psychology and Musical Studies with an emphasis on violin. A Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) alumna and former Concertmistress, she continues to work with YOLA professionally and musically.

She is the Founder of Classically Imperfect, an organization dedicated to mental health and wellness for young classical musicians, collaborating with artists from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Peabody Conservatory, and Dreamyard. Additionally, she was selected as a member of the 2024 ESUSA Youth Ambassador Cohort.

Osi Atikpoh

Tubist, Educator, and Podcast Host

Osi Atikpoh is a Nigerian American tubist, educator, and podcast host based in Santa Monica, CA. A graduate of Peabody Conservatory and UCLA, he is passionate about arts-based youth development and has worked with programs such as Peabody Preparatory, Baltimore Symphony OrchKids, and Harmony Project. He also hosts A Song Called Life, a podcast featuring conversations with entertainers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.

Osi is an alumnus of Baltimore Symphony OrchKids, where he now helps mentor and support the next generation of young musicians.

Hugo Tomas

Zapotec-American Trumpeter and Educator

Hugo Tomas is a Zapotec-American trumpeter and educator from Los Angeles. A versatile performer, he has played with the Los Angeles Opera, San Diego Symphony, and artists like Arturo Sandoval and Sonora Dinamita.

An alumnus of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), he now teaches with YOLA, Young Musicians Foundation, and Harmony Project. He also founded the Hugo Tomas Trumpet Academy to provide affordable lessons for young musicians. As part of OaxaCalifornia, he works to preserve and innovate Oaxacan musical traditions.