Phil Hettema, joined the Ryman Arts Board of Directors in 2014. In 2018 he was elected to serve as the President of the Board and has greatly contributed to Ryman Arts through his passion and dedication to the legacy of Marty Sklar, Herbert Ryman, and arts education.

Phil Hettema is the President and Creative Executive of The Hettema Group (THG). With a distinguished 30-year legacy in themed entertainment, Phil leads a world class team of experience designers, architects, and media producers known for creating uniquely compelling guest experiences with great emotional resonance. Notable projects include One World Observatory at One World Trade Center; the High Roller Observation Wheel at The LINQ, Las Vegas; and Beyond All Boundaries at the National World War II Museum, New Orleans.

Growing up in South California, Phil was enamored with Disneyland. He reminisced that “the annual pilgrimage to Disneyland was the highlight” of his life. While studying music at the California State University, Long Beach, Phil worked part time at the wardrobe department of Disneyland.

Prior to forming his own company, Phil Hettema was Senior Vice President, Attraction Development for Universal Studios Theme Parks Worldwide for 14 years. He was responsible for the creative development of all major attractions and shows, including Terminator 2: 3D, Jurassic Park, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Backdraft and many more. He oversaw master planning for all five Universal parks, including domestic and international expansion for Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s PortAventura (Spain), and Universal Studios Japan, and, most notably, the conception and delivery of Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Florida.

Phil is an alumnus of ArtCenter College of Design, instructed courses at the institution and endowed a scholarship for Environmental Design. He has been a guest lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University, USITT, IAAPA, KIN, ICOM, SIGGRAPH, and at the TED Conference. Phil holds four patents for entertainment technology solutions and has been honored with numerous Thea awards from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) including Theas for One World Observatory (2016), Beyond All Boundaries (2010), FiestAventura (2000), The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (2000), Universal’s Islands of Adventure (2000), and Terminator 2:3D (1997) and most recently, The Buzz Price Thea Award – Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements (2017).

David A. Price, has been serving on the Ryman Arts Board of Directors since 2012. Through his leadership at Ryman Arts, the program continues to be an open door for building future careers in the Creative Economy.

Founder of the Price Leisure Group and the son of attractions legend Harrison "Buzz" Price, David Price brings a lifetime of professional experience, relationships, and understanding in Themed Entertainment projects including family attractions, theme parks, resorts, hotels and restaurants, and mixed-use development. He is also the Past-President of the Theme Entertainment Association Western Division.

The Price Leisure Group assists in bringing together the talent, technology, chemistry, expertise and experience to support the unique needs of developers, designers, operators and owners in the hospitality/attractions industry. Their commitment and passion is to support our clients by building a diverse, cross-disciplinary team with backgrounds in economic analysis, facility design, creative design, planning, project management and operations to maximize a project's success.

Internationally recognized and awarded, David has been professionally engaged in research, strategic planning, urban design and architecture for over 30-years, earning his Master of Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Before establishing the Price Leisure Group, he presided over David A. Price Architects, Inc. which focused primarily on a broad range of attractions and hospitality oriented projects including resort hotels and conference centers, IMAX theaters, outdoor amphitheaters, visitor centers, theme parks, entertainment complexes, church campuses and a variety of community related facilities. Notable projects include Wild Bill’s Western Dinner Extravaganza in Buena Park, California; Camp Snoopy at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio; and Palace Family Entertainment Centers in Irvine, Fresno and Livermore, California; KMST Television Station in Monterey, California; Ride & Show Headquarters in San Dimas, California; Chandler Airport Business Center in Chandler, Arizona; resort in Long Point, Rancho Palos Verdes, California; and water-themed resort communities in Jakarta, Indonesia and Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Robert Corbin joined Ryman Arts in 2019. Robert Corbin joined the Ryman Arts Board of Directors in 2019. He is currently a partner at Windes, Inc. in the Tax & Accounting Services department and has over 25 years of experience in public accounting. He also serves on the firm’s Board of Directors. Robert focuses on large and middle-tier business tax matters, including planning and compliance for their shareholders and families. Drawing from his experience at KPMG and local accounting firms, he offers a high level of technical expertise and an understanding of your business, including the key factors that drive your success.

Robert's practice includes consulting on transactional matters, mergers and acquisitions, exit planning, start-ups, structuring, state and local tax and wealth transfers among other needs for mid to large businesses and their shareholders.

Robert serves a wide variety of clients in various industries, including technology, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, retail, food service, real estate, construction, and private equity.

MIchelle A. Lund joined the Board of Directors in 1996. Michelle is president of the Sharon D. Lund Foundation.

Adrianna Arambula (Ryman ’04) currently serves as the Alumni Representative on the Board of Directors and has been the Creative Director of Justice Design Group since 2013.

After receiving an education in architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, Adrianna has found success as a designer of buildings, spaces, lighting, furniture, graphics and brands. It was during her weekend trips to Ryman Arts classes in high school where she fell in love with design and the built environment of Los Angeles. She knew that one day she wanted to do her part to make the world beautiful and interesting while contributing to the creative economy and design community. Whether she is designing a structural detail, a custom light fixture, signage for a new retail space or fine tuning a logo establishing a brand identity, Adrianna takes pride in her work and has carried the core values and skills she learned in Ryman Arts throughout her career.

As a former student, intern, employee and frequent volunteer of Ryman Arts, Adrianna brings a unique viewpoint to the Board of Directors. She has seen just how multi-faceted the program is and understands how crucial it has been in her life and the lives of many other alumni. In her new position on the Board, Adrianna seeks to increase alumni interaction, fundraising, and create a larger network of contacts between alumni, working artists, and the creative community.

Kamille was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and has a demonstrated commitment to access and exposure for underserved youth. Professionally, Kamille has over 10 years’ experience as a management consultant, advising large multi-national companies on strategy development, implementation, and business transformation. Personally, Kamille continues to supports the arts, serving as an independent consultant to the California African American Museum (CAAM) and as a private art collector. She has also served on the board of Los-Angeles based non-profit, Change the Tune. Kamille currently lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband and son, Josiah.

Scot Drake joined Ryman Arts in 2020.

Fri Forjindam joined the Ryman Arts Board of Directors in 2018. Bringing passion and enthusiasm to the art of creative placemaking for a wide variety of industries, Fri has created distinctive guest experiences in film, theatre, publishing, and special events. Voted one of the "Top 50 Theme Park Influencers" by Blooloop, Fri currently serves as the Chief Development Officer of Mycotoo, Inc., the leading experience design agency and entertainment development company that specialize in immersive experiences, location based, and live entertainment. As a 2018 Cannes Gold Lion Winner for HBO's SXSWestworld, Mycotoo's collaborative process fosters an uncommonly strong level of commitment, culture, fun and trust that is essential to building vibrant creative teams. Mycotoo offers a variety of indoor/outdoor entertainment franchise opportunities targeted to helping activate repeat visitation for regional shopping destinations and mixed-use developments.

An MFA graduate of Columbia University, Fri has worked as a creative lead for Bollywood Parks in Dubai, Creative Director for the upcoming Indoor Snow Park, Family Entertainment Center and Nighttime Spectacular for a luxury Retail Developer in Qatar, as project manager and show writer on the 2011 Grammy's After Party, Los Angeles Downtown Latin Museum Gala Opening, and T-Mobile HTC’s corporate tours. Fri brings her background in content development and experiential marketing to facilitate tourism development strategies and to niche branding that attracts regional, national, and international tourism. As a featured consultant expert on national networks including KTLA, FOX, and Huffington Post, Fri is also the Founder and Editorial Director of Nouveau Media Group, LLC, a premier online and print global lifestyle publication. Notable collaborations include: Sony, Thor Equities, Nickelodeon, Meraas, United Developers, and Morehead Planetarium & Science Center.

Don Morin founded, produces and hosts the Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet™ events for Disney fans which include travel excursions, cruises, in-park meetups, author presentations and a summer extravaganza which hosts over 500 guests and sells out annually. He created the Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet™ in 2009 which is widely known as the best Disney fan event in the country. He produces and hosts the events and often interviews guests and celebrity guest speakers and has captured an extensive social media following. Don also works as an actor and voice talent with a variety of YouTube videos and voice work related to Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet™ events including a new Disney fan vid-cast focused on Disneyland history, Walt Disney and the Walt Disney Company which will premiere on YouTube in January 2020. He continues to expand his voiceover talents and event hosting to mainstream media and other events. His business background includes extensive leadership, business and personnel management. Don resides in Mukilteo, Washington and has two beautiful daughters. His passions include travel, food, family and philanthropy. He currently supports Cocoon House and Seattle Children’s Hospital and Ryman Arts in Los Angeles, California.

Edward J. Nowak joined the Ryman Arts Board of Directors in 2008. He is currently Deputy General Counsel of The Walt Disney Company where he has been in charge of litigation and employment law worldwide since 1985. He manages several of the company’s legal groups: litigation and employment, employee benefits, environmental affairs, product safety, immigration, and minors’ employment. He is involved as both a lawyer and an executive in dispute prevention and the resolution of complex business issues throughout the company, across the range of commercial, human resources, and entertainment matters. Before joining Disney, Mr. Nowak was associated with the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City where he specialized in litigation and trial work for many nationally-known companies and a prominent family services agency in New York.

Ed is a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey. He graduated Columbia College of Columbia University in 1970, where he majored in music, and then went to Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, graduating in 1974. In addition to his legal career and work at Disney, he is President of the Board of the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Chairman Emeritus of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, a member of the Board of Directors of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary Foundation, and formerly a member of the Board of the Infirmary, which in 2006 honored him with its Margaret Loeb Kempner Humanitarian Award for that year. He also has been a lifelong musician, for many years professionally, and has supported a variety of artistic and charitable activities.

Monica, Founder and Creative Director of Monica Leigh Atelier, is a resilient veteran and trusted visionary of the fashion industry. She has designed and produced for celebrities and executives and has worked with some of the most well-known and powerful leaders and labels in the fashion industry. Utilizing her core competencies and talents developed over almost two decades, Monica has captured development and refined proprietary workflows, costing methods, pattern artistry, draping instincts and translation abilities. She has worked with companies including FJ Benhamin, Halston, A.L.C., BCBGMAXAZRIA, before founding California New Work and Monica Leigh Atelier.

Morgan joined the Ryman Arts Board of Directors in 2021. An art lover since childhood, Morgan Sacco is passionate about supporting young artists in their careers. Morgan is looking forward to developing creative partnerships between Ryman Arts and the Los Angeles tech community.

 

Diane Brigham joined Ryman Arts in 2002. She has led the expansion of the program, raised its profile as the leading pre-professional artistic training program for talented teen artists in Southern California, strengthened its fundraising capacity, and built awareness of the value of quality artistic education for youth. Committed to public engagement in art, Diane and her team at Ryman Arts recently launched The Big Draw LA, a collaborative regional initiative to celebrate the value of drawing with more than 60 public drawing activities during the month of October. The Big Draw is an international project now in 22 countries.

Prior to Ryman Arts, Diane was Head of Education at the J. Paul Getty Museum, where she was part of the planning group for the building of the Getty Center and led the team responsible for the Museum’s interpretive programs for the public. She has more than thirty years of experience in art and museum education, beginning as a public school art teacher. She holds a B.S. and M.Ed. in art education from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. Diane was Assistant Curator of Education at the Philadelphia Museum of Art prior to moving to California in 1987.

Diane has served on the board of directors of the National Art Education Association, the education committee of the American Alliance of Museums, and Museum Educators of Southern California. Diane has been a grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Humanities, Los Angeles City Cultural Affairs, and Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

Diane completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Leaders in the Arts. She was selected as a 2011 Fellow in Leadership LA, in which leaders in business, government and non-profit sectors study critical civic issues together. Diane completed the Annenberg Foundation Leadership Seminar, Alchemy+ and now served as a community champion for Annenberg Alchemy, advising the foundation and training other non-profit leaders in effective board governance, leadership, and fundraising strategies to strengthen organizational impact.

Ana Garcia joined Ryman Arts in 2014 as the program completed its expansion to a second site. Ana K. Garcia received her BFA in Photography and Media from California Institute of the Arts in 2012. She is a Los Angeles based artist with an interest in community arts education.

Shannon Huang joined Ryman Arts in 2014. Shannon has worked in the non-profit sector with organizations including The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, America SCORES LA, BODYTRAFFIC, and the Orange County Museum of Art. She has had the opportunity to serve on grant review panels for the California Arts Council and the Long Beach Arts Council. Aside from her work in the non-profit world, Shannon spent 8 years at a biochemistry production laboratory and did a harvest internship at the Robert Mondavi Winery. Shannon earned her Master of Arts Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a BA in Humanities and Arts from UC Irvine.

Ginny Kokubun joined Ryman Arts in 2011. With a strong background in administration and having studied Interior Design, she has worked in numerous industries including retail, fashion, special events, and hotel administration. Prior to Ryman Arts, she worked at Warner Brothers and DreamWorks Animation.

Walter Marsh joined Ryman Arts in 2007. Walter earned his MFA in Classical Guitar Performance from UCLA in 1995 and has worked in non-profit management since 1996. His experience includes non-profit accounting and financial management, operations management, event production, and music education.

Marilyn Nguyen joined Ryman Arts in 2018. Passionate about the arts and its ability to bring about community engagement, Marilyn has worked at various art organizations, including Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Marciano Art Foundation. Marilyn prides herself on being an avid museum-goer as well as an addicted coffee-fanatic. She graduated from Ryman Arts in 2011 and earned her Bachelors of Arts in English and Fine Art from the University of California, Irvine.

Rebecca Tuynman oversees all Ryman Arts classes and student activities. She has over 20 years of experience in art education, having worked prior to Ryman Arts in a variety of community organizations, schools, universities, and museums. Rebecca is a graduate of the Community Arts Education Leadership Institute (CAELI), produced by the National Guild for Community Arts Education. She earned her MFA in Studio Art from UC Santa Barbara and a BA in History of Art from Bryn Mawr College. She has been with Ryman Arts since 2005. Rebecca received the Outstanding Visual Arts Supervisor/Administrator of the Year for 2017 from the California Art Education Association in 2017.

Kaleeka Bond joined Ryman Arts in Fall 2012. She teaches drawing at Saddleback College and Cal State University, Long Beach. She is a graduate of Laguna Beach College of Art and Design, where she received both her BA and MFA. A Southern California native, she is widely recognized for her exceptional skills in pastel drawing and is known for her large-scale compositions.

Manny Cosentino is a nationally exhibited figurative painter and accomplished draughtsman. He paints on glass and from 2009 to 2015 he was the lead stained glass painter for the Judson Studios in Los Angeles. Manny’s own work consists of contemporary portraits, figure compositions, urban landscapes and still lives. He has always enjoyed studying the art and painting/drawing practices of the past to find techniques and approaches that best suit his artistic vision; he is especially fond of Flemish and Venetian painting. He is a dedicated instructor and mentor to young artists and over the last couple of years he has taught Life Drawing and Life Painting at California State University Long Beach and Advanced Painting for Ryman Arts. He also teaches privately in Los Angeles and Malibu. To learn more about Manny, please visit: www.mannycosentino.com.

Ja’Rie Gray’s paintings have been exhibited in group shows throughout the cities of Southern California, and her work was shown at MOLAA and CSULB University Art Museum. She received her BFA at Laguna College of Art and Design and her MFA at California State University of Long Beach (CSULB). Gray teaches foundation courses and upper division courses at CSULB, and she teaches at Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) and American University of Health Sciences (AUHS). Gray is known for her large compositions of figurative paintings with vibrant colors and patterns; however, her drawings rivals her paintings with beautifully compose compositions and well constructed figures and strong values.

Ichiro Irie was born in Tokyo and raised in Los Angeles. Ichiro received his BA from University of California, Santa Barbara, and his MFA from Claremont Graduate University. In 2001, Irie went to Mexico City on a Fulbright fellowship and has maintained an active relationship with the visual art community in Mexico. Irie has exhibited his work internationally in galleries and museums such as Bank Gallery in Los Angeles, Hendershot gallery in New York, CSW Museum in Warsaw, and Museo Carrillo Gil in Mexico City. As a curator he has organized more than 30 exhibitions. Between 2002 and 2006 he founded and edited the contemporary art publication RiM magazine. Irie currently lives and works in Los Angeles, owns and operates the artist-run space JAUS in Los Angeles. teaches at Ryman Arts and Oxnard College, and is an artist in residence at 18th Street Arts Center.

Marc Kompaneyets is a Los Angeles based fine artist and writer/illustrator. Born in Moscow, USSR, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Pennsylvania. His fine art work, informed by his classical training and inspired by the European masters, spans a wide range of subject matter, from the observational to the psychological and the surreal. He is the writer/illustrator of The Squishiness of Things (Knopf 2005) and The Troll-Control Expert (self published 2010). Marc is an adjunct professor at Santa Monica College and a senior lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design. To learn more about Marc, please visit: www.Mkompan.squarespace.com

Ira Korman is a fine artist and instructor based in Los Angeles. He received his BFA from Rhode Island School of and Design and earned his MA in Art Education from California State University, Northridge. He is passionate about the art and craft of drawing, the history of its function, and methods of instruction. For 25 years, he has exhibited throughout the United States and Europe. His work is in the collection of several museums, including the de Young Museum and The Columbus Museum. Prior to moving to Los Angeles in 1989, Ira worked as a commercial illustrator in New York. His clients included The New York Times, Conde Nast Publishing, Hachette Publishing, RCA Records, and Scholastic, Inc. Ira has been a Master Teaching Artist at Ryman Arts since 2020. To learn more about Ira, please visit: www.irakorman.com.

Michelle Mary Lee received her double major BA in Art and Art History from UCLA and her MFA and EdD from USC. She holds a teaching credential in Art. She is currently a lecturer at UCLA and USC. Dr. Lee has been an AP Studio Art teacher at various high schools. In addition to teaching, she is a working artist. Her selected solo exhibitions include 16 Summertime Paintings, eat.on sunset, Metropolitan Water District (Los Angeles), USC Interdisciplinary Center (Irvine), and Combes Gallery, Paris. Her work has been included in group exhibitions at LA Weekly: Emerging Artists Biennial, Bergamot Station (Santa Monica); SuperSonic: MFA Exhibition, Municipal Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park; Kay Nielsen Drawing Show, UCLA Hammer Museum, Grunwald Center for Graphic Arts, Los Angeles, CA.

Ronald J. Llanos teaches figure drawing and painting to both adults and children at his alma mater, ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. He has also run art workshops and taught classes in high schools including Polytechnic School, Flintridge Preparatory School, McKinley School and Pasadena High School. In addition to teaching, Ronald is a practicing artist who regularly creates and exhibits artwork. Ronald has exhibited in galleries throughout southern California, Oregon, and Washington. His works are in the collection of many art collectors. He has also done various commissioned portraits for private individuals. Recently, Ronald was selected and commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to design 24 mosaic panels for the Western Station of the new Exposition Lightrail line.

Robin Palanker, BFA, California Institute of the Arts. Robin exhibits nationally and is represented locally by the Lora Schlesinger Gallery. Her motion-centric work can be found in numerous art collections. She has taught at Art Center College of Design, California State Summer School for the Arts, H.O.L.A., University of La Verne, Laguna College, Vermont College, and Loyola Marymount University and has been a guest lecturer at Santa Monica College, Cal State University, Long Beach, UC Riverside, and UCLA, among others. She was awarded the Sharon Disney Lund Master Teaching Award in 2007. Robin has worked extensively as a publication designer and also trains dogs, specializing in dog tricks. She has collaborated on diverse performance projects, including the award-winning Nijinsky Speaks. She joined Ryman Arts in Fall 2003.

Sergio Rebia is an artist and professor of visual art born and raised in California. He obtained his BFA in 2004 and his MFA in 2008 from Laguna College of Art and Design. Sergio has taught in colleges and universities all over Southern California including Cal State University Long Beach, Mt. San Antonio College, Saddleback College, LCAD, and Rio Hondo College, where he currently teaches. He now dedicates his time to teaching, raising a family, and developing a body of work in his studio in Santa Ana. There is only one thing that Sergio enjoys more than painting in his studio and that is teaching and being part of the passing on of a legacy that has existed since the very first works of art created on the walls of the Caves in Lascaux. 

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, veteran instructor David Schoffman has spent the brunt of his labors in wrathful pursuit of the perfect painting. The wages of his endurance have garnered their fair share of awards and exhibitions but it is at Ryman Arts where fulfillment reaches its truest sense of eudaimonia. In addition to painting and teaching David is a mischievous master of media inundating the Internet with screeds, manifestos and subversive YouTube videos. Indifferent to pets and actively hostile to TV David spends most of his scarce spare time with his family and friends.

Martha Fernandez-Grijalva graduated from Ryman Arts in 2013 and pursued a degree in animation at California State University, Long Beach. She is now a college graduate and has dedicated her time towards refining her portfolio by attending portfolio review events and taking courses at the Animation Guild. Martha has a passion for creating characters that are fun and relatable to our diverse society. She hopes to later become an Art Director for an animation studio in the states or abroad! To view more of her work please visit: https://marthaferngri.wixsite.com/mfgportfolio

Alex is a current student at California State University, Los Angeles studying graphic design and history. Alex envisions using art and design to connect people and has done this through years of volunteering for his hometown of Monrovia – at the public schools, public library, and community center. Alex hopes to continue developing his art skills and pursuing the dream of becoming a youth librarian. Learn more about Alex at www.ajojesc.myportfolio.com

Christine Marcelle is a nonbinary artist that frequently exhibits their artwork at conventions across the country. They are a 2011 Ryman Arts alum and received a Bachelor in Arts in Psychology, Cognitive Sciences and Studio Art from the University of California, Irvine in 2015. Since then, Christine has been working as a freelance artist and as a teaching assistant for Ryman Arts. They are currently working on going back to school for a master's degree in higher education to motivate students in pursuing a college degree. They enjoy video games, watching cartoons, sleeping, and eating in their spare time!

Raquel Martinez is a full-time student at California State University, Fullerton and is working toward her BFA with a concentration in Animation. She graduated from Ryman Arts in 2016 and aims to become an animator for Disney or Pixar and to create her own cartoon show.

Petrina Mina has worked as an artist, painter, and illustrator for the past 10 years. She is a California State University, Long Beach alumna with a BA in Studio Art and a Ryman Alumna (’00). She has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for the medical and animation industry. In her spare time, she attends many life-drawing events in Los Angeles and takes courses at the Animation Guild. To learn more about Petrina, please visit: www.petrinamina.com

Justus is a graduate from the University of California, Riverside where he received his BFA in Studio Art. He graduated from Ryman Arts in 2015 and is developing his portfolio for animation. Currently, he works as a freelance illustrator and as an artist for an indie game. Justus loves video games, animation, and contemporary art. In the future he plans to work as an animator abroad, hopefully becoming an Animation Director or Lead Concept Artist. Learn more about Justus at https://justusross.wixsite.com/portfolio.