Noemy Hernandez
Executive Director, Co-Founder
Noemy Hernandez (she/her) is an accomplished choreographer, artistic director, and arts administrator. Noemy holds a B.F.A. in Dance-choreography, 2 minors (in Theater and Management) and a Certificate in Arts Management from the University of California, Irvine. Noemy lived in NYC working as a teaching artist, dancer/choreographer, and Artistic Director, before returning to her hometown of Los Angeles. Noemy served as full time Managing Director of Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, and her artistic work has been presented by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the New York Metropolitan Museum, among many others. Noemy advances Everyday Art’s mission and strategic direction, and brings sweet treats to staff meetings.
Favorite Everyday Arts Supply: Joy!
Matt Bogdanow
Director of Education and Grants, Co-Founder
Matt Bogdanow (he/him) is a world-renowned musician and educator who specializes in creating inclusive arts programming. He is a Berklee College of Music graduate, summa cum laude, as well as a graduate of the Community-Word Project Teaching Artist Training and Internship Program. Matt has delivered guest lectures on the intersecting fields of special education and the arts at University of California, Loyola Marymount University, and Otis College of Art and Design, and is the author of “The Backbone of Drumming; A Systematic Approach to Learning the Drumset.” Matt is responsible for Everyday Arts' curriculum design, and ensures that every workshop has space for both noise and (sometimes excruciatingly long) silence.
Favorite Everyday Arts Material: Multi-colored tissue paper, especially when we crumple it up into balls!
Vanessa Ramirez Pegg
Director of Operations and Programs, Co-Founder
Vanessa Ramirez Pegg (she/her) is a bilingual and bicultural teaching artist and special education advocate from Guatemala who is skilled in working with culturally diverse populations. She has created and written inclusive curriculum, led professional development workshops, and integrated arts-based strategies for children with diverse learning abilities. Vanessa has a BA in Theatre Education with a Teaching License from UNC, Colorado. She is determined to transform lives through education locally and abroad, having developed bilingual programming in the U.S., Italy, Mexico, and Guatemala. Vanessa ensures that everything at EA runs smoothly, including making sure all of the caps go back on the markers!
Favorite Everyday Arts Sound: “Boop!”
Laurel Butler
Director of Youth Programming
Laurel Butler (she/her) is an educator, facilitator, organizer, performing artist, and arts education & social justice consultant. She has positively impacted the creative lives of young people through her roles as Associate Director of UCLA’s Visual and Performing Arts Education program, Faculty Instructor in the Loyola Marymount University College of Fine Arts, Arts Education & Social Emotional Learning Specialist for the LA County Office of Education, and Program Development Specialist for 4CLab. Laurel received her MA in Theatre Education & Community Outreach from the University of New Mexico, and continues her studies as a Doctoral Candidate in Social Justice Leadership for Educational and Professional Practice at Antioch University. She is passionate about facilitating artistic spaces for young people to use their voices and build community.
Sam Sermeño
Arts Integration Specialist
Sam Sermeño (they/she) joined Everyday Arts in 2022 as a former SpEd educator and outreach librarian. In years past, Sam has worked with youth and families across public libraries, schools/colleges, museums, and LGBTQIA+ youth music camps. In their spare time, you can find Sam at a local art or music event, hiking or reading in nature with friends.
Darice Bailey
Board Member
Darice Bailey (she/her) is a Certified Public Accountant who keeps one foot in both the analytical and creative worlds. With a 20+ year career in a mix of corporate and nonprofit settings, she has a proven track record of managing change, implementing systems, improving processes, leading teams, building staffs, developing employees, and cultivating board and donor relationships. Darice has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a Bachelor of Music from Millikin University, and a Data Analytics Certificate from Cornell University. She is also an accomplished keyboard player and singer and is passionate about the ability of the arts to impact humanity.
Heather Heslup
Board Member
Heather Heslup (she/her) is an Arts Education & Social Justice professional specializing in strategic development, organizational operations and program management. Heather holds a BA in Television & Film Production from Howard University and an MA in Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. Heather’s varied scope of skills has been highlighted through her work with prominent institutions including Los Angeles County Dept. of Arts & Culture, California Institute for the Arts, Columbia College Chicago, and Public Broadcast Service. Heather is a passionate advocate for equity and uses art as a change agent to uplift our schools and communities.
Rosa Garcia
Board Member
Rosa Garcia (she/her) is the recipient of the Donald McKayle Medal Scholar from UCI and earned her MFA degree in Dance with a choreographic emphasis on Mexican-American Dance & Cultural Identity. She also earned a BA in Dance from CSU, Long Beach and studied at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School in New York on a scholarship. For the past 20 years, Rosa has developed and helped develop dance programs for various community colleges and local non-profit organizations such as OC Music & Dance, Delhi Community Center, OC Children's Therapeutic Arts Center, and for the Santa Ana Unified School District. She is currently an Adjunct Dance Professor at Santa Ana College.
Bryan Wake
Board Member
Bryan Wake (he/him) is a special educator at Anton Elementary School in Los Angeles, and has worked for LAUSD since 2000. He obtained his Master's Degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Moderate to Severe Disabilities from Cal-State Los Angeles in 2014, and his Bachelor of Arts from University of Hawai’i in 1998. His course in the Teacher Education Program at Claremont Graduate University, “Humanizing Special Education: Designing Student-Centered IEPs with a Focus on Behavior and Transition,” emphasizes the drafting of rigorous standards-based IEPs that highlight the student’s and household’s assets and cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge.