Experience

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  UCLA Arts

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • Manager, Development

    • Sep 2017 - Present
    • Los Angeles, CA

    Art has been a gift to me. It has opened many doors. It has allowed me the vision and empathy to create with my whole heart. My journey as an artist led me to an enviable career in Talent Relations at HBO, and later, to produce a series of meaningful programs to advance support for and bring awareness to community organizations in the nonprofit sector. My years of enriching experiences have allowed me to return to UCLA as an experienced fundraiser and Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP).As a former graduate student at UCLA, I have benefitted from scholarships and grants for student and program support which helped to fuel my academic experience as a creator. I spent three years honing my creative voice in the MFA Directing Program at UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, before growing into my professional career in broadcast entertainment at HBO which started as an internship and evolved into over a decade-long career with some of the top names in Hollywood! Today, I help to build a pipeline of support for funding opportunities to benefit our current and future artists, architects, designers, and performers at UCLA Arts. In my development role at the School of the Arts & Architecture, I use my vision and experience to cultivate first-time donors, conceptualize new strategies to invigorate our annual fund, and, work to build a pipeline of new donors for UCLA Arts' program support through prospect research, donor cultivation and community engagement initiatives that strengthen the backbone of UCLA Arts education. I make an impact daily by amplifying support for Black voices and leading initiatives centered on strengthening equity, diversity, and inclusion and fortifying the collective belief in our student artists' unique ability to change the world. My proudest accomplishment has been my work to create the UCLA Arts Racial Equity Fund, established in 2021. I also hold a seat on the UCLA External Affairs Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council.

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  UCLA

  • Los Angeles

  • Program Administrator, Sustainable LA - UCLA Grand Challenges

    • Sep 2015 - Sep 2017
    • Los Angeles

    I joined a team of professionals at UCLA who shared a vision of a fully sustainable Los Angeles by 2050, an initiative of UCLA Grand Challenges. With partnerships across sectors and communities, UCLA has developed a comprehensive plan to achieve sustainability in energy, water, and biodiversity in the Los Angeles region by 2050. Approximately 150 UCLA faculty, researchers and scholars are committed to the goals of Sustainable LA. Among these are some of the world’s top experts in sustainability: climate change, water quality and supply, smart grid technology, renewable energy, public policy, law, environmental justice, air quality, and more. Led by Mark Gold, I served as Program Administrator for the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge team. I supported day-to-day operations, and the implementation of our Leadership Council, co-chaired by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. In addition, I used my event knowledge and experience to coordinate the management of SLA GC symposiums, campus-wide events, and partnerships throughout the City of Los Angeles. For more about Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, please see the media noted below.

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  LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY GARDEN COUNCIL

  • Villa Parke Community Center

  • Event Consultant - "9th Annual Gathering of Community Gardens"

    • Jun 2015 - Oct 2015
    • Villa Parke Community Center

    I served as the exclusive Event Consultant for the Los Angeles Community Garden Council's 9th Annual Gathering of Community Gardens, held on Saturday, October 3, 2015. Over 200+ guests visited our ecological and educational celebration featuring over a dozen free garden focused workshops, hosted in both English and Spanish! Guests of all ages enjoyed networking with their community garden neighbors, visits with exhibitors, live demos, giveaways, and received a T-shirt and a fresh, healthy lunch! We even had a kid's play zone hosted by my friends at Tickleberry Place, so that parents and families would have a safe place to leave their children to play, while they attended our informative workshops. It all began with a welcome keynote address from Commissioner Suzanne Bostwick of First5La.org. Afterwards, guests were invited to attend breakout workshop sessions scattered all over the community center. Topics of the day included: Aquaponics, Benefits of Composting, Food Preservation, Tree Care Management, and Water Conservation, to name a few! At Noon, attendees were welcomed back to our auditorium to enjoy Master Chef Rickey Smith's delicious, zero waste meal which had a line running out the door as everyone scrambled to grab a bite! We rounded out the afternoon with a final series of breakout sessions, featuring live translation by Languagesforyou.com and a gift giveaway to attendees via a rapid fire raffle as a thank you for completing their evaluation forms! All in all, it was a wonderful day and fun was had by all!

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  Muir Ranch

  • Pasadena, CA

  • Events Manager (Independent Contractor)

    • Apr 2014 - Sep 2015
    • Pasadena, CA

    I served as Events Manager for 2014 and 2015 seasons of Muir Ranch Farm-to-Table Fundraisers. On September 19, 2015 we closed out the last season of Farm-to-Table suppers with a featured visit from Field to Vase Supper Club! At every signature event, we invite culinary artists from local, sustainable eateries to create rotating signature menus for our guests to enjoy. We also feature local artisans and musicians, whenever possible. Our al-fresco supper is an outdoor culinary experience, held in the warm and welcoming atmosphere of Muir Ranch garden. Events welcome the community to our farm to grab a seat at our long table alongside some of Mud Baron's 27,000 Twitter followers for a signature meal prepared by a professional guest chef. Past Chefs include: Ann Gentry, founder of Real Food Daily, Jennie Cook of Jennie Cook's Catering, Chef Job Carder of Plate 38 and Pam Perkins & Christine Moore, owners of Lincoln Pasadena. The dinner brings together green thumbs, students, faculty, and community members to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Our suppers support Muir Ranch's student jobs program and connect our community to local food, and the ever-trending photo op with Mud Baron for a #flowersonyourhead" portrait, as seen in Los Angeles Magazine. About Muir Ranch: In 2011, a dedicated team of volunteer teachers and students began converting 1.5 acres of the John Muir High School campus into an urban farm. Muir Ranch provides paid jobs to students, funded by private donations, special events, farmer’s market sales, and subscriptions to the produce box program (CSA). It also partners with other local school and their learning gardens to provide them with produce for their own CSA programs, host monthly “Plug Mobs” to help the community start their own gardens, and are a Nursery Non-profit helping students to connect to their food systems by getting them involved in how food is grown, distributed, and finally cooked into healthy meals. More here: www.muirranch.org

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  BizBash

  • Los Angeles Convention Center

  • Volunteer Manager for BizBash Los Angeles (Independent Contractor)

    • Jun 2015 - Jun 2015
    • Los Angeles Convention Center

    Volunteer Manager for BizBash Live:LA, held on June 24, 2015. BizBash Live:LA is LA's largest one-day gathering of event organizers held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center. My responsibilities included management of pre-event training day and venue tours for volunteers, setting volunteer workday and rotation schedule and day of coordination and management of all volunteers on location for BizBash Live:LA operations throughout the venue, including Customer Relations Assistance at assigned areas throughout the venue for exclusive attendees attractions including: Event Innovation Forum and Event Innovation Forum Luncheon, BizBash LA Workshop Series, Trade Show Expo Floor, Expo Floor Stage, Design Luncheon, and the Exclusive BizBash LA Pre-Party at Tom's Urban and BizBash LA Post Party at Club Nokia.

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  Sustainable Works, a project of Community Partners

  • Sustainable Works in Santa Monica

  • Program Associate (Independent Contractor)

    • Jul 2014 - Jun 2015
    • Sustainable Works in Santa Monica

    At Sustainable Works - a project of Community Partners, First, our goal is to ensure a just society, a clean and healthy environment and a vibrant economy for present and future generations. Here, I provide continuous support to our Co-Executive Directors - Susy Borlido and Gina Garcia and offer administrative and program support for our Residential Greening Program and Business Greening Program initiatives, as well as on-site support for community events like: Sustainable Quality Awards, Santa Monica Festival, City of Santa Monica Annual Poster Contest, SW Film Screenings and various other public programs. As a Residential Greening Program Associate, and a trained Green Living Workshop Instructor, I provided support for program implementation of our Green Living Workshop series and other free community events created to educate and inspire citizens to make daily changes in their own lifestyle habits to live more sustainably. Sustainable Works has relied on my administrative skills and event planning expertise to manage the accounting for our day-to-day operations, and to provide program support for our community outreach initiatives and events in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica, Community Partners.org and our corporate partners throughout Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

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  L.A. Kitchen

  • Lincoln Heights

  • Events Manager (Independent Contractor)

    • 2013 - Jun 2015
    • Lincoln Heights

    For June 3, 2015, I returned as Events Manager for L.A. Kitchen to produce a Top Chef-studded "Toast to Robert Egger, Founder of L.A. Kitchen"​ event co-hosted by José Andrés and Gwyneth Paltrow. An A-list of esteemed Tastemakers in L.A. were invited for an exclusive sneak peek at the new L.A. Kitchen Headquarters, and were wined and dined by Top Chefs: José Andrés, Roy Choi, Susan Feniger, Michael Voltaggio and Jo Kimberly. We also hosted a surprise performance by Ozomatli! As Events Manager for L.A. Kitchen, I earlier produced their "Demo-Cation"​ event on May 1, 2014. L.A. Kitchen, is a startup nonprofit organization in Los Angeles, who in 2014 chose "May Day" (5/1) to launch their full-on revolution…dedicated to replacing the traditional “service” model with dynamic, easily replicated solutions built upon equal access to healthy food, economic empowerment, inclusion, social enterprise and community engagement. Last year, the demolition and reconstruction began on the build-out of their new 20,000 sq. ft, bi-level kitchen, located just a block from the Lincoln Heights metro. The brand new headquarters and operations for L.A. Kitchen will use nutritious food as a tool to creatively combat homelessness, empower at-risk youth, and help train vulnerable populations for work in the hospitality industry. I invite you to view the video below to discover the enriching opportunities they are bringing to The City of Angels!

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  Ron Finley Project

  • South Los Angeles, CA

  • Events Manager (Community Outreach Consultant)

    • Sep 2012 - Jun 2015
    • South Los Angeles, CA

    I provide personal support to Ron Finley as needed in areas of Talent Relations, Community Outreach, Event Planning and Business Management. Due to the popularity of Ron Finley's TEDx talk, his message has now reached over 4 million viewers and mobilized an incredible population of worldwide supporters + volunteers eager to "Plant Some Shit!" with The Ron Finley Project…And the movement is growing everyday. Ron has engaged my assistance for community projects and events through guided support and consultation for brand messaging and strategic planning for The Ron Finley Project, as well as, direct assistance with managing communications, drafting proposals and grant writing for community program initiatives throughout South LA and beyond. I look forward to advancing The Ron Finley Project as it continues to grow wings. We're dedicated to planting more seeds of change throughout South LA!The Ron Finley Project, is the latest movement in Ron Finley's work to serve his community. Plans are to build "HQ," a community garden space to serve as a hub organization of local residents, activists, master gardeners and everyday people, whose goal is to combat the dismal condition many South LA residents confront every day, as we live in a food desert. We will continue to message that everyone has the right and power to eat nutritious food. We will "green" our community by providing a unique environment to foster employment opportunities, job training, educational workshops and resources - and of course, We plant urban edible gardens and share our knowledge so that each and every one of you can "Use gardening as a gateway" to take back your health!In June 2013, Ron Finley and I partnered to produced a corporate "Day of Community Service" in Watts, CA, for AEG in conjunction with BET Networks, as part of their inaugural "BET EXPERIENCE" weekend. Ron Finley Project continues to share its message locally and globally to encourage everyone to grow their own food.

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  Tickleberry Place

  • South Los Angeles

  • Planning Partner and Director of Special Events (Consultant)

    • Oct 2014 - Apr 2015
    • South Los Angeles

    In Partnership with Creator - Lauren McElroy, we seek to bring a new and exciting project to the residents of South LA. Meet Tickleberry Place - A new, eco-friendly play gym and community center coming soon to South LA. I am currently serving as our Director of Special Events, fostering opportunities for crowdfunding events and activities as we seek to raise the seed money to bring Tickleberry Place to our community. Our team hosts a series of promotional events in collaboration with our local community partners in the South LA area like: Leimert Park Village, LA Metro -Eat.Shop.Play. Crenshaw, SoLa Food Co-Op, The Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Farmers Market, and the BHC Plaza, to bringing enriching, arts & crafts activities to little Tickleberries in our community to introduce our vision for Tickleberry Place and gain support for the build-out of our project. Past events: On Saturday, October 25, 2014 - Tickleberry Place co-hosted a pumpkin giveaway & decoration station with SoLA Food Co-op, where we introduced our projects to kids and families who visited the weekly Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Farmers Market. On November 8, 2014 - With support from our community partners at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Farmers Market and the BHC Plaza, we hosted a "Tickleberry Tent" coloring zone and gardening demo at the Crenshaw Farmers Market. We look forward to sharing our message and community activities with more of you soon! We invite your support as we are seeking sponsors, investors and community partnerships to help grow this project. Together, we'll make Tickleberry Place a reality for kids in our community! Visit this link to pledge your support now! Click here to find out more about Tickleberry Place: www.tickleberryplace.com

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  Urban Green LLC

  • Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Events Manager (Independent Contractor)

    • Jan 2014 - Jan 2015
    • Greater Los Angeles Area

    Urban Green LLC is a Los Angeles based company committed to serving "conscious"​ consumers by using our business to connect the inter-related disciplines of cuisine, land use, environment, architecture and renewable energy sources into long-term solutions to improve the agricultural sustainability in the urban environment. Urban Green LLC is dedicated to the restoration and development of “green space” in the communities we serve by empowering the diverse people and stakeholders who inhabit our urban environment.Founder, Rickey Smith relies on my expertise for on-site event management and ongoing business services support with strategic planning, branding, communications and event planning for Urban Green's product lines and urban initiatives, including: Urban Green Cuisine, The Sweet Spot, Urban Green Zero-Waste Catering, Cultivation and the Fallen Tree Project, a new line of eco-conscious furniture. I assist with maintaining administrative best practices, and design and implement organizational systems for tracking and bookkeeping. I also draft communications, as necessary, to market and promote product lines and program initiatives. Urban Green LLC has been a supportive community partner to me as I've worked as an advocate for food access and food equality. Rickey and I continue to partner and produce green events and programs that cultivate provocative dialogues about food access and sustainability, as well as, offer upscale event planning services for partners like: City of Santa Monica Farmers Markets, MUSE School, OPEN X, USC School of Price School of Public Policy, Seedstock, The Supper Club Inc., and a host of others.

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  Trash For Teaching

  • Gardena, CA

  • Events Manager (Independent Contractor)

    • May 2014 - 2015
    • Gardena, CA

    In 2014, I served as the exclusive Event Planner for the First Annual T4T.org “Teacher Appreciation Day"​ recognition event. On September 20, 2014, I had the honor to support T4T.org's First Annual "Trash for Teaching Appreciation Day" a hosted, premiere special event to bestow honors upon its greatest supporters, the teaching members who use T4T materials in their classrooms everyday. Honored guests enjoyed freshly grilled fare by Earlez Grill, live music and entertainment, and experienced craft making and interactive activities for kids and their families to enjoy. This past year on October 10, 2015, once again, T4T.org opened its headquarters for a special community celebration with food and fun for all ages continuing the annual tradition of honoring their teaching constituency and community partners.T4T.org rescues and recycles materials from landfills, that would otherwise be tossed away as trash. T4T.org instead creates a way to use many “unwanted” materials to create and structure S.T.E.A.M. curriculum to be shared in school across the Greater Los Angeles area and beyond. This event was designed to celebrate and honor the many teachers, administrators and community leaders who show their continuous support for Trash for Teaching’s mission by using T4T materials in their classroom learning activities.

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  Taproot Foundation

  • Los Angeles

  • PR & Event Planning Fellow

    • Jul 2014 - Oct 2014
    • Los Angeles

    For the Summer of 2014, I was invited to serve Taproot Foundation of Los Angeles as their PR & Event Planning Fellow. My service included event planning consultation, where I managed all location scouting, sourcing of catering, and secured sponsorship donations to support the production of a special award reception in conjunction with Taproot Foundation's 2014 Pro Bono Week campaign.Pro Bono Week is a global celebration of the pro bono ethic that takes place during the week of October 19-25, 2014. I will produced continuous event planning support for Pro Bono Week events and activities in celebration of the 5th year anniversary of Taproot Foundation Los Angeles.

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  Sustainable Works - Green Living Workshops

  • Santa Monica, CA

  • Residential Greening Program Instructor

    • Feb 2012 - Jun 2014
    • Santa Monica, CA

    I am a Green Living Workshop Instructor for Sustainable Works, Located in Santa Monica. Green Living Workshops are a free, community program created to educate and inspire citizens to make daily changes in their own lifestyle habits to live more sustainably. The six hot topics explored include problems and solutions regarding: Water, Energy, Waste, Chemicals, Transportation, and Shopping and Food. My area of special interest in our program is "Shopping and Food." I can be found hosting Residential Green Living Workshops throughout the cities of Santa Monica and Los Angeles, where I bring awareness to the problems we all face in the wake of Factory Farming, GMOs and Overfishing and other unsustainable practices related to food production and mass consumerism. I also offer solutions we can all implement in our every day lives, by changing our lifestyle habits and actively spreading the word to others. I have also served as a community outreach assistant for Sustainable Works, tabling bi-weekly at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, to spread our message about sustainability issues and to recruit volunteers.I am a highly experienced lecturer available to host private or public workshops, addressing diverse constituent groups including: Non-profit organizations and their affiliates, corporations, entertainment partners, community leaders, public service personnel, foundations, boards of directors, member clubs, artists, clients, faculty and students.

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  SEE-LA.org/Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Farmers' Market

  • Baldwin Hills, CA

  • Event Planner (Community Outreach Consultant)

    • May 2013 - May 2014
    • Baldwin Hills, CA

    I launched a community program in May of 2013, which now continues annually at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Farmers Market. The event is called EBT Awareness Celebration of Food, and was developed in honor of May being EBT Awareness Month - as a way to promote healthy eating to those in my community who are living on a restricted budget. If you are receiving EBT (CalFresh benefits) you should know that you too can buy fresh food from the farmers market and make fresh, healthy meals at home. Each year, we invite local chefs to donate their time and talents to the market for one special day. All is produced Pro Bono and our mobile kitchen is supplied by the Gourmandise School of Sweets & Savories in Santa Monica. SEE-LA.org sponsors the market and provides a budget to their farmers for the food we use in our live chef demos. It is my passion project, my first live community program and a collaborative community event enjoyed by all. Special thanks for Marie-Alise de Marco, the market manager who supports this effort and works in tandem with me to produce it four our community.

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  L.A. Marler Studio

  • Santa Monica, CA

  • Event Planner (Independent Contractor)

    • Oct 2013 - Mar 2014
    • Santa Monica, CA

    In collaboration with L.A. Marler and Sabbath Manifesto, I coordinated and promoted "Unplug and Type-In," an "unplugged" community event hosted by L.A. Marler Studio on March 8th, 2014 from 12-4pm, to celebrate the nationwide campaign known as the "National Day of Unplugging." In addition, I provided dedicated support by drafting all grants and proposals for art exhibitions, coordination and strategic planning for events and created a social media campaign to bring new audiences to L.A. Marler Studio's fine print art and art programs.

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  Sage Wellness LLC

  • Los Angeles

  • Wellness Coordinator (Independent Contractor)

    • May 2013 - Jan 2014
    • Los Angeles

    I served as an Wellness Event Coordinator for two annual corporate events for Sage Wellness. The first, was an employee health and wellness fair for OWN - Oprah Winfrey Network, held in September 2013, at their headquarters in Los Angeles. This event hosted by Sage Wellness was the 4th of its kind for OWN and touted by its management and staff to have been the best ever. Next, was a private health and wellness fair for the 250 employees of LUCKY BRAND, held in November 2013 at their headquarters in Downtown LA. I negotiated and corresponded directly with talent and vendors to secure their participation, sponsorship and onsite service agreements for these exclusive, private events. Working alongside both the President and CEO of Sage Wellness, I offered continuous support thru communication and coordination with clients to execute wellness events and programming logistics. I also helped to design and implement new systems for tracking client data and for improving administrative best practices.Sage Wellness is a Los Angeles based corporate wellness company focused on cultivating a healthier workplace. We take a WHOLE(istic) approach in creating customized educational programs that help employees connect all areas of their well-being. Sage Wellness tailors packages to suit the needs of any workplace environment - from non-profit organizations to larger corporations. Regardless of industry, size or structure, every company thrives when its employees feel their healthiest.

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  HBO

  • Santa Monica, CA

  • Talent Relations and Special Events Coordinator

    • Jan 2001 - Aug 2012
    • Santa Monica, CA

    After leaving UCLA Film School and I entered HBO as an intern in 2001. I stayed on as a temporary assistant, leading to what would become a lengthy career at HBO spanning over eleven years as direct support in the Entertainment industry. In 2004, after much experience in both HBO Production and Development departments, I took on afull-time position with HBO Talent Relations and Special Events, serving as a liaison between our corporate office and HBO Talent. I began as an Executive Assistant to the VP of Talent Relations and Special Events. I worked in direct communication with Actors, Directors, Producers, Writers and others, to coordinate logistics for Talent appearances, and in support of our Media Relations department for all HBO Special Events. Here, I learned all aspects of Event Planning from concept to execution.My career at HBO also includes eight years experience in Corporate Social Responsibility, as I was a steering committee member for our mentoring program, facilitated by Youth Mentoring Connection and an active mentor myself from 2004 to 2012.I left HBO to pursue private event work in the nonprofit sector, and soon continued on to earn an M.A. in Nonprofit Management from Antioch University.

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  Sarkes Kernis Company (now with Brillstein-Grey Entertainment)

  • Beverly Hills

  • Talent Manager Executive Assistant

    • 1996 - 1998
    • Beverly Hills

    Executive Assistant supporting Talent Managers: Tim Sarkes and Lee Kernis (now with Brillstein Entertainment Partners); assisted both partners with managing the professional careers of actors, writers, and comedians by identifying creative vehicles, writing project coverage, and distributing casting information for their client roster.I also managed heavy phones and faxing, and coordinated expenses, scheduling and travel for partners, maintained filing system, facilitated payments, distributed contracts and deal memos and addressed requests for talent bookings.

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  Clein + White PR

  • Public Relations Assistant

    • 1995 - 1996

    Assisted Publicists in developing promotional media activity for their clients in all facets of radio, television editorial and burgeoning internet programming and blogs, and in the coordination of press junkets, photo shoots, Talent appearances on TV and radio shows, and red carpet events.Recorded, copied and distributed advertisement materials and publications including: books, articles, and continuous archiving of press clippings.Greeter and on-site production assistant at exclusive speaking engagements, book tours, and other media junkets; Assisted with the planning and organizing of exclusive events: i.e. the annual IFC Independent Spirit Awards, a live cable award show and with the launch of DreamWorks Studios in Playa Vista, CA.