Alon Banks
I began in the nonprofit world over 20 years ago because a friend asked me. I have a degree in business management and I’ve always loved the blend of for profit strategies and tactics and the nonprofit/charitable environment. Read more>>
Dave DiVerniero
I was 19 when I produced my first feature film. I was pursuing an advertising degree at the time but I fell in love with production. I ended up getting my first job as a video editor in the broadcast department of an ad agency, combining my education with my new passion. Read more>>
Louanne Ferro
Some people wanted to be astronauts. I always knew I wanted to be a hairstylist. In my toddler years I used to sit my mom on the floor during her nightly Jeopardy episode and stand on the sofa to brush and style her hair. As I grew older I wanted to cut hair. Read more>>
Audrey Ellsberg
I’ve been interested in fashion and was very picky about what I wore. Growing up, my household was on a Kmart budget when it came to school clothes, so I decided to start sewing my own clothes. It started with little alterations to clothes I already had, and by high school, it was making tops, stenciling and creating appliqués. Read more>>
Alan Nakkash
I was born in Detroit to parents who had recently moved to the United States from Iraq. We moved to San Diego when I was 3 years old and that’s where I’ve lived ever since. As far as I can remember, I have always had an obsession with films and storytelling. Read more>>
Anjanette Maraya-Ramey
My education and professional career path have all been in service to my community, and deeply rooted in my own personal experience. Born to Filipino immigrant parents and raised in a military family, I witnessed my parents’ pursuit of the ‘American dream’ while struggling to acculturate in a foreign country. Read more>>
Petra Ives
Very early on in my life, I knew what I wanted to be… hanging out in both of my aunt’s design studios, I learned quickly what it means to be a Graphic Designer, and at age 12 I decided that this will be my career path. I had it all mapped out: internships during my high school years, trade school, college and then eventually run my own fancy design agency in Munich, Germany, where I grew up. Read more>>
Lamin Turay
As someone who loves pop-culture, business, and media I have always been intrigued by individuals who are experiencing success in their chosen industry(ies). In order to learn more about these people and what makes them tick, myself and a former business partner decided to start a blog about entrepreneurship called Maveriqs Academy. Read more>>
Andy M. Coronado
My company, The Travelers Club, initially began out of a need to combat complacency. Growing up and coming out of high school, San Diego always felt like a great city, yet one largely without a creative sense of identity. Read more>>
Stephanie Parker
I’ve grown up in the hospitality and food and beverage industry since I was a teenager. Realizing that my love for the industry was something that I would like to pursue as a lifelong career, I attended SDSU’s Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management which led me into a 5 year stint in restaurant management at The Brigantine and Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens. Read more>>
Gabriel Feitosa
I started grooming at the age of twelve in a small town outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. I used to take my sisters dog to the grooming shop and one day asked the groomer to teach me how to groom. I eventually took on a regular position working after school at the shop, developing my skills. Read more>>
Sheri Colosimo
I have always loved physical movement. From a young age, dance & fitness felt like home. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized how much they helped me mentally & emotionally too. I pursued my degree in Exercise Science at the University of Dayton and then moved to Denver, CO with my husband. Read more>>
Dewayne Flowers
I started out as a grossly overweight teenager body painting when I was 17 for all the wrong reasons in rural Georgia. As I matured and the paintings progressed it became less about “oh my God, nudity!” and “Oh my God, awesome art and a new friend.” Read more>>
