Dr. Leah Hanes, Ph.D.
Our CEO, Dr. Leah Hanes, brings a unique set of professional and personal experiences to her role at Two Bit Circus Foundation. Beginning her career in Toronto, Leah produced and hosted an award-winning television series profiling women in non-traditional roles. This led her to Los Angeles, where she appeared on-camera conducting interviews and hosting a variety of programs covering environmental issues, business and politics.
She eventually segued into other areas of the entertainment industry, notably as the President of a boutique talent agency representing Academy Award-winning cinematographers, editors and production designers. She also spent several years owning and running an acting school for children and teens, during a period she describes as her “empty nest” adjustment.
Her early life on a farm in Canada nurtured a strong sense of environmental stewardship while her first college experience was in Early Childhood Education, illuminating a solid direction to follow in her recent academic endeavors. Dr. Hanes holds a Masters degree in Organizational Management as well as a PhD from the Graduate School of Leadership and Change at Antioch University
All of these variables lead to a confluence of skills and knowledge that fit perfectly into the Two Bit Circus Foundation ecosystem.
Renee Cobb
Renée Cobb has served in secondary schools for over 22 years as a teacher, counselor, school administrator, and district administrator in Lynwood, Compton, and Beverly Hills Unified School Districts. In addition, she spent over 5 years as an adjunct professor in the Counseling Department at Santa Monica College, and as a community college counselor for the Los Angeles Community College District. She has also utilized her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy working with individuals ranging from school-age children to adults within the court system. Renée loves helping people and families untangle the “ropes” of life in order to stand up and create positive change in their lives.
Prior to her career in the field of education, Renée spent time working in large tech companies such as IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation and Hewlett Packard as a Marketing Account Manager. While at Digital she volunteered to spearhead the Community Relations Committee and it was in this capacity that they adopted a school in Los Angeles Unified School District and began the journey of building the confidence of the teaching staff through computer tech training. Presently Renée serves on a governing board of an EdTech company. This type of broad work experience provides Renée with an opportunity to continue to engage her love for students, teachers, and schools, and to better understand what the community needs to help families.
Renée’s current passion is helping new administrators clear their preliminary credential by working as an Administrator Coach for the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
Elliott Hanes
Elliott Hanes is a producer, singer, and songwriter with the Hip Hop band, Bend and Peel. He is also the Education & Outreach Manager at the Two Bit Circus Foundation and is leading our program for digital music production.
www.bendandpeel.com
Erin Kistler
Erin Kistler grew up in the Midwest before moving to Seattle to work in software development at Microsoft, where she spearheaded the project to move word count into the status bar for Microsoft Word. After making significant contributions at Microsoft, Erin's interests took a creative turn. After 6 years in the tech industry, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career designing games and challenges for competition reality shows and game shows.
This pivot marked the beginning of a new chapter in Erin's career which grew into a successful 15-year career as a television producer which included 4 years traveling the world with Survivor and working on RuPaul's Drag Race. Drawing on her extensive experience in both tech and people management, Erin decided to shift her focus towards a project with a meaningful social impact. Prior to joining the foundation, she spent a year as a Lead Product Manager at Food Oasis (a Code For America project), where she focused on operational efficiency gains and quadrupled the output of university volunteers in 6 months.
On the side, Erin is an AI enthusiast with a passion for ambitious large-scale art projects. Ask her about her Audrey Hepburn mural made of lipstick prints or the thigh-high alligator crocs she made. She is thrilled to join Two Bit Circus Foundation and combine her love of games & making with her project managing and producing skills.
Kellye Ross
As 2BCF Director of Grants & Development, Kellye brings over seven years of progressive experience in grants, fundraising, and nonprofit development. Prior to 2BCF, Kellye earned a Master’s in Political Science as a Merit Fellow from the University of Southern California (Magna Cum Laude), Bachelor’s in Political Science & American Studies from USC (Phi Beta Kappa), Grant Writing & Research certificate from CSU San Diego, Federal Grants Management Certificate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the prestigious Professional Grant Proposal Writing Certification from the National Funding Foundation. Kellye has worked for both nonprofits and government agencies, bringing experience in marketing and government, corporate, and private foundation grants. As a mother to two minority women in STEM, Kellye is passionate about STEAM education in underrepresented communities and the positive impact 2BCF has each day on the lives of youth in Los Angeles. 2BCF’s impact on students and teachers, and its unique brand of using play to inspire innovation and entrepreneurship makes Kellye’s job a passion, not just a profession. In her spare time, Kellye can be found hiking LA’s nature trails with her husband, putting together large jigsaw puzzles, and training her overly affectionate Belgian Malinois named Hunter.
Michael Lusk
Michael first began working with Two Bit Circus Foundation through the LAUSD SIG partnership while teaching for LAUSD. It did not take long for Michael to delve into the material frenzy. After seven years of teaching high school Science, Engineering and Robotics courses using 2BCF materials, supporting and mentoring new teachers through CSUDH TTT & STAR Programs Michael now brings his unique skill set and passion for the classroom to the 2BCF Team. Michael’s passion and focus is to bring quality cross-curricular and educational experiences to develop holistic and passionate students.
Michael holds a B.S. Mechanical Engineering, membership to Tau Beta PI Honor Society, a B.A. Philosophy from CSUN, California Teaching Credential Single Subject Credential in Physics, and has been trained in Curriculum & Instruction with emphasis in science and student centered learning.
Mya Stark
Mya Stark is from Culver City and started out as a filmmaker, writing movies for studios like Disney, Warner Bros, and Paramount. Next, she edited an arts and culture magazine. Then, she began working in nonprofits, as well as founding an art gallery that focused on relational art. Now she applies those experiences to making LA Makerspace a tool people can use to help each other learn anything (even if they are not experts, “techies,” or educators — but also if they are). She likes learning about neuroscience and art the most, because they are such powerful ways to “hack the human brain” and open up more possibilities, freedom, and fun! Mya and the LA Makerspace LAMBOT have never been seen in the same place at the same time. !!!!
Dan Reding
Dan is a veteran teacher with 12 years in the classroom. He taught multiage elementary, middle school math and science, and middle school engineering classes in Los Angeles and San Diego. Dan is originally from the Chicago area and moved to SoCal after college.
Dan is a strong proponent of constructivist teaching and project based learning in all aspects of teaching, but especially STEAM disciplines. He is skilled at classroom management of students as well as adults during professional developments.
Dan also is a maker and content creator. He posts about his maker and gardening journey on IG @dandys_farmla from his home-based urban farm and makerspace. He has a full woodshop with multiple 3D printers, laser cutters, and a DIY CNC. He would love to chat about gardening or making and he wants to help make your making dreams a reality!
Kate Le
Kate has traveled all the way from across the pond, earned a BFA in Drama: Emphasis in Acting, and started her journey in a different part of the circus family. While working as a game show host at the Two Bit Micro Amusement Park, Kate was able to connect with the 2BC Foundation and fell in love with what the foundation has to offer the Los Angeles community. She looks forward to the programs connecting with students because of the joy, laughter, and "aha!" moments the students have while participating with Two Bit Circus Foundation.
Board Of Directors
Dave Zobel
Dave Zobel, Board Vice President, is a Cal Tech Alumni and a science writer. He describes himself as: “Half-bithead, half-executive, half-writer, half-wit: Possessing that rare ability to get down in the trenches with the researchers and the coders (being one myself), defend them to upper management and clients, and explain what they do to the outside world.” Zobel was the developer of the first Science Kits that changed the focus of T4T materials from use in Art alone to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) education. He joined the Board in 2011. He is coordinator of External Events for T4T.
Marcella Klein Williams
Dr. Marcella Klein Williams has hopscotched across the entire system of public education from preschool to university in a multitude of roles spanning teacher, director, president and chief. Her career has focused on STEAM teaching and learning. She has been called a thought leader, innovator, mentor, facilitator, and systems thinker. She always answers if called teacher.
Francisco Arechiga
Francisco Arechiga has eight years’ experience related to U.S. and China cross-border business and cultural exchange and is involved in tri-sector projects in arts and culture, civic engagement, education and economic development in Los Angeles. Previously, he worked for four years in the department of public education at the Yunnan Provincial Museum in Kunming and is fluent in Mandarin.
Malik Ducard
Malik Ducard joined Pinterest as the Chief Content Officer in December 2021. Malik is responsible for setting the global content strategy for the company. Previously, he was Vice President of Content Partnerships at YouTube, where he led development for some of the platform’s key responsibility and public interest partnership efforts including learning, social impact, kids and family, health, human rights and racial justice. Prior to that, he served as the Global Head of Family and Learning at YouTube, where he led YouTube’s most high profile content development funds. Before joining YouTube, Malik served as Senior Vice President of Digital Distribution for the Americas at Paramount Pictures, where he oversaw the distribution of content to digital platforms.
Malik currently serves as Board President of Two Bit Circus Foundation, a nonprofit organization that brings STEAM education to youth throughout Los Angeles. He is also a member of the Board of Game Changer, a nonprofit that safely improves the lives of hospitalized children facing illness and injury with the power of play and patient engagement.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
Malik resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three sons. He is also the author of "Henry's Big Win", winner of the Jessie Redmon Fauset Award for Best Children's Book.
Sebastien Slek
Nirvan Mullick
Nirvan is an LA based filmmaker, creative consultant, speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Imagination.org. Nirvan began teaching himself animation while studying philosophy at New College. He went on to earn an MFA in Experimental Animation from CalArts. Nirvan’s animated short films have screened in festivals worldwide, winning numerous awards. In 2001, Nirvan began an ongoing collaborative experiment called The 1 Second Film, which became among the first crowdfunded films. In 2012, Nirvan directed Caine’s Arcade, an 11-minute short film that became a viral phenomenon, receiving over 8 million views and sparking a global movement of cardboard creativity in kids around the world. Nirvan has received the Dan Eldon Creative Activist Award and the Innovation in Action award. Nirvan is a partner at Interconnected, consults with companies and non-profits, serves on the board of CicLAvia, and tries to keep up with his garden and email.
Scott Curran
Scott counsels leaders of social enterprises in developing social impact strategies, growing organizational capacity, and creating projects, programs, and partnerships that achieve measurable results.
Scott founded Beyond Advisers to work with social innovators, nonprofits, philanthropists, governments, and private sector leaders to design and build their organizations and initiatives for impact. He teaches and lectures on the role of lawyers in social innovation, advises law schools in developing social impact clinical practices, and consults with law firms to develop social impact practice groups. Crain’s Chicago Business called the class he teaches one of “the coolest classes for law students.”
Prior to starting Beyond Advisers, Scott served as General Counsel for the Clinton Foundation. During a decade of service to the Clinton Foundation, Scott established, grew, and led the legal team that supported a global operating charity with over 2,000 staff and volunteers working in 36 countries on more than a dozen initiatives. Scott led the team of in-house professionals and outside firms that created the organizational and operational structures that supported the Clinton Foundation’s board, enterprise systems, and program teams during their most prolonged and intensive period of growth.
In supporting the program work of the Clinton Foundation’s initiatives, Scott counseled dynamic leaders and teams in developing partnerships designed to spur social and economic change around the world. These partnerships spanned the areas of global health, climate change, international development, commercial agriculture, supply chain innovation, childhood obesity, small business mentoring, post-disaster relief, globally-focused conferences, and museum and special event operations.
As a corporate attorney prior to his time with the Clinton Foundation, and as a graduate of the first program in the U.S. to offer a master’s degree in public service, Scott has advised new endeavors and established enterprises working to change the world. From programs working with sweet potato growers in the Mississippi Delta and cashew farmers in India to private sector startups and nonprofit spinoffs, Scott’s work has equipped him with deep knowledge of legal, program, and organizational operations.
With his background in public service, law, and communications, Scott is motivated by the possibility and promise that bold ideas can be transformed into action to change lives and communities in new, specific, and measurable ways. He spends some of the best parts of his days being inspired by his wife, two kids, and rescue dogs, including Miss Tommie, who is blind, deaf, and awesome!
Tara Tiger Brown
Currently a graduate student at UBC Faculty of Forestry based in Vancouver. I research and write about forest therapy, wellness and build collaborations with organizations that focus on environmental monitoring. My newsletter “More Trees Please” explores science, technology, politics, art, and therapy and how they are all connected through forest spaces. The Interest Driven Life project explores how we can revolve our lives around our interests instead of fitting them into our ever decreasing spare time. I’m a passionate advocate for the more-than-human world and support efforts to protect ecosystems and species that are under threat.
As founder and CEO of KitHub, I developed STEAM education programs that focus on hands-on learning and environmental monitoring in formal and informal learning spaces. I co-founded the Los Angeles Makerspace, a nonprofit partnered with the LA Public Library in over 70 branches to facilitate hands-on workshops for kids in robotics, coding, e-textiles, and stop-motion animation. I co-founded the interest-driven learning startup Connected Camps and held the role of Technology Director for the Digital Media Learning Research Hub at UC Irvine.
I’ve been a regular columnist for Forbes and have spoken at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Archer School for Girls, The White House, Caltech, SXSW, OSCON, MozFest, IFFF, Imagination Foundation, Rhizome, on topics ranging from women in tech, STEAM, DIY and following passions and interests.
Joe Zenas
Joe’s leadership has been instrumental in building Thinkwell’s reputation as a company that deals masterfully with many of the world’s most cherished brands and intellectual properties. Whether he’s addressing the concerns of Warner Bros. and the author of Harry Potter or those of cultural institutions like the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Joe advocates for the priorities and values of Thinkwell’s clients as they strategically expand.
Liz Heller
Liz Heller is a tech and media innovator, entrepreneur, investor, and producer.
With a career in cultural creation, global brand marketing, and social good, Liz is a digital alchemist working at the nexus of tech, culture, brand, community, and purpose.
Recognized by USA Today as the “godmother” of the women’s cyber movement in Hollywood, Liz’s award-winning career spans technology, entertainment, film, and music.
She’s architected growth and engagement for clients such as TOMS, Product(RED), and early-stage startups and projects such as Tim Kring’s Conspiracy For Good. She has brought her brand marketing and strategic visioning to companies and organizations ranging from Microsoft, Intel, Apple, Pepsi, Coca-Cola to the LA Tech Council and LA Clean Energy Incubator.
Her music career includes leadership roles at MCA, Island Records and as an EVP of Capitol Records, at the time when music, audio and the Internet converged. She oversaw artist development and shaped industry-first issues for multimedia content around monetization, legal protections, and strategic partnerships with tech and entertainment companies.
Her producing credits include the feature film The Basketball Diaries, TV and concert films including New Orleans Live! and the soundtrack for Good Will Hunting.
Liz is currently a managing partner at memBrain where she leads teams in marketing innovation and creative, strategic advisory, and incubates and invests in early-stage startups and products.
Liz is a life-long connector of people, who is proud to call a global constellation of change agents and industry leaders her friends. Committed to manifesting positive impact, Liz is a sought after keynote speaker, and moderator and produces and co-hosts weekly private and public industry webinars and conversation series around the world.
Dr. Dijanna Figueroa, Ph.D.
Dr. Dijanna Figueroa has made a career of exploring the mysteries of the deep. She was featured in James Cameron’s documentary Aliens of the Deep, which follows Cameron and NASA scientists as they explore the some of the deepest parts of the ocean and learn about the unique life forms that inhabit those spaces. Recently, Figueroa has become an advocate for STEAM education—adding art and design to the science, technology, engineering, and math equation. She’s spent more than two decades teaching STEAM to grades K–8 in the greater Los Angeles area, formerly served as global director of the Muse School National Geographic Society’s Green STEAM program and has advisory roles with many STEM/STEAM nonprofits. She was recently featured on MTV’s Women Crush Wednesdays Women in STEM series. If that isn’t enough, Figueroa is the director of the Lucas Scholars STEM program, a community based social justice and equity program designed to engage young people in science, engineering, design, and art. She loves the ocean, art, and exploration and is committed to making science, technology, art, engineering, math, and music accessible to all people.
Junior Advisory Board
Evelyn Calderon
Caine Monroy
Mario Gonsalez-Gomez
Bauer Lee
Founder of Cardboard Superheroes
Bauer leads business development and partnerships, ensuring the organization’s growth through strategic collaborations and new opportunities.
Connor Lee
Founder of Cardboard Superheroes
Connor combines his creative expertise with a focus on product design, ensuring the development of engaging, hands-on experiences for clients and communities alike.