Maria Fe Picar Is an Actress, Choreographer, Dancer, Director, Producer and Writer.  She has worn many hats throughout her lifetime on this planet. As a San Francisco  native she has earned a Bachelors’ Degree from SFSU in Physical Education with a  Dance Emphasis, ran her own Dance/Creative Arts studio entitled Ingleside Creative  Arts for twenty years where she taught various genres of Dance including Ballet, Jazz,  Hip-Hop, Tap, Modern Contemporary and Yoga. Through her years as a dancer she has  had the pleasure to work with San Francisco greats such as Alonzo King, Arturo  Fernandez, Cheryl Chaddick, Blanche Brown and Allen Frias.

She also ran a non-profit  through generous artist- in residency grants with the San Francisco Foundation which  was called The OMI Cultural Participation Project which enabled her to work with local  city officials and community activists to create events, workshops, and art education  programs for the Oceanview, Merced, and Ingleside district of San Francisco. Being a  community activist she has also served on many Advisory boards including ones that  helped develop the Ingleside Library, Minnie and Love Wards’ Recreation Center, and  Unity Plaza. She also taught Pre-School for twenty years at Lone Mountain Children’s  Center while working with her film production company that she co-founded called  Asian Mainstream Productions. Asian Mainstream has produced over twenty shorts and  three features in narrative and documentary styles that have earned numerous awards  in local and international film festivals including cities like San Francisco, Miami, Las  Vegas, New York City, Boston, Paris, Stockholm, and Barcelona. Now a resident of the  Portland Metro area in Oregon, she still continues to teach Dance and Yoga (She is a  RYT Yoga Instructor) to adults and Seniors on-line and in local community centers while  acting, producing and directing films with local talent. She is so excited to work with  this group of superstars because when great people get together, great things happen!

Laura Huges is an Executive Coach and Leadership Development Facilitator who focuses on helping people deepen self awareness and develop their relational skills. An avid explorer of internal and external landscapes, Laura has been a consultant at Bain & Company, worked on Food Strategy for Starbucks, led a successful start-up (Nuun), and served as Head of Corporate Strategy and Head of Customer Service for Qantas Airways. Prior to that, Laura was also a line cook at Hell’s Backbone Grill — a James Beard award-nominated restaurant.

Laura is also a published writer. Her fascination with humans and love of inspiring people and nurturing talent led her to her current focus — people, food and exploring new places.

Stephanie Klaine (Tala) Carlet Justo is an immigrant from the Philippines who learned English as a child through computer gaming. Tala is fascinated by cognition and how culture and bilingualism impact mental health. They are currently a student at City College of San Francisco and a visiting student at UC Berkeley studying Neuroscience. They are a certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist, an officer at the Filipino Student Association and a Mental Health Worker at Progress Foundation. Tala is excited about synthesizing all of their interests into a cohesive whole by assisting culturally significant research at the de Leon lab at UCSF focusing on bilingualism and brain health, and serving as a Board of Director at the Coalition of Artists and Mental Health Storytellers.

The subject of mental wellness is special to Kristine Lowe. Since the death of a favorite relative, she has worked to raise awareness of mental wellness and the destigmatization of mental health issues. Kristine is an award-winning film producer. Her first feature-length film, The Last Smile, was produced while she was in college and can be seen on numerous streaming platforms. While Kristine is currently producing her first feature-length comedy film, Soap Operas for Seniors, and a video series on emergency management, she is also directing a documentary, writing a book about women in the film industry, and writing a children’s book based on her world travels.

Kristine volunteers her time mentoring college students and professors through the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. She currently serves as the Nevada/California Regional Alumni Association President overseeing 90 colleges. Under her leadership, the Association was recognized as the Most Distinguished Alumni Association in 2022 and 2024. She was recently inducted into Phi Theta Kappa’s Alumni Hall of Honor.

Kristine grew up in East Los Angeles and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She studied at Cambridge University in England and earned degrees from San Jose State University and the University of California at Berkeley.

Dimitri McKay isn’t your typical cybersecurity expert—he’s a down-to-earth Principal Security Strategist and trusted CISO advisor at Splunk, with over 20 years of hands-on experience in the field. His journey began with humble roots in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment, eventually evolving into a deep understanding of security program development.

But Dimitri’s passion extends beyond just keeping data safe. As the Neurodiversity Global Liaison for Splunk, he’s on a mission to make the tech world a more inclusive place for everyone. Through his work, he’s breaking down barriers and championing the unique talents of neurodiverse individuals.

Today, Dimitri’s focus is on crafting comprehensive security strategies that cover all the bases: people, processes, and technology. With a wealth of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, he brings a practical, hands-on approach to every challenge he faces.

In Dimitri McKay, you’ll find not only a seasoned cybersecurity expert but also a compassionate advocate for change, making waves in both the digital security realm and the realm of diversity and inclusion

Courtney is a leading enterprise marketing strategist and business design practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in designing and implementing global programs that drive demand generation, brand activation, and organizational transformation.

Her primary area of interest is design, and the design thinking methodology is the lens through which she views and addresses strategic marketing and organizational challenges. She has been involved in the application of systems and design thinking in several projects, and has studied and authored publications on the intersection of work, play and learning as a construct for organizations to drive their own transformation.

Courtney’s passion for mental health is best expressed through her love of nature, movement and the arts. You can find her either practicing yoga or strength training, enjoying a hike, or vibing out at a jazz club or concert. A native Houstonian, Courtney now lives in New York City.

She earned a B.A. in Economics from Spelman College, having graduated Magna Cum Laude, and a M.S. in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania with certificates in Organizational Development & Change Management and Leadership Studies.

Melton Gallegos Garcia is an up-and-coming filmmaker, and a social media manager, who offers unique and fresh ideas. Melton has worked on many projects, including short films, short skits, and an award-winning music video. He has professional experience recording for quinceaneras, school plays, and the Beaverton Education Foundation. As well as being a production assistant on a short film and 48-hour film festival. Melton is driven by a passion for visual storytelling and creating meaningful connections through digital platforms. His Latino background motivates him to create stories that connect with his community and highlight voices that are often overlooked online.