Team & Board
Team
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Founder / Executive Director
Naomi, the founder of Advot, was born in New York City and raised in Beer-Sheva, Israel. She graduated from Hebrew University and David Yalin Teachers College and attended the renowned Nisan Nativ acting studio.
With over thirty years of experience as a storyteller, actress, consultant, facilitator, professional clown, and stilt walker, Naomi creatively and innovatively promotes peace and dialogue in various international and interfaith settings.
She encourages self-empowerment through interactive workshops, performances, and community events.
Naomi wrote, directed, produced, and still performs the critically acclaimed one-woman show "Flowers Aren't Enough." The show has been presented over 2,500 times globally, including at the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women (CSW), and has been translated into four different languages. Flowers was the seed for the creation of Advot.
Naomi's work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the KCET and Union Bank Local Heroes Award, the International Women Achievers Award for Community Leadership, and the Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.
She is honored to be a Speranza Foundation Lincoln City fellow and an AJWS (American Jewish World Service) Global Justice Fellow.
Naomi is the proud mother of three magnificent daughters - Zohar, Ella, and Hadar.
My remarkable mom empowered me to find my voice because she loved me fiercely and believed I could be, do, and become anything I wanted to be.
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Steven has been involved in the field of moral development and spiritual education for nearly forty years. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of California, Davis, two Master’s degrees from the University of Southern California and the Hebrew Union College, a Certification in Aging and Human Development from the University of Georgia, a Ph.D. in Religion from Sierra University, and two honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. He was ordained as a rabbi in 1976. Rabbi Reuben is the recipient of numerous community awards including the Micah Award for founding the largest full-service homeless shelter in Los Angeles, and the Unsung Heroes Award from the Youth Law Center of San Francisco. He is a recognized expert on moral education, who has appeared on numerous television and radio talk shows and lectured on character education and how to successfully meet the challenges of interfaith relations. He currently serves as Rabbi Emeritus of Kehillat Israel Reconstructionist Congregation in Pacific Palisades, California, and is past president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California. He is married to Didi Carr Reuben and is stepfather to Gable.
Being a rabbi has empowered me to use my voice to inspire others to know that what they say matters, what they do matters, and who they are matters.
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Project Coordinator / Manager
Sarah is an LA-based performer/creative from Morristown, New Jersey. She received her BA in English and Theatre, and a minor in Classics from Skidmore College. She's trained as a dancer, actor, and theatre artist with Double Edge Theatre, SITI Company, and Letter of Marque Theater. She specializes in devised, site-specific, and immersive theatre experiences. She has been a summer camp professional for 10 years, mostly with Mythik Camps, an immersive mythology day camp program and became their Director of Hiring, Training, and Employee Relations. Sarah loves empowering kids to own their stories through the vehicles of improv, theater, movement, soundpainting, and Shakespeare.
Mr. Gutkowski, my Latin Teacher, empowered me to find my voice by facilitating creative self-paced curriculum to carve my own path.
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Curriculum Program Coordinator
Camille was raised in St. Paul, MN, and attended Carleton College in Northfield, MN. During college, Camille embraced her love of the arts by acting in and directing theater shows, performing in an a cappella group, traveling to New Zealand and Australia to study printmaking, and more. After graduating as an English major, she was accepted into Teach for America and moved to sunny Los Angeles. She taught English Language Arts at Manual Arts High School and earned her credential in Special Education. After a brief stint as a Project Manager in the private sector, she became an Assistant Principal at a high school in East LA. Most recently, she served as Assistant Principal of Alliance O’Donovan Middle School in South LA. She then took some time off to be a stay-at-home mom and is now thrilled to be working for the Advot Project. She loves that she can combine her education background with her passion for the arts to help students learn strong communication and advocacy skills.
My elementary teacher, Ms. Zemur, empowered me to find my voice because she encouraged me to be my quirky, unique, creative self and find joy in learning and life!
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Marlene Beltran (she/her) is a Los Angeles–born and raised actor, director, singer/songwriter, and teaching artist. An alumna of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), she brings nearly two decades of experience as an arts educator, working with youth across schools, juvenile camps and halls, and community spaces throughout the greater Los Angeles area. She develops arts education programming and implements culturally relevant curriculum across the Los Angeles and Pasadena school districts. A longtime collaborator with About…Productions, her directing work includes The Art of Dreaming: A Landscape of LA Voices. Additional credits include directing the 2019 Latino Scene Showcase, co-produced by the National Hispanic Media Coalition, performing in the 2023 solo work L.A. Real, and directing blu (2023) at the Willie Agee Playhouse in Inglewood with 2Rhythms Theatre Company.She is also a member of In Lak Ech, a Chicana poetry and drum group rooted in the Mujeres de Maíz collective, and Cuicani (World Soul band), whose music can be found on all major streaming platforms.Through her work, Marlene creates spaces for young people to explore identity, process lived experience, and find power in their voice through storytelling and performance.
My community empowered me to find my voice because their stories, resilience, and spirit remind me that my voice carries both history and purpose.
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Consultant
Judy, a native New Jerseyian, worked as a high school teacher and youth director in the early 1960s. She worked for several years at United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and then spent 15 years as Executive Director of National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section, then the largest section in the United States. It was there, in 1985, that her passion for working in the arena of relationship violence was ignited. She moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and within 3 years found herself happily back in that field. For more than a decade Judy’s bailiwick was education and training and she worked with the LA Fire Department, LA WorkSource, continuation schools, high and middle schools, PTA groups, domestic violence shelter agencies, and many other organizations and groups. It is with enormous pleasure that Judy is taking her work to end relationship violence to another level with Advot.
My parents empowered me to find my voice because they always told me to "speak up and speak the truth."
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Program Manager
New Orleans native and award-winning actor Allyson Lee Brown is a dynamic storyteller whose work spans stage and screen. She holds an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Washington School of Drama and is a proud alumna of the illustrious Spelman College. Her performance credits include the Pulitzer Prize winning play, Primary Trust, the Gregory Award-winning Citizen: An American Lyric, and her powerful solo show SBW 365:The Myth and the Mule. On screen, she has appeared in a series of short films and shows such as Guilty Party, alongside Kate Beckinsale and Matlock, starring Kathy Bates.
Beyond her work as a performer, Allyson is deeply passionate about mentorship and teaching through her artistry. She is dedicated to inspiring young people to discover their voices and embrace creative freedom through accessible arts experiences.My family empowered me to find my voice because they always encouraged me to be my most authentic, driven and charismatic self!
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Director of Programs + Outreach
Jarvis is an actor and dancer from Dallas, Texas. He received his BA in Theatre from Prairie View A&M University and also graduated from Columbia University's MFA Acting program. He started training as a dancer with the Classic Dance Ensemble Company in the styles of jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, ballet, and modern dance. He has been teaching hip-hop and theatre for over 3 years and is passionate about teaching the arts in any capacity to youth. His past credits include Broadway Bares, 3 years; Three Hours by Laura Zlatos; Ware Arts Theater Festival / Othello; Classic Stage Company / Our Town by Thornton Wilder; Columbia Thesis / Blue Window; Columbia Thesis.
My theatre professor from undergrad helped me find my voice because I wasn't confident in my abilities, and she empowered me by letting me know I'm more than enough.
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Community Center Coordinator
Kaci is a Jamaican actor, writer, and producer based in Los Angeles. She holds a BA in Literature from the University of Alaska Southeast, an MFA in Poetry from Hunter College, and completed the William Esper Studio conservatory program. She has performed extensively in regional theatre, most recently with Antaeus Theatre Company and South Coast Repertory, while her screen projects have been featured in the Toronto Black Film Festival, Essence Fest, and Cucalorus. As a writer, her work has appeared in various publications, from Killer Verse, to Interview, to Islands. Kaci has always had a passion for working with kids and sharing her love of the arts. She has worked as a drama teacher and mentor with Antaeus and Commonwealth Shakespeare Theatre, and in 2022 she launched her own podcast, Jamaican Me Sleepy, narrating classic bedtime stories for little and big kids alike. She is eager to inspire this next generation of youth with Advot!
Wayne, my creative writing teacher, empowered me to find my voice because he called me “a poet.”
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Visionary Trainer
Danielle is a graduate of Emerson College with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She is a behavioral therapist and also works with an organization called Babyfingers with their sign and song program for babies, toddlers, and parents. She is an acting and vocal coach, director, puppeteer, singer/songwriter, and screenwriter. She has been working with youth for over 12 years and loves to support and encourage communication, empathy, and expression through as many art forms as possible. She is so grateful for the opportunity to work for and with the amazing Advot team! She has two fur babies, Dolores and Ted, and her "shero" is the one and only, Dolly Parton.
My mom and dad (former special education teachers) inspired me to find my voice because they empowered their students to find theirs.
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Director of Learning + Impact
Annie is originally from Brooklyn, NY, but has also lived in Cambria, CA, Berkeley, CA, and Boston, MA, before she moved to Los Angeles in 2015. Annie received her undergraduate degree in Theater and Performance Studies from UC Berkeley, and her Master's of Art in Theater Education from Emerson College in Boston. After graduating with her MA, she spent almost five years as the Director of Visual and Performing Arts at the West End House Boys and Girls Club in Allston, MA, where she helped significantly grow the program and worked with nearly 300 kids every day. After moving to Los Angeles, she served as the Manager of Visitor Experience at the Hammer Museum in Westwood, where she hired, trained, and supervised hundreds of college students who make up the majority of the museum's part-time employees. At Advot, her work is focused on mentoring and training our diverse team, cultivating and maintaining our deep partnerships, and developing our expansive curriculum.
Robbie, my mentor, helped me find my voice because she taught me about working in communities different from mine and I felt safe to be myself in her company.
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Operations/Finance Manager
Los Angeles born and raised, Tanysha Delton received her MBA from Pepperdine University and her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Cal State Dominguez Hills. At her core, she believes that numbers tell a story. While she wishes her story involved a creative side, Tanysha's ability to work with numbers and contribute to organizations making a difference in this world is the foundation of her journey.
My grandmother taught me to find my voice by reminding me that silence helps no one. She demonstrated that speaking up, even when uncomfortable or scared, is how meaningful change occurs.
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Visionary Trainer
Cameron Murphy is an actor, writer, director and teaching artist originally from Louisville, Kentucky. He holds a BA in Liberal Studies from the University of Louisville in a self-designed major entitled “Art and Activism” (Theatre Arts, Sociology, Philosophy; Creative Writing minor), and an MFA in Acting from the University of Southern California.
Cameron has directed and acted in many shows in Los Angeles. Most recently, his award-winning self-written solo show debuted at the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Festival before an Off-Broadway run in the fall of 2024. It will next be performed at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Cameron is the director of a theatre program for adults with developmental disabilities at L.A. GOAL, a nonprofit in Culver City, as well as a Course Assistant in the School of Dramatic Arts at the University of Southern California. He is also an award-winning filmmaker, published writer, and musician. Notable film/TV credits include: The Art of Self Defense (Hulu), Anastasia: Once Upon a Time (Tubi), The Vanya Project (Plastic Content), and The Brothers Solitude (Flick of the Quill Productions).
My parents taught me that my voice is my power by encouraging me to pursue my dreams, to be curious, and to seek truth.
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Operations and Special Projects
Carly moved early in life from New Jersey to Los Angeles. Growing up in a family of musicians, it was natural that she gravitated toward the arts. Carly graduated as a theater major from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and went on to study theater at The Pacific Conservatory for Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA. Carly then started working in administration and project management where she learned to love the beauty of keeping things organized and streamlined. She exercised those skills as a mother of two and is now sharing her skillset with Advot. After taking a break from theater, it’s refreshing to be reconnected again, where she can bring both her love of the arts and her passion for organization.
My dad empowered me to find my voice because he loved and believed in me and always made space and time to hear what I had to say.
Board of Directors
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Interim Board Chair
Shawn LaRe’ is a positive energetic spirit who is most often described as a “people'' person. In her professional life, Mrs. Brinkley is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in private practice, at Living Loved Pathways to Holistic Healing.
Additionally, she is a Certified Trauma Recovery Specialist, Transformation Coach, Mindfulness Practitioner, Certified Laughter Yoga Instructor, and Speaker/Presenter/Trainer. Currently, Shawn LaRe’ is working on her Doctorate in General Psychology with an emphasis in Performance Psychology, as she considers herself a lifelong learner, as well as a teacher of life lessons she has acquired along the way. Shawn LaRe’ thoroughly enjoys her work as a multi-passionate practitioner, embracing numerous therapeutic modalities, and seeing a diverse and multicultural population in her practice. She specializes in trauma-informed therapy and mindfulness to reduce anxiety and other mental unwellness. She works with all manner of performers, using performance enhancement modalities.
Shawn LaRe’ loves to live life to the fullest and believes love, laughter, and ADHD are her superpowers. Her philosophy is, “When life gives you lemons, you must not just make lemonade, you must suck on them till they taste like chocolate.” Brinkley credits her tenacious spirit to her mantra by which she has lived her life, “every setback is a comeback waiting to happen.”
My parents empowered me to find my voice as a child in elementary school because I grew up being the only Black child in a predominantly white school system in Toledo, Ohio, so finding my voice was important to my growth and allowed me to emerge as my authentic self, unapologetically.
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Board Member
Dylan Littlefield is a native Angeleno whose lifelong commitment to justice, dignity, and compassionate service has shaped both his ministry and his community advocacy. He serves as Presiding Bishop of the Old Catholic Union of the West, where he serves diverse and welcoming communities of faith while advocating for those who are too often overlooked.
In addition to his episcopal ministry, Bishop Dylan is active in outreach and advocacy throughout Downtown Los Angeles and Westlake, working alongside people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental health struggles. He also serves congregations across Southern California, including Dignity San Fernando Valley and Dignity Los Angeles.
Away from his advocacy work, Dylan enjoys spending time with his Border Collies and is an accomplished sheepdog trainer, teaching both dogs and their handlers the art and partnership of livestock herding. He lives in Alhambra, California.
My career in radio and television news helped me find my voice because it taught me that listening well is just as important as speaking well, that every person has a story worth telling, and that telling those stories with integrity helps others see the humanity in one another.
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Treasurer
Recently ordained as a Rabbi, Daniel is on the educational team of Kehillat Israel Synagogue of the Palisades, serving as their Youth & Family Rabbinic Fellow. He is charged with engaging all of KI’s families with children ranging in age from infancy to teens to young adults in the 20s and 30s group.
Daniel was the Director of Camp & Youth Programming for five years at Temple Menorah. He is an expert at creating innovative youth programs and online learning opportunities. Daniel is thrilled to join the Advot board and looking forward to promoting the transformation of the youth Advot serves.
My kids have empowered me to use my voice because if we don’t make this world better for the next generation, who will?
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Board Member
Tony was born in Anaheim, California, and raised in Zacatecas, Mexico, until the age of seven. The child of immigrants, he learned at a very young age the varying degrees of structural oppression that marginalized communities experience. His life experiences sparked a passion for advocacy and social justice; leading with kindness, empathy, and courage as he advocates for his community and his loved ones. Tony currently works for the City of Long Beach Office of Equity, prior to this he was the Director of Health Programs for the LGBTQ Center in Orange County CA. He has chaired multiple healthy equity planning bodies at the local and state levels. Collaboratively, Tony and his team were responsible for creating the first transgender-affirming health and wellness program in Orange County. Tony has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Graduate Certificate in Theater Arts from UCSC, and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from CSULB.
Ms. Leveck, my elementary school speech therapist, empowered me to use my voice because she believed in my power to create change.
Advisory Board
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Taylor Epstein (she/her) is a lifelong learning enthusiast passionate about designing impactful, human-centered solutions to real-world challenges. She currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Federation Growth at Jewish Federations of North America, where she leverages data-driven insights to empower both professional and volunteer leaders across the Federation system.
With over 20 years of experience as an educator, professional, and lay leader in the Jewish community, Taylor brings deep expertise in organizational growth and innovation. Prior to her current role, she was the Managing Director of Learning & Design at UpStart, where she led the design and execution of programs that supported social entrepreneurs in bringing bold ideas to light.
Taylor received her Master’s in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University where she studied how to create optimal learning environments with the consideration of three key areas: cognition, socio-cultural context, and design. Taylor’s research focused on how to best design professional development training modules that promote self-efficacy and mentorship in informal learning environments. Her education consisted of in-depth training in Human Centered Design, Design-Based Research, Communities of Practice, and Human Development.
Taylor resides in Sebastopol, CA with her adorable pup, Bubalah.
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President of American Jewish World Service (AJWS) from 1998 to July 2016, Ruth is currently the organization’s inaugural Global Ambassador.
Ruth’s remarkable 18-year presidency at AJWS began after a 20-year career in public service in New York City as a City Council member and Manhattan Borough President. A tireless advocate and social change visionary, Ruth mobilizes rabbis and faith-based communities throughout the U.S. to promote human rights. She previously sat on the State Department’s Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group and is currently a member of the World Bank’s Moral Imperative Working Group on Extreme Poverty.
Ruth is also currently doing international human rights work for AIDS Free World and serving as the inaugural Social Justice Fellow at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Additionally, she is the Social Justice Activist-in-Residence at the JCC of Manhattan.
Ruth has been honored for her leadership with awards from many national Jewish organizations and honorary degrees from five major American rabbinical seminaries. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Julia Vadala Taft Outstanding Leadership Award. Ruth was named one of the 10 most inspiring women religious leaders of 2012 by The Huffington Post; the sixth most influential Jew in the world by The Jerusalem Post; and was listed annually on The Forward’s “Forward 50” for nearly a decade.
My mom, Marjorie Wyler, inspired me to find my voice because she knew from experience that women who wanted to be heard and wanted to make a difference had to learn to speak up and speak out.
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Proud father of 3 beautiful girls, Garry is a graduate of Homeboy Industries. He interned and was later hired at LA CADA, providing critical life-saving, healthy-living services in downtown Los Angeles, on Skid Row as a Substance Abuse Counselor for three years. He then came back to Homeboy to work full-time as a Navigator. Navigators serve as mentors who create a sense of belonging, consistency, and guidance that helps trainees move through a new way of life.
He is using his academic accomplishments and experiences to improve the quality of life of those around him and those that he works with who have suffered from the same adversities he has.
Sally on yard 4 asked me when was the last time I was comfortable in my skin, he made me remember who I was before I was a gangbanger, and that gave me my authentic voice to be just me, and that I was enough.