Impact of Teresa Farias,
Jadeyri, pg. 6
our Class of 2026, pg. 10
Dawn S. Reese Chief Executive Officer
The 10-Year Journey
I was recently on a panel for the Orange County Department of Education’s Bright Futures Foundation to discuss the trends we are seeing for Orange County’s most vulnerable children. While the children at The Wooden Floor are faring better than their peers, sadly we are still seeing the lingering impact on them from the pandemic six years later including:
■ Anxiety and depression increasing, both for students and their parents;
■ lower reading and math grades which require additional tutoring and academic services;
■ overuse and reliance on social media and technology, both with positive and negative consequences; and
■ evolving parenting skills required to help more of our graduates successfully transition into higher education as young adults.
We believe that we have a significant advantage in helping our students because of the 10-year commitment we make to each child from 3rd through 12th grade. Through our innovative model of dance education strategically integrated with academics, college and career readiness, and family services, we build relationships with our students and their parents over a 10-year period. We also build high trust, so if an issue does occur, we are there for them during their time of need. While we never know when or where in the 10-year journey that our extensive wrap-around services will be needed, we do know that we can play a pivotal role in helping our students and their families navigate challenges and find solutions. (See page 8 for more on our students’ 10-year journeys.)
We help our students and their families through the critical development stages from elementary school, middle school and high school. It is important to note that our student and parent voices are integrated into everything we do along the way from our annual student and parent surveys, biennial alumni surveys, group workshops, 1:1 meetings, and through our strategic planning focus groups. Because of the trust developed over their journeys, our students and their families are open to sharing about their evolving needs and challenges they face as they partner with us about what they need in an ever-evolving community and world.
This year we are embarking on the ideation phase of our next Strategic Plan 2027-2029. By developing the strategic foresight skills of our Board of Directors and staff to see emerging trends, changes, challenges and opportunities. Some of those emerging trends are about the modern parent today and what services may benefit them in support of their children; the evolution of expanded learning education or after school time; the changing landscape of higher education and financial aid; and the impact of artificial intelligence on workforce trends, just to name a few. I look forward to sharing more as we continue to explore and refine our programs and services to meet the needs of our students and families.
With support of a loving community, we are always ready as a trusted source for our students and families to turn to. And with you by their sides, we are thankful for your commitment to their journeys today and for years to come.
With gratitude,
Mission Moment
After 25 years of dedicated service, Teresa Farias’ retirement marks a truly meaningful moment at The Wooden Floor. Throughout her tenure, Teresa played an integral role in fostering a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for our students and their families, ensuring that everyone who walked through our doors felt valued and cared for. Her unwavering commitment and compassion have left a lasting impact on our community, touching countless lives. We are deeply grateful for her many contributions. Teresa’s legacy will continue to live on through our mission and the students and families she has supported over the years.
Newsfeed
NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY AWARD
November 2025
We are proud to congratulate our Chief Executive Officer, Dawn S. Reese, on receiving the inaugural Outstanding Nonprofit Leader Award from National Philanthropy Day Orange County at their 40th Anniversary event. This honor reflects Dawn’s innovative leadership and the heart she brings to advancing our mission and supporting the students and families we serve.
LIMÓN DANCE COMPANY MASTER CLASS
September 2025
Our students had the opportunity to participate in a modern dance master class with the renowned Limón Dance Company. Rooted in artistry and nuanced movement, the class encouraged students to explore expression, musicality, and intention, offering an inspiring experience that deepened their understanding of modern dance and elevated their craft.
STUDENT HOLIDAY PARTIES
December 2025
The Wooden Floor students celebrated the holidays with joyful parties filled with food, dancing, and fun activities that brought everyone together. The festivities were made even more special as each student received a gift thoughtfully wrapped by Eat & Wrap attendees, adding an extra touch of warmth to the season.
Alumni In Action
Stay up to date with the milestones in our alumni’s lives after graduating from The Wooden Floor!
Kimberly Escalante, Class of 2023
In October of 2025, Kimberly was awarded a volunteer position in the San Diego County’s Medical Examiner’s Office, where she currently works in the exam room. She previously utilized alumni connections from The Wooden Floor to obtain an internship at the Orange County Health Care Agency. Kimberly has also been on the Dean’s List every semester since beginning her higher education at San Diego State University, where she studies Biology with a minor in Public Health.
Daniela Salazar, Class of 2022
Since graduating from The Wooden Floor, Daniela attended Northeastern University and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering. During her time in college, she studied abroad in Greece. She also became involved in her school’s chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, at which she had the honor of serving as president during her senior year. She also completed three internships at Honeywell, AHA Consulting Engineers, and TJX. Daniela’s future career goals include earning a master’s degree in engineering or a master’s in business administration, as well as obtaining her Professional Engineer (PE) certification.
Do you know alumni with exciting milestones to share? Please email Info@TheWoodenFloor.org for consideration.
In the First Person: Jadeyri CLASS OF 2033
“Dance helped my curious brain so that I know it is okay to wonder and to think differently, because that’s just who I am. In dance, each type of dance is different in its own way, so why shouldn’t we be different in our own way?
The Wooden Floor offered me tutoring, which helped me a lot with my grades and my confidence in being around other people. Now I want people to feel supported by me because I know some of them are really shy or don’t have many friends. I just want them to know that someone sees them and that The Wooden Floor is a wonderful place where they can feel supported.
I feel supported and confident, and I know that The Wooden Floor is a place that I can express myself, not only with my words but with my body and emotions.”
Jadeyri, Class of 2033
Jadeyri is a 5th grader at Romero-Cruz Elementary School, and she is a beautiful example of compassion in action. The Wooden Floor staff noticed her caring nature as she often gravitates toward offering help and encouragement to her peers who may have challenges. Jadeyri has expressed a desire to dedicate her future to helping others, dreaming of pursuing a path as a therapist or a writer. She will be the first generation in her family to attend higher education and dreams of studying at UCLA.
INNOVATION INSIGHTS
At The Wooden Floor, our long-term, deep student commitment is our differentiator and how we make a generational impact on our community. Our highquality services, provided in a child’s formative years as a part of their 10-year journeys with us, help to propel them towards higher education and beyond.
AUDITION DAY
Potential students from families with limited resources are invited to audition for a chance to enroll in the organization and are chosen based on a demonstrated desire to excel in dance.
YEAR1
DANCE EDUCATION
Students are immersed in arts education and attend dance classes in ballet, modern, and improvisation two to four times a week. Accompanists fill the studios with live music.
CRISIS INTERVENTION & COUNSELING
An open-door policy for dealing with crises or parental concerns allows students and families to feel supported at home. In addition, workshops on financial literacy, parenting, communication, and family health are offered.
HELP WITH LEARNING
Each student has access to one-on-one tutoring in addition to other educational workshops, which focus on encouraging students to develop a life-long love of learning and achieving grade-level reading proficiency.
YEAR2 YEARS3-6
CAMPS & FIELD TRIPS
Students attend performances, museums, and other cultural events to broaden their creative capacity. Summer leadership wilderness camps allow youth to engage in team-building and leadership workshops. For many, it is their first experience in nature.
ANNUAL CONCERT
Students perform each spring at the Irvine Barclay Theatre with artistic direction from some of the nation’s top contemporary dance choreographers. Their confidence and self-determination are reflected in their personal lives and school work.
PRE-COLLEGIATE MENTORING
Through The Next Step© program, students meet one-on-one with staff to discuss study habits and time management skills, which lead to a more successful high school career and, ultimately, their journey into college.
CAREER NIGHTS
Professionals from a variety of industries, including business, engineering, and the arts, host a question-and-answer session with students who are looking toward the future and its possibilities.
YEARS7-10
COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS WORKSHOPS
The Wooden Floor’s junior class gears toward the college application process in the fall with pre-collegiate workshops. Topics include free test prep courses, college and career research, financial aid and scholarships planning, and personal statement writing.
COLLEGE YEARS
Graduating seniors may qualify for merit-based scholarships totaling $4,000 - $10,000 over their college tenures. Eligibility is based on attendance, behavior, and high school cumulative GPA.
Step Forward:
BUILDING UPON 40 YEARS OF IMPACT
The
Wooden Floor Endowment Campaign
The Wooden Floor Endowment & Legacy Society
For so many years, you have walked alongside the children of The Wooden Floor, ensuring that every step they take is steady and filled with possibility. Your annual support has been more than a gift; it has been a powerful statement of your belief in our students’ futures.
As we mark our 43rd Anniversary, we would like to invite you to consider taking the next step in ensuring your legacy endures in the years ahead by joining The Wooden Floor Legacy Society, which is our planned giving community. Members of the Legacy Society make direct gifts or planned gifts for the benefit of:
■ The Wooden Floor
■ The Wooden Floor Endowment Fund, toward general operating support for greatest need
■ The Wooden Floor Endowed College Scholarships
Since the inception of The Wooden Floor Endowment Fund in 1999, with contributions from our supporters and investment returns, the fund has grown over 20 years to contribute 5% to our annual operating budget, which has helped us increase the number of students served with expanded programming and services.
Here are a few examples of how your support can be endowed in perpetuity:
Annual Gift:
$250
$500
$1,000
$2,500
$10,000 $25,000 $50,000 $100,000
Endowment Gift Consideration:
$5,000
$10,000
$20,000 $50,000 $100,000
$500,000
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
Endowment cash gifts and/or estate gifts of $100,000 or more can be recognized with a named fund.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT WILL LAST FOR GENERATIONS
It is important to note that all gifts of any size do make a difference. We are happy to share more and discuss your thoughts on how you can make an impact today with a direct gift, and/or through your estate planning as part of The Wooden Floor Legacy Society. Please contact CEO Dawn S. Reese at 714-541-8314 x124 or at Dawn@TheWoodenFloor.org.
2025-2026 Board of Directors
Jehan Jayakumar,* Board Chair Founding Partner, Carlson & Jayakumar, LLP
Theresa Allen,* Immediate Past Chair
Managing Director, RBC Wealth Management
Joseph Chatelle,* Vice Chair
Principal, Mercer
Richard Lee,* Secretary
Market President, Retired, Aetna, Southern California
Yvonne O’Neill,* Treasurer
Certified Public Accountant, O’Neill Financial Management
Wendy Arciero Executive Director, Anaheim Ducks Foundation
Sasha Ayloush,* Director of Sales & Marketing, Hydraflow
Seán Curran, Chair, Department of Dance, NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Viviana Davalos Alumni Representative Community Leader
Michelle Dean,* Community Leader
Jen Dibble, VP, Corporate Counsel, Edwards Lifesciences
Christina Di Rocco, Investment Operations Senior Manager, Capital Group Companies, Inc.
Brent Funston, Chief Executive Officer, Wind River Group, LLC
Roxanne Goodman, Controller, Mountain View Services, Inc. and Chem-Pak Products
Naveen Jonathan, PhD, LMFT, Community Representative
Clinical Associate Professor of Marriage & Family Therapy, Chair, Marriage & Family Therapy, Crean College of Health & Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University
Jeremy Krout, President/CEO, Environmental Planning Development Solutions, Inc.
Richard LeBrun, Managing Director and Head of Alternatives Business Management, PIMCO Investments, LLC
Sarah Lopez, MD, MBA, Medical Consultant, Division of Quality and Population Health Management, California Department of Health Care Services
Catherine M. MacIver, Community Leader
Kim Nguyen, Vice President, U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management
Maria Ochoa, Parent Representative Community Leader
Juan M. Pacheco, Parent Representative Community Leader
Alix Portillo, Assistant Vice President, Compliance Monitoring Officer Genesis Bank
Judith F. Posnikoff, PhD, Managing Director, Martlet Asset Management, LLC
Morgan Ratcliffe, Executive Director, Chief Communications Officer, Providence Health Plan
Dawn S. Reese, CFRE, Chief Executive Officer, The Wooden Floor
Saar Swartzon, Principal Attorney, Cohn & Swartzon, a Professional Law Corporation
Jerry Thode, Chief Executive Officer, J Paul Group, LLC
Shervin Vadood, Vice President, Branch Manager, Farmers & Merchants Bank
Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, NCARB, Partner & CEO, SVA Architects, Inc.
Board Emeriti
Joan Beall, Community Leader
Beth A. Burns, Founder of The Wooden Floor and Artistic Director (’83-’05)
Sharon Hartshorn, Community Leader
Richard C. Hunsaker,** President, Hunsaker Management
Virginia Hunsaker,** Community Leader
Damien M. Jordan, General Manager, Retired, American Funds/ Capital Group Companies, Inc.
Yvonne M. Jordan, Community Leader
Socorro Vasquez, Community Leader
FOR 12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS!
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2026, AT 7:30AM
HILTON ORANGE COUNTY/COSTA MESA
3050 BRISTOL STREET, COSTA MESA, CA 92626
■ Celebrate and support the Class of 2026, The Wooden Floor’s 22nd consecutive graduating class to have 100 percent of students on track to finish high school on time and enroll in higher education
■ Join us in recognizing Class Partners who help underwrite the college and career readiness journeys for each of our graduating classes
■ Participate in an inspiring morning that will leave you filled with hope for the future leaders of our community
THANK YOU
14th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast® UNDERWRITERS
LEAD CLASS PARTNER
The Beall Family Foundation
The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
The Ceres Foundation
The Deutsch Foundation
Suzi Chauvel / Chauvel Foundation
Dhont Family Foundation
Gray Family Donor Advised Fund
O.L. Halsell Foundation
Orange County Community Foundation
Sharon D. Lund Foundation
PIMCO Foundation
Sun Family Foundation
Ueberroth Family Foundation US Bank
Linda and Tod White Charitable Fund
Willette Charitable Foundation
CLASS PARTNER
Bank of America Foundation
Charles and Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation, Inc.
Croul Family Foundation
Don Yoder Foundation
Edwards Lifesciences Foundation
KNU For Kids Foundation
Robert J. Mairena / Office Solutions
Pacific Life Foundation
Segerstrom Foundation
INNOVATION
UNDERWRITER
Theresa & Jonathon Allen
Michelle & Robert Kargenian
CREATIVITY
UNDERWRITER
Joe & Michele Chatelle
Hydraflow - Ayloush Family
Carole & Rich Lee
ENCOURAGEMENT UNDERWRITER
Judy & David Threshie
Richard Ward
Supporter Sightings
19th Annual Keep the Promise™ Wine Tasting Benefit
September 2025
The 19th Annual Keep the Promise™ Wine Tasting Benefit brought together 242 guests at Big Canyon Country Club on September 25, 2025, in support of The Wooden Floor’s promise we make to every student: From here, you can step anywhere. As one of Orange County’s premier wine tasting events, the evening grossed over $400,000, contributing to a remarkable cumulative total of more than $4.8 million raised over 19 years to help inspire and transform young lives through dance and access to higher education.
Annual Anaheim Ducks Shopping Spree
December 2025
For the 18th year, The Wooden Floor partnered with the famed Anaheim Ducks players for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday shopping spree at Target Irvine Spectrum. This annual shopping spree sparks joy among our students and shows them that they are supported and valued by our community. We are grateful to the Anaheim Ducks, the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, and Target Irvine Spectrum for bringing such a memorable event to life.
"Supporting Keep the Promise is deeply meaningful to me and my husband, Bobby. The Wooden Floor empowers young people to dream bigger, work hard, and discover their confidence – and we believe there is no greater investment than helping a child realize what’s possible."
Jenn Hughes, Senior Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition and Experience, Edwards Lifesciences and Keep the Promise Platinum Sponsor
Eat & Wrap
December 2025
Board Member and event Chair Sasha Ayloush hosted our annual Eat & Wrap event, an inspiring way to kick off the season of giving. We thank the guests that joined us in wrapping nearly 500 gifts, one for each student at The Wooden Floor! Guests heard from our alumna speaker from the Class of 2023, Kassandra Guevara, who is currently majoring in Sociology and double minoring in Chicano Studies and Criminal Justice at California State University, Fullerton. We are heartened by the collective efforts of our supporters, underwriters, board members, and guests for helping us supply gifts, trees, and uplifting spirits for our students and families.
From left: Eat & Wrap Hostess Sasha Ayloush, Marlowe Stone, and Bernice Adame.
From left: Catherine MacIver, CEO Dawn S. Reese, and Alumna Speaker Kassandra Guevara.
From left: Jack and Jenn Rye, and Meredith and Mike Byer.
From left: Jenn Hughes, Suzanne Gentry, Sandy Barker, and Cindy Arentsen.
1810 North Main Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706-2727
714.541.8314
TheWoodenFloor.org
Follow us @TheWoodenFloor
Join us at the following events to help propel our students and our mission forward.
Driving Futures: A College Scholarship Benefit for Students of The Wooden Floor
Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 6:00pm
LYON AIR MUSEUM, SANTA ANA
The Driving Futures Scholarship Benefit supports the profound, long-term investment The Wooden Floor makes in our students’ 10-year journey from elementary school to college, including The Wooden Floor’s Merit-based College Scholarship Awards.
More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/DrivingFutures
14th Step Beyond Annual Breakfast®
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 7:30am
HILTON ORANGE COUNTY/COSTA MESA
Gather for an inspiring morning to celebrate our 22nd consecutive graduating class on track to have a 100 percent college enrollment rate and support our college and career readiness programs.
More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/StepBeyond
43rd Annual Concert
May 28 - 30, 2026 | 8:00pm nightly plus 2:30pm Saturday matinee
IRVINE BARCLAY THEATRE
Be inspired by our students as they perform new dance works co-created with leading contemporary dance choreographers, reflecting the organization’s reputation for artistic excellence.
More information at TheWoodenFloor.org/AnnualConcert
Photography by
Sargeant
Creative and Tony Lattimore. ©
2026
The Wooden Floor.