2024 2025
Think of what our community can achieve when passion meets purpose.
Our students embrace new opportunities and continuously set new standards for artistic and academic achievement.
A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO
Dear Friends,
With the close of the 2024-2025 school year, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary journey we’ve taken together with immense pride and gratitude. This past year at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) has been filled with inspiring moments, bold creativity, unique challenges, and a shared commitment to excellence in both the arts and academics. It is my privilege to present the OCSA Foundation’s 2024-2025 Annual Report – a snapshot of what our community can achieve when passion meets purpose.
Our students continue to amaze us with their talents, resilience, and drive. They not only embrace new opportunities but continuously set new standards for artistic and academic achievement. These accomplishments are a direct result of the dedication of our faculty and staff, the support of our families and friends, and the generosity of donors like those listed throughout this report. Your belief in our mission ensures that every student at OCSA has access to an educational experience that is both transformational and empowering.
As you explore the pages of this report, you’ll see the real-world impact of your support – how it fuels innovation in the classroom, sustains our conservatories, strengthens our community partnerships, and opens doors for aspiring young artists from all backgrounds. I am especially grateful that even during times of uncertainty or challenge, our community stands strong. Your unwavering support enables us to navigate obstacles with confidence and continue delivering on our promise to students and families.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue building on this momentum. With your partnership, we will keep advancing our mission to provide exceptional arts and academic education while expanding access and opportunity. Thank you for being such an important part of our OCSA family and for helping to shape the future of our students, our school, and the arts community at large.
With heartfelt appreciation and excitement for what’s next,
Teren Shaffer President & CEO
Orange County School of the Arts
WHO WE ARE
Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), a public charter school located in the heart of Santa Ana, California, provides a six-year comprehensive academic and arts conservatory program to students in grades 7-12. Established in 1987, OCSA is one of the premier arts schools in the nation, where aspiring young artists have the opportunity to refine their skills and flourish in one of 17 preprofessional arts conservatories. OCSA provides a rigorous collegepreparatory academic program that produces high-achieving, motivated scholars. For nearly four decades, the school has impacted thousands of students, molding generations of creative thinkers, leaders, artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OCSA has been recognized for innovation and excellence in arts and academic education locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Exemplary School (Arts Schools Network, 2023-2028)
• #1 Best Charter High School in California (Niche, 2025)
• Exceptional Charter School in Special Education (NASET, 2017-2025)
• Best High Schools in America (U.S. News & World Report, 2008-2025)
• California Exemplary Arts Education Award (California Department of Education, 2021)
• Recognized ASCA Model Program (American School Counselor Association, 2019-2021)
MISSION STATEMENT
We provide an unparalleled arts and academic education in a creative, challenging, and nurturing environment to a diverse group of students who are passionate about the arts, preparing them to reach their highest potential.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL ARTS EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF APPLIED ARTS
Arts & Enterprise Conservatory
The Mekjian Family Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory
SCHOOL OF DANCE
Ballet & Contemporary Dance Conservatory
Ballet Folklórico Dance Conservatory
Ballroom Dance Conservatory
Commercial Dance Conservatory
SCHOOL OF FINE & MEDIA ARTS
Creative Writing Conservatory
Martin & Cynthia Howard Design & Media Conservatory
Film & Television Conservatory
Integrated Arts Conservatory
Visual Arts Conservatory
SCHOOL
OF MUSIC
Classical Voice Conservatory
Instrumental Music Conservatory
Popular Music Conservatory
SCHOOL OF THEATRE
The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory
Hal Struck Musical Theatre Conservatory
Production & Design Conservatory
ABOUT THE OCSA FOUNDATION
Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) is a donationdependent public charter school. No student is offered or denied admission based upon their family’s financial capacity. While the State of California provides funding for the academic instructional program offered at OCSA, approximately $10 million must be raised on an annual basis to fund the arts conservatory programs.
The OCSA Foundation is dedicated to the financial support of the school’s arts programs, relying on the generosity of individual donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors. The OCSA Foundation is responsible for leading annual fundraising and capital campaigns, special events, alumni engagement, community outreach initiatives, marketing, public relations, and graphic design, helping to provide the transformational OCSA experience for all students.
Your belief in our mission ensures that every student at OCSA has access to an educational experience that is both transformational and empowering.
2024-2025 FOUNDATION TEAM
COMMUNICATIONS
Vice President of Communications
Kelly Andrews
Director of Marketing
Amanda Blazey
Director of Public Relations
Julia Gutierrez
Senior Graphic Designer
Ricardo Mesina
Graphic Designers
Matthew Cadiz and Anel Cantu
Public Relations Manager
Shelby Joncas (CMD, ‘08)
Marketing Associate
Staci Berrey
Marketing & Development Junior Associate
Darren Bautista
CREATIVE
Creative Director
Cindy Peca-Dolan
Musical Director
Melissa Wackerman
Foundation & Creative Team Associate
Jacob Piattoni (CMD, ‘18)
Foundation & Creative Team Junior Associate
Quinn Olesiuk
Vocal Director
Gavin Thrasher
Band Director
Marc Wein
Production Coordinator
Carissa Lazatin
DEVELOPMENT / SPECIAL EVENTS
Vice President of Development
Elizabeth Ton (MT, ‘95)
Senior Director of Special Events
Jamie Schofield
Director of Special Event Productions
Michael Von Hoffman
Director of Individual Giving
Anna Belmer Jackson (MT, ‘13)
Director of Corporate & Business Relations
Gregory McCollum
Development Manager
Katie Perry Page (MT, ‘11)
Special Events Associate
Julia Rudge (CMD, ‘16)
Grant Consultant
Andrew Pilger
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Director of Community Engagement
Brian Stevens
Community Engagement Associate
Cindy Gutierrez
Community Engagement Coordinator
Kaitlyn Tice
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
FYE June 30, 2025, unaudited
OPERATING REVENUES: $6,374,779
• Special Events - $2,247,924
• Annual Campaigns - $1,568,222
• Community Programs - $1,451,947
• Support Groups - $445,124
• Other - $661,559
OPERATING EXPENSES: $5,727,894
• Payroll & Benefits - $1,675,691
• Special Events - $1,323,139
• Community Programs - $1,025,596
• General & Administrative - $192,741
• Support Groups - $80,264
• Contract Services - $24,018
• Facilities - $58,068
• Donor Cultivation - $49,223
OCSA Foundation staff also manages the planning, communication, and fundraising efforts associated with the annual Conservatory Funding Agreement (CFA) campaign, which raised $9,830,171 in direct support of OCSA’s arts conservatory programs. These funds were allocated directly to the school’s 501(c)(3), which is why they are not reflected in the operating revenue for the OCSA Foundation.
The OCSA Foundation contributed $1,150,957 to the school’s 501(c)(3) in direct support of OCSA’s arts conservatory programs!
SEASON SPONSORS
Thank you to our 2024-2025 Season Sponsors!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous Season Sponsors, whose invaluable support empowers the OCSA Foundation to provide transformative arts and academic programs. Their partnership plays a vital role in nurturing the next generation of creative leaders.
ANNUAL CAMPAIGNS
ARTIST SCHOLAR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
Raised $640,640
The Artist Scholar Sponsorship Program supports more than 200 economically disadvantaged students who attend OCSA and whose families are living below the national poverty level. This campaign not only helps fund the arts conservatory portion of their school day, but also ensures they have access to the full OCSA experience, including school dances, yearbooks, technology, and school supplies.
Thank you to our 2024-2025 Artist Scholar Sponsorship Program donors!
The Albertsons Companies Foundation
Tristan Alva Memorial Scholarship
Julie and Joe Carrabino
Stacie Cruz
DevTo Support Foundation
The Dhanidina Family
Dragon Kim Foundation
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Courtney and Harald Herrmann
Jessica and Jason Herthel
Dr. Kimberley Lakes and Dr. James Kay
The Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation
Cheryl and Michael Laven
The Sharon D. Lund Foundation
Rosemarie Paguirigan-Steiner and Don Steiner
Melissa and Jeff Ruderman
Samueli Foundation
Paul Satkin and Karen Duprey
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Jerome and Stacey Schneider
Laureen and Brian Stone
Jennifer and Ty Thaiyananthan
The listing above represents donors who gave $500 or more, as of June 30, 2025, not inclusive of those who participated in the Pick Your Passion Holiday Campaign.
HEARTS FOR THE ARTS Raised $751,591
The Hearts for the Arts campaign provides additional support for arts conservatory needs beyond annual budgets, by purchasing special equipment and supplies, taking student artists on field trips to professional arts venues, and presenting student performances. Support helps OCSA students compete in and perform at regional, statewide, and national festivals in the theatre, culinary, and music fields, among others. It also enables student groups to travel internationally for performances at the invitation of arts presenters.
Thank you to our 2024-2025 Hearts for the Arts donors!
Soyoung Ahn
Dr. Alyson and Mr. Alfredo Cartagena
Johnny Carson Foundation
Emma Chen
Class of 2025
Patrick and Mary Dirk
Reuben H. Fleet Foundation Fund
Geoffrey Garth
Courtney and Harald Herrmann
Dr. Maria and Mr. Gennady Imeshev
Jenii and Scott Jacobson
JCTEES.COM
Brent Johnson
Shelly Kim
Andrew J. Kuehn, Jr. Foundation
Dr. Michael Le and Mrs. Tita Nguyen
Xuan Liu
The M Foundation
Dr. Sal Maya and Mrs. Jennie Johanson-Maya
Murdy Foundation
Carol Normandin and Ken Parker /
Emily Normandin-Parker Fund
Orange County Community Foundation
Rosemarie Paguirigan-Steiner and Don Steiner
Patrick’s Purpose Foundation
Pax Prakarsa
Dr. Michael Rasminsky
Drs. Douglas Sakurai and Tiffany Lee
Samueli Foundation
David Sands
Paul Satkin and Karen Duprey
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Jennifer and Brad Smith
Harold Struck Charitable Fund
Janet and Ray Sun, Sr.
Surf City Insurance Services, Inc
Tsao Family Foundation
On behalf of UVNV - Jeff Braunstein
Suzanne Xiros
Yanjuan Wang
Qi Yang
Aidi Yu
The listing above represents donors who gave $500 or more, as of June 30, 2025, not inclusive of those who participated in the Pick Your Passion Holiday Campaign. Additional revenue was received through conservatory guilds and performance honorariums.
Thank you to all of the families and donors who contributed to the
which collectively raised $525,233, including an anonymous matching gift of $250,000.
MASTER ARTIST SERIES
Raised $68,714
An important instructional strategy at OCSA is to bring master artists and industry leaders to share their gifts, career stories, and expertise with students through residencies, master classes, lectures, and performances. The Master Artist Series supports highprofile visiting artists who create meaningful and often life-changing experiences for our student artists.
This year, esteemed guest artists included Broadway veteran and OCSA alumna Stephanie J. Block (MT, ‘90); jazz legend Wynton Marsalis; Broadway musician and radio host Seth Rudetsky; special effects artist Randal Dutra; Oscar Awardwinning American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor Spike Jonze; world dance icon Amalia Viviana Basanta Hernandez; jazz trumpeter and composer Summer Camargo; and casting director Rick Messina (MT, ‘95).
Thank you to our 2024-2025 Master Artist Series donors!
Tina and Eoin Kreditor
SMART Jazz Execs / SMART Foundation Fund
Trilby and Michael Robinson-Dorn
Lee and Dave Runnels
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Harold Struck Charitable Fund
Yamaha Ling and Charlie Zhang
The listing above represents donors who gave $500 or more, as of June 30, 2025.
MAKING AN IMPACT
With support from individuals, foundations, and businesses, the OCSA Foundation directly funded the following programs, projects, and initiatives throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
ALL SCHOOL
• Secured Conservatory Funding Agreement underwriting for 140 students who qualified for the Federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program
• Secured $1,012,500 in funding for Students First: A Capital Campaign
• Secured underwriting for 75 students in need to participate in CSArts Academy summer classes
• Produced the 2nd Annual OCSA Connects Community Arts Festival
• Supported the Gluck Community Service Arts Fellowship Program
• Funded OCSA Jumpstart for new students
• Funded the Freshman Retreat
• Updated sound system with new speakers in Margaret A. Webb Theatre
• Supported dual enrollment expansion
• Supported Career Technical Education faculty training
ACTING
• Supported costs to perform Erabus and the Fall of Sparrow at The Hollywood Fringe Festival in June 2025
ARTS & ENTERPRISE
• Purchased portable sound system for conservatory events both on and off campus
• Secured underwriting for upcoming makerspace
• Secured underwriting for internship program
BALLET & CONTEMPORARY DANCE
• Secured three artists-in-residence during the spring semester
BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DANCE
• Funded guest master artist residency with Viviana Basanta Hernández of Ballet Folklórico de Mexico
• Purchased costumes to present new piece choreographed by Viviana Basanta Hernández
BALLROOM DANCE
• Purchased new costumes
• Sponsored costs for students to compete in Hot Ballroom DanceSport Challenge and California Open
CLASSICAL VOICE
• Hired professional orchestra musicians for the spring opera production
• Funded Patrick & Mary Dirk Voice Scholarships for 14 students
• Secured underwriting for the Classical Voice Concert Season
CREATIVE WRITING
• Funded field trip to the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference in Los Angeles
• Provided support for Beyond Borders performance
• Provided support for Inkblot Literary Magazine
CULINARY ARTS & HOSPITALITY
• Secured initial funding for creation of a food science lab
• Secured electric ovens and stovetops for the food science lab
• Funded senior scholarships for high-achieving students pursuing culinary programs after graduation
DESIGN & MEDIA
• Purchased five 13-inch iPad Pros and Apple Pencils
• Purchased five photo printers
• Secured underwriting to fully upgrade the computer lab
FILM & TELEVISION
• Purchased equipment to renovate editing suites into full sound and coloring suites
• Secured donation of wired handheld intercoms
• Upgraded computer graphics and titling software for live productions
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC – JAZZ STUDIES
• Secured underwriting for master class with Wynton Marsalis
• Offered master class with Jeremy Siskin
• Restored piano in The Garn Family Cabaret Lounge
• Secured underwriting for the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival
MAKING AN IMPACT (continued)
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC – PIANIST
• Funded field trip to Thornton School Piano Concerto Competition at USC
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC – STRINGS & ORCHESTRA
• Offered audio and video recordings of all concerts in the spring semester
• Funded field trip to LA Philharmonic Orchestra for open rehearsals and a performance
• Offered master class with Tina Guo
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC – WIND STUDIES
• Purchased bass clarinet
• Secured funding for contrabass clarinet
INTEGRATED ARTS
• Purchased film and television equipment for Video Production & Advanced Filmmaking class
• Purchased wireless lavalier microphones for all productions
MUSICAL THEATRE
• Purchased additional speakers for the Scott & Charlotte Egan Studio Theatre
• Purchased portable sound system to allow for increased performance opportunities in unconventional spaces
• Secured field trip for 60 students to see final tech rehearsal of Fiddler on the Roof at La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts
• Secured underwriting for master class with Broadway veteran Stephanie J. Block
POPULAR MUSIC
• Purchased five-piece shell pack for show kit
• Purchased main monitor speakers for the recording studio
• Secured master class with Anatomy of Sound’s international guitarists from Greece and Japan
• Secured funding for a recording studio computer
• Secured underwriting for Popular Music productions
PRODUCTION & DESIGN
• Offered puppetry seminar with the cast of Life of Pi at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
• Funded field trip to a professional theatre for the full conservatory
• Secured master class with Pioneer DJ
• Secured funding for the Let’s Put on a Play program
VISUAL ARTS
• Purchased three color printers for The Newkirk Family Visual Arts Center
• Secured paint donations for new campus murals
TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFTS
PATRICK & MARY DIRK CLASSICAL VOICE SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT
A transformative gift from longtime OCSA supporters Patrick and Mary Dirk led to the creation of the Patrick & Mary Dirk Classical Voice Scholarship Endowment. This endowment will provide annual scholarships to 14 Classical Voice students, ensuring access to high-level vocal training regardless of financial need. Since 2010, the Dirks have supported more than 200 voice students, and this lasting gift secures their legacy of empowering young artists well into the future.
HAL STRUCK MUSICAL THEATRE CONSERVATORY
In recognition of Hal Struck’s extraordinary generosity and belief in the power of arts education, we proudly named the Hal Struck Musical Theatre Conservatory this year. Since joining the OCSA community in 2022, Hal and his sister, Sharon, have become passionate supporters of our students, attending performances and events with heartfelt enthusiasm. This naming honors Hal’s multi-year pledge to Students First: A Capital Campaign and his continued support of Musical Theatre programming – ensuring a lasting impact for generations to come.
FOOD SCIENCE LAB
With special funding from the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and inkind contributions from Imperial Ovens, OCSA’s Mekjian Family Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory was able to retrofit and upgrade an existing classroom to serve as an industry-standard Food Science Lab. This new space will allow the conservatory to include more advanced food science and nutrition coursework, support experiential learning and ingredient testing, and enhance student preparedness for future careers in the culinary and hospitality industries.
SUPPORT GROUPS
FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Raised $183,000
Officers
Jason Herthel, Board Chair
Teren Shaffer, President & Chief Executive Officer
Jennifer Sternshein, Secretary
Michael Laven, Treasurer
Christine Walker-Bowman, Vice Chair, Finance
Hon. Halim Dhanidina (Ret.), Board of Trustees Representative
Kimberley Lakes, Ph.D., Vice Chair, Human Capital
Jennie Johanson-Maya, Vice Chair, PR & Marketing
Eoin L. Kreditor, J.D., Vice Chair, Legacy Giving
Directors
Lisa Argyros
Jim Bergman
Lisa Brennan
Miaad Bushala
Bruce E. Chapman
Jim Conroy
Julia Feldman
Lamia Gabal, M.D.
Julie Garn
Jason Gwin
Gillian Hayes, Ph.D.
Steven Ho
Martin Howard
Michael Le
Lee Runnels
Don Steiner
EMERITUS BOARD
Julia Argyros
John Daniels
Sandy Segerstrom Daniels
Mohamed El-Erian
Brad Ellis, J.D.
Maria Newkirk Fong
John Gates
Carol Green
Jerry Mandel
Michal Mekjian, Jr.
James “Walkie” Ray
Judy Sabbagh
Susan Samueli, Ph.D.
Janice Frey Smith
Kate St. Clair
Russell Stern
John Vestri
Scott Woolsey
In Memoriam
Paul Folino
Doug Garn
Sebastian Paul Musco
Lew Webb
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE
Raised $167,327
Armi and Ron Abiera
Cheryl Alderson and Charles Dominguez
Courtney and James Banaag
Autumn and Frank Bignami
Alyson and Alfredo Cartagena
Kara and Rob Casola
Kathy and William Chang
Joy Chao and Jason Lee
Arpi and Bobby Charlu
Julia and Lewis Cho
Gretchen and Jim Conroy
Michelle and Tim Danaher
Neeti and Sandeep Dang
Saranya and Halim Dhanidina
Malisa and Kanwal Duggal
Julia Feldman and Ryan Malone
Sally and Dan Fleet
Laura Forbes and Mike Huntley
Betsy and Luke Freiler
Lamia Gabal and Charlie Wilcoxson
Stacy and Jason Gwin
Sameena and Ali Habib
Allison and Brian Herman
Jason and Jessica Herthel
Jennie Johanson-Maya and Sal Maya
Karen Kim and Spencer Ho
Annu Khemka and Maneesh Goyal
Cheryl and Michael Laven
Debbie and Bonaparte Liu
Sherry and Paul Main
Greg McCollum and Jeff Van Hoosear
Matt and Diana McCutchen
Maeesha Merchant and Gaurav Diwan
Jessica Miley and Alejandro Brubaker
Tita Nguyen and Michael Le
Rose Paguirian-Steiner and Don Steiner
Allison and Jim Panetta
Amy Parekh and Jay Shah
Brad Pivar and Rod Escobedo
Ami and Rakesh Puvvada
Alexis and Julian Recana
Catey and Chris Reese
Trilby and Michael Robinson-Dorn
Melissa and Jeffrey Ruderman
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Jennifer and Brad Smith
Karen Smith and Jay Jerrier
Mohini and Vip Soni
Jeannette and John Soumbasakis
Lisa Stevens Wegner and Jed Stevens
Rina Stinson
Kim and Bert Tavares
Mei Tsang and Steve Brown
Ivy Wang and Patryk Symchych
Courtney and Andrew Wittkop
Manuella and Michael Yassa
Michelle and Gary Yoshino
Sandy and David Young
Jinny and Ed Yun
SUPPORT GROUPS
ENCORE
Raised $94,000
Virtuoso | $5,000
Lisa and Jack Brennan
Dr. Gretchen and Mr. James Conroy
Vincent and Karla Chung
Mala and Neeraj Gupta
Ivie-Valle Family - In This House Love Rules
Kevin and Louise Lloyd
Melissa and Jeff Ruderman
Karen Smith and Jay Jerrier
Courtney and Andrew Wittkop
Ovation | $2,500
The Bullock Family
Brandi and Javier Gutierrez
Rosemarie and Michael Le Coz
The Oh Family
Molly Ortwein
The Pennor Family
Michael and Nicole Vicioso
Brian Yan’s Family
Maestro | $1,000
Armi and Ron Abiera
Anonymous
Justin Aragon and Laura Boysen-Aragon
James and Courtney Banaag
Team Bignami
Dr. Alyson and Alfredo Cartagena
The Casola Family
Arpi and Bobby Charlu
Joy Chao and Jason Lee
Julia and Lewis Cho
Kathy and William Chang
Tim and Michelle Danaher
Neeti and Sandeep Dang
The Dhanidina Family
The Dominguez Family
Kyle and Courtney Duff
Malisa and Kanwal Duggal
Julia Feldman and Ryan Malone
Sally and Dan Fleet
Laura Forbes and Mike Huntley
Luke and Betsy Freiler
Lamia Gabal and Charlie Wilcoxson
Jason and Stacy Gwin
Sameena and Ali Habib
The Herman Family
Jason and Jessica Herthel
Stacey and Justin Hill
Scott Holty and Emilie Albert
Angela Huang
Cindy Hughes and Paul Schmidhauser
Jennie Johanson-Maya and Sal Maya
David and Sara Kerrane
Anuradha Khemka and Maneesh Goyal
Karen Kim and Spencer Ho
Cheryl and Michael Laven
The Lee Family
Scott and Susan Lee
Debbie and Bonaparte Liu
The Ly-Pang Family
Molly Mahoney and John Dominguez
Paul and Sherry Main
Greg McCollum and Jeff Van Hoosear
Maeesha Merchant and Gaurav Diwan
Jessica Miley and Alejandro Brubaker
Tita Nguyen and Michael Le
Rosemarie Paguirigan-Steiner and Don Steiner
Jim and Allison Panetta
The Parekh Shah Family
The Pivar-Escobedo Family
Rakesh and Ami Puvvada
The Ransford Family
Hon. Julian and Alexis Recana
Chris and Catey Reese
Savalai and Brent Ridley
Trilby and Michael Robinson-Dorn
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Brad and Jennifer Smith
Mo and Vip Soni
John and Jeannette Soumbasakis
Lisa Stevens Wegner and Jed Wegner
Rina Stinson
Patryk Symchych
Kim and Bert Tavares
Mei Tsang and Steve Brown
Brooks and Kelly Wackerman
Michael and Manuella Yassa
Michelle and Gary Yoshino
Sandy and David Young
Drs. Edward and Jinny Yun
Bravo | $500
Acting Conservatory Mom
Ms. Jyothi Atluri
The Bailey Family
Edgar and Julie Barajas
The Bittel Family
Ronald and Dawne Both
Cogswell Design Inc.
Kristy Crownover
CV programs
The Dale Family
Ramit and Rakhi Dayal
Joe and Jessica DiPenta
DM
Isabel Dong
The Elder Family
Dr. and Mrs. Gregory and Lisa Endelman
The Engle Family
Kim Gangnes
Byron and Raquel Gillen
The Goodemote Family
The Gourley Family
Apra and Rahul Gupta
Andy and Gracie Hinton
The Idriss Family
Kevin and Kelly Kelley
Angela Kent
Andrew and Chinyee Keyoung
Jason and Susan Lai
My Lee
Jay and Danielle Madison
Paul Mendoza
Val and Larry Miles
The Mitra’s
Moon’s Family
Yvonne Naranjo
The Ortiz Family
Oscar and Jessica Parra
The Passalacqua Family
Peters Architecture Inc.
Logan and Carol Ross
The Rossfeld Family
The Schultz Family
Bandana and Jolly Singh
Elliot Tong
The Vik Family
The Villanueva Family Foundation
The Vitta Kama Family
The Voros Family
The Weaver Family
Parents of David Wong (CW-2026)
Brenda Wooding and Eric Adler
The Zazik Family
SPECIAL EVENTS
SEASON PREMIERE 2024
Raised $328,570
Thank you to everyone who supported Season Premiere 2024!
Honorary Producer
Carole Pickup
$7,500 Table Sponsors
Chapman University
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
$5,000 Table Sponsors
Tim and Michelle Danaher
Cheryl and Michael Laven
The Malis Family
$3,500 Table Sponsors
The Abiera, Dormitorio, Kantelis, McCollum-Van
Hoosear, and Reese Families
Ann Burge
Gillian Hayes
The Herman Family
The Herrmann Family
Jennie Johanson-Maya and Sal Maya
M|W|A’s Marcy Weinstein
Tita Nguyen and Michael Le
Orange County Credit Union
Kim and Bert Tavares
Russell and Liz Turner
Performance Underwriters
Albert and Miaad Bushala
Jackie Daytona, Regular Human Bartender
Cherie and Scott Emigh
Mike Gu at Santa Ana Wheel
The Herthel Family
Law Offices of Margaret A. Chidester & Associates
OnCall IT, Inc.
Samueli Foundation
Teren and Brianna Shaffer
Sheppard Mullin
Ling and Charlie Zhang
SOUTH COAST PLAZA TREE LIGHTING 2024
Thank you to everyone who supported the South Coast Plaza Tree Lighting Ceremony!
GALA 2025
Raised $1,312,054
Thank you to everyone who supported Gala 2025: House of Muse!
Gold Sponsors
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Sandy Segerstrom Daniels
The Jerrier Family (2)
Ruby Sponsors
Dr. Gretchen and Mr. James Conroy
Tina and Eoin Kreditor / Cleo A. Bluth Charitable Foundation
Dr. Michael Le and Mrs. Tita Nguyen
The Sternshein Family
Sapphire Sponsors
Lisa and Jack Brennan
Albert and Miaad Bushala
CHOC Foundation
City National Bank
The Dhanidina Family
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Julia Feldman and Ryan Malone
Lamia Gabal (Shehab), MD, FPMRS / Prestige Medical Group
The McCollum / Van Hoosear, Panetta, and Reese Families
The Herrmann Family (2)
Steve and Shelley Ho
The Kao Family
Cheryl and Michael Laven
The Mahoney Dominguez Family
Sal & Jennie Maya Family Foundation
The Padilla, Prizzia, Recana, and Soumbasakis Families
The Pennor Family
Lee and Dave Runnels
Don Steiner and Rose Paguirigan-Steiner
Harold Struck Charitable Fund
The Ton / Gonzalez Family
The Young Family
Performance Underwriters
Lisa Argyros
Bobby and Arpi Charlu
Kathleen and Curtis Cover
Michelle and Tim Danaher
Linda and Vince Foley
The Garn Family
Martin and Cynthia Howard
OnCall IT, Inc.
SPECIAL EVENTS
GALA 2025 (cont.)
Sandra Rabins
Teren and Brianna Shaffer
Sheppard Mullin
Specialty Sponsors
Arlington Financial
Prestige Medical Group
ROVE
Volvo OC
Fund-A-Dream Donors
Melinda and Sergio Andonian
Elyas Balta and Janine Golino
Dr. Kimberly Barraza Lyons and Paul Lyons
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Autumn and Frank Bignami
Stephanie J. Block-Arcelus and Sebastian Arcelus
Dawne Archeta Both and Ronald Both
David Bowman and Christine Walker-Bowman
Jack and Lisa Brennan
Alejandro Brubaker and Jessica Miley
Ann Burge
Albert and Miaad Bushala
Julia Cai
Joy Chao and Jason Lee
Karla and Vincent Chung
Michelle and Michael Ciecek
Dr. Gretchen and Mr. James Conroy
Ruth Daly and Glenn Ramos
Ashley and Jessica Daniel
Matthew and Vickie DeArmey
Molly Mahoney and John Dominquez
Neil and Vina D’Souza
Dianne and Rob Duva
Teri and Mark Fellman
Julia Feldman and Ryan Malone
Lamia Gabal and Charlie Wilcoxson
Marc and Tamara Ghoukassian
Bryan and Erin Giglia
Kevin Gray and Tal Peles-Gray
Dr. Yigit and Mrs. Stoja Guner
Tony Guo and Jenny Zhang
Jason and Stacy Gwin
Spencer and Karen Ho
Becky and Alex Intfen
Dr. Sal Maya and Mrs. Jennie
Johanson-Maya
Dr. Amita Kalra and Dr. Daniel Nahl
Dr. Luke and Catherine Kao
Dr. Andrew and Chinyee Keyoung
Natalie and Rush Khoddam
Jay and Jodi Kollar
Eoin and Tina Kreditor
Cheryl and Michael Laven
Angela Lee
Jenny and Jose Leon
Ann and Matt Marquis
Andrea and Mark McCardle
Diana and Matt McCutchen
Catherine Michaels
Vien Nguyen and Tom Courtney
Rosalind Ong and John Tran
Vincenzo Paglia
Allison and Jim Panetta
Karla Pena-Pennor and Andrew Pennor
Frances Prizzia
Hon. Julian and Alexis Recana
Catey and Chris Reese
Carlos and Nancy Reyes
Laura Rosenwinkel and Timothy Gentry
Jeff and Melissa Ruderman
Dave and Lee Runnels
Cheryl and Gary Sanders
Eva Casas-Sarmiento and Vicente Sarmiento
Paul Satkin and Karen Duprey
Dr. Minajoy Sebastian-Lee
Nancy and Stan Shcharber
Andrea and Larry Shurtz
Jeannette and John Soumbasakis
Daniel Spain and Hayley Stangland-Spain
Don Steiner and Rose Paguirigan-Steiner
Patricia and Charles Steinmann
Jennifer and Ray Sun, Jr.
Bert and Kimberly Tavares
Elizabeth and Ali Ton
Bob and Melissa Wackerman
Gianna and Scott Warner
Russell Wetanson
Sandy and David Young
The listing above represents donors who gave $500 or more as part of the Gala 2025 Fund-A-Dream Campaign, as of June 30, 2025.
Auction Donors
4th Street Market
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club
Angels Baseball
Shivani Atluri (VA, ‘27)
Randy Au
Balboa Bay Resort
Balloons Over Paso
James and Courtney Banaag
Benchmark
Boisset Collection | Cindy Martin
Larry Boodman | School of Rock
Huntington Beach
California Pizza Kitchen Santa Ana
Missy and Chris Callero
Dr. Alyson and Mr. Alfredo Cartegena
Casas de Santa Fe
Robert and Kara Casola
Castillion, LLC
Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa
Gamze and Serdar Celik
Arpi and Bobby Charlu
Julia and Lewis Cho
Chloé
Aileen Chun (VA, ‘26)
Club Studio
Andrew Cortez
Creative College Journey | Scott Barnhardt
Quiemas D’Ovaia
Tim and Michelle Danaher
Danza Del Sol
Vickie and Matt DeArmey
Detention 2.0
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Julia Feldman and Ryan Malone
Teri and Mark Fellman
Fender Musical Instruments Company
Forge To Table Knives | Noah Rosen
Formaglini Vineyards
Eloise Fu (VA, ‘28)
Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen
Gallagher Insurance
GARYS Men’s Clothing
Lauren Gee (VA, ‘27)
Glen Ivy Hot Springs
Graff
Stacy and Jason Gwin
Barbara Hallman
Happy Jewelers
Gillian Hayes and Steve Hosaflook
Jessica and Jason Herthel
Shelley and Steve Ho
Spencer Ho and Karen Kim
Honda Center
Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Martin and Cynthia Howard
Mike Huntley and Laura Forbes
Hyatt Regency Irvine
Joe Bananas
Kendall Jones
Nalika Kavia (VA, ‘25)
The Kidder Family
Ashley Kim (VA, ‘25)
Caroline Kim (VA, ‘25)
Haylin (Hyunyi) Kim (VA, ‘26)
Jennifer Kim (VA, ‘25)
Ziah Kim (VA, ‘27)
Kimberly M. Wang Photography | Eardog Productions
L’Aventure
Lawry’s Restaurant
Michael Le and Tita Ngyuen
Jason Lee and Joy Chao
Le Renew Dermatology | Dr. John Le and Thuy Nguyen
Xinyu (Ariel) Liang (VA, ‘27)
Lorimar Winery
Los Angeles Angels Baseball
Sherry and Paul Main
Debbie and Aaron Malo
Maeesha Marchant and Gaurav Diwan
Matt and Ann Marquis
Greg McCollum and Jeff Van Hoosear
McLean Meyer LLC | Eric Meyer
Rick and Rebecca Messina
Sandy Miller
Yuzuki Minematsu (VA, ‘29)
Kelly Mogilka
Montage Hotels & Resorts
Richard Mordesovich and Warren Chase
Musco Center for the Arts
Newport Beach Dermatology & Plastic Surgery
Neiman Marcus Fashion Island
Chloe Nguyen (Va, ‘26)
Valerie Nguyen (VA, ‘25)
Oakley
Paige Oden
Orange County School of the Arts
Orange County School of the Arts
Foundation
Pacifica Hotels
Allison and Jim Panetta
The Park Club
Pasolivo Olive Oil
Pendry Hotels & Resorts
Pendry Washington DC - The Wharf
Pendy Newport Beach
Prestige Medical Group | Lamia Gabal, MD
Carole Pickup
PRP Wine International
The Rand Family
Chris and Catey Reese
Rockwell’s Bakery & Cafe
Roclord Studio
Lisa Rubenstein
Melissa and Jeff Ruderman
Lee and Dave Runnels
Say Huyen Catering
Juliet and Doug Schulein
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Rande and Adrienne Shaffer
Sheppard Mullin
Luke Shin (VA, ‘25)
Irene Sirota
South Coast Plaza
SteelCraft Garden Grove
Don Steiner and Rose Paguirigan-Steiner
The Sternshein Family
Lisa Stevens Wegner and Jed Stevens
Rina Stinson
Amina Straughn (VA, ‘27)
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Kevin and Elaine Tiber
Timothy Paul Mitchell LLC
Total Wine & More
Touchstone Jewelry
UC Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts
Ubuntu
Julia Yang (VA, ‘28)
Manuella and Mike Yassa
Jinny and Ed Yun
Mason Williams
Wilson Creek Winery
The Wittkop Family
Yorba Linda Spotlight Theatre Co.
Carol Zaist | Château d’Anvichar
SEASON FINALE 2025
SEASON FINALE 2025
Thank you to everyone who supported Season Finale 2025!
Thank you to everyone who supported Season Finale 2025!
GRATITUDE FOR GRANTS
The following funders supported a wide variety of initiatives during the 2024-2025 school year, including conservatory enrichment, special events, community programs, facility upgrades, academic programs, master artists, field trip underwriting, assistance for students on the Federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program, and general operating expenses.
Albertsons Companies Foundation
Andrew J. Kuehn Foundation
California Technical Education Incentive Grant*
DevTo Support Foundation
Dragon Kim Foundation
Ethel Kennedy Foundation
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County
Johnny Carson Foundation
The Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation
M Charitable Fund
Max H. Gluck Foundation
*This grant was allocated to OCSA’s 501(c)(3) directly.
Murdy Foundation
Orange County Community Foundation
Pacific Life Foundation
Patrick’s Purpose Foundation
Reuben H. Fleet Foundation
The Richard and Elizabeth Steele Fund
Rooster Foundation
Samueli Foundation
Sharon D. Lund Foundation
SMART Jazz Execs / SMART Foundation Fund
Tsao Family Foundation
Your support is fueling innovation.
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
The 2024-2025 school year was a vibrant and impactful season for alumni engagement. With thoughtful programming and increased visibility, OCSA strengthened alumni connections and reinforced its lasting role in the school community.
Alumni Giving
Alumni and their families contributed more than $830,000 across a wide variety of campaigns and events. During the Pick Your Passion Holiday Campaign, approximately 40 alumni families received tickets to Season Finale 2025 as a thank-you for their support.
Alumni Teaching Day
Held on April 17, 2025, this inspiring event welcomed back 10 accomplished alumni who shared professional insights, artistic techniques, and personal stories with current students. OCSA plans to continue this meaningful tradition annually.
Alumni-Led Master Classes
Throughout the year, distinguished alumni returned to campus to lead workshops and discussions.
Alumni on Social Media
We saw enhanced engagement across all alumni social media platforms, most notably on the @ocsaalumni Instagram, including celebrations and takeovers.
Senior Class Engagement
OCSA helped to cultivate a philanthropic spirit and sense of engagement with graduating seniors by introducing the alumni network and encouraging the act of giving back to their school. The Class of 2025 contributed funds to support a future college-prep workshop for the 2025-2026 school year.
CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS
Total Pledged (Over 5 Years): $6,365,361
Amount Received in 2024-2025: $1,012,500*
The goal of Students First: A Capital Campaign is to create an enhanced campus environment that will benefit the entire OCSA community.
The 2024-2025 school year saw the completion of Phase 1 of construction. These updates represent just the beginning of a long-term vision to elevate OCSA’s facilities. Some key highlights include:
• A new student lounge
• A new staircase connecting the Container Lot to the second-floor patio and cafeteria
• A renovated second-floor patio and cafeteria interior
• A new Culinary Arts Food Science Lab, adjacent to the cafeteria kitchen
• A vibrant new mural on the south-facing wall of the Samueli Family Art & Science Center (Annex)
• A newly designed Scott & Charlotte Egan Studio Theatre, providing an enhanced performance space for students
• A peaceful Serenity Center, dedicated to student wellness, including mental health support and relaxation
Phase 2 of our campus transformation is underway and will continue to build on this exciting momentum. Planned updates include:
• A new welcome plaza near the Media & Arts Center (Tech Building)
• Turf installation, landscaping, and tree planting throughout the Lisa Argyros Commons
• Installation of personalized brick pavers
• A new basketball court and gathering space in front of the Annex
• Shade structures and additional restroom facilities near the Scott & Charlotte Egan Studio Theatre
• Enhanced campus lighting and updated student gathering spaces
This phase will further elevate the environment where our students thrive, providing more dynamic and functional spaces for them to create and collaborate. We anticipate that all construction will be completed by spring 2026.
*Revenue from the capital campaign is not reflected in the financial summary found on page 10.
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations who have donated in support of this transformational campaign!
Acting Conservatory Families, Class of 2025
Anonymous
Julia and George Argyros
Lisa Argyros
Albert and Miaad Bushala
The Cha Family
Dr. Gretchen and Mr. James Conroy
The DeVoe Family
DevTo Support Foundation
The Dhanidina Family
The Dirk Family
El-Erian Family Foundation
Roberta Estrin
Farmers & Merchants Bank
The Garn Family
Shelley and Steven Ho
Martin and Cynthia Howard / Howard CDM
Chinyee and Dr. J. Andrew Keyoung
N&D Kim Family
Tina and Eoin Kreditor / Cleo A Bluth
Charitable Foundation
Dr. Kimberley Lakes and Dr. James Kay
The Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation
Cheryl and Michael Laven
Hsueh Chun Lo
The Malone Family
Jennifer and Paul Meyhoefer
Mrs. Tita Nguyen, Esq. and Dr. Michael Le
Ryan and Jin O’Grady
The Park Family
Debbie and Joe Rogoff
Samueli Foundation
Anna Schlotzhauer and Jim Bergman
Karen Smith and Jay Jerrier
The Sternshein Family
Harold Struck Charitable Fund
Ty and Jen Thaiyananthan
The Tioleco-Cheng Malabarba Family
Ryan and Nicole Warne-McGraw
The Wegner Family
Michelle and Gary Yoshino
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
OCSA CONNECTS COMMUNITY ARTS FESTIVAL
Free arts festival hosted on the school’s campus, serving children ages 5-11 from local and regional communities
• Second annual event
• 1,200 attendees (more than 600 families)
• 18 interactive and immersive arts booths
• 14 live performances by OCSA’s talented students and select community groups
• Top 3 cities with highest attendance: Irvine, Santa Ana, and Anaheim
• Inclusive for children of all abilities and disabilities
Presenting Event Sponsor
Event Sponsors
4th Street Market
Ben’s Asphalt | Rockwell’s Bakery
Block Family Foundation
Brown Colonial Mortuary
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Long Beach
Calnetix Technologies
Chapman University
CHOC Foundation
CJ Segerstrom & Sons
Culligan Water
Farmers & Merchants Bank
Gallagher
JCAP Financial
Koloa Kai LLC
Orange County Community Foundation
Prestige Medical Group
Pretika MedTech
Republic Services
Rove
Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce
Seven Gables Realtors | Sandy DeAngelis
Seven Gables Realtors | Lesslie Giacobbi
Sonoma Private Wealth
South Coast Plaza
Sternshein Legal Group
Teresa’s Jewelers
Top Finish Collision Center
University of California, Irvine
Umberg Zipser
US Bank
Wang Symchych Family
Community Partners
Marleena Barber
Bowers Museum
College of Performing Arts (COPA) at Chapman
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
CRECE Urban Farms
Dragon Kim Foundation
El Sol Academy
Frida Cinema
Heritage Museum of Orange County
Holocaust Education Center of Orange County
Jennie Johanson-Maya
Latino Health Access
LBC Hero Squad
LibroMobile & Roger Reyes
Maple Village
Orange County Arts and Disability
Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA)
Pan American Chinese Dance Alliance
Philharmonic Society of Orange County
Pretend City
Radiant Health Center
Santa Ana Public Library
Santa Ana Zoo
Studio D of Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Think Together
Thompson Autism and Neurodevelopment Center at CHOC
CSARTS ACADEMY
Offers extracurricular, introductory, and enrichment-based arts training to student artists ages 5-15 in a safe and fun learning environment
• 88 classes offered throughout the fall, spring, and summer
• 1,250 participants
• 60+ full scholarships provided for students in need
Presenting Event Sponsor
GLUCK COMMUNITY SERVICE ARTS
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Provides free arts programs and performances for the surrounding community, bringing the arts to those with little-to-no access, including youth, seniors, homeless, and those affected by disabilities, illness, or abuse
• 52 community performances
• 18,550 individuals impacted in Santa Ana and the extended Orange County community
• Approximately 175 participating OCSA students
DRAGON KIM FOUNDATION MUSIC PROGRAM
Provides instruments and free, high-quality music instruction on OCSA’s campus for children ages 9-11 who do not have the resources for private music lessons
• 72 students in the spring program
• Participating students from local Santa Ana schools, including Cadence Park School, El Sol, Méndez Fundamental Intermediate School, Mesa View Middle School, OCEAA, Scholarship Prep – Santa Ana, Serrano Elementary School, and Woodbury Elementary School
BRING OCSA TO YOU
Raised $443,192
Bring OCSA To You offers a wide range of professional-level performance groups, comprised of talented student artists from all 17 of the school’s arts conservatories
• 10 unique performance groups, including MONTAGE!, Ballroom Blitz, Bel Canto Singers, Las Estrellas, and more
• 53 Bring OCSA To You performances
• 37 MONTAGE! performances
° 14 holiday events, including 8 community tree lighting ceremonies
Thank you for supporting the OCSA Foundation throughout the 2024-2025 school year!