Emeka Simmons

“You are an artist, no matter how often you make art or how much you make from it.”   Los Angeles-based Artist and Educator Emeka Simmons has been honing his teaching skills since 2012. Originally an athlete turned dancer, Simmons takes the disciplines and skills he has developed into the classes and workshops he facilitates....

Jonathan Markowitz Bijur

Executive Director Jonathan Markowitz Bijur is a founder of Tinkering School LA, an educator, maker, and administrator with over 15 years experience in non-profit management. He has been Executive Director of reDiscover Center since 2014. His previous board and staff work includes contributions to choirs, museums, libraries, and community centers in Boston and Los Angeles....

Jay True

Director of Operations Jay True has been reDiscover Center's Director of Operations since 2021. With twenty years of administrative experience in various departments of UCLA, Jay brings a confident and skilled touch to reDiscover's systems and operations. Her expertise covers a wide spectrum of areas: program management, student services,  advising, finance and operations, and assessment...

Joyce Tam

Community Programs Manager Joyce Tam is a builder, educator, and kinesthetic learner. She teaches in reDiscover's school and camp programs. Currently, at the helm of staff development, programs, and camp prep, she has been with reDiscover since 2018. You will find her zipping around on her bike and weaving with rope. With a background in...

Hanabee Cartagena

Hanabee Cartagena is the Distance Learning Programs Manager. Hanabee started with reDiscover in 2018 as an Intern Facilitator, was hired as a member of the permanent staff in 2019, and has been the Distance Learning Programs Manager since 2022. A creative artist in mixed media, digital media, painting, and drawing, (and more than a few...

Yeltsin Penado self-portrait

Yeltsin Penado

Yeltsin Penado joined reDiscover Center as a Programs Manager in 2021. He works closely with Facilitators and interns through collaborative teaching and by creating curriculum and educational materials. Yeltsin is passionate about arts education with an emphasis on diversity and inclusive lesson structures. “My teaching superpower is being empathetic to a student's interests and imagination...

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