Our Team

Executive Director, Mentor

Jesse was born in and raised in Salinas as a second generation American. He discovered Youth Arts Collective in his late teens, where his passion for art and creativity fostered. He spent over ten years as the owner/operator of Rosita’s Café and Jesse’s Lounge in downtown Salinas. Most recently he worked as a Development Associate with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County, where he discovered his passion for nonprofit development. He is a life-long advocate of the arts and aims to continue YAC’s mission as a community resource for the youth of Monterey County.

Program Director, Mentor

Marissa has been an artist and arts educator in Monterey & Santa Cruz counties for over 14 years. Her great loves include printmaking, pen and ink drawings, ceramics, public art installation, her partner and pets- not necessarily in that order! She has been a YAC board member for 3 years and has a passion for non-profit organizational development. "YAC is a wildly fun, inclusive community that celebrates each and every young person that walks through its doors. I am so proud to support an organization that fosters the individual development and success of our young artists. A vibrant arts community is one of the great signs of a healthy society."

Founder, Artist, Mentor

Marcia began making, showing and selling her art in 1973. She specializes in airbrush paintings, illustrations and murals, but also enjoys making pastel paintings, ceramics and mobiles. She is a published children’s book author and illustrator and her art has been licensed for products. She taught airbrush painting at Rocky Mountain School of Art and Design in Denver. As a parent, she volunteered her skills for school play set designs, classroom art instruction and permanent murals. Aware of the need for afterschool programs, and places for our young to feel valued and inspired, Marcia and Meg opened YAC on Martin Luther King Day 2000 in downtown Monterey.

Founder, Artist, Mentor

Meg is a painter, illustrator, cartoonist, muralist, and the creator of Little Biddle Books. Her BFA is from California College of the Arts. She has exhibited her paintings in several one-woman and group shows, penned a comic strip that ran for seven years, and is currently published in FunnyTimes, Medium, and CartoonMovement.. As an illustrator, Meg worked in advertising, editorial, and now almost exclusively for education and healthcare clients – locally, Pulse Magazine, and for the last 25 years, Journeyworks Publishing (Santa Cruz). She’s also taught workshops on illustration, portfolio, and the business of art.

Artist, Mentor

Owner of Imagine Art Supplies. The former manager of Art Max and wax-chaser for sculptor Richard McDonald, Germain has expertise in many mediums. She has mentored at-risk teens and spearheaded mural projects for One Voice, Monterey, during the late 90s. She was a regular volunteer at Youth Arts Collective since its inception before joining the staff.

Marketing & Media Coordinator, Artist

Oliver is an animator, musician, and filmmaker from Monterey County. After attending YAC from 2015-2019 and studying at California College of the Arts, he created 2D and 3D animations for companies and artists such as Guayaki Yerba Mate, Smino, and Billionaire Boys Club. His personal artwork and music have always been an important focus in his life, largely due to the courage and confidence YAC gave him at a young age. Being back at YAC now as part of the team makes him feel like he can finally give back to the organization that helped him so much.

Studio Assistant, Artist

Raven Cook is a professional artist based in Monterey. She has been a part of YAC since 2015 as a TAGster, YACster, Intern and is currently YAC’s Studio Assistant. In her role, she hangs the shows, helps organize the studio and directly assists the Program Director. Youth Arts Collective has been an integral part of her life. 

When she's not spending time in the studio, you’ll find Raven in the kitchen of the two Michelin starred restaurant, Aubergine in Carmel-By-The-Sea where she works as a Pastry Assistant.

Raven’s personal work is rooted in observation, inner monologue and magical realism. Through detailed paintings she aims to capture fleeting moments of connection, memories, personal growth and the quiet tension between anxiety and vulnerability. 

Staying creative is important to Raven and being able to share what she has learned feels very rewarding.

Administrative Assistant, Artist, Mentor

Natalia Corazza is an artist based in the Bay Area. While her work is primarily in oils and acrylics, she also works in graphite, charcoal, and pen for her drawings. Her work explores a variation of subjects from Latinx identity, Colombian country life and landscape, to various forms of magical realism. Corazza graduated with a BFA in painting and drawing from California College of the Arts in 2019. In 2020, Corazza co-initiated a mural collaborative called "La Neta Murals" and continues to paint murals across the peninsula with her team.

Artist, Mentor

Peggy has been working in clay on the Monterey Peninsula for 50 years. She has a BS in Art Education and a background in drawing and painting which she applies to her ceramic work, using it as a canvas for drawings and painterly glazes. Her interest in nature is revealed in her functional and sculptural work.

She is a member of the cooperative, Peninsula Potters, and is a retired instructor of ceramics from MPC. She has been connected to YAC since her daughter was a YACster in its early years, where she saw the benefit to all the creative students who attended.

Artist, Mentor

Renata is an artist, architect and aspiring naturalist. She has been working on translating her love for nature and her interest in the built environment through her painted canvases. Her work is colorful and bold, with focus on compositions that present unique points of view. Because of her diverse background Renata is eager to share her experiences with others and mentoring seemed like a natural progression of her career.

Artist, Mentor

Arsenio Baca is a multi-faceted artist with experience working on canvas, murals, woodburning, tattoos, drawing, and more. Arsenio graduated from the University of New Mexico in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing in 2010. He is a self-taught artist who brings a knowledge of real-world application of artistry as well as an entrepreneurial spirit to find new ways to pursue creative endeavors in order to make a living. He has been working as a professional artist for 10+ years with murals in multiple states and commissioned art around the world. He brings a drive to share art and expression in ways that break down walls and invite collaboration from everyone he works with. His inspiration comes from the world he experiences all around him everyday.

Artist, Mentor

Jess Soriano visual creator through and through. With a B.S. in Health Science, she ventured into the world of Science Illustration, and from there, her perspective expanded from medical science to environmental conservation. Knowing there was much more to learn, she switched her focus inward, exploring the deeper parts of the psyche to find true balance between mind, body, and spirit. The desire to combine all these different aspects of herself is reflected in her work. From children’s book illustrations and printmaking to murals and even music videos, she’s adept in a variety of artistic mediums. Endlessly enthralled by our inner and outer worlds, she hopes her creative expressions will inspire others to explore their natural surroundings, see love in all living things, and open their minds to the beauty in unity.

Bookkeeper

Julie was born in Monterey and raised both there and in Seoul. She supports Youth Arts Collective by helping maintain their financial records with care and attention to detail.

With experience as a CFO and CPA, Julie also runs her own bookkeeping and consulting business. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Santa Clara University.

Grant Writer

Dawn M. Patterson is an independent Grant Consultant with four years of experience securing funding for approximately 18 nonprofit and for-profit organizations in the areas of youth education, arts and culture, and food insecurity.

She has obtained over $4 million for clients through her successful grant proposals and grant writing efforts. A member of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Bay Area Chapter since 2023, Dawn currently serves as Secretary of the Chapter.

Prior to her work in grant consulting, Dawn practiced civil law for 25 years, including serving a federal law clerk. Since 2016, she has served on the Board of Legal Assistance for Seniors in Oakland, CA, including two years as Board President. She currently chairs the Development Committee.

Dawn holds a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago, and also studied abroad in Rome, Italy. She earned her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. In her free time, she enjoys painting, gardening, and traveling.