2025 Youth Camps Instructors
Angela Alcerro
Angela Alcerro is a Los Angeles-based consultant and educator with an expertise in toy design. As a staff illustrator and manager of the Digital Effects department at Mattel, Ms. Alcerro worked on iconic brands such as Barbie, Disney Princess, Hot Wheels, and He-man. At Lakeshore, she partnered with seasoned educators to design immersive learning experiences aligned with regional standards. Five years ago she founded a consulting business specializing in toys and international education for ages 5 to adult for Mattel, Hand2Mind, Moose Toys, SpinMaster Toys, Charisma Brands, LA Galaxy and clients throughout the US, Asia, the Middle East, and Canada.
Since 2010, Ms. Alcerro has taught in Otis College’s Toy Design and Liberal Studies departments where she was a faculty grant recipient (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022). Ms. Alcerro holds a B.A. in Spanish from UCLA; M.A. in Media Arts and Design from Antioch University, McGregor; M.A. in Teaching, TESOL, University of Southern California; and studied Graphic Design at Art Center . She is in her first year as a doctoral student at USC.
Portfolio: https://www.angelaalcerro.com
Trevor Coopersmith
Trevor Coopersmith (b. 1994 San Diego, CA) creates painted objects, installations and organically inspired wall-sculptures utilizing found and mixed media that emphasize a deeper emotional connection to nature. Trevor holds a BFA from University of California, Santa Barbara and a MFA from Otis College of Art & Design. Coopersmith has shown at bG Gallery, Dorado 806 Projects, IDOLWILD and the Palos Verdes Art Center (all in Los Angeles, CA). Coopersmith has also shown at the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang, CA and had a solo exhibition at Avenue 50 Studios (Los Angeles). His work has been published in Space on Space Magazine and in Hyperallergic. Trevor has participated in two residencies (College Station, TX and Port Austin, MI), has a public mural practice and founded the Urban Art Scholarship Foundation which funds high school art education and public works. He is currently based in Los Angeles, CA and teaches youth art classes at Otis College of Art & Design.
Enoch Davis
Enoch Davis received his MFA in 3D Animation from Academy of Art University and a BA in Studio Art from Vassar College. Mr. Davis launched his career in animation by assembling a team of artists and completing a 3D animated short which toured the country and won an award at every film festival where it was screened. After 12 years as a designer and animator in San Francisco and an instructor in design at U.C. Berkeley Extension, Mr. Davis moved to LA to work with Digital Domain in 2013. While at DD, he worked on the VFX for tentpole productions from Marvel, Disney, and Fox. He has since worked on the staff of many of LA’s top visual effects studios on numerous blockbuster films, hit tv shows, and commercials while continuing to freelance in 2D and 3D design and animation. He is also the recipient of several national and regional awards for design and animation.
Ernest Gomez-Frausto
Ernest J Gomez-Frausto, EJGF, is a fan and connoisseur of the geeky and nerdy and proud of it. Well-versed in the world of comics, animation, cinema, and video games, he loves and knows these worlds well. Throughout the years, he has worked in a variety of mediums, styles, and subject matters, with a love of character and creatures.
He got his bachelor’s in fine arts at Savannah College of Art and Design where he majored in Sequential Art, focusing on storytelling through images. Aside from freelance illustration work, he has worked in education working with students from ages 5 and up teaching topics of literacy, art, and storytelling.
EJGF loves to share his love and knowledge of illustration with anyone, but always finds it best shared with young and hungry minds seeking to learn and express themselves through illustration.
Portfolio: https://www.ejgf84.com/
Instagram: @art_of_ejgf
Tony Martinelli
Tony is a Big Kid. He has been working with children since he was a summer camp counselor at age 18 and continued every summer throughout his college years. Because of his natural rapport with children, he returned to school to get a master’s degree in Art Education. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Tony returned to the educational field at Kidspace Children's Museum where he quickly rose the ranks to become one of their essential Lead Educators. Tony has also taught after-school programs for ReDiscover, Critter Squad, Little Yellow House Art and Mad Science of LA. Tony has also been an Outreach Instructor at Discovery Cube Science Center and a Youth Education Instructor at the LA Arboretum. Tony is currently the resident Teaching Artist at the Enchanted Castle Montessori Schools in Pasadena and San Remo. Tony has two graphic novels in the Space Platypus series available on Amazon for Kindle.
Portfolio: https://theartoftony.com
Instagram: @theartoftonym
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtOfTony
Louisa McHugh
Louisa McHugh studied fine art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated from Columbia College with a degree in Cinematography in 2005. After a short stint in the film industry, Louisa decided to return to her roots as a painter. She first began exhibiting her work with Galleria Mijiares in downtown Los Angeles and soon was gaining recognition with International Awards from various watercolor societies. Louisa is a Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society and her works have been displayed in collections both public and private around the world.
Portfolio: louisamchugh.com
Julianna Ostrovsky
Julianna Ostrovsky, MFA in Painting and Sculpture, Columbia University and BFA in Painting and Sculpture, School of Art Institute of Chicago, is a visual artist currently living in Los Angeles. A community artist whose work has been nationally and internationally exhibited, Julianna works in many different artistic media and as an educator is committed to making the process of art practice understandable and accessible to all individuals, with the goal of encouraging creative thinking and collective problem- solving. As a teaching artist she has instructed a range of visual arts workshops for all ages, including in-depth painting, mixed media, drawing studios, and summer workshops for youth at Otis College of Art and Design. A recipient of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Artist in Residence Cultural Grant 2014-15, Ms. Ostrovsky has worked as an Artist-in- Residence at the Skirball Cultural Center, and is currently an Educator at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
Salem Ramon
Ever since they were younger, Salem Ramon was enthralled by animation and character design. After deciding to pursue an art degree, they graduated from Otis College in 2022 with a BFA in Game Design and Entertainment, and they are currently studying to get an MAT in teaching English Language Arts. Salem has taught at a variety of schools across LA, working with students from as young as 5 to as old as 19. They currently work as the program coordinator and teaching assistant for Snap Lens Lab @ Otis College, a program that focuses on using 2D and 3D skills in order to create AR experiences. Despite their love for art, their true passion is in teaching. Helping to unlock creativity in today's youth is what keeps Salem going, and they work hard to bring that into every classroom they are in.
Monica Leigh Rodriquez
Monica Leigh Rodriquez is a resilient veteran and trusted visionary of the fashion industry. She has designed and produced for high profile personalities, celebrities, and executives. Monica has also worked with some of the most well- known labels in the fashion industry including Rivet Utility, Rachel Zoe, Herve Leger, BCBG Runway, BCBG Atelier, The Max Azria collection, ALC, Halston, and FJ Benjamin LTD in Singapore.
Utilizing her core design talents and competencies developed over almost three decades, Monica is a consummate entrepreneur uniquely developing proprietary fashion designs, draping, pattern artistry, and costing methodology. Monica’s brand, Monica Leigh SVX is becoming a well-known luxury brand in Los Angeles.
Monica has appeared in Forbes, Elle Magazine, Voyage LA, Shout Out LA, The Hollywood Times, The Style Researcher, and 24 Fashion TV. In addition, she has been a featured designer at the 46th Day Time Emmy Awards Golden Gift Lounge. One of Monica’s most notable achievements is having her Red Silk Satin Origami Gown travel with International Arts and Artists four consecutive years featured in prominent museums around the country, including the Japanese American Museum of Art in Los Angeles.
Joining Otis College of Art and Design Fashion Department faculty in the Fall of 2022, Monica also continues her own secondary education at California State University Long Beach working on her BA in Sociology.
Portfolio: https://monicaleigh.com/
Instagram: @monicaleighsvx
Ander Sanborn
Ander Sanborn is a teaching artist living and working in Los Angeles, CA. He earned his BFA from Otis College of Art and Design in 2023 with emphases in Painting and both Community Arts and School-based Education. Since then, he has worked in schools in the Los Angeles areas with children from a wide range of ages (5-18) aiding in their pursuit of creative solutions in and out of the classroom. In addition, he works as an educator and facilitator at The Getty Museum assisting in the production of public programs for people of all ages.
Emma Sher
Emma Sher is an Los Angeles-based ceramic artist with a B.A. from UCLA in World Arts & Cultures, with focuses in ceramics and curatorial studies. Emma has taught at various community ceramics studios in LA for the past three years. She is a recent resident artist of High Desert Test Sites in Joshua Tree, CA. Emma’s current objective in her practice comes from a curiosity about the meditative process of creating and how that can be translated into a viewer’s experience of an object. Creating kinetic work that emits light has been a framework to materialize these ideas.
Portfolio: https://emmasher.com
Instagram: @emmma.sher
Debra Valencia
Debra Valencia, a visionary surface pattern artist, graphic designer and entrepreneur with a passion for world travel, artisan traditions, pop art and fashion trends, has branded a California style uniquely her own. Her colorful chic products are found in the licensed lifestyle market, appealing to women who love style, fashion and femininity. The brand has licensed with over 100 manufacturers in gift, stationery, craft, textiles, home décor, fashion accessories and beauty.