THE TEAM
Julia Holland
Founder
Executive Director
Julia is the founder of the Eco Hero Kids, a singing teacher, vocal performance coach, creative activist, musical mentor, and theater producer/director. She founded and was co-director of Once Upon A Time Theater, a youth musical theater company whose home was at the Malibu Playhouse for 13 years.
She was director for https://nineoclockplayers.com from 2017 to 2020. Julia directed and produced for and was also on the board of directors of the Malibu Playhouse for 9 years and currently serves as an Arts Commissioner for the City of Malibu. She nurtures her students’ love of music and celebrates each person’s unique and wonderful instrument.
Jamie Altschule
Education Specialist
Program Director
Founder of Academic Success, Inc., Jamie is a native of Los Angeles, where she taught high school and middle school English. Private academic coaching, home-school teaching, and curriculum advisor are roles that Jamie adds to her list of experiences. Jamie’s resume as an educator abroad includes collegiate teaching in Japan (Komozowa Junior College for Women) and high-school instruction in Tunisia (American Cooperative School of Tunis). Jamie brings her extensive experience working with students, families, schools, and camps to the creation and operation of Academic Success and to the support of Eco Hero kids.
Kate Cella
Education Team
Kate has followed her passion for teaching from leading summer school programs in underserved communities to volunteering in local classrooms. Kate earned her BA in Psychology and Education from UC Santa Barbara and her Masters in Education at UC Los Angeles. She currently teaches 4th grade in Los Angeles. Her philosophy is that through encouragement and a positive attitude, she can motivate students to achieve their highest potential. Kate finds great pleasure in watching her students realize their ability to succeed. In her spare time, she likes to read, hike, and spend time at the beach with her family.
Carla Bates
Youth Arts Curator
Carla’s talents span the fields of both commercial and fine art. She holds a BFA Degree from California State University in Fullerton. She works as a Graphic Designer and a painter and has been teaching art to children for the past 14 years. In 2020 she was honored to serve as Visiting Artist for the Malibu Arts and Education Program. Despite her busy schedule, she makes time for her first love painting and has enjoyed success depicting her vision of the Malibu experience. Carla has served on the Board of Directors for the Malibu Art Association since 2015
Francesca Da Sacco
Illustrator
Francesca has been writing and drawing, since she was a child. She started as a comic script writer and artist in 2006. In 2010, she started working as a freelance illustrator, mainly with the US, New Zealand and China. In 2020, she founded Awe Edizioni, a non profit association that publishes comics. She has published several books as an author, and loves animals, travel, history, Norse mythology and weird names.
ADVISORS
Jenny Sheffer–Stevens
Advisor
Jenny is a writer, actor, yoga instructor, and teaching artist specializing in innovative interdisciplinary practices. Distilling over 15 years’ experience devising customized yoga classes and yoga+arts workshops for children and adults, she’s developed a distinctive teaching style—spirited practices that challenge and nurture the body, spark creativity, and help people find a free and authentic way to move and make stuff. Jenny has a longstanding commitment to outreach—creative empowerment of young people, especially girls. She holds a BA in English Literature, MFA in Acting, multiple yoga teaching certifications, and is a two-time recipient of the Lincoln City Fellowship, a generous artist’s grant from the Speranza Foundation.
Kathryn “Kat” Linehan
Advisor
With a development and finance background, Kat has served on several boards and consults with businesses, universities, health organizations, and nonprofits. In collaboration with the City of Malibu and Pepperdine University, she produced the annual Climate Calling Media Festivals with environmental leaders such as Sylvia Earle, Bill McKibben, and Paul Hawken. As a film producer focusing on peace and reconciliation, she has produced over 20 documentaries including, “Children of Afghanistan” (Sundance Festival, 2001). She developed the practice of FORM® which is currently used in research for the effect of exercise on brain function and served as managing director of the American Repertory Dance Company, working with prominent dancers and choreographers.
MENTORS
Kira Smit
Alumni Mentor
Production Assistant
Kira is 17 years old and a senior at Malibu High School. She has always been passionate about doing what she can to help the planet and feels lucky to be a part of the Eco Hero Kids family. Kira has been singing, dancing, and acting for many years and has recently become very interested in science, planning on majoring in Biochem/ Molecular Biology. She loves sharing ways to help the planet with the younger generation!
Ton Ton Drobney
Alumni Mentor
Tonton is 15 years old and is from Malibu California, but was born in Haiti. He is currently a student at Laurel Springs. He developed a love for nature after a life changing experience at an outdoor camp where he learned how to live side by side with the environment. He is excited to share his appreciation for nature and a conservationist mindset with the people around him.
Ava Delaney
Mentor
Ava is a Malibu native actress, singer/songwriter, and nature lover hwo has been a part of the EHK family since she was 10 years old. She is currently pursuing her theater career in London, but always makes time to connect back to her roots, whether it’s hugging a tree or dipping her toes in the river Thames (just kidding!)Follow her journey @avadelaney on Instagram.
PRODUCTION
Eric Reed
Writer/Editor
Passionate about storytelling, Eric devotes much of his time to writing, producing, and editing. He studied Media Production at Pepperdine University graduating as valedictorian. A native of Southern California, Eric enjoys swimming in the ocean, exercising, and cooking.”
Zev Taublieb
Producer
Zev is a professional soccer player with his degree in video production and communication. He also has his Masters Degree in Sports Administration. Zev has lived all over the world both playing soccer and producing content. He most recently lived in Sweden where he gained the rights to a hit Swedish Film and is currently in the midst of producing the re-make.
David Clark
Cinematographer/Editor
David Clark is a producer, cinematographer, editor, and writer. He began his career in media in high school and college and was recruited by Emmy-Award winning TAUBLIEB Films in Malibu. David has worked on feature-length documentaries, short films, viral videos, and televised commercials for Monster Energy, Ferrari, ESPN, X Games, the Special Olympics, and more. He has also worked in the digital field with online influencers like Andrew Levitt and Travis Mills, and has his own production company PILOTUS Productions.
Jon Parker
Video Editor
Jon Parker acts as Team Member and Video Editor for Eco Hero Kids. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020 with BA in Cinema and a BA in History. When not working for Eco Hero Kids, Jon acts as a freelance sound mixer while honing his craft as a screenwriter. He is based out of Richmond, Virginia.
Noah Taublieb
Sound
Noah is studying music and sound design at the prestigious Digipen University. Noah loves composing music for tv shows and video games. He has a huge passion for recycling and doing everything in his power to not only preserve our environment but support organizations that aim to improve it.
Allie Oshsner
Editor/Intern
Allie is a VCUarts Cinema student with a focus in Editing and Cinematography, is currently in her senior year. She studied filmmaking abroad in the Czech Republic and decided to take her education to the next level by studying at VCU and was awarded the VCUarts Talent Scholarship. During her time at VCU, she has served as an intern to Anne Chapman Casting, has created many films/video projects, and is currently the video editor for two local film groups.
Gabbatha Hall
Editor/Intern
Gabbi is 19 years old and a junior at Pepperdine University. She is currently studying film with an emphasis in Media Production with hopes of becoming a director one day. She is also very passionate about dancing, playing her violin, and singing. More recently, she has become an advocate on ways to help the environment and better serve our planet. Gabbatha is very excited to be a part of Eco Hero Kids!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Leslie Lienau
Board Member
Leslie is the founder of the Oklahoma Academy of Fine Art, a private studio school in Edmond, OK where she taught drawing and painting in the classical tradition to both children and adults. Recently, she has relocated to Northern California where she is the Marketing Director for Natural Pigments. Leslie served on the board of the Oklahoma Art Guild as board president. Her work is exhibited in both private and public collections.
Laureen Sills
Board Member
Laureen Nolan Sills, mother of three, one with autism spectrum disorder, co-founded the Malibu Special Education Foundation in 2002. Laureen served on the Governor’s Advisory Commission for the State of California for five years and is the author of Parent’s Perspective: Parenting A Child With Autism printed in The Edge, Department of Education Fall 2017.