About Us
The people who make Collage work have an impressive range of talent and variety of experiences. Here’s a bit about who we are and what we do:
Board of Directors
George Woytovich is the Creative Director at Collage. He is a graduate of CSU Northridge with a BA in Fine Arts, and additional emphasis in Photography, and Cinematography. The former owner of a graphic design business and advertising agency also has a music background and played piano in groups during high school and college. George has a keen interest in photography, and a talent for interior design, and curates art events at Collage: A Place for Art and Culture.
Patti Kraakevik is involved in the strategic planning at Collage, and uses her broad experience in business to guide the project as it moves forward.
Richard Foss is the Executive Director of Collage. He has been an author, theater director, culinary historian, museum consultant, science fiction author, and graphic designer, among other things. Before starting Collage along with George Woytovich and Patti Kraakevik, he had produced concerts and cultural events for groups such as the Culinary Historians of Southern California, Autry Museum of the American West, and other organizations.
Silvia Askenazi was born in Argentina and has used her connections to South American art and culture to foster programs with a link to communities in Los Angeles. She handles social media and web design for Collage, in addition to being our Treasurer. A San Pedro resident, she also runs Tango San Pedro, dance school and focal point for LA’s dance community.
Melina Paris is an arts journalist, podcast producer, and cultural advocate who has been chronicling the Harbor scene for more than a decade in multiple media. She is well known for her pieces in Random Lengths and her podcast, Angel City Culture Quest, which has been highlighting arts and culture since June of 2021.
Board Secretary Mary Saunders is a native Californian who grew up in the Santa Clara Valley before it became the Silicon Valley. This is her second experience as a nonprofit Board member, after being involved with an educational nonprofit in West Los Angeles. A semi-retired cybersecurity engineer and amateur fiddler, she lives in San Pedro with her husband Steve and plays in a bluegrass band.
Erin SuJan is the CEO of Sujan Creative, a San Pedro-based Media Marketing Company founded in 2017 and specializing in high-quality video, photo, graphic, and social media marketing for web. Erin's board experience includes current service as Vice President of Communications of the Long Beach Young Professionals at the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as being a member of the board of Switzer Learning Center in Torrance.
Cody G. Morrison J.D. is the leader of the lead the Parris Academy for Excellence in Law & Leadership and the 1L Professionalism & Civility Program at Southwestern Law School. He is also a poet with a passionate interest in the arts and experience initiating and coordinating programs that bring together communities.
Katie Blanchard has been a live sound engineer for over forty years, beginning at the famed Crazy Horse in Santa Ana. Since then she has run shows in intimate spaces as well as major auditoriums, featuring everyone from Merle Haggard to the Dalai Lama. (The latter referred to her as his favorite sound person.) Katie is also a musician, and performs in a duo called Popoki House with Taeri Schiffman.
Taeri Schiffman is an independent documentary film maker, computer geek, videographer, editor, and scholar with a Masters degree from USC. She brings her expertise in all of these as well as over 30 years crew experience to Collage. Taeri performs regularly with fellow crewmember Katie Blanchard as the Hawaiian/Americana act ‘Popoki House’
Jon Poli is a professional drummer with over 40 years of experience, and has toured internationally with major acts. He has a passion for teaching and an encyclopedic knowledge of both modern and traditional rhythms.
Rebecca Lynn is an experienced music teacher who has worked within school systems and in small class and private tutoring situations. She is also a charismatic vocalist and performer on guitar, violin, and other instruments.