Ms. Mari-Anne
As the founder of Kabataan Culture, Ms. Mari-Anne saw that there was a need of a Tagalog language and Filipino Cultural programming in the community after she had difficulties trying to find a program for her young son. With her background in Early childhood and receiving her Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Human Development she established Kabataan Culture.
Working with children of all ages in the non-profit and private sector for the past 8 years, Ms. Mari-Anne created Kabataan Culture programming with the help of her co-founder at the early stages of Kabataan Culture, teaching the classes online and creating lesson plans for the program.
Today Ms. Mari-Anne continues to volunteer her time to Kabataan Culture by expanding community outreach through in-person events. She has connected Kabataan Culture to over 200 small businesses, large corporate sponsors and has partnered with organization by helping deliver culturally responsive programming, mental health workshops, and AAPI resources.
When not volunteering her time with the organization, she is either working full time for a nonprofit organization serving the AAPI community in Southern California or enjoying time with her family and fur babies.
Ms. Jan
Co-Founder of Kabataan Culture, Ms. January joined Mari-Anne build Kabataan Cultures foundation in its early stages. Having the passion to keeping the Filipino Culture alive and a background in IT, Ms. Jan helped built Kabataan Cultures online platform.
Her experience in teaching goes back to working as a teacher at the Philippine Christian School of Tomorrow. Then later became a teacher for Kabataan Culture in it’s first year.
Ms. Jan migrated to the US in 2015 after marrying her Filipino husband who is based in LA. They now have 2 kids, who are both fluent in Tagalog despite being born in the US.
On top of keeping the books in order for Kabataan Culture, she works full time in the IT Department of a construction company in San Fernando as the Field Services Coordinator.
On her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, taking photos and home organization and decoration.
Ms. Lauren
As the Director of Partnership for Kabataan Culture, Ms. Lauren volunteers her time to the organization and brings 10 years of experience in corporate and cross-company partnership. Ms. Lauren has spent a decade working in a variety of non-profits and recently as the VP of Programming for Alliance for Women in Media – SoCal Chapter (AWM), a nationwide women’s networking group focused on giving guidance to young women coming into the media industry and providing support to women pivoting their careers in the entertainment industry.
During Lauren’s tenure with AWM, she focused on delivering monthly events and partnerships for the organization’s members and cultivating financial and community outreach partnerships.
Ms. Lauren is also an executibr in hrt production label BondGirl Entertainment. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and are active members of the Sincere Movie Club and enjoys traveling on her freetime. Lauren lends her time to charities such as Door of Hope and The LA Food Bank. She also mentors young women through her industry network and her alma mater California State University, Northridge. GO, Matadors!
Ms. Clarissa "Clang"
Known as “Teacher Clang” to the Kabataan Culture Family, Ms. Clarissa has been teaching children and kids at heart for the past 7 years.
She received her Bachelors degree in Elementary Education from the Philippines and has migrated here in the US with her husband and baby girl Clara, who is her youngest Tagalog student.
Teacher Clang is Kabataan Culture’s In-person teacher and can be seen teaching the children at Kabataan Culture events and also selling merchandise for the organization.
She currently resides with her family in Temecula, California.
Ms. Shiela
Kabataan Culture’s Philippine based teacher, Ms. Shiela has been part of the organization for almost 2 years. She is a licensed teacher in the Philippines and is fluent both in Ilonggo and in Tagalog.
She received her Bachelor in Secondary Education with a major in English at Polytechnic University of the Philippines Taguig Campus.
Her first teaching experience was as an English Tutor to the Korean students who studied in the Philippines. After several months, she was hired at the Philippine Christian School of Tomorrow as an Elementary Teacher and moved up as Supervisor in her 15 years there. This is where she developed her teaching skills and love for kids.
When she is not teaching our Kabataan Culture kiddos online, she focuses her time on her family at home.
Teacher Sheila also enjoys watching movies and listening to music.