Our Board of Directors

Erin Burd has served families across the United States through creative movement, dance, and for over 20 years. She has continued to be a leader in bringing developmentally age appropriate curriculum to early childhood educators and dance teachers around the world through speaking engagements, mentoring and coaching. Her passion is to ensure every child has the opportunity to express themselves through the arts.

Brittaney Contreras has a degree in child development and more than 10 years experience working with children in the both the creative and special education settings. Brittaney also has five years experience representing and advising K-12 school districts in a variety of education matters.

As a former dancer, Brittaney has a passion for the arts and understands the importance of having a creative outlet. Brittaney seeks to ensure that children of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to benefit from exposure to the arts.

Lori Ciaccio’s career has centered around children and the arts for the last 20 years. After receiving her degree in Art History at UCSB, she started facilitating fine arts shows at local elementary schools, teaching children to draw “like masters.”

She then launched a children’s photography business, Lil Angels, in the Central Valley and served over 10,000 families per year.

Currently, Lori is passionate about serving our community and helping women and families in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Paula Allen has a degree in Child Development from Fresno State University and ran home daycares and corporate childcare facilities in the Central Valley of California for 20+ years. Paula is a master at organizational management and strategic development to build businesses. She is an asset to any board.

She has served positions on boards in the community, including the Fresno County Family Child Care Association and Central California Association of Young Children (CCAEYC). Paula has spoken at many conferences over the years, including the National Association of Family Child Care Providers, CAEYC and NAEYC. She has also run her church’s nursery and developed the early enrichment curriculum they used with their 0-5 year olds.

Samara Michelle Daise is a force of nature in the world of nonprofit arts education, known for her boundless passion, unwavering advocacy for youth, and visionary leadership. Her journey in empowering youth through the arts began in Detroit, where her dance journey traversed various forms, from ballet to jazz, modern to hip-hop, reflecting her eclectic spirit and commitment to artistic expression. She began teaching at age 14. As her dance career flourished, Samara’s talents garnered recognition across the country. She toured and performed in prestigious venues, earning accolades such as the Michigan Youth Arts Festival’s honor for her choreography and captivating audiences at renowned venues like Detroit’s Music Hall and Cobo Hall. In January 2007, she took another bold step, founding the Journey Dance Company and Performing Arts Center, a powerhouse ensemble and academy blending classical ballet with modern and jazz influences, captivating audiences throughout the metro Atlanta community.