Board of Directors
Rebekah Kellaway Excecutive Director (click for biography) Rebekah Kellaway has been directing youth theatre productions for fifteen years and has directed over twenty musicals. She received a B.A. in Elementary Education and a teaching credential from Biola University. In 2008, Rebekah combined her love for education and the performing arts and established Haven Academy of the Arts. She believes strongly in applying educational theory and child development to the directing process. Favorite directing projects include Beauty and the Beast, South Pacific and The Sound of Music. Her work as co-director for Sustaining Sound's Little Women received a five star review in Broadway World and earned an Eddon Award for Best Production. She is consistently blessed by the amazing opportunities God has given her to work with these talented young people. When she's not wrangling young performers, Rebekah enjoys singing on her church's worship team and trying out new Paleo recipes in her attempt to make gluten-free delicious. |
Samantha Barnes President (click for biography) Samantha Barnes is committed to empowering kids' confidence through progressive and alternative education -- including the kitchen and the stage. As a former middle school teacher and founder/CEO of Raddish, a monthly cooking club and curriculum for kids, she is passionate about food and family. Prior to founding Raddish, Samantha owned and operated Kitchen Kid, a mobile cooking school, summer camp, and after school program serving communities across Los Angeles. Samantha is the mom to 2 musical theater loving Haven students, and enjoys cooking with both of them. She earned her BA from Bowdoin College in Maine where she studied government and education. As a female founder, Samantha is committed to running a results-oriented and flexible company built on autonomy, working smart, and work/life balance. |
Maria Ferrante Chief Financial Officer (click for biography) Maria Ferrante is a Senior Wealth Strategy Associate with UBS Financial Services Inc’s Private Wealth Management Division. Maria has over 25 years of financial industry experience providing guidance, financial planning and personalized solutions tailored to families meeting their, long-term, financial goals. Maria is a CFP® professional and holds FINRA Series 7, 66, 9 and 10 securities licenses. Maria and her husband Fabio live in Los Angeles and are parents to two young adults, Gianluca and Francesca, who have enthusiastically participated in Haven Academy of the Arts for over a decade. Mariaenthusiastically participates on Haven Academy of the Arts Board of Directors to help promote Haven’s mission, witnessing how the work Haven does, has a positive impact on the lives of the students it serves and in turn, their families, and communities. |
John Ludwig Member at Large (click for biography) John Ludwig is a business executive who lives in the South Bay with his wife, Jen, and his two school-age children Lane and Ryan. John came to know Haven Academy through the enthusiastic involvement of his children in productions over the last decade. A Southern California native, John received his B.A. from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and his M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. John currently works as VP e-Commerce for Teleflora. Prior to joining Teleflora, John worked at Bullpen Integrated Marketing in Encino, and Mattel, Inc where he held a variety of senior Marketing positions both at their headquarters in El Segundo and, for several years, in Europe. John is an active member of Oceanside Christian Fellowship, where he has served in the areas of stewardship, worship, and small groups. John has a passion for seeing kids flourish to their full potential, which is why he is honored to serve as a member of the Haven Academy for the Arts board. |
Marie Madera-Gleerup Budget Analyst (click for biography) Marie Madera Gleerup began her passion for theatre in a church version of Godspell long ago. The creativity and support offered by that first musical cast was a refreshing change from anything she'd experienced before, and she was hooked! Dance classes followed, along with an introduction to the audition process in the Southland's musical theatre circuit. After trying a number of times, Marie was cast as a chorus dancer by the Downey Civic Light Opera, and was a member of the cast in 17 of their musicals in a row! Her love of dance and teaching led her down the path of choreography. She has choreographed numerous community theatre productions for both South Bay and Orange County theatres. Marie has also choreographed a variety of youth and children's productions, and enjoys working with with Haven Academy. She appreciates the faith and support managing director, Rebekah Kellaway, has given her. |
Shannon Matthews
Member at Large (click for biography) Shannon Matthews discovered the Haven community when her two boys decided they wanted to try out musical theater. Six years later, her boys have been in just about every Haven show and it has become an integral part of her family's life. Before becoming a mom she worked as a Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in counseling kids and teens who had experienced trauma. She's spent the past decade volunteering at her boys' school, including serving on the school PTO as President, as well on the school board and various advisory committees. She feels that Haven has truly changed her family's life, and she is so excited to help Haven continue their mission and change the lives of students across all their locations. |
Dean Sweetman Member at Large (click for biography) Dean Sweetman is the co-founder and CEO of Tithe.ly, a globally leading technology company specializing in digital giving, church engagement, and church management software. Today, Tithe.ly serves nearly 30,000 churches in 50 countries. Before launching Tithe.ly in 2015, Dean was involved in ministry for more than 30 years. During this time, he planted over 50 churches and raised millions of dollars to spread the gospel, equip leaders, and see lives transformed. When Dean is not encouraging his team and helping churches grow, he enjoys spending time with his wife and family. |
Sydney Gilbert Member at Large (click for biography) Sydney Gilbert left her first performance in 2021 at Haven Academy in a puddle of emotional residue. Moved by the confidence, perseverance and dedication of the children’s performance (specifically Mary Poppins), she knew being a part of this program in some capacity was a must. While she has east coast roots, she now resides in Los Angeles where she runs her own Creative Studio. Her passion for creative direction and imagination goes as far back as she can remember. Raised by two artistic educators born and raised in New Jersey, childlike wonder and magic was at the epicenter of her childhood. Fostered through years of Summer camp, weekly stints to Broadway and studying the arts at University, she is proud to continue her love of music and art in her own family and now through Haven. Sydney is dedicated to helping children find their confidence in the arts...and determined to move the audience to tears to realize the impact of theatre and performance. |
Jessica Baez Advisory Committee Member (click for biography) Baez was born and raised in Los Angeles. Her journey with Haven began in 2018 as an audience member, when she was invited to watch her tutoring students perform. Seeing them shine on stage in new ways deeply moved her. In 2022, she joined the Haven Pico Union staff, helping with the summer camps, and the winter showcase, and Aladdin Jr. in the spring. Baez’s love for Haven’s mission and the impact it has on the community only deepened. Now, as a kindergarten teacher in Pico Union, the community remains close to her heart and she is beyond excited to step into this new role with Haven! |
Londa Bradshaw Advisory Committee Member (click for biography) Londa Bradshaw is a Chicago area native who has been in Los Angeles since she graduated from Purdue University in 2019. She is passionate about anything that involves the growth of the next generation. She initially got involved with Haven through the hArt of the city partnership with 1st Evangelical Free Church in Los Angeles. |
Isabela Oropeza Advisory Committee Member (click for biography) Isabel Oropeza is a Solutions Specialist for the Private Wealth Management and Wealth Management US business at UBS, a role she recently took on. This role is an evolution of her previous role where she was responsible for overseeing strategic efforts to drive forward UBS's strategy to serve women investors and address the critical topic of women's financial well-being. Earlier in her career, Isabel was an Administrative Officer within the UBS West Coast Private Wealth Management team, which oversees fifteen locations. She was responsible for managing 90+ team associates in partnership with Financial Advisor teams across the market. Isabel started her career at UBS as a Client Service Associate for two years before moving into various Administrative Management roles. Prior to joining the financial services industry, Isabel held positions in the professional sports industry including the Los Angeles Lakers. Since 2017, Isabel has been a part of the steering committee for the Los Angeles Chapter of the All Bar None network, UBS’s employee resource group for women professionals. In her free time, Isabel is very active in her community. She is currently in her third year as the first Board President of a recently founded Friends of Fullerton College Foundation, an auxiliary organization of the community college she attended. Isabel graduated from the University of Southern California, Sol Price School of Public Policy with an MA in Public Administration and received a BA in Organization Communications from Pepperdine University. She holds her FINRA Series 7, 66, 9, 10 as well as the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation. She is originally from Orange County, CA and Mexico, and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. |