The 418 Project
The place to move and be moved
Our Team
Meet our Staff
Laura Bishop
Executive Director
laura@the418project.org
Megan McGuire
Financial Operations
Coordinator
finance@the418project.org
Having an accessible safe place for her community to be authentic, grow and gather is important to Megan. She appreciates that she can bring backstage enthusiasm and proactivity to The 418 Project. Megan’s past work experience was in affordable housing where she managed large communities, such as The Artspace Tannery Campus but changed to finance with ideals to support in a more personal way to individuals and organizations, such as The 418 Project.
Claudia Aguilar
Community Development Coordinator
community@the418project.org
Claudia born in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her born place is known for host La Guelagetza, a multicultural expression that involves dance, music, flavour, colour and more. She likes to learn about dances around the world and enjoy the same looking a professional ballet dance on stage as well a street performance on the subway, or a senior couple slow dancing. She recently fell in love with The 418 project, looking forward to a long term relationship.
Meet our Board
Gabrielle Adelman
President
Gabrielle Adelman, President of the Four-Eighteen Project, had an idea at one time that she might be a pilot, like her grandfather, or in the movie biz, like her Papa, or even a businesswoman, like her great-great grandfather, but didn’t quite think she’d be able to be all three. Fortunately, having no previous experience in any of these endeavors, she didn’t know that middle-aged women who had a lot of joy and love for flying, movies, and making an organization run weren’t supposed to do these things, and did them anyway.
Mark Schneider
Secretary
Mark Schneider has lived in Santa Cruz since 1993. Soon after arriving, he stumbled upon an African dance class at The 418 Project. He kept stumbling, but kept dancing, and over the years traveled to Africa twice for drum and dance workshops and participated in a number of local dance performances. When he's not dancing, he works as an executive recruiter, focused on recruiting finance executives worldwide. He also is passionate about empathy and communication practices, and has facilitated workshops in Non-Violent Communication (NVC) locally and at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. He joined The 418 Project’s Board of Directors in 2010, and serves as Secretary and lead Chocolate Truffle Maker, and says he is grateful to give back to a place that has enriched his life beyond measure.
Angie Lackey
Treasurer
More info coming soon!
Stan Grindstaff
Board President Emeritus
Stan Grindstaff is in his ninth year as Performance Coach for What Is Erotic? With an MFA in Theatre (specializing in Directing) from UC Riverside, he brings valuable experience as a former staff member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in San Francisco. He was a cofounder and one of the principal actors of the Murrieta Repertory Theatre. As The 418 Project Board President Emeritus, Stan is proud of how What Is Erotic? creates original presentations, developing skill levels in people from novice through experienced artists, inspiring confident performances for a professional caliber show.
Gregory Speed
Board Member
Gregory M. Speed Sr...
Born and raised in North Carolina.
Is a poet and spoken word artist.
A former U.S. Army soldier,
And a current staff member at
The University of California at Santa Cruz A proud grandfather of grandaughters
Miss Marlo and newly born Miss Melody.
Also being a great hugger and soft-spoken
Greg enjoys riding his bike and creating art
Writing poetry/performing in virtual events.
Abby Pistoni
Board Member
Beverly Shen-sung Molina
Board Member
As a firefighter, writer, active community member, mentor, and embodied movement ambassador, Beverly believes strongly in serving and inspiring people in her local community and beyond. From a young age dancing with abandon felt like truth, freedom, and her wild natural state. When she found free form dance at The 418 Project, Beverly felt like she was coming home. Beverly brings multifaceted experiences from all her endeavors to inspire people to follow their dreams and to celebrate their authentic self-expression. Whether she is speaking to the community, teaching students, interacting with people on the emergency scene or on the dance floor, Beverly is grateful for all moments in which to create meaningful connection.