Meet the 2026-27 Cohort!
Benjamin Mann
MenteeBenjamin Mann is a performing arts leader whose career at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido Foundation spans fourteen years. Beginning his career as a stage technician intern, he advanced through roles in audio engineering, technical production, and venue management before becoming Director of Event Operations. Today, he oversees multiple operational departments while serving as the Center’s primary talent buyer and producer, curating more than 60 annual performances, festivals, and community events. Benjamin combines technical expertise, collaborative leadership, and a passion for the arts to connect audiences with exceptional live entertainment experiences
Kevin Shimko
MenteeKevin is a performing arts leader with expertise in programming, operations, venue management, and strategic planning. After studying and performing theater in New York City, he founded and led a theater company in North Carolina for more than eight years before moving to California in 2024. His career has included work as a performer, director, improviser, comedian, teacher, and arts administrator. Today, he leads the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center/Lewis Family Playhouse and is passionate about creating arts experiences that strengthen communities and foster connection. Outside of work, Kevin and his partner Lindsey support theater whenever they can and enjoy exploring California with their dog, Coco.
Rosemary Soto
MenteeRosemary Soto is the Director of Programming at Irvine Barclay Theatre, bringing nearly a decade of experience in nonprofit performing arts programming, artist relations, and community engagement. Before joining Irvine Barclay Theatre, she assisted in curating and booking a 45-event presented season at Chandler Center for the Arts, supporting artist vetting, contract negotiations, and community programming. Previously, she spent eight years at California Center for the Arts, Escondido, advancing into leadership while managing presented programming, theater rentals, and donor-supported cultural festivals. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Rosemary specializes in strategic programming, partnerships, budgeting, and expanding access to the performing arts.
Justin Souza
MentorJustin Souza is a proud California native! He grew up in a small farming town of the San Joaquin Valley, took to music at a young age, and learned multiple instruments in his youth. Following high school, Justin pursued his dreams of working in the concerts and touring industries by enrolling in the Music Industry Studies program at Cal State Northridge. After graduating with honors, Justin began a career journey that started with an internship at House of Blues Corporate on Sunset and Vine where he directly assisted the Director of Tour Development. From there he worked at the GRAMMY Foundation, the Walt Disney Company, ICM Partners, BandMerch, and AEG Live. Along the way, Justin started his own DIY all-ages music venue, self-producing concerts for teens and young adults. In 2012, he returned to Cal State Northridge to join the staff of a brand-new concert hall; now known as The Soraya. Justin Souza is currently the Director of Programming and Head of Artist Relations at The Soraya in Northridge, CA, and an Artistic Consultant providing talent buying and programming services for the Cowan Center at UT Tyler, TX and Vivo Performing Arts in Boston, MA. Justin enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and three children, surfing culture & lifestyle, coaching youth soccer, and volunteering at his church.
Jonathan Meza
MentorJonathan Meza serves as the Cultural Affairs Manager for the City of Las Vegas Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs overseeing all of the performing arts, cultural centers, and arts education programs.
With a 15 year trajectory in government and stage performance, Jonathan continues to heavily advocate for the arts. Stemming from a family of performers, both of his grandfathers on each side earned livelihoods as musicians, where his passion for music and stage originated.
Jonathan also has a technical background as a sound engineer having worked with some of the industry’s top performers in Hip Hop and R&B to Regional Mexican Music. In his spare time, Jonathan continues to foster his love for the arts as a musician, writing and recording his own music.
Jonathan Serret
MentorAdministrator, Supporter, and Advocate. With a background predominantly focused in performing arts, Jonathan understands the value and power of arts education and is committed to accessibility and inclusion, fervently believing that the arts are for everyone. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts and a Master of Science Degree in Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne. Jonathan is the Director of the Cultural and Community Services Department for the City of Thousand Oaks, overseeing the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Grant R. Brimhall and Newbury Park libraries, and community services. He lives in Moorpark, with his dogs Zeus and Yoda, and also serves on the Board of Directors of Art Trek, another Thousand Oaks-based nonprofit arts education organization.