Our P.I.E.S. Mentors are a group of successful, creative and empowered women. They all have critical skills that help make our sessions very valuable to young women!
Alisa Granz
Vice President, Communications for Age of Learning, Inc./ABCmouse.com
Alisa is responsible for guiding Age of Learning’s corporate and brand communications to both internal and external audiences. Her key responsibilities currently include developing and managing the global communications strategy for the rapidly growing company and it’s expanding line of education technology products, including the award-winning ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy — the leading and most comprehensive online curriculum for young learners; securing and managing non-profit, community, education and government partnerships to carry out Age of Learning’s Education Access Initiatives; and serving as a company spokesperson.
Alisa joined Age of Learning with 15 years of global public relations agency experience, most recently as an SVP/Group Manager and head of West Coast Brand Marketing at Ketchum. She served as a strategic adviser to clients including The Walt Disney Company, Mattel, Cranium, Activision, Warner Bros. Interactive, Nokia, TOMS, StubHub, Frito-Lay and Nestle. Alisa co-led Ketchum’s worldwide Millennial practice and provided pro bono communications counsel to Room to Read, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. Alisa has a B.A. in Communications from Tulane University.
Jennifer Cassetta
Jennifer’s path to becoming a wellness expert began in 2000 with a passion for martial arts. She spent 10 years training under the top nationally recognized HapKiDo instructor in the country. All of this training sparked a deep sense of strength, determination and empowerment in her that she now enjoys sharing with others.
During her time in New York City, she became a NASM-certified personal trainer, graduated as a health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and went on to graduate as a clinical nutritionist from the University of Bridgeport, CT, with a Master’s of Science in Nutrition in 2009.
In 2009, Jennifer left New York City and brought her myriad skills to Los Angeles, where her clients include celebrities, royalty, and corporations. She created the popular Stilettos and Self Defense DVD series and live workshops which she teaches across the country. When at home, she consults for companies like UFC, Beachbody and Livestrong to create nutritional programs and manage test groups.
Jennifer has made appearances on E! TV, The Today Show, The Doctors, Bethenny Frankel, Marie Osmondand many more! She writes a blog for Livestrong.com and contributes to many other publications.
As a clinical nutritionist, personal trainer, and third-degree black belt in HapKiDo, Jennifer Cassetta’s mission is to keep people strong, safe, and sexy!
Gillian Clark
Gillian Clark is a seeker, explorer and manifestorset on fulfilling her life’s purpose. She is a dedicated practitioner of meditation and contemplation.Gillianis a trained Enlightenment IntensiveMasterand meditation teacher.
Her interest in the physical arts began at an early age as a figure skater, then as a ballet student. Classical training includes a B.F.A. from UCSB and an M.F.A. from The American
Conservatory Theatre.
Gillian began teaching in1987 and certified as instructor and personal trainer through ACE, AFAA. She’s been practicing Kundalini yoga since 1989,hatha yoga since 1998 and Kriya yoga since 2002. She is grateful to all of her teachers, namely Siri Sat Nam Singh, John Friend, Ed Riddle,Osha Reader, Harrison James and all in their various lineages.
Gillian created Yoga Booty Ballet®in 1998 from a dream, originally developing the class at Crunch.Her longtimefriendship and creative and business partnership with Teigh McDonough Gilson facilitatedSWERVE®for it’s first decade. With the added support of Beach Body, these partners are honored to offer 20 Yoga Booty Ballet®DVD’s, props and a meditation CD, the #1 best selling retail workout program in the United States in 2007.
Corrie Siegel
An artist, curator and educator, Corrie Siegel is committed to using the arts as a method of personal philosophic exploration as well as a tool for community building. Siegel’s works often explore identity and experience within a global system of communication. She plays with personal limitations of knowledge and understanding by using highly detailed observation, and involved processes for collecting and rendering her subject matter. Her projects have been profiled in the Los Angeles Times, Mousee Magazine, and Flash Art International. Selected Exhibitions include; The Picture Reason, Woods Gallery, Annandale on Hudson; E’clepsydre, .HBC, Berlin; Family Stories, Pasadena Museum of History, Pasadena; Stage Sight, Hudson Opera House, Hudson; Games, L.A. Craft and Folk Art Museum. Siegel has initiated and led art programs at the Womens’ Care Cottage, North Hollywood, and the Astor Home, Rhinebeck New York. She has partnered with the LA Philharmonic, LA County Museum of Art, Barnsdall Art Center, Armory Center for the Arts, and the Corita Art Center to create and implement cultural educational programming. She is a founding member and co-director of Actual Size, an artist collective and gallery. Actual Size collaborates with established and emerging artists to allow for situations that activate the exhibition and engage the public in the culture of the artists’ work.
Skylar Thomson
Skylar Thomson was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA where her culinary journey began. Learning from a long line of “family chefs,” she quickly found herself catering small private parties and eventually landed a postion as a prep chef for the Patina Group and a buffet stylist for Creative Artist Agency as well as a personal chef for families and their friends. It wasn’t until she interned 6 years ago for TV, commercial and print stylists, that she realized the art of food styling was her calling.Skylar is skilled and highly experienced in the fields of editorial, television segment styling and production, prop food and event presentation and production. She recently finished shooting a cook book in 2013 (30 Recipes) with “Supermom” and Author, Mayim Bialek, which will hit shelves in 2014.Skylar is also currently on the selectively chosen culinary team of Giada De Laurentiis (Linguine PIctures) and styles segments for some of the industries most well known faces in food. She is currently working with Curtis Stone (Lindt Chocolate), Rocco DiSpirito (Kris Jenner Show), Molly Sims (E!News, Model and Celebrity Chef on E!News), Sharon Hakman (Kris Jenner Show),Candice Kumai, a chef from Top Chef Season 1 (Access Hollywood Live three times, The Kris Jenner Show and KCAL 9 news) and Alex Hitz (The Beverly Hills Chef, Access Hollywood Live). Skylar was also the Key Stylist for a Shakey’s commercial in 2012 and the hit Youtube show “Food Mashups” Season 2!Along with lead styling, Skylar has assisted Jeanne Kelly (NFL Network, Apple, Target etc.)
Sandra Griswold (Kingsford Charcoal print and commercials, Reddiwhip), Andy Sheen-Turner (Access Hollywood Live, Giada at Home), and Rochelle Palermo (Take Home Chef, Curtis Stone).