Micha Scott
Executive & Artistic Director
Micha Scott has performed on stages around the world as a 13-year senior member of the renowned Garth Fagan Dance. She was a teacher at the Garth Fagan Dance School in Rochester, NY, and has taught master classes and workshops for the company worldwide. While in the company she performed leading roles in many of Mr. Fagan’s works, including ‘From Before’, ‘Collage For Romie’, 'Transition/Translation' and the seminal collaboration with trumpeter / composer Wynton Marsalis, ‘Griot New York’. She has been featured in Essence, Time Magazine, and Dance Magazine, and as a soloist in the PBS televised series Dance In America. In the fall of 2024 she will return to the Fagan stage as a guest soloist during their NYC season at the Joyce Theater.
Micha currently lives in Santa Cruz, CA and is deeply involved in the dance community there. She is Executive (since 2021) and Artistic (since 2011) Director at Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center, and has been a dance instructor at Dancenter since 2008. Over the past 16 years she has also taught at Mountain Elementary School, Motion Pacific, Steps, No Limits, International Academy of Dance, Kirby School, Mount Madonna, Monterey High School, Seaside High School, Cabrillo College, and throughout Monterey County as lead teacher with the Tandy Beal Dance Around the World Program. Ms Scott has held the position of lecturer in dance at Santa Clara University (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015), the University of California at Santa Cruz (2012), and at the State University of New York at Brockport (2000). Ms. Scott serves on the Black Health Matters Initiative Advisory Board, and on the Grants Committee for the Arts Council Santa Cruz County and the California Arts Council.
photo by Devi Pride
Angela Chambers
Youth Program & Community Engagement Director
As the Director of the Youth Program and Community Engagement at the Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center, Angela spearheads efforts to ensure access, equity, and excellence in the arts. For over 10 years, Angela has been committed to the future and success of TWDCC through her efforts in building community partnerships, curating and producing festivals, fundraising, teaching, and producing innovative youth programming. Certified as a Youth Protection Advocate in Dance, Angela integrates wellness and empowerment into her teaching and leadership, fostering personal growth and artistic expression in the next generation of performers. As an artist, Angela spent her youth performing Musical Theater. Upon moving to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC, Angela was introduced to formal dance training where she developed and expanded her knowledge of and relationship with dance not only as an art form, but as a tool for personal growth and as a catalyst for social change. At UCSC, Angela performed, directed and choreographed in many productions before graduating in 2014 with a BA in Intensive Psychology and Dance. When not at TWDCC, you can find Angela performing professionally on stages throughout Santa Cruz and the Bay Area, curating and producing events, and as a guest artist and choreographer at local universities and festivals. When not dancing, Angela has become a pillar of community leadership. As a social justice activist and fierce advocate for youth empowerment, Angela drives impactful change across the county. Her work is rooted in deep community connection, and she brings dynamic energy to her roles in the arts, wellness, and youth development. Angela is the cofounder and Director of the Black Health Initiative’s Youth Ambassador program in Santa Cruz County, where she uplifts Black youth through mental health advocacy, mentorship, and leadership development. By creating spaces of connection and purpose, she empowers young people to thrive, offering them critical opportunities to engage with their community and make a difference. In addition, Angela serves as Program Manager for this award-winning initiative, advising and supporting its mission of holistic wellness. Angela’s commitment to equity and community wellness extends further through her participation in the Community Foundation Santa Cruz Rise Together cohort, a coalition of leaders focused on advancing racial justice. She is also a dedicated advisor on the Tannery Arts Campus committee and was an IDEA AFP Silicon Valley Chapter fellow.
Leah Carroll
Development Consultant
With over 20 years as an administrative professional and 10 years in nonprofit fundraising, no task is too big or too small, from managing schedules and travel for college professors to leading major gifts fundraising campaigns for nonprofits. What I love most about consulting is building relationships and acting as a bridge between stakeholders. I excel at organizing projects, developing fundraising strategies, and tracking deadlines, allowing my clients to focus on what truly matters. My success is largely due to the incredible teams I've worked with, and I shine brightest when collaborating toward a shared goal. I enjoy working with the amazing people at TWDCC.
Maha Taitano
Rental & Facilities Manager
Maha is a multimedia artist who works with all mediums including metals, wood, fabrics, papers, plastics and more. Maha was born in Baghdad, Iraq and lived in Beirut, Lebanon, Guåhan (Guam), and Morocco before her family finally settled in Alameda, California In 1983. In 2007 she earned a BA in Visual Arts University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2017 Maha returned to UC Santa Cruz to obtain a second Bachelor’s in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. She recently completed an MFA in Visual Arts at Vermont College of the Fine Arts in February 2023. During her graduate program she focused on decolonizing her art practice and ideologies. Maha’s craft business also stems from a rooted indigenous research. She pulls from both Arab and predominantly Pacific Islander geometric patterns and designs to influence her woodworking. She has been involved with many artistic practices in Santa Cruz, from running the Y2K International Live Looping music festival to creating and performing fashion art pieces at the Pivot Art of Fashion shows. As a Tannery resident, who has raised both of her children here, she is an active community member at the Tannery Art Campus as well as Santa Cruz County as a whole.
Eric Forbes
Finance Manager
I have more than 20 years of nonprofit finance experience. As a TWDCC parent from nearly the beginning, I am proud to manage the finances of an organization like this one.
photo by Crystal Birns
Raina Sacksteder
Youth Program Administrator
Raina began dancing at the age of 5 in the small town of Grass Valley, CA. She went on to train with schools across the country including Nevada City Ballet Academy, Holt Ballet Conservatory, Capitol Ballet Company, American Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, and LINES Ballet. She attended Reed College, where she studied biology and developed and performed several choreographic works while training in contemporary dance, and then obtained her master’s degree in microbiology from UCSC. She is now a performer, choreographer, and dance instructor in Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas. She is now a performer, choreographer, and dance instructor in Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas. She is happy to be part of the team at TWDCC!
Ava Barrett
Safety Support Staff
Ava Barrett is a recent graduate of TWDCC Youth Dance Company. She is attending Cabrillo College in the fall to study dance, psychology, and kinesiology. She looks forward to connecting with youth dancers with intention to create positive relationships with peers and mentors.
Riley Butler
Safety Support Staff
