EXECUTIVE & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUCTOR, BOARD PRESIDENT

Lauren Godla is an environmental artist and educator based out of Gasquet, CA. She founded DiRT & GLiTTER in 2023 and is humbled by the opportunity to inspire connections, honor the body as part of our living planet, and explore our inner and outer wilderness. You can connect with Lauren at info@dirtandglitter.org.

COMMUNITY DIRECTOR, BOARD MEMBER

Holly Hilgenberg is a writer, artist, community builder and creative communications practitioner based in Humboldt County, CA, whose love of nature is central to her work. She weaves art and nature together in her work as Community Director for DiRT & Glitter, in creating art that incorporates natural materials and processes, and in crafting and facilitating community offerings that explore creativity within the experience of nature immersion and working with elements of nature. You can learn more about her work at stainedghost.com. You can connect with Holly at holly@dirtandglitter.org.

EDUCATION DIRECTOR, BOARD MEMBER, PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUCTOR

nicole mari casado has woven between interdisciplinary performance making, dance, styling/ costume design, visual art, and working with youth in arts education, early intervention, and special education contexts.  She is interested in supporting deeper sensing and broadening perceptions of what can be nourished and encountered in life and a making process.  Her current work explores place and the states these places afford within us- how the landscape of our interior is altered as they are lost.  She is a 4th year Functional Integration trainee in the Feldenkrais Method, a certified Awareness Through Movement Teacher, and has a BA in Dramatic Arts with an emphasis in Dance from UC Davis.  

VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM LEAD & INSTRUCTOR

Jessica, of Wild & Free Art, is a Del Norte-based artist and Karuk Tribal member who brings an impressive career of artistic expression and arts education to her work as DiRT & Glitter’s Visual Art lead instructor and program coordinator. Jessica specializes in a signature style of nature and native-culture based imagery with a focus on small to large scale mural projects. You can check out her work on her instagram page here!

ADVENTURE PROGRAM LEAD

Adam acts as DiRT & Glitter’s Adventure program lead through Redwood Rides, his rafting and biking company focused on deepening folks’ connection to nature with experiences in the forests and rivers of California’s North Coast including on the Smith and Klamath rivers. He is passionate about offering adventure camps, bike rides, outdoor education and more to help local youth develop love for outdoor adventure, appreciation for the great outdoors and care for the environment. Adam's camps have also fostered youth's artistic creativity with improv and poetry performance workshops.

Photo by Bryant Anderson

BOOK KEEPER, BOARD TREASURER

Raised in the coastal charm of Crescent City, Lisa Bowen carries the heart of her hometown with her while now calling Idaho home. She runs a thriving bookkeeping business and is the founder of Hearts to Hooves Connections, an equine-assisted learning program. Through hands-on activities with horses and meaningful mentorship, people of all ages grow emotionally and spiritually. Lisa empowers individuals to connect, heal, and thrive in an environment shaped by compassion and a sense of purpose. You can connect with Lisa at lisa@dirtandglitter.org or on Facebook at Hearts to Hooves. 

PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUCTOR, BOARD MEMBER

Kara Starkweather is a dancer, choreographer, director, dance educator and art advocate living on the beautiful Mendocino Coast. She is the founder and director of Mendocino Dance Project, a non-profit dance organization that explores the human experience and our relationship to nature through the rich language of dance, enriching the cultural landscape of Mendocino County through performances, education, and community engagement. Her sense of place and the connection to the local environment and community guides her art making.  Kara has worked with Bandaloop, Flynn Creek Circus, Blind Tiger Society,  DiRT & GLiTTER, Symphony of the Redwoods, Mendocino Film Festival, and Gloriana Opera Company and is the current board president of the Arts Council of Mendocino County. Her work has been supported by the California Arts Council, Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, Community Foundation of Mendocino County, and Upstate California Creative Corps. 

You can check out more of Kara’s work at the Mendocino Dance Project website

or Instagram  and Facebook.

Photo by Cassandra Young

PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUCTOR

Iu-Hui Chua choreographs, performs, directs, and devises physical theater, dance, and video performances. She explores the intersection of somatics, performance, process, and creativity. She’s danced professionally for Anna Halprin, Salt Farm, Dandelion Dance Theater, Guillermo Gomez-Pena, Ellen Bromberg, Sherwood Chen, Headmistress, and Disneyland.

Iu-Hui has presented her award-winning work in North America, Asia, and Europe.

She currently teaches dance, choreography, and screendance at UC Berkeley’s Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies department.

Photo by Robbie Sweeny

YOGA & MOVEMENT INSTRUCTOR

Paulina is a Crescent City-based yoga teacher and dedicated practitioner who has carried a passion for the practice for over 16 years. As a 200-hour certified instructor and yoga teacher for DiRT & Glitter, she facilitates classes that meticulously link breath to movement. Through her grounded Vinyasa and Yin offerings, Paulina creates a supportive and welcoming sanctuary where students of all levels feel empowered to grow. She inspires individuals to carry the mindfulness of their practice off the mat, fostering a life shaped by presence and connection.

PERMACULTURE DESIGN INSTRUCTOR

Ben Zumeta of Old Growth Edible Landscapes is a naturalist, educator, park ranger, ecological restorationist, homesteader and permaculture designer with over a decade of permaculture and teaching experience. He is the site designer-developer for the Crescent City Food Forest and holds a Master’s in Adventure Education, with focus on Wilderness Service Learning.