Team

Our Team

Angela Zusman, Founder and Executive Director

Angela is a lifelong believer in the power of voice. After graduating college she spent ten years working her way around the world, living in over 50 countries on 6 continents and interviewing people from all walks of life. This experience showed her that perceived gulfs of age, culture and race can be transcended through the power of story, inspiring her career as an author, public speaker and oral historian.  Angela is the author of Story Bridges: A Guide to Conducting Intergenerational Oral History Projects, and editor of multiple oral history compilations, most recently the award-winning Griots Of Oakland book and exhibit. In 2011, Angela founded Story For All to bring the humanizing, healing power of story into schools and communities.

David Bickham, Partnership and Development Coordinator

David is the principal and founder of Bickham Innovation Catalysts, LLC, a consultancy specializing in innovation and organizational change in economic, philanthropic, educational and community development. He speaks across the nation on culturally responsive practices, building systems for innovation, impact and change and other areas. He lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and son, and in addition to working across the nation they will be expanding their enterprises to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and other global sites in 2015. He is a graduate of Tougaloo College in Mississippi and an award winning short story writer and poet.

Dr. Arash Daneshzadeh, Curriculum Design, Facilitation and Evaluation

Dr. Arash Daneshzadeh has served as an equity-oriented scholar-practitioner for the past 17 years. He has held roles as a teacher in Alameda high schools and community colleges as both faculty and dean, as well as Associate Director at Urban Strategies Council. The crux of his praxis converges on the intersections between carceral studies, restorative justice, hip hop pedagogy, identity formation, and organizational theory. Currently, Arash coordinates National Outreach efforts on behalf of the “Save Our Kids [from incarceration] Campaign”, which aims to disrupt and dismantle youth incarceration. He contributes as a lecturer at the University of San Francisco– School of Education (Department of Leadership Studies), as well as faculty for the Prison University Project at San Quentin State Penitentiary.

Itoro Udofia, Project Manager

Itoro has been working with youth ever since she could remember. Her inspiration was watching her big sister serve as a youth leader at a local teen center. Itoro graduated from Smith College with a B.A. in African American Studies with a minor in Theater. She received her Masters from Marlboro Graduate Center in Education. With ten years of experience in the non-profit and youth development fields she is excited to be part of the Story For All team.

Amikaeyla Gaston, Facilitator

Amikaeyla, Founder and Executive Director of ICAHSI, the International Cultural Arts & Healing Sciences Institute, has done extensive work in the health arena for over the past 20 years. For many years, she worked in the Dept of Health & Human Services at the Office of the Surgeon general as a speech writer for Drs. Antonia Novello and Jocelyn Elders. Winner of eight Washington Area Music Association Awards for Best Jazz, World and Urban Contemporary Vocalist, Amikaeyla was named DC’s best female composer in 2006 & 2008.

Katy Geisert, Communications and Admin Coordinator

Katy has a passion for developing meaningful relationships through communication. This passion guides her as she seeks to create an atmosphere that changes the narrative. Prior to joining Story For All, Katy worked in Chicago for DRI, a non-profit membership organization, where she assisted with event management and member relations. She’s spent the past few years in the more than full-time role of mom to two young daughters. Katy received her B.A. from California State University of Bakersfield, studied in the south of France, and pursued courses in Secondary Education and French at Cal State Fullerton. She and her family live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rick Butler, Video Director

Rick Butler is a four-time Emmy award winning director and cameraman with over 25 years experience in a broad range of video and film production.  His work includes many documentaries that have been broadcast nationally on PBS and other networks. Rick is passionate about projects that contribute to raising human consciousness and making the world a better place for all people. Deeply committed to a sustainable and equitable world, he serves on the Boards of Destiny Arts Center and World Trust Educational Services, two non-profit organizations committed to working for social change and peace and justice for all people.

Mi Zhou, Photographer

Mi is an award winning photographer who relocated to San Francisco in 2004 and became a freelance photographer, mainly focusing on personal projects, and working with non-profit organizations on social documentary. Mi has traveled to many countries and regions in the world, inspired by the essence of humanity in the varied geographies, societies, and races. He believes that the gap between each other can only be measured and filled by respect and understanding.

Board of Directors

Advisory Board