Bio coming soon!

Ms. Ann Crane was the proud owner of Meyerhof's Catering company in Irvine for 17 years, having worked her way up through being a line cook, kitchen manager, director of operations, and executive chef. She divides her time between catering for private clients and participating in a wide range of nonprofit endeavors, including Girl Scouts of Orange County and Human Options (an organization dedicated to breaking the silence of domestic violence).

A philosophy major from University of California, Irvine (UCI), Ms. Crane is grateful to have the opportunity to bring her on-the-job food service expertise to the classroom.

Chef Vina (Abi-Fadel) DiBernardo is an accomplished chef and instructor with degrees both in culinary and AG business management, food science and nutrition from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where she serves on the Alumni Board for the College of Agriculture. Chef DiBernardo has been teaching culinary arts and baking/pastry for Coastline Regional Occupation Program for the past five years, and is a mentor chef for Cooking Up Change. She is a member of Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section and Research Chefs Association. With over a decade in the hospitality industry, Chef DiBernardo began her own marketing and management business, R&D, to help local restaurateurs update menus and recipes that highlight local vendors and create excitement on the plate. Her focus is seasonal produce and developing exclusive desserts under the Divina Dolci label for restaurants, and the family business Rafael’s Pizza. Chef DiBernardo is the resident chef for Centennial Farm at the Orange County Fairgrounds, conducting monthly “Field to Fork” classes and specialty holiday desserts. Chef DiBernardo has also served as Culinary Supervisor for the Orange County Fair and is editor of their monthly Culinary Corner newsletter for the farm.

Before embarking on her second act in the hospitality industry, Chef DiBernardo was a corporate trainer and director of education for LVMH, traveling throughout the United States and internationally to conduct seminars and workshops for professionals in the fashion and beauty industries. 

Chef DiBernardo’s passion is to educate and guide her students through the hospitality industry so they can achieve their dreams.

Ms. Marisa George received her undergraduate degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz. She teaches eighth-grade physical science and has been a teacher at OCSA since 2001. This school year she is also teaching environmental science.

Ms. George recently completed a Permaculture Design Course at the Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano. It was through this course work and with the help of some of her classmates, that led to the blueprint design for OCSA’s Terrace Garden. 

Ms. Rachel Gorman received her bachelor’s degree in English and master's degree in art history from California State University, Fullerton. She is passionate about the intersection of the arts and academics, and is always striving to incorporate this learning in her classroom instruction. When students are able to showcase their multiple talents in both the arts and academics, they start to become more aware of their place in the world. Ms. Gorman joined Orange County School of the Arts in 2014 and serves as an arts instructor for the Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory and an academic instructor for the Literature and Composition department.

Mr. Dara Maleki is the Founder and CEO of The Pizza Press Restaurants, which he has led since February 2011. The Pizza Press is a ‘fast casual pizza’ craft beer concept within the industry through his RMS Franchise Group. With the success of his first location, Mr. Maleki looked to franchising as a growth strategy to share The Pizza Press brand with the public worldwide through a franchise model. A self-described creative leader and small business advocate, when not engaged with his brands, Mr. Maleki participates with other franchise industry and entrepreneurial business leaders in advocating for small businesses. He participates on boards and advisory committees, and local and state political action committees. He also serves as faculty for OCSA’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory focusing on entrepreneurial studies. Mr. Maleki has received numerous awards for his contribution to small businesses and industries in his community.

Kogila Pillay graduated with a diploma in baking and pastry from the Art Institute of California. She also completed a cake decorating course through Wilton and Art of Desserts through the Stephan Treand Pastry School. She began working at Orange Hill Restaurant as a pastry chef, where she brought a fresh perspective and emphasis on comfort desserts to the restaurant’s menu. Chef Pillay is also a partner in a catering company and food truck in Irvine.