Rita Ho-Bezzola
Founder, Chief Wheel Spinner, Mom
Rita Ho-Bezzola is an entrepreneur based in Los Angeles with an MBA from the Anderson School of Management. After a brief stint in a furniture wholesale company, she decided to launch her own ventures, including establishing a raw material export company, creating a home furnishings wholesale and retail brand generating $22M in sales per year, as well as founding a local organic vegetarian eatery. She has extensive experience in international and domestic logistics, supply chain management, total quality management, and product development. As a mother of two, she strives to contribute to the well-being of the next generation in her future endeavors.
Maria Gamez Zielke
Co-founder, Creative Director, Mom
Maria Gamez Zielke is a Los Angeles-based fashion and prop stylist. Known for her creativity and versatility, Maria has worked for fashion powerhouses like Neiman Marcus and J.Hillburn, participated in advertising projects for Google and Frito Lay, and has styled public figures including athletes Simone Biles and Tony Romo, as well as former presidents Bill Clinton and G.W. Bush, Jr. With Maria’s passion for traveling comes her appreciation for art and international design, and her inspiration to create. This has led her to start various entrepreneurial ventures, from an organic children’s clothing line manufactured in Peru, to a fine jewelry collection, and a home fragrance studio business.
Taraneh Arhamsadr
Co-founder, Communications Lead, Mom
Taraneh has spent most of her 15 year career leading communications and editorial efforts for nonprofit organizations across the education, social justice and conservation spaces. But in her heart, she’s always been a writer. Becoming a mother in 2014, and the mother of a special needs child in 2018, inspired her to start writing again, and she started The Mamajoon Chronicles to tell her story and amplify the honest voices of real moms. She’s very excited to help build Piper + Enza into a source that supports kids and their families in the unpredictable journey of growing up together.
Jon-Barrett Ingels
Storyteller, Dad
After finishing his education at Chapman University, Jon-Barrett Ingels moved to Los Angeles, where he developed, produced, and performed in multiple stage productions for regional theaters in and around the area. He has written and produced independent films and developed web series at the onset of the medium. He produced and hosted over 250 educational podcast episodes, including a series for the California State Library and for Chapman University. He worked as a writer for Flaunt Magazine, and his first book, How To Succeed By Failing, was published in 2015. Jon-Barrett currently works in development, creating television and streaming series, miniseries, and feature films.
Todd Hioki
Early Childhood Wizard, Educator
Todd Hioki is a progressive, play-based educator for young children, birth through age 5. He designs spaces and materials that enhance relational curricula, exploratory learning, self regulation and executive function skills in early childhood. Mr. Hioki has delivered trainings to ECE teachers and administrators, from rural South Africa to urban schools, and local ECE programs.
Katie Taylor
Child Life Specialist, CEO & Founder, Child Life On Call, Mom
Katie Taylor is a certified child life specialist, podcast host and CEO + Founder Child Life On Call. With the expertise of a child life specialist and the heart of a momma, Katie’s passion is supporting parents, kids and the care team with the tools they deserve so they can go from overwhelmed to empowered during medical situations. With over a decade of in-hospital experience, Katie has helped hundreds of families cope with and navigate challenging life events.
Katie graduated from the Pennsylvania State University and has studied and worked at facilities like Children’s National Medical Center, Inova Children’s Hospital, Dell Children’s Medical Center and St. David’s Children’s Hospital. She authored her first children’s book, Super Silly Wash Your Hands Dance, in early 2020 and has been featured in the media as a child development expert. When she’s not doing all things Child Life On Call, she loves spending time in the great trails of the Hill Country with her husband and two children, listening to audiobooks and visiting local Austin breweries.
Mary Goodarzi
Child Psychologist, Mom
Dr. Goodarzi obtained her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and her Psy.D in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. She then completed an APA accredited predoctoral internship program in clinical psychology at Providence St. John’s Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, CA, where she specialized in treatment for children and families, and groups within elementary, middle, and high schools. Dr. Goodarzi currently focuses on empirically-supported treatment for children, parenting skills, neuropsychological assessments, ADHD and learning differences. She lives in Orange County with her husband and two young children.
Patrick Ballesteros
Artist, Educator, Dad
Patrick is an international artist and educator who specializes in creating images that bring a smile to your face. He has worked as an illustrator and character designer on a variety of fun projects for Disney TVA, Nickelodeon Press, Capstone Press, Dreamworks TV, Bravo, Amazon, and DC Comics. Along with those projects, Patrick has been invited to speak and guest lecture at international festivals and events like Comic-Con International San Diego, Sketching Lab Costa Rica, Comic-Con Colombia, and Comic-Con Panamá. His illustration work was highlighted in the film Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass and The Late Late Show with James Corden. When he is not drawing, he is usually sketching : ) Other than that you will find him drinking boba, making his own line of toys, introducing his son to classic 1980s cartoons and movies, or secretly working on a Filipino super hero comic book.
Giselle Baumet
Herbalist, Aromatherapist, Hypnotherapist, Mom
Giselle Baumet is an Afro-Indigenous Herbalist and Aromatherapist, Transpersonal Hypnotherapist, and the mother of four. Originally from the Dominican Republic, she was raised in spirituality and herbalism by her beautiful herbalist mother. Through her practice, she she helps busy families experience a life that feels good, with confidence, ease, calm using mindfulness and ancestral wisdom. Learn more about her work at granolababies.com.