A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Film and Television, Ms. Charles received a B.A. and M.F.A. from the program; writing, directing, and producing several films and documentaries. Committed to offering students every opportunity to receive a college-level media education, she wrote original honors curricula for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD). All of Charles’ curriculum has been approved as University of California A-G Curriculum. What emerged is an award-winning film program within three years, nationally recognized by Advance Career Technical Education (CTE) as one of the top film programs in the nation. Serving as Adjunct Faculty at West Los Angeles Community College, Charles launched a union training program preparing high school students for industry with OSHA-regulated safety as well as grip and rigging training. It soon became clear to accomplish her goal of bringing this level of training to underrepresented communities on a broader scale, she would have to work with multiple school systems as well as partner with programs and institutions dedicated to bringing film arts education to communities of color. 

As the Treasurer for Diverse Academies of Professional Arts (DAPA) Andrea is in support of the education and growth of new media artists with a mission to provide professional experience and drive for innovation in underrepresented communities. After twenty-six years in the hospital financial services, Andrea has transitioned into production accounting.  Her expertise encompasses collecting, editing, auditing, and analysis. Andrea’s duties also included data mining, statistics, and projections.

Stephan Boone is a motivated professional with over a decade of organizational management experience. As Secretary of DAPA, Stephan Boone is committed to supporting DAPA operations with his unique blend of managerial experience and dedication to learning makes him an invaluable part of the DAPA team.