News

Inside Out welcomes our new Executive Director, Varina Bleil.

A Message from Gary Tokumori, Board Chair

Belief. Change. Possibility. These three ideals provide the foundation for Inside Out and all of our programs. And it’s in this spirit that I am pleased to welcome our new Executive Director, Varina Bleil, to the Inside Out family.

Throughout the lengthy interview process, the Board of Directors was impressed by her passion, knowledge of the field, and strategic approach to both our inquiries and vision for the future. Varina is a dynamic and visionary leader, able to take Inside Out to the next level and beyond.

Varina received her Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's "Arts in Education" program, where she worked closely with the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations. She previously served as the Development Executive at The Help Group and has over a decade of experience as a Teaching Artist with various arts organizations in Los Angeles, supervising theatrical performances for underprivileged teenagers, juvenile offenders, and psychiatric patients.

Varina also brings to Inside Out an extensive background in the film and television industry and during her years in Hollywood she served as a development executive, producer and writer, working with such companies as Warner Bros., Miramax, New Line, and NBC/Universal. Her experience includes Senior Vice President at Weed Road Pictures; staff writer on the television series Eureka; and Associate Producer on the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Varina is supported by a strong executive staff and Inside Out’s programs, events, and operations continue without disruption and with the highest quality. Inside Out’s Board of Directors, integrally involved in all aspects of the leadership transition, remains strong, engaged and ready to address the challenges and opportunities of nonprofit operations that come with this time of worldwide economic adjustment.

All of us at Inside Out seek to expand our work in the community to serve young people who too often are neglected or ignored. We strive to help them discover the hidden beauty and richness in themselves and our city, while inspiring them to proactively participate in making their community a better place for everyone. And with Varina’s leadership, we know we will succeed.

In service, Gary Tokumori
Board Chair

Download the PDF version of Gary's Letter here: Message from Board Chair, Gary Tokumori

It is with tremendous delight and gratitude that I offer my first official introduction as the new Executive Director of Inside Out Community Arts.  Like every child who steps into the care of an Inside Out arts program, I too have a story to share with you.  The accompanying letter from Gary Tokumori, Inside Out’s newly elected and dedicated Chairman of the Board, will give you a bit more information about my professional background and appointment, but I would like to share why being brought onto the leadership team of an organization that celebrates and utilizes the arts to develop life skills and inspiration for inner-city youth is important to me.  

It started with a bow.  A young gentleman stood, hands clenched at the edge of a make-shift stage at the Los Angeles Juvenile Detention Center.  On any other day this gentleman (we’ll call him Daniel) would be wearing an orange uniform and fighting a prison sentence of 54 years to life.  At the time I was one of the Artist Volunteers responsible for supervising the creation of this theatrical piece with male juvenile offenders.  I did it in my spare time.  I had a completely separate career securely in place in the film and television industry and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.  As the audience cheered, Daniel fled from the stage before the other performers had finished their bows, and used my body to shield himself from anyone who might see his uncontrollable tears.  It was the first time I saw so up close the ability of the arts to turn something intangible into a reality for our community’s underprivileged and underserved.  In Daniel’s case it was a little thing called “praise.”   And that was it.  Something deep inside me had irrevocably changed.  

For almost a decade now I have personally witnessed story after story of young lives empowered through the profound ability of arts education to serve as a medium for social change.  The enormity of what I saw inspired me to dedicate my life to shepherding this effective public service in order to reach more lives, engage more families, and inspire more hearts in our local community.  I could not imagine a better place from which to see this vision through than at Inside Out, whose work has become a beacon in this field.

Alongside my strong commitment to the mission and values of Inside Out, I bring a solid background in arts programming, nonprofit development, and research in best practices of both quality arts education and nonprofit management.  I am honored to take the helm of such an acclaimed organization that has enjoyed a high level of social impact and expansion for over fourteen years, and my goal is to broaden that trust and involvement throughout the community.   

I look forward to working closely with you and so many other wonderful people who have helped make Inside Out’s programs as impeccable and impactful as they are today.  Thanks so much for all you do in support of Inside Out.  It is an honor to work with such a devoted constituency and a privilege to serve this vital and important institution. 

Please feel free to reach out to me at any time and stop by for a visit of Inside Out Community Arts!  I very much welcome your input, insight, requests, and support.  You are an important part of this exciting new chapter and together we can expand the lives of our youth, who are all of our future.

In service to youth,
Varina Bleil
Executive Director
varina.bleil@insideoutca.org
310-397-8820 x110

Download the PDF version of Varina's Letter here: Message from Executive Director, Varina Bleil