meet the team
Our team is made up of design professionals who have a passion for educating today’s youth with a creative approach.
kristen dees,
founder
Created Designer Camp out of a love for educating today's youth about the world of design
Product Development graduate from FIDM/ Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.
Public Relations graduate from University of La Verne
Background in product development, footwear design, public relations, event planning, wholesale & college admissions
Proud mommy to two young daughters
Is currently on a hunt with her family for the best chocolate chip cookies in Los Angeles
Enjoys binging on HGTV design shows
Tanya Buzalsky,
Executive Director
Graduate of FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Loves teaching and leading teams
Background in event management, retail, visual merchandising, and teaching
Worked at FIDM for over 20 years leading teams and planning campus events and camps
Currently is a freelance event planner with clients such as Havainas, Nordstrom, Camp Firework, FitCity, San Antonio Winery and more
She loves to travel and has a passion for being outdoors, surfing, rollerblading and bike riding
rhonda mcCHAUGHEY,
ORANGE COUNTY Director
Background in education, event planning and public speaking.
Spent almost 20 years inspiring creativity in students as a College Representative for FIDM/ The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.
Her currant adventures include educating middle school students, doing occasional background acting gigs, and having a blast as a Brand Rep for a winery.
She is a mom of two amazingly creative adult daughters and a grandma of two (with a third on the way!), which give her and her husband a reason to split their time between Southern California and the Pacific Northwest.
She enjoys meeting new friends, living a balanced lifestyle and cultivating new experiences, both at home and through travel.
Von Dominguez,
Interior Design Director
Bachelor of Fine Art of Interior Design, CSULB ; Master of Architecture, Cal Poly Pomona
Assistant Professor of Design, CSULB
Loves Photography, Art, Automotive Design. Anything or everything that can be inspirational to Design and teaching!
Continuing to establish further connections for HIS students into the profession with internships, scholarships and design competitions.
Recently completed a re-model of two residential homes, one a single family residence in Whittier, the other a senior care center facility in Oxnard, CA.
Dreams of traveling more in the future! with his wife. Would love to explore more of Europe, particularly Spain and Italy.
angela lerro,
los angeles director
Alumni of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, CA where she obtained her degree in Merchandise Marketing.
Background includes visual merchandising for Banana Republic, Fashion PR at People’s Revolution, wholesale at a multi line showroom in DTLA and a personal stylist at Nordstrom.
Even though Angela had a passion for the fashion industry since childhood, she unfortunately fell ill with breast cancer and Lyme disease in 2013 which prevented her from continuing to work. However, after a very difficult healing journey, Angela learned how to heal herself. She has since turned her pain into purpose and in 2015 started her own Holistic Healing practice in Los Angeles where she transforms her clients lives from being chronically ill to mindfully well.
Aside from being passionate about being of service to others, Angela enjoys yoga, spending time in nature, hiking, kayaking, and traveling.
Samira stefenhagen,
camp counselor & mentor
Born and raises in the San Francisco Bay area
Currently studying Interior Design at San Francisco University
Dreams of creating her own business and empowering women in holistic well-being and one day opening up a garden cafe
Passionate about seeing the innate beauty in all things and guiding the youth to follow the inspirations that light up their hearts
Loves to swim in the ocean, dance, meditate, travel and spend time outdoors
Alisha (Agrellas) Stuart,
Interior Design Director
University Of San Diego Graduate with a multi-faceted background in Broadcast Media, Marketing, and Design
Founder & Principal Designer of Honné Studio, a Los Angeles-based interior design & styling firm serving Southern California and beyond
Loves Architecture, Travel & Culture, Antique-ing & Vintage Hunting, Discovering Emerging Artisans & Craftspeople
Dreams of expanding to E-Commerce and designing a line of furnishing/home decor pieces for the masses alongside one of my favorite retailers
Newly married and loves spending the weekends exploring Southern California together, when not onsite ;)
Gretchen Dawley, Fashion & Styling Director
Fashion Design graduate from FIDM / Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Industry background designing within the junior’s and women’s contemporary markets
Fascinated by history and culture, with a love for nostalgia and all things vintage
Lover of the lost art of couture gown making and the bridal market
Currently designing and constructing hand-crafted wedding gowns under her own label
Dreams of living in the countryside surrounded by a rose garden, sewing gowns and exploring with her husband and little boy
mercedes curran,
DIRECTOR
Graduate from FIDM/ Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Background in brand development, creative direction, event planning, public relations, and curriculum design
Believes that if you are passionate about design you should be able to experience the opportunities within the world, no matter your age
Presently works with brands to tell their story through design direction, color, and brand experience
Dreams of being a mermaid, traveling the world port to port
Philip Cuenco, Photography Director
Philip has been photographing professionally since 2005 and is now a Leica Akademie instructor
Originally trained as a 3D Animator, & working in post-production, Philip has acquired a unique array of skillsets
Though he can still be occasionally seen on the red carpet or high-end private celebrity events, he prefers to teach
Known for his work in fashion, expediting work for clients in the past such as: Tadashi Shoji, Swarovsky, Escada, bebe, AFI/American Film Institute, Ford MotorSports, Alter-G, and more
If Phil is not taking photographs, he can be found enjoying good food, traveling, and spending time with family
Nicole Artmont,
Beauty Industry Director
Nicole Artmont is a Los Angeles born and bred makeup artist.
She began her career over 20 years ago in New York assisting top makeup artist Vincent Longo, granting her access to working the catwalks of Alice and Olivia and Cynthia Rowley. As her career progressed she gained experience in sales, brand management, training, and product development as she took on different roles in the industry. Following in the footsteps of her father and uncle, she began doing makeup in Hollywood in 2009.
Nicole has worked on a number of films and television shows, including Euphoria, Big Little Lies, and Daddy’s Home. She has also had the pleasure of doing the faces of many celebrities, including Zoë Kravitz, Kristen Wiig, Ellen Barkin, Mary Steen, Kevin Costner, Quincy Jones, and Steve Carell.
Nicole lives in Los Angeles with her mom and beautiful little girl.
Carley Tawney,
Associate Director
Former Designer Camp LA and OC student.
Currently taking a gap year and heading towards further education in design and/or writing to pursue a career in a creative industry.
Eternally a student of the world around her who loves to learn by doing. Passionate about championing people in their unique voices and creating with sustainability and purpose. Forever fascinated by popular culture, old and new, and what it says about the world we live in.
Dreams of living in New York and being her own boss. Strictly exists outdoors with a book in hand when it's sunny.
Erin Noël,
Fashion & Styling Director
Erin has always been drawn to the art of getting dressed. She believes the power of an outfit can say more than words, it can convey a story, who you are as a person, or say nothing at all.
After spending 12 years working in retail for well known contemporary designers, Erin began her styling journey. She assisted industry leaders; Joseph Cassell, Law Roach, Evet Sanchez, and Jeanne Yang before starting her styling business Erin Noël Creative LLC.
Erin is known for her attention to detail, understanding her clients needs, and creating memorable fashion moments. She believes that style is an enjoyable expression of showcasing who you are. Erin’s background gives her a unique perspective with her clients, and her attention to fit and style is second to none. Her client list includes; Candace Cameron Bure, Jordin Sparks, Peta Murgatroyd, Olivia Holt, and McKenna Grace.