Our Sponsor
LISA ALLIN
read more below
Board Members
2025-2026
President & Movement Director
Kendal Villa
One of the Jazz Co-Lab's co-founders, Kendal Villa is a fourth year double majoring in Dance Performance and Choreography with a minor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As a dancer, choreographer, and director, she explores the intertwinement of experience and community within her work. This year, she hopes to host many members at the jam sessions and expand the UCl network of students who enjoy the arts.
Instagram: @kendal_villa
Band Lead & Music Director
Dylan Williams
I'm Dylan Williams, the band leader and music director for Jazz Colab. With four years of jazz drumming experience, I also lead The Bugs Quintet and perform in Southern California. I'm currently passionate about jazz, 70s funk/soul, and Japanese city pop/jazz fusion. At Jazz Colab, I'm excited for our spring 2025 collaborations, featuring talented performers and educators.
Check our calendar for events you won't want to miss!
Instagram: @dylan_rob_williams
Secretary & Treasurer
Aidan Visher
Hey everybody! My name is Aidan Visher and I'm a Senior at UCI. Music is such an important aspect of my life and I'm excited to share that passion with everyone. I'm looking forward to helping create a space where people can come vibe and enjoy music and dance!
Instagram: @aidanvisher
Events Coordinator
Rudy Iyer
Hello my name is Rudy lyer. I am a third year jazz sax major and am elated to be on board for Jazz Co-Lab this year! I hope to bring an air of whimsy as well as make sure all of our members can attend structured well run meetings and events which promote music throughout our community. Look forward to seeing you all at our events!
Instagram: @rudyire6
Outreach & Communications
Hanna Qadiri
I'm Hanna, I'm a third year political science and Econ major!
I'm excited to branch the club out to more niches and bring out more jazz lovers to our jam sessions and other events!
Hope to see the club grow even more this year!
Instagram: @hannaqadiri
Marketing Content Creator
Promise Reid
Hello! I'm Promise, a third-year pursuing a double major in Dance Choreography and Aerospace Engineering. My love for jazz is profound, encompassing both dance and music. I will be helping promote the exciting events we have planned for everyone and capturing the fun moments that await!
Instagram: @ipromise_to_reid
Social Media Marketing
Clara Bond
Clara Bond is a second-year Dance major, with training in styles including ballet, contemporary, and jazz. After participating in events and jam sessions during her first year, she is thrilled to join the board for the upcoming school year.
She is looking forward to being on the marketing team for the Jazz Co-Lab and helping to introduce more people to the experiences and enrichment the club has to offer.
Instagram: @clarabond_dance
OUR PAST MEMBERS
OUR SPONSOR
Lisa Allin
Lisa Allin is a dance educator and choreographer originally from Los Angeles, and a graduate of UCI’s MFA dance program. She enjoyed many years as a freelance dancer in a variety of commercial and concert dance productions including The Tales of Hoffman at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Westside Story at the Moonlight Amphitheatre, and national and international tours with Luma Theater. Her passion for dance eventually drew her to academics, where she worked with Marie de la Palme. Through her mentor, she was inspired by how dance can serve our community. She has since become involved in teaching, choreographing, and facilitating events designed to activate social inclusion through dance. Among these was Heidi Latsky’s ON DISPLAY; a global event to honor the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in collaboration with the United Nations. In addition, her research focuses on the intersection of live jazz dance and music improvisation. As a result of collaborative experiments with musicians, she co-created The Jazz Treatment which debuted at the University of California, Irvine in 2022, and presented at the ACDA Baja Conference 2023. She has taught interdisciplinary workshops at ACDA and Jazz Dance Conference West. Since UCI, she was thrilled to join El Camino College’s faculty specializing in Music for Dance and choreographing for their shows. In addition, she is an outreach teaching artist for The Cassin Promise through the Segerstrom Center for the Arts Education department. Last but not least, Lisa loves spending time with her family, taking nature walks, and salsa dancing with her husband.
Movement Director & Social Media Manager
Anisa Johnson
(2023-2025)
As a student at UCI, Anisa fulfills many interests by studying Management, Economics, Philosophy, and their main focus: Dance. Anisa is thrilled to be involved in the Jazz Co-Lab, bringing in their passion for community and of course love for jazz.
Growing up in the jazz scene, Anisa has always held a spot in their heart for the sensation of Jazz music and the grooves that follow. Through the various shows Anisa has participated in during their time at UCI, they have had the pleasure to perform in five Jazz pieces from various choreographers. Now Anisa is looking forward to continuing their exploration of Jazz improvisation with this club.
Membership Outreach
Chidera Okoroama
(2023-2025)
Hey Jazz fam! I’m Chidera, and I’ll be on membership outreach for the 24-25 school year! 🎶 I’m beyond stoked to dive into all things jazz with this amazing crew! If you’re all about jamming, improv, and having a blast, Jazz Co-lab is where it’s at. Let’s make some music, some memories, and have the best time together! See you soon, and let’s keep it jazzy! 🎷💫
John Martinez
First Music Director and Band Lead (2023-2024)
Johnny is a UCI alumni, multi instrumentalist, and Jazz Studies Major with emphasis on Jazz Drum Set. He has shared his passion with Jazz music for over a decade and spends much of his time composing, performing, and directing with several ensembles. He has also studied under Jeff Hamilton, Steven Feifke, Darek Oleszkiewicz, Dean Koba, Bernie Dresel, Clayton Cameron, and more. He hopes to spread the beauty and history of this style of music, as well as the freedom and comfort to express through improvisation.
He believes it is important to spread the knowledge of this art style to different art forms, which is why he decided to help guide Co-Lab on the music side of things, while simultaneously discovering the language of dance. Every art form has its own vocabulary, and he looks forward to sharing (as well as learning) many phrases, statements, and expressions that connect the world of dance, and the world of music.
Events Coordinator
Alison Truong
(2024-2025)
Hiii jazz enthusiasts! Nice to meet you all, my name is Alison (with one L). I’m a freshman majoring in psych sci and I look forward to planning events together and having fun with you all :)) Being in drum class and discussing music with my friends and family are what inspired me to explore jazz from both percussion and woodwind perspectives! I not only enjoy learning how to play jazz, I also love listening to jazz fusion artists such as Laufey, Michael Buble, Herbie Hancock, and so many others. In the club, I’ll mostly be playing my tenor sax. I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish and enjoy together.
Marketing
Estella Yan
(2024-2025)
Hello everyone I am Estella! I will be working in the marketing department. This is my first year in UCI as a psychology student and jazz lover🥰📻I have some background art and design, and I’m looking forward to helping our club grow its presence on campus and beyond. Let’s make jazz a bigger part of our community!🙌❤️🔥