Michael Harley | Executive Director
Michael Harley was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and enjoyed sports, reading, and spending time with family growing up. Attending Loyola High School, Michael was first introduced to the Jesuit concept of, “Magis” while performing volunteer hours at an elementary school. From an early age, Michael knew he wanted to make an impact on the community and the people around him. Always yearning for a desire to expand his understanding of the world, Michael ventured to the University of Hawaii in August of 2001 to complete a bachelor’s degree in English.
Upon earning his degree, Michael was commissioned into the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. After completing various military training schools, Michael deployed overseas twice where he led soldiers in combat and peacekeeping missions. He left the military with the rank of Captain in 2010, his awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, bronze star, meritorious service medal, Ranger Tab, and Airborne wings among others.
After leaving military service, Michael embarked on a career in emergency medicine. He worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (E.M.T.) and also as a Certified Nurse Assistant (C.N.A.) in Los Angeles before venturing into the field of providing support to people with neurodiversity Michael’s journey in this field began in August 2011 when he began working as an independent living skills instructor. In a short time, it became clear that he had found his new calling.
Seeing a need for qualified vendors to provide services to the neurodiverse population in the Los Angeles area and having the belief that his background experience and knowledge could bring a new service design concept to the people he supports, Michael partnered with Shannon Hahn to launch Level Up Solutions in 2015.
Since then, he has assisted in the development of agency policies, procedures, and life skills curriculum as well as building community and strategic business relationships. Michael is able to combine a unique blend of direct experience and analysis to craft unique service plans that speak to the needs and desires of the people he supports. Always a team player focused on shared results, mutual respect, and inclusion, Michael prides himself on collaborating and building teams and crafting the agency service design. He holds a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) from Creighton University. Any day you can find him teaching in a classroom, meeting with concerned support circles, or interacting with the people he supports.
Shannon Hahn | Operations Director
Shannon Hahn was born in South Orange County and feels fortunate to have grown up in a community which prioritizes equal access to programs for all students regardless of levels of educational need.
Always intrigued by opportunities to interact with students who were mainstreamed into the school district, she recognized her increasing desire to pursue involvement in supporting programs that would enhance their lives. Shannon’s value of social justice led her to advocate for equal access to resources for this important part of our society.
Her family life afforded her hands-on experience, as her mom provided afterschool daycare for special needs children and her step father taught as a Special Education teacher for 32 years. Shannon thrived in the learning environment, and she volunteered throughout the years with students ranging from elementary education through the Adult Education and Vocational Programs. Shannon soon recognized her vision and passion for pursuing an education and career in this profession, with a sense of fulfillment and purpose in life.
One of Shannon’s fondest memories is her years volunteering with Special Olympics, witnessing the comradery and access to athletic games bringing a sense of pride and accomplishment for all.
Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach also provided an opportunity for Shannon to participate in helping children cope as they courageously faced health issues, battling a variety of illnesses and traumatic challenges in life.
To build on her foundation, Shannon’s academic background includes attending Concordia University in Irvine, California, in the liberal arts studies program. In the summer of 2007, Shannon began exploring the job field and searched for an organization that focused on providing for and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Since June 2007, Shannon was fortunate to serve as an Independent Living Instructor, Coordinator and Manager of Client Services in Los Angeles and Orange County. As part of the management team, Shannon made significant contributions towards a hopeful future of having meaningful independent lives while she witnessed the individuals she supported develop a sense of accomplishment in contributing to society. Shannon is grateful for the numerous opportunities to empower and partner with these individuals and fellow staff members with shared goals for success.
One of her most recent contributions is the development of the Level Life social program. As Shannon met with many of the individuals she supports and their parents, she became aware of the consistent theme of concern for these individuals ' lives beyond their parents’ living years. This led her to further develop a program to provide a sense of community and lasting friendships.
Shannon strives to keep these individuals motivated and hopeful in reaching for their goals and experiencing satisfaction and pride in their abilities rather than their disabilities. Shannon’s source of inspiration, her everyday heroes, are the individuals she supports, who have become her role models and teachers in life.
Jesus Plascencia | Manager of Services
Jesus Plascencia was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After high school, he attended Pasadena City College and then transferred to California State University, Long Beach, where he studied human development and philosophy. Jesus initially wanted to be a philosophy professor but realized that he wanted to do more than discuss issues of morality – he wanted to make a real difference in people’s lives. He eventually found that his real passion is in the field of developmental disabilities and mental health, specifically within the Latino community.
As an undergrad, Jesus was a research assistant in the departments of Health Science, Healthcare Administration, Human Development, and Social Work. In these labs, he worked on an array of research projects, including barriers and access to healthcare for Latinos, access to resources for Latino families with children with autism, and differences in autobiographical memory between native and non-native English-speakers.
Besides his research experience, Jesus has also worked for the Brotherhood Crusade as a mentor to at-risk youth in South Central Los Angeles, Autism Learning Partners as an applied behavior analysis therapist to children with autism and other behavioral issues, and the Neurological and Physical Abilitation clinic as a teacher and behavior interventionist with children, adolescents, and young adults with developmental disabilities. Jesus began working for Level Up Solutions as a Direct Support Professional in the summer of 2018 and promoted to Manager of Services in the winter of 2021.
In May of 2020, Jesus attained his Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship from USC’s Marshall School of Business. His goal is to take the professional experience he has gained in the field and his business education to address the disparity in access to quality services for individuals with developmental disabilities and/or psychological diagnoses from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Adam
Adam grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. His passion for helping people with disabilities started in middle school when he befriended a classmate with Down Syndrome. This friendship continued throughout high school and inspired Adam to volunteer with the Special Olympics and assist in the special education classroom at his school.
Adam moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to pursue a career in writing for TV and Film. He's had success in that career, selling movies to 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery and writing on the 13th and 14th seasons of the television show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".
Drawing on his life-long desire to make a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities, Adam works part time as a Direct Support Professional in addition to his full-time duties as a parent and writer.
Allyson
Allyson was born and raised in Irvine, CA to Vietnamese immigrant parents. Growing up, she always understood the importance of community service and helping those in need. Allyson became very involved in Girl Scouts and various clubs at school to help in a multitude of community service projects targeting underrepresented populations. Allyson is a fourth-year student at UCLA studying psychobiology in the hopes of pursuing a career in medicine, particularly pediatrics or obstetrics. At UCLA, she is involved in Vietnamese Community Health, particularly the Patient Education & Wellness Committee, and the Learning Assistant Program to pursue her interests in the intersectionality of education and medicine. Allyson also volunteers at Ronald Reagan Hospital to provide service and care to their patients. In addition, she is an Apartment Resident Assistant to further her interests in community development outside of the medical field.
Allyson joined the Level Up team in the spring of 2023. As a previously registered behavior technician in Orange County who specialized in social behavioral development for children aged 7-10, Allyson was particularly interested in applying such skills to a neurodivergent community of a different age range. As such, her goals as a Direct Support Professional at Level Up are to inspire the participants and to help them become more independent as they transition into adulthood. Outside of work and school, Allyson enjoys hiking, baking, playing tennis, watching TV shows/films, and spending time with family and friends.
Andrew
Andrewtrung grew up in Orange County, California as a son of Vietnamese immigrant parents. From a young age, he was passionate about helping people in his community and would often participate in community service events organized by his scouting troop and high school clubs to assist those in need.
Andrewtrung is studying Psychobiology at UCLA and is currently on the pre-med track. He is still exploring specialty options and is passionate about providing service and care to underrepresented communities. At UCLA, Andrewtrung is part of Vietnamese Community Health and Project Literacy, both of which reflect his interests inside and outside of medicine, namely providing medical support to underprivileged communities in Orange County and developing literacy in underprivileged students. Andrewtrung is also volunteering with Westwood Health to provide support for hospital patients. Finally, he serves as the Outreach Director for the UCLA Film & Photography Society, having a keen interest in cinema and filmmaking.
Andrewtrung joined the Level Up Team as a Direct Support Professional in Spring of 2023. His goal is to inspire and be inspired by the neurodivergent individuals he meets. He’s excited to support them towards a better quality of life by teaching them life skills. He’s even more excited to spend time with them because he loves meeting new people. Outside of work and school, Andrewtrung enjoys watching movies and TV shows, eating, traveling, exploring, and spending time with his friends.
Anna
Anna was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. In 2012, she moved to California to attend the UCLA Pathway Program. Anna truly embraced her opportunity to live off campus, develop new relationships and learn the skills necessary to have a rich and meaningful life. College was an enriching experiencing and her adaptation to living in Los Angeles proved to be a life altering experience. After graduating from Pathway, she chose to stay and continue her journey here.
In 2014, Anna took the skills that she had learned at Pathway and her natural abilities and applied them to her new role as a Teacher’s Assistant at a local child education and care center. This was an excellent opportunity for Anna to gain work skills while exploring her interests and passions.
Because of the positive experience Anna had working closely with Level Up Solutions during her enrollment in Pathway she chose to continue with them in a more formal role. She was compelled to help individuals with disabilities and she offers that as an active, helpful Level Up team member. Anna embodies Level Up’s mission to provide a supportive and inclusive environment to all participants and employees.
Anna also enjoyed volunteering at UCLA Children’s Hospital which proved to be a truly rewarding experience for her. She enjoys various other volunteer opportunities in the community as they arise and is always eager to lend a hand when needed. When she isn’t working or volunteering, she thrives on spending time with her friends enjoying the various activities Los Angeles has to offer.
Averyl
Averyl was born in the Philippines. When he was two years old his family moved to Southern California. He grew up with his mom and his two brothers. Education growing up was different for Averyl. He was diagnosed with an intellectual disability and was in special education. Even though school was challenging for him, he received a lot of support to succeed in his education. Without the support, he would not have graduated with his high school diploma.
In 2016, Averyl moved to West Los Angeles for the Pathway program at UCLA Extension, where he received support to help build confidence in his independence. At Pathway, he also developed valuable career skills. He then went to Santa Monica College to pursue his associate’s and received his degree in Early Childhood Education in 2022. He was motivated by receiving a lot of support throughout his life. This made Averyl grow in his passion for helping others and decided to pursue a career working with children.
In 2021, Averyl gained experience with children through Pamper & Play, where he supervised and supported the children. In 2022, Averyl worked at STAR Education as an after schoolteacher, where he created and implemented his own lesson plans. Averyl now works as an overnight staff for Level Up Solutions in support of the Pathway program he once attended as a student.
Outside of work, Averyl likes to hang out with his friends and enjoys going out to eat and playing sports. He is involved in his local church community and volunteers with the youth group every weekend.
Bella
Bella was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up playing sports and spending time with their two older sisters. Throughout elementary school and middle school, Bella struggled with reading, math and other subjects due to her learning disabilities. They experienced challenges as the only kid in a classroom who struggled with seemingly simple or easy tasks that other students had no difficulty with. Bella attended an all-girls catholic high school and started working as a reading tutor for kids who struggled with reading at Seattle elementary schools. Many of the students Bella worked with were neurodiverse and needed extra support that their classically taught classrooms did not provide. Bella learned patience, leadership and emotional intelligence skills from this work and a new understanding of learning differences. This experience further cemented Bella’s love for working with kids and interests in different teaching strategies as well as supporting neurodiverse individuals.
Bella moved to Los Angeles, California where she is currently pursuing a major in Psychobiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. After completing a Perspectives on Disability Studies writing class, they decided to minor in disability studies which has opened their eyes to different perspectives of neurodiversity as well as the presence of ableism in the education and medical systems. During her third year of undergrad, they worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and saw first hand the presence of ableism in health care systems and continues to see ableism through their educational career. Bella is currently working on a research project focusing on the accessibility of social media and its use in college age individuals.
Bella is excited to start working with Level up Solutions to continue to support others and learn more about the organization’s participants. She is excited to get to know each participant and be able to help in the most accommodating way. While they’re not studying at the UCLA campus, Bella likes playing ultimate frisbee, rock climbing, surfing, and baking.
Christina
Christina Perez was born in Anaheim, California. As a first-generation college student, Christina is the first in her family to pursue a master's in education and the first to graduate from a university. Her love for music and providing care for others was strong from the very beginning. When her family's financial situation fluctuated throughout her childhood years, she would insist to her parents on keeping her music lessons above all else. She first was introduced to the harp while at a music lesson and slowly approached the instrument. Having never touched a harp before, she plucked out by ear the song Greensleeves. On Christina’s 11th birthday, she asked her parents for harp lessons and her harp career had sparked. She held her debut performance at the age of 14 in Claremont, California appearing as a soloist in an all harp concert.
Christina earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance with a concentration in Harp and a minor in Applied Developmental Psychology from UCLA. She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Harp at UCLA under the instruction of former LA Philharmonic Principal Harpist, Lou Anne Neill. As Christina continues through her Masters, she is also on the pre-med track to attend Nursing School in Fall 2022.
Christina founded JOG Pod, a private preschool pod, during the COVID-19 Pandemic where she provided children of all diversities and cognitive abilities a safe space to continue education and wellbeing. During the pod, Christina and the students practiced reading, physical education, music, speaking, mathematics, writing fundamentals, and the study of art. Christina continues to perform in the greater Los Angeles Area with the Santa Monica Symphony and provides care by regularly volunteering at hospitals, churches, and keeping in touch with her previous students.
Christina joined the Level Up team in 2021 as a Direct Support Professional. Her goal is to compose and to encourage, inspire and help people have the best quality of life through music and individualized care while teaching life skills and providing valuable experiences to the people she supports.
Crystal
Crystal was born and raised in Pomona, California to Mexican parents who taught her the value of lending a helping hand to those in need. She has an older sister and a younger brother, who has ADHD and through her exposure to the struggles her brother faced, Crystal discovered a passion in helping others.
This passion prompted her to join a club in high school called Panther Pals, where she and her peers had parties, events, and sports for students who identify as neurodiverse. She previously had a job as a behavior technician helping younger children diagnosed with autism with their communication and behavioral/social skills. She currently volunteers at a company where she plays sports with children and teens with various developmental diagnoses. Crystal is a third-year student studying Psychology and minoring in Global Health at the University of California, Los Angeles, and wishes to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy.
Crystal joined the Level Up Team in Fall 2023 as a Direct Support Professional and hopes to expand her knowledge and in doing so, help others by teaching them life skills. She is excited to start and is most excited to meet new people and inspire others to reach their fullest potential. In her free time, she likes to go to concerts, hang out with friends, play soccer, and watch movies with her family.
Gianna
Gianna was born in Monterey California and grew up in the Salinas area. Gianna has always enjoyed sports, being outdoors, and spending quality time with her family. She spent a lot of time with her grandparents as a child, and this relationship, along with her mother being a nurse, inspired her to pursue a career that allowed her to help others, especially those who are in need of advocates for their quality of life.
As a third year attending UCLA pursuing a Psychobiology major, Gianna plans to attend graduate school to become a Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Throughout her academic career she has volunteered at various Occupational Therapy Clinics, with one of her most impactful experiences being at a pediatric clinic where she saw the impact that just one person can have on an individual’s life. Gianna has since become the Internal Vice President of UCLA’s Society for Physical and Occupational Therapy (SPOT), a club that guides aspiring occupational therapy and physical therapy students. Gianna is also on the board of the UCLA running club where she continues her love for the outdoors and physical activity.
Gianna joined Level Up as a Direct Service Professional in 2023. She is looking forward to guiding participants in their independence and seeing how she can benefit the lives of others and watch them progress. She is excited to see how Level Up Solutions helps her grow on a personal and professional level alongside the participants and fellow staff.
Jamie
Jamie was born and raised in San Jose, California. Growing up, Jamie always showed an interest in being active. She loves to spend time on her hobbies such as tennis, skateboarding along the beach, going to concerts, reading, and cooking. And as much as she loves to do these activities alone, she enjoys them even more when she gets to share the experience with others. Jamie loves her family and her friends and believes that every person is made better through the supportive people that surround them.
When Jamie entered college, she was introduced to the career of occupational therapy. After becoming interested in the field, Jamie decided to volunteer at a pediatric occupational therapy clinic. This is where she fell in love with the career and decided that she wanted to spend the rest of her life providing empathetic, personal medical support to others. Jamie will graduate UCLA with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Public Health and hopes to earn a doctorate degree in occupational therapy. She envisions that in the future, she will be able to provide high-quality medical services to a variety of populations, diverse of all socioeconomic statuses and races.
Jamie joined the Level Up Team in 2023 as a Direct Support Professional, and she is excited to build personal relationships with everyone she interacts with. She hopes to inspire people to become fully independent but most importantly, build the personal confidence that is necessary to reach that step.
JoJo
Joanne was born in Los Angeles, California. Raised with two older brothers, she grew up a tomboy who loved playing sports, especially soccer. Joanne has always had compassion and empathy for those who felt different or unseen and would go out of her way to make sure people felt included and cared for. Joanne was also the first in her family to have a proclivity toward the sciences and health support fields.
Joanne graduated from Village Christian High School as a student athletic trainer and an ambassador in the Health and Environment concentration. In 2019, she entered UCLA intending to traverse on the pre-Physician Assistant track. The summer after her first year at UCLA, she became certified as an EMT and was hired by an ambulance company. In her role as an EMT, Joanne was able to support people in crisis and grow her desire to help those in need. After discovering Occupational Therapy(OT) through her friend and volunteering at various OT clinics, Joanne plans to pursue a graduate degree in OT after she graduates from UCLA. Joanne is currently majoring in The Study of Religion and minoring in Disability Studies.
Joanne joined the Level Up Team in 2022 as a Direct Support Professional, and she is excited to inspire and help guide people toward their highest potential by teaching them life skills. Her goal is to impact the people around her and learn and grow in the field of supporting others. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, sports, and reading.
Lewis
Lewis was born and raised in Los Angeles, California to immigrant parents. As a first-generation college student, Lewis attended Los Angeles City College and decided to pursue studies in Communications at California State University, Long Beach. He had already grown up having the skill to hear and then carefully provide insight when responding. Furthermore, his major had offered him the other important half of focusing on vocalizing your expressions and acknowledging the powerful influence of bold messages in a variety of settings whether public, personal, and professional life. He studied a variety of courses in intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, and public speaking which has taught him the importance of everything from one-on-one conversations to communicating with people from diverse cultures. In addition to being a Communication Studies major, he also studied Gerontology, the study of aging and older adults and used that to think about pursuing work in many diverse job opportunities. This has taught him that it is important for people to feel respected, heard, valued, and trusted in all aspects of life.
Growing up with parents in a natural environment who taught personal responsibility, accountability, and a strong work ethic, he had decided to pursue his personal ambitions at an early age. Through his ambition and first passion for music, he started to play the drums at age 13 and then transitioning later to vocals at age 20. At 25, he had worked professionally in film score music. Throughout his journey, he has worked 7 years in the restaurant industry as a line cook, 2 years as a tutor for children K-12, in addition to obtaining certificates in life insurance, real estate, and cybersecurity. However, unsatisfied with companies prioritizing profit over compassion, Lewis wanted a change in career paths in order to work with organizations that would focus more on promoting inclusion, immersion, and community over financial gain. Lewis has always shown compassion and care for others around him. And because he thrives in wanting to live a meaningful life, he decided to work in caretaking for elderly patients. Caretaking has offered him a new career in a supportive environment and the support for individuals to be able to maintain good health and mental stability. It has also taught him to work with the needs and preferences of the patients in their own natural environment. This allows them to live in a very positive environment. With his increasing desire to stay within creative pursuits, Lewis is continuing his ambitions and passions apart from music. He started to develop a different interest and passion which became acting by taking acting classes every week. It allows him an outlet and fulfills his constant need to have purpose in his life. He sees passions as a very important aspect for people to value their own mental health and how important it is for people to feel constantly valued.
He sees joining the Level Up team as an organization who cares about inclusion, immersion, and community and connecting with others who may share common goals that truly mean something to them. He also sees this as an opportunity to be able to offer guidance, awareness, self-determination, self-motivation, appreciation, and creative independence in order for others to also fulfill their own ambitions and live meaningful lives. He sees working with others as a constant source of inspiration to help in learning about himself in return. He doesn’t see this as just a career but the potential to share a memorable journey with others and to value and cherish experiences to the absolute fullest. That is the quality of life that is so crucial to a person's overall well-being. And he wants to be able to create ever-changing moments with the people he is looking forward to supporting.
Lois
Lois was born and raised in Torrance, California, and is the oldest of two siblings. Her Korean background has always influenced a big part of her identity growing up. She currently majors in Psychology with a minor in Brain and Behavioral Health, and is passionate about equal treatment among minority groups, especially members of the neurodivergent community. She hopes to spread awareness about the importance of being understanding, respectful, and compassionate to those who are sometimes labeled as different by society.
Lois discovered occupational therapy through a friend who recommended the career option to her. After thorough research and numerous talks with many OT grad students and OTs working in the field, she decided to pursue pediatric OT as she enjoys working with children. However, because she is relatively new to the career, she is looking to expand her experiences and is open to other OT options as well. She plans on entering grad school for occupational therapy and being involved in the healthcare industry.
Lois joined the team in the Summer of 2023 and hopes that through Level Up Solutions, she will be inspired by hardworking, like-minded individuals who share a passion for improving the well-being of the neurodivergent community. She is excited to experience growth, both as a direct support professional and with the people she will be working with, and to open a new chapter with the team during her last year in college.
Marie
Marie grew up in Western Washington. She relocated to California in 2009 to be a student in the Pathway Program at UCLA, graduating in 2011. Valuing her new friendships, the sunny Southern California weather and the abundance of career training opportunities made it easy for Marie to choose Westwood Village as her home away from home. She has been active in many internship programs including UCLA Hospital, Universal Music Group, and Variety Magazine. She also enjoys volunteering for Meals on Wheels. Marie currently works for Level Up Solutions as a full-time overnight staff member.
Marie’s deep concern for other’s well-being compels her to offer a helping hand to those in need, as she has had to address many of the same common issues in her own life and knows the value of a strong support system. On her free days, Marie enjoys walking her dog Riley, attending film premiers, television screenings, and visiting Mickey at Disneyland.
Marta
Marta was born January 1991 raised in Los Angeles, CA. At a young age her dream was to become a teacher. She started volunteering at her old elementary school; when she attended middle school through high school. She worked with second grade students in classwork and homework.
Growing up was the most difficult part. Her father suffered a heart attack and her priority was taking care of her dad while helping around the house. At that point on she realized she wanted to work in the medical field. Her father had to go through physical therapy and that made her want to become a physical therapist to be able to help people gain back movement and be independent once more.
After high school she became a mom and went to a trade school and got her certificate as Medical Assistant/Cardiac Tech. Her first job was at an acupuncture clinic as front desk receptionist. Marta managed the front desk mostly by herself and in the process learned a lot about Chinese herbal medicine. As much as she loved to greet patients her heart was somewhere else and knew that she could do so much more. Marta plans on going back to school and continue her education to be able to accomplish her dream.
Max
Max grew up in a town called Westford located between mill cities and farmland about an hour outside of Boston, MA. In middle and high school Max was a two-season varsity athlete running cross country and track and field. Max was also a member of Scouts BSA from the ages of 12 to 18. As a boy scout, Max learned how to work with peers of many different ages to navigate, camp, hike, and cook food in the wilderness of New England. During this time he spent two weeks backpacking through New Mexico at the age of 15, one of the most challenging feats Max has achieved so far in life.
When Max graduated high school in 2019, he made the decision to move to Los Angeles and attend UCLA. Max is a double major in Psychology and Sociology and has been a lead research assistant for two social neuroscience laboratories at UCLA as well as a research assistant for the Behavioral Laboratory at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Max is also involved with the Undergraduate Research Journal of Psychology at UCLA where he practices the peer-review process and assists undergraduate students in their psychology research endeavors as the organization’s Editor-in-Chief. Max is also a proud member of the Bruin Review, UCLA’s largest independent, student-run publication where Max advises new writers in expressing their voices.
As Max graduates from UCLA in 2023, he hopes to use the skills and experiences he has honed at UCLA and Level Up to be an effective agent of change within the workplace. Max has his sights set on attending graduate school to get a more advanced degree in the subfield of organizational and industrial psychology where he believes he will be able to help members of organizations cut through bureaucracies and achieve a productive and well-rounded work-life balance. In his free time, Max enjoys hiking, beaching, visiting museums, reading, drawing, and spending time with friends. Max joined the Level Up team in January 2023 and is very excited to get to know the community. He knows the struggle of adjusting to independent college living and has found his own solutions every step of the way. He feels very fortunate to be able to help others on their journey, playing a supporting role in each up, down, and side-ways that may come.
Nairie
Nairie was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She holds family ideals near and dear to her heart and, therefore, brings the same kindness and care to everyone she meets and works with. She believes that the trials, tribulations, and hardships she has experienced in life have all been a cluster of opportunities to learn and grow from, and prefers to find a positive outlook on most things in life.
Nairie has a background in Film/TV that began 8 years ago where she progressed through many roles from Hair/Makeup/SFX, Production Assistant, Boom Operator, Grip, and 1st Assistant Camera. Over time, she decided the lack of diversity and consideration towards those with developmental diagnoses in the industry is a problem, one she wanted to have solutions to. In 2022, she walked away from the film industry to pursue a career in Behavior Therapy for children diagnosed with Autism. She became passionate about giving children the best support they can receive, returning to school to pursue a Bachelor's in Psychology with a focus on Child Development and Developmental Diagnosis.
Nairie joined the Level Up Solutions team as a Direct Support Professional in 2023. She believes she can bring this same level of care and support to adults as well. Her hobbies include going to the gym, getting her nails done, cooking, finding new music, and traveling all over the world in pursuit of trying every coffee shop she can find. She loves to give 100% to everyone including herself, and she is so excited to work with all her amazing participants. Her goal is to create a comfortable, safe, and happy environment for her participants while they work together and progress within themselves, their life skills, and their independence.
Natali
Natali was born in Ventura, California and raised in Lomita, California. She was born from immigrant parents who later became a carpenter and preschool assistant. At an early age she became interested in singing, dancing, playing Dr. and sports. She played soccer in middle school and high school and went on to receive the Rookie of the Year Award and received her first honorary school letter. Natali joined the Human Resources Academy which inspired Natali to help others, joining the HSA program opened many doors for her. Natali began volunteering in nursing homes and hospitals.
Natali graduated high school and decided to take a couple years off from school to travel and find herself. Upon her return she decided to return to school to become a surgeons assistant. Natali did her rotation at St. Vincent Hospital in Los Angeles where she specialized in Spinal and General Surgery. She also worked at the Beverly Hills institute of plastic Surgery where she specialized in plastics. She wanted to help people in another way, which opened the door to Level Up Solutions. Natali's ultimate goal is to help others in need of a better life and Level Up did that for her.
“This is one of the most rewarding contributions by far, I am simply a gardener helping grow small seeds into flowers”. Natali
Nick
Nick was born and raised in Pasadena, California. In the fall of 2016 Nick moved to the Westwood area to attend the UCLA Pathway Program. While attending Pathway, Nick embraced everything the program had to offer like attending UCLA sporting events, doing different internship opportunities and learning valuable life skills. Nick was part of the Pathway Leadership group, where he helped lead program tours and contributed to the creation of the annual yearbook.
In the summer of 2018, Nick was offered the opportunity to volunteer as an equipment intern with the UCLA football team. Nick excelled in this role and remains with the team to this day as a valuable member of the equipment team. Nick joined the Level Up staff team at the start of 2024 as an overnight staff for the Pathway program. Nick hopes to help the Pathway students on their journey toward independence just as the stuff did for him when he was a student. In his free time, Nick likes to spend time with his family and friends and go on walks among other outdoor activities.
Nhu
Nhu grew up in Orange County, California as a daughter to Vietnamese immigrant parents. From a young age, she developed a passion for helping people in her community and would often participate in community service events organized by her scouting troop and high school to give back to those in need, many of which involved events with homeless shelters, breast cancer survivors, and more.
Nhu is a third year studying Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Disability Studies at UCLA and is currently on the pre-med track. She hopes to pursue a career in emergency or pediatric medicine and has a strong passion for providing service and care to underrepresented communities. At UCLA, Nhu is part of Unravel and UCLA Unicamp, both of which reflect her interests outside of medicine, namely sustainability in fashion and spending time outdoors. At the beginning of her sophomore year, Nhu entered the Disability Studies minor after witnessing the challenges that her grandparents, who are both victims of stroke and paralyzed on their right side, faced. She hopes that with the opportunities and support offered by the DS minor, she can gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by those experiencing physical and developmental disabilities, explore topics of health and accessibility with breadth and depth, and become a stronger advocate for equity and accessibility for all individuals.
Nhu joined the Level Up Team as a Direct Support Professional in Summer of 2022. Her goal is to connect with and empower the neurodivergent individuals she supports to help them work towards a better quality of life by teaching them life skills. She hopes to leave a small impact in their lives and motivate them to strive towards their full potential so that they can recognize that they are not defined by their disabilities, but rather their individual abilities and talents. Outside of work and school, Nhu enjoys hiking, backpacking, shooting film photography, and weightlifting with her friends.
Sandra
Sandra was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is the oldest of three and was born to Mexican immigrant parents. Since the age of 3, she has traveled every year to the cities her parents grew up in. She understands the hardships and difficulties her parents had to go through to give her siblings and herself a better opportunity. She also had the opportunity to see the many different cultural traditions and the beauty behind them all. This led to her passion for wanting to learn more about different cultures and her dreams to travel to different parts of the world.
Sandra attended the University of California, Davis where she got her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and a Minor in Education. She was the first person in her extended family to graduate college in 2020. During college, she participated in various internships at hospitals and schools where she became even more passionate about helping others. Taking different developmental and education courses about inclusion, opened her interest in understanding and supporting neurodiverse individuals.
Sandra joined the Level Up Solutions team as a Direct Support Professional in 2022. In her free time, Sandra enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and doing her nails, or you can possibly find her at one or both of the Disney parks visiting Mickey and his friends. She is excited to work with and support her participants with their life skills.
Sharon
Sharon was born in LA County and raised in Eastvale, CA. She is currently a fourth-year student at UCLA studying Psychobiology in hopes of pursuing the Physician Assistant track. Since the beginning of high school, she has been interested in community service as she was a part of many volunteer programs such as the American Red Cross, an animal adoption center, and the American Cancer Society. Coming from this background paved the way for her passion for community service in the health field.
Sharon is very passionate about fitness and strength training. Other hobbies of Sharon’s are cooking/baking, eating new foods with friends, and self-care such as skincare and body wellness. With these passions in mind, she is excited to contribute her own knowledge of fitness and help guide Level Up’s participants to be the strongest and most confident versions of themselves.
Sharon joined the Level Up team in the fall of 2023 as she was previously a registered behavioral technician in Riverside. Sharon hopes to apply these skills and contribute to Level Up Solutions with the best support and guidance for the neurodiverse community. As she did come from supporting participants in a younger age group, Sharon is excited to apply skills to an age group close to her and be able to walk through with the participants on their journey of growth and independence.
Shannon
Shannon was born in Torrance, California, 3 years after her parents immigrated from Vietnam to the US to flee the war. From an early age, she understood the importance of mental health because she saw the effects of PTSD, generational trauma, and stress on her immediate family members. Growing up as the first person in the family to be born in America, she has always had high expectations from herself, her parents, and her younger sibling and cousins, to be blaze the trail for everybody else. This included ordering food in restaurants for her grandparents at age 6, translating phone calls for her parents at age 8, babysitting her cousins all throughout elementary school, and even navigating high school and college without a blueprint. Her identity as a Vietnamese-American first-generation woman has come with unique experiences and challenges that have led her to become passionate about mental health as a career.
Shannon is now a third-year studying Psychology and Disability Studies at UCLA, and is on track to graduate after the Fall quarter of her senior year. Before the pandemic occurred, she joined a club on campus called Project BRITE, which stands for bruins reforming incarceration through education. As a member, she volunteered at the LA House of Ruth, a women’s shelter aiming to help women who were once in an abusive relationship find social and emotional support to go back to work again. She mentored and spent time with the children at the House and found that her passion lies in serving underrepresented populations find inclusive and affordable mental healthcare. At the beginning of her junior year, she entered the Disabilities Studies minor to advocate for the awareness and abolishment of ableism in both the field of psychology and mental healthcare counseling. She is currently researching the experiences of individuals with developmental disabilities in finding and receiving mental healthcare.
Shannon joined Level Up in the Spring of 2022 as a Direct Support Professional. Her goal is to empower and serve neurodivergent individuals and individuals with disabilities in their day-to-day lives. She plans on educating more people on Critical Disability Studies and abolishing the stigma behind mental illness, neurodiversity, and disability. Shannon also wants to continue her work in advocating for more accessible and higher-quality mental healthcare for marginalized communities. Outside of work and school, Shannon enjoys writing poetry, exploring the outdoors, reading, photography, and watching sitcoms.
Mookie
Mookie was born in Oregon and joined the Level Up tribe in November of 2020. He is very excited to complete his training as a tactile stimulation support animal and work with Level Up's staff and participants. He currently lives in Los Angeles and in his free time enjoys chasing balls, sleeping, and belly rubs. He is excited to join the LU tribe and can't wait to meet everyone!