THE 'OHANA
Meet the team members who are the driving force behind our organization.
Russell Jensen
Recreational Therapy Director
Superpowers: Agility, Plein Air Painting
Russell is a licensed marriage and family therapist hailing from Fresno, CA with over ten years of education and training in Gestalt Therapy; a modality of therapy that encourages coming into awareness of the present moment with clarity and contact.
In 2020, when we all underwent a harsh period of intense clarity and contact with many painful realities of our present moment, Jordan Fong created Illustrative Voices.
Russell, an old college friend of Jordan’s, was inspired by Jordan’s mission to bring expression, awareness, and inclusion to individuals and communities who have a healing story to share, and so joined the Illustrative Voices family. He hopes his background in the healing arts can somehow contribute to the mission that brings this Illustrative Voices family together. He believes that when all of our voices are included, we can more easily find the path towards healing.
Michael Granville
Exhibitions Director
Superpowers: Speed, Surrealism
As a practicing artist and exhibiting artist Michael brings his years of experience to Exhibitions Director with much enthusiasm and excitement. Michael is tasked with organizing and developing the themes of our art exhibitions. Art and athletics helped develop Michael into an altruistic team player and entrepreneur. Growing up under the poverty line family, Michael relied on art, education and athletics the formula for his social footprint.
In 2015, Michael started G:FIT bootcamp. G:FIT goal is to put the unity in community by creating a gym without walls, literally and figuratively. As an All-American athlete, Michael travelled the country and met people out of his normal social bubble. The experience of having teammates from different religions, genders identities, and nationalities gave Michael the passion for activism and love for people of all backgrounds.
As an artist, Michael expresses himself with colors in motion. In 2018, Michael hosted a retreat that encouraged guests to find personal wellness through Exercise, Art, Rest and Nutrition. Spotlight that we must E.A.R.N our wellness habits and another that mixes athletics with art titled “Artletics”. Michael continues to strive to combine fitness, community and creativity.
Anh Tran, MA, AMFT, ATR-P
Advocacy Director
Superpowers: Teleportation, Color Theory
Oscar Lopez
President & Creative Director
Superpowers: Strength, Figure Painting
A native of Mexico City, Mexico, Oscar is ready to bring his years of art experience to this role. As the Creative Director, Oscar is tasked with the development of the public art and special projects offered by Illustrative Voices.
Oscar is an established and sought after muralist, and is currently collaborating with another local Bay Area artist on a commissioned mural for the City of Los Altos.
Art became a healing outlet since childhood, processing the space as a daughter of Vietnamese refugees, navigating inter-generational trauma, and other intersections as a woman of color. Growing up realizing how a woman of color is silenced, Anh too realized other marginalized communities have been silenced (and continue to be silenced) while growing up with fellow marginalized people of color of Stockton, CA with few resources. Hence, the journey of working with children with autism, a population that has taught Anh to teach them, especially through artistic creative expression. This began Anh's journey working in the non-profit sector in 2007.
From using art expression for children with impacted by cancer to teaching art for the elderly with dementia, incorporating art in the outpatient setting for adults, for the neurodiverse students, and currently using Art Therapy for youth working in a non-profit organization, there are no bounds through the power of art expression (or containment) which can empower us to reclaim our stories and discover our own resilience, especially for marginalized communities.
As an Art Therapist and Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Anh feels that Illustrative Voices’ mission can allow her to strengthen the voices of the marginalized folks, as Anh's personal philosophy very much aligns with Illustrative Voices' mission in fostering creativity, advocacy and education for all communities. Illustrative Voices’ main objectives have been ideologies she's lived by since 2007, which Anh will continue to push for as Advocacy Director for as long as she is able.
Jessica Fong
Community Outreach Director
Superpowers: Telepathy, Shell Stitch
Jessica joins us as an avid proponent of community leadership and stewardship. Having been born and raised in the Richmond District of San Francisco, CA Jessica is responsible for growing and building our relationships with our Bay Area communities.
Jessica brings to Community Outreach Director her experiences working as a healthcare professional and providing care for the greater Bay Area communities. A practicing artist, Jessica also does felt crafts and crochets.
Jordan C. Fong
Founder & Executive Director
Superpowers: Flight, Linear Perspective
Jordan is a Bay Area local from Los Altos, CA and brings his passion for the arts and visual storytelling to Illustrative Voices.
He believes everyone has a story that is worth being told and shared. Jordan is excited for the opportunity to empower Bay Area communities to expand their artistic skills with Illustrative Voices and to express their vision of what social justice looks like through the visual arts.
His experiences in various leadership roles at non-profit organizations such as the The Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, Honolulu Academy of the Arts, and Public Allies, to name a few, have helped prepare him for this creative endeavor.
Being a former Visual Development Artist for mobile gaming and entertainment production companies Jordan is excited to share his knowledge and insight with the Bay Area artist communities. Since 2009, Jordan has been teaching within the realm of Art Education and Higher Education and currently teaches full-time as a Professor of Visual Arts .
"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team. I defer to it and sacrifice for it because the team - not the individual - is the ultimate champion."