Our Team
VICTORIA SAYEG
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Victoria has worked in the nonprofit space for 17 consecutive years. For a decade, she worked for Parks and Rec in the same Center for Arts and Culture that provided her with access to critical services as a child. Soon, what started as a job stacking chairs grew into office work grew into assistant directing, then directing, then writing and directing her own plays, several of which are published through Dramatic Publishing. She brought that same energy to Boys and Girls Club, where she managed all arts programming across 11 locations, produced galas, and taught kids improv. That momentum carried her further.
She landed at BRITE, a nonprofit focused on promoting health and well-being through the arts. There, she evolved from middle-school anti-drug gameshow host to Creative Director, ultimately leading her team in building BRITE Media from the ground up, contracting large-scale video and event production work through the County of Behavioral Health and Mental Health Services. Victoria also serves on the Board of Directors for TRANScend Youth, a nonprofit dedicated to education, advocacy, and events for and by trans and queer youth.
Outside the nonprofit world, Victoria has produced over 100 high-budget projects for Fortune 500 companies. She's riddled with NDAs, though she'll tell you those golden handcuffs dragged her everywhere from surgical centers in Amsterdam to dairy farms in Texas. One day, she decided she'd told enough stories about how the rich get richer on the backs of everyday people, and turned her focus back to community. Visit her personal website at sayegvictoria.com
DANNY WARREN
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
As a writer/producer focused on comedy and children’s programming, Danny has enjoyed years of success in the television industry. He got his start on classic series such as Even Stevens and That’s So Raven, before moving on to the Emmy-winning Nickelodeon hit The Loud House and the CBS comedy The Neighborhood. Recently, Danny has shifted his creative energy into the real world. He’s written keynote speeches for Fortune 500 CEOs and TEDx Talks for several prominent thought leaders.
When he’s not working, Danny enjoys embarrassing himself in front of celebrities. Notable moments include being informed by George Clooney that his fly was open and completely bungling a handshake with Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan.
JENNA LAY
VICE PRESIDENT & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Jenna Lay is a Ventura County native whose introduction to the performing arts began in elementary school through an after-school theatre program. She attributes this early access to arts education as instrumental in fostering both her creative development and personal well-being. Jenna Lay is a graduate of Moorpark College’s Film, Television, and Digital Media program (Class of 2024). Her professional experience includes work on high-budget, union-affiliated film productions, music videos, and a substantial portfolio of student projects. In addition to her performance work, Jenna has written and directed a range of productions, including short films and children’s theatre. She remains dedicated to advancing arts accessibility for youth and is committed to mentorship practices that cultivate artistic expression, creative confidence, and community engagement among emerging young artists.
NAVID PAPEHN
BOARD MEMBER / STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Navid Papehn spent a part of his professional career working in mental health before transitioning to community healthcare. Through these experiences, he has learned the importance of building meaningful relationships, understanding people and their unique experiences, and creating trust, communication, and connection within communities.
His son has a passion for theater and performing, giving him a personal appreciation for the role creative spaces can play in helping people express themselves, build confidence, and find community.
More recently, he has developed a creative interest of his own through youth sports media. He enjoys being behind the camera capturing local youth athletics and creating content that highlights the athletes, families, teams, and communities around them. What began as a hobby has given him a growing appreciation for storytelling and the ability of media to help people feel seen, celebrated, and connected.
Navid joined Project RAFT because he believes media can do more than inform—it can bring people together, give communities a stronger voice, and tell the stories that make a place feel like home. He is excited to contribute his community perspective and passion for media to Project RAFT.
He currently serves in an executive leadership role at a nonprofit community health center in Los Angeles, where his work focuses on organizational strategy, growth, and developing programs that respond to the needs of the communities it serves. He looks forward to bringing his professional experience to Project RAFT in support of its mission.