RED POPPY TEAM:

	Dina Zarif \| Artistic & Managing Director Dina is an Iranian immigrant, performer, designer, and vocalist who combines Western classical singing with Middle Eastern styles inspired by her Persian roots. Some of her credits include SF International Arts Festival, Palace of Fine Art, San Jose Stage, Golden Thread Productions at Brava Theater, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and the staged reading of Layla & Majnun at BAMPFA as part of the symposium with Mark Morris Dance Group and the Silk Road Ensemble. She tours both nationally and internationally as a costume designer and actress in the shadow light production Feathers of Fire. Dina is also a part-time architect and holds an MA in Landscape Architecture from the University of Tehran’s College of Fine Arts.
	Andrew Scott \| Sound / Performance Host / House Manager Andrew Scott, born in London, has been an active musician, producer, and audio engineer in the Bay Area for the past 30 years. His journey is deeply rooted in a family history marked by resilience; his mother, a Holocaust survivor from Berlin, endured the loss of 29 family members in Auschwitz. Andrew’s professional career is as diverse as his heritage, encompassing roles as a college instructor at the University of London and San Francisco State University, as well as positions as a public policy advocate and non-profit administrator. Andrew was the executive at three Bay Area-based non-profits – YMCA of San Francisco, Campfire of Alameda/Contra Costa, California School Age Consortium. He is the proud owner of Studio 401, a recording studio in San Francisco, where he offers a wide range of services, including audio and video tracking, mixing, production, post-production, and live sound for clubs, festivals, and events. Andrew’s work has garnered recognition both locally in the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally in London, Brazil, and Argentina. Before his career in music, Andrew spent 35 years working in child development and community roles. He worked with several nonprofits in the Bay Area, including the YMCA of San Francisco, Campfire of Alameda/Contra Costa, and the California School Age Consortium. In London, he served as the Director of Youth Programs for the Wandsworth Borough. Andrew has also shared his expertise as an instructor in early childhood, adolescent, and community development at institutions like San Francisco State University and the University of London. Beyond his professional endeavors, Andrew’s personal journey is enriched by his family. His wife Pauline is a highly-regarded local artist, and their children, Chloë and Jody, are talented musicians in the local scene. You can learn more about Andrew and Studio 401 on our website: www.thestudio401.com.
	Anjali Varma \| Marketing and Content Specialist (Minuetto Media) Anjali Varma is an arts administrator, cultural producer, and advocate for arts education, with experience spanning India and the United States. With a Master’s degree in Arts Administration and a professional background that bridges program management, event production, communications, and development, she brings a cross-disciplinary, hands-on approach to building meaningful, accessible, and impactful arts programming. Anjali has worked with organizations across sectors — from grassroots initiatives to established cultural institutions — managing everything from artist support and donor relations to large-scale festivals, international collaborations, and strategic outreach. Her work is informed by a belief in the arts as a catalyst for community connection, cultural dialogue, and systemic change. Passionate about education, Anjali is particularly committed to integrating the arts into public learning environments and advocating for creative careers as valid, valuable, and sustainable pathways. Whether behind the scenes or at the heart of planning, she thrives in spaces where creativity meets purpose and collaboration drives impact. She currently works with organizations that aim to expand the reach and relevance of the arts — helping build platforms where innovation, equity, and cultural expression intersect.
	Nick Lo Kim Lin \| Videographer / Visual Content Creator Nick Lo Kim Lin is a Surinamese born upcoming American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is currently living in San Francisco, California and hopes to make San Francisco a place that produces more films rather than an area films are known to be based in. Born in Suriname, South America, he moved to America in 2003 at the age of 13. Nick has worked with various artists in the bay, short documentaries that brought awareness to diverse artists and their struggles, short films that touch on the psychology of horror found in everyday life. His passion is to capture and share the dilemmas of the human experience and the surroundings that create them.
	Verda Bursal \| Host & Operations Assistant Verda Bursal is a Turkish American artist and software engineer. She creates visual art (fiber arts, drawing, painting), as well as events like scavenger hunts that connect communities with their history and environment. She is passionate about education and sharing knowledge in art, language, STEM, and beyond. A lifelong maker, Verda has altered and created clothing for over a decade. When not volunteering or hosting at Red Poppy (and sometimes while doing so), she can be found knitting, crocheting, embroidering, or sewing.
	Ako Salemi \| Visual Content Creator Ako Salemi is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and visual storyteller based in the Bay Area. His work has been published by TIME, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Vox, and he has been recognized by the Pulitzer Center and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. At Red Poppy Art House, Ako creates video and photography content that documents the artists, performances, gatherings, and community moments that bring the space to life. His work focuses on capturing the intimacy, energy, and human connection of live performance while supporting Red Poppy’s mission as a neighborhood space for artistic exploration, cultural exchange, and socially engaged creativity. With a background in documentary filmmaking, photojournalism, and community-centered storytelling, Ako brings a quiet observational approach to his visual work — looking for the small details, gestures, and emotions that make each performance and gathering unique.

	Dina Zarif \| Artistic & Managing Director Dina is an Iranian immigrant, performer, designer, and vocalist who combines Western classical singing with Middle Eastern styles inspired by her Persian roots. Some of her credits include SF International Arts Festival, Palace of Fine Art, San Jose Stage, Golden Thread Productions at Brava Theater, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and the staged reading of Layla & Majnun at BAMPFA as part of the symposium with Mark Morris Dance Group and the Silk Road Ensemble. She tours both nationally and internationally as a costume designer and actress in the shadow light production Feathers of Fire. Dina is also a part-time architect and holds an MA in Landscape Architecture from the University of Tehran’s College of Fine Arts.
	Andrew Scott \| Sound / Performance Host / House Manager Andrew Scott, born in London, has been an active musician, producer, and audio engineer in the Bay Area for the past 30 years. His journey is deeply rooted in a family history marked by resilience; his mother, a Holocaust survivor from Berlin, endured the loss of 29 family members in Auschwitz. Andrew’s professional career is as diverse as his heritage, encompassing roles as a college instructor at the University of London and San Francisco State University, as well as positions as a public policy advocate and non-profit administrator. Andrew was the executive at three Bay Area-based non-profits – YMCA of San Francisco, Campfire of Alameda/Contra Costa, California School Age Consortium. He is the proud owner of Studio 401, a recording studio in San Francisco, where he offers a wide range of services, including audio and video tracking, mixing, production, post-production, and live sound for clubs, festivals, and events. Andrew’s work has garnered recognition both locally in the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally in London, Brazil, and Argentina. Before his career in music, Andrew spent 35 years working in child development and community roles. He worked with several nonprofits in the Bay Area, including the YMCA of San Francisco, Campfire of Alameda/Contra Costa, and the California School Age Consortium. In London, he served as the Director of Youth Programs for the Wandsworth Borough. Andrew has also shared his expertise as an instructor in early childhood, adolescent, and community development at institutions like San Francisco State University and the University of London. Beyond his professional endeavors, Andrew’s personal journey is enriched by his family. His wife Pauline is a highly-regarded local artist, and their children, Chloë and Jody, are talented musicians in the local scene. You can learn more about Andrew and Studio 401 on our website: www.thestudio401.com.
	Anjali Varma \| Marketing and Content Specialist (Minuetto Media) Anjali Varma is an arts administrator, cultural producer, and advocate for arts education, with experience spanning India and the United States. With a Master’s degree in Arts Administration and a professional background that bridges program management, event production, communications, and development, she brings a cross-disciplinary, hands-on approach to building meaningful, accessible, and impactful arts programming. Anjali has worked with organizations across sectors — from grassroots initiatives to established cultural institutions — managing everything from artist support and donor relations to large-scale festivals, international collaborations, and strategic outreach. Her work is informed by a belief in the arts as a catalyst for community connection, cultural dialogue, and systemic change. Passionate about education, Anjali is particularly committed to integrating the arts into public learning environments and advocating for creative careers as valid, valuable, and sustainable pathways. Whether behind the scenes or at the heart of planning, she thrives in spaces where creativity meets purpose and collaboration drives impact. She currently works with organizations that aim to expand the reach and relevance of the arts — helping build platforms where innovation, equity, and cultural expression intersect.
	Nick Lo Kim Lin \| Videographer / Visual Content Creator Nick Lo Kim Lin is a Surinamese born upcoming American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is currently living in San Francisco, California and hopes to make San Francisco a place that produces more films rather than an area films are known to be based in. Born in Suriname, South America, he moved to America in 2003 at the age of 13. Nick has worked with various artists in the bay, short documentaries that brought awareness to diverse artists and their struggles, short films that touch on the psychology of horror found in everyday life. His passion is to capture and share the dilemmas of the human experience and the surroundings that create them.
	Verda Bursal \| Host & Operations Assistant Verda Bursal is a Turkish American artist and software engineer. She creates visual art (fiber arts, drawing, painting), as well as events like scavenger hunts that connect communities with their history and environment. She is passionate about education and sharing knowledge in art, language, STEM, and beyond. A lifelong maker, Verda has altered and created clothing for over a decade. When not volunteering or hosting at Red Poppy (and sometimes while doing so), she can be found knitting, crocheting, embroidering, or sewing.
	Ako Salemi \| Visual Content Creator Ako Salemi is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and visual storyteller based in the Bay Area. His work has been published by TIME, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Vox, and he has been recognized by the Pulitzer Center and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. At Red Poppy Art House, Ako creates video and photography content that documents the artists, performances, gatherings, and community moments that bring the space to life. His work focuses on capturing the intimacy, energy, and human connection of live performance while supporting Red Poppy’s mission as a neighborhood space for artistic exploration, cultural exchange, and socially engaged creativity. With a background in documentary filmmaking, photojournalism, and community-centered storytelling, Ako brings a quiet observational approach to his visual work — looking for the small details, gestures, and emotions that make each performance and gathering unique.