Staff
Meet the 2023 Staff
Jay Seidel
Festival Director
Jay Seidel
Jay Seidel
Jay Seidel has been fascinated by visual storytelling for decades. A former photojournalist who worked for a variety of newspapers and magazine outlets found a passion for drones and aerial storytelling. Seeing all the amazing work by the many aerial visual storytellers and content creators from around the would is what led him to start the Southern California Drone Festival.
Jessica Strydom
Event Manager
Jessica Strydom
Jessica is an Orange County-based Public Relations, Marketing, and Event Design professional with hands-on experience working with diverse brands. She is passionate about elevating brand identity through creative storytelling and thoughtfully designed environments. She’s a South African native who loves Southern California’s cultural diversity, culinary experiences and is always on the hunt for her next adventure!
Maria Obry
Marketing Staff
Maria Obry
Maria is a graphic designer with a wide range of expertise in brand-identity, illustration, UX, print + poster design and photo-editing. I have more than three years of experience designing graphics including social media posts, original icons for websites and hand drawn illustrations. In my free time, I take photos, draw and make oil and acrylic paintings, which helps me hone my creativity and visual arts skills.
I love a good challenge.
Cecilia Torres Castillo
Marketing Staff
Cecilia Torres Castillo
Cecilia Torres Castillo is an alumni from the University of California, Riverside, where she obtained her B.S. in Business Administration with a Marketing Concentration. She has recently taken on the journey of a Masters Degree in Arts and Culture from the University if Denver, and has held many roles at the Disneyland Resort since 2018.
Chloe Stanford
Marketing Staff
Chloe Stanford
Chloe is a senior at California State University, Fullerton majoring in Communications and Public Relations. Outside of her internship and studies she is a cast member at Disneyland Resort and hopes to go into medical device sales once she graduates.
Heather Wrixon
Marketing Staff
Heather Wrixon
Currently a student at California State Polytechnic University. Heather is a highly motivated and dedicated marketing student with a demonstrated history of working in media and entertainment. Strong written and verbal communication skills, skilled in photography, photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Microsoft programs, styling, fashion marketing, management, and digital marketing. She strives to continuously learn, challenge, and promote innovation, technology and creativity.
Beatrice Murietta
Marketing Staff
Barbara Romano
Marketing Staff
Barbara Romano
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Barbara Romano is a junior at Cal State Long Beach majoring in Business Administration – Marketing. She loves to travel and go to the beach.
Ella Deshautreaux
Marketing Staff
Barbara Romano
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Ella Deshautreaux is a junior in the communications, public relations program at Cal State Universit, Fullerton. The Newport Beach native enjoys going to the beach and bodysurfing in the summer. She hopes to become a lawyer and be involved in the sports and entertainment industry.