JP Neang

Resident Artist / STEAM Development Specialist

JP Neang joined Kids’ Country in 2012. An artist & Creative Director, JP’s work has been showcased in various galleries in the US and has been recently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, HI-Fructose Magazine, and Governor’s Office State Capital. JP’s passion in the creative world extends beyond her art. She was a Featured Innovator of the Month at the Children’s Creativity Museum, starred in the documentary Paper Garden by Erick Lee, and a 2015 Maker Team Member powered by Google. She has taught creative education (21st century thinking, creative engineering, & the arts) for several years working to inspire the world with her current project called “Imaginary Atlas”, an initiative to bring back the act of creating to children on a global platform.

Sam Pulanco

Resident Artist / Music & Technology Curriculum Specialist

Sam Pulanco has been teaching at Kids’ Country since 2010. Equipped with over 18 years of experience as a youth music director throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and having written and produced dozens of original songs while teaching others to do the same, Sam hasn’t shown any signs of slowing his love of music and education. Drawing on his core values of honor, integrity, and fun, Sam has taught hundreds of youth with one goal in mind — that the ceiling of his successes would become the floor for theirs. His love of technology and experimentation has led him to develop curriculum integrating music production using Ableton Live and MIT’s acclaimed kid-friendly online coding program, Scratch. Always one to dream, Sam also piloted Kids’ Country’s very first Filmmaker’s Academy where kids created original films and watched them on the big screen at Livermore’s Vine Theatre. When he’s not tinkering with new ideas, you can find Sam at home relishing time with his wife Tiffany and their daughter Olivia.

Tiffany Pulanco

Curriculum Specialist

Tiffany Pulanco has been working with children for over 15 years. She first started working for Kids’ Country in 2006. She is a credentialed elementary school teacher who has taught in SRVUSD at Coyote Creek Elementary School and also in the private school sector. Her experience teaching includes supplementing, piloting and adopting new curricula. Since returning to Kids’ Country, she has piloted Reggio-Emilia inspired interest areas at Montair Elementary, launched the first Zone summer camp and engaged in project-based learning training. Her passion has always been children and creating experiences that spark interests, inspire creativity, and instills a lifelong value for learning. Her other interests include: being a first-time mom, enjoying time with family, creating and adventuring to new places!

Jamie Roman

Music Theater Specialist

Jamie has been involved in the arts her entire life, finding her love of dance at the
age of three and beginning teaching at fourteen years old. Jamie piloted the first musical theatre program for Kids’ Country directing seven musicals, including her childhood favorite, “Annie Jr.” in addition to leading a thriving cheer program at Coyote Creek. Recently, Jamie received professional theatrical training at A.C.T. (American Conservatory Theater) while attending a week long intensive program in San Francisco. Jamie feels very passionate about the arts being accessible to school age kids and looks forward to many more Kids’ Country productions.

Brian Shields

CEO, UpTempo Group

Brian is the founder and CEO of UpTempo Group, a Danville based technology company that focuses on technology innovations in healthcare, education, and small business. He develops educational curriculum to help children learn the skills to turn their creative visions into live 3D Objects, Web sites, Graphic Designs, and more. Prior to joining the corporate world, Brian served our military as a helicopter pilot and has an Engineering Physics Degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Brian is an active member of the Danville community, serving as a Board Member for the Innovation Tri Valley Leadership Group, St. Isidore School Foundation Board Member and Officer, and Member of the Danville Chamber of Commerce. Brian recognized that new technologies allowed for the rapid development of creative concepts.

Bay Area Children's Theater

Kids’ Country began its partnership with Bay Area Children’s Theatre (BACT) in 2015 to expand our theatre enrichment classes. Founded in 2004, Bay Area Children’s Theatre works to enrich children’s lives, inspire their imagination, and introduce them to lifelong enjoyment of theatre. Today, BACT serves more than 72,000 children and adults each year with professional productions specially designed to engage young audience and theatre education for students in more than 10 East Bay communities.