Juliana Bruno stepped into the Interim Executive Director Role in 2024 following the sudden passing of Ace’s long-time executive director, Rachel “Crafty” Sadd. They joined the Ace leadership team in the spring of 2023 as an Officer inspired by their belief that everyone should have access to making things. Juliana is passionate about supporting Ace’s mission-driven growth. As the former Director of the Arts Administration Support Center at U.C. Santa Barbara, and the founder of Social Refugees, a grassroots organization that provides support, resources, and art mentorship to people who are affected by mental illness, suicide, and death, they bring over ten years of arts education leadership, nonprofit administrative, and grant writing experience to the table. As a writer, podcaster, and artist working in installation, and photography their work addresses mental illness, loneliness, death, suicide, and heartbreak associated with illness and death. Their upcoming book, Reasons to Live, offered by Mango Publishing Group’s New Imprint, Books That Save Lives, drops Sept. 2024 as part of Suicide Awareness Month.
Matti first joined Ace in 2019 as part of the Monster Corps volunteer program where they supported Python development on the Fob All The Things Project which enables members to access the space 24/7. Several months later they joined the leadership team where they served as Vice President and Tech Director until 2022. As Tech Director they facilitated volunteers for tech projects and used their expertise in web development functions to implement the occupancy tracking and contact tracing system that enabled Ace to remain open through pandemic.
After the passing of long-time Executive Director, Rachel “Crafty” Sadd in 2024, they joined the Board of Directors to help the organization move forward with a focus on creating an even more welcoming, accessible space and to ensure that their perspective as a trans, immigrant, neurodivergent, person is represented at the leadership level. For them, Ace Makerspace offers a refreshing alternative to traditional male dominated hacker/makerspaces and they are excited to help move the mission forward.
In their own life, being a part of the creative Ace Community has played a key supporting their mental health. They use the space to co-work, make art projects, and laser-cut custom gifts for friends. When they aren’t at Ace they love playing guitar and keyboard, writing songs, biking, and hanging out with their adorable cats, Neptune and Buzz.
Steven joined in September 2018 Ace specifically to help with our “financial things” and support the community. He brings professional experience working with schools across the country. He enjoys helping non-profits worry less about the finances and more about the programming. After moving across the country three times (!) he looks forward to learning the laser and enjoying all the Bay Area has to offer.
David has been an Ace member since 2019, and is thrilled to serve on Ace’s interim board because Ace has provided him with a piece of his life he didn’t think he needed and wants to give back. He loves how Ace enables people from all walks of life to make amazing things (like sushi robots) and is excited to help Ace reach folks everywhere, especially those with less access to creative and technical resources. Though David initially joined Ace for the Workshop, he ended up falling in love with the laser cutter. He now teaches Laser Basics classes and always looks forward to the look of awe and wonder on student’s faces when they burn their first project, a nametag. Leveraging his professional experience, David also helps to manage the IT needs of the organization. Over the years he’s participated in Ace’s mutual aid collaboration with Lead to Life, taken classes in each of Ace’s Program Areas, and has provided mentorship and support to countless laser cutting novices. As a board member, he’s stoked to be a part of big decisions that will help Ace thrive, become more accessible, and even more Ace!
