Jeremy Deming

Executive Director

Jeremy has devoted over 25 years to the nonprofit sector, serving in leadership roles at nonprofit organizations nationwide and receiving numerous awards for his work, including the J. Richard Ullom Professional Excellence Award, the Gateway to Impact Award, Employee of the Year Award, and the Nonprofit of the Year Award from the Torrance Chamber of Commerce and the Chairman’s Award by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Jeremy has built a reputation as a compassionate and dedicated leader, consistently focused on improving quality and achieving better outcomes. His professional network and connections to resources have enabled him to strategically lead organizations to previously unattainable success.

As Chief Executive Officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Central Coast, Jeremy tripled the organization’s operating budget, restructured staffing and operational functions, added $1 million to the reserve fund, substantially increased event net profits, and overhauled the organization’s strategic plan to be focused on growth. Under his leadership, the organization went from 3 sites serving 300 youth to 12 sites serving over 2,700 youth in six years.

Most recently, Jeremy served as the CEO of Switzer Learning Center in Torrance, California.

Gary Shields

Deputy Director

Gary Shields is an experienced and passionate arts administrator having held positions in the both private and public sectors. Before joining the CSSSA Foundation, Gary previously worked for the GRAMMY Foundation, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, Education Through Music-Los Angeles, and the Nashville Symphony. Gary is also an avid pianist, award-winning composer, and music educator formerly on faculty at Cornerstone Music Conservatory in West LA.

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Gary received his B.M. in Music Theory/Composition from Vanderbilt University and his M.M. in Composition from the University of Southern California. Gary's composition teachers include National Medal of Arts recipient Morten Lauridsen, Frank Ticheli, Erica Muhl, Michael Kurek, and Michael Rose. Mr. Shields also studied piano with Jama Reagan and harpsichord with Carl Smith and Lucinda Carver. While a graduate student at USC, Gary was a mentee of GRAMMY and Emmy award winning film composer, Thomas Newman.

 
 
 

Jessica Hemingway, CSSSA 2004 Alum

Program Manager

Jessica Hemingway is an artist, educator, and arts administrator whose work focuses on cultivating creative communities and expanding opportunities for artists at every stage of their careers. She has a longstanding relationship with the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA), where she is an alumna of the Theater program and spent nearly two decades teaching within the program.

Jessica began her administrative career at the CSSSA Foundation as Program Manager, overseeing statewide outreach initiatives and cultivating relationships with schools and communities throughout California to expand awareness of and access to the program. She also oversees CSSSA’s Visiting Artist Program, coordinating the engagement of professional artists from around the world to share their expertise, mentor, and educate CSSSA students. In her current role overseeing Alumni Relations, she develops and leads in-person and virtual programming that fosters meaningful connections among CSSSA graduates. Through alumni events and initiatives, she creates opportunities for continued engagement, professional development, peer support, and artistic growth beyond the CSSSA experience.

 
 

David Barton

Special Events & Marketing Manager

David is a filmmaker, veteran, and technical jack-of-all trades. He served three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in U.S. Army’s storied 75th Ranger Regiment, earning the Parachutist’s Badge, Ranger Tab, and Bronze Star with Valor. He attended California State University, Northridge, receiving a Bachelors of Arts in Cinema and Television Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts in Screenwriting. Working on film and television shows at ABC, Skydance, and Netflix, David has contributed to the development and production of titles including The Goldbergs, Grace and Frankie, and Set It Up.

As the Marketing Manager, David is responsible for developing and managing all of the Foundation’s marketing and communications campaigns. Leveraging his own artistic skills, David produces the written copy, social media content, and marketing assets to support these campaigns. He builds and maintains the Foundation’s data management systems, and each summer, with a comically large backpack of filming equipment, David can be found roaming the hills of Cal Poly Pomona, documenting the CSSSA experience on video.