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Traci Peace (Founder/Executive Director), is a third generation San Franciscan, and has a B.A. in Child Psychology from San Francisco State University. Traci has studied Italian for the fashion industry at Linguadue Scoula di Italiano in Milan, Italy, as well as continued study at Istituto Italiano di Cultura in San Francisco. She is a fashion stylist, and has styled and consulted with bay area media personalities, Carlstrom Productions-San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, given fashion reports for WILD 94.9 morning radio show "The Dog House", interviewed former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown on "Men and High Fashion", and has worked with Paramount/Dreamworks Pictures for the Oscar winning film "DreamGirls". Traci has also been a theatrical dresser for the Tony award winning Broadway shows "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Chicago", American Conservatory Theater's "A Christmas Carol and Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City", Ballet San Jose's "Coppelia", Swan Lake"Romeo and Juliet" and "Riverdance". She has also worked with Elton John and Billy Joel on their "Face to Face" concert tour and Taylor Swift on her "Speak Now" tour. Traci has also worked with M3 Productions for one of most prestigious Academy Award events, Jeffrey Katzenberg's 2008 "The Night Before" Party and the "In Style Magazine" 2008 Oscar Party. She has organized and arranged fashion field trips for young fashion enthusiasts to tour renowned designer show rooms in New York City (Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Tracy Reese). Traci has had the honor of being invited twice a year (February/September) to The New York Collections (Fashion Week), where the top design houses showcase their Spring/Fall collections for high fashion magazine/newspaper editors, retailers, stylists and celebrities around the world. She has secured internships at New York fashion houses, as well as opportunities for her students to work during the New York Collections (Fashion Week). In September 2008 Traci took her students to New York for a fashion field trip. They were invited by TEEN VOGUE MAGAZINE for a private tour. Their tour was the week of the Spring 2009 New York Collections - Fashion Week. Traci was able to arrange for her students to work backstage during the shows dressing many of the models they see each month in Vogue and Teen Vogue Magazine. She has been a guest speaker for The San Francisco Public Utilities Commision/Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center/South San Francisco and James Denman Middle School annual Youth Career Day events. Traci's love affair with fashion started when she was a little girl. She was influenced by the impeccably dressed men and women she saw at church each Sunday. Her late grandmother introduced her to European designed clothing, but it was her late great-grandfather who not only influenced her love of high fashion, but a love of service to people. He was a pastor of a church and servant to the less fortunate, sick and often forgotten, who on his daily visits to hospitals, convelescent facilities and jails was beautifully dressed in tailored suits and shirts. Those events catapulted her love of high fashion and service to the stratosphere. Traci has been funding Visions Of La Moda since it's inception. She is determined that her students not only be prepared for advance study at the world's top fashion schools, colleges and universities, but also for LIFE in general.
Paula Soares (Chief Sewing and Fashion Design/French Instructor) was born and raised in Aracaju, Brazil. Paula’s passion for fashion started at the age of 15 when she began dressing models and doing backstage organization for fashion shows. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design from the Federal University of Ceara. Shortly thereafter she moved to France to improve her French Skills and work for the ready-to-wear company “Candy For Richmen”. In January 2008, she returned to Brazil where she found her true path as a senior designer in swimwear for the company “Sol e Bronze” (“Sun and Tan”). Paula is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Alika Mailly (Chief Visual Merchandisng/Marketing Instructor) She has a B.A. in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing and studied abroad in Nice, France at CERAM Business School. Alika was born and raised in Southern California’s Orange County and moved to San Francisco in 2006. Prior to her fashion career she coached gymnastics in Orange County for 3 years teaching girls and boys ages 18 months to 15 years old. Alika has completed internships in San Francisco at 944 Magazine, Sunhee Moon, Gucci. As well as an internship with American Eagle at their design studio in New York City. Some of her writing and styled photos shoots have been featured on 944.com. Currently she is a visual merchandiser for Nordstrom in Palo Alto. Fashion is always
evolving and the biggest form of self expression which is why she couldn't imagine her life without it. Her interest in fashion came from her mother and great grandmother who introduced her to high
fashion and always encouraged her to dress for yourself and not others.
Rose Villanueva (Fashion Illustration/Visual Merchandising - Chief Instructor, Emeritus), received a B.A. from San Francisco State University in Fashion Design in which she learned all the technical skills needed for the industry. Her strong point was fashion illustration, and her illustrations have been published in the S.F. Chronicle's Millennium Dress Contest and in the Philippine News. She has also participated in the S.F. Graphic Industry Paper Fashion show where one of her designs was made out of paper. Rose has also taken her education abroad to France receiving a Certificate of Completion from the Paris Fashion Institute. There she learned more insight and knowledge of fashion in Europe from couture to ready-to- wear. Upon returning home, Rose broadened her fashion experience working as a visual merchandise designer for Macy's West and most recently Neiman Marcus San Francisco. There she applied her merchandising and visual design skills through various forms. Currently she is the Visual Merchandising Manager for GUCCI - Northern California. Her Visual Merchandising expertise keep her traveling around the country. Rose was inspired by her grandmother, who was always fashionably dressed and a "jack of all trades". Her grandmother's fashion expertise included being a great seamstress and pattern maker. Rose continues to pursue her love for the industry in all aspects. In Rose's words: "I always look for the beauty, humor and love in life. That's what keeps me going"!
Mercedes Kerrison (Fashion Merchandising Instructor, Emeritus), graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a BFA in Fabric Styling. Employment includes working for retail locations, which include Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. She graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Merchandising. Currently, she is working for Calvin Klein in product development in New York City.
Tenneh Wilkins (Fashion Design Instructor, Emeritus), graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in Fashion Design. Tenneh was born in Washington D.C, but spent her childhood years in her parent’s native country Monrovia, Liberia. As a child, she watched her mother adorn herself in exotic West African robes, and intricately carved gold jewelry. She emulated her mother through crayon illustrations of lavishly ornamented gowns. She vividly remembers seeing vibrant colors and rich hues in everything typical of a tropical country. Fashion and life was everywhere. While at the University of Rhode Island, through a business management and planning course, she realized her greatest potential was in Fashion Design. She graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with a Master of Fine Arts in Fashion Design. She has ventured into entrepreneurship and developing her own clothing line in New York City.
Julia Soares Barboza (Chief Youth Counselor/Executive Assistant) is a native San Franciscan. She received her B.A. in Sociology and her Master's in Counseling with emphasis in School Counseling from Saint Mary’s College of California. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she volunteered with an organization called Lasallian Volunteers where she worked in an elementary school as a librarian, tutor, basketball coach, teachers’ assistant in Harlem, New York and Memphis, Tennessee. Julia has a social services background where she has provided resources and services for children and their families. During her field studies for her Master's degree, she interned at San Francisco's Youth Guidance Center where she worked with "young detainees" talking to and introducting them to "higher eduation". She also interned at De Marillac Academy in San Francisco's Tenderloin District, where she counseled students individually regarding their academic, social and emotional need. Julia is Ms. Peace's very first student in Visions of La Moda. Through the program she was also the first to be placed as an intern during the New York Collections (Fashion Week) for two consecutive seasons (Spring/Fall). She's volunteered with GenArt, Macy's Passport Annual Fashion Show and other local fashion projects. Julia has also accompanied Ms. Peace as a guest speaker at local high schools. She has intertwined fashion with counseling students and with her passion for fashion coupled with her love for helping young people, the sky is the limit. Julia is dedicated to her work and has the passion as well as the motivation to help students reach their highest potential.
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