LA 2023 Speaker Bios2022-12-28T17:00:07-08:00
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Paloma Romo

With over 18 years of experience as a Professional Makeup Artist, Paloma Romo has expanded her work between Los Angeles and New York City. She has participated in numerous seasons of Milan and New York Fashion Week, working under the direction of some of the most recognized top makeup artists in the fashion industry such as Erin Parsons, Yadim Carranza, Kabuki, Pat McGrath among others.

Her resume includes multiple first assistant positions for campaigns and runway shows; working for brands and designers like Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, Prada, Miu Miu, Moschino, Schiaparelli, Marni, Donna Karan NY, Gucci, Balmain, Carolina Herrera, Dolce & Gabanna, Jason Wu, GAP and more. Paloma has promoted brands such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Bobbi Brown, Armani Beauty, Yves Saint Laurent, Temptu, Mehron NY, Maybelline NY, and Pat McGrath Labs.

Her work has been displayed in magazines like Paper City Magazine, Dazzed magazine, and Institute magazine, and the front cover and spread for the no. 123 The Makeup Artist Magazine, working on numerous models and alongside photographers like Victor Demarchelier, Glen Luchford, Mert & Marcus, Tom Ford, and Briana Capozzi.

Some of her latest projects include the American Contemporary Ballet 2022 campaign, as a lead artist, and The Academy Awards, for Oscar Winner, Carolina Gaitan for “Encanto”. As an educator, she teaches around the US and Latin America, attending numerous Makeup Artist Trade Shows, as well as performing private classes, and taking celebrity clients. Currently develops her own brand, and continues to bring her personal style and beauty approach to each project opportunity.

Stevie Bettles

Emmy Award Winning Artist Stevie Bettles demoing both Saturday and Sunday at the Out of Kit Booth. With over 3 decades of Special FX and Makeup expertise, Stevie has worked on well-known projects such as This is Us, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Old. Inventor and creator of “peel-n-stick” prosthetic appliances, Out of Kit.

Madeline Leonard

Madeline Leonard is owner/director of Cloutier Remix and brand consultant in the Lifestyle/Beauty/Wellness space.  She facilitates the connections between artists/experts/influencers with initiatives, brands, services, launches and media. Madeline’s long standing relationships with artists, brands and media are the foundation of what has made her agency so extraordinary for the past 30+ years. Madeline  continues to strategically broker meaningful partnerships and creative collaborations among artists, brands, and projects. ” Today our focus is much wider and more strategic. We facilitate how to stand out in a crowded market. She focuses on global brand partnerships and strategies. “Collaboration is the only path for great things. I’ve never lost the excitement that comes from being a part of a creative venture. “

Donni Davy

Donni Davy was born and raised by two artists in Venice, CA. She began her career as a film and TV makeup artist after graduating from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, with a BFA in Photography.

In 2012, Davy started her makeup career by cold-calling established makeup department head, Jane Galli, and then taking a crash course in special effects and beauty makeup with her, established makeup department head, Jane Galli which eventually led to Davy’s role as makeup department head for the 2017 Best Picture Academy Award-winner, Moonlight, where she became known for creating emotional realism through makeup with her custom blends of oil and makeup to create the film’s signature glistening, incandescent skin. Davy partnered with producer Barry Jenkins again in 2021 for Underground Railroad, but her first opportunity to experiment with bold makeup looks came with the film Under the Silver Lake.

Davy is best known for her Emmy Award-winning makeup on HBO’s Euphoria where, for the first-time, makeup became as much of a star as much as the characters themselves. With twinkling glitter, eye gems and swipes of high- pigmented liner, Davy took viewers on an emotional journey and defied pre-existing beauty and makeup norms to bring a whole new aesthetic to television. Credited with sparking a “Gen-Z Beauty Movement” (Vogue) Davy’s work inspired a #euphoriamakeup movement with fans from all over the world. In 2022 Google search data revealed Euphoria is the most inspirational TV show for the world’s makeup and fashion choices with more than 1.3 million searches combined.

In 2022, after spending years dreaming up impossible-to-find makeup products and shades, Davy launched Half Magic Beauty in collaboration with A24. Half You, Half Magic… the makeup brand inspires fantastical and colorful looks created with compatible, multidimensional, long-wearing layers of long-wearing matte colors, shimmer and glitter that inspire everyone from makeup “newbies” to professional makeup artists.

Raymond Wong

Raymond is the lead product designer at Grex, a Los Angeles based, family owned and operated company specializing in the design and manufacturing of professional air powered tools and airbrushes. For over 15 years, he’s drawn from his love of creative design and formal engineer background to bring innovative new products and technologies to the industry – many of which are award-winning and patented.

You won’t find anyone else in the industry that knows more about the intricacies of the inner workings and manufacturing of airbrushes. But with the skill to simplify the complicated, rest assured he’ll be able to communicate all the technical stuff in a language you can easily digest.

Luis Casco

Luis Casco is a highly respected and accomplished beauty expert and makeup artist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Having begun his career in the 90’s during the Supermodel Era in Paris, he has since worked with leading fashion designers, celebrities, publications, photographers, and models at top Fashion Weeks around the world, including New York, Moscow, and Paris. He has also served as the lead makeup artist for high-end events, such as the Primetime and Daytime Emmys, and has been featured as a beauty expert on numerous television shows, including Project Runway, Good Morning America, and CNN.

In addition to his impressive career in the fashion and beauty industry, Luis is also a gifted speaker and has traveled the world offering makeup tips and discussing fashion trends at major beauty trade shows. He is a sought-after consultant and brand ambassador for multiple cosmetics brands, and his social media presence has made him a key influencer in the fashion world.

Born in El Salvador, Luis emigrated to the United States at the age of 15. He is named in the book, The 100 Most Successful Salvadorans in the World. As an author, he wrote the bestselling book titled #beautiful 50 Easy-to-create selfie-looks; which has been published in three languages and received media attention from outlets like The New York Times and Allure. His second book, #beautyunfiltered, was released in 2019 to great success.

But above all, Luis is deeply committed to inclusivity and being an ally to people of all ages, sexes, and ethnicities. He is passionate about sharing his vast knowledge of beauty with anyone in a relatable way, and his goal is to help others follow their dreams. When he’s not traveling the world for his work, Luis divides his time between Los Angeles and New York City.

Jozef Rarach

Jozef Rarach has more than 15 years of Film and Television experience in prosthetic and special effects, as well as a creature performer. Mr. Rarach is  co-owner of FX Creator, full service prosthetic and special effects lab. His film credits include such films as Solomon Kane, The Zookiper`s wife,  Playdurizm, The Devil Conspiracy and Haunted (Netflix). The unique style of his work can be describe as sfx demonology ore occult FX. He is the founder and co-owner of FX Makeup School.

Vlad Taupesh

Vlad Taupesh has more than 30 years of Film and Television experience in all aspects of prosthetic, special effects and design in Europe and USA. Mr. Taupesh is co-owner of FX Creator, full service prosthetic and special effects lab. His film credits include such films as Solomon Kane, The Zookiper`s wife, Playdurizm, The Devil Conspiracy, Burial of the Rats and Haunted (Netflix). The unique style of his work can be describe as sfx demonology ore occult FX. He is the founder and co-owner of FX Makeup School.

Daniel Takahashi

Daniel Takahashi is a Mexican based artist globally recognized by his international trajectory, quality and experience in the makeup field and SFX for Film and TV Industry. As a freelance Makeup Artist and SFX Artist, Daniel helped to create and fabricate practical special effects for several feature films and TV shows, in collaboration with some important SFX Studios in the Film Industry. Some feature films and TV shows he has worked on include Skyscraper featuring Dwayne
(“The Rock”) Johnson, Power Rangers 2017, The Good Doctor, Once Upon a Time, The 100, among others.

Daniel has worked with vey iconic celebrity makeup artists in the industry, both, in beauty and in film such as Danessa Myricks, James Vincent and Emmy award winning makeup artists like Thomas E. Surprenant, Todd Masters and Toby Lindala; has collaborated with top leader brands in the market such as Bdellium Tools, Kryolan Professional Make-up, Mehron Makeup, TSCreations, DM Beauty, NYX Cosmetics and FX
Creator. Due to his talent, he has been part of the jury for some of the most renowned international makeup competitions: NYX Face Awards, International MUA Festival and Japan Connects Hollywood.

Daniel’s passion for the makeup and the special effects industry can be seen in his ability to innovate creative solutions in overcoming geographic limitations and circumnavigating obstacles in an otherwise unforgiving environment for the type of work he does. Currently, Daniel is co-owner and Founder of Takahashi Studio,

Ericka Brannon

Make Up For Ever, Regional Manager Education & Artistry, Western USA. “As a Pro Collective Global Artist for MAKE UP FOR EVER, our mission is to co-create High Performance Products inspired by Pros to unleash everyone’s personal edge”.

Dannica Lamouruex

Make Up For Ever, Regional Manager Education & Artistry, Canada. “As a Pro Collective Global Artist for MAKE UP FOR EVER, our mission is to co-create High Performance Products inspired by Pros to unleash everyone’s personal edge”.

Randi Orlinsky

Make Up For Ever, Regional Manager Education & Artistry, East USA. “As a Pro Collective Global Artist for MAKE UP FOR EVER, our mission is to co-create High Performance Products inspired by Pros to unleash everyone’s personal edge”.

Dustin Kemp

Make Up For Ever, Regional Manager Education & Artistry, South Central USA. “As a Pro Collective Global Artist for MAKE UP FOR EVER, our mission is to co-create High Performance Products inspired by Pros to unleash everyone’s personal edge”.

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