About Us

As a dedicated feminist with a life-long appreciation of the arts, Shannon is thrilled to join the Moxie Board of Directors. She graduated with degrees in theatre and art history from Scripps College (a women’s college), and then spent the next several years pursuing acting, and then theatrical production, in New York City. She is now a litigator and trial attorney, a shareholder at Sullivan Hill, with substantial experience litigating complex commercial and business disputes, including for non-profit Boards. She teaches trial skills to other lawyers, and actively works within her male-dominated profession to recognize, support and promote women leaders. Shannon is a proud San Diegan and a single mom by choice to a darling young daughter. When not at the theatre, she tries to spend as much time as possible in our beautiful National Parks.

Vivienne is currently the Deputy Director of the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. She comes with a lifetime of experience in activism, management and passion to help others.  She is the Treasurer for Alliance San Diego, was the Treasurer of MOXIE Theater Company from 2013 to 2016 and has served on numerous boards both nationally and regionally including the National Organization for Women (Boston) and the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. She has a BA in Finance, an MBA in non profit management and the heart of a Bostonian. Vivienne has been a card carrying feminist since birth and swore an allegiance to the non profit sector at the age of 15, before she was too old to know better.

Jamie has extensive experience at City Hall and with local political campaigns. She served as Chief of Staff to Barbara Bry,  1st Council District, and Prior to that, she was Chief of staff to Councilmember Todd Gloria (California State Assemblymember.)  Jamie’s policy interests include public safety, education, labor, the arts community, and tourism. In addition to her work in government, she was a Lecturer for the Department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies at San Diego State University for over 10 years. Jamie was raised in Los Angeles, and came to San Diego to obtain bachelor’s degrees in consumer sciences and English, and a master’s degree in Comparative Literature. Outside of work, she can be found spending time with her family, and performing improvisational comedy.

Dr. Edith Benkov attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received her Ph.D. in French Studies. She began her career at SDSU in 1983 as a member of the Department of French and Italian. She chaired that department from 1989 to 1996. After the creation of the European Studies Department, she served as its chair from 2002 to 2010. A strong of advocate for internationalizing the curriculum, she was instrumental in adding an international experience to the four majors housed in European Studies. She became a member University Senate 1999 and served as its Chair from 2007-2010. She was the Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs from 2010-2015. At SDSU, her primary areas of teaching have been in French and European Studies. She also worked on the development of the Lesbian, Gay and Transgender Studies major. She is Co-Director of the LGBTQ Research Consortium. Her research specialties include theater, gender, sexuality, and religious conflict in early modern Europe. She is internationally recognized in her field. When not involved in university and community work, she spends as much time as possible in her house in Southern France.

Mayra Garcia has served has on multiple Boards including educational institutions, local and state legal associations, and nonprofit organizations. She holds a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law, has worked as an Assistant Federal Defender and Deputy Public Defender in San Diego, and currently runs her own practice as a criminal defense attorney. She is passionate about fighting for individual rights through her professional work as well as supporting and promoting women, previously as the Board President of Mount Holyoke College Club of San Diego, the first women’s college in America, and presently as the Board Secretary of the MOXIE Board of Directors.