Daniel Nakamura
Co-Founder / Chair
Daniel is the co-founder of Let’s Play America and Chair of the Board. He owns Booth-o-Rama Photobooths, which serves the Washington Metro Region. Daniel loves to document kids in action and promotes play through his photography.
Phil Shapiro
Member
Phil experienced a childhood filled with indoor and outdoor play with his siblings and friends. His parents also provided many experiences in nature — from beaches, to forests, to mountains. His schooling reinforced values of creativity, play, and nature. Phil chronicles that experience in the first person essay: “The Day My Mind Became Open Sourced.”
Pat Rumbaugh
Co-Founder / Member
Pat is co-founder of Let’s Play America and is affectionately known The Play Lady. “When I play, I’m happy, energized and enthusiastic, and I feel like I can take on the world,” says Pat, who is a passionate play advocate and encourages people of all ages to experience the benefits of play.
Joann Robertson
Secretary
Joann represents the playground inspection and repair firm on Long Island, NY. Joann frequently contributes photos and safety-related articles to numerous publications. Joann attended Springfield College and graduated with degrees in Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Science. She writes a blog found here!
Emily Schreiner
Treasurer
Emily previously worked as an intern for LPA before joining the Board. She holds a Master’s degree in public health from The George Washington University and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She is passionate about public health, health equity, community resilience, and improving health outcomes through lifestyle and mental health.
Cherwanda Oliver
Member
Cherwanda is a mother of three wonderful daughters and has resided in Takoma Park Maryland for 34 years. She has been a community volunteer with Let’s Play America since 2010 and acquired the name “The Mud Pie Lady” for her playful antics. She is also involved in several other local community committees and organizations.
Louise Bensen
Member
Louise has an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood and Human Development and a Masters in Educational Psychology with a specialty in Early Childhood. Louise has observed the power of play to support social skills, emotional healing, learning, and healthy development throughout her roles as an educator, School Psychologist, Clinical Supervisor and Special Education Director.
Gabriela Granados
Member
Gabriela is a long-time volunteer with Let’s Play America and recently joined the Board. She is currently a student at Montgomery Community College studying Criminal Justice and enjoys giving back through ample community service hours. Throughout her life and education, Gabriela values play.
Ashley DePaulis
Advisor
Ashley is an embodiment practitioner and play advocate with a Master’s in Public Health. She is based in Denver, Colorado, where she enjoys exploring new forms of movement and being outdoors year-round. As the founder of Embodied Success, she’s passionate about inspiring others to weave play into their daily routines.
Jen Byrne
Advisor
Jen has designed for national museums, Fortune 500 companies, and international non-profits for the last 25 years. In 2005, she founded her graphics company Live.Create.Play. LLC®. In 2013, Jen formed Little Main Street Playhouses, LLC®. Her special gift is in helping others express their unique vision to be seen and make their mark in the world—adults and children alike!
Dr. Donna Graham
Advisor
Dr. Donna Graham has served on the State level as President, First Vice President, chair of World Fellowship and Technology Committee.
Donna retired as a teacher in June 2009. Among her many accomplishments, she is most proud of being the District of Columbia Teacher of the Year (1995.)
Dr. Stuart Brown
Honorary Advisor
Stuart Brown, MD is the founder of the National Institute for Play, where he speaks, consults and educates organizations, corporations, universities, and public policy makers about the importance of play in our lives and the unexpected, serious consequences that occur when play is neglected.
Dr. Kimberly Herriman
Advisor
Dr. Kimberly Herriman is a clinical psychologist with the County of Santa Barbara, specializing in forensic assessment of individuals with serious and persistent mental illness involved in the legal system. She is also an improviser and instructor with SB Improv, where she designs inclusive, adaptive classes that bring the benefits of improv to individuals of all abilities. Dr. Herriman is the founder of Pursuit of Play, integrating psychotherapy with play and experiential learning to foster connection, creativity, and meaningful change.
Lisa Renee Wilson
Advisor
Lisa Renee Wilson is the founder of Playfulli, a photography and adult play advocacy business in Bloomington, Indiana, where she has spent years capturing and creating joyful expression through portraits and events. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Indiana University and draws on an interdisciplinary background in human sexuality, yoga, meditation, and the creative arts — all anchored by a belief that play is not just an activity, but an attitude and a way of experiencing life. A presenter at the 2026 US Play Coalition Conference, Lisa co-led “Recess Time” with Pat Rumbaugh and Dr. Kimberly Herriman and solo-created a Playful Photography Booth designed to help adults feel playful from the inside out. Through Playfulli, she leads workshops, a community Play Group, and events that invite adults to shed the “shoulds” and reconnect with authentic self-expression, creative thinking, and well-being. [Photo by Angela Jackson Photography]
Chuck Wedge
Advisor
Chuck Wedge is a Creative Producer, Writer, Educational Designer, and lifelong advocate for play, imagination, and storytelling. His childhood love of outdoor exploration and imaginative play became even more meaningful after a long illness during his youth, when creativity and play helped him navigate years spent in hospitals and unfamiliar environments.
For more than 25 years, Chuck has worked across educational toys, games, and children’s media, creating playful learning experiences designed to spark curiosity and connection.
