Nicolette Onesto - Co-Founder, Creator
Nicolette is co-founder, creator, and advisor to Ella Adventures and Ella the Engineer comics. As a high schooler in her STEM program, Nicolette saw the opportunity to make an impact on future generations by working on the Ella Project.
She is a student at the University of Miami studying Finance & Math. She is the PR representative for the UMiami Finance Club, a Club Basketball player, and a member of other clubs and organizations.
As a student at St. Joseph Hill Academy High School in New York, she was a national honor society member, an AP student, and a winner of chemistry and service awards. Nicolette also served as President of the student council, played varsity basketball since freshman year, and placed first in the New York section shot put championship.
Nikki volunteers, does community service, and coaches/mentors young girls.
Anthony Onesto - Co-Founder, Creator
Anthony is co-founder of Ella Adventures and creator of Ella the Engineer. As a human resource professional and father, his goal is to have a positive impact on the future of women in STEM or STEAM, plus entrepreneurship. Having grown up loving comics and cartoons, Anthony felt that the way to make global impact was by entertaining kids first and creating a hero they could aspire to be like.
The Ella stories profile a female hero not seen anywhere in comics, animation, or on television. A strong and smart person who uses her mind and smarts, with the help of some real women in STEM, to solve problems for her friends and family.
Advisors
Frank Onesto - High School Student
Ella Onesto - High School Student (and namesake)
Entertainment & Technical Advisors
Madeline Di Nonno - Advisor - President & CEO at Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
Abigail Hing Wen - Executive Producer - New York Times Bestselling Author, Film Producer, AI Thought Leader & Speaker
Swapna Krishna - Executive Producer - Swapna is a space, science, and technology journalist and is the writer and host of PBS’s Far Out, a YouTube show about the next 50 years in STEM.
Ayanna Howard - Technical Advisor - Ayanna is Dean of Engineering at The Ohio State University College of Engineering, Board Director, Startup Founder, Robotics and AI Expert
Dr. Dina Kapengut - Technical Advisor - Dr. Kapengut is a developmental psychologist and social science researcher with experience conducting qualitative & quantitative research with parents, educators, and children for media, entertainment, and toy brands. Her academic research seeks to illuminate the impact that the equity gap and other socio-economic and environmental influences have on child development.