Bio: Nyla has enjoyed folding origami since elementary school, mainly to share origami
amongst friends and also to find the perfect paper airplane model for paper airplane contests (ongoing
progress). When she is not frolicking amongst her piles of mostly completed origami, you can often find
her dodging birds while practicing archery, struggling in C#, or swing dancing with other origami club
members. She is grateful to have found such a welcoming and fun community in this club and always
welcomes suggestions on more ways to share this atmosphere with the community!
Vivek Chotai | Co-president, Community Outreach Coordinator
Year: Third
Member Since: 2021
Major: MCDB
Bio: Vivek started folding by giving out cranes in high school. As one of the worst
folders in the club, Vivek represents that all levels of origami experience are welcome in BOFA. Initially
joining BOFA to learn a new skill, and have fun in a club that wasn’t just to fill his resume, he has
stayed because of the community of kind, witty friends he has been fortunate to meet. Outside of school,
Vivek has accumulated 13500+ taco bell reward points, attended the clash of clans world championships,
and achieved epic victory royale.
Mark Diamond | Vice President
Year: Fourth
Member Since: 2019 (Founding Member)
Major: Electrical Engineering
Bio: Origami is a passion that has been a part of Mark ever since he can remember.
Like really, I actually don’t remember what age I was lol. From the moment he first learned the art
from his uncle, to a short-lived origami business in 6th grade, to an ever-increasing collection of
models, Mark has lived and breathed origami. While he’s not very good at writing bios, he is kinda
funny so I guess that makes up for it. His passions in video editing and photoshopping are frequently
put to use in the creation of epic memes to make his friends laugh. Other things he enjoys include
Birding, personal protective equipment (PPE), and De Neve Commons Residential Restaurant.
Suriyen Subramaniam | Secretary, Instructor
Year: Third
Member Since: 2021
Major: Neuroscience and Biology
Bio: Suriyen Subramaniam was introduced to origami in 1st grade, and has been honing his
skills ever since. From creating his own origami models to folding esteemed works like Kamiya’s Ryujin 3.5,
Suriyen has worked to explore the art to its fullest. Beyond sharing his joy for origami at club workshops,
Suriyen aspires to become a dentist, and works hard through volunteering and at classwork to see this dream
fulfilled.
Bryant Nguyen | Treasurer
Year:
Member Since:
Major:
Bio:
Casey Kong | Instructor
Year:
Member Since:
Major:
Bio:
Mikayla Kwok | Instructor
Year: Fourth
Member Since:
Major: Biology
Bio:
Analeyla Herrera | Social Media, Graphic Design
Year: Fourth
Member Since: 2020
Major: Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology w/ Spanish minor
Bio:
Kaitlyn Kim | Photographer
Year:
Member Since:
Major:
Bio:
Ryan Lee | Webmaster
Year: Third
Member Since: 2021
Major: Electrical Engineering
Bio: Ryan has liked folding origami since discovering the art back in
4th grade through Youtube. Even with takeout receipts and his clothes, something of his always seems to be
an attempt at creating something new. Outside of origami, he likes playing smash bros/mario kart/tetris,
taking walks, and wasting time on Youtube.
Isabel Eslabon | Ambassador
Year: Fourth
Member Since: 2022
Major: Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology
Bio: Isabel has enjoyed folding basic origami like cranes, stars, and such for as long
as she can remember. BOFA gave her an opportunity to try new folds, learn origami fundamentals, and most
importantly have a fun time with this club’s welcoming atmosphere and members. When she’s not occupied with
classwork, actual work, or origami, she likes to play Stardew Valley (900+ hours, it’s a problem) and go
find good food places to eat at.
PAST BOARD MEMBERS
Chris Tai | Co-President
Member Since: 2019 (Founding Member)
Major: Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
Bio: Chris has been an avid origami folder since age 12, when he realized that
homework can be repurposed (rightfully so) into paper airplanes. A San Diego native, he is a good
friend of good weather, and really appreciates Mexican food. When Chris isn’t folding origami,
you can find him skating, running, hiking, playing board games, trying to figure out how to use
Zoom, or hanging out with members of the Asian American Christian Fellowship at UCLA.
Benny Lau | Vice President
Member Since: 2019
Major: Biology
Bio: Benny has always done origami ever since he first got introduced to it
by his close cousin when he was little. He has on and off done it since all throughout middle
school and high school, especially during class when bored. Outside origami and academics,
Benny especially enjoys staying active, such as playing sports like soccer or tennis. He
deeply enjoys hiking and is now an avid rock climber. In his free time, you can also catch him
at the piano attempting to practice 40 hours a day, skating, or spiking people in smash.
Don Leung | Vice President
Member Since: 2021
Major: Architecture
Bio: Don started origami before he could remember (he also forgot everything
that happened before he was 8). He first started with a non-square sailboat, and has not done
anything harder since he folded Ermakov’s Mantis Shrimp at 15. He has since been trying to
design his models. However, he failed box pleating designs miserably and is still confined
to blintz frog base designs. Beyond boring people with badly-written bios, he can be found
watching anime (One Piece), working on his architecture projects, and failing to book a
badminton court at Wooden.
Nicholas Chin | Secretary
Member Since: 2020
Major: Physiological Science
Bio: Crane. Box. Ninja star. Fox. Long ago, Nick was a bright-eyed boy who
loved folding origami. Then, everything changed when video games attacked. Only productivity,
master of all disciplines, could stop them. But when Nick needed it most, it vanished. 19 years
passed and UCLA introduced a new source of origami inspiration, a folding club called BOFA, and
although its lessons are great, it has a lot to grow before it can inspire anyone. But I believe
BOFA can inspire the world. Nick is also a massive dweeb and weeb.
Joseph Liao | Secretary
Member Since: 2022
Major:
Bio:
Ezra Chen | Instructor
Member Since: 2019
Major:: English and Philosophy
Bio: Normal children stay up deep into the night, playing games or watching videos
on the Internet, but when he himself was a child, Ezra spent his nights… playing games and watching
videos on the Internet. Though sometimes, in high school, he would stay up whittling away at some
origami project or other. Now, he stays up late into the night playing video games or procrastinating
on yet another paper. Origami is for the day time… during class. Else, one might find him playing
video games or working on some other art project or doing philosophy with an unfortunate friend
or attempting and failing to come up with the next C.S. Lewis masterpiece.
Karen Cavicchio | Instructor
Member Since: 2020
Major: Computer Science and Engineering
Bio: Karen has been folding origami as a solitary pastime since elementary school
and is now extremely excited to get to share the activity with other enthusiasts and teach anyone who
wants to learn. She has always loved the geometric nature of folding paper and can often be found
folding it under the table in class. Karen also enjoys avoiding schoolwork by playing the violin in
musicals and orchestras and spending time on the archery range.
Felix Lam | Instructor
Member Since: 2020
Major:: Architecture
Bio: Felix started folding at the ripe young age of 6 years old. Since then he’s been
dropping cranes left and right. His favorite is the Pegasus though. Now he begins his exploration of
tessellation. More on this in the future. Aside from origami you can find him practicing his sleight of
hand and his smash bro’s techniques. When he’s not bunkered down you can find him at the golf range or at
the snow slopes eating it badly.
Joyce Kuo | Instructor
Member Since: 2020
Major: Psychobiology
Bio: Joyce has been folding origami since high school and is
very fascinated by origami applications to science. She really likes origami
giraffes because they are her favorite animals, and she thinks the Alice Gray
butterfly is pretty neat too.
Shruti Thakuria | Instructor
Member Since: 2021
Major: Neuroscience
Bio: Shruti first began folding origami in elementary school
as a way to stay awake during class. She loves learning new designs and having
conversations with people while folding together. When she’s not working on
assignments, you can find her playing Elden Ring, reading fiction, or discovering
new music. She also hits the gym on occasion. :)
Pranav Daggubati | Instructor
Member Since: 2021
Major:: Neuroscience
Bio: Pranav’s journey with origami started in elementary school with a variation called
Golden Venture. Ever since, Pranav has experimented with modular origami and tesselation origami.
Elvia Mendez | Activities Coordinator
Member Since: 2020
Major: Global Studies
Bio: I never had super intensive experience with origami other
than casually folding something in art when there was a sub. However, I was
always impressed with the art and wanted to try it myself, but I never did until
I learned of BOFA. I am so excited to continue learning more about origami and
looking forward to showing people who were in the same spot as I was, teaching
the students I tutor and the little kids in my family. :D
Andy Tseng | Community Outreach Coordinator
Member Since: 2019
Major: Psychobiology
Bio: Although he doesn’t have much experience with origami, Andy Tseng has always had a
fascination for the patience and skill it took to create complex figures out of flimsy paper. (Not to
mention the figures look amazing!) Besides working on classes, clubs, or origami, Andy’s hobbies include
going out for boba runs, hiking, running, and hanging out with friends. Andy is also open to trying out
new things and has such as rock climbing so feel free to give him suggestions!
Stephanie Lo | Graphic Designer
Member Since: 2020
Major: Psychology
Bio: When her grandma first taught her how to fold an origami crane, Stephanie
fell in love with the art. As she continued to expand her origami repertoire, she realized that giving
it as a gift was much better than keeping it for herself. Today, Steph continues to fold origami gifts
for friends, family, and peers. In her free time, she enjoys folding origami (OBVIOUSLY), chewing a TON
of gum, hanging with friends (now with 100% more Zoom), going roofing, and binging Youtube for 5 hours.
Jasper Sun | Photographer
Member Since: 2019
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Bio: Jasper has always liked using origami to add a more personal touch when
gift-giving. He enjoys running, cooking, playing badminton, taking photos, listening to music, and
flying RC helicopters. You can also find him lurking on Summoner’s Rift.
Lara Papasian | Photographer
Member Since: 2022
Major: Cognitive Science
Bio: Lara has been making origami fortune tellers since forever, but her first self
taught origami was a modular triangle cube she found on youtube in the 4th grade. Since then, she has
specialized in making all sorts of modular origami designs. When she was too tired to learn new designs,
she got creative by turning her paper crafts into a practical use. She loves making modular origami
earrings with pieces that are less than a square inch in size.
Sally Seok | Webmaster
Member Since: 2020
Major: Computer Science
Bio: Sally was primarily introduced to the world of origami in her high school
Chinese class and now hopes to master the craft one day. She enjoys watching Korean dramas,
travelling, and spending time with friends and family in her free time.
