Naoya Imanishi has been an educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District since 2000, serving as a third-grade teacher, math coach, and currently a school coordinator. He also works with the UCLA Mathematics Project as a teacher leader and coach for professional development in Cognitively Guided Instruction. While attaining his bachelor's and master's in education at UCLA, he was one of the first producers of LCC Theatre Company and co-founder of ProperGander, both Asian American theater companies with notable alumni. Naoya enjoys video editing and cooking for his wife, Jennifer, their sons, Kyle and Jordan, and their dog, Buddy.