Novien Yarber (“Dr. Novi”) is a San Diego civic leader, educator, and creative artist. Starting dance at 16, he built a commercial career with credits for Nike, iHeartRadio, Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, and performances with Ciara and Kanye West. In 2016, he earned a Master’s in Higher Education and a PhD in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego, focusing on equity, philanthropy, and embodied leadership. His community work includes Horizon Leadership and Big Brothers Big Sisters. He now serves as Senior Learning Officer at Prebys Foundation, driving community impact through leadership and creativity.