David Whatley-Zepeda

David Whatley-Zepeda is a lifelong resident of the State of the California. Born and raised in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, David attended public schools in the cities of Hayward and Union City and upon graduation from Mt. Eden high school, moved to Los Angeles to study at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). David earned a bachelors degree in Political Science with a concentration in American politics and later obtained a masters degree in International Studies from Tec de Monterrey School of Government & Public Policy, a private university in Mexico. David trained as an actor at American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco in their Studio A.C.T. and Summer Training Congress programs. After ACT David returned to Los Angeles and received his first opportunity in film with HBO's Walkout about the Mexican-American student civil rights movement in the 1960's directed by Edward James Olmos. He subsequently received a small speaking part in 20th Century Fox's feature film Epic Movie. Over the years David has worked extensively in politics and public policy including on over a dozen election campaigns; he also worked briefly as a staff aide for the California State legislature. In 2018 he was a candidate for Union City Council but withdrew due to health reasons. David is a staunch advocate for public health policy reform and has spoken openly about his challenges with bipolar disorder: he was diagnosed with the illness while in acting school at American Conservatory Theater where he suffered a major hospitalization. He has since advocated for policy changes with local, State, and Federal policy makers and officials. http://davidwhatleyzepeda.weebly.com/ David is a classically trained musician, having studied with a wide range of operatic voice teachers; his most influential teachers include Joseph Frank in the Bay Area; Dennis Parnell in Los Angeles; and Gabriel Mijares in Mexico City. In 2018, David made his debut with San Francisco Opera in their seasoning-opening production of Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci. Passionate about worship and liturgical music, he sings regularly with a variety of faith-based organizations.