Naomi Okeniyi, a talented artist, was born on September 26th in Portland, Oregon. Her early life was filled with the arts, as she began taking tap dance and ballet classes at just three years old and first acted on stage at the age of five.
Naomi's passion for the performing arts continued to grow, and she was accepted into Buckman Arts Focus Elementary School, where she thrived in an environment that fostered her creativity. At nine years old, she played the role of Baloo in a school production of "The Jungle Book," and at 11, she starred as Chava in a middle-school production of "Fiddler on the Roof."
As she entered high school, Naomi became involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities, including Varsity Cheerleading, the BRIDGES leadership program, Volunteer Outreach In Communities Everywhere, SAVE, Israel Solidarity, and Drama clubs. She also participated in Natural Helpers, JV Tennis, and Island Sound.
After high school, Naomi attended the University of Washington in Seattle, where she discovered a true passion for acting. She enrolled in private acting for the camera classes outside of college and spent a month studying Shakespeare culture in London during her sophomore year.
Naomi's big break came when she booked her first film audition, "World's Greatest Dad," in 2009. She went on to appear in several other films, including "God Bless America" in 2011, where she met Sean Mckittrick, who praised her work and expressed interest in collaborating with her again.
Naomi's love for ecosystems stems from her childhood summer vacations on the Oregon coast, where she developed a deep appreciation for the natural world. She is particularly passionate about protecting whales and their habitats, and she hopes to see Chinook salmon thriving again in Puget Sound.
In addition to her work in film, Naomi is interested in creative endeavors that promote health and wellness. She is also proud of her family's heritage, and she notes that her surname, "Glick," was originally "Glück" before being changed for safety and survival purposes during the Holocaust.
