Kelly Todd has been a Theatre professor at Pepperdine for the past 12 years. Photos by Melissa Houston
When the line between work and home begins to blur, it can often leave people feeling burned out or distracted from what is important to them, leading them to resent their 9-to-5.
Pepperdine Theatre Professor Kelly Todd, Malibu Colony Pilates owners Paul and Haylee Joseph and Rafi Lounge Operations Manager Emily Vo have made their 9-to-5s something more: a place of connection, tradition and shared purpose.
“Being surrounded by a community that values restoration, connection and intentional living makes work feel more like a sanctuary than a workplace,” Vo said.
Fostering Home in Lindhurst Theatre
As a theatre professor of 12 years, Todd has made the Lindhurst Theatre on Pepperdine’s campus home for herself and her students, as they create strong relationships with the long hours spent together.
Todd described her classroom dynamic simply as family. In theatre, Todd said a common phrase is always used to describe a familial feeling between the team.
“We are all a bunch of orphans — obviously, we aren’t all orphans, but this is a space where you can connect to humanity,” Todd said.
She references the familiar saying, “Home is where the heart is” when describing her profession.
For Todd, that idea comes to life within the theatre department.
“We are a family, so that is home, and that’s how I feel here,” Todd said. “We come together, we work hard, we push each other, we’re vulnerable together.”
On long nights, even after classes have ended, the lights inside Lindhurst Theatre remain on. Todd said she often spends more hours working than she does at her own home, rehearsing dances, instructing students and planning productions.
“I run home, pick up my kids, get them wherever, dinner, and then I come back and work from like 6 to 10,” Todd said. “And then weekends a lot when I’m doing shows, so I’m here a lot.”
While it may seem surprising, many professors on campus share this experience. For them, the long hours are not simply part of the job, but a reflection of the passion they bring to their work.
Fostering Home in Malibu Colony Pilates Studio
New in town, Malibu Colony Pilates is run by a father and daughter duo. Paul and Haylee Joseph opened the studio in October 2025 with hopes of creating an experience that offers strength, care and community.
“It’s never been a moment where we felt like we had to rush out of here because it’s so peaceful,” Haylee Joseph said. “It feels like an extension of our home, and hopefully our clients’ home as well.”
As Malibu residents themselves, they understand how important it is to maintain that comforting atmosphere, knowing that a strong sense of community is what the people of the city value most.
“With us being Malibuites, we wanted to serve the community and create something home grown and family friendly,” Paul Joseph said.
Haylee Joseph (pictured) and her father, Paul, opened Malibu Colony Pilates in 2025.
Rather than building something that felt too polished or commercial, the goal was to design a studio that reflected the warmth and openness of the Malibu community.
“Everyone’s energy in Malibu is very spiritual, happy and cozy,” Haylee Joseph said. “That’s the vibe and feng shui we wanted in our studio so it feels homey.”
They intentionally created a workout that feels personal rather than transactional. In doing so, when they clock in, they are stepping into a community far beyond the typical 9-to-5.
“It’s tranquil, even on busy days or when there’s a lot going on,” Haylee Joseph said. “There’s still that sense of peace and community,”
Fostering a Home for Wellness and Warmth
Similarly, staff members at a local wellness lounge described the space as a sanctuary not only for clients but for themselves. They created the lounge to foster connection, centering and wholeness.
Emily Vo, the operations managers and pilates instructor at Rafi Lounge Malibu, recalled her transition into working at the lounge as “serendipitous.”
“The first time I walked into Rafi Lounge, it immediately felt special,” Vo said. “Like a little sanctuary above the ocean.”
Despite her background in business and public relations, Vo wanted to find a quieter and more meaningful career path. That’s when she entered the wellness world and focused on becoming a comprehensive Pilates instructor, a certified yoga teacher and a Barre instructor.
These initiatives are what brought her through the doors of Rafi Lounge, where she started as a hot pilates instructor.
“The energy of the lounge, the panoramic view of the Malibu coastline and the calm ambiance felt like the stars aligning for me,” Vo said.
Emily Vo serves as the operations manager at Rafi Lounge in Malibu.
Vo recently stepped into the role of operations manager, where she’s able to unite her professional skills and personal values in a more intentional way. In many ways, the position feels like a natural fit.
Vo reflected on how surprisingly creative and freeing her work environment feels, challenging the common perception of pressure and burnout that often comes with management positions.
“It feels less like an office and more like a creative sanctuary where I have meetings, conversations and naturally flowing ideas,” Vo said.
Vo further explained how her transition into her role at Rafi Lounge differed from previous jobs.
“Work stopped feeling like something separate from my life,” Vo said. “Instead, Rafi Lounge became a place where I could nurture community, curate experiences and do work that genuinely fills my heart.”
The atmosphere and environment of a business often reflects its leadership and management. When staff feel genuinely at peace and at home in their workplace, guests and members are more likely to experience that same comfort and energy.
That is often the issue with many workplaces and classrooms: When leaders are not fulfilled in their profession, it inevitably reflects in their work and shapes how others perceive the environment. To them, it becomes just a 9-to-5 job, nothing more and nothing less.
“There’s this saying that says, ‘If you do what you love, you never work a day,’” Todd said.
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Contact Kiyomi Ware via email: kiyomi.ware@pepperdine.edu