LA LA Mahjong

Meet the Team

We’re here to make Mahjong welcoming, joyful, and easier to learn—one table, one hand, and one new connection at a time.

Welcome to Our Table

Through the LA LA Mahjong League, we invite players of all levels—from first-time learners to seasoned pros—to learn, compete, and connect in a welcoming, energetic atmosphere.

The People Behind the Tiles

Founder & Certified Mahjong Instructor

Lisa Cornwell

Lisa fell head over heels in love with Mahjong before her first lesson was even over. That love has continued through her teaching journey and into LA LA Mahjong’s vibrant, ever-growing community.

Her purpose is simple: welcome players of every skill level to learn, compete, connect, win prizes, and have a lot of fun at the table.

Partner & Mahjong Instructor

Reba Rosenthal

Reba started playing American Mahjong about a year ago after taking her first lesson with Lisa. She quickly caught the mahjong bug, joining the LA LA Mahjong League and winning the Spring Championship in her second season.

She fell in love with the game, the community, and the experience—and joined Lisa to create that same magic for other LA LA Mahjong players.

Mahjong Teacher

Juliet Burton

As a child, Juliet was drawn to the laughter and unmistakable click-clack of Mahjong at the grown-ups’ table. Years later, Lisa invited her to play, beginning a love affair with American Mahjong and its rich cultural history.

For Juliet, Mahjong is as much about people as play. Her classes are warm, practical, and confidence-building—no natural talent required, just curiosity and forgiveness for the tile you needed two seconds too late.

What Guides Us

Learn. Play. Connect.

Learn

Clear, encouraging instruction that helps every student understand the game and feel confident at the table.

Play

Joyful practice, thoughtful strategy, and plenty of room to laugh through the hands that don’t go as planned.

Connect

A warm community built around shared stories, new friendships, and the unmistakable click-clack of the tiles.

The Game We Love

American Mahjong

American Mahjong is a distinct version of the game, with its own rules and a rich history shaped by Chinese American communities, Air Force officers’ wives, and Jewish American suburban mothers.

While many early variations faded, the Wright-Patterson approach and the National Mah Jongg League version founded in 1937 endured. Today, players around the world continue to share the same spirit of skill, strategy, and connection.