Leadership

Betsaleel (Bets) Charmelus

As CEO of ArtistYear, Betsaleel “Bets” Charmelus (he/him) is dedicated to ensuring every K-12 student in the nation can reap the benefits of creative learning.  Bets brings over 10 years of programmatic and executive leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, including ArtistYear’s National Program Director position. With his leadership, ArtistYear has refined its evidence-based model and is expanding exponentially; in the 2024-2025 school year, ArtistYear will launch in four new urban and rural regions, growing and deepening its impact across eight states. 

Bets is a distinguished facilitator and storyteller. Throughout his career, he has partnered with and presented at Drexel University, the Maryland Department of Education, Moore College of Arts & Design, New Victory Theatre, Rowan University, the School District of Philadelphia, the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation, and TEDx.

Prior to joining ArtistYear, Bets previously served as Program Director for Beyond the Bars, an anti-violence initiative, and worked as a Technical Analyst at Aramark and Temple University. Committed to community advocacy, he has  supported survivors of sexual trauma as a music facilitator through The Joseph J. Peters Institute’s B.O.S.S Program, and championed Philadelphia grassroots efforts for Black men’s mental health.

Bets graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Information Science & Technology from Temple University. He holds a certification as a Trauma-Informed Practices for Teaching Artist Educator from the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation. As a lifelong artist, Bets centers his practice in finding and claiming new spaces, and building strong, inter-dependent communities.

Julia Durkin

As ArtistYear’s Chief Financial Officer and Director of Human Resources, Julia Durkin provides strategic leadership for the organization’s financial, compliance, and human resources planning and implementation, in addition to supporting ArtistYear’s operations, program, and realization. Julia brings almost 20 years of financial and operational experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on start-up organizations, developing policies and procedures to increase impact and efficiency.

Prior to ArtistYear Julia served as Operations Director for Play On Philly, where she created the Human Resources department, guided the organization through six years of successful financial audits, and managed the budget growth from $1.2 million in 2013 to $2.4 million in 2018.

She has also served as Operations Director and Director of Compliance for Senator Bob Casey’s successful 2012 reelection campaign.

Julia serves on the board of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, serving on the Finance & Audit, as well as the Strategic Planning Committee.

Julia received a Bachelor of the Arts with a double major in Performance Studies and Political Science at Northwestern University. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, and a certification in Human Resources from the Society for Human Resources.

As a lifelong musician, she studied bassoon with Shirley Curtiss, performed in chamber ensembles at Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School, performed in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Orchestra under the direction of Rossen Milanov, and participated in numerous musical theatre productions over the years.

Stephanie Markman Mayén

As ArtistYear’s Chief Partnerships Officer & Director of Communications, Stephanie is responsible for overseeing the organization’s external affairs, including partnership strategy, development, communications, and recruitment in support of ArtistYear’s growth and sustainability.

Prior to joining ArtistYear, Stephanie spent the first portion of her professional life in the classroom. She taught middle school English as a Teach For America Corps Member in St. Louis and went on to teach in a high-performing charter school. She parlayed her experience in the classroom into her work in the non-profit sector at the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), where she focused primarily on fundraising. During her time at NMSI, she developed and supported NMSI’s strategic growth strategy and led NMSI’s federal fundraising efforts, raising over $30 million dollars from public and private sources.

Stephanie earned a Master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Missouri – St. Louis and Bachelors’ degrees in English and communications from Southern Methodist University.

Maggie Phillips

As ArtistYear’s National Program Director, Maggie Phillips is responsible for developing and managing ArtistYear’s national programming, ensuring the program yields ArtistYear’s vision of positive outcomes for students, schools, and ArtistYear AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artists. Through her program design and management of regional program staff, she hopes to cultivate courageous, thoughtful, and collaborative leaders in the fields of teaching artistry and education.

Prior to her role as National Program Director, Maggie managed the Philadelphia cohort as the Philadelphia Program Lead. She also served as a dance Resident Teaching Artist with ArtistYear for two years – first as a member of the Class of 2020 at F. Amedee Bregy School in South Philadelphia, and then as a Senior member of the Class of 2021 with ArtistYear ACCESS, a temporary virtual service program created in response to pandemic-induced challenges in arts access.

Maggie holds a B.A. in dance and chemistry from Middlebury College. She has been an educator and coach in both dance and academic spaces for over a decade. In addition to being certified in Trauma-Informed Practices for Teaching Artists through the Bartol Foundation, she has co-authored several publications in physical chemistry.

In Maggie’s spare time, she is an active movement and performance artist with extensive training in circus aerials, contemporary dance, and dance improvisation. Her artistic practice often explores the intersections of science, play, and storytelling.

Dawson Atkin

As ArtistYear’s New York City Program Coordinator, Dawson Atkin is responsible for supervising the Resident Teaching Artists who serve in New York City and maintaining relationships with our community partners in the school system.

Prior to beginning this role, Dawson served for two years as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artist in Music at P.S. 306, The New York City Academy for Discovery, in Queens, NY. There they served nearly 400 students, developing a curriculum, planning performances, and integrating music into the vibrant school community.

Dawson received their B.M. in Music Composition from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. They have several years of experience as a music educator in a variety of group and individual settings. Dawson also serves as the Director of Programming for the Massachusetts Youth Leadership Foundation, where they design and facilitate a curriculum aimed at expanding the citizenship and community-building skills of high school students.

An active composer and performer, Dawson’s artistic work spans and combines many genres and styles including indie-folk, avant-garde, and musical theater, gravitating towards themes of natural and mundane beauty, mental health, and queer identity with a focus on personal storytelling. Their recent projects include their 2023 album transit and their 2022 musical Escaping Eden. Dawson is pursuing a Master’s of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Writing from New York University.

McKelynn Barber

As ArtistYear’s Tennessee Program Coordinator, McKelynn Barber is responsible for supporting Resident Teaching Artists as they share their artistry across the Nashville region and explore relationships with partner schools, organizations, and stakeholders that uplift ArtistYear’s mission. 

Before this position with ArtistYear, McKelynn served with the organization as a Dance Resident Teaching Artist in North Carolina for two years. During her service, she created a curriculum centering the uses of movement in marginalized groups through an anthropological lens, created performance opportunities for students, and represented ArtistYear on a state-wide level as the program representative and co-president for LeaderCorps. Most recently, she concluded a season dancing with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s second company. 

While completing her degree in dance she was able to engage in spaces that highlighted dance in various facets, particularly in the realm of using movement as a research method. This included presenting work at the American College Dance Association, the Eastwest Somatics Conference, and the Utah Conference of Undergraduate Research. In addition to presenting choreographic work, McKelynn has worked in the field at an administrative level through interning at the international dance festival Jacob’s Pillow in the Community Engagement department and as a lead resident assistant for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s summer intensive. 

Throughout these various dance-related and adjacent endeavors, McKelynn has continued to prioritize the relationships that have blossomed and has translated the range of skills obtained into her leadership and pedagogical practices. In McKelynn’s spare time, she enjoys delving into other art forms particularly film, collage, and fiber arts in the form of crochet.

Matt Crump

As one of ArtistYear’s Philadelphia Program Managers, Matt Crump supports talented Resident Teaching Artists during their service year and works closely with partner schools citywide.

Previously Matt served two years with AmeriCorps— one with City Year and the other with ArtistYear— working across many different classrooms and artistic mediums at Olney Elementary in North Philadelphia. They continued this work in arts education through freelance tutoring and a variety of roles at Fleisher Art Memorial before returning to ArtistYear.

Matt has developed curricula and led workshops on creative writing, film history, and screenwriting. They received their B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2018. In 2024 they graduated with distinction from the University of London at Birkbeck College with an MA in Screenwriting.

In their stories, Matt explores themes of identity and generational trauma across an array of genres. You can find some of their work in local publications such as MovieJawn and Dog Bowl Zines. They always have a book, comic, or zine on hand, ready to pass along to the next reader!

Hayley Krichels

As ArtistYear’s Colorado Program Lead, Hayley Krichels is responsible for managing the Colorado cohort of Resident Teaching Artists, as well as local school and district partnerships. 

Prior to joining ArtistYear, Hayley taught art for five years, most recently with Denver Public Schools. She started out teaching K-8 students, before moving to a 6-12 school. Across these positions she designed schoolwide arts integration units, wrote photography and drawing curriculums and established a CTE pathway in Digital Arts. She also worked in the education departments at RedLine Contemporary Art Center and Clyfford Still Museum.

Hayley received her B.A. in Photography from Bard College, and completed extensive training in Expressive Arts Therapy. In her spare time, she maintains an active arts practice using photography and sculpture to explore romanticized ideas of the American west. She also enjoys gardening, antiquing, and pampering her cats.

Camille Backman

As ArtistYear’s Roaring Fork Valley Program Coordinator, Camille Backman supports and mentors Resident Teaching Artists and expands partnerships with Roaring Fork Valley schools and Arts oriented organizations through collaboration and communication.

Prior to starting her role as a Program Coordinator at ArtistYear, Camille served as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artist in the first grade classroom for two years at Crystal River Elementary in Carbondale, Colorado. She continues to provide group and individual violin classes through the Aspen Music Festival and School’s AfterWorks programming and is the Strings Instructor for the 4th and 5th grades at Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork.

Camille holds a B.M. in Violin Performance with an emphasis in Ethnomusicology and Dance from Oberlin College and Conservatory. In 2021, she completed a M.M. in Classical and Contemporary Performance from Conservatoire Royale de Bruxelles. She has performed extensively throughout Europe and North American and currently acts as Concertmaster for the High Country Sinfonia. She recently received a certification in SmartStart from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and is thrilled to be able to begin the journey of teaching early childhood music classes in the Roaring Fork Valley.

She uses the violin and different forms of chamber music to explore collaboration across a multitude of art forms, empowering individuals to cultivate, nourish, and engage with their personal creativity. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys playing music with her bluegrass duo Twisted Traditions, swimming in the abundance of rivers and hot springs in the area, and cooking new recipes with her friends. 

Victoria Landers

As ArtistYear’s North Carolina Program Coordinator, Victoria Landers supports and mentors Resident Teaching Artists and expands partnerships with North Carolina schools, stakeholders, and organizations through collaboration and communication.

Prior to this position, Victoria was part of ArtistYear’s first cohort in North Carolina and served two years as a Visual Arts Resident Teaching Artist at Robbins Elementary and Elise Middle School during that time. They have also worked in Event Management and Social Media for The Sandhills Children Center, an early developmental children’s education non-profit, helping them raise over $150,000 and broaden their connections within the community. Victoria graduated with a B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in Photography at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Victoria is a steadfast believer in giving back and uplifting your people. Their contributions to planning Moore County’s PRIDEFest and music showcases, volunteering with local theaters and creative spaces, and participating in grant panels that fund regional public schools and non-profit art programs are a testament to their love and gratitude for their community. She also leads as the Head of Media and Design for GOOD FOLK, a community project, newsletter, and podcast that celebrates the vast and mighty world of Southern artistry and activism.

Victoria can often be found reading with her cat surrounded by thrifted art and oddities.

Quanece Thompson

As one of ArtistYear’s Philadelphia Program Managers, Quanece assists our wonderful Resident Teaching Artists as they create environments where youth can express themselves and explore their imaginations through an artistic lens.

Before taking on her current position, Quanece served as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Theater Resident Teaching Artist in 2018, an experience that ignited her passion for arts integration. Following this role, she worked as an Education Apprentice at the Walnut Street Theatre, where she developed and taught curriculum for students from Kindergarten to 8th grade. After completing her apprenticeship, Quanece continued to contribute as a teaching artist at the Walnut Street Theatre and Theatre Horizon. With her time at PlayArts, Quanece managed the theater after-school program at Hackett Elementary, culminating in PlayArts’ most successful end-of-year showcase to date.

Quanece earned her bachelor’s degree in theater/performance arts from Franklin and Marshall College. Her performances in Philadelphia included venues such as the Iron Factory, Painted Mug Cafe, and Allens Lane Theater. She was awarded the Schaffner Summer Travel Award, where she refined her artistry at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. 

Her artistry is heavily influenced by the black experience and the different lens of what defines blackness. Her favorite playwrights are Suzan-Lori Parks and Lynn Nottage. In her free time, you can catch her trying out recommended food spots, reading plays centered around new works, or packing her bags and going on a road trip.

Alex Wasalinko

As ArtistYear’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Alex Wasalinko is responsible for managing ArtistYear’s marketing and media presence.

Prior to starting her role as Marketing and Communications Manager at ArtistYear, Alex served as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Creative Writing Resident Teaching Artist for two years at Alexander Adaire Elementary School in Philadelphia.

She has taught children’s after school arts classes and managed organizations’ social media in Scranton and Philadelphia, PA.  In 2019, Alex was a research assistant and guest alumni playwright for the University of Scranton’s original oral history play, The Porches Project, which presented the history and evolution of Scranton’s historic Hill Section via community members’ stories.  

Alex received her B.A. in English literature and philosophy with minors in art history and French from the University of Scranton. She also holds an MRes in creative writing with a concentration in ekphrastic poetry from the University of Strathclyde. As a writer, she often uses visual art, the natural world, and urban landscapes to explore themes of selfhood. She also enjoys experimenting with found language and imagery as a medium for expression. 

Maureen OHara

As ArtistYear’s Recruitment and Alumni Engagement Manager, Maureen is responsible for ArtistYear AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artist recruitment across all new and existing ArtistYear regions, admissions, and alumni engagement. 

Before starting as Recruitment and Alumni Engagement Manager, Maureen worked in non-profit sectors with organizations that focused on art education, youth mental health, and gender-based violence. 

Maureen received her BFA in Musical Theatre from The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and recently graduated with her MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises from Northwestern University. She also holds a certificate in Performing Arts Essentials from New York University.

When not working with ArtistYear, Maureen can be seen performing professionally on stage in the Chicagoland theatre scene. She loves exploring Chicago, taking care of her plants, baking for her loved ones, and seeing the world!

Margo Drakos

Committed to a life of service that harnesses the innovative power of technology and the transformative potential of the arts, Founder and Trustee Chair of ArtistYear, Margo Drakos is a concert cellist, founder of tech companies, impact investor, and proud active duty Military spouse. Margo served as CEO of ArtistYear from its inception in 2016 to 2021.

 Margo is Managing Director of Draper Richards Kaplan Fdt. (DRK), a global venture philanthropy firm supporting early stage, high-impact social enterprises. In this role, she serves on the Boards of Ameelio, Citizen Data, Entryway, North Carolina Education Corps, Citizen Data, Public Rights Project,  Intelehealth, Rocket Learning, and Tarjimly. Margo has spent the past decade working with private and public sector institutions leveraging technology and strategic alignment to realize scale, revenue generation, and sustainability. In this capacity, Margo served as Partner and Chief Technology Officer at McChrystal Group LLC.

Margo has spent the past decade working with private and public sector institutions leveraging technology and strategic alignment to realize scale, revenue generation, and sustainability. She has recruited, led, and motivated matrix and dispersed organizations of engineering, product, marketing, and growth teams in the non-profit and commercial spaces while maintaining high-quality standards.  Until 2017, Margo spent four years as Chief Technology Officer and at McChrystal Group LLC, a software and service company designed to optimize organizational performance.

Margo began working as a professional musician at age four, performing on national radio and television commercials.  Over the course of her career as a cellist she performed as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician on the world’s preeminent stages on five continents. Margo entered music conservatory at fifteen as a double major in cello and composition and graduated from Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia in 1999. She served as Artist-in-Residence and Cello and Chamber Music faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival and Manhattan School of Music from 2002-2008. Margo’s positions included cellist of the American String Quartet, Principal Cellist of the Oregon, San Diego, and Seattle Symphonies, and Associate Principal of Pittsburgh Symphony.  She toured regularly with “Musicians from Marlboro” and has recorded and produced for Sony Classical, Naxos, Arabesque, and Longhorn Records.

In 2007, embracing the power of technology to democratize access to the arts, Margo co-founded and led her first start-up, InstantEncore.com, the world’s leading provider of web and mobile technology to the performing arts. In that role, Margo executed strategic partnerships to enable some of the first live web and mobile concert streaming and download events from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House.  In 2011, she was made a Partner at the SwitchCase Group, the lead investor in InstantEncore.

In 2010, Margo was honored as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a community of extraordinary global leaders under forty. Margo has been invited to speak on technology, entrepreneurship, and the arts at institutions and events including Americans for the Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, the Global Competitiveness Forum of Saudi Arabia, TechVenture in Singapore and the World Economic Forum at Davos.

Margo received a Masters in Human Rights from Columbia University and holds Executive Degrees in Global Leadership and Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School and Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Her publications have appeared in the Aspen Institute Magazine, The International Affairs Review, The Stanford Social Innovation Review, and The Cornell International Law Journal. Margo is a Trustee of Marlboro Music Festival and the National Humanities Center.

ArtistYear Trustees

Margo Drakos, ArtistYear Founder & Chair of the Board

Eric Booth

Robert Carpenter, PhD.

Rosa Moreno

Michael O’Bryan