ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellows

Betsy Zaubler

Service Location: Roaring Fork Valley
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Wesleyan University

Betsy Zaubler is originally from Montclair, NJ, and has had a passion for theater since she was ten years old. Betsy graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in theater and American studies and a minor in African American studies. She is a theater artist who is interested in directing and playwriting, as well as the intersection of theater, equity, and justice.

Betsy worked as an Academic Peer Advisor and mentored students at Wesleyan University. Additionally, she has mentored students with Eye to Eye, a national organization that pairs college students and middle school students with learning differences to use art to help reduce disability-related stigma and teach self-advocacy. Betsy is looking forward to serving as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in the Roaring Fork Valley and to helping her students to tell stories that matter to them!

Camille Backman

Service Location: Roaring Fork Valley
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Oberlin College and Conservatory; Conservatoire Royale de Bruxelles

Camille Backman is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah and has had a passion for collaborative music-making and performance since she was six years old. Camille graduated from Oberlin College and Conservatory in 2018 earning a bachelor’s degree in violin performance with an emphasis in ethnomusicology and dance. In 2021, Camille received a master’s of violin degree in classical and contemporary performance from the Conservatoire Royale de Bruxelles. She is a musician who 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.

Additionally, Camille has experience in community outreach through a myriad of organizations, including: Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls SLC, Ohio Salvation Army Learning Zone program, and Salt Lake City Crossroads Urban Center. Through these organizations she assumed the roles of keyboard instructor, band coach, and food pantry coordinator, acquiring skills such as communication, classroom management, and the power of collaborative arts. Camille is looking forward to deepening these skills and serving as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in the Roaring Fork Valley!

Conner McLeod

Service Location: Denver
School Placement: Kearney Middle School
Graduate of: Duke University

Conner McLeod is originally from Miramar, Florida and has had a passion for music since he was three years old. Conner graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in music performance. He is a violist who uses music as an outlet to express emotion and connect with others.

Conner also has experience in mentoring young musicians through his work at various after-school art programs. Conner is looking forward to helping students fall in love with music as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Denver, Colorado!

Erica Ogihara

Service Location: Roaring Fork Valley
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Oberlin Conservatory; The Juilliard School

Erica Ogihara is originally from Miami, Florida and has been playing the cello since the age of ten. Erica graduated from The Juilliard School in 2021 with a master’s degree in cello performance. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin Conservatory. She is a performer who pairs contemporary music with beloved classics to bring a more unique and inclusive experience to the concert hall.

Additionally, with her work at The School for Strings Erica was teacher trained in books 1-8 of the Suzuki Pedagogy. She also has experience in community engagement and aesthetic teaching through her time at Juilliard as a Morse Teaching Fellow and a Gluck Community Service Fellow.

Erica is looking forward to learning more about socially informed teaching as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in the Roaring Fork Valley!

James Carrabino

Service Location: Roaring Fork Valley
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Yale University; Royal College of Music

James Carrabino is originally from London, UK and has had a passion for music since he started studying piano at the age of five, followed by violin two years later. James graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree, double majoring in Global Affairs and Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree, he studied piano with Professor Wei-Yi Yang at the Yale School of Music. He subsequently graduated from London’s Royal College of Music with a master’s degree in piano performance. He is a dedicated instrumentalist who uses music to engage with others and explore shared cultural traditions.

James has experience in teaching, outreach, and public service. He has spent time working with the Yale International Relations Association’s education initiative for local New Haven high school students. Additionally, he has taught piano for the Roaring Fork Valley Music Lessons Program at the Aspen Music Festival. James is looking forward to growing as a musician, teacher, and individual as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Roaring Fork Valley!

Jamie Hellwig

Service Location: Denver
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: California State University, Long Beach

Jamie Hellwig is originally from Oakhurst, California and has had a passion for music since she started wind band in the 5^th grade. Jamie graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in music and a minor in child development and family studies. She uses music to connect and inspire others through a meaningful relationship with the arts.

Additionally, Jamie spent her summers at the Vision Academy of the Arts where she taught 2^nd-8^th grade students recorder and wind band since 2014. She has also volunteered with Long Beach BLAST, which provides one-on-one mentorship to at-promised youth. Jamie is looking forward to making an impact through the expression of music as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Denver, Colorado!

Katie Smith

Service Location: Roaring Fork Valley
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Whitworth University

Katie Smith is originally from Denver, Colorado and has had a penchant for pattern and design since making her first handmade birthday cards for family. Katie graduated from Whitworth University with Bachelor of Arts in two-dimensional arts (with a concentration in printmaking) and graphic design. She is a grant-funded visual artist and trained letterpress printmaker who uses reduction printmaking and installations to advocate for mental health awareness, women’s rights, and connecting to nature.

Katie also has experience in supporting arts and culture as a Gallery Assistant and Marketing Assistant at Spokane Arts, a non-profit that builds and supports arts and culture in Spokane, WA through grant-making, programming, advocacy, and professional development. Additionally, she has experience teaching from her work at Art Garage, a non-profit that offers arts-based programming, and by giving demos and workshops as a letterpress apprentice at Interpunct Press and Spokane Print & Publishing Center. These print shops are vital contributors to the growing printmaking scene in Spokane, WA. Katie is looking forward to doing her part in making visual art accessible and fun through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in the Roaring Fork Valley!

Lucy Wimmer

Service Location: Denver
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Sewanee: The University of the South

Lucy Wimmer is originally from Austin, Texas and has had a passion for photography since she first picked up a photography book at age eleven. Lucy graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South with a bachelor’s degree in art history and a minor in studio art. She is a visual artist who uses photography and quilting to explore themes of comfort, community, and ritual.

Additionally, Lucy has experience in teaching and community building through her work with the Zanmi Foto program in Haiti, as a photography teaching assistant at her university, and her involvement with the summer camp photography initiative of the Nashville International Center for Empowerment. Lucy is looking forward to sharing her love of visual literacy and creating as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Denver!

Maryam Hajialigol

Service Location: Roaring Fork Valley
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Yale University; Cleveland Institute of Music

Maryam Hajialigol is originally from the Washington, D.C. area and has had an interest in music and playing guitar since she was twelve. Maryam received  her bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and her master’s degree from Yale University, both in classical guitar performance. She is a musician who uses her passion for performance and experience in education to promote guitar in the world of classical music and beyond, demonstrating that guitar can and does transcend different styles, eras, and people, on all kinds of stages.

Additionally, Maryam has experience teaching guitar in public schools through nonprofit organizations such as the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society Education Program and the Yale Music in Schools Initiative in New Haven, CT. Maryam is looking forward to connecting with her students and their communities as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in the Roaring Fork Valley!

Vince Wong

Service Location: Denver
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: DePaul University

Vince Wong is originally from Chicago, IL and has had a deep love for the arts since he was in elementary school. Vince graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in violin performance. He is an artist who believes that the arts are deeply representative of human experiences, and that these experiences can be expressed in any form – music, visual arts, movement, and more.

Vince also has experience in teaching and service through his work at Music for Kids in Chicago, an organization created to address the arts education gap by providing free lessons and resources for students with limited arts access. Vince is looking forward to continuing to spread the importance of arts education as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Denver, Colorado!

Adellyn Geenen

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of Michigan

Adellyn Geenen is originally from the Bay Area and has had a love of classical music and performance since she was six. Adellyn graduated from University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in opera performance and minors in Italian and English. She is an artist who uses music theatre to connect with communities through the timeless relatability of storytelling.

Adellyn also has experience in youth leadership and directing through her work with performance groups like the University of Michigan’s Gilbert Sullivan Society and Flowdom, a Michigan-based dance team, as well as through service organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Second Harvest. Adellyn is looking forward to integrating service and her love of performance as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Alina Patrick

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: New York University

Alina Patrick is originally from Summit, New Jersey and has had a passion for photography since age 15. Alina graduated from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a dual bachelor’s degree in photography & imaging and politics. She is a visual artist who uses photography to explore themes of family, culture, and political histories through portraiture and landscapes.

Alina also has experience in education through her work as a Teaching Assistant for the Tisch School of the Arts’ Summer High School Program. Alina is looking forward to showing young students the joy of photography as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Amber Scherer

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Oberlin College and Conservatory

Amber Ginmi Scherer is originally from Chicago, IL and has developed her passion for classical music and community service since she was six years old. Amber graduated from Oberlin College and Conservatory with a dual bachelor’s degree in psychology and piano performance, with a particular interest in collaborative music. Her concentrations enriched her college experience by teaching her greater empathy and a sense of connection to her community. Amber relied on these perspectives to inform her three years of student government, as she was an elected member of both Oberlin Student Senate and the Conservatory Council of Students.

Amber also has experience in teaching and performing with young children through her work at the Oberlin Community Music School as a collaborative pianist and director’s assistant. She hopes to pursue graduate degrees in education and public policy. Amber is excited to gain real-world experience and contribute to the Queens community through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow.

Ameeya Singh

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Case Western Reserve University

Ameeya Singh is originally from Stow, Ohio and has had a passion for dance since she was three years old. In May, 2020, Ameeya graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a bachelor’s degree in dance and nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. She is a dance artist whose creative process emphasizes building a relationship between the psyche and sensations of movement experimentation to express themes of the human condition.

In addition to her experience teaching dance, Ameeya has also volunteered in healthcare settings. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided public health service through her work as a Case Investigator and Contact Tracer for the community of Kent, Ohio. Ameeya is looking forward to offering children the space and permission to unapologetically express themselves as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Aux Girbach

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Earlham College

Aux Girbach is originally from Baltimore and has had a lifelong interest in experimenting with ways to make art. This was sparked from studying theatre at a young age. Aux graduated from Earlham College with a bachelor’s degree in visual art. He is a multimedia artist who uses a combination of traditional and unconventional materials to understand memory, history, and phenomenology.

Aux also has experience in community art programming through his work at Wavehill Public Gardens as well as with the Smithsonian Institution and the Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan. Aux is looking forward to being an enthusiastic and supportive force for creative education as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Joey Solomon

School Placement: Voyages Preparatory High School
Graduate of: The New York University Tisch School of the Arts

Joey Solomon is originally from Forest Hills, New York and has had a passion for image making since 2014. Joey graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography. He is a queer, cancer-survivor, and disabled photographer, painter and mental health advocate. In his photographs, Joey Solomon uses repetition and psychological documentation to better understand his own mental illnesses. Solomon’s medium is often black and white 120 analog film photography. Each of his photographs, within this lifelong, ongoing portrait project, are grasps at visual examples of hereditary gene passing and symptoms of mental illnesses that are shared by blood. Self-portraits, portraits of his family, and portraits of emptied alien-like landscapes further obscure binary lines between the artist and his mother, stability, and psychosis.

Joey also has experience in digitizing and archiving photographs through his work for New York Times staff photographer and with New York University photo professor, Jeffrey Henson Scales. Joey Solomon also has contributed his photographs to The New Yorker magazine and Samsung Electronics America. Joey is looking forward to inspire new generations of visual art expression through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Queens!

Merlin Garcia

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: The New School

Merlin Garcia is originally from Austin, Texas and has had a passion for filmmaking and screenwriting since they were 12 years old. Merlin received their bachelor’s degree from The New School, focusing in screen studies and a concentration in screenwriting. She is a visual artist and writer who uses narrative and documentary film to explore the human experience.

Additionally, Merlin has experience in education through her work with Generation Citizen and Assistant Teaching. Merlin is looking forward to creating collaborative work as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Multy Oliver

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Duke University

Multy Oliver is originally from St. Petersburg, Florida and has had a passion for musical theater ever since she played one of five Dorothys in her elementary school’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Multy graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in public policy, a minor in theater studies, and a Certificate in Human Rights. She is a performance artist who uses the storytelling of musical theater to embrace the importance of highlighting untold narratives.

Multy also has experience advocating for arts accessibility in under-resourced communities through her work with the Hayti Heritage Center, a non-profit that works to preserve and celebrate the history of Black artistic excellence in Durham. Multy is looking forward to encouraging her students to explore everything the arts has to offer as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Paisley Smith

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Barnard College at Columbia University

Paisley Smith is originally from Arlington, TX and has had a passion for music since they began playing the violin at ten years old. Paisley graduated from Barnard College with a bachelor’s degree in ethnomusicology with a focus on electronic music. They are a musician who researches the complex relationships between people, contemporary music, identity, and place.

Paisley also has experience in advocating for diversity, inclusion, and equity in music education through their work at the Columbia University Department of Music’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion. Paisley is looking forward to empowering young students through arts education as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Pallas Gutierrez

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Northwestern University

Pallas Gutierrez is originally from Queens, NY and has had a passion for writing since third grade and theatre as long as they can remember. Pallas graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in theatre, concentrating in playwriting, and minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. They are a writer and theatre artist who plays with time to explore identities, relationships, and how we become ourselves.

Pallas also has experience in service through their work with Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., a Latina-founded national service sorority. Pallas is looking forward to fostering the next generation of artists as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Rachel Maramba

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Originally from Park Ridge, IL, Rachel Maramba has loved performing since she was old enough to talk, and discovered her passion for dance when she was eight years old. Rachel graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a dual degree in dance and psychology. She is a dance and movement artist who uses creative movement, music, and theatre to foster collaboration and explore identity, characterization, and the breadths of the imagination.

Rachel also has experience in arts administration and dance education through her work with Dance at Illinois’ internship and outreach programs. Rachel is looking forward to instilling artistic and life skills and creating relationships with students as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in the Borough of Queens!

Sam Mackey

School Placement: MS 297, Hawtree Creek Middle School
Graduate of: St. John’s University

Sam Mackey is originally from Troy, NY  and has had an interest in photography and art since she was a young child, where she’d constantly have some sort of project going on. Sam graduated from St. John’s University in Queens, NY with a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism, where she practiced various forms of photography, learned elements of design, and studied writing. She is a meticulous visual artist who uses photography to document the world around her through various styles, and seeks to reveal allure in the mundane. Often going for long walks with her camera and no set path, she likes to photographically explore the area she is inhabiting to establish themes about the place. She shoots both digital and film, often experimenting with new styles and techniques.

Sam also has experience in concert photography and music review writing as a contributor to Pure Nowhere Magazine. She practiced her film photography skills through her internship at Bushwick Community Darkroom, where she developed and processed film leading up to her exhibition. In her free time she enjoys drawing as well, typically flocking towards realism. She has been involved with community projects through her university such as Relay for Life and NYC’s Midnight Runs. Sam is looking forward to showing students that you don’t need fancy equipment to be an artist. She is determined to help others find a creative interest that they were unaware they had through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Queens!

Shannon Cahalane

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of New Hampshire

Shannon Cahalane is originally from Burlington, Connecticut and has had a knack for making a mess and making art since she was five. Shannon graduated from University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She is a mixed media visual artist who uses an ever-expanding definition of collage to explore identity within consumption and chaos.

Additionally, Shannon has experience with community building through her work as a Resident Assistant at the University of New Hampshire, as well as a Unit Director at Winding Trails, a non-profit in Connecticut focused on connecting youth to the outdoors. Shannon is looking forward to sharing tools for creative thinking as a means of embracing uncertainty, building resiliency, and supplying a space for play. She is excited to serve as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Zain Sandhu

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Georgetown University

Zain Sandhu is originally from Washington, DC and has had a passion for filmmaking since his dad took him to see Star Wars in theaters at the ripe age of two. Zain graduated from Georgetown University with a dual bachelor’s degree in French and film and media studies. He is a digital media artist who uses the intersection of film and music to elevate the stories and perspectives of those who are traditionally underrepresented in the world of media and art.

Zain also has experience in teaching elementary and middle schoolers through his work with the DC Schools Program at Georgetown and his work at KID Museum, a STEM and art-based museum in Bethesda, MD. Zain is looking forward to creating an engaging and balanced learning environment for his students, as well as providing the space to engage with art as both a form of learning and as an outlet as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Queens!

Christina Shin

Service Location: Moore County
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Duke University

Christina Shin is originally from Duluth, GA and felt compelled to tell stories in various forms – from writing poems to making collages – since she moved to the United States from South Korea at four years old. Christina graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in Art History and minor in Chemistry. She is an artist who experiments with words, visuals, and sounds to encapsulate the intricacies of lived experiences.

A firm believer in community-led service, Christina also has experience in supporting local organizations through her volunteer work in Dementia Inclusive Durham, CHANCE tutoring, and Duke Splash. Christina is looking forward to helping students explore and express their emotional landscapes as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in North Carolina!

Davey Van Beveren

Service Location: Lee County
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Oberlin College & Conservatory; The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University

Davey Van Beveren is originally from Chesapeake, Virginia and has had a passion for music since he first picked up a plastic recorder in middle school. Davey received his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College & Conservatory and his master’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. He is a musician and teaching artist who strives to create engaging, interactive experiences through teaching and concert programming.

As an orchestral musician, Davey has performed with a variety of orchestras, such as the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestra of the USA. Davey’s engagements have taken him across the United States to famous venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Seiji Ozawa Hall at the Tanglewood Music Festival, and the Chicago Symphony’s Symphony Center, among others.

As an educator, Davey has worked with all age groups, ranging from kindergarten to retirees. He enjoys presenting classical works to young audiences, and has worked as a coordinator for JUMP!, (Just for U Music Program), the student-led outreach program at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Davey is looking forward to serving the students and community of Lee County through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in North Carolina!

James Wheeler

Service Location: Lee County
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Augustana College

James Wheeler is originally from Amenia, New York and has had a passion for theatre since the sixth grade. James graduated from Augustana College with a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts, communication studies, and sociology. He is a people-oriented performer and director who uses theatre to help people find their artistic potential and maybe pick up a new passion along the way.

Additionally, James has worked with elementary and middle school students at the North East Community Center in Millerton, NY, where staff would facilitate outdoor activities, provide homework help, and chaperone educational field trips. James is looking forward to sharing his love for theatre with a new generation of students as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Lee County, North Carolina!

Katie Mielens

Service Location: Moore County
School Placement: Southern Middle School
Graduate of: Central Michigan University

Katie Mielens is originally from Bay City, Michigan and has had a passion for art making since she could pick up a pencil. Katie graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in studio art, art history, and museum studies. She is a process-oriented mixed media artist who layers and collages papers, paint, photos, and ink to foster new relationships between these materials, as well as document the constant reinterpretation of self-identity and complex emotions.

Katie has experience as a Museum Educator and Teaching Artist through her work at the Cranbrook Art Museum, Lansing Art Gallery, Tacoma Art Museum, as well as at other non-profits and schools. She also has served as an AmeriCorps member through City Year Milwaukee as a tutor and after school coordinator. Katie is looking forward to inspiring young people to use art as creative expression, empowerment, and community building through ArtistYear as an AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Moore County, NC!

McKelynn Barber

Service Location: Moore County
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Dixie State University

McKelynn Barber is originally from Salt Lake City, UT, and has had a love for dance since the age of three. McKelynn graduated from Dixie State University in southern Utah with a bachelor’s degree in dance and a minor in philosophy and humanities. She is a dance artist who uses movement as a mode of research, seeking to embody, create, and participate in works that allow her to gain a greater understanding of herself and others.

McKelynn has experience in leadership, centering the needs of others, and advocating for inclusivity, which was highlighted in the participation of Dixie State University’s Multicultural and Inclusion Student Association. McKelynn is looking forward to the opportunity to shift ideas surrounding who belongs in dance, what dance is, and experiencing the infinite creativity of those she will have the opportunity to meet in her service year. She is excited to serve as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in North Carolina!

Nick Leon

Service Location: Moore County
School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of North Carolina Asheville

Nick Leon is originally from Winston-Salem, NC and has had a passion for creative writing since 19. Nick graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville with a bachelor’s degree in literature, concentration in creative writing, with distinction, as well as a minor in Political Science. He is a writer who uses prose and poetry to explore life, identity, and culture.

Nick also has experience in national service through his work at City Year New Hampshire, where he served in a fourth-grade classroom, assisting in the subject areas of English language arts and mathematics. Nick is looking forward to teaching creative writing as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Moore County!

Spencer George

Service Location: Lee County County
School Placement: West Lee Middle School
Graduate of: Barnard College

Spencer George is a writer and recent graduate of Barnard College, where she received a dual degree in English literature and human rights with a concentration in creative writing. Spencer grew up across the Carolinas and her work investigates the intersection of storytelling, empathy, and folklore in the rural South, with a focus on the Appalachian region of North Carolina from which her family hails. She discovered her love of writing at a young age, and has written across genres, including poetry, essays, journalism, and novels, as a repeat participant of NaNoWriMo. Her work has been featured on platforms including The Adroit Journal, Medium, Girlology, Skirt! Magazine, The L’Éphémère Review, and Not Your Girl, an online art and literary platform for young girls that she founded in high school. Spencer was the 2019 recipient of the Peter S. Prescott prize for Prose Writing.

Spencer spent the past year working at Girls Write Now, New York City’s first and only creative writing and mentorship organization for teen girls and gender non-conforming youth. Previously, she was an intern with the Mobile Tour team at StoryCorps, a student researcher with the SIT International Honors Program in Human Rights, and a yoga instructor at a boy’s summer camp in Canada. She can usually be found trekking the woods, looking for coffee shops, or in an airport.

She believes that storytelling is the most powerful tool for connection and change that we have, and she seeks to use writing and documentary to expand the narrative of rural America. Spencer is thrilled to be returning to North Carolina as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow and looks forward to the year ahead!

Victoria Landers

Service Location: Moore County
School Placement: Robbins Elementary, Elise Middle School
Graduate of: University of North Carolina Greensboro

Victoria Landers is originally from Pinehurst, NC and has had an excitement for photography and the arts since middle school when her grandfather gifted her a 35mm Minolta. Victoria graduated from the University of North Carolina Greensboro with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and a concentration in photography. She is a visual artist who uses photography to start meaningful conversations about the complexity of the human experience.

Victoria also has experience in leadership roles working in educational  and volunteer environments, such as the Housing and Residence Life department at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, her local Habitat for Humanity Restore, as well as in The O’Neal School in Southern Pines, NC. Victoria is looking forward to creating new connections in her home town, while also decreasing the arts gap in the community through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Moore County, North Carolina!

Alex Williams

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of Central Arkansas

Alex Williams is originally from West Memphis, Arkansas and has had a passion for playing and teaching music since her first year of middle school band in 2011. Alex graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education and a minor in interdisciplinary studies. She is a performing artist who uses music as a tool to help others discover inner joy and create a personal, sustainable relationship with music.

Alex has vast experience in teaching and service-oriented programs. She was the president of the UCA chapter of the National Association of Music Education and has volunteered at local public schools. Additionally, she participated in the Jamaican Field Service Project, an organization that establishes music programs in rural, Jamaican elementary schools. Finally, she was the music director of Community Connections, a non-profit organization that provides special needs students with extra-curricular activities. Alex is looking forward to enhancing her skills as an educator and helping students develop a personal connection with music through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Allison Jasne

School Placement: West Philadelphia High School
Graduate of: Drexel University

Allison Jasne is originally from White Plains, New York and has had a passion for writing and theater since 2010. Allison graduated from Drexel University with a bachelor’s degree in screenwriting and playwriting. She also has a master’s degree in secondary English education with TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification. She is an artist who uses writing and theater to explore issues of social commentary with a critical lens on gender roles and sexuality. Whether in the audience or behind the scenes, she loves to guide her audience to examine their own expectations and inspire them to create change in their community and the world at large.

Allison also has experience in arts administration and theatre production through her work with Drexel’s Co-Op Theatre Company, Theatre Exile, and Inis Nua Theatre Company, along with her hands-on teaching experience in the classroom for her master’s in education. Allison has been looking forward to combining her skills, experience and passions for education, creative writing, theater, and arts administration through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in her home-away-from-home of Philadelphia!

Amanda Nichols

School Placement: F. Amedee Bregy School
Graduate of: University of Pittsburgh

Amanda Nichols is originally from Matawan, New Jersey and has had a love for drawing, painting, and visual arts since early childhood. Amanda graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minors in neuroscience and studio arts. She is primarily an abstract artist who uses painting and drawing to explore issues and experiences related to trauma, mental health, identity, and both personal and public empowerment.

Amanda also has experience in utilizing art in community projects through her work at the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, Pittsburgh Jewish Community Center, and more. Amanda is looking forward to sharing her passions for self-expression and community engagement through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

Coco Allred

School Placement: Luis Munoz-Marin School
Graduate of: Carnegie Mellon University

Coco Allred is originally from Seattle, Washington and has had an interest in visual art since the third grade. Coco graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a bachelor’s degree in art and a minor in human computer interaction. Coco is a project-based artist who uses sculpture and drawings that propose absurd functionality to question how time and labor are valued and signified by design.

Coco also has experience in arts administration, volunteering at TeenTix as the president of the teen leadership board. Coco has taught children’s art classes, interned at several galleries and directed The Frame, a student run art gallery. Coco is looking forward to collaborating with students and encouraging them to bring empathy, curiosity, and humor into the classroom and their community through ArtistYear as an AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

Devin Welsh

School Placement: Paul Robeson High School
Graduate of: Drexel University

Devin Welsh is originally from Lansdale, PA and has had a passion for telling stories since he could hold a pencil. Devin graduated from Drexel University with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in writing. He is a creative writer and photographer who uses creative non-fiction and photography to explore his sense of self and his community.

Devin also has experience in teaching and researching methods of restorative justice through his work at Writers Room and at Drexel’s Writing Center. Devin is looking forward to building relationships with the students and helping them to tell their stories through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

Diamond Durant

School Placement: Olney Charter High School
Graduate of: Morgan State University

Diamond A. Durant  is originally from Philadelphia and has carried a love of art and design since the age of ten. Diamond graduated from Morgan State University with a bachelor’s degree in global journalism and communications, concentrating on how different mediums of media intersect with one another.  She is a digital artist and creative director who uses themes of culture, color and collage to visualize projects in spaces like music, fashion, and lifestyle.

Diamond also has experience in community engagement through her work in organizations such as The National Council of Negro Women and College Possible. Diamond  is looking forward to connecting and impacting students with passion and purpose through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

Elisabeth Miller

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Swarthmore College

Elisabeth Miller is originally from Paxton, Illinois and has had a passion for writing for as long as she can remember. Elisabeth graduated from Swarthmore College with a bachelor’s degree in English and a concentration in creative writing and history. She uses writing to explore identity and self-expression, as well as a tool for healing.

Elisabeth also has experience in teaching through her internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Elisabeth is looking forward to growing as an educator and artist as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Grace Asuncion

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Ithaca College

Grace Lea Rose Asuncion is originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and has had a love for music, dance, and visual art since age four. Grace graduated from Ithaca College with a bachelor’s degree in music and percussion performance in 2019. She hopes to continue to explore the relatively uncharted territory of being a singer-songwriter mallet percussionist. With her marimba and vibraphone-infused original songs and arrangements, she yearns to share her love of the craft and create a calm and safe space for listeners to breathe and smile.

Through her Music as Medicine class in college and her work with the Meridee Winters School of Music, Grace has experience with music therapy and teaching. Additionally, she has experience with music performance and arts administration through her live orchestral performances with The Allegro Orchestra of Lancaster and work with the Curtis Institute of Music.

Grace is looking forward to singing, grooving, and moving with the children she will teach as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Grace Wong

School Placement: Vaux Big Picture High School
Graduate of: Carnegie Mellon University

Grace is originally from Queens, New York and has had an excitement for visual art since the age of five. Grace graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree in both fine art and global systems and management, and an additional major in human computer interaction. She is a visual artist who uses participatory interventions, photography, creative writing and new media to document ephemera and investigate how human activity exists across fluid networks in the context of lived experiences, collective histories, and the sociocultural fabric of the post-internet era.

Grace also has experience in digital marketing and research through her work at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Carnegie Mellon Center for Machine Learning and Health, as well as volunteer work at the Mattress Factory, Hello Neighbor, and Book’em Books-to-Prisoners program. Grace is looking forward to building artistic roots within communities through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

Gwen Wilkie

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Muhlenberg College

Gwen Wilkie is originally from Moorestown, NJ and has had a passion for music and theatre since they first joined their church choir at four years old. Gwen graduated from Muhlenberg College with a dual bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in composition and theatre with a concentration in performance. They are a music and theatre artist who uses composition and performing to encourage communication and understanding across all walks of life.

Gwen also has experience in teaching, service, organization, and creative thinking through their work at Step-by-Step Preschool. Gwen is looking forward to growth and making a difference in children’s lives by teaching them healthy ways of expression and communication as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Isabel Kaufman

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Muhlenberg College

Isabel Kaufman is originally from Cherry Hill, NJ and has had a passion for painting and mixed media since elementary school. Isabel graduated from Muhlenberg College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in studio art. She is a visual artist who uses painting and mixed media to explore aspects of nature related to the human body and femininity.

Isabel also has experience in service-oriented work through volunteering with patients at Cooper University Health Care’s Advanced Care Center. Isabel is looking forward to creating art and educating young people as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Jackie Rosenzweig

School Placement: Hunter Elementary
Graduate of: Temple University

Jackie Rosenzweig is a visual artist born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. After seeing the impact education and the arts can make in even one student’s life through her own education, she has wanted to be a teaching artist. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting with a minor in art history from Temple University. Her medium of choice is painting, but she also has a strong passion for graphic design, and integrates fiber arts into her work, working with natural dyes in order to encourage new and innovative ways of creating.

Jackie has been a teaching artist for more than six years, working with students of various age groups and backgrounds, helping to integrate the arts into their everyday lives, and seeing the utility of art as a safe and healthy outlet to express their emotions. She has also worked with various groups of people in different walks of life and adults with learning differences, specializing her craft to fit every student’s specific needs and personalities. Jackie is looking forward to becoming an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow this coming year and hopes to promote art-making as a way into accessible, adaptable, creative scenarios that are molded for each student, whether it be literal or interpretive. She hopes to use her experience living, teaching, and learning in Philadelphia to promote relationships in which her work will encourage students to reflect upon themselves and their surroundings. Jackie is most looking forward to learning from her students and growing as a teacher, helping her students and learning from them as well.

Jasmine Hoagland

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Stevens Institute of Technology

Jasmine Hoagland is originally from Long Branch, New Jersey and has had a passion for digital media since she was eleven years old. Jasmine graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in visual art and technology with a concentration in both design and moving image. She is a multimedia artist who uses a mixture of digital and physical artwork to explore the complexities of the head and the heart.

Jasmine also has experience in surface design and weaving techniques through her work at Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY. Jasmine is looking forward to learning and growing alongside her students as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Joy Williams

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Eastern Michigan University

Joy Williams is originally from Pontiac, Michigan and has had a passion for 2-D art and drawing since high school. Joy graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in art and minor in African American studies. She is a 2-D artist who uses drawing to explore and express issues surrounding self-identity, as well as bring more awareness to art as a coping strategy for mental health.

Joy also has experience in community service, teaching, and volunteering through her work at Eastern Michigan’s Women’s Resource Center and the after-school tutoring program Bright Futures. Joy is looking forward to learning more and creating a better connection with arts education through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Julia Gutman

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Julia Gutman is originally from Washington, D.C. and has had a passion for painting and drawing since a young age. Julia graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in social welfare and a minor in studio art. She is a visual artist who uses painting, drawing, and digital art to explore community and social justice.

Julia has experience as a tutor and facilitating and creating art projects for elementary and middle school students at Mary House, a nonprofit in D.C. In addition, as the Education Coordinator for the Social Justice Hub, Julia was able to gain skills in workshop facilitation and use her art skills to create her own series of comics that educated students about social justice issues. Julia is looking forward to creating a space for students to enjoy the freedom and fun of art as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Kathryn Foley

Service Location: Frankford High School
Graduate of: Temple University

Kathryn Foley is originally from Doylestown, Pennsylvania and has had a passion for film and television since she was 12 years old. Kathryn graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in film and media arts. In her studies, she has focused on screenwriting and film producing. However, she also has interest in directing and animation. She is a filmmaker who uses storytelling as a way of empowering individuals and connecting with others.

Kathryn also has experience teaching through her work as a lead instructor at Black Rocket, a summer program with multiple offerings for children ages 6 to 14 years old, specializing in game design and STEM. Kathryn is looking forward to collaborating and creating unique and exciting projects with students through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorp Senior Fellow in Philadelphia.

Kathryn Schweingruber

School Placement: Samuel Fels High School
Graduate of: Drexel University

Kathryn Schweingruber is originally from Philadephia, PA and has had a passion for dance since she was four years old. Kathryn graduated from Drexel University with a bachelor’s degree in dance. She is a dedicated artist who uses dance to connect with herself, others and to explore humanity.

Kathryn also has experience in teaching and choreographing through her work at Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center, The Dornsife Center, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia and Drexel Dance Ensemble. Kathryn is looking forward to deepening her understanding of how dance and other art forms can be integrated into the current education system and seeing the positive benefits access to an arts education has on students through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

Kyla Spencer

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Kenyon College

Kyla Anne Spencer is originally from Lancaster, PA and has had a love for telling stories in various forms her whole life. Kyla graduated from Kenyon College with a bachelor’s degree in drama and a concentration in American studies. She is a theatre and book artist who uses collage, poetry, movement, and monologue to explore the intersection of race, gender, and neurodivergence while celebrating the mundane and the messiness of everyday life.

Kyla also has experience in arts administration through her work at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, IL. Kyla is thrilled to return to her home state to make some art and some meaningful connections in the community as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Matthew Evans

School Placement: Academy of Middle Years at Northwest
Graduate of: Millersville University

Matthew Evans is originally from Philadelphia and has had a lifelong passion for music. Matthew graduated from Millersville University with a bachelor’s degree in music production. As a musician, he utilizes digital composition and songwriting to offer an honest exploration of self and his life experiences.

In addition to coursework and independent production, Matthew has also gained a deeper understanding of the studio recording process through his internships with Samurai Hotel in Queens and Milkboy The Studio in Philadelphia. He is looking forward to applying his knowledge and love for music to encourage the growth of a creative community through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Senior Fellow in Philadelphia!

MJ Swanson

School placement: TBD
Graduate of: Drexel University

MJ grew up in Oakland, California and has loved singing since she was eight years old. MJ graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in recording arts and music production and a double minor in business and sociology. She is a musician and producer who uses songwriting to express and understand her own emotions as well as highlight the ties between all our experiences. She believes that the hallmark of a good song is to create connections between people through shared feelings and moments.

MJ has also worked in podcasting and audiobook production. You can listen to her work on Season 2 of the FemGems Podcast. MJ is so excited to make music with young people and curate a space for everyone to express themselves, feel joy, and gain confidence as creatives. She can’t wait to start her ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellowship in Philadelphia!

Paul Stelben

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Yale University

Paul Stelben is originally from greater New Haven, CT and has had a passion for music since age seven. Paul graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in music. He also studied education and computer science. He uses the bassoon and the carillon to create music that is healing and meaningful to people.

Additionally, Paul has experience in tutoring and service through his work at several organizations including Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, the Yale Music in Schools Initiative, and New Haven Reads. Paul is looking forward to supporting students and developing his teaching skills through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Peri Law

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Peri Law is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina and has had a passion for the visual arts since she was little. Both her love for art history and desire to pursue art as a career were sparked as a senior in high school. Peri graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art and art history. She is a visual artist who uses printmaking and mixed media to explore the liminality of multiracial identity, personal, cultural, and multigenerational memory, and the nuances of mental health.

Peri Law also has experience in curation and exhibition planning through her work at the Ackland Art Museum and the nonprofit VAE Raleigh where she co-curated an exhibition on the climate crisis. Peri is looking forward to growing as an educator and working towards creating equitable art opportunities as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Sabrina Truong

Service Site: TBD
Graduate of: Columbus College of Art and Design

Sabrina Truong is originally from Cincinnati, OH and has had an interest in drawing for as long as she can remember. Sabrina graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in animation. She is an animator who uses films and illustrations to inspire deep thinking and empathy in her audience.

Sabrina has experience in tutoring and counseling through her work with STEM-U and the International Church of Christ. Sabrina is looking forward to serving and growing as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia, PA!

Sarah Gordin

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Muhlenberg College

Sarah Gordin is a theatre and dance teaching artist as well as a director and choreographer from Livingston, New Jersey. Sarah fell in love with storytelling through reading, and now focuses on telling stories in creative, imaginative ways through theatre and dance. Sarah graduated from Muhlenberg College with a bachelor’s degree in theatre. Her college thesis was focused on how to teach about the Holocaust through theatre to Pennsylvania middle and high schoolers. She has also studied at the National Theatre Institute Advanced Directing Program at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, The Theatre Academy of London, and participated in The Teaching Artist Project in Fall 2020.

Sarah has worked at multiple organizations teaching young people all over the world, both virtually and in-person. Several of these schools and organizations include: OutSchool, The Rose Theater in Omaha, NE, Gas Lamp Players and Camp Deeny Riback in New Jersey, The Civic Theatre and Jefferson Elementary School in Allentown, PA, and The Creative Arts in India. While teaching, Sarah focuses on developing executive functioning skills, social emotional learning, and tapping into imaginations while creating leadership opportunities in the classroom for each student’s voice and stories to be heard and valued. Sarah is so excited to create connections within the Philadelphia community as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow.

Sophie Rodgers

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of Carleton College

Sophie Rogers is from Woodstock, IL and has been a printmaker since they learned to carve and stamp potatoes in the third grade. Sophie graduated from Carleton College with a bachelor’s degree in studio arts. These days, their prints, drawings, and sculptures are about memory and how time can feel very slippery.

Sophie’s art practice has always involved teaching, especially after being an America Reads and Counts tutor in the Northfield Public Schools. Sophie is excited about wearing their art teacher wardrobe and is looking forward to taking chances, making mistakes, and getting messy as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philly!

Tariq Thompson

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Kenyon College

Tariq Thompson is originally from Memphis, Tennessee and has had an interest in poetry since he was fifteen. Tariq graduated from Kenyon College with a bachelor’s degree in English and a concentration in creative writing. He is a poet who uses traditional and experimental literary forms to explore communal Black history, futurity, and being.

Tariq also has experience in digital marketing and literary research through his work at The Kenyon Review and the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute respectively. Tariq is looking forward to discovering new ways to engage feeling and identity with language through ArtistYear as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Zane Schultz

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Tyler School of Art

Zane Schultz is originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and has had a passion for painting since high school. Zane graduated from Tyler School of Art with a bachelor’s degree in painting. He is an abstract artist who uses color and light to explore improvisation and self-discovery.

Zane also has experience in working with young children through his work at LCBC and Kairos Ministries during mission trips. Zane is looking forward to making art an intrinsic part of young people’s lives as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!

Zoe Speer

School Placement: TBD
Graduate of: Occidental College

Zoe Speer is originally from Nashville, TN and has had a passion for Theater since she was 15 years old. Zoe graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA with a bachelor’s degree in theater and a focus in scenic design. She is a theater artist who uses design to play with space and mood to impact the audience’s experience of a story.

Zoe also has experience in teaching and community work through her work with Notre Dame Mission Volunteers AmeriCorps. Zoe is looking forward to expanding arts education for youth as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellow in Philadelphia!