Meet Our Senior Teaching Artists!

Our Staff

Nancy Kleaver (she/her)

Executive Director

Nancy has worked for over two decades to make arts learning equitable for all children and has a track record of leading organizations through times of growth and change.

Email Nancy!

Eve Wolff (she/her)

Deputy Director

Eve has spent over 20 years in the NYC performing arts and arts education sectors and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable.

Email Eve!

Diana Pettersen (she/her)

Associate Director of Curriculum & Professional Development

A former Dancing Classrooms teaching artist, Diana is a dancer, educator of NYC youth, and founder of Sans Limites Dance company.

Email Diana!

Yvonne Winborne (she/her)

Associate Director of Curriculum & Professional Development

Yvonne is a passionate educator, dancer, choreographer, teaching artist, and mental health advocate.

Email Yvonne!

Ivelisse Garcia (she/her/ella)

Senior Manager, Finance & Operations

With a long career as a dancer, fitness instructor and dance educator, Ivelisse joined Dancing Classrooms in 2008 as a Teaching Artist before becoming a full time staff member.

Email Ivelisse!

Mary McCatty (she/her)

Senior Manager, Program Operations

A lifelong dancer, Mary has spent her career teaching, choreographing and performing all over the world, and first joined Dancing Classrooms as a Teaching Artist in 2005.

Email Mary!

Annamaria Diamant (she/her)

Program Manager

Annamaria is an experienced dancer and educator with over 10 years of experience working in dance studios, NYC public schools, after-school programs and early childhood movement classes.

Email Annamaria!

Victoria Malvagno (she/her)

Program Manager

A veteran of Dancing Classrooms for over 20 years, Victoria has supported students’ dance journeys as a Teaching Artist, Senior Educational Liaison, and Program Manager.

Email Victoria!

Lu Mejia (she/her)

Communications & Content Coordinator

Lu Mejia (she/her) is a bilingual, professional dancer, content editor, writer and photographer from Bogotá, Colombia based in New York City, who is looking to make an impact and direct change through arts, culture and community spaces.

Email Lu!

Ieshia Henry (she/her)

Operations Coordinator

Ieshia gaduated from CUNY Hunter College with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. Fun fact about me is that I did tap, jazz, and ballet from 4 years old through high school!

Email Ieshia!

Teaching Artists

Alima Traore

Annika Hileman

Anri Nakano Green

Aviva Bumgardner

Barbara Barr

Beata Terrasi

Carmen Mendoza

Carolyn Cryer

Catherine Correa

Coco (Christina) Smith

Cynthia Reitman

Dwayne Beach

Enrico Mayuga

Erin Bomboy

Frank Aparis

Ginger Tidwell-Walker

Isabelle Goodman

Jacob Licona

Jasmine Oton

Jennifer Murmylo

Juanita Winston

Julieta Valero

Konnor Davis

Laura Carella

Lauren Belcher

Lisa Leonard

Lucia Flexer-Marshall

Marlon Mills

Michael Blevins

Michelle Tulloch

Nadia Khayralla

Nia Robertson

Ray Davis

Rachael Davidson

Sam Woo

Xin Tan

Yesenia Paula

Mary Suk

Yloy Ybarra

Yolette Yellow Duke

Buddy Teaching Artists

Diego Ajuz

Lou Brockman

Linda Camardo

Shelby Joy Cole

Manuel Rojas

Norman Shipman

Board of Trustees

Patrice Tanaka, Chair
Founder & Chief Joy Officer, Joyful Planet LLC

Harry Chung, Treasurer
Realtor, Douglas Elliman Real Estate and Non-Profit Volunteer

Biana Arbit, Secretary
Director, Data Analytics, Global Markets Technology at Credit Suisse

Ron Aizen
Counsel at Paul Weiss

Yang Chen
Executive Director, Asian American Bar Association of New York

John J. Entwistle
Retired Military, Corporate Executive and Real Estate Entrepreneur

Maggie Gubala
Business Owner

Rheanna Gaskin
Senior Project Manager, Vice Media Group

Regina Hardatt
Assistant Lower School Director for Inclusive Teaching and Learning at the Pingry School

Sheila A. Hoerle
Artist and Philanthropist

Vrinda Mishra
Head of Trade Marketing, Wella

Lorraine Peoples
Retired Chief Audit Executive

Dr. Jephtha Tausig
Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Non-Profit Volunteer

Honorary

Pierre Dulaine
Founder of American Ballroom Theater and Dancing Classrooms, Board Member Emeritus

Yvonne Marceau
Co-founder of American Ballroom Theater and Dancing Classrooms, Board Member Emeritus

 

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility(IDEA) Working Group

Diego Ajuz
Nancy Kleaver
Enrico Mayuga
Marlon Mills
Patrice Tanaka
Eve Wolff
Marielle Young