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Staff & Leadership
Serving artists and staffed by artists.
With a dedicated board and a diverse staff—comprised largely of working artists from all disciplines—New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)’s impact is far-reaching with in-person programs and services, an international online presence, an ever-growing base in New York, and significant partnerships with other arts and cultural organizations, city and state government agencies, and academic institutions.
NYFA is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Increasing diversity
Interested in working at NYFA? Open roles will be listed on NYFA Classifieds as they come available.
NYFA Executive Leadership
Fred Humphrey
Chief Operating Officer
As a native New Yorker, Fred Humphrey has spent his entire carreer in the non profit sector and worked or volunteered with some of the leading LGBT organizations in New York City. Before joining the staff at NYFA, he was Director of Finance and HR at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, where he also oversaw faclities. In addition to his role as Chief Operating Officer at NYFA, he respensents NYFA as a member of the Safety Net Coalition Steering Committee, serves on the Executive Committee of NCAPER and is an active on the boards of two cultural organizations.
Michael Royce
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Royce was named by Crain’s as one of the top 50 NYC Nonprofit Board Leaders in 2023, and a Notable Leader in nonprofits in 2021. He was also named, by the Observer (2020), as one of the top 50 most influential arts leaders in the nation, and awarded the inaugural Alan Cooper Leadership in the Arts Award by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation in 2018. He is a Board member of ArtBridge, and previously was the President of Moynihan Station Development Corporation; Director of Programming for the Theatre Development Fund; Deputy Director at the New York State Council on the Arts; and Director of Marketing for the Creative Arts Team.
Sarah Wilson
Executive Assistant
Sarah Wilson has worked in documentary and film production for National Geographic, PBS, Hulu, NPR, and the Smithsonian Institutions, and has produced a range of shorts and features for independent filmmakers. She comes to NYFA from being the communications coordinator for the environmental nonprofit Big Reuse. Sarah founded and ran the DIY community arts space in Gowanus called LifeWorld for 2 years, and is a part of a group of organizers who build solidarity with incarcerated people through a pen pal program which has grown in the last several years to include hundreds of people, supporting them in their job search and career building.
NYFA Development and Communications
Nichole Almanzar
Development Officer
Kim Andresen
Director of Development
For over 25 years Kim Andresen has worked with nonprofits across NYS in a variety of roles ranging from development and arts administration to content creation and special events management. Prior to joining NYFA’s team Kim was serving as Concerts Administrator at Vassar College, and Grants Developer for the Bardavon 1869 Opera House | Ulster Performing Arts Center. Throughout her career as a NYS-WBE certified consultant she has worked with dozens of small to mid-sized organizations to secure the funding necessary to bolster their mission and realize their vision. In 2016 Kim relocated from the Adirondacks downstate to the Hudson Valley.
Amy Aronoff
Senior Communications Officer
Amy Aronoff is a communications strategist with more than 15 years of experience helping arts and culture organizations raise their public profiles and reach new audiences. Amy manages projects both large and small, collaborating with colleagues across and outside of NYFA, with a keen eye on clarity, consistency, and design. Her expertise ranges from content design, writing, and editing to social media, email marketing, and press outreach. She is a photographer and baker who enjoys New York's many museums, galleries, and neighborhoods.
Carolyn Lockhart Schoerner
Development Officer
NYFA Grants and Awards
Sarah O'Connell
Director of NYFA Grants
Sarah O'Connell has over 12 years of experience working for mission-driven arts organizations with a focus on strategic program development for artist residencies, fellowships, and grants. Sarah currently oversees NYFA’s grant programs distributing unrestricted and project-based funding to artists based in NYC, New York state, and nation-wide. Previously, Sarah has held positions at The Museum of Modern Art, Artists Space, Eyebeam, The Center for Photography at Woodstock, and Light Work. Sarah has a passion for non-profit arts organizations and their ability to play a crucial role in artistic advancement. She is currently based in the Hudson Valley.
Audrey Thao Berger
Program Officer NYFA Grants
Audrey Thao Berger is a Brooklyn-based arts administrator, community organizer, dancer, and teaching artist. With a deep belief in the transformative power of the arts, she is dedicated to fostering its growth and accessibility. Audrey's experience includes roles such as Assistant Company Manager of Sleep No More and Programs and Production Associate at The Brooklyn Arts Exchange. Additionally, she has taught creative movement to Pre-K and Kindergarten classes at PS 12, PS 107, and PS 242 in New York. Audrey holds a BA degree in Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School.
Mollie Quinlan-Hayes
Program Officer NYFA Grants and Awards
Mollie Quinlan-Hayes has worked with arts organizations across the country for over 30 years, as Deputy Director of South Arts, Assistant Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, a consultant and facilitator, and currently as the Rauschenberg Grants Coordinator for NYFA and as Fund Development and Program Officer with NCAPER, the National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response. She developed and administers NYFA’s national Rauschenberg Emergency Grants which support artists to return to their creative practice after a crisis. She directed the national initiative ArtsReady since its inception following the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and now works to build the practice of readiness and response in the arts field.
Kendra Shiloh Russell
Program Associate NYFA Grants
Kendra Shiloh Russell is an arts administrator and visual artist based in Queens, NY. With an artistic practice deeply rooted in community and cultural exploration, they have a passion for supporting artists at all stages of their careers. Kendra holds a BS in Textile Development from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and their exhibition history as a photographer includes group exhibitions at Columbia University, Living Room Gallery, and Thames Art Center.
Eleysha Sajous
Senior Program Officer NYFA Grants
NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship
Alicia Ehni
Program Officer Fiscal Sponsorship
Andrea Kleine
Program Officer Fiscal Sponsorship
Daniel Tantalean
Film & Media Consultant Fiscal Sponsorship
Daniel Tantalean is an award-winning Latinx Producer based in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to NYFA, Daniel was a 2023 Film Independent Producing Lab Fellow and producer of IN THE SUMMERS (U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, Sundance '24). He is a NALIP Latino Media Market Fellow, and was chosen for the prestigious 2024 Tribeca Creator's Market with his documentary REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE.
His work has been featured at top film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, SFFilm, and Hot Docs. Daniel produced the award-winning short doc ALE LIBRE which has been distributed by The New Yorker.
NYFA Learning
Chelsea Goding-Doty
Senior Program Officer NYFA Learning, Leadership Initiatives
Chelsea Goding-Doty is a Nonprofit Lifecycles consultant and Co-Active Coach. Before joining NYFA, Chelsea worked with Kaneza Schaal as Managing Director to produce and tour works of opera and theater. She served as Managing Director at Gallim and Interim Director of Education at New York City Center. In 2010, she co-founded Harlem Arts Festival, a multidisciplinary performing and visual arts festival presented annually in Harlem, NY. Chelsea holds a BS in Arts Administration from Butler University. She is pursuing ICF certification through Co-Active Institute, and is a member of the Creative and Independent Producer Alliance.
Felicity Hogan
Director of NYFA Learning
Originally born in the UK and trained as a visual artist, since residing in the US, Felicity expanded her skills to curating and arts administration with over 25 years of experience in commercial, alternative, and non-profit spaces. As Director of NYFA Learning at the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), Felicity oversees free or low-cost workshops and programs for artists, cultural workers, and arts organizations. Felicity is passionate about fostering community and engagement through professional development programming. Residing in the Bronx, Felicity enjoys walking and helping steward trees through Tibbets Brook Beautification Association.
Ju Hye Kim
Program Associate NYFA Learning
Ju Hye Kim is an arts administrator and cultural producer based in NYC. At NYFA, she co-administers professional development programs that support leadership growth in the arts field and foster community--including the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program and Emerging Leaders Program. Previously, she curated events and programs for youth and families at Richmond Symphony including the launch of RSSoM, an online platform fostering musical connections for all ages. She has a passion for supporting non-profit arts organizations and creating spaces for all types of artistic expression.
Kelly Olshan
Program Officer NYFA Learning, Career Advice and Training
Kelly Olshan is a NYC-based arts manager and artist with 8+ years of experience providing fiscal and educational resources for creative practitioners. At NYFA, she manages professional development programs for artists of all disciplines globally, including Artist as Entrepreneur and NYFA Coaching. As a reviewer, she is a frequent panelist for NYC Percent for Art Program and on the DOT Public Art Advisory Committee. She gives talks at art schools and institutions nationally, including SVA, RISD, and American University Museum. She holds a BFA in Painting from UNC Asheville and an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University.
Ya Yun Teng
Program Officer NYFA Learning, Immigrant Artist Resource Center (NYC)
Ya Yun Teng is a cultural producer and arts administrator with a passion for advancing underrepresented narratives and creating inclusive cultural spaces. At NYFA, she designs programs, connects resources, and builds partnerships to support immigrant artists. Previously, she has designed, advised, and presented cross-cultural programs for Flushing Town Hall, Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Asia Society, and Philadelphia Museum of Art. She served as panel reviewer for Queens Council on the Arts, Brooklyn Council on the Arts, and OneBeat, and is an alumni of Coro NY’s Immigrant Civic Leadership Program.
NYFA Classifieds and Sales
Melanie Martin
Director of NYFA Classifieds and Sales
Melanie Martin is an arts administrator and arts advocate based in the Hudson Valley. Prior to joining NYFA, Melanie worked in museum education and managed digital advertising for a portfolio of e-commerce clients. Melanie oversees advertising and communications at NYFA and has managed the NYFA Classifieds boards for 7+ years. She is passionate about using NYFA’s digital presence to connect artists and cultural arts workers to relevant and necessary professional opportunities. In her free time, she can be found dabbling in wheel-thrown ceramics, scavenging antiques centers for teapots, and hiking with her dog, Arlo.
Katerina Nicolaou
Account Manager NYFA Classifieds
Katerina Nicolaou has 7+ years of experience in marketing for the arts. She has worked within the marketing teams of various arts organizations in New York and Italy, as well as on the digital marketing consulting side for clients in the arts. During COVID-19, she dedicated some of her time to lead outreach music programs for isolated and vulnerable communities. She received her BBA degree in International Business, Marketing, and Communications from CUNY Baruch College in NY and her MA degree in Arts Management from SDA Bocconi in Italy. In her free time, she enjoys studying vocal jazz, learning latin dances, and trying to keep her gazillion plants alive.
NYFA Finance & Administration
Michael Bailey
Finance Associate/Office Coordinator
Alan Lamb
Finance/Fiscal Sponsorship Officer
Rusha Rahman
Senior Finance Officer
Sebi Vitale
Director of Finance/Administration
Sebi has over 30 years of accounting and financial management experience. He provides oversight of NYFA's financial operations, which includes accounting, budgeting, auditing and financial reporting. His tasks also include the management of NYFA's annual audit, filing of the 990, CHAR500, and form 5500. Sebi works closely with the CEO, COO, and NYFA Directors, while providing support to the various NYFA programs. He also serves as the liason to the Board's Finance Committee. Prior to joining NYFA in 2010, Sebi was a New York State government employee, where he supported various economic, job creation, and real estate development projects.
Technology
Mohammad Usman
Director of Technology
Consultants
Zahra Banyamerian
Curatorial Affairs
Peter Cobb
Senior Advisor NYFA Learning
Peter Cobb is a jazz saxophonist, attorney, and long-time arts administrator with significant experience in fundraising and strategic planning. He is passionate about arts entrepreneurship, music, his wonderful wife Carianne and their two dogs, and all Boston sports teams.
Gretchen Kraus
Freelance Designer
Board of Directors
Marc J. Jason
Chair
Senior Counsel, Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP, Ret.
A retired attorney, Marc spent his career litigating trademark, copyright and patent cases. His passion for the arts led him to NYFA, where he has been on the Board since 2013. Marc has a BA in French Literature from Brown and a JD from Georgetown.
J. Wesley McDade
Vice Chair
Managing Director, Corporate Communications, Morgan Stanley
J. Whitney Stevens
Secretary
Co-Founder, Mend Nutrition Inc.
Myrna Chao
Treasurer
Managing Director, Willis Towers Watson, Ret.
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh
At Large
Writer
Federico Acuna
Vice President, Head of Marketing US Group Benefits & DTC, MetLife
Joe Baker
Co-founder, Executive Director, Lenape Center
Caroline Black
Executive Director, Pollock-Krasner Foundation
Caroline Black is the Executive Director of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Since 1997 she has overseen the PKF’s grant program, which awards grants to visual artists and arts organizations internationally. Since 1985, the Foundation has awarded $88 million to 5,000 artists in 80 countries. Black serves on the Board of Directors of the Artists’ Legacy Foundation, is a member of the Fund for Park Avenue’s Sculpture Advisory Committee and sits on the Advisory Committee of the Pollock-Krasner House & Study Center in Springs, NY. Black earned her MA in Art History from Columbia University and her BA from Connecticut College in New London, CT.
Leslie Boyce
Multi-Disciplinary Artist and Creator of CHOREOTOGRAPHY (R), CTM
Alexandra Chasin
Writer and Associate Professor, Literary Studies, The New School
Alessandra DiGiusto
Head of CSR Americas and Executive Director, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
Christopher Donini
Managing Director, The Raine Group
Michael Findlay
Director, Aquavella Galleries
Michael Findlay is a Director of Acquavella Galleries, which specializes in Impressionist, Modern and Post-War Contemporary art. Findlay directed one of the first galleries in SoHo, pioneering the work of artists like John Baldessari, Hannah Wilke and Sean Scully, and securing portrait commissions for Andy Warhol. Prior to Acquavella Galleries, he was a Senior Director at Christie’s. In 2022, he was appointed by President Biden to the State Department’s Cultural Property Advisory Committee. He has published two books, "Seeing Slowly—Looking at Modern Art" and an updated 10th anniversary edition of "The Value of Art."
Lesley-Anne Gliedman
Angela Henry
President, Grace Angela Henry, Inc.
Angela Henry is professionally active in nonprofit recruitment and governance; philanthropic administration; community and educational promotion and engagement; and the performing arts. Under the stage name of Grace Angela Henry, Angela has appeared on film and stage and is especially known for historic graveyard tours, her portrayals of Sojourner Truth, and as a popular MC and auctioneer for nonprofit galas. She is an accomplished voice actor on Audible.com, film, and international walking tours. Angela is the former board chair of Arts Mid-Hudson in New York.
Eunbi Kim
Concert Pianist, and Cofounder, bespoken
Pianist Eunbi Kim creates intimate experiences that transcend the conventions of the piano recital. A winner of the 2023 Astral Artists National Competition, her credits include solo programs at the Kennedy Center, a concert-meditation performance at Lincoln Center, and a TEDx Talk. She has been noted for her “creative curiosity and fearless experimentation” (New York Public Radio). Kim’s recent album debuted at #2 on Billboard Classical Charts. Titled “It Feels Like,” the album deals with themes of childhood, family and memory. Eunbi is co-founder of bespoken, a mentorship program for female-identifying and non-binary musicians.
Mary Lang
Managing Director, CBRE Global Investors
Seth Levin
Co-Founder/Partner, LevinKong Team
Laura Montross
Vice President, Communications, Brookfield Properties
Sarah Young O’Donnell
Director, ENM Holdings Limited
Sarah Young O’Donnell is a retail industry veteran, having spent much of her career in Asia, most recently as CEO of Seibu department stores and the Beauty Avenue chain in Greater China as well as corporate director of ENM Holdings Ltd in Hong Kong. Now NYC-based, she advises retail and consumer businesses globally. She currently serves as Board Chair of the National Eczema Association and is active in Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and the Wellesley Business Leadership Council. She is a longstanding student and supporter of the arts across disciplines and strongly believes that there is no more important arts organization than NYFA!
Dr. Jack Rosenberg
Artist; Chair, CT Arts Council; and Chair, CT Arts Foundation
Christopher Rudd
Artistic Director, RudduR Dance
Justin Tobin
Founder, Gather Inc.
Carmelita Tropicana
Artist
Luis Valderas
Artist, Bishop & Valderas LLC – Large Scale Print Makers, Arts Consultants
Luis Valderas is represented in the permanent collections of the University of Texas at San Antonio, Arizona State University, Art Museum of South Texas, and the San Antonio Museum of Art. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Anthropology at University of British Columbia (MOA); Medellin Museum of Art, Colombia; the Queens Museum; and others. He co-founded and produced "Project: MASA I, II,III, IV & V"—a national group exhibit featuring Latino artists and focusing on Chicano identities. He also co-founded The A3 Press and Bishop & Valderas, LLC, a large-scale printmaking community engagement collaborative and production house.
Elizabeth von Habsburg
Managing Director, Winston Art Group
Board Counsel
Jennifer A. Surprenant Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP
NYFA Advisory Council
Liz Christensen, Advisory Council Chair Founder, Christensen Fine Arts
Kathleen Chalfant Actor
Ligia Cravo Senior Program Officer, The Hearst Foundation
Allison Duignan Manager of Arts and Culture Programs, Consolidated Edison
Jessica Keuskamp Executive Director, Jean and Louis Dreyfus Foundation
Kathleen O’Grady President, The O’Grady Foundation
Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas Program Director, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Marjorie Croes Silverman Psychologist, former Dean, Barnard College
Artist Advisory Committee
Elizabeth Colomba Painting
Robert D’Alimonte Crafts/Sculpture
Tim Davis Photography
Wafa Ghaim Folk/Traditional
Shanti Grumbine Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts
Amir Hariri Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts
Sarah Hennies Music
Joyce Hwang Architecture
Tama Janowitz Fiction
Steffani Jemison Video/Film
Sibyl Kempson Playwriting
Monteith McCollum Video/Film
Joseph Morris Digital/Electronic
Rajesh Parameswaran Fiction
Lina Puerta Crafts/Sculpture
Yolanda Sharpe Painting/Drawing
Tashi Sharzur Folk/Traditional
Wenhua Shi Interdisciplinary
Jayson P. Smith Poetry
Tattfoo Tan Interdisciplinary
Donna Uchinzono Choreography
Ife Vanable Architecture