Faculty, Staff, Directors & Board Members

Brookline Arts Center Staff

Susan Navarre, Executive Director
Brianna Whitney, Assistant Director
Katharina Chapuis, Assistant

Board of Directors

Lenore Sempert, President
Jennifer Shell, Vice-President/Clerk
Michael Vahey, Treasurer

Board Members

Peter J. Ames, Mim Berliner, Robert Fierro, Isabella Frost, Vasundhra Ganju, Carol Gladstone, Carol Hall, Chobee Hoy, Marissa Hunt, Kim Ann King, Jane Lorch, Joseph Schmitt, Manika Srivastav

Brookline Arts Center Faculty

Janet Ashton is one of our Moms, Dads, & Tots teachers. A long time performer of Celtic and traditional music at the Colonial Tavern Museum, Janet also performs historical concerts in character and costume.

Vladimir Barsukov has a PhD in physics and mathematics from St. Petersburg University in Russia, and has been making mobiles for as long as he can remember. Vladimir's work can be seen at galleries throughout New England. Vladimir is a member of the Cambridge Art Association and the Concord Art Association.

Dina Brodsky was born in 1981 in Minsk, Belarus. Her family immigrated to America in 1990. She received her BFA at the University of Massachussets in Amherst, and continued her education at the New York Academy of Art, where she graduated with a Master's Degree in Spring 2006, Dina currently resides in Boston, Massachussetts.

Ilah Cibis grew up in Kansas City and began making jewelry when she was 15. She received her BFA from Boston University and later attended the North Bennet Street School in Boston's historic North End. In December 2006 she opened Precious Metals, a custom jewelry boutique in Sudbury, MA.

Robert Collins received a BFA and MFA from Boston University. He has taught at Boston University, UMASS Dartmouth, the Danforth Museum, and Rhode Island College. Bob has also shown work in Boston, Maine and Rhode Island galleries.

Robin Connors received her BS and Certificate of Design at Mount Ida College. Robin heads the teen ArtReach program for at the Brookline Housing Authority's High Street location. Robin is a freelance calligrapher in her spare time. In 2002, she was honored with the BAC's Art Treasures Award. Her work is in several New England collections. She is available for private lessons.

Sarah Cunningham received her BFA from Masachusetts College of Art in sculpture and ceramics. She functions as BAC's ceramic studio manager and teaches adult wheelthrowing classes. Sarah runs her own pottery business, and sells her work at galleries and craft fairs throughout the Boston area.

Yaron Dotan has degrees from Queens College and St. John's University. Yaron is currently an MFA candidate at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

Melissa Finelli graduated from the North Bennet Street School's jewelry program in 1996. She is currently attending the School of the Museum of Fine Arts to explore new ideas in jewelry design and metal sculpture. Her work can be seen locally at Fire Opal in Brookline. The John McMartin Gallery in Detroit also shows Melissa's jewelry.

Ann Fitzgerald holds a BA and MBA with a concentration in computer graphics from UMass Amherst, and a BFA in ceramics from Massachusetts College of Art. She has been teaching children's classes at BAC for several years.

Beth Ann Gerstein is the Executive Director of The Society of Arts and Crafts. Gerstein holds an MFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan. Beth is a board member of the Glass Art Society, and Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts.

Sarah Gaw studied psychology and studio art at Skidmore College. She has worked as a freelance photographer and a Photoshop instructor.

Raul Gonzalez is an illustrator/cartoonist and designer living in Somerville. He a founding member of the Miracle Five and is currently working with Blackwell Publishing Philosophical Tales. He also teaches at the Boston Architectural Center and Museum of Fine Arts. Raul recently completed illustrations for Attorney Man with author Karen Katz, a copy can be purchased in the BAC office. His work can also be seen at www.elainebay.com

Stephanie Houston studied Fine Arts and Political Science at Ohio Wesleyan University. She has been designing pottery since 1997 and is a studio art instructor at MIT.

Vanessa Irzyk taught art at Sociedad Latina in Roxbury, and Ceramics at Ramapo Summer camp. She has exhibited her own work at Mass College of Art. In addition to teaching at the BAC, Vanessa is finishing her degree at Mass Art.

Ramune Jauniskis is an illustrator for book publishers and magazines, as well as a fine artist in a wide range of media: watercolor, acrylic, ceramics, papier mache, pen and ink, and paper sculpture. She also works as a mural and decorative painter in private homes. On weekends, Ramune runs the popular BAC art birthday parties for children. She received her BFA from Mass. College of Art.

Peg Kane holds a BFA in Painting from Mass College of Art and a MA in Painting from Pius XII Institute, Florence Italy. She teaches additional art classes at the Cape Cod Conservatory and has shown her work at many galleries in the Boston area.

Ruth Kates holds a BFA in painting and an MFA in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art. She has been teaching at the BAC and community art centers for over twenty years. Since Ruth began exhibiting her work in the early 70's, she has won over 50 artist awards at exhibitions in the region. Her work is included in collections nationally. She has been honored with BAC's Art Treasures Award.

Siobhan Landry studied Art and Ideas at the University of Michigan and is now finishing her degree from School of Museum of Fine Arts.

Angela Liguori was born in Rome, Italy. Liguori earned her BFA from the University of Bologna, specializing in book arts. She is a proprietor of Carta, Inc. an art and design studio and her limited edition books are part of several University Libraries, Special Collections, in the country, as well as Europe.

Margaret Langdell graduated from the Univ. of Mass. at Amherst in 1995 with a BA in Comparative Literature and graduated from the prestigious jewelry program at the North Bennet Street School. She has worked extensively in jewelry and glass blowing as well as mentoring for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She has consulted with museums in the U.S and the U.K. in regard to their enamel collections. Her article "Enamels in the Delaware Art Museum" was published in the February 2004 issue of Glass on Metal Magazine.

Marc Mancuso has taught at workshops and camps for children. He also teaches ceramics at Brookline Adult and Community Education, and MIT.

John Martino specializes in black & white street-style images. John's photos have been exhibited in numerous venues in Boston and have also appeared in such publications as "Photographers Forum," "New Orleans Review," and "Kestrel."

Kim Mellema received her BFA from SUNY Buffalo in 1980. She has been an artist and teacher for the last 15 years. Kim has taught at the New England School of Art and Design, her book illustrations have been widely published.

Dave Ortega is from the desert heat of the Southwest U.S. where he studied drawing and painting at the University of Texas at El Paso. Dave has produced many mini comics and drawing for local publications including the Big Dig, Thread and the Boston Phoenix.

Tom Pendergast is a jazz musician with a Professional Music Diploma from Berklee College of Music. He plays children's music at cafes, birthday parties and other gigs regularly in the area. Tom also teaches private guitar lessons to all ages. Email him at TomPen@110.net

Elizabeth Rocha studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and has an ALB from Harvard's Extension School. She has been working as a children's illustrator for the past ten years and teaches in a variety of programs around Boston.

Leslie Shershow holds a BFA in Fine Arts 3D/Metals from Mass College of Art. She has studied stone carving in Florence Italy and currently assists in a number of metals studios. Leslie was awarded the Lillian Bardfield Award and Foundation Auction Award, she also took honorable mention at the All Schools Show in 2005.

Jennifer Sherr operates her own company,Sherr Designs, specializing in decoupage accessories. Jenn's work is sold in shops and galleries throughout New England.

Wendy Soneson (Hoo) has been teaching art in Brookline for thirty years. She has shown her work locally and has an M.Ed. from Lesley College. She works with under served populations in the Boston area, teaching all ages. Her current focus in her watercolors is depicting light. She often participates in community art events such as Open Studios at Allendale Farm. She has been honored with BAC's Art Treasures Award.

Merrill Smith is a graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and has been teaching young children in the Moms, Dads, & Tots program at the Center for many years. She founded the ArtReach program at the Brookline Housing Authority in 1990. She has been honored with BAC's Art Treasures Award.

George Summers received his BFA from UMass Dartmouth and has been working in batik for over 20 years. He has exhibited in many venues from Massachusetts to Key West, Florida. George's batik work is profiled in The Crafters Book of Angels and The Ultimate T-Shirt Book by Deborah Morgenthal, and was recently featured at the Society of Arts and Crafts.