Staff

Artists For Humanity Co-Founders

Susan Rodgerson, Executive/Artistic Director – Susan is responsible for artistic direction; program development; administration; and fundraising. Blending her experience as an artist, educator, entrepreneur, and administrator, she has led Artists For Humanity since its founding 18 years ago. She studied fine art and art history at Art Institute of Boston and Radcliffe College. In 2008, Ms. Rodgerson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service by Tufts University for her exemplary work as an artist, activist, entrepreneur, environmentalist, teacher, and mentor.

Damon Butler, Assistant Artistic Director – Damon rejoined AFH as Assistant Artistic Director in 2008 after a three-year absence, during which he co-founded and directed the youth program NYC LAB through Sweat Equity Enterprises. Throughout his tenure at AFH, Butler helped develop and refine Artists For Humanity’s arts and enterprise model. As a member of the US/UK Exploratory Partnership, he contributed to building a field for youth development and has been a featured speaker at several national conferences. Butler studied painting, illustration and graphic design at the Art Institute of Boston.

Rob Gibbs, Studio Director – Rob applies his experiences as an academic scholarship winner, Americorps Fellow and Prudential Youth Leadership Fellow to overseeing the fine art/exhibitions studios, leading the painting instruction, and serving as community liaison for large scale outdoor public art. He has been an active participant in building a field for youth development, and conducts youth/adult relationship training at conferences such as Girls, Inc. and YouthBuild USA and Young Peoples Conference, Odyssey Belfast.

Jason Talbot, Special Projects Director – Jason leads the video instruction, serves as a liaison between studios and manages special projects. In this capacity, he brings technical skills honed at the Art Institute of Boston with broad work experience gleaned as a sales representative for MCIWorldcom and a graphic designer for Turner Broadcasting and Going Interactive. Jason has just been selected for the prestigious Emerging Leaders Program’s 2009 Cohort run by University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Artists For Humanity EpiCenter Events

Karina Falcon, Corporate Events Coordinator – A graduate of Huertas College, Karina reaches out to potential clients for design services, gallery rentals and donor opportunities. Falcon joined AFH in 2009.

Shane Hassey, Events/Exhibitions Coordinator – An AFH alumnus, Shane manages on- and off-site exhibitions, gallery and studio rentals and coordinates corporate sponsorships. Hassey joined AFH in 2001.

Marketing, Outreach and Public Relations

Greg Brown, Individual Giving and Special Events Director – With 18 years experience cultivating major gifts, Greg has been leading AFH’s major gifts program since April 2003. He graduated from Ohio University with Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre and studied at the Herman Berghof Studio.

Debbie First, Marketing and Communications Consultant – First has spent over 30 years in strategic marketing and communications. Before starting her own firm, she was with Fleishman Hillard/Boston, and before that held executive positions at Kortenhaus Communications, the Mass Cultural Council and The Mass Office of Travel and Tourism. First serves on non profit Boards of arts, health and educational organizations. She has a BA in English from Wheaton College and a Masters in Education from Boston College.

Rich Frank, Marketing Director – Rich has recently joined forces with AFH to help extend its mission and creative output to an international stage. In this endeavor, Frank combines his years of experience in sales and product development with his passion for social enterprise as a vehicle for youth development and collaboration.

George Mallett, Community Network Director – George brings extensive business experience as a general manager and operations manager for smaller manufacturing companies, focusing on industry growth, to his role as Community Network Director. He received his Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Santa Cruz. George joined AFH in 2007.

Yhinny Matos, Community Outreach Coordinator – Since 2000, Yhinny has led the outreach, recruitment, and marketing efforts for Artists For Humanity. A well-respected performance artist, Yhinny Matos is a founding member of the urban dance troupe United Roots and a former member of the acclaimed Hip Hop group the Floor Lords. Yhinny holds an Associates Degree from Bay State College.

Mentoring Artists

Maggi Brown, Painting Mentor – Maggi, who has led one of the Painting Studios since 2004, is a celebrated local artist. She has exhibited widely throughout the eastern seaboard and her many awards include the 1986 and 1993 Pollock-Krasner Fellowships; and a Fellowship from Radcliffe College’s Bunting Institute. Maggi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tufts University and a Graduate Certificate from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. She also studied under artists Lajos Matolsey and Vivian Milner Akers.

Ryan Conley, Painting Mentor – An AFH alumnus, Ryan has been a mentor in the Painting and Mural Studios since 2001.  He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art.

Claudia De Piante Vicin, Graphics/Projects Director – Claudia co-leads the Graphic Design Studio and contributes to organizational design projects. A graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design with extensive graphic design experience, she speaks four languages, including Spanish, French and Italian. Claudia joined AFH in 2001.

Tom Donovan, Screenprinting/Special Projects Coordinator – A long-time collaborator during his previous position as a screenprinting and marketing professional at the Needham-based ChillyBear, Tom joined AFH in September 2006 to help innovate our Screenprinting Studio and marketing systems. He graduated from Emerson College in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising/Public Relations and has 20 years experience in the screen printing industry.

Michael Guadarrama, Graphic Design Assistant – Mike is an AFH alumnus who worked in New York City for a couple of years at a commercial design firm before returning to AFH to share his experience as a graphic and motion graphic artist. Motion graphics are an integral part of video and graphic design today and allow designers to draw a movie, add animation to live footage, or design images and set them into motion. By enlisting advanced graphic design apprentices in this process, he will teach teens critical skills in innovation, driven by a market that is consistently seeking a new aesthetic.

Sarah Nguyen, Digital Media/Literacy Mentor – A program alumna, Sarah rejoined AFH in 2009 to help spearhead two new initiatives – Digital Media and Literacy programming – that will expand and heighten youth impact at AFH. A visual and performance artist, Nguyen graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in both Asian American Studies and World Arts and Culture, and with a minor in Film.

Haidan Hodgson, Photography/Projects Coordinator – A graduate of Boston’s University’s photojournalism program, Haidan coordinates AFH’s photography studio, including our ongoing collaboration with the Boston Globe’s Teens in Print publication. Hodgson joined AFH in 2002.

Cassandra Lattimore, Painting Mentor – An AFH alumnus, Cassandra served as a youth leader in the Arts Micro-enterprise, an assistant mentor in our Saturday Blast! program for middle school youth, and as a general assistant in a variety of capacities in the AFH painting studio since 2005. She has grown tremendously in her own leadership and artistic skills in the past four years.

Brendan Powers, Saturday Blast Mentor – An AFH Alumnus and sophomore at Massachusetts College of Art, Brendan has developed outstanding mentoring and artistic skills through his advancement at AFH. Powers was promoted to lead mentor for AFH’s Saturday Blast! program in 2008. In this capacity, he oversees an introductory arts exploration for middle school youth and supervises two to four Assistant Mentors.

Joe Ramirez, Graphics/Special Projects Coordinator – Joe co-leads the Graphic Design Studio and contributes to organizational design projects. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art, and a long-time collaborator with AFH’s Screenprinter Artist Tom Donavon. Ramirez joined AFH in 2007.

Nick Rodrigues, Sculpture/Projects Coordinator – Nick, founder of Rodrigues Sculpture Co., is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art with a degree in sculpture. He designed and created dynamic permanent sculptures for the EpiCenter’s environmental education display, and is leading an AFH sculpture studio to create more site-specific works. Rodrigues joined the AFH staff in 2004.

Jamison Sellers, Sculpture Mentor – Jamison is a recent graduate of the Rhode Island school of Design’s Furniture design program. He is particularly interested in environmental and social responsibility and is excited to help young apprentices in Sculpture/Industrial combine these elements in their art.

Gabriel Tirado, Web Developer/Projects Coordinator – An AFH program graduate, Gabriel is currently pursuing a degree in law and philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He completely redesigned the Artists For Humanity website with Dreamweaver, Flash and CSS, and has been leading a Web Design studio since 2008.

Quyên Truong, Education Director – Quyên takes part in running the Painting Studio; coordinates the Tutoring program; oversees teens’ academic performance; and assembles participant data for evaluation purposes. A recent graduate of Brown University, Quyen began working at AFH in September 2005. She learned about AFH through an internship at the AFH seeding RiverzEdge Arts Project in Woonsocket, RI.

Assistant Mentors

Andy Vicente Barbosa, Painting Assistant Mentor

Ryan Greene, Graphics Assistant Mentor

Massiel Grullon, Graphics Assistant Mentor

Nestor Martino, Painting Assistant Mentor

Savannah McKay, Painting Assistant Mentor

Fritz Mead, Painting Assistant Mentor

Romard Myers, Painting Assistant Mentor

Mary Nguyen, Photography Assistant Mentor

Chris Rogers, Photography Assistant Mentor
View his artist profile

Development and Administration

Patrice Maye, Development Director – Patrice oversees the agency’s resource development activities. A creative writer of poetry and fiction, she holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Boston College and a Master of Philosophy in Irish Studies from University College Galway, Ireland. Patrice joined AFH in May 2001.

Andrew Motta, Operations Director – Manager of the organization’s day-to-day and fiscal operations, Drew has his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Education from UMass Amherst. Drew also oversees “Spiritus Solaris,” including conducting tours, and overseeing program outreach and marketing. Andrew has been with AFH since 1995.

Danielle Thompson, Development Associate – Danielle works closely with the Development Director on all resource development activities. An accomplished print-maker, she received a Bachelor of Science in Studio Arts from Skidmore College and a Master of Art in Fine Arts from Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Italy. She has also exhibited her work internationally. Thompson joined AFH in 2007.