Our Team
Board of Directors
- Alex Lutz, Chair
- Pamela Adamo, Vice-Chair
- Claire Regan, Secretary
- Rossana Salaris, Treasurer
- Alice Bishop, Trustee
- Linda Brill, Trustee
- Anita Del Giorno, Trustee
- Edna Greenwich, Trustee
- Gina Russo, Trustee
- Kenneth Silber, Trustee
- Lisa Sloan, Trustee
- Shari Stein-Ballow, Trustee
Our Management Team
Arlene E. Sorkin, MSW, President & CEO
Arlene, a Staten Island resident, has a Bachelors degree in Business
Ariel Marcus-Hollenbeck: Artistic Director, Teaching Artist (Theatre), BA
Ariel (she/her) has been a member of IlluminArt’s Touring Company since
Keith Gregory Taylor: Program/Human Resource Director & Teaching Artist
Joining IlluminArt as an actor in 2014 and becoming one of
Jenny Pisani: MEd, Director of Education, Teaching Artist
Jenny is a poet from Staten Island, New York. She holds a
Jessica N. Maldonado: LMSW, Director of Special Projects, Teaching Artist
Jessica is a bilingual born and raised Staten Islander who has
J. Giachetti: Community Engagement Manager, Touring Company Actor, Teaching Artist, & Summer Touring Director
J. Giachetti (b. 1995) is a professional non-binary actor, Dramatist, Guild
Daniela Favaloro: Resident Stage Manager
Daniela graduated the College of Staten Island in 2015 and received
Patty Ceresnie: Co-Founder, Producing Artistic Director Emeritus
Patty Ceresine, co-founded IlluminArt with Arlene Sorkin in 2002. Trained at the
Randy Barrett Topper: BFA, LMSW, Artistic Director Emeritus
Randy has a BFA in Theater from Wayne State University in
2023-24 Teaching Artists
Our Teaching Artist and Touring Company Actors
Arlene E. Sorkin, MSW, President & CEO
Arlene, a Staten Island resident, has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Temple University and a Masters degree in Social Work from Bryn Mawr
Ariel Marcus-Hollenbeck: Artistic Director, Teaching Artist (Theatre), BA
Ariel (she/her) has been a member of IlluminArt’s Touring Company since its inception in 2013 and is the second Artistic Director of IlluminArt Productions. In
Keith Gregory Taylor: Program/Human Resource Director & Teaching Artist
Joining IlluminArt as an actor in 2014 and becoming one of our company’s first Teaching Artists, Keith (he/him) is now our Program/ Human Resources Manager. Keith
Jenny Pisani: MEd, Director of Education, Teaching Artist
Jenny is a poet from Staten Island, New York. She holds a Masters of Secondary Education in English and is a certified English teacher for New
Jessica N. Maldonado: LMSW, Director of Special Projects, Teaching Artist
Jessica is a bilingual born and raised Staten Islander who has always had a love for performing and expressing herself through singing, acting and dancing.
J. Giachetti: Community Engagement Manager, Touring Company Actor, Teaching Artist, & Summer Touring Director
J. Giachetti (b. 1995) is a professional non-binary actor, Dramatist, Guild Playwright and Lyricist, Artistic Director, arts educator, and avid poet. Some of their previous
Daniela Favaloro: Resident Stage Manager
Daniela graduated the College of Staten Island in 2015 and received her BS in Dramatic Arts with a minor in American Sign Language. She served
Patty Ceresnie: Co-Founder, Producing Artistic Director Emeritus
Patty Ceresine, co-founded IlluminArt with Arlene Sorkin in 2002. Trained at the Pasadena Playhouse, Patty has lifelong experience as a singer, dancer, and actor. Her long career
Randy Barrett Topper: BFA, LMSW, Artistic Director Emeritus
Randy has a BFA in Theater from Wayne State University in his native Detroit and a Masters in Social Work from the College of Staten
Julia Hemsworth: Teaching Artist (Illustration, Visual Art)
Julia Hemsworth (she/they) is an illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. She studied illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology, graduating with a bachelor of
R. Parisi: Teaching Artist (Storytelling, Visual Development, Songwriting, Puppeteering)
Aiming to empower students to be their most authentic selves through the art of storytelling. Rena graduated in the Spring of 2015 with a BFA
Isaiah Bunevitsky: Teaching Artist (Visual Arts)
Isaiah Bunevitsky is a mixed-media visual artist born and raised in New York City, specializing in digital media and fashion design. He graduated from Fiorello
G. Romero: Multidisciplinary Teaching Artist
G. Romero (he/him) is an indigenous multidisciplinary creator, educator, underground curator, and storyteller. His work ranges from painting, illustration, comix, motion, performance, installation, and sound.
Tyler Spedale: Teaching Artist (Visual Arts, Theater, and Writing)
Tyler, in her sixth year with the company, enjoys conveying the importance of sharing your creativity with the world. She hopes to inspire kids to
Grace Baley: Teaching Artist (Mosaic/Visual Art
Grace Baley (she/her) is a glass mosaic artist based in Brooklyn. She has been working in mosaics for over 20 years and has evolved from
Armand Lane: Teaching Artist (Theatre, Acting)
Armand (he/him) acts. A lot. From Shakespeare to Musical Theatre, Armand’s career spans a decade of stage and screen success. His stagecraft has seen several
Rasheeda L. Johnson: Teaching Artist (Mural Making, General Art, Fashion)
Rasheeda L. Johnson (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY. A scholarship to Saturday art classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art in
Meg Welch: Teaching Artist (Visual and Theatre)
Meg (she/they) is a non-binary artist, performer, and writer based in Staten Island, NY. When not teaching with IlluminArt, you can find them working with mutual aid
Ashley Payano: Teaching Artist (Social Emotional Theater)
Ashley (she/her) is a singer, actor, and dancer with 15 years of creative writing experience. She graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy with
Anna Polyachenko: Teaching Artist (Dance and Theater)
Anna (she/her) is a dancer, actress, and singer from Staten Island, NY, and she is so excited to be joining IlluminArt’s amazing group of teaching
David Nudelman: Teaching Artist (Design, Entrepreneurship, Poetry, DJ, Beatmaking)
David Nudelman lives by three words ‘Don’t stop dreaming. He founded two companies Stereotype Co and aWHERE Media, that have supported the dreams of several
Sami Blake: Touring Company Actor & Teaching Artist (Theatre/Dance)
Sami (She/Her) is very excited to be joining the Illuminart Touring Company. Sami recently graduated from Ithaca College, receiving a BFA in Musical Theater. Some
Kristi Sorkin: Touring Company Actor & Teaching Artist (Dance, Arts Empowerment, Art)
Kristi (she/her) is in her 7th season as an Illuminart Touring Company member. She is passionate about using theater to educate and help children express
William Simancas: Touring Company Actor & Teaching Artist (Theatre)
William attended Susan E. Wagner High School and participated in all of the musicals and plays. This is where he discovered IlluminArt Productions and solidified
Brocton Pierce: Teaching Artist (Theatre)
Brocton works as an Actor, Teaching Artist, and Director. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Theater and a Masters in Education (K-6). Brocton
SB Kosinski: Teaching Artist (Visual Art)
SB works with painting, illustration, video, collage and found objects. They are a Staten Islander. In 2011 SB received a BFA from Fashion Institute of
Cat Jaton: Teaching Artist (Music, Song Writing, Ukulele)
Tami is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, with a Bachelor of Arts and Concentration in Music from Sarah Lawrence College (2011) and a Master’s in Songwriting
Emily Gulati: Teaching Artist (Early Childhood Music)
Emily Ellen Gulati (she/her) is a teaching artist in New York City with a focus in early childhood music, developing and executing preschool and elementary
Jenn Gallo, MPH: Teaching Artist (Dance and Fiber Art)
Jen is a choreographer, performer and fiber artist from Staten Island. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Public Health in 2017 from the CUNY
Laura Casertano: Touring Company Actor & Teaching Artist (Theater/Musical Theater/Singing/Dance)
Laura (she/her) is a singer, songwriter, and actor based in Staten Island, NY. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Hunter
Anthony Caruso: Teaching Artist (Theatre, Visual Art, Poetry)
Anthony is a playwright, director, visual artist, and teacher; co-artistic director of PocketBear Productions.