www.khealing.com.
Joel Kotomori was an E.S.L. instructor in Hokkaido, Japan. He holds a B.A.
in geography from UMass, Boston.
Caryn Kovacs has a B.S. and M.S. in education
and taught E.S.L. from beginner to advanced levels at ELS Language Centers. Her students have ranged from young children
to graduate students and business executives. An important component of her teaching is to provide students with many experiences
and opportunities to enrich and build confidence, including out of the classroom activities.
Jean Kramer
is a founder and member of the Brookline Historical Commission, a past-president of the Brookline Historical Society, and a former editor of the society's proceedings. She has led historical tours for the Victorian Society, the Women's Education and Industrial Union, and the Brookline Council on Aging, where she is a part-time staff member. Currently, she is teaching an autobiographical seminar for elder citizens as part of the Brookline Archive of Living History Project, of which she is curator.
Pamela Kristan has been helping people deal creatively with
life issues, share wisdom and discover valuable strategies for change since 1985. She works with individuals and groups in time,
stuff, and meeting management, communication, and life enrichment. She is author of The Spirit of Getting Organized: 12 Skills
to Find Meaning & Power in Your Stuff. Her experience as a producer, trainer, classical musician/critic, and storyteller gives her
a unique position bridging the practical and the creative. Her work has appeared in Prevention magazine, Men's Health,
the Boston Sunday Globe, and on talk radio. Visit her website at www.pamelakristan.com
Nancy Krueger
has bachelor's degrees in art history and interior design. She has worked for other designers, and has been teaching community education classes for many years. Empowering people with design knowledge is her mission.
Melissa Kulig received a B.F.A. with honors from Emmanuel College and an M.A.
from the Art institute of Boston. Melissa spent many years in a graphic design career, but has now moved on to full time artwork, helping to establish
art centers and administer artist's groups. She has exhibited in numerous juried exhibitions and received several awards. Melissa is now on the board
of directors for the AtlanticWorks cooperative gallery and a member of the Cambridge Artists Association. Visitors to her East Boston art studio are welcome
by appointment by emailing: cptnkulig@gmail.com.
Liping Kuo is a native Mandarin Chinese speaker from Taiwan.
She has taught beginning and advanced Mandarin to both children and adults. Most recently she has taught Boston area professionals
through Berlitz International Inc.
Return to Top
Karin Lally is an artist in all aspects of her life.
She teaches jewelery making, sewing, crafting and many other forms of artistic media. She is also a jewelrymaker and sells
online and at local craft venues. Karin believes that having at least one original piece of jewelry makes the best statement
about who you are. Whether you are at work, running errands or just hanging out, that one piece of jewelry keeps you connected to your individuality.
Diana Larsen
has been practicing yoga for more than fifteen years. She has been through an
extensive teacher training program and has taught both for groups and for individuals.
Marian Lazar
is a member of the Conservation Commission of the Town of Brookline, a
board member of the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance, and a founding member
and past president of the Friends of Lost Pond.
Lisa Leidig, who believes that everyone should have a daily indulgence, is proud to be the founder of Scrumptious Soaps. These almost-edible delights play to your senses and provide an experience like no other. Lisa is also a corporate trainer whose job requires her to understand the needs of her customers. She was taught the art of handcrafted soapmaking by a master artisan, and finds new ways to take this knowledge and create "little luxuries" for all people to enjoy.
Michael Leidig R.D., L.D.N., descends from a long line of German candy makers. Though not a chocolatier, he is a registered dietitian. As the founder of Nutrition & Fitness Advisors, Michael works with individuals and families to embrace healthful eating without deprivation-which leaves room for delectable chocolates.
David Leifer
holds a B.S. from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has over 20 years of experience as a commercial photographer working on corporate and editorial assignments. David also works on website design, color management integration, and digital illustration. As one of the first Adobe certified instructors, he teaches and consults on digital scanning, imaging and reproduction issues as well as conventional photography.
Mark Leighton,
has traveled to many of the wine-producing regions of the world.
A student of the grape for more than 20 years, Mark was the wine writer for The New Bedford Standard Times , and
currently writes Marty's newsletters and conducts wine-tastings throughout the Boston area. Mark is also a classical
guitarist performing with Copley Chamber Players, and teaches music at Colby College.
Avinoam Lerner is a holistic therapist and certified hypnotherapist specializing
in personal-development. After traveling and learning various healing practices and systems of thought which laid the foundation for his holistic approach,
he earned his degree in holistic health from the Ridman College for Complementary Alternative Medicine in Israel. He has been certified by the National Guild
of Hypnotists as well as the National Federation of Neuro Linguistic Programming. Avinoam practices privately in Newton, and has been recognized by their mayor
for providing healing and therapeutic services to the community since 2003.
Marcia Levine is a board member of the Boston Adult Literacy Program.
She is a reading tutor and a substitute teacher in Watertown and Newton. Marcia holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Boston University.
Loretta Levitz, a rehabilitation specialist, studied yoga and nutrition with
a wide variety of teachers including Dr. Vasant Lad of Poona, India, the
director of the Tarachand Ayurvedic Hospital. She has been in private
practice for more than 20 years, and is the author of numerous articles
on yoga. In 1995, Loretta was named the Best Alternative Health Care Provider
in Boston by Boston Magazine.
Krishna Lewis received her Ph.D. in comparative literature and
literary theory at the University of Pennsylvania. Her areas of interest include early American, South Asian, African American,
and Caribbean literatures, as well as women's and ethnic studies. She has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Florida Atlantic
University, and Franklin and Marshall College. Creative writing and cooking are among her other occupational pursuits.
Lance Lewis is the chief integrationist of Idlewis.net, a technology-consulting firm that caters to small businesses and non-profit organizations. As a former computer science/web technologies instructor with local colleges, he has a strong and passionate commitment to learning across the curriculum using creative technologies.
Ming-Hui Lin has received degrees from Peabody Conservatory of
John Hopkins University and the Taipei National University of the Arts. She performs frequently and has been a solo cellist,
a principal cellist, a member of chamber orchestras, and chosen as a solo performer in multiple master classes including those
of Yo-Yo Ma. She is a member of the faculty at Boston University.
Naomi Lomba-Gomes is an instructor of essay and memoir writing
in the Boston area, and is also a freelance writer. She has worked under an NEA grant at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and is director
of the Katzenberg Media/Writing center at Boston University. Naomi holds an M.L.A. in creative writing and culture from Boston University,
where she studied with famed essayist Lance Morrow; and a B.A. magna cum laude in art and photography from the University of
Massachusetts, Boston.
Mia Louik holds a M.A. in guidance & counseling from Teacher's College, Columbia University. For the past 20 years she's been a consultant, designing and delivering management, supervisory, and professional development training workshops in a variety of different companies in the Greater Boston area. In addition, she teaches organizational behavior in a certificate M.B.A. program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Mia is a parent of a B.H.S. graduate who is now in college.
Jonathan Lovenstein studied composition, piano,
and recorder at Ohio Universtiy in Athens, Ohio, where he received a degree in musicology. He studied recorder with
John Tyson and received his master's degree in performance of early music from New England Conservatory. He is on the
faculty at All Newton Music School in both recorder and piano, and currently has two solo recordings of original compositions
on the Titanic label entitled "Blake Songs and Other Works" (Ti 217) and "Blake Songs and Other Works, Vol. 2" (Ti 240),
available at amazon.com and elsewhere. Jonathan also plays Sunday services at Lincoln Park Baptist Church in West Newton.
Chelsea Lowe is a regular contributor to the Boston Business Journal, and a
columnist and articles editor for Commitment Online magazine. Her essays, articles, and features have been heard on National Public Radio,
and seen in Newsweek, TV Guide, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News and elsewhere. Chelsea is the author of the
Everything Health Guide to OCD and is working on a second book. She holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and is an M.F.A. candidate
at Emerson College where she has done course work in writing, literature, and publishing.
Return to Top
Judith Mabel
is a dietitian, nutritionist, and biochemist, with degrees from Cornell, Harvard, and Boston University.
She has written articles for the Tufts Diet & Nutrition newsletter and has authored over 20 scientific papers.
She blends traditional and complementary techniques working in her private practice in Brookline, evaluating
and educating her clients so that they can take an active part in their health and fitness.
Paul J. Malagrifa is a certified wine educator
who has been pursuing his passion for wine for the last 20+ years. Paul began making his own wine from grapes grown in the Finger
Lakes region of New York and this hobby in turn spurred him to begin collecting and studying the wine making of others. Paul was
a member in a local master of wine tasting group, was featured on TV's Chronicle, and is currently the host of Musings on the Vine,
a wine appreciation website. Paul writes, teaches, and lectures on the topic of wine appreciation, and conducts regular classes
and seminars in the greater-Boston area. Visit Paul's website at www.MusingsOnTheVine.com.
Marc Mancuso a professional sculptor and potter, has been
working in ceramics and in other mediums for the past 20 years, the last 8 of which have included teaching at BA&CE and at M.I.T.
He also teaches at the Brookline Arts Center. Mark has exhibited at local, regional, and international levels, and won "Best In Show"
at the 2007 "State of Clay" juried exhibition in Lexington, MA.
Carol Marsh, is one of the partners of Helios Design Group,
an architecture firm in Jamaica Plain. For the partners, solving problems creatively means bringing a project's particulars together
to form a whole greater than the sum of its parts. They believe good building practice is sensitive to the environment, the locale,
and the lives to be accommodated. They aim for innovative design and inspiration.
Fumiko Masubuchi
holds the rank of master teacher of the Sogetsu School, one of
the major flower arrangement schools in Japan. She is the director of
the Massachusetts Branch of the Sogetsu School. Fumiko is also a former
president of the Boston Chapter of Ikebana International. For over 30
years, she has lived in the Boston area and taught Ikebana. She has lectured
at the New England Flower Show and for Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston. In 1997, Fumiko received the Meritorious Achievement Award
from the headmaster of the Sogetsu School in Tokyo, Japan at its 70th
anniversary ceremony.
Mary Matos received an M.A. in Italian studies from
Middlebury College and a Ph.D. from Brown University. She has lectured in Italian and French at secondary and college levels,
at the University of Rhode Island, College of the Holy Cross, and Brown University.
Lincoln Matra received a B.S. from Wentworth Institute of Technology.
He has led software engagements with Fidelity Investments, State Street Bank, Charter Bank, Nantucket Nectars, and Epsilon Data Management,
and has completed projects ranging from network architecture design and implementation to product architecture and design of multi-tier applications.
He also continues to work in many technical consulting roles, including Java development, database architecture, network administration, and technical writing.
Helene Matteson got started making soap after taking some
introductory adult & community education classes. She is now immersed in the soap world and sells her soaps at farmers markets and
craft shows throughout New England. She is a member of the Handcrafted Soap Guild and reads extensively about soapmaking practices.
Phyllis Mays is a computer instructor with over ten years of PC experience. She holds a B.A. in economics from Albert Magnus College, an M.B.A. from Babson College, and an M.A. from Boston College.
Abby McBride, an artist and
teacher, has a B.A. in fine arts, and, in addition, studied watercolor and oil painting intensively
in Italy. Her work has been shown in galleries in New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Mary Ellen McCarthy, Ph.D., has been an investor and
industry analyst since 1985. She was a top-ranked financial analyst for Merrill Lynch Asset Management and Shearson
Lehman Brothers, and helped develop the Multex/Reuters Wall Street research web site. Mary Ellen McCarthy is a
registered investment advisor and the founder and principal of the Brookline-based financial coaching firm,
Responsible Investing. For more info on financial coaching see www.responsible-investing.net.
Megan McCarty has been an emergency and critical care veterinary technician
for ten years. She has wet lab and clinical teaching experience including at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She's written two
articles published in Veterinary Technician, and is an eager student of aniaml health both physically and otherwise.
Jean McCarvill is a
graduate of the School for Arts at Boston University. She has worked in print and on-air television
design at both a local affiliate and an independent station. After leaving WBZ-TV as director of news
graphics, she moved on to National Ministry of Design in Boston, designing and overseeing projects
for broadcast, corporate and commercial clients.
Cecilia McIsaac,
bilingual in Spanish and English, was born in Peru, South America. She taught Spanish in Peru at the elementary, secondary and college levels, and has also taught for Newton elementary schools, Brookline High School, MIT, and the Goldman School of Dentistry at Boston University. Currently, Cecilia is cultural director for the Internship Program at Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, where she also teaches Spanish. She studied linguistics and holds a M.Ed. from Universidad UDEP, Peru and also holds a B.S. in accounting. Cecilia also studied music at the New England Conservatory
Peter Medaglia, owner of Gold Medal Gardens, traded-in a career in marketing to start his own landscape design and construction firm specializing in intimate urban and suburban gardens. He has studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, The Arnold Arboretum, and The New York Botanical Gardens.
Evalyn Mehta found her love for yoga while using it to relieve stress from a corporate job. She is certified in viniyoga and is completing her 500 hour teaching certification with Shiva Rea. She studies with Barara Benaugh and Glenn Cunningham in Boston. She teaches at health clubs, corporations, universities, and privately.
Shruti Mehta is a native of India and a cooking enthusiast. Shruti enjoys teaching others how to prepare Indian vegetarian dishes, and has taught cooking courses for several adult education programs.
Raul Meléndez
is a commercial photographer based in Boston. He specializes in architectural, portrait, and product photography. A graduate of the Art Institute of Boston, Raúl taught all aspects of black and white technique during a teaching assistantship there. He has exhibited in the metropolitan area and teaches photography at the Boston Architectural Center. Recently, he contributed photos to the Brookline Historical Archives portfolio.
Christy Mitchell, violinist and violist, has performed in venues
throughout the United States including Carnegie Hall, Greenville Performing Arts Center, Beethoven Club, Pickman Hall, and Germantown
Performing Arts Center. In addition to her orchestral work with the Corinth Symphony Orchestra, Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and
Bellevue Philharmonic, Christy has made festival appearances at Lyricafest, South Carolina Governor's School Academy, and the
Furman University Music Program. Christy holds a bachelors of music degree from the University of Memphis. She is currently working
towards a masters degree as the student and teaching assistant of Paula Majerfeld at the Longy School of Music.
Kayla Mohammadi received her B.F.A. in painting from the University of Washington,
Seattle and her M.F.A. from Boston University. In 2008 she was awarded the Joan Mitchell award in painting, and in 2005 awarded the Ludwig Vogelstein
Foundation Grant. She exhibits in the Boston area, NYC, and Maine. The art tours that she has been guiding at BA&CE have been a great opportunity for
her to share her art knowledge with the community. For more information visit her website at www.kaylamo.com.
Roseanne Montillo holds a M.F.A. degree in creative writing
from Emerson College as well as a B.F.A. degree in writing, literature, and publishing, also from Emerson. She has been working as
a freelance writer, proofreader, indexer, and Italian language translator. She has also been an instructor at the Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute at Tufts University. She has taught courses on mystery literature and ghostly literature and is currently working
on a textbook on how to write mystery fiction.
Hannah Morrow graduated from Simmons College with a degree in integrated media communications,
where she taught iMovie as a teaching assistant. She recently created and edited videos for the Center for Young Women's Health at Children's Hospital Boston
and continues to pursue freelance filming and editing video.
Megan A. Mountcastle, M.S.W., C.H.C. is the founder of Santé Health Counseling.
She is a board certified health counselor, and began her career in health and wellness by working in the mental health field. Earning a master's degree
in social work from Simmons College, Megan has worked in a variety of psychiatric settings where she gained experience facilitating both group and individual psychotherapy.
Esther Muhlfelder
is a graduate of Boston University's Culinary Arts program where she was taught by master chefs Jacque Pepin, Jody Adams, Stan Frankentheler, John Vyhnaneck, Ana Sortun, Gordon Hammersley, and Chris Douglas.
Peter Muise is safety and crime prevention officer for the Brookline Police Department.
Rita Muraca has taught E.S.L.
at the International Institute of Boston and for the Boston Language Institute where she also
received her certification in T.E.F.L. Rita currently works at Harvard University.
John and Ann Murphy tour the U.S. speaking to national and
state conventions, educators, businesses, and healthcare organizations about making humor work for you. Know as humor consultants,
they help students relieve stress using laughter, humor, play, and creative problem solving. They have contributed to the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
Nancy Murphy is currently an instructor at Rugcutters Dance Studio,
and guest instructor at Marblehead School of Ballet. She formerly danced in the Mandala Folk Dance Ensemble.
Return to Top
Joanne Najarian is an instructional technology specialist for
the Winchester Public Schools, and her primary focus is addressing the Massachusetts Technology Literacy Standards and Expectations
for third through fifth grade as well as helping students develop an understanding of the rules for safe and ethical use of the internet.
Joanne is a camp director for Cyber Academy, a tech, digital media, and gaming camp where students design games or program robots.
Damian Neill
has been a woodworker for many years. He is a graduate of Brookline High School, and studied 17th-century cabinet reproduction at the North Bennett Street School.
Selma Newburgh, realtor, M.B.A., architect, brings extensive experience in real estate,
including design, construction, development, management and marketing. She has been practicing architecture and urban planning since 1964 and she has been
a realtor since 1995. She holds the degrees of master in architecture, MIT; master in city and regional planning, MIT; and master in business administration,
Harvard Business School. She is a registered architect in Massachusetts and has held responsible positions on large scale urban development projects while
working at the Architects Collaborative, the Harvard University Planning Office, and other firms in the Boston area. Prior to becoming a realtor, she was
in private practice developing residential properties in Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Newton and Watertown. She is currently affiliated with the
Chestnut Hill Market Center of Keller Williams Realty.
Erica Nielsen is a writer, researcher, and dance ethnologist. She studied anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota, and has conducted fieldwork in the U.S., France, and Bulgaria.
She taught dance cultural studies courses for two years at Arizona State University, where she earned an M.F.A. in dance and wrote a chapter for the book Balkan Dance
by Anthony Shay. While teaching at ASU, Erica developed an interest in teaching methodologies and the development of new learning tools. She is an advocate of online and hybrid learning, and intends to create dynamic e-learning solutions for the world of dance education.
Rezakkah Norins, a professional massage therapist, has been in practice for 18 years. In the eighties, she was trained as an exercise teacher for Women's World gyms, and then integrated massage concepts with exercise techniques, and later added techniques from Feldenkrais, Alexander work, contact improvisation, plus her own techniques. Rezakkah often includes these self-care techniques as part of her regular massage session. She has taught stress management and various kinds of massage in different settings, such as a Body Dialogues series.
Monica Nydam has an M.A.and B.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
SHe has frequents shows in greater Boston and internationally. She has assisted in galleries and museums and taught classes for studnets of
many ages.
Return to Top
Louise Olafsson
has been an exercise instructor since 1984, and is certified to teach by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (A.F.A.A.). She holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition, a master's in public health, and does private nutrition counseling when she is not busy taking care of her four girls. Louise has been teaching exercise classes for BA&CE since 1986.
Andrew Osborne received a B.A. in English from Harvard University.
After graduating he became a screenwriter for the Motion Picture Corporation of America, where he co-wrote the HBO Original Movies
Soldier Boyz and Behind Enemy Lines. He directed Apocalypse Bop, an independent feature that premiered at
the Coolidge Corner Theater and was hired to write the film Dramarama for Warner Bros. He co-wrote On-Line which
screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and is currently rewriting an original film for MTV among other ventures. His website is www.baitshop.org.
Judy Osborne,
a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified group therapist, has worked in Brookline for 25 years. She received her M.A. from Columbia University and C.A.G.S. from Northeastern University, and specializes in work with family alcoholism. As director of Stepfamily Associates, she works with adults and children struggling with divorce and stepfamily issues.
Gwen Ossenfort
has been a photographer for over 30 years. She earned a B.F.A. at Emerson College and has also studied at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as well as The New School in New York City. Her work has been shown all over New England and she is currently the director of Brookline Artists' Open Studios.
Return to Top
Carol L. Padden
is an educator, web designer, and photographer. She has taught workshops for kids and adults at a variety of institutions, including: the Museum of Science, Mass Audubon, and the University of Rhode Islands W. Alton Jones field site. She currently works with EduConsultants as a computer technology instructor for elementary and middle school students. She also does freelance photography and web design.
Ariane Papeians is a native of Paris and has taught in
Brazil, Lebanon, and Guatemala. Before moving to Boston, she worked for D*Tours in Brussels, Belgium, developing interactive
city guides for tourists. Her interests include art, travel, political history, and cross-cultural education.
Jeannette Passanisi graduated from Emerson College with a master's
in marketing and advertising, and from Franklin Pierce College with a B.A. in commercial computer art. After working in the computer industry
for 10 years, she now is the owner and lead instructor of T3: Teaching Today's Technologies (t3.mysite.com)
and is a professor at Fisher College and The Benjamin Franklin Institute. Jeannette enjoys teaching and working to help others obtain the necessary
skills to better themselves.
Herb Pearce, M.Ed., is an Arlington-based psychotherapist/relationship coach
who has worked with individuals, couples and families on relationship dynamics and personality conflicts for 30 years. He as taught close to
5000 workshops on every area of human dynamics from the personality types workshops of the enneagram and Myers-Briggs, and personal thinking
patterns to anger and stress management, communication skills improvement and learning to love yourself. Herb is a team building trainer
in organizations for effective relating to different personality styles and he is the author of The Idiot's Guide to the Enneagram.
KL Pereira writes poetry, nonfiction, cross-genre, and memoir.
She has taught poetry and writing at East Boston High, Casa Myrna Vasquez, Freedom House, The Women's Center, and Center for New Words
and has served as editor and writer for LiP Magazine, What's Up Magazine/Spare Change News, and advocacy publications by and for
the homeless and underemployed. Her work has appeared in The Pitkin Review, Girlistic Magazine, The Hub Journal: Boston's Literary Occasional,
Sui Generis, Bitch Magazine, Clamor Magazine, What's Up Magazine/Spare Change News, Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia and the forthcoming
Boy Culture: An Encyclopedia. She holds a B.A. in literature and languages from Bard College, an M.A. in gender/cultural Studies
from Simmons College, and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Goddard College. KL is currently an instructor and consultant at Grub St, Boston.
There's more information about KL here.
Jeffrey Perkins is currently completing his M.F.A. in writing and
literature at the Bennington College writing seminars where he received a Jane Kenyon Memorial Scholarship. He has a Master's degree
in American studies from University of Massachusetts Boston and a B.A. from Earlham College. He is the co-author of You Have the Power: Choosing Courage in a Culture of Fear
with Frances Moore Lappe. His poems and writing have appeared in various magazines and journals.
Soledad Phelan, a native of Peru, holds a master's degree in linguistics and Spanish literature from the National University of Trujillo, and a Massachusetts educator's certificate. She taught Spanish at the high school and college levels in Peru for 20 years, and has taught for over a decade in the U.S.
Bob Phinney is the science and technology director at the Clay Center and Dexter and Southfield Schools in Brookline where he has been teaching for 26 years. He holds a B.A. from Harvard and MCSE (Microsoft certified systems engineer) from Clark. He is an F.C.C. licensed Amateur Radio Operator, technician class.
Norah Piehl is a Brookline-based freelance writer and editor.
Her personal essays have appeared in Skirt magazine, on National Public Radio, and in several anthologies. A former bookseller
and publishing professional, Norah is an active book reviewer for such publications as BookPage, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and the Horn Book Guide.
Andrew Prescott
is a graduate of Wesleyan University and founder of Urban AdvenTours in Boston. With a passion
for urban exploration by bicycle and his hospitable nature, he has been guiding visitors and
locals alike around Boston for 3 years now. His interest in architecture and photography add
an interesting twist to his tours. Andrew says, "I like to help get people off the beaten path
when exploring Boston. I find the best way to cover a lot of ground and discover all the unique
neighborhoods is by bike." Visit www.urbanadventours.com.
Return to Top
Robin Radin received a B.F.A. in photography. She also holds an M.F.A. from the Massachusetts College of Art. Robin has exhibited her work nationally, including exhibitions at The Print Club in Philadelphia, the Ashuah Irving Gallery, and The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. In 2003 she was awarded the Mass Cultural Council Artist in Photography grant.
Jane Raley has more than 25 years of experience in college admissions. Jane has developed both a deep understanding of students, as well as "insider" knowledge of a process that's often considered quite mysterious. For over 15 years she was a director of admissions, most recently at Lesley University. Prior to that, she held admissions positions at several selective liberal arts colleges, including her alma mater, Clark University. In addition to continuing her career in higher education, Jane is an independent educational consultant assisting students and their families to successfully negotiate the college admission process.
Cecile Raynor is A.M.S.A.T. certified as an Alexander technique
practitioner and has more than ten years of experience working with children, adults, and seniors in area hospitals and to private
clients. Her work has been extremely helpful in reducing or eliminating discomfort or pain for both chronic and short-term pain.
In her techniques she draws from her experience with exercise, meditation, nutrition, and herbal remedies.
Cecile's website is here.
Mohammed Remita is a native of Algeria and a fluent speaker
of Arabic, French, and Berber. He received a B.A. in Arabic language and literature from the University of Tizi Ouzou and has worked
as a freelance writer and translator.
Anthony Riccardi
received a B.F.A. in painting from Massachusetts College of Art. He has taught drawing and painting at the North End Union, and currently teaches at the Central Square Senior Center, Cambridge. Anthony has exhibited his work at Massachusetts College of Art, the Boston Architectural Center, the Goethe Institute, and at the Oasis, Edges, and Federal Reserve Galleries in Boston.
Jessica Rodrigues is a costume designer and technician
who has spent many years draping, constructing, dyeing, fitting, and choosing fabrics. Her interest in shibori came from having
to invent dramatic fabrics, and she has since made resist dyeing and pattern making one of her full time hobbies. She has found
that teaching others about her passions is one of her natural inclinations.
Bob Roll is a retired metallurgical engineer and
worked for Raytheon Corporation for 25 years. He holds a B.S., an M.S., and a Sc.D. in metallurgy from Purdue University
and M.I.T. He has been teaching computer classes to seniors for several years.
A. Joseph Ross has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1970.
He has practiced landlord-tenant law for over 30 years, and has drafted some of the legislation in this field. He is also a Brookline
town meeting member. Visit his website at www.gis.net/~groucho/.
Lisa Rowe-Beddoe is a British trained professional actress (member of AEA)
and a certified drama teacher both in the U.S. and the UK. Lisa has taught acting to children, teenagers and adults for over fifteen years, in schools,
colleges and privately. In the late '80s she was artistic director and a core company member of the Robideez Theatre Co. a company that devised new works
through the improvisational process. Lisa fervently believes that drama has the power to unlock the creative potential in everyone.
Bill Ryan
has been teaching stained glass for 20 years. He learned the techniques while studying at
Coran-Sholes Stained Glass in South Boston, and later taught there. He works as a technician for the department of ophthalmology at Boston Medical Center.
Maureen Ryan is the owner, importer, and purveyor of Notting Hall, Specialty Loose Leaf Tea,
an on-line and mail order retailer and wholesaler of specialty loose leaf teas. Having been fortunate to have visited some of the most famous tea plantations
in the world, she has learned first-hand the entire process of creating fine teas. Maureen is passionate about sharing her love of this romantic
"leaf". Visit www.nottinghall.com .
Catherine Rymsha is a marketing manager for a health care conference planning company.
She holds a Master of Science in leadership from Northeastern University. Catherine lives in West Newbury and enjoys running and snowboarding.
Return to Top
Diana Sabella, a professional educator with both a master's degree
in education and a state certification in teaching, has more than 15 years background in modern dance, ballet, movement improvisation,
and fitness. She is certified in Kripalu yoga as well as a registered instructor with the National Yoga Alliance. Diana has instructed children,
teens, college students, and adults in groups and privately in both Spanish and English.
Tonya Salerno is a licensed hatha yoga teacher through Yoga for the Special Child,
and a certified prenatal yoga teacher through Integral Yoga. She has taught yoga for the past five years to adults and children with a wide variety
of abilities. Tonya has recently returned from studying and volunteering in India, and is looking forward to continuing her yoga education through the
Swallow Tail Teacher Training in Marblehead.
Agi Sardi,
choreographer/dancer/performer has a long and diverse background in dance including acrobatics, tap, ballet, and jazz. She studied with Deraldo Ferreira, leader of Grupo Capoeira Camara Angola, and teaches Samba and Capoeira at the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England. When not performing throughout the country and internationally, she is a performing member of Swingando. Agi has a degree in biochemistry and computer science with an M.S. in computer engineering.
Please visit www.samba-xe.com.
Joan Sawyer
holds a Ph.D. in applied linguistics, and a master's degree in education and linguistics from Boston University. Joan also received a B.S. in psychology from Drew University, and has an R.S.A. from St. Giles College, London.
Anlee Schaye
received a B.S in Ed. from Boston University and M.A. in Ed.
from Northeastern. A Certified E.S.L. teacher with many years of adult
education and classroom teaching experience, Anlee recently retired from
Brookline Public Schools after 16 years of teaching E.S.L. fulltime.
Elizabeth Schiavone received her B.A. in Italian from Boston College.
As an undergraduate, she spent a year studying Italian and art history in Parma, Italy. Upon graduation, she returned to Italy where she received
her M.A. in Italian culture and communications at the Middlebury Language School in Florence.
Kathryn Schnaible
received a Ph.D. from Harvard University in romance languages and literatures, and wrote her
dissertation on post-WWII Jewish writers in France. She is a specialist in 20th century French literature,
and has a strong secondary interest in the Renaissance period. Kathryn lived in France for five years, where she studied first at the Sorbonne and later at the University of Paris at Nanterre, where she received a master's degree. She also has taught at the French National School of Commerce.
Judy Schnee,
holds a B.A. from Cornell with focus on British literature and creative writing as well as an M.A. from Columbia University. She studied the works of contemporary British and Irish playwrights at an international session at the University of Oxford and received a fellowship at Boston University before teaching at Bentley College where she remained for more than 20 years. Courses taught include American Literature in Perspective, The Writing of
J.D. Salinger, E.M. Forster's Novels as Film, and Banned Books.
Audrey Schulman has published a variety of articles in national magazines on climate change
including Orion, Grist, and Hope. She has taken the Low Carbon Diet course and decreased her own household emissions by 50% below
that of the average American household's. An educator for over 15 years, at schools as diverse as Emerson College, Harvard Continuing Education and
Cambridge Adult Education, Audrey always looks forward to demonstrating how much power individuals have in changing the world.
Johanna Schulman
is a certified financial planner and a member of the Advanced Advisor
Group at American Express Financial Advisors. She obtained her M.B.A. cum laude from
Simmons College and specializes in personal financial planning for gays and lesbians, couples,
and small businesses, with an emphasis on retirement planning, life and disability insurance, and investment selection and management.
Judy Schurgin earned a B.A. from Bates College and a graduate degree from Regis College. She owns artViews, which provides theme-related programs in art history and appreciation. An experienced teacher and lecturer, Judy has taught at various adult education centers and has lectured before diverse groups and organizations. She is also a lecturer at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Eileen Schwartz, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with over twenty years of experience working with children, adults, and couples. Trained traditionally, she studied energy medicine and soon realized the power of incorporating it into her work in psychotherapy. This approach has been particularly effective with anxiety, learning problems, and sleep disorders. She is an advanced student of medical intuitive Donna Eden, having studied with her for over five years.
Irving Schwartz,
a saxophone teacher and currently lead saxophonist with the Bob Bachelder Totem Pole Orchestra, has been a professional musician for many years. Formerly, he was a public school teacher of history and social science, and a college teacher of education. As an Alfred North Whitehead Fellow at Harvard, he developed the idea of autobiographical study as a vehicle for better personal and historical understanding of the self and others. He is BA&CE's former assistant director.
Don Scope,
a knitting teacher for over a decade, is certified to teach by the Craft Yarn Council of America. He has a strong art background, and has had work exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and at the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco. Don is co-owner of Putting on the Knitz in West Newton.
Kirsta Sendziak
received a bachelor's degree in dance and psychology from Hampshire College. Kirsta has performed with Kelley Donovan and Dancers and Rozann Kraus and currently dances for Josie Bray and Jennifer Lawson.
Shadia (Christine Tohme), has been teaching and performing Middle Eastern dance for more than 30 years. She learned German folk dance from her mother, and Azerbaijani folk dance from her father, and later married a Lebanese musician with whom she performed in Baalbeck Folklorique, a cooperative Boston dance troupe that promoted the dance and costumes of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Arab Emirates. She is a founding member of Mirsa Near East Folk Ensemble, The Cedars Folklora, and other dance companies.
Gail Shapiro's
experiences in the non-profit sector include director of development,
project manager, grant proposal writer and teacher, executive director, and strategic
planning and program planning consultant. Gail is the founder and president of Womankind
Educational and Resource Center, co-creator of Womankind's Financial Literary Project, and
is the editor of Money Order: The Money Management Guide for Women (Simon and Schuster).
Steffi L. Shapiro,
L.I.C.S.W., and registered yoga teacher, is founder and director of The Well Street Station in Watertown,
where she maintains a private holistic psychotherapy practice working with individuals and groups. She presents workshops on stress management, wellness promotion, and spiritual eldering at conferences and educational institutions. Certified as an advanced yoga teacher and yoga therapist, she has been teaching yoga since 1970. Steffi recently produced a video "Elder-Yogaªâ plus..." which was filmed at a senior center with its class participants, including a 101 year-old woman, as shown on www.elder-yoga.com.
Josephine Shields has photographed people and places for the last 35 years.
She graduated from Boston College with a B. F.A. in painting, but has always used the camera to expand her artistic vision and pay the bills.
She has worked as a studio assistant and as a darkroom technician. Her work has been published in numerous newspapers, periodicals, and has been
featured on CDs. Her book of her black and white photographs of Ireland was published in 2002 and her work has been shown in the Boston area
Amal Shumar, has studied a variety of dance for nearly 20 years including ballet,
jazz and hip-hop. Amal has taught dance for many years to children ages five-12 and has choreographed and coached high school students as well.
Thea Simolari, a licensed mortgage banker with Mortgage Network, Inc.,
has been in the mortgage profession for over 20 years. Thea has extensive experience with first-time home buyer, investor, and government products.
With degrees in economics and psychology from Stonehill College, she understands and watches the constant change in the real estate market. She tries
to remain aware and flexible to current trends and to help initiate solid plans of action.
Emily Singer
has acted in theater, improvisation, television, and film on the East Coast and in Los Angeles.
She performs regularly as a stand-up comic. Her teaching style is eclectic, drawing
upon Strasberg's techniques, encouraging detail, character, and the freedom to explore. See her
website at www.emilysinger.com. There's more information about Emily here.
Darren Skehan, native of Ireland, received his bachelor's in philosophy and
Irish language from National University of Ireland, and a higher diploma in education from N.U.I. Maynooth. Darren is currently a religious
educator at Archbishop Williams High School, and has also taught at Mount Saint Joseph Academy and St. William School.
Burt Skvirsky was a junior varsity high school golf coach
for twelve years. He still coaches high school golf, but also enjoys teaching adults all about the game.
Margie Slater has been in finance, budget
planning, and marketing for over 30 years. As an executive of Gcc Beverages, she controlled millions of dollars and
their strategic media and market allocation. She has taught at Northeastern University and has created and led
seminars from major corporations. She earned her B.S. degree in business from Simmons College.
Dagmar Smith
has had a lifelong love for the culinary arts. A graduate of Cambridge School of Culinary Arts,
she is classically trained, and has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe. Dagmar
teaches at several adult education programs in the Boston area, and also offers private lessons
both for individuals wanting to develop their skills, and for small groups organizing cooking
lesson/dinner party events. For more information visit her website, www.dagmarcooks.com
Wayne Soini received a B.A. from University of Massachusetts (Amherst),
and a M.A. in history from UMass. Boston. Wayne is the co-author of baseball history book Judge Fuchs and the Boston Braves, and practiced law for 32 years and counting.
Miriam K. Sokoloff has been sewing since she was five years old. She is a graduate of Simmons College and
Hebrew Teachers College, and has studied at the School of Fashion Design, Boston. Miriam is a member of Quilter's Connection in Watertown, and the Pomegranate Guild of
Judaic Needlework. She has been teaching sewing and quilting privately since 1983, has been the quilting instructor for the Brookline Council on Aging since 1998, a
nd has been teaching quilting at BA&CE since 1999 and sewing since 2004. Her quilts have been exhibited at the American Quilter's Society in Kentucky, the Decatur
House in Washington, D.C., the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, and annually at the Quilter's Connection in Arlington. She was one of the co-chairs of
the Brookline 300 Quilt, sponsored by the Brookline Senior Center.
James Spellman,
a Boston-area dancer and choreographer, danced competitively with UMass, Boston both in England and the U.S. James has been teaching ballroom, swing, and Latin dances at area adult education programs for many years.
D. Adriane Spunt, director and theatre coach, recently returned
to Boston from NYC where she produced and directed off-off Broadway and co-founded Act One Studios in NYC. There, she coached professional
actors and ran theatre classes for adults and children.
Emily Stein a Brookline resident for over 25 years,
was the owner of Sweet Satisfaction, a gourmet chocolate and candy shop in The Arcade building. For over 20 years, Emily managed,
as a volunteer, an annual gift basket fundraising project for a large non profit organization in the area. She creates unique gift wrappings,
bows, and baskets for family and friends and wants to teach others to do the same.
Mary Stevenson trained with Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, the founders of Nia. She has taught Nia at the Boston Sports Club
in Newton. Mary holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan and is a professor of economics at University of Massachusetts Boston.
Susana (Wendy Caplan) has been a Flamenco dancer for 18 years,
and studied with Ramon de los Reyes and Omayra Amaya in Boston. Suzanne is part of Fuego Flamenco based in Providence, R.I., where
she dances in the city's first night celebrations.
Return to Top
Fanta Keita Tauber is a young spirit with the gift of energy, compassion, and excitement.
Born in Mafanko, Guinea, Fanta is trained in dance by Sire Konaté, Guineé-Conakry, and growing up in the culture of Guinea, she has first-hand knowledge of
many different dance forms from traditional to hip-hop to jerk.
Low Taylor received a Ph.D. in English from Brown University, a film degree from University of London, and a T.E.S.O.L. degree from UMass, Boston. Low has taught literature, writing, and film at the University of Rhode Island, Brown University, Notre Dame College, Curry College, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Irina Taytslin received her master's degree in teaching arts from the Leningrad Institute of Teaching, Leningrad,
Russia, in 1979. Her experience includes work as a set decorator for Lenfilm Movie Studios in Leningrad, and as a designer and consultant for a variety of American yarn companies.
She has received several awards for her sweater designs, and has published a number of books of original knitting designs. Irina owns Knits & Pieces, a knitting shop in Newton. You can visit her website at www.knitsandpieces.com.
The DrumConnection is run by Alan Tauber, a gifted percussionist, musician,
facilitator, and educator who has spent over 40 years sharing his passion for drumming and healing with the community. In 1990, Alan founded the DrumConnection.
The DrumConnection is internationally known as a deep source of traditional knowledge of the hand-drumming of Africa and other parts of the world. 'The Teachers
of The DrumConnection are all amazing and exceptional cohorts. It is with their energy and efforts that we can perform all the magic that we do!'
Visit the DrumConnection website.
John Thompson is a serious cheesemaker, organic gardener, and cook.
His best friends own a sheep farm in upstate New York and while visiting them he was struck by the concepts of agritourism and cheese-making.
He researched and taught himself elementary cheese-making, took advanced classes on aged cheeses, and has been teaching ever since at local
farmsteads, private home parties, and continuing education programs. Besides teaching, John also makes an assortment of goat cheeses for a local CSA.
Michael Toon is certified in PC service and support from Clark University.
As an active community volunteer, he enjoys teaching at the Brookline Senior Center and the Fenway CDC in Boston. He is a tech support specialist
for the Brookline Fire Department, and studied business administration at Curry College.
Lisa Trachtman has been designing jewelry using wire, semiprecious stones, clay, fiber
and recycled and vintage materials for more than ten years. Lisa has taught jewelry making as well as sold her work in New England, California, London, England
and Ontario, Canada. She recently opened Abeille, a craft studio and boutique right here in Brookline Village.
To find out more about Lisa, go to her site, www.abeille.us.
Beck Tuch has been writing professionally for the past six years,
garnering three literary awards, several publications, and a 2006 Pushcart Prize nomination. Recently she has taught workshops at Grub
Street. In addition, Becky is the founding editor of a website dedicated to the review of literary magazines called The Review Review.
Kimberly Turner is principal of KDTurner Design,
a landscape architecture firm in Newton. She has a background in both horticulture and landscape architecture and is
the author of the soon-to-be-published book, Botany for Designers. Kim has designed all types and sizes of landscapes
from parks and urban spaces to private homes. She believes strongly in the power of collaboration during the design process
and has always been interested in the ways landscapes impact people on a psychological level. Her website is wwwkdturnerdesign.
Return to Top
Lisa Vaas is certified as an urban master gardener by the Boston Natural
Areas Network and certified as a beekeeper by the Essex county Beekeeping Association. She has taught, led tours, volunteered, and established
her own gardens in community gardens throughout the Boston area.
Sara Vallesteros is a deaf
Asian-American who was born in Hawaii. She moved to the Boston area after graduating from Rochester
Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in print media. Sara was a student advisor and
secretary for the Asian Deaf Club at R.I.T., and currently teaches A.S.L. at South End Adult Education.
Maria Vasilevsky is the co-founder and C.O.O. of Stilista LLC, a Boston-based style
consulting firm. Maria's passion for helping people develop their personal style and optimizing their physical appearance dates back ten years during which
she has taken on private clients of all ages, lifestyles, and needs. Maria has a thorough knowledge of Boston fashion retailers and hair and beauty vendors,
having lived in Massachusetts for nearly sixteen years. Her specialties include corporate attire, pregnancy and post-partum fashion, eco-friendly fashion, and
shopping on a budget.
John Verlinden is co-owner of Mucho Gusto Café & Collectibles®,
the first Cuban-American restaurant in the heart of Boston, as well as the author of To Cook is To Love, a cookbook featuring Cuban
cuisine. John's reputation as a personal chef has won him clients in Houston, Kansas City, New York City, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico and
Havana, Cuba.
Ben Vivante is the webmaster for the Town of Brookline,
owns his own web consulting company, www.vivante.us and serves on the executive board of the MGISA (Mass Governmental Information Systems Association). Ben's interests in computing range from Microsoft Technologies to Open Source CMS Systems.
Galina Volkova holds bachelor's
degrees in English and German. Galina has taught business English at English First School in Russia,
and in the Boston area.
Thomas von Huene is the son of a recorder/flute-maker,
and thus has had the opportunity to work in a woodshop since childhood. He has worked as a carpenter, but his real trade is education.
Although now the associate director at Dearborn Academy, Thomas spent many years as a vocational coordinator and woodshop teacher.
Valerie Voner, a natural healing
practitioner with over 30 years of experience, teaches and practices reflexology, reiki, massage,
and yoga. She is also a cranial sacral practitioner. Valerie established one of the few licensed
reflexology schools in the country and has been instrumental in educating the public about the
effectiveness of complementary healing practices. Valerie also holds degrees in English and Women's
Studies. She is the author of The Everything Reflexology Book, The Everything Massage Book, and is
in the process of writing another book.
Laura Wallins is an experienced needlewoman and fiber artist. She is a member of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework, and has taught needlework workshops and exhibited her work with her fellow guild members in the Boston area.
Barrett Ward, professional potter, received her B.F.A. from the New York State College
of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2002. She also trained with the Teacher Preparation Program at Massachusetts College of Art. Barrett has been teaching
for BA&CE since 2006 and currently works at New Art Center as a teacher and studio assistant.
Blanchard Warren is the owner of Debts to Wealth.
He is a certified financial independence seminar leader who has taught methods of debt elimination in local colleges
and high schools for the past six years. Blanchard is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a B.A. in business
administration. His background includes being a management consultant and a business owner. For more info see www.debtstowealth.com
Anya Weber has been reading tarot cards since 1993 and takes a practical, psychological, light-hearted approach to tarot. She is certified through the American Board for Tarot Certification. You can
read her tarot blog at tarotsolutions.blogspot.com and she is available for private readings
and parties (email: tarotation@yahoo.com).
Brian Whalen
has worked in the telecommunications industry for over 10 years. He can frequently be seen dancing at Ryles, Swing City,
and monthly dances in Watertown and Concord. Brian has been instructing dance for several years, privately and with the Dancing Connections
studio on the North Shore.
Cy Whittier
is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston. Upon graduation, he began working as a freelance illustrator/graphic designer for numerous advertising agencies and publishing houses in the Boston area. In 1985, he returned to art school to study charcoal and pastel drawing, and specialized in figure drawing and portraiture. Currently, Cy is a professional artist doing portrait commissions in charcoal and pastel, an active member of the Newton Art Association, and is represented by the Francesca Anderson Gallery in Lexington.
Natalie Whittington, an alumnus of the School of Fashion Design in
Boston, worked for several years with one of Boston's best couturiers, designing and sewing luxury wedding gowns and evening wear. She has
since created and produced her own personal line of cocktail and evening wear that sells in local boutiques. Natalie enjoys assisting local
designers in perfecting flattering design patterns as well as teaching beginning students the fundamental components of design and garment
construction, including personalized pattern drafting for all body-type enhancement. She believes that with a little experience, everyone can
learn to dress with style.
Loes Wijnia-Rabinovici is a certified pilates teacher
who has designed and taught a ballet workout and a pilates style class for almost 10 years. She has exploredÊmany forms of dance and
movement including classical ballet and yoga. Loes continues to expand her knowledge through additional certification, classes and practice.
She is a multi-lingual educator and holds a university degree and teacher's certificate and enjoys working with people of all ages.
Vera Wilkinson is a certified dog behavior consultant and professional dog trainer.
She serves as the Dogs Division Chair of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and received the '2009 Division Member of the Year' Award
in Houston. Vera is the owner of the Cooperative Dog, see her website at www.cooperativedog.com.
Matt Wininger has been performing stand-up and improv comedy since 2002.
Having performed throughout New England for several years, Matt combined his classroom training with the experience gained on stage and has
since taught hundreds of other aspiring comedians the art form. He is also a member of Toastmasters and has professional training in public
speaking.
Jane Wiseman is a management consultant and teacher by trade,
and a "thrifty girl" by choice. She began writing and teaching to share her wisdom on prudent financial management in response
to the current economic crisis and the desire to do something positive to help others. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College
and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Jeremy Wong is an independent carpenter who specializes in custom Japanese architectural woodwork; including shoji screen doors, exterior gates, and furniture. His work includes the use of all conventional woodworking tools, as well as several uncommon Japanese machine and hand tools.
Don Woodruff tours the United States and Canada offering his life-changing seminars to student and adult learners. He is the creator of an internationally distributed audio program and a published workbook on a learning approach he developed called The Kangaroo Method.
Lidong Yu is a native Chinese instructor who is an experienced Feng Shui consultant and has been studying Chinese culture for more than 30 years. Lidong received a B.S. in finance from Beijing Finance and Trade University, Beijing, China and an M.S. in finacial management from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island.
Van Zimmerman
is a critical theorist, writer, and producer in various media who works as a web project manager for a Cambridge-based company.
Ernest Zupancic has 40 years of experience working with the grant process,
mostly as a Federal government employee, but also as a consultant writing grant proposals
and advising grant recipients on how to apply for and manage grants. He presently works for
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development where he has presented grantwriting
workshops for non-profit organizations.
