www.finneganart.com.
Barbara Fletcher has a background in commercial art from Syracuse University. For the last 20 years she has been working in the fiber/paper field.
Her commissions and teaching experience have been wide ranging and include creating fantasy sculpture for writer Stephen King in Maine in the 1980's. More recently her works have been placed in medical facilities around Boston,
she was awarded a Lowell Cultural Council Grant, and her works have been featured in two books, The Complete Guide to Paper Casting by Arnold Grummer and Papermaking for the First Time by Rhonda Rainey. Learn more
about Barbara at paperdimensions.com.
Robert Fornaro
received an M.S. in innovation, technology, and marketing from Boston
University. He holds a C.S.S. in business administration from Harvard
University and a joint B.S./B.A. in marketing and accounting from Northeastern
University.
Patrick Ryan Frank is a graduate of
the poetry programs of Northwestern University and Boston University. His poems have appeared
in Poetry, Carolina Quarterly, Texas Poetry Journal, and other publications. He has received an
artist grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and two writing fellowships from the Fine Arts Work
Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts. There's more information about Patrick here.
Matthew Frederick is an architect, urban designer, and president
of the Frederick Design Studio in Cambridge. He has served as a design instructor and critic at numerous colleges of architecture, and is the author of the bestselling
\i 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School\i0. His website is www.frederickdesignstudio.com.
Eric French is a guitarist, singer/ songwriter, and teacher
currently living and performing in Providence and Boston. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and working musician, Eric incorporates
his skills into the pop, rock, blues and gospel projects he's involved in on a regular basis, as well as does continuous work on his
own original rock and folk material around New England. Eric has taught privately and hosted classes for about eight years, and is a
two-time winner of BCOM's annual songwriting contest.
Cassandra Furer received a B.A. in psychology and liberal studies from S.U.N.Y. Purchase, and an M.A. in education from Lesley College.
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Mike Gefers has taught high school mathematics and test preparation for 24 years. He received a B.A. in mathematics and English from S.U.N.Y. Oneonta.
Karl Genes
spent two years teaching English for the Peace Corps in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Karl also taught in Korea, and is an E.S.L. instructor in the Boston and Brookline area.
Bob Genovesi studied composition and jazz piano at the Berklee College of Music. He is currently a piano teacher in Cambridge, and he writes about music for Body & Soul Magazine.
Joseph Giannone
is the director of driver education at Pleasant Auto School, and has been
a professional driving instructor for many years. Over the years, he has
taught many teenagers and adults to become better, safer, and more "pleasant"
drivers.
Susan Glassman
is a docent for the Harvard University Art Museums, where she guides and teaches visitors of all ages to appreciate the varied collections of the museum, from ancient
to modern art. She taught English at UMass for many years. Susan holds a master's degree from N.Y.U., and a Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island.
Larry Glickman
has been a professional picture framer for over 20 years. Since 1977, he has operated his own framing business, Traveling Framers. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees
in both art and art education, and has taught framing at BA&CE since 1980.
Julia Goldberg is marketing director
for Brookline Food Tour, and is also a Brookline resident. She currently works for the
University of Massachusetts, Boston as a programs and marketing director. Julia is fluent in
English, Russian, and Hebrew.
Terry Goldzier is semi-retired after many years as a computer programmer. She would like to share her enthusiasm
for computers with others. Terry earned a B.S. in social work from SUNY Buffalo.
Riana Good is a certified instructor of Dancekinetics
and JourneyDance, which she has taught at the YMCA, Kavod House in Brookline, and at Boston College. Riana holds degree in
neuroscience and a masters in teaching. She currently teaches high school Spanish.
Ted Goodman was introduced
to Aikido in San Francisco in 1970, but did most of his training in Japan (three years
under Bansen Tanaka Sensei and seven years under Steven Seagal Sensei). Since returning to the
States, he has studied under Lou Perriello Sensei (N. Chelmsford) and Mitsunari Kanai Sensei
(Cambridge). A black belt since 1987, he has been teaching Aikido since 1993. In 2002 he became
a certified R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) systems instructor, and founded First Line of
Defense (women's safety awareness and self-defense training). For more information about Ted you can look
here.
Tammy Gooler Loeb M.B.A., C.P.C.C., is a certified co-active coach who specializes in career and life transitions,
as well as workplace and business coaching.
Jason Gould, a third-degree Black Belt
in shorin-ji ryu karate, has been studying the martial arts for over 20 years. He is the chief instructor
at Emerald Necklace Budo Martial Arts in Allston, where he emphasizes non-violent conflict resolution and
encourages his students to participate in community service activities. In addition to his instructor
certification from the American Council on Martial Arts, Sensei Gould is a certified instructor for the
R.A.D.KIDS safety and empowerment program for children and the R.A.D. Basic Physical Defense program for women.
www.emeraldnecklacebudo.com/staff.htm.
Jean Graham has taught jewelry stringing for several years and has shown her work at numerous craft fairs. She currently teaches privately for several community education programs.
Ben Grauer is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and has been composing/arranging music for over ten years. He has a part-time eBay business and teaches computers to grades two-seven at Dexter and Southfield Schools. For three years, he was an on-air disk jockey for Cleveland radio.
Joe Green has been helping
people succeed by working for years in the fields of human service and social management. He
is currently Program Coordinator at the Cardinal Medeiros Center.
Susan Grey, currently a Ph.D.
candidate at Tufts University, holds a master's degree in English and American literature, also
from Tufts. She has been a lecturer in the Tufts English department and Experimental College.
Ute Groening, born and raised in Germany,
holds a Ph.D. in American literature from Brandeis University. She has taught German for many years at all different
levels, including courses at the German Saturday School and at Regis College.
Ken Groeppe
received a master's degree in musicology from University of Louisville and Harvard University.
He has completed extensive work in the history of opera, classical music, and music of the 17th through 20th centuries.
Ken was a student of Balinese gamelan and world music at the University of Colorado, and composition at the New England Conservatory.
Victoria Groves
is a writer, editor and writing instructor. She earned her bachelor's degree in
journalism and a master's degree in public policy and administration from the University of
Massachusetts Amherst, as well as a certificate in publishing from Radcliffe College.
Victoria has been teaching online for Writers Weekly since 2003 on topics including writing
for teens and tweens, newsletter writing, freelance fee negotiation, and press release
writing. She has also taught online for the New Hampshire Writers Project and Southern New
Hampshire University. She has written for a dozen Massachusetts-based newspapers
and has also been published in a variety of local, regional, and national magazines. See her online at victoriagroves.net
Deborah E. Gruber
has an M.M. in choral conducting. She has freelanced as a jazz pianist and sung with
the Tanglewood Festival Chorus performing with greats like Bobby McFerrin. She's sung
in Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall under John Williams, Seiji Ozawa and Keith Lockhart.
She's been featured in radio interviews and performed on air with her award-winning a
cappella jazz group, The Wicked Pitches. Currently she is the president of a national
teacher training firm, operates a music center, and has founded the Burlington Children's Chorus.
Ms. Gruber was recently featured in the Improper Bostonian for teaching her unconventional method
of playing the piano. See her website. www.easypianostyles.com.
Thomas W. Guevin has been a professional woodworker since 1970.
He has worked with artists, designers and architects on a variety of projects involving historic restoration and custom cabinetry.
His company, Northwind Woodwork, is based in South Boston.
Michael Gully studies astronomy and physics
at Boston University, and has operated telescopes at the J. B. Coit Observatory at Boston University,
the Clay Center Observatory in Brookline, the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, and the McDonald Observatory in Texas.
Michael hosts weekly public telescopic viewing at both B.U. and the Clay Center observatories.
Rich Gustus
has been a working stand up comic since 1987. He has appeared on Comedy
Central’s Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, and can been seen locally
at the Comedy Studio in Harvard Square.
Susan Guth
received an M.A. in French from New York University. She has taught French, Spanish, and English at the high school level in New York City and New Jersey, and is pursuing a degree in T.E.S.O.L. at UMass, Boston.
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Muriel Haber is a graduate of the Modern School of Fashion and Design. She spent years working in New York's garment industry and now runs her own alteration business locally.
Cristina Hajosy has a passion for creation. She is an artist, a photographer, and a businesswoman. She has a few lines of different products, all of them that demonstrate her skill as an integrator, mixing art,
photography, and food. Visit her website at www.hajosy.com.
Amy R. Handler is a Boston-based poet, speculative fiction writer,
photographer, and filmmaker. She teaches writing, film, and copyediting at local colleges. Born in Boston and raised in a small country town
in southwestern MA, she received a B.A. in English literature and an M.S. in sociology from Boston University. She later earned a photography
degree at the New England School of Photography and an M.F.A. in visual arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University.
Her poetry appears in Agenda Poetry Journal, Star*Lin , and Aoife's Kiss, among others.
Amy Harper, who was a dancer for
twenty-six years, became interested in yoga after getting married and having a child. She is certified
to teach both classes for adults and classes specifically for children and infants. She believes that
you are never too young or too old to enjoy and reap the benefits of yoga.
Judy Haupin is a stained glass and new metals artist who studied silversmithing at the Maine College of Art. She teaches throughout New England and at her studio, SilverGoldNGlass, in Haverhill. She is a level 1 and 2 certified artisan in PMC and a level 1 certified teacher in art clay silver. Her glass work has been displayed in the U.S., Canada, and Japan.
Brandon Headrick obtained his C.T.E.F.L. from the Boston Academy of English, and has taught in China. Brandon currently teaches E.S.L. at South End at Cathedral adult education program and at the Boston Academy of English.
Dale Henry,
who has a background in drama and dance, has a C.T.E.F.L. from Worldwide Teachers Development Institute and an M.Ed. from Emmanuel College. She has taught English at Elian's Language School, Boston, and at Catholic Memorial High School.
Brendan Higgins has a B.A. in music education and is pursuing his M.A. in music history. His extensive knowledge of the classical music comes from a genuine love of the genre. He studied music in school, but has also conducted his own personal research and revues, as well as taught private saxophone and clarinet lessons.
Patricia Hogan, a long-time college professor, has built a successful eBay business. She is a certified educational specialist trained by eBay to teach others how to master all aspects of selling online.
David Houlihan received a B.A. in English literature and religious studies from Fairfield University. He is currently preparing to attend graduate school in pursuit of a Ph.D. in English literature.
Patricia Howard is a graduate of
the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. She lectures, teaches workshops, and sees clients in the New England area,
Iceland, and Ireland. She has recently completed the advanced course in education and supervision at
Barbara Brennan School of Healing.
Chobee Hoy is the principal of Chobee Hoy Associates R.E., Inc. Prior to her career in real estate, she worked as a trainer and director for the Girl Scouts of America. She began working in sales and brokerage more than 20 years ago with Lyn Medoff Associates. Chobee is involved in many Brookline community activities.
Hsing-Yu Huang has a doctor of music in piano performance and piano pedagogy from Northwestern University, and a master's degree in piano performance from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is a former assistant professor at the department of music at Tainan University of Technology in Taiwan, where she gave regular lessons and piano for four hands (two pianos). She is also a former teaching assistant at the Music Academy of Northwestern University.
Jennifer Hughes
is a graduate of Wellesley College, and holds an M.F.A. in printmaking from the University of Iowa. Her prints and handmade
books have been in exhibited in Iowa, Illinois, and Massachusetts, as well as in Germany and Japan. She has been teaching adult education
art classes and children's art workshops for over three years. Visit her website at www.jennifer-hughes.com.
Edgar Levins is a former psychologist and film maker, and has
loved baking his entire life. Ten years ago, he started taking formal classes, and he now works as a personal chef and baker. Edgar
enjoys sharing his passion for food, cooking, and especially baking, by educating others in the culinary arts.
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Anne Jackson
is a professional trainer and teacher in the fields of correct and effective
speech and writing, second-language acquisition, and business writing
and editing. Her consultancy, Words Are My Work, provides private and
group instruction in these areas. She graduated cum laude from Mt. Holyoke
College with a degree in English literature, holds advanced degrees from
the University of Rochester and Columbia University, and a Certificat
Practique de la Langue Francaise from the French government.
Ken Janjigian is the author of two novels,
Trapped Doors (2005) and Defending Infinity (2008). He is currently at work on his third novel. Information about the
two books is available at his publisher's website, www.pocolpress.com. He was honored to be a guest speaker last year at the
Jack Kerouac: Writers of the Next Generation Event. Ken teaches English and Writing at Harvard Extension and Northeastern University.
He has a B.A. from Clark University and a master's degree from Lesley University, which he completed in Italy while writing his first novel.
Kim Barnes Jefferson
has more than 12 years of experience in the high tech, advertising, and hospitality industries. She is the owner of the "To The Last Detail" and holds a B.S. from Bentley College.
C. Winston Jenkins is an etiquette advocate and has been practicing
good manners since she was a young girl growing up in the South. She received her bachelor's in English from Mount Holyoke College and
her master's in communications management from Simmons College. As a customer service consultant, Winston spent nearly a decade working
in the financial services industry and was an advocate for teaching her clients to take responsibility for their actions and to
understand how their behavior impacts their business in professional situations. Winston is well known among Mannersmith clients for
her calm demeanor and naturally engaging presentation style.
Stephen Jerome
is a former trustee of the Brookline Historical Society and a life member of the Society of Architectural Historians. He is a specialist in historic preservation
and design.
Daniel John won Best of Boston in 1990 for his garden at 64 Winchester St. in Brookline. Although it no longer exists, that garden was also featured in Better Homes and Gardens as well as in
Color Echoes by Pamela Harper. He has been gardening for residential clients in the Brookline area for the last ten years.
Tom Johnson
has been practicing Zen meditation for more than eight years, and is a dharma teacher with the Zen Center of Cambridge.
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Karina Kadiyska earned a bachelor's degree in painting and a master's degree in sculpture, both from Boston University. She has also studied marble carving from the local craftsmen of Carrara, Italy. Karina's work is in the permanent collections at the New England School of Art and Design and the Carrara Academy of Fine Arts.
Iwalani Kaluhiokalani is the owner and founder of Smartbody Movement, a fullly-equipped pilates and gyrotonic studio, and teacher educational center. She has been teaching pilates since 1997 and has been a pre-trainer (teacher of teachers) in gyrotonic which she has studied intensively since 2003. Through the years, Iwalani has been certified through and continued education with the Physical Mind Institute, U.S. Pilates Association, Balanced Body University, and the Gyrotonic International Headquarters.
Christina Kara has been crafting since she was five years old, when
her mother taught her how to cross-stitch. She has taught herself many crafts since including knitting, crochet, embroidery, hand and
machine sewing, quilting, bookbinding, and serigraphy. Christina is interested in the history of the domestic arts and using traditional
methods to create modern pieces.
Adam Katz is a graphic, web, and interactive designer. He holds a B.A. in studio art and graphic design from Clark University.
He currently operates a home graphic design studio specializing in print, web, and interactive. Visit his website at www.akatzdesign.com.
Mimi Katz overcame her fear of computers about twenty years ago and since then her fascination and knowledge continues to expand. She has both studied and taught many aspects of this exciting world and looks forward to sharing her enthusiasm with others.
Sue Katz has had an eclectic professional life on three continents. She was a martial arts master for 18 years, 14 of them in Israel. There she also studied the physiology of aging and of fitness. She was a senior executive in the non-profit sector based for 10 years in London, where she also taught and performed Ballroom and Latin American dance. She is now a writer and teacher, living in Boston.
Phyllis Forbes Kerr, a Wheelock graduate and former K-1 teacher, received her master's degree as a reading specialist from Lesley College, and is currently a full-time author and illustrator, designing the JoyPhyl Greetings greeting card line. During the past 25 years, she has written and illustrated many children's books, including the newly released Doggy Tales. Her fifth children's book, "Sparkey and her Golden Friends", is due out in the spring.
Chonthicha "Pam" Khomkham is from Chiang Mai, Thailand where she
earned a master's in philosophy and taught courses in Thai language. A recent resident to Brookline, Pam enjoys teahing others about
Thai culture, as well as cooking, hiking, and traveling.
Lauren Klatsky
is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and holds a professional certificate from the Kripalu School of Ayurveda. She also holds a B.S. from M.I.T. and a master's in physics from U.C.L.A.. She has explored vegetarian and health-conscious cuisine at restaurants and spas around the country, including Canyon Ranch in Tucson, AZ, the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY and the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM. Lauren enjoys writing about food and Ayurveda and her work has appeared in The Jewish Advocate and Natural Awakenings Magazine.
Chieni Ko is an A.S.P. programmer and web content management freelancer.
In her native Taiwan, she has won numerous Chinese composition and spelling contests, and won first place in a national composition
contest. Chieni received a B.S. in journalism from Zhengzhi University, and an M.S. from Boston University. She has five years of private
tutoring experience using the Mainland Pinyin approach. She is currently working on her first interactive Chinese language workbook.
Gail Koplow has taught writing at Tufts University, Boston University, and Middlesex Community College. She has an M.A. in literature from Boston University. Her work has been published in numerous small journals and 'zines, and she was poetry and fiction editor for Sojourner, a national women's journal, for over a decade. Gail's teaching is also informed by sensitivity gleaned during her twenty-five-year practice as a psychotherapist.
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, has experience and has taught ESL from beginner to advanced levels. Caryn's students have included young children, business executives, and graduate students studying in the U.S.
Eric Kramer graduated from Harvard University with an honors degree in economics.Ê Foregoing a career on Wall Street after college, he instead co-founded ELM Technologies, Inc., a firm that develops data management software applications for some of the largest corporations in the world.Ê He also currently serves as director of product development for B&L Associates, Inc., a firm that has been recognized as the world leader in data center automation for the Unisys marketplace since 1975.
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.
Elizabeth Kugell
is from Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais in Brazil. She studied history at Bentley College and is currently the activities director for the Coolidge House in Brookline.
Elizabeth has lived in the U.S. for 23 years.
Jennifer Kuhnberg
earned her bachelor's in journalism from Northeastern University, where she was a choreographer
and performer with the university's dance company. She is also the co-founder of the MADSOC
Advanced Dance Company at the University of Sydney, Australia, established with Elena Lambrinos
in 2005. Growing up in New York City, Jen received her dance training at Horizons in Dance,
the Mark Twain School, and the Brooklyn Dance Center, in styles ranging from jazz and
lyrical/modern to tap and hip-hop.
Melissa Kulig
received a B.F.A. with honors from Emmanuel College and is working toward a master's degree at the Art institute of Boston.
After years in a graphic design career, she moved on to co-found the Washington Street Art Center in Somerville, and participate in group,
and solo shows. After being accepted into the East Boston Artists Group, she exhibited in numerous juried exhibitions, received several awards,
and participated in local events including the prestigious Boston Arts Festival and the Beacon Hill Art Walk. 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: mak06@verizon.net.
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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.
Quen Law a former K-5 teacher, received her master's degree
in education from UMass Boston. She has taught for many years in the Boston Public Schools as a classroom teacher, a reading
specialist, and a creative writing and computer teacher. For ten years, she had edited and published the Curley Writestuff,
a literary magazine for her school, and had also maintained this as a website. She enjoys teaching and writing poetry herself and is
a published writer of children's stories for Cricket magazine. Presently, she still teaches children as an English teacher at the ASC
A+ Program. She has also taught adults as a literacy volunteer at ABCD Learning Works and seniors as a computer lab volunteer at the
Brookline Senior Center.
Jane Lawson started her career in 1984, teaching housecleaning and
clutter control throughout the country. She speaks before church and business groups and at conventions. Jane has been featured
nationwide on TV and radio, and in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. She is a valuable resource for businesses and individuals
craving a clean and orderly space.
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,
manager of Marty's Fine Wines and Gourmet Food in Newton, 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. Avinoam studies began in the Far-East in 1992, 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 and has been certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists
(NGH) as well as the National Federation of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) in the U.S. Avinoam runs his private practice in Newton and has been recognized by the mayor of Newton for providing healing and therapeutic services to the community since 2003.
Howard Levenson
holds a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.
He is a practicing corporate attorney, a corporate consultant on business writing, an editor of legal publications,
and a freelance journalist.
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.
Osnat Levy is a long time teacher and an avid rock climbing enthusiast. Her teaching career has included teaching, developing curriculum, instructing teachers, writing a manual, and creating enrichment possibilities. She enjoys her rock climbing students especially.
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.
Naomi Lomba-Gomes recieved her M.L.A. in creative writing and culture from Boston University, she and her B.A., Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She has taught memoir writing workshops at the Boston Public Library and has been published frequently.
Ellen London is a freelance food writer and graduate of Boston University's Culinary Arts Program where she studied under the likes of, Michael Leviton, Jacques Pepin, and Mary Ann Esposito. Ellen also holds a B.A. in journalism from Temple University.
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.
Jan Louissaint is the owner of In Your Wildest Dreams Interior Designs in Cambridge. She takes great pride in her profession and enjoys teaching others how to better make their homes and living spaces the beautifully creative places they were meant to be.
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.
Ming Lu, a native of Shenyang, China, earned a master's degree at Lusun Academy of Fine Arts, China. Ming has lectured and given seminars on art at American International College, Boston University, the Art Institute of Boston, and Milton Academy. She's also had three solo exhibitions and appeared twice on television for her art. She continues to teach drawing and painting locally and works steadily on her own art.
Helen Chin Lui a certified reflexologist and member of the
Massachusetts Reflexology Association, has been practicing reflexology and other energy works for more than five years. Helen
has completed numerous certificate programs in foot, hand and infertility reflexology, reiki one, reiki two, master reiki,
craniosacral therapy 1, and vortexhealing. Helen is currently enrolled in a healers training program, emphasizing chakra balancing
and energy medicine with Rhys Thomas Healing. You can learn more about her and her private practice at www.healingplacemedfield.com.
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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.
June Macdonald
has over 25 years of experience as an information systems professional.
She has consulted and provided training services to a wide range of clients,
including IBM, Bayer Pharmaceuticales, Jaguar, and Chubb Group. She holds
a B.S. from Cornell University.
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.
Renee Man CVRT, COMS, has worked at the Perkins School for the Blind
in Outreach Services to Elders for the last six years. Renee teaches independent living skills in the Elder Learning Center and in the
community as well as providing training in the home. She teaches skills which enable older adults to prepare meals, remain safe in
their living environment, and to continue to accomplish personal care tasks. Renee has a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Teaching and
in Orientation and Mobility from Western Michigan University. She did her internships in rehab teaching and in O&M at the Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center at the VA in Birmingham, AL.
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.
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.
Stephen Maurer, M.A., LMFT, LMHC, co-developed and was the
director of the Mind/Body Programs at the Beth Israel and New England Deaconess Hospitals. With more than 30 years experience
practicing and teaching meditation and twenty-five years working with individuals and couples as a psychotherapist, he brings
a refined understanding of the interplay of the mind, our emotions and spirituality to his teaching.
Dr. Karol Maybury received her Ph.D. in social psychology from
the University of California, Davis. She works with girls and their families in the greater Boston area. She talks with parents and
educators around the U.S. about girls, media, mental health, and parenting. She is working on her upcoming book Raising a Natural
Girl in a Material World.
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.
Kate McCann is the owner of Pure Solutions, an organizing and
de-cluttering business with a therapeutic approach to space (www.puresolutions.biz). She received her master's degree in
counseling psychology from Lesley University and is certified in mind/body and stress reduction techniques. She has helped friends, family, and
colleagues with their organizing needs for years, starting with her grandmother's soup cupboard when she was ten. Kate believes that
your home can be a place of soothing relaxation and re-energizing comfort, and that your office can be organized to help you work more
efficiently while feeling less stressed.
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.
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.
Seamus McGovern is a former U.S. Navy operational, instructor, and maintenance test pilot. Currently, he works as a Federal engineer on F.A.A. programs and flies the AH-1F Cobra helicopter gunship in the National Guard. Seamus holds airplane and helicopter pilot designations from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and F.A.A.
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.
Claudine Metrick has an A.A.S. in culinary arts and a B.F.A.
in painting. She has traveled and cooked in the UK, Europe, and Asia. Claudine's experience in the pastry kitchen led her to a
James Beard award winning restaurant and a luxury Arizona resort with a five star restaurant.
Susan Meyers
has a B.A. from Brown University and a master's degree in journalism
from Northwestern University. She is a former newspaper editor, reporter,
and feature writer. Her work has been published in The New York Times,
The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times. Susan recently finished
writing her first book.
Donald Mitchell, A.B. magna cum laude, Harvard College;
J.D. Harvard Law School; is a member of the Massachusetts Bar; Chairman of Mitchell and Company, a strategy consulting firm in Wellesley,
Massachusetts see www.mitchellandco.com; and co-author of The 2,000 Percent Solution (AMACOM Books, 1999) - see www.2000percentsolution.com, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise (Stylus, 2000) - see www.irreistibleforces.com, and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage (Berrett-Koehler, 2003).
Kayla Mohammadi received her B.F.A. in painting from the University of Washington, Seattle
and her M.F.A. from Boston University. In 2005 she was awarded the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation Grant. In 2008 she was awarded the Joan Mitchell award in painting. She
teaches at Brandeis University and at times, fills in for a term at other colleges as well. 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. Many people on the
art tours are surprised that there are many galleries that they never new existed since several are hidden above and behind storefronts on
Newbury Street. The art conversation is always interesting and even though there are different views and interests in art there is always something
for everyone. She's enjoyed giving the tours and has also enjoyed taking cooking classes at BA&CE. For more information visit her website at www.kaylamo.com. T
Marilyn Monteiro earned a B.A in political science from the University of Massachusetts, a M.A in education, and an Ed.D. in educational administration and social policy analysis from Harvard University. She has served as an administrator and adjunct assistant professor in higher education teaching undergraduate and graduate courses for over 20 years. She has also served as administrator and taught adult learners in adult literacy programs. She has also served as state coordinator of the Massachusetts Institute for New Teachers, a teacher-training program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education.
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.
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.
Sharon Mullen holds a B.A. in German, and has taught German and Spanish at the high school level. She has taught Spanish, E.S.L., and the GED for adult education programs in the Boston area. She is also an astrologer who holds Level 4 certification from the National Council for Geocosmic Research.
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.
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.
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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.
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Jaclyn O'Riley is an active member of the local Irish dance
community. She has spent a great deal of time dancing in Ireland, and has taken workshops with dance masters throughout Ireland
and the U.S. Jackie performs throughout the Boston area and her dance style emphasizes the interconnection between different styles
of Irish dance, understanding the relationship between the music and the dancer, and the strong community aspect of the tradition.
Barry O'Toole is a certified aerobic instructor and personal trainer. He is also a musician and composer, and hosts a local television show called How to be Healthy....and Still Have a Life. In his private training practice, he uses a multifaceted fitness and nutritional approach, enabling clients to become self sufficient at losing weight and becoming fit. He often incorporates music and performance, visualization, and humor to motivate people to exercise.
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.
Karen Oldoni is certified to teach English by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She has worked for over a decade in the Boston area as an editor for business consulting firms. Karen graduated from Colgate University with a degree in English and political science.
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.
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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.
George Pagliuca
has been painting and illustrating for over forty years. After retiring from a long career in the printing industry, George returned to the studio. He presently teaches workshops and small groups, concentrating on painting and life drawing. George graduated from Vesper George School of Art and his paintings and illustrations are regularly exhibited in Boston area shows and art fairs.
Eun Young Park is from Seoul, Korea and graduated from Yonsei University with two bachelors degrees in clothing and textiles and food and nutrition, and received her master's in TESOL at Boston University. Eun Young currently teaches at the Boston Korean School.
Jeannette Passanisi
graduated from Emerson College with her 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 spends her time as a computer educator for R&R Consulting and other establishments of learning. Jeannette enjoys teaching and working with others to help them meet their goals to obtain the necessary skills to further better themselves.
Teresa "Tracy" Pereira is a personal chef, cooking instructor,
and caterer, with Southeast Asian cuisine in her blood. A lawyer in Malaysia until marriage brought her to Boston a few years ago,
Tracy graduated from Boston University's culinary arts program in 2006 and launched her own business, The Seasoned Palate (www.seasonedpalatechef.com). With Malaysia's multi-racial mix of Malay, Chinese, and Indian culinary traditions, she is adding spice and diversity to Boston's array of personal chef offerings. Tracy focuses on healthy cooking, using natural and organic ingredients whenever she can.
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.
Alan Pollack is a software engineering professional with a
doctorate in musicology who has been studying Talmud as an avocation for 25 years.
Richard Pomerance
is a clinical psychologist specializing in personality and affective disorders. He earned his Ph.D.
at Boston University and has worked as a profiling psychologist for 20 years. He has been an organizational consultant
to numerous businesses, and has published articles about personality profiling. Dr. Pomerance also ran a financial concern,
Halcyon Capital Corporation, for over a decade. For more information, please see the smartrelationshipdecisions.com website.
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.
Ralph Protsik,
C.W.E., has been involved in wine education for more than 15 years, as
founder and executive director of WINET, the Wine Instructors Network.
He is a member and chairman of the Certification Committee of the Society
of Wine Educators (SWE). He is former director of Sakonnet Vineyards in
Little Compton, R.I. A Yale graduate, Ralph supports his wine habit by
co-managing the Boston Search Group, Boston’s leading Internet executive
search firm, and he has taught wine courses at BA&CEP since 1987.
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Fran Quinn has served as editor of The Worcester Review
and has taught at Assumption College, The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Clark University, Worcester State College,
Rivier College, Northeastern University, St. John Preparatory School (Shrewsbury), St. Charles Academy (Woonsocket) and Butler University,
where he was poet-in-residence and director of their Visiting Writers Series. His poetry has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes and won
the Hopewell Prize. He has published three books of poetry, the latest being The Goblet Crying for Wine.
Visit his website at franquinnworkshops.com.
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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.
Thomas Radloff
has 15 years experience in the computer, bookkeeping and accounting, and managerial consulting business. He currently owns and operates FireCloud Solutions, which is in the business of doing the same. He is also a business broker with the Burbank Group of Wellesley, MA. He has a B.S. in management from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
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.
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.
Mark Rich
is a LAN administrator for a major financial institution. He holds certifications
in LAN troubleshooting, A+, CCNA, MCP in TCP/IP, and CNA Intranetware.
In addition to his work with computers, he also serves as a museum interpreter
for the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
Otoniel "Baiano" Rodrigues, is originally from Valadares Minais Gerais in Brazil and is a certified professor of capoeira and has trained and taught in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Boston, Providence, and Montreal.
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.
Adam Rosen is an I.T. consultant specializing in Apple Macintosh
and Digidesign ProTools digital audio workstations. An M.I.T. graduate, he has over 20 years of industry experience including
technical positions at Bose Corporation, Soundtrack Recording Studios in Boston and New York, and teaching at Berklee College of
Music. Adam is currently an instructor or guest lecturer at several area colleges and adult education programs, and runs Oakbog - I.T.
for Media Production. Visit www.oakbog.com.
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/.
Roman Rubinstein
is a consulting engineer at Art Technology Group, a Cambridge based company developing sophisticated e-commerce software for large-scale businesses.
He is currently working with Java, J2EE, XML and related technologies. Previously, he was a Java developer at
Pegasystems Inc. Roman has also been a teaching assistant in computer courses at Tufts University and Harvard
Extension School. He holds a B.S. from Tufts University in computer science and economics.
You can visit his website at www.romanrubinstein.info.
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.
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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.
Giti Saeidian was born in Iran, and as a young girl was
encouraged by her mother to learn to cook. Over the years, cooking has become a second nature and a delight and she enjoys
making Persian dishes for family and friends. Giti received a degree in interior design while in Iran, and currently works
as realtor for Chobee Hoy Associates in Brookline.
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.
Brian Scagliola
boxes at Boston Sport Boxing Club in Watertown, and is currently certified through the U.S. Boxing Association.
When not in the ring Brian is in real estate investing.
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.
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.
Philip Secondino
is a specialist in publishing technology and training. He has been teaching Photoshop for 15 years and internet web
publishing for 10 years. Philip is a brainbench certified master in Adobe Photoshop. Visit his website at www.webstir.com.
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.
Ji-Youn Shin is working toward a doctor of musical arts at
Boston University. A piano player since childhood, she has played professionally in orchestras, small groups, and as a solo recitalist.
She has many years of teaching experience both to groups and to individuals. One day she hopes to make teaching a full time careeer.
Amal Shumar, a Brookline native and former BA&CE dance student, has studied a variety
of dance for nearly 20 years including Ballet, Jazz and Hip-Hop. Amal has taught dance for five years to children ages 5-12 and has choreographed and coached
high school students as well. Amal is a graduate student at Northeastern University receiving her master's in higher education.
Thea Simolari is a licensed mortgage banker with Mortgage Network, Inc and 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
which allows her to be aware and flexible to current trends and to initiate a solid plan 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.
Patrice Sirote is a principal of Ps
Communications and Organizational Strategies Associates. For 28 years she's assisted non-profits, small
businesses, and individuals in designing, implementing, and managing communication, public relations, human
resources, marketing, and career development programs. She teaches undergraduate and graduate level
classes and leads national workshops and seminars. She holds a B.S. in education and a M.A. in
communication and is a certified master practitioner in neuro-linguistic programming.
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.
Salima Slimane,
fluent in Arabic, French, and English, is a native of Algeria. She holds a B.A. in English in the
field of education from the University of Batna in Algeria, and is pursuing her M.A. in American
literature. An experienced teacher and lecturer, Salima has been teaching for over 13 years in
foreign languages departments, private language schools, and after school programs. Salima currently
teaches at the Boston Language Institute, and provides private Arabic and French lessons to
individuals and groups.
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
Jodi Smith's background in motivational psychology and human resources has reaffirmed her belief that proper manners and etiquette are an essential part of functioning civilly in the world. She received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Rochester and her master's degree in industrial relations. She is a human resources professional and an avid advocate of etiquette.
Edie Snow
graduated from the Boston Shiatsu School in February 1999, and has worked in the Back Bay
as a shiatsu practitioner since then. She was initially drawn to shiatsu after
successful treatment for a chronic shoulder condition. For more information you can visit her website
at www.ediesnow.com.
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, and 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.
Susan Spilecki is a life coach and the founder of
Flying Pig Coaching. She received her M.F.A. from Emerson College and is currently finishing up her coaching studies at Coach U.
She has taught college writing and literature at Emerson, MIT, and Northeastern University since 1993. Susan draws on all these
experiences in her work with people trying to expand the possibilities in their lives. Her web site is www.flyingpigcoaching.com.
Laura Evonne Steinman is a community teaching artist. She received her B.F.A. in sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design and her M.A. in art education from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. For the last five years she has been living and working in Warsaw, Poland sharing art making with folks of all ages. She enjoys volunteering, sewing bags, coasters and other things. She loves to travel, learn about different ways of life, and drinking herbal tea.
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.
Kathleen Sweeney is a graduate of S.U.N.Y. at College of Fedonia with a B.S. in elementary education. For the past six years she has been a teacher at Lincoln Extended Day in Brookline.
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Alan Tauber
has studied drumming for many years. He attended the New England Conservatory
of Music and Berklee College of Music, and has studied with master drummers
throughout Boston. He has taught at Berklee School of Music and the New
England Conservatory. Visit the DrumConnection website.
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.
Doris Tennant, attorney and certified family mediator by Mass. Council on Family Mediation, Inc. specializes in the out-of-court resolution of family, business, and workplace disputes. She does this through representation in the collaborative law process, through mediation, through decision making as an arbitrator, and by providing parent coordinator services. Doris practices with Tennant Lubell, LLC in Newton.
Sue Landers started drumming in 1980 and has been with the DrumConnection for more than six years. She is a member of Here Ma Kono, the DrumConnection's performance troupe. A student of West African song, dance, and rhythm, she has studied with many great master drummers.
Wilson Tom has worked at such restaurants as Ginza in Brookline, New Ginza in Watertown, Minoga in Brookline, and Sushi 21 in Watertown.
Michael Toon
is certified in PC service and support from Clark University, and is the computer education program manager at the Brookline Senior Center. As an active community volunteer, he enjoys teaching at the Marcus Garvey Computer Learning Center in Boston, and at the Fenway CDC in Boston. Michael is pursuing a B.A. degree in business administration from Curry College.
Michele Topor's North End Market Tour
has earned Boston Magazine's "Best of Boston" award, and Editor's Pick by Yankee Magazine's Travel Guide to New England.
Michele Topor received her professional chef diploma from Madelene Kamman, and studied with Marcella Hazan and Giuliano Bugialli in Italy.
A foremost authority on Italian food, wine, and culture, she is a 30-year resident of the North End.
Visit Michele Topor's North End Market tour website at www.northendmarkettours.com.
Frank Tropea works at Cambridge District Courthouse. He holds a BA in English literature from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MA in literature and psychology from Harvard University. He is also the author of Finding the Light Within and the novel Dark Hunger.
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.
Sharon Tulchinsky
is proud to call the South End home and has lived there for over a decade. In the past, Sharon was a professional chef and has a degree in hotel and restaurant management.
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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.
Linda Varone combines Feng Shui, interior design, and architectural psychology to create spaces of personal renewal. Linda has over 15 years of experience as a Feng Shui consultant and professional speaker and is currently writing a book on how to create nurturing homes. Her many awards include Boston magazine's 2007 "Best of Boston" best Feng Shui consultant award.
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.
Anna Verbuk received a B.S. in communication from Boston University,
a Ph.D. in Linguistics from UMass, Amherst, and recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University. She is a linguist specializing
in semantics, pragmatics, and first language acquisition. At UMass, Amherst and McGill University, she taught a variety of linguistics courses and
did experimental work with children in order to explore how they learn certain semantic and pragmatic phenomena of their native language.
She equally enjoys teaching and doing research.
Maria Vieira-O'Connell hails from Minas Gerais, Brazil, and is currently a Portuguese language instructor at The Boston Language Institute and also works as an interpreter and translator.
Naphtali Visser has worked as a software technology leader and entrepreneur for the past 15 years.Ê He has interviewed hundreds of candidates and helped dozens of people in many industries land their dream job.Ê Naphtali was recently laid off from a technology company and is moving onto his next entrepreneurial venture, job and life coaching.Ê
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.
BrieAnn Voeller moved from California to Boston to study theatre at
Emerson College and received a B.A. in acting. While attending Emerson, BrieAnn began her studies in the pilates method under
Joseph Pilates' most renowned student, Romana Kryzonowska. BrieAnn became a certified authentic pilates instructor through
The New York Pilates Studio®¨ and pursued studies in gyrotonic®¨ and gyrokinesis®¨ and teaches classes in the Boston area.
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 teaching. He is currently the vocational coordinator and woodshop teacher at a school in Arlington where he has taught for the past 14 years.
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.
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).
Arthur Weitzman, now emeritus, taught in Northeastern University's English
Department for over 30 years. He received a B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. dissertation from
New York University was devoted to 18th century studies. Arthur has published extensively on these topics in academic journals and
was a founding editor of The Scriblerian, and for 30 years its book review editor, and has also written travel articles for
such newspapers as The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald, and The Los Angeles Times.
Carl West is co-owner of Prospect Hill Forge in Waltham, Massachusetts, a unique place to learn and practice the art of blacksmithing. Carl's goal is to awaken the awareness that iron and steel are mutable in the hands of the common person.
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.
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.
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.
Geri Woodruff has been entranced with the art of mosaics for more than ten years and is the owner of GWMosaics. Aside fromthis passion she studied oil painting at Museum of Fine Arts Art School, and graphic arts at Massachusetts College of Art. She has a bachelors in interior and architectural design from the International Fine Arts College in Miami, Florida.
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.
