EXECUTIVE TEAM
| Shirley Taylor | Executive Director |
| Juliana Cope | Assistant Executive Director for Development and External Affairs |
| Julia L. Gutiérrez-Rivera | Assistant Executive Director for Programming and Productions |
| Natasha Richards | Assistant Executive Director for Finance and Operations |
| Kathryn Frances | Executive Manager |
PROGRAM STAFF
| Melvada Hughes | Dance Department Director |
| Esther Grant-Walker | Dance Department Assistant Director |
| Waldo Chavez | Music Department Director |
| Christopher Palmer | Music Department Assistant Director |
| Willa Bost | PYT Director |
| Thomas Bennett | Martial Arts Program Coordinator & Instructor |
| Melinda Gonzalez | Folk Culture Program Manager |
| Desrine Charlton | Pre-K Teacher and Education Director |
| Brittany Scott | Pre-K Program Assistant Teacher |
| Gilanyi Batista | Pre-K Program Family Outreach Coordinator and Administrative Assistant |
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
| Sakia Hussain | Fiscal Manager |
| Michele Lee | Program Manager |
| Aliza Rodriguez | Bursar/Office Manager |
| Karen Seymour | Operations Manager |
| Lynsey Tuthill | Marketing and Communications Manager |
| Leny Cabrera | Facilities Manager |
| Elvin Hernandez | Custodian |
ARTS FACULTY
Mind-Builders’ instructors are not only expert musicians, dancers, or actors, they are also dedicated coaches who share their passion and skill with our students, encouraging them to hone their own creativity. We believe it takes a special kind of teacher to be a “Mind-Builder”.
Faculty List
Dance Instructors
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Jocelyn Gutierrez -
Kimberly Jones -
Kanzada Juste -
Noelani Love -
Monica Short -
Funmi Sofola
Music Instructors
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Andy Bassford -
Agustin Grasso -
Lon Ivey -
Andrew Lamb -
Christopher Palmer -
Jairo Quinonez -
Nina Riley -
Robin Small -
Eric Zolan
| Dance Department | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Darleen Carr | Fit4Life Stretch Instructor and Costume Supervisor | |
| Monica Celeste | Ballet and Jazz Instructor | BFA City College Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts, Dance Department Founder of Denzel Washington School of the Arts |
| Boubacar Diabate | African Dance Drummer | |
| Jocelyn Gutierrez | Artist in Residence; Hip Hop Instructor | Founder and Instructor of A.R.E.A. Dance Co. |
| Keny Guzman | Fit4Life Zumba Instructor | Crunch Norwood Zumba Instructor |
| Monica Johnson | Ballet, Choreography | |
| Kimberly Jones | Tap, Modern, and Adult Praise Instructor | BFA in Dance, Marygrove College; MFA in Dance, Ohio State University |
| Kanzada Juste | Creative Movement, African and Hip Hop Fundamentals Instructor | B.A. SUNY Potsdam |
| Aicha Konate | African Dance | |
| Noelani Love | African and Modern Instructor | B. S. Mercy College. Program director at Boy's & Girls club, Dance Instructor at Mosholu Montefiore Community Center |
| Gabriel Roxbury | African Dance Drummer | |
| Funmi Sofola | Tap Instructor | BFA in Commercial Dance with a Minor in Arts and Entertainment Management, Pace University |
| Maurice Whyte | Fit4Life Zumba Instructor |
| Music Department | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Bassford | Guitar Instructor | BA Trinity College; Grammy Winning Recording Artist; Performer; Instructor |
| Agustin Grasso | Guitar Instructor | Escuela de Musica Contemporanea in Buenos Aires , Argentina |
| Lon Ivey | Drum Instructor | Carnegie Hall Institute; Berklee School of Music. Professional Musician and Recording Artist |
| Andrew Lamb | Woodwind Instructor | SUNY Old Westbury; Professional Musician and Recording Artist |
| Janet Lucy | Suzuki Violin Instructor | |
| Christopher Palmer | Music Department Assistant Director, Brass Teacher, Stage Band Conductor | B.A. Berklee College of Music; Composer, Instructor |
| Jairo Quinonez | Violin Instructor | M.A. Lehman College; B.A. Queens College; Teacher with Multicultural Music Group; Professional Musician |
| Nina Riley | Voice Instructor | B. A. Manhattan School of Music M.A. Manhattan School of Music in Vocal Performance; Professional Singer |
| Robin Small | Piano and Voice Instructor | B.M. Berklee School of Music; Recording Artist; Performer; Vocal and Piano Instructor |
| Eric Zolan | Guitar Instructor | B.M. William Paterson Univserity |
| PYT Theater Department | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Willa Bost | Director |
| Martial Arts Program | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bennet | Martial Arts Coordinator and Instructor | Martial Arts Master, 8th degree black-belt "Goju Ryu" |
| Evan Berry | Martial Arts Assistant Instructor |
| Pre-K Program | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Desrine Charlton | Teacher/Education Director | B.A. SUNY Purchase; M.A. Early Childhood Education Grand Canyon University |
| Brittany Scott | Pre-K Assistant Teacher | A.A. Bronx Community College |
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Mid Atlantic -
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