Asian Arts Initiative Staff and Interns
We are lucky to have a diverse
and multi-talented staff here at the
Initiative!
Staff
Gayle
Isa, Executive Director
Patricia Ma, Associate Director
Nicole Schaller-Seamans, Director
of Education Programs
Sarah Chandler, Multi-Tenant Arts Facility Manager
Nancy
Chen,
Program Assistant
Victoria Chau, Development and
Operations Assistant
Kent Weber, Gallery Receptionist
Ellen Hwang, Youth Arts Workshop Site Coordinator
Toki Rehder, Special Project Coordinator
Staff Bios:
Gayle Isa
is the
founder and Executive
Director
of Asian Arts Initiative. Gayle has been an active participant in
Philadelphia's arts and culture community for the past 16 years,
beginning as an intern and evolving as a staff member at the Painted
Bride Art Center. She also spent three years working with the Southeast
Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition, learning about human
services and advocacy within the Asian American community in
Philadelphia. She has been a National Finalist in the Ford Foundation's
Leadership for a Changing World program. She has served on the boards
of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural
Alliance, and is currently on the Executive Committee of the National
Performance Network and the Steering Committee of the nascent National
Asian American Theater Project. Gayle was once an aspiring taiko (drum)
player and is now learning to be a theater dramaturg.
Patricia (Pat) Ma started in
July 2011 as Asian Arts Initiative's
Associate
Director, after having played a variety of roles in the
organization including Interim Coordinator for the Youth Arts Workshop
after-school program; Board Member and Chair; and starting as a Rap
Series volunteer. Pat brings 19 years of experience in youth
development research, evaluation, and program management. At the
American Red Cross-Southeastern PA Chapter, she was the Director of
Community Education and led the growth of the Red Cross Clubs
after-school program to 18 Philadelphia public high schools. She also
worked at Public/Private Ventures (P/PV) on projects to evaluate
existing programs and develop new initiatives to inform policy and
practice in youth development, mentoring, college acess, and
employment. More recently she has worked on community college trustee
education and coordinated technical assistance for a national
middle-school initiative. Pat enjoys cooking, finding bargains, and
traveling (and ideally simultaneously).
Nicole Schaller-Seamans, Director of Education Programs, has
lead and taught arts education programs in a variety of settings for
community members of all ages and abilities. She received a Masters of
Art degree in Museum Education from the University of the Arts and
holds a BFA in Ceramics from Arcadia University. Nicole was the Family
Programs Coordinator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for five years.
Her most recent position was Director of Arts Education at Appel Farm
Arts and Music Center in New Jersey for the past nine years. She has
served on the Arts Education Working Committee for Arts Plan/New
Jersey, the Education Committee of the South Jersey Cultural Alliance
and the Arts Education Collective of the New Jersey State Council on
the Arts. Nicole has the travel bug and is trying to fulfill the
personal goal of visiting at least one new country every year.
Sarah Chandler recently joined
our staff as
Multi-Tenant Arts
Facility Manager. After completing her M.F.A. in Theatre
Management at Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University,
Sarah joined the Philadelphia arts community. Sarah brings years of
experience supporting the production of theatre and movement pieces
through her work as General Manager of Nichole Canuso Dance Company,
Production and Touring Stage Manager for Pig Iron Theatre Company as
well as handling facilities management at The Arts Parlor. Sarah's
unique mix of skills and passion for arts for social change will help
Asian Arts Initiative develop and manage our 24,000 square-foot
multi-tenant facility for artists and community organizations. Sarah
loves potlucks with friends, theatre, and her fabulous dog Luna.
Nancy
Chen, Program Assistant joined Asian Arts Initiative in March
2011 as Executive and Programming Assistant. She was born in Beijing,
China, moved to the U.S. at a young age, and grew up on the Main Line
in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She received a BA in English Language
and Literature from the University of Virginia and also studied
literature and art history at University College London. Outside of
work, Nancy is particularly interested in bookmaking, drawing, and
printmaking in various mediums (woodcut, etching, and
lithography).
Victoria Chau, Development and
Operations Assistant, joined the Initiative in September 2011.
After serving as the Office Assistant Intern at Asian Arts Initiative
from 2008-2009, Victoria continued her education at New York
University, where she received a B.A. from the Gallatin School of
Individualized Study. At NYU, she worked at the Center for Student
Activities, Leadership, and Service in the budget office and also
served on the Asian Heritage Month committee to organize panels for the
New York City Asian American Student Conference. A passionate supporter
of the Asian American theatre community, she has worked at Second
Generation and Ma-Yi Theatre Company in New York City, and most
recently attended the third National Asian American Theater Conference
and Festival in Los Angeles. Victoria is particularly in love with
acting, photography, film, and mostly all things Hello Kitty.
Kent Weber, Gallery Receptionist,
joined the Initiative in March 2011. Besides staffing the Gallery and
providing visitor services, Kent also provides administrative
assistance. After graduating from Penn State University in 2010, Kent
moved to Shanghai, China to represent the United States at the 2010
Shanghai World Expo. Kent previously studied abroad in Shanghai in 2008
at East China Normal University. By joining the Asian Arts Initiative,
Kent hopes to apply what he has learned about cultural exchange in an
educational environment and would love to practice his Chinese with you!
Ellen Hwang, Youth Arts Workshop Site Coordinator,
joined the Initiative in May 2011. She began by overseeing the
Youth Arts Workshop summer program (YAW) and continues to be a part of
Asian Arts Initiative as the Youth Arts Workshop Site Coordinator for
the after-school programming at Southwark School. With her
passion for community development, she is currently pursuing her
Master's degree in Community and Regional Planning at Temple
University. Everyone who knows her knows she loves to eat, but
she also enjoys crafting, singing, playing her guitar, and watching
movies.
Toki Rehder is Special Project Coordinator
at Asian Arts Initiative. Prior to joining Asian Arts Initiative,
she practiced law for 8 years, most recently as an insurance coverage
litigation attorney. She received her B.A. in Sociology &
Anthropology from Swarthmore College and her J.D. from Georgetown
University Law Center. She is originally from Northern
California, but now considers Philadelphia her home. She studied
ballet for many years and enjoys watching and learning all types of
dance.