Emma Copeland is a children's book illustrator, designer, and fine arts educator local to Cambridge. Following her BFA at the University of Connecticut, Emma went on to study at the University of the Arts London in the 3D Computer Animation program at London College of Communication. While in London, she interned at a disaster relief nonprofit committed to providing accessible education for children across language and financial gaps, and upon her return to the US, began work as a graphic designer. As the elected Design Chair of Boston Roller Derby, a league to which she is a dedicated athlete, Emma strives to emphasize gender diversity in sports and celebrate the beauty of finding community in our differences and similarities. Emma teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the Digital Media Technology Program, with a focus on student preparedness to succeed in the modern world as working artists. Supported in her art career from a young age, Emma believes in passing along that encouragement by elevating the artistic voices in her own neighborhood; as great artwork can come from any student given the confidence and platform to share. At the MFA, Emma is the Community Arts Liaison with United South End Settlements (USES).
Ivy Davis is an Atlanta native art educator who received her Master's in Art Education at Tufts University, and her Bachelor's in Marketing and Management with a minor in Art at the University of West Georgia. Following her bachelor's, Ivy completed an intensive international Fashion Design program at the JA College of Design in Ghana, where she focused on exploring traditional Ghanaian art forms & African textiles. Ivy works across many mediums and has mentored and taught in Ghana and India in the United States and abroad. Ivy teaches in the heart of Dorchester as a Mixed Media Arts Teacher at a Boston Public school. She is an active advocate for the arts in the community, teaching various workshops and studio art classes to youth and adults of all ages. She actively uses the arts as a tool for engagement and empowerment, creating safe spaces, authentic self-expression, and addressing social and cultural issues as an expression outlet. Though a transplant to the city of Boston, Ivy has deeply woven herself into Dorchester's cultural arts and community and is proud to work at the MFA as the Community Arts Liaison with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester.
Carmen Hernandez is a community arts educator and visual artist. She received her Bachelor's in Studio Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and is currently working on her Masters in Art Education at Boston University. She has had the privilege of developing and managing impactful arts education programs within mid-sized art education nonprofits and cultural arts museums. Her goal is to continue creating innovative and engaging programs that make the arts accessible to all. At the MFA, Carmen is the Community Arts Liaison with Sociedad Latina.
Jessie James is an educator and lens-based artist in the greater Boston area. She received her BFA in Photography from Lesley University. Her work investigates universal themes of adolescent memory and has been exhibited nationally. As an educator, she practices an approach that prioritizes an inclusive and sociocultural lens applied to her content and relationships with learners. She has assisted studio classes in higher education and led her own courses and workshops at several non-profits around Boston. She aims to guide learners to make connections with their creative making and personal histories. Jessie currently works at the Museum of Fine Arts as the Community Arts Liaison with the Yawkey Boys & Girls Club.
Huayu Liu is an educator and researcher based in Cambridge, MA. She holds a master’s degree in Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. With a strong background in Linguistics and East Asian Languages from Bryn Mawr College, she is trilingual in Chinese, Japanese, and English and has extensive experience in educational research, formative evaluation, and teaching across diverse settings. Huayu has worked as a Research Assistant at Project Zero, led public tours and usability studies at Harvard's CAMLab, and conducted formative evaluations at the Museum of Science. Passionate about culturally responsive education, she is dedicated to creating inclusive learning environments that empower all students. At the MFA, Huayu is the Community Arts Liaison with the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC), leading afterschool programs that reflect her commitment to education and community engagement.
Sofia Perez-Dietz is an artist, baker, and educator. They received their bachelor's degree in art and art history from Colgate University where they worked with film photography. Sofia is an avid drawer and enjoys oil painting and collaging when possible. They are a strong believer in the power of art making to bring balance and self-awareness to people's lives and pushes folks to think critically about their work. They use their own practice as a tool for self-discovery, understanding, and integration. At the MFA, Sofia is the Community Arts Liaison with the West End House Boys & Girls Club of Allston-Brighton. When not at the MFA, you can find Sofia practicing yoga, baking bread, and borrowing books from the library.
Maria Rodriguez is a multidisciplinary artist and educator with a BA in Creative Writing from Western New England University. She began her career teaching English as a foreign language abroad, later returning to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for the arts. Maria has been actively involved in community action, teaching art to children in afterschool programs. Her love for illustrating, painting, and writing extends beyond the classroom, as she uses her art to explore and celebrate Puerto Rican history and diaspora. At the MFA, Maria is the Community Arts Liaison with the Orchard Gardens Boys & Girls Club.
Elliot Sawyer-Kaplan comes from New Haven, CT, as educator, artist, athlete, and coach. He received his BA from Yale University, majoring in American Studies with a concentration in visual, literary, auditory, and performance cultures. His role as an educator stretches beyond the classroom—where he has taught elementary, middle, and high schoolers—to engaging in intensive training to join the Communication and Consent Educators’ team at Yale. For his senior thesis: he hosted, directed, and produced the podcast series, Grow Up, centered around three fundamental stages of human growth and development. An active video producer, he creates films, although not exclusively, for artists, universities, and sports organizations. Five years as a midfielder for the Yale men’s lacrosse team shapes his team-oriented mindset and coaching philosophies, striving to produce creativity through agency and empathy during his time at the MFA. At the MFA, Elliot is the Community Arts Liaison with the Berkshire Partners Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club.
Kara Stokowski is a creator and educator living in Boston. She works at the intersections of art, science and technology and is passionate about creating public learning experiences that are accessible to all. She is a dedicated environmentalist and her art explores the interconnected web of all living things and our connection to the planet using words, performance and digital media. She helps artists use and understand video and animation in their own practices and she holds a BFA from the Studio for Interrelated Media at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. At the MFA, Kara is the Community Arts Liaison with the Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club.
Gustavo Tavares Barceloni is an educator, organizer, and ceramic artist living in Boston. He creates illustrative tableware, installations, and community-based projects that promote working class power and explore the complexities of living within the Brazilian diaspora. Gustavo holds a BFA in ceramics from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a M.Ed from University of Massachusetts, Boston. At the MFA, Gustavo is the Community Arts Liaison with the Jordan Boys & Girls Club.
Beatriz Whitehill is a Puerto Rican-American multidisciplinary artist. Her work addresses diasporic communities through a visual representation of the resilience and endurance of culture. She is an aspiring public artist, combining traditional painting techniques with animation and three-dimensional installation to build immersive and inclusive worlds. Beatriz holds a BFA in painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Beatriz is currently a resident of Boston Center for the Arts. At the MFA, Beatriz is the Community Arts Liaison with the Vine Street Community Center.
Gina Yu is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose practice focuses on being at the intersection of many marginalized identities. Currently they are particularly interested in working in printmaking and fibers. They are a first generation Korean-American currently pursuing a master's degree in Art Education at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, where they also earned their BFA and a BS in Biology. At the MFA, they are the Community Liaison with the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club.