MARIA GIARRIZZO-BARTZ | Founding Artistic Director
Maria is a theatre educator, professional actor, and director with over ten years of experience in educational theatre. She holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard and a BFA from the University of Montana, where she was a Presidential Scholar. From 2008 to 2016, she ran the drama program at The East Harlem School; there she created and directed an interdisciplinary drama curriculum for grades 4–8. She has directed children’s theatre productions for companies and schools across the nation.
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CAROLINE GOLSCHNEIDER | Founding Education Director
Caroline is an arts educator and policy consultant for the State of Connecticut. She recently served a term as Teacher Leader in Residence for the Connecticut Department of Education. She is in her ninth year of teaching music at Windsor Locks Public Schools, where she is part of the Leadership Team. She also creates and leads professional development sessions for arts educators around the country. Caroline graduated magna cum laude from Yale with a BA in Music and a Certificate in Teacher Preparation. She received her Master’s in Education at Harvard.
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BILLY O'SHEA l STEM Director
Billy holds a BS in Biology from Columbia University and a First Professional from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Over the last 13 years, he has taught in a variety of progressive education settings, in public and independent schools, and from grades preschool through high school. A lifelong learner, Billy has also worked as an ironworker, as a researcher in an oncology genetics laboratory, and as a counselor to adolescents. An avid maker and builder, he is a passionate advocate for experiential learning.
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ADVISORY COUNCIL

NOAH BLOOM | Interim Executive Director & Director of Programs & Community Engagement @ Neighborhood Music School

Sara Armstrong | Interim Director of Programs, Cold Spring School
Mary Bloom | Head of Music Education, Neighborhood Music School
Jackie Coleman | Education Investments Officer, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Stephen Dest | Drama Dept. @ NMS, Film Studies @ UConn, Acting Teacher @ ECA
Amity Doolittle | Research Scientist & Lecturer, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies 
Thomas Easley | Assistant Dean for Community & Inclusion, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Elizabeth Gleason | Evans-Rood History Department Chair / Community Service, Hopkins School
Josh Gleason | Instructional Technology Specialist, Yale School of Nursing 
Bernadette Huang | Associate Financial Planner, Kreitler Financial
Madelyn Newman | Director of Education, Long Wharf Theatre
Arati Pandit | Head of School, Cold Spring School
Sydney Perry | CEO Emeritus, Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
Mariah Sage  |  Actor, Acting Coach, Founder of Present and Perform