Miss Gould is a talented artist, educator, and Creative Arts Therapist. She’s been working in the human potential movement for more than twenty years. Her career began as a performing artist after completing formal training at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and the Theatre School at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. She soon gravitated toward teaching theatre and movement to children, to capture a certain “innocence and purity” of expression. This led her to pursue an underlying interest as a director and arts facilitator. That interest deepened and expanded over the years to include a wide variety of populations, using an integration of the arts to create expressive theatre, dance and visual art for personal growth. Founder and Director of Arts for Humanity! Miss Gould is a talented artist, educator, and Creative Arts Therapist. She’s been working in the human potential movement for more than twenty years. Her career began as a performing artist after completing formal training at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and the Theatre School at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. She soon gravitated toward teaching theatre and movement to children, to capture a certain “innocence and purity” of expression. This led her to pursue an underlying interest as a director and arts facilitator. That interest deepened and expanded over the years to include a wide variety of populations, using an integration of the arts to create expressive theatre, dance and visual art for personal growth.
Liz attends UCSB as a third year Fine Arts major, with an emphasis in graphic design and 3-D art. As administrative assistant Liz has a great variety of duties, including, data management, IT assistance, assistance with marketing and graphics, in addition to helping coordinate programs and events. Working for Arts for Humanity! gives Liz valuable experience in non-profit work as well as inspiring her as an artist as she becomes involved in community arts programs. Liz interns as a creative arts facilitator for AH!’s program at Transition Program through Santa Barbara City College, where she co-teaches an art class for teens with developmental disabilities.
Mr. Amoon possesses over 15 years of local experience in preparing grant proposals for various projects throughout Santa Barbara County. He has received two masters’ degrees from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and two bachelor degrees from UC Santa Barbara. Mr. Amoon has worked with children, the developmentally disabled and the elderly as part of the Speech and Hearing Sciences degree he earned while at UC Santa Barbara, and is eager to find additional funding to meet the needs of Arts for Humanity!.
Claudia is an artist who was born and raised in Switzerland, and creates unique jewelry. She also is a social worker, who works with adolescents and people with developmental disabilities, through unique artistic forms that enhance the artist within and cultivate identity and esteem through the arts.
Ariadne has been an expressive arts educator for more than 35 years. After earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and a Ph.D. in Cultural History from the University of Chicago, she taught for five years at the undergraduate School of the Art Institute of Chicago. There she received a Ford Foundation Faculty Enrichment Grant to honor innovative teaching methods, which she used for research in Greece and Crete . She is now in her second year as a student in Jean Houston and Peggy Rubin’s Mystery School. Ariadne is an active member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association Consultant/Educator Committee. Dr. Weaver lives with neurologically based disabilities.
Ronda is a social psychologist, professional artist, author, and creativity coach. She helped form the Ventura County Cultural Arts Commission and is often asked to give talks on the cultural arts to various communities. Ronda is also a master life-cast mask-maker (featured on the nationally syndicated Carol Duval TV). She has recently produced a mask-making DVD and PDF book for sale. Ronda is owner/founder of OjaiSoulArts – a private retreat and artisan salon for creative renewal and living artistry.
1st degree black belt, Katherine has been an assistant instructor at Santa Barbara Tae Kwon Do since 1998 and has been a dedicated practitioner of the Martial Arts for 11 years. She is well versed in all aspects of Tae Kwon Do, including self-defense, and has also trained in the Philippine art of Escrima. She has greatly enjoyed sharing her knowledge of the martial arts with students of all ages and abilities for many years, and strongly believes that training has physical, mental, and emotional transformative abilities.
Frank is a licensed financial consultant with Charles Schwab in Santa Barbara. Frank also has an arts background, having graduated from New Youth University with a B.A. in Film and Television. Frank helps Arts for Humanity! with grant-writing and fund development.
has assisted in many capacities in AH!’s programs for the last seven years. She is the senior program manager and graphics director for New Directions, a non-profit organization which provides holiday and vacation travel for people with developmental disabilities. She was an independent living skills counselor at the Devereux Foundation. She has performed in AH!’s last five theatre pieces alongside clients from Devereux and Alpha Resource Center. “The spirit of acceptance of my childlike creativity that I receive from Karsen and my fellow performers will keep me coming back for more”!
is a musician and an advocate for people with disabilities, and is actively involved with the Santa Barbara Braille Institute. Bob has been blind since birth.
has received a bachelor’s degree in Business from Georgetown University, majoring in Tax and Theatre Administration. He worked at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for Producers Roger Stevens & Richmond Crinkley. In addition, Nick was Business Manager for Theatre Etc!, a traveling children’s theatre company. Currently he teaches in the evening division of the Santa Barbara Business College and is business advisor to a number of growing companies.
is a teacher and an advocate for people with disabilities and has a son with autism.
has lived in the Carpinteria-Santa Barbara area since 1968. She is the mother of Mara Rupert, age 23, who has Williams Syndrome. Mara performed in the “Isle of Silk” with the Blue Moon Players in September at Center Stage Theater. Bonnie enjoys her work as a massage therapist and as an independent living instructor for adults with special abilities and needs.
Executive Director of Center Stage Theatre.
Executive Director of “New Directions for people with disabilities”, a non-profit organization which provides holiday and vacation travel for people with developmental disabilities.
Business client manager and an assistant vice president at First Republic Bank. Magda is the sister of a person with Down’s Syndrome.
Actor and social advocate. Board member of Santa Barbara Arts Commission.
Program Development Director at Tri-Counties Regional Center for the past 35 years.
Therapist, actress, director and creator of “Speaking of Stories” and “Panto” in Santa Barbara.
Chair of academic activities at UCSB. Catherine is a theatre teacher and an artist living with a physical disability.