Administrative Staff

Christina Martin-Wright

Executive Director

Christina (she/her) holds an M.F.A. in directing and dramaturgy from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and an undergraduate degree in Performance. She is one of the founders of Madison’s StageQ Theatre and has been an active member of the arts community for over two decades. Christina has nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and external relations experience with some of the area's most vibrant organizations and events, including the Wisconsin Film Festival, Children’s Theater of Madison, and Madison Children’s Museum. Christina is also a member of the Friends Board at UW—Madison Waisman Center and sits on the Wisconsin Arts Board Accessibility Committee and the Leadership Team of Any Given Child Madison, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts.

Christina has been with AFA since 2018.

Jennie Mullins

Director of Arts Education, Lead Teaching Artist

Jennie Mullins (she/her) is a print and textile artist based in Madison, Wisconsin. She holds a B.A in Geography from UW Madison and an associate degree from Madison College in Graphic Design and Illustration. A longtime artist mentor and teacher in the area, Jennie most loves to share her knowledge of print, paper, and textile work with other students of art. Her personal artwork centers around placemaking, community and the passage of time, most often culminating in printed paper sculptural works and printed quilts.

Jennie has been with AFA since 2022

Julie A. Palkowski, PhD

Director of Music Education and Curriculum, Lead Teaching Artist

Julie A. Palkowski, PhD is an arts education leader who has worked in school and community settings from early childhood to graduate level. She holds a PhD and MS in Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University and a BFA in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with lifetime licensure through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for Director of Instruction, Principal, and Music Teacher. Throughout her career, Julie has supported learners of all ages, with previous roles as the Arts and Creativity Education Consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, a music teacher, principal, arts administrator, and Title I Instructional Supervisor. In addition to her position with Arts For All Wisconsin, Julie supports music education through online education curation and grant management for the Les Paul Foundation.

Julie has been with AFA since 2024.

Sarah Jacobson

Director of Dance Education, Lead Teaching Artist

Born and raised in Sheffield, UK, Sarah Jacobson (she/her) holds a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK. With a diverse career, Sarah has been a professional dancer across the UK, Europe, and Australia, specializing in various dance styles. Certified in Rhythm Works Integrative Dance, she brings over 25 years of experience in teaching and choreographing dance for children, teens, and adults, including over 14 years in adaptive dance and 11 years with her own adaptive dance programs. Sarah founded and instructed at ConfiDANCE in Madison, Wisconsin from 2020 to 2024, and was recognized as a Brava 2024 Woman to Watch for her contributions.

Sarah has been with AFA since 2024.

Ellie McShane

Fundraising Director

Ellie McShane (she/her) is a fundraising professional and dance educator based in Madison. She holds an MA in Arts and Creative Enterprise Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she also studied dance and English-literature as an undergraduate student. Ellie is passionate about promoting logistic and curricular accessibility in arts education, a mission she supports through development, research, and education. As a development professional, she has supported the UW Dance Dance Department Student Organization and most recently served as the Development Manager at the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. As a dance educator, she has taught in Madison at Synergy Dance Academy and Performing Ourselves. She is thrilled to be joining the team at Arts for All Wisconsin!

Ellie has been with AFA since 2024.

Domovoi (Dom) Jones

Teaching Artist, Administrative Assistant

With a bachelor's degree in Theatre from UW-Whitewater, Domovoi Jones (they/them) creates humorous yet thought-provoking scenes that blend light and shadow. As a teaching artist, I encourage students to continuously refine their work, asking, "Am I truly done or can I add more?" With over 20 years in customer service, including a decade in office environments, Domovoi has honed their communication, organizational, and multitasking skills. This unique combination of artistic and professional experience allows them to contribute effectively to both creative and support roles at AFA.

Domovoi has been with AFA since 2024.

Evan Halpop

Photographer

Evan Halpop (he/him) is an award-winning photographer who specializes in sports and event photography. Evan studied photography at Madison College, and he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. As a photographer, Evan is able to capture detailed moments of fast-paced events, and he is excited to use his talents to showcase the work of Arts for All Wisconsin.

Evan has been with AFA since 2024.

Kevin Lempp

Social Media and Marketing Designer

Kevin Lempp (they/them) graduated from Madison College with an Associate Degree in Web and Digital Media Design, as well as from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor Degree in Social Work and Psychology. They have an extensive background working in the healthcare and mental health field, as well as with non-profits, prior to switching careers and entering the design field. Outside of work, Kevin is also a painter who is inspired by nature. They are one of AFA's Creative Power 2024 Award Winners, which they won prior to joining the AFA team. Their piece "Gradient of Pansies" will be travelling the state as part of our Creative Power collection until 2027. They are very excited to be able to apply their creative skills to a role back in the non-profit world. 

Kevin has been with AFA since 2024.

Matthew Sanborn

Exhibitions Manager

Matthew Sanborn (he/him) graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls with a B.A. in fine arts concentrating on ceramics and photography. He has worked as an art mover, a blacksmith, a cook, and in Madison as a para transit driver for over ten years. Throughout his life, Matthew has been involved in the arts, be it drawing and painting, theater (both on stage and backstage), and dance – but especially in music. He has given the occasional beginning guitar lesson and not only writes and records his own music but has recorded and produced albums for several other artists. Since 2014, Matthew has made the trailer soundtrack for the Wisconsin Film Festival.

Matthew has been with AFA since 2021.

Visual Art Teaching Staff

Gregory Frederic

Teaching Artist

(he/him)

Gregory Frederic is a self-taught award winning artist, guest speaker, live painter, mentor and muralist hired by many organizations, including The Green Bay Packers. After painting murals in his birth country of Haiti, he relocated to Wisconsin where he raises his family and continues adding to his list of satisfied collectors. His unique masterpieces can be seen at Appleton Public Library, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Austin Straubel Airport and at many fine art galleries. He is a member of the Wisconsin Alliance of Artists & Craftspeople, National Association of Independent Artists, Wisconsin Craft, Ohio Designer Craftsmen,

The Art-Hop Collective, United Arts, Mosaic Arts Inc. and a former board member of The Art Garage in Green Bay. He teaches various art classes to aspiring artists with disabilities as an instructor for Arts for All Wisconsin and often teaches from his own studio in Green Bay

Issis Macias

Teaching Artist

(she/her)

Issis Macias, a self-taught artist and daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her creative journey is deeply connected to her community and the diverse artists she has met. In 2020, amid the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic and a major career shift, Macias became a new mother. Embracing her art with renewed passion, she used creativity as a means to navigate and heal during these challenging times. Her intuitive painting practice produces vibrant, emotive compositions where color, shapes, and lines mirror the journey of life. Currently based in Madison, Wisconsin, Macias remains closely tied to Los Angeles.

Sylvia Peine

Teaching Artist

(she/her)

Although Sylvia began as an elementary classroom teacher in the primary and middle grades, her total experience as an educator has been quite varied. For almost nine years, Sylvia was a Teacher Trainer for the educational division of LEGO® presenting training workshops for teachers in early childhood through middle school. She also worked as Family Programs Coordinator at the Milwaukee Art Museum for twenty years, then as a Curriculum Teacher for the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University, and finally at the Milwaukee Public Museum to teach in their museum SPARK! program. For the past 10 years Sylvia has been a Teaching Artist for Arts for All, Wisconsin formerly Very Special Arts, Wisconsin. Students in this program ranged in age from two to five years old with various physical and cognitive disabilities, to middle school students with emotional disabilities, to high school students with profound physical disabilities, to young adults with cognitive disabilities in the 18-to-21-year-old transitional program.
 

Mindy Rappe

Teaching Artist

Bonnie Schetski

Teaching Artist

Laura Sumi

Teaching Artist

Choir Teaching Staff

Pamela Anderson

Choir Director - Oshkosh

(she/her)

Pamela is a Board Certified Music Therapist with training focused on Neurologic Music Therapy. She received a first level certification through the Peter Hess Academy that focuses on sound vibration and the healing properties of sound, and is a registered Wisconsin Music Therapist.

Nancy Irizarry

Choir Director - Appleton

(she/her)

Nancy earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from UW-Whitewater, and a master’s degree in Community and Mental Health Programming from Southern New Hampshire University. She has been involved in the Arts from a very young age, teaching herself to sing at the age of 8. She is also trained in music, songwriting, leadership, and many areas related to those with special needs. She directs the Fondy Idol show for the ARC of Fond du Lac annually, creating a performing experience for those with special needs.

Tammi Klish

Choir Director - Wisconsin Rapids

(she/her)

By day, Tammi Klish is an HR Assistant Store Manager for a Kroger owned store. She has played the piano and the organ since she was 5 years old. She also plays the violin and sang in choir at school and in church. She serves two congregations, playing for services each Sunday. She began with the Wisconsin Rapids Choir as their accompanist and before stepping into the director role.

Miriam Ofori

Choir Director - Milwaukee

(she/her)

Anne Vanderbloemen

Choir Director - Madison

(she/her)

Anne is a veteran middle and high school band teacher with the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District.  She has directed the AFA Madison Choir since 2017. She has a BA in Music Education from UW-Madison and a Masters degree in Conducting from Sam Houston State University. Anne has been playing clarinet with the Madison Wind Ensemble since 1998 and singing all her life.

Vickie Savinski

Choir Accompanist - Oshkosh

(she/her)

Dance Teaching Staff

Luv Seamon

Teaching Artist - Madison

(she/her)

Drama Teaching Staff

Terry Kerr

Teaching Artist

(she/her)

Terry is an actor and director, and a teaching artist for Overture Center for the Arts, Disney Musicals in Schools, and Arts for All Wisconsin. She has taught theatre skills to students from elementary schools to Master of Architecture Students at the School for Architecture at Taliesin. A member of the inaugural acting company at American Players Theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin, she performed with the company for twelve seasons in works by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen, Moliere, and Marlow. She has directed traditional plays and created original devised works. Terry is the Volunteer and Venue Coordinator for the Wisconsin Film Festival, and the lead programmer for Big Screens, Little Folks, the Film Festival’s children’s programs.

Music Teaching Staff

Jim Turk

Teaching Artist

(he/him)

Jim Turk holds a Master's degree in Biotechnology and has a wealth of knowledge in the field. He has also applied his expertise as the former Director of Biosafety at UW-Madison. In addition to his professional background, Jim is a musician and former drum teacher. He has used his musical skills to lead drum circles for assisted living and memory care facilities, bringing joy and connection to people of all abilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jim started the "twelve o'clock shakedown," a daily music and movement program on Facebook and Zoom. Although he has since stopped hosting the program, others have taken up the mantle and continue to offer it to the community. Jim is also an active member of the Wisconsin Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, serving as the Chair of the Government Relations Advisory Committee and the Walk MS Madison event. He was named the Wisconsin MS Society Activist of the Year in 2019. In addition to his role as a grant reviewer for the MS Society, Jim is also a member of the disability vote coalition and a frequent speaker, writer, and interviewee on issues affecting those with disabilities. As a drum circle facilitator for AFA and assisted living and memory care facilities, Jim uses his musical talents to bring joy and connection to people of all abilities. He is also a writer and advocate for positivity and its relationship to health and productivity.

Junko Yamauchi

Teaching Artist

(she/her)

She earned her Early Childhood Education degree in Osaka, Japan. She has been working with young children in Osaka and here in Madison for over 30 years teaching Early Childhood Music and Movement classes for all ages! Aside from her work at AFA, she also does a music program called “Music with Junebug” at the Children's Museum, libraries and locations in the Madison community, as well as teaches private lessons. On the side, she founded Madison Japanese Taiko Drumming Group, Beni Daiko 12 years ago to introduce Japanese culture through music! She has also played with local community bands, Kitlies Drum and Bugle Corps from Racine, WI and continue to perform with Foward! Marching Band in Madison. 

Mike Scheibinger

Teaching Artist

(he/him)

Mike is a certified learning disabilities teacher with over a decade of experience working with K-12 students in the public school setting. He is an accomplished teacher, musician, music producer, and program manager. As a producer, Mike has worked with many top artists, including Mick Fleetwood, Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), and star producer Bill Laswell.

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