Student Profiles

Celestina Billington is an artist and activist living in Manhattan. She has previously partnered with organizations that include Amnesty International and AmeriCorps VISTA. Currently, her direct action work is with vulnerable groups on COVID outreach with the nonprofit Good Old Lower East Side. Her artistic work is multidisciplinary and grounded in writing, experimental performance and social practice. She has been in productions at Museo de Arte Moderno, La Mama Theater and DiverseWorks. She is a founding member of the international collective “OURNA,” which produces original films, albums, podcasts and zines. In her free time Celestina enjoys traveling and caring for a pet turtle. 

Joy Blanchard graduated with distinction from McGill University (Montreal, Quebec) in 2020 with a Bachelor of Music in Composition and minors in Music Theory and Music Education.  While at McGill, she developed an enthusiasm for coordinating concerts and events, collaborating, and leading as president of the McGill Association of Student Composers.  Passionate about music education as well as administration, Joy has held several music teaching positions in the Boston and Montreal areas.  In recent years, she has grown her studio of piano students in her hometown of Boston, MA.  Joy is excited to learn about the wider world of arts administration and to collaborate with her peers at Teachers College.  She plans to continue advocating for new music and to bring skills developed in the ARAD program to community music education. 

Joanna Calhoun graduated summa cum laude from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Composition and a minor in Business Management. At Tulane University, she was a classical violinist in the Tulane Symphony Orchestra throughout all her semesters. During her undergraduate studies, she gained work experience through several internships with arts organizations such as the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council, Make Music NOLA, the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Joanna’s professional interests center around marketing, communications, event programming, and arts education. Her ultimate goal is to bring the arts to underserved communities and to transform the arts to become more equitable and inclusive.

Joey Chen graduated with honors from New York University in 2022, where she earned a B.A. in Art History and double minors in Web Programming and Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. During her undergraduate, Joey interned at several leading art institutions, galleries, and advisory firms including the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art and Gurr Johns, while also realizing her independent pursuits in social media strategy and curating. Her continuous exploration across the various segments of the international art world, from non-profit to for-profit, and from her hometown China to the United States, has nurtured her professional advocacy for a more diverse and interconnected global art community. Joey looks forward to enriching her interdisciplinary knowledge and skillset at ARAD, exploring the intersection between art, technology, and business.  

Xuanyi Chen graduated from Peking University in 2022 with a B.A. in Thai Language and Literature and a minor in History of Art. Her research interests include body politics and the relationship between urbanization in China and contemporary Chinese art. During her undergraduate study, she has held internships at Red Brick Art Museum in Beijing, LAN Gallery, and Guan Shanyue Art Museum in Shenzhen. Interested in art criticism, she regularly reviews exhibitions and writes articles for major art media such as Artnet and Artron. As the Chinese art market heavily prioritizes established artists over emerging ones, leading to limited exposure and opportunities for young talents, she aims to promote talented young Chinese artists in the future. She looks forward to gaining systematic training in arts administration at Columbia University and spending two memorable years with outstanding fellow classmates. 

Yeajin Choi is a photographer and arts professional from Seoul, South Korea. She graduated with honors from NYU Tisch with a BFA in Photography and Imaging and a joint minor in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. She has worked internationally as a project manager and marketing strategist for Datz Press and Datz Museum of Art. Her professional interests center around non-profit fundraising and external affairs, as well as multidisciplinary arts experiences formed through visual and performing arts. Through the ARAD program, she hopes to gain the necessary skills to support artists in expanding their mediums and to amplify the voices of new talent. 

Hannah Cleveland graduated from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2020 where she studied Music Education and Violin. Throughout her undergraduate education, she enjoyed participating in a Mariachi Band and a Steel Pan Ensemble. Hannah is looking forward to promoting diversity on all stages and making the arts accessible to all.

Claire Yixin Dong graduated from The University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Arts degree and double majored in Art History and Comparative Literature.  Her academic and professional passions and ongoing explorations are closely focused on Asian modern and contemporary and Studies of China in the Global art Market. She previously interned at Christie’s Shanghai and Hong Kong Office, Hermes and Modern Media Group, where she engaged with for-profit and non-profit campaigns in collaboration with artists, curators and business representatives. Claire is looking forward to deepening her understanding of arts management and how to deliver a positive impact with art in ARAD. She also wished to explore more multifaceted art ecology and develop industry-essential skill-sets in New York City! 

Emily Ditkovski holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where she focused on social justice theatre, and an M.A. in Educational Theatre from NYU’s Steinhardt School where she studied community-based theatre abroad at Trinity College, Dublin and Theatre of the Oppressed with Augusto Boal in Rio de Janeiro. She has taught theatre in communities across New York City, from the South Bronx to Sunset Park, with The Children’s Aid Society and Girls Leadership Institute. Most recently she was the Director of the Williston Theatre at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, an independent boarding and day school for grades 7-12, where she led all aspects of the theatre program including budget oversight, curriculum development, and program advocacy. She is a founding board member of the Scarlet Sock Foundation, a grant-giving non-profit organization focused on expanding access to all facets of theatre arts for historically underrepresented populations. Emily is a fervent believer in the power of theatre to transform lives and the necessity of equitable access to the arts. At ARAD she is particularly interested in studying the efficacy of the Community Youth Development model and how to increase access points to leadership positions in arts organizations.

Noni Ford graduated from St. Mary's College of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, Film & Media Studies and minors in Studio Art and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies. Upon graduating, she has pursued multiple roles in Arts Administration, interning at Young Audiences of Maryland, serving as Chorus Manager at Children's Chorus of Washington and in her most recent role of Production Coordinator for Joe’s Movement Emporium. With her background in costume design, she has worked with Ally Theatre Company and Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in Maryland. and interned at Lyric Repertory Company in Utah. She is very excited to start her journey at Teachers College and explore new possibilities in the ARAD program.  

Sheng Gao graduated with a B.A. degree in music in piano concentration with a minor in computer science from George Washington University in 2021 as a music scholarship recipient of George Steiner. Before GW, he studied general engineering at Beihang University where he became interested in art exhibition and performance works. During his undergraduate career at GW, he is recognized as piano soloist, collaborator, concert program director and art history researcher. Sheng has performed in solo and chamber recitals and cameratas at Corcoran School of the Arts & Design. His repertoire covers major music works in the Western Tonal Era. He has participated in the virtual concert series during the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to unite people together and share music with his audiences under social distancing protocols. He has worked with librarians and scholars in National Gallery of Art and Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. exploring the artworks in Renaissance and Shakespeare’s Age. In his senior solo piano recital, he acts as both performer and administrator and pairs the program with piano literature research concentrating on keyboard étude in the Romantic Period. By pursuing study at TC ARAD, he hopes to explore the collision of fashion, performing arts and visual arts in different dimensions. In the future, he aims to direct museum fashion shows, presenting fashion and arts beyond boundaries and cultures.

Kristen Garrett graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California in 2017, where she earned her BA in Theatre. While there, she held a Trustee Scholarship, joined Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated as salutatorian of the School of Dramatic Arts. Since graduating, she has been an active actor and comedian in Los Angeles. In 2018, she became the box office attendant and administrative assistant at the Hollywood Improv Comedy Club, where she fell in love with working in the arts in a managerial capacity. She is excited to further this passion at Teachers College, and plans to integrate her experience as an artist and an administrator to expand public access to live performance and make the performing arts a more equitable experience for both the artists and the audience.

Gabrielle Giles graduated from Williams College in 2019 and currently teaches first grade at P.S. 29 in her native Brooklyn, New York.  Internships with the Director’s Office at the Brooklyn Museum and at a prints and drawings gallery fueled her desire to pursue a career in the arts, while working in education for the past two years—through the pandemic—sharpened her specific interest in arts education. She is a firm believer in the power of the arts to uplift and unite, and seeks to be part of the continuous effort to increase access to the arts through education.

Leora Goldfeder graduated magna cum laude from CUNY, Brooklyn College in 2020 where she earned a B.A. in Communication and a minor in Art History. During her studies, Leora held internships at The Jewish Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and in a New York art gallery where she still currently works. Leora is interested in exploring the role of art in creating culture in a social, economic, and political context, and looks forward to taking advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of the ARAD program. 

Mariana Gómez is a Mexican culture and arts manager who graduated from the Jesuit University of Guadalajara. She is passionate about creating experiences and the relationship between arts, culture, leisure, and human happiness. During her undergraduate studies, she gained experience through internships at the Museum Ex Convento del Carmen and Konibu, a social enterprise that promoted Mexican heritage textiles. Later she worked at AlteaCorp, as an assistant producer of Calaverandia, the first Día de Muertos park theme in the world, and a Lights Festival. Nowadays, she is a cultural entrepreneur, along with her business partner, created Anecdota, a PR agency with an app, a planner, and cultural agenda that invite its users to discover the city's local and cultural offers through promotion and the creation of experiences. Mariana's professional interests center around marketing for the arts, audience development, the concept of experiences, and its relation to happiness. She looks to create meaningful moments that increase savoring in the life of distinct audiences.

Elizabeth Guo majored in Art History at New York University. She is also a performer, writer, and filmmaker. The role of performing is the most important to her since she finds a connection to spiritual healing through the act of performing. As a Soprano singer, she also participated in theater performances such as musical acting. She also participated in the NYU Choral Arts Society and had a winter concert. As a writer, she has written about art, philosophy, and how museums have adapted during the pandemic. Professionally, she took time to explore the art field by interning at the Design Society art center in Shenzhen, the National Museum in Beijing, and the Chambers Fine Art gallery in New York. She also worked in the Armory Show 2021 art fair for the Chambers gallery. Elizabeth wishes to combine her dual passions in art and business in her future career. Her goals are to exert an impact on the development of art business and to ensure that the arts receive the funding and support needed to continue to flourish. 

Nicolás Medina Gutiérrez is a classically-trained violinist with over 19 years of experience playing in symphony orchestras. A native of Venezuela, Nicolás has performed internationally in over 15 countries in Europe and Asia as a member of the Youth Orchestra of Caracas, one of the most successful results of the widely replicated “El Sistema” program. Medina received his Bachelor of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with American violinist Brian Lewis. He has performed numerous times as a soloist and was a winner of the 2018 “Texas Rising Stars” String Concerto Competition. Nicolás is an advocate of accessibility in the arts and is an incoming graduate student at Teachers College, Columbia University. During his undergraduate degree, Nicolás produced “In with the New: Music from Living Composers” that proposes a contextualized approach to contemporary music through the connection of the audience to the composers. This project had the collaboration of multi-Grammy winner Joan Tower, as well as other prominent figures in the field of composition.

Bianca Horn is originally from Port-au-Prince Haiti and a graduate of Southern Methodist University where she earned a BFA in Acting. As a performer, some of her favorite credits include: Off Broadway: The Play That Goes Wrong, National Tour: The Play That Goes Wrong, Color Purple (Revival), and Hairspray. Her interest are in community outreach, equality and inclusion for working artist, and teaching artistry. Through the ARAD program at TC she hopes to intertwine her passion for the performing arts and continue to developing her skills as an arts leader. She is also a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

Arnell Nur Karina graduated Magna Cum Laude from New York University with a BS in Media, Culture, and Communication and a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. At NYU, she was the co-creator and co-host of the Webby Award nominated podcast, “So, What Do You Do?”, which interviews professionals with unconventional careers. With a strong interest in casting and talent management, she has interned at The Singapore Repertory Theatre, Telsey + Company, Nicolosi & Co, Sweet 180 Management & Production, and The Broadway League. With a passion for the performing arts, she has been singing for most of her life and has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and The Esplanade Hall in Singapore. Arnell looks forward to joining the Arts Administration program to explore the possibilities of diverse representation within the entertainment sectors of Film, Television, and Theatre.

Michelle Kwhak graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in the History of Art. She is interested in examining global modern and contemporary art within its sociopolitical context, especially the ways in which art has been used as a form of protest under repressive conditions. During her undergraduate career, she has held internships at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and other art galleries in the Bay Area. Ultimately, Michelle hopes to work with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations to support and give platforms to BIPOC artists. She not only looks forward to learning from the ARAD program but also through collaboration with her fellow peers!

Pui Lee (Billie) Lam graduated with a bachelor's degree in Culture, Criticism, and Curation from Central Saint Martins University of the Arts London in 2022. She interned in different industries to develop a wide set of skills that will support her in becoming a multi-disciplinary cultural worker. In the aspect of fashion, she interned at NOT showroom, assisting fashion buyers in selecting and buying unique products for their stores. She also worked as an intern for the jewelry brand Pupil Casket, where she learned about the production process and material selection. During her time in the ELLEMAN magazine, she helped out editors with photo shootings. In terms of marketing, she interned at Activation Group and worked for SK-II China's digital marketing team, collecting and analyzing data on audience engagement and interaction across multiple media channels. During her undergraduate studies, she and her classmates collaborated with Kiosk N1C to host live drawing events and music performances to encourage participants to explore Kings Cross, a London area with regulated aesthetics and public space privatization. The live drawing event wished to question Kings Cross' mainstream culture and encourage participants to embrace and value hidden and unrecognized cultures. She is excited to begin her journey at ARAD with her future classmates and contribute to the cultural industry with more skills. 

Janine Leslie is from Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dramatic Writing. While at NYU she interned at the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She was also a part of many student production groups such as TNT and The Collective. The former of which gave her the opportunity to work in venues such as Theatre Row, The Skirball Theatre, and Radio City Music Hall. Her work as a writer and director has led to many conversations about racial representation and wealth disparities within the arts. She strives to make creative opportunities more economically feasible for students and young artists. 

Chenchen Li has nearly 20 years of experience studying music and dance. She graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and the Beijing Dance Academy, China's best music and dance academy. She has rich experience in performing and teaching, being active in music, dance, and theater productions, and teaching music and dance in several schools. She also interned at Meng Jinghui Theatre Studio, one of the largest private theaters in China. In addition, she was the president of the musical theater club of the Central Conservatory of Music and planned many performances for non-drama majors. Through the ARAD program, Chenchen looks forward to exploring the relationship between arts education, artistic creation, and administration and providing more possibilities for music and dance in China.

Danshuo (Denzel) Li is an artist and art advocate based in Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised in Beijing, China, Denzel came to the States with his diverse cultural identities four years ago to further his passion for the arts. He is currently pursuing a B.A. degree in Arts Management and a minor in Music, Media, and Enterprise at the Ohio State University. Denzel has always been obsessed with the boundlessness and possibility of artmaking as he learned to paint and play the trumpet at the age of six. During the past four years as an undergraduate, he released original songs, wrote poems, created digital artworks, and performed open mics. Despite Denzel's versatility as an artist, what he wanted the most was for more people to have access to artistic experiences. By interning at leading arts and culture organizations in China and working closely with his professors on issues of the creative economy, Denzel excelled particularly in analyzing innovative entrepreneurship in the culture sector and the role of art in urban planning. To achieve his goal of being an art advocate committed to promoting the power of art in all cultural settings, Denzel wishes to delve deeper into the realm of arts administration and enhance his managerial capacity in the culture sector at Teachers College. 

Hsin Liang graduated from The City College of New York where she majored in Advertising and Public Relations and minored in Art.  After college, she has pursued different roles in Arts Administration, interning at galleries in New York, serving as Client Service/Bids Assistant at Christie’s, and in her most recent role of Gallery Administrator for Nunu Fine Art in Taipei. Hsin hopes to strengthen her skillsets as an arts professional at the ARAD program and feels excited to meet other classmates for future collaboration. 

Tianqi Liao was born in China and spent several years in the UK before beginning her studies at New York University in journalism and media. After graduating in 2019, she joined Bronx Documentary Center as the Development and Communications Coordinator to assist with non-profit fundraising, annual photo auctions, and photojournalism-based exhibitions. Previously, she was the Manager of Photography and Video at Art in Odd Places, an arts festival presenting visual and performance art in unexpected public spaces. As a photographer, she had her first solo exhibition in Beijing in 2021 and her works have been published on Ain’t Bad, C41, Phroom, and Fisheye. She was also nominated for the Fine Art Photography Awards and highly commended by the Belfast Photo Festival. With her interest in photography, she hopes to stimulate conversations through lens-based practices and establish creative platforms of exchange for emerging artists. 

Jiashan Liu graduated from New York University with a BA in Economics and a minor in Art History. Her background in economics allowed her to identify the shift in market trends and consumption behavior of the art industry in China. As visual art events become an experiential mainstay of urban living in China, an increasing number of young audiences were attracted to art spaces. Deeply interested in communication and art, she started her own social media channel to curate this exciting crossroad of consumer culture and visual art. She produced in-depth content breaking down the historical context and methodology of aesthetics contemplation and convey western art traditions and studies to an eastern audience while emphasizing the importance of contextualizing different artistic genres for one’s own tastes. As her followers approached 90k, she collaborated with multiple art institutions to help them engage her audience of young, educated, urban art consumers, whose digital native habits are forming an entire business space for disseminating art beyond traditional galleries and exhibitions. These experiences showed her that art administration is a changing field full of creative possibilities. She has interned at the Richard Taittinger Gallery in New York City and was particularly involved in business development for the gallery’s overseas debut in Shanghai in 2022. Jiashan looks forward to joining the Arts Administration and learning to interpret, educate, and manage the increasing role of visual art in Chinese society. 

Lucy Bu Liu is from Vancouver, Canada, and recently graduated from Yale University with a B.A in Art History and Anthropology. Her academic interests are in Chinese contemporary art and the art market, specifically the ways through which underrepresented actors navigate an often exclusive, opaque, and relationship-based industry. Her career interests are primarily in non-profit development, as she loves communication and working with people. She has had very positive and rewarding experiences interning at the Yale Art Gallery, Yale Center for British Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Lucy hopes to continue developing industry-essential tools and skills at TC ARAD and look forward to meeting like-minded classmates who are passionate about the arts!

Sirui Liu was born in Hangzhou, China and recently graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA degree in interior design. Her cultural sensitivity and desire to promote artistic inclusion have inspired her to pursue interdisciplinary experiments spanning advertising, event planning, design management for a real estate company, product marketing, architecture, gallery curation, and art center administration. With a solid background in interior design, she is passionate about integrating the power of art and design to make a greater impact on society. To achieve the mission, she began her gallery resort startup in China. Through her approach of utilizing design to promote art and cultural exchange, the combined system enables greater access to the infinite energy that art and design generate. She is excited to join the ARAD program to gain artistic and managerial skills that would push forward her gallery resort enterprise through strong complementarity between design and art. 

Suyi Liu deeply believes art originated from history and inspirations originated from life; she continually returns to the aspects often ignored or avoided by the crowds. Taking a critical view of history, gender, and cultural issues, she creates various artworks, including paintings, photography, installations, films, and performance art. After graduating from the University of  Rochester with a double major in studio art and digital media study, she developed her unique style of making art and understanding the relationship between social media and art. After experiencing various specializations in the art industry, She shifts her interests from making art to exploring possible opportunities for crossover art collaborations. She aims to help emerging artists and established artists discover their commercial value.

Iris Mang was born in Hong Kong and raised in Beijing, China and the San Francisco bay area. She graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Art History and Economics & Accounting. She is interested in East Asian art and focused on early modern Chinese painting in her undergraduate independent research. She has held internships at the OCAT Institute, a research center dedicated to the history of art, and a private contemporary art museum. Currently, she is pursuing a graduate degree in art history. At the ARAD program, Iris Mang looks forward to exploring the possibilities of making East Asian art and art history more accessible to the world. 

Sina McLin graduated from the University of Tulsa in 2019 with a BA in Arts Management & Art History and a minor in Advertising. During undergrad, Sina held internships at several museums and galleries both domestically and abroad. Upon graduating, she worked at a non-profit contemporary art gallery in Tulsa as the Gallery & Communications Manager. Sina hopes to continue exploring professional skills at the ARAD program and meet like-minded classmates who are passionate about the arts!  

Siqiao (Qiao) Meng is a graduate from Fashion Institute of Technology with a BFA in Fashion Business Management and minors of History of Arts, Film and Media, and Economics. Her academic interests lie in the utilization of data analysis in art piece pricing and the role of public relation and media in arts management. She also works as a fashion photographer and a business owner.  

Lauren Mullen graduated from NYU Tisch's Film and Television program in 2014. Since then she has been working in New York City as a producer and writer. She's worked on everything from commercials, short films, TV, and podcasts. She loves to work within the diverse artist community in the city and bring creative visions to life. Lauren is also a leading member of WF Writing, a writers group with an emphasis on openness and inclusivity. She is excited to join the ARAD program to develop her leadership skills to promote socio-economic equality within the writing and performing arts community.

Jessica Pomeroy graduated with honors from The New School of Drama in 2019 with her BFA in Dramatic Arts. While there, she completed internships with the PROTOTYPE Musical Theatre and Opera Festival, The Miranda Theatre Company, and Wingspan Arts. After graduating, Jessica was the Co-Artistic Director and Co-Founder of HERE WE GO: A Site-Specific Production Company from 2019-2020, presenting the work of emerging artists in unique locations, and led by an all-female identifying team. In April of 2021, she produced an online multidisciplinary arts festival challenging artists to reflect on their experience of artmaking in 2020, and how they have had to reinvent their process. When she is not working independently as a producer, Jessica is the Development Assistant at the nonprofit theatre company HERE Arts Center. All of Jessica's work centers around her three major values of accessibility, representation, and connection. She looks forward to earning her degree in Arts Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, and gaining the necessary tools and perspective to develop and produce innovative, inclusive musical theatre work on a larger scale. 

Alise Katrina Pundure graduated Summa Cum Laude, Honors with Distinction from Drexel University with a B.S. in Entertainment and Arts Management in 2021. She grew up in Latvia, a country deeply identified with its cultural heritage. Alise’s interests in the arts sector range from museums to festivals and technology in the arts. She has volunteered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, and interned at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga, Latvia. She is currently working for a Latvian SME Vividly, which supports arts organizations with immersive technology solutions. Alise strives to bridge gaps between countries to encourage international collaborations that increase the understanding of diverse cultures while elevating artists and arts organizations. Her long-term goal is to help emerging Baltic (Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian) artists by giving them platforms to showcase their talent around the world. As part of the ARAD program, Alise hopes to experience an interdisciplinary and research-focused environment, make valuable connections for future collaborations, and gain knowledge and skills that will assist her in making art accessible to all.

Joe Reece graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Central Missouri with a BFA in Acting in 2013. Since graduation, he has worked primarily as a voiceover artist in New York City, providing work for brands such as Habro, Hollister, and Dr. Pepper, among others. As part of the Arts Administration program at Teachers College, Joe hopes to learn the skills necessary to grow into a leadership role at an interdisciplinary arts organization. He wishes to help facilitate the work of artists focused on amplifying the voices of underserved communities, providing audiences with a wider access to more global, inclusive perspectives. Joe also has a particular interest in exploring innovative ways to bridge art and technology, and he hopes, while at Teachers College, to conduct research into methods to bring the necessary tools of these new mediums to artists around the world.  

Allaistar Regan is a graduate from Skidmore College with a Bachelor of Science in Dance Performance and Choreography and a double minor in Management & Business and Arts Administration. Having a passion for dance and arts education, she interned at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and American Ballet Theater. She created young audience guides, composed lesson plans for in-school residencies, and administered dance education programs, such as the Kennedy Center Dance Lab. She is excited to start her journey at ARAD in Teachers College, Columbia University, and she looks forward to developing her skills as an arts leader. 

Caiwei Ren gained her BA in Online Journalism and New Media at Shanghai International Studies University, focusing on data analysis and marketing. Raised in Shanghai, China, Caiwei developed her interests in a variety of art forms, such as symphony, musical and photography. She interned in China Economic Information Service in 2020, which is affiliated to Xinhua News Agency, participating in marketing design for an evening event. She also interned at Nancy's Gallery, dedicated to developing more media channels and creating customized content for different target audiences to promote art. With a diverse background in marketing, data as well as art, she hopes to amplify the voices of artworks and promote diversity, inclusion, and tolerance among different cultures.

Hayley Rothman was born and raised in Brooklyn, and graduated from Vassar College in 2016 as a double major in Chinese and Japanese with dual departmental honors. After graduation, she worked at Japan Society in NYC as a Performing Arts Intern, then moved to Kanazawa, Japan where she spent three years as a Coordinator for International Relations. She is passionate about the application of international exchange and cross-cultural communication through the arts, and has a special enthusiasm for classical music and the performing arts. During her free time, Hayley can be found playing violin in various community orchestras around Kanazawa and NYC, or snowboarding in the Japanese Alps.

Jessie (Zheqi) Shen recently graduated from the University of Cambridge with a master’s degree in Finance and Economics. Prior to her education at Cambridge, she graduated from Emory University in 2021 with honors in Arts History and a second major in Economics/Math. She has gained diverse internship experience at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, UCCA Beijing, and the Power Station of Art in Shanghai. Having studied and worked at the intersection of contemporary arts and business, she aspires to make experimental artists and startups visible to the broadest possible audience, especially the ones taking social stands, preserving artisanal craftsmanship central to indigenous cultures, and adopting cutting-edge perspectives, through helping them with developing insightful curatorial approaches and business models. 

Yinyi Song was born in Wuhan, China and graduated from University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Visual Studies in 2022. Concentrating on psychology, her study focused on human perception and the culture of seeing. In the past few years, she interned at General Motors’ and Tencent’s design departments, which solidified her interest in art. Her diverse learning in statistics, economics, and politics promoted her determination to pursue a career in arts administration. As a member of the ARAD program, Yinyi Song hopes to gain the knowledge needed to fulfill her goal in promoting art to the world.

Vivian Stolt is a Finnish professional violinist with a lifelong background in the performing arts, and a law school graduate with years of international experience. As a musician, in addition to completing a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, and Master’s degree in Music at the Arts University of Helsinki, majoring in Violin, and complementing her studies internationally, Vivian has competed both nationally and internationally, for example winning a shared first prize in the International Antonio Bigonzi Violin Competition in Italy in 2019. Beyond her academic accolades, she has worked professionally as a violinist in all of the most prominent Finnish orchestras, including the Finnish National Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Radio Symphonic Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonics. As part of the ARAD program, Vivian looks forward to experiencing and taking full advantage of the interdisciplinary opportunities provided within the program, to make valuable connections for future collaborations, and to gain knowledge and skills that will assist her in ensuring classical music will have a strong societal foothold around the world also in the future. Vivian is incredibly excited to undertake the next steps in her career at Columbia as part of the ARAD program, as a grantee of the Finnish Fulbright Foundation. 

Zechen Su is from Shanghai, China, and recently graduated from NYU Tisch School of Arts University with a major in Film&TV and a minor in French study. Besides his passion for cinema, Zechen also spent four years studying French language and has become a member of Pi Delta Phi, a National French Honor Society. Served as the co-founder of the Action Student Film Festival in China since 2018, Zechen has managed an organization of 40+ members, and collaborated with various social organizations as well as industry professionals. His career interests are both in for-profit and non-profit organizations in the film industry. As a film exhibitor, Zechen is also interested in exploring non-traditional film marketing and distribution strategies. Through Arts Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, Zechen is excited to gain the leadership skills, business acumen, and quantitative abilities to serve new-generation filmmakers both on non-profit and for-profit platforms.

Ashima Tshering is from New Delhi, India and holds a Bachelors from the National Institute of Design with a specialisation in Exhibition Design. She has 3 years of experience as a Designer specialising in Museum Spaces. Ashima has worked for various organisations in the Arts such as the Kathmandu Triennale, Siddhartha Art Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art. Her practise is aimed at providing democratic access to cultural institutions and transforming their roles as stakeholders in society. 

Leia Tyebjee graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a Bachelor of Arts, concentrating in Visual Arts. Her interests include theatre and analog photography. Upon graduating, Leia worked at David Zwirner and Gagosian Gallery and currently works at a Mumbai based auction house, Pundole’s. Leia is passionate about working with young artists, providing them with a platform to showcase and promote their work. Additionally, she is interested in Indian art and its role in international spaces. 

Ehren L. Valmé is a performer and project manager dedicated to developing equity, diversity, and open-mindedness in artistic communities. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the Juilliard School studying with John D. Rojak and Joseph Alessi and serves as the Trombone Department Faculty Assistant. Ehren is the Bass Trombonist of the Montclair Orchestra and Orchestra Manager of the Juilliard Pre-College Division. He is a co-founder of the National Arts Diversity Integration Association (NADIA) and his work as an audio engineer and producer has been featured by the Juilliard School, United Nations Chamber Music Society, Wycliffe Gordon, Opus Illuminate, and the Metropolis Ensemble. An ardent supporter of new music, Ehren has spearheaded several initiatives to commission, premiere, and conduct contemporary solo, chamber, and orchestral works.

Hugo Vaz is an actor, poet, singer-songwriter and cultural entrepreneur from Goiás, central Brazil. Born to a family of artists, he has been involved with the performing arts both on and backstage ever since a very tender age. Ahead of his band, MAZOMBO, he has been performing concerts and recording original songs for nearly ten years. With a major in International Relations, he did part of his undergraduate studies in Liège (Belgium) and Raleigh (USA), which has helped him become a French and English teacher too. He has also worked as the international spokesperson of several dance and music festivals, as well as an interpreter for corporate and official international meetings. Passionate about nature, folklore and traditional cultures, he takes a special interest in history and anthropology. He is currently involved in the revival of a cultural organization in his hometown and, as an Arts Administration student, he looks forward to bringing people together and joining a network of artists and entrepreneurs committed to freedom and social justice.

Helena Wang graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Fashion Design in 2019. She believes in the power of fashion to heal, protect, and change the way people feel about themselves, since it is the art form that most closely touches the human body. With 5 years of experience in the fashion industry, Helena has worked for designers such as Vera Wang, Jason Wu, Adeam, and Ulla Johnson; she also has experience at startups, such as healthwear company Care+Wear. Helena’s constant mission is to bridge fashion and healing experiences by designing functionally healing yet visually empowering garments. Interdisciplinary collaborations with medical practitioners and psychologists have been a crucial part of her design process. Through Arts Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University, Helena is excited to fulfill her entrepreneurial spirit, gain tactical creative leadership skills, and explore how art and design systems can be truly healing for our world.

Jian Wang is from China and graduated from Brandeis University in 2022 with a double major in Sociology and Economics, and a minor in East Asian Studies. She believes art as a sensuous embodiment of cultural values, and as a medium integrating social revolution, aesthetic diversity, as well as emotional power. By applying cross-disciplinary skills, she is looking for art to become more inclusive to promote individual and social well beings. She participated in an educational institution dedicated to supporting kids with autism in her hometown and helped disadvantaged social groups with her enthusiasm for art by conducting fundraising, “art therapy” activities, art exhibition, etc. Last year, she also worked at an Artspace and furthered her professional growth in actual business operations. Her enthusiasm in both nonprofit and profit art inspires her to explore a new business model for art education to stimulate the genuine creativity of society.

Katerina Chenyu Wang graduated from New York University, where she earned her BA degree in Economics and Art History and joined Phi Beta Kappa. With a strong passion for the arts and communication, she interned at Philo Art PR Agency, RF Thunder—A Ruder Finn Company, and Richard Taittinger Gallery, where she planned and executed previews and events for galleries, museums, art fairs, and music festivals. She is a founding member of STILLLIFE ART which organizes art fairs to provide opportunities to emerging creative talents, as well as K&W Creative Agency, which connects artists and illustrators with art institutions and brands. Katerina intends to work alongside artistic geniuses as she delves deeper into the art industry. She is enthusiastic about supporting creativity and making the arts accessible, equitable, and inclusive to all. At ARAD, she is especially interested in collaborating with like-minded peers who are passionate about both visual and performing arts to learn how to increase the exposure of the arts, share the voice of emerging artists, and build a more sustainable art world.

Di Wu was born in Jiangsu, China and recently graduated from Zhejiang University with a BA degree in environment design and a minor in public administration. During her undergraduate study, she interned in both non-profits and for-profits art institutions, including Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) in Beijing, Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology and Xiling Yinshe Auction Company in Hangzhou. Her diverse learning in public policy and art design and colorful work experiences in arts administration determined her passion in art, especially in how to make arts accessible for all. Through the ARAD program, Di Wu looks forward to finding more convenient accesses for the public to gather information on art exhibitions, collections, and what they regard as good art. In the future, she wants to be an innovator who is dedicated to inspiring creative art activities in Chinese art market. 

Aishan Zhang is a Chicago-based independent curator, and the Director of Media Strategy and Communications at Museum 2050 who has worked internationally at the intersections of curation and social media strategy for non-profit organizations and auction houses, including The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Long Museum and Sotheby’s. She is passionate about bridging art and technology to expand accessibility, foster learning, and bring people together.

Adele Zhou is from Beijing, China, and graduated from Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Art History and Anthropology in 2021. She has interned at the National Museum of China, Shanghai Himalayas Art Museum, and has also worked on curriculum and product design in the art history team for an education company. She has also volunteered at multiple exhibitions and organizations during her spare time to learn more about artists and administrators who are in practice. Adele looks forward to exploring methods of bridging intercultural communications and dialogues through the arts in the Arts Administration program.

Yiqin (Apple) Zhang is a graduate from Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts in International and Global Studies and a double minor in Art History and Business. Born in Shanghai, China, she was set on the studying abroad journey at a very young age of 12, thus developing a strong passion in globalization and the arts, especially in gallery curating, management, and PR in the art field. She enjoys exploring new fields to work in and has interned at various corporations including Ogilvy & Mather Inc, LVMH, T-Art Gallery in Shanghai and Logitech Company.  She also volunteered and developed art and English training and teaching programs in Gansu, China. A core concept underpinning her motivation for art is to foster 21st-century skills such as creativity and communication in urban art development and to close the skill gap between the urban and rural parts of the world. She is very much excited to start her journey where a broad spectrum of interests in arts come together. Apple feels extremely fortunate to be part of a collaborative cohort, and looks forward to making transformational change together in the art world.