SENIOR STAFF
| Shirley C. Taylor | Executive Director |
| Natasha Richards | Assistant Executive Director for Finance and Operations |
| Juliana Cope | Assistant Executive Director for Development and External Affairs |
PROGRAM STAFF
| Melvada Hughes | Dance Department Director |
| Esther Grant-Walker | Dance Department Assistant Director |
| Waldo Chavez | Music Department Director |
| Chris Palmer | Music Department Assistant Director |
| Terrance Friday | Music Department Assistant |
| Willa Bost | PYT Director |
| Joshua Scarlett | PYT Assistant |
| Hilda Willis | PYT Artistic Director in Residence |
| Thomas Bennett | Martial Arts Program Coordinator & Instructor |
| Sala Chrispin | Folk Culture Program Assistant Director |
| Desrine Charlton | Pre-K Teacher and Education Director |
| Brittany Scott | Pre-K Program Assistant Teacher |
| Gilanyi Batista | Pre-K Program Family Outreach Coordinator and Administrative Assistant |
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
| Karen Seymour | Coordinator of Enrollment and Family Outreach |
| Melanie Cabreja | Administrative Assistant |
| Aliza Rodriguez | Bursar/Office Manager |
| Lynsey Tuthill | Marketing and Communications Manager |
| Kathryn Frances | Executive Assistant |
| Leny Cabrera | Facilities Manager |
| Elvin Hernandez | Custodian |
ARTS FACULTY
Mind-Builders’ instructors are not only expert musicians, dancers, or actors, they are also dedicated coaches who share their passion and skill with our students, encouraging them to hone their own creativity. We believe it takes a special kind of teacher to be a “Mind-Builder”.
Faculty List
Dance Instructors
-
Jocelyn Gutierrez -
Kimberly Jones -
Kanzada Juste -
Noelani Love
Music Instructors
-
Andy Bassford -
Charles Carrington -
Agustin Grasso -
Lon Ivey -
Andrew Lamb -
Christopher Palmer -
Jairo Quinonez -
Nina Riley -
Robin Small -
Eric Zolan
| Dance Department | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Belger | Ballet, Modern and Jazz Instructor | |
| Darleen Carr | Fit4Life Stretch Instructor and Costume Supervisor | |
| Brian Davis | Tap Instructor | B.F.A. Modern Dance, University of the Arts |
| Boubacar Diabate | African Dance Drummer | |
| Jocelyn Gutierrez | Artist in Residence; Hip Hop Instructor | Bronx Leadership Academy Dance Performer and Instructor |
| Keny Guzman | Fit4Life Zumba Instructor | Crunch Norwood Zumba Instructor |
| Monica Johnson | Ballet, Choreography | |
| Kimberly Jones | Tap, Modern, and Adult Praise Instructor | BFA in Dance, Marygrove College; MFA in Dance, Ohio State University |
| Kanzada Juste | Creative Movement, African and Hip Hop Fundamentals Instructor | B.A. SUNY Potsdam |
| Aicha Konate | African Dance | |
| Noelani Love | African and Modern Instructor | B. S. Mercy College. Program director at Boy's & Girls club, Dance Instructor at Mosholu Montefiore Community Center |
| Natasha Richards | Fit4Life Soca Instructor | |
| Chandi Rodriguez | Fit4Life Yoga Meditation Instructor | |
| Gabriel Roxbury | African Dance Drummer | |
| Maurice Whyte | Fit4Life Zumba Instructor |
| Music Department | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Bassford | Guitar Instructor | BA Trinity College; Grammy Winning Recording Artist; Performer; Instructor |
| Ryan Burvick | Production and Studio Director in Residence | |
| Charles Carrington | Piano Instructor | B.A. Ithaca College; Professional Musician and Recording Artist |
| Charles Duke | Music Department Artistic Director in Residence | |
| Agustin Grasso | Guitar Instructor | Escuela de Musica Contemporanea in Buenos Aires , Argentina |
| Lon Ivey | Drum Instructor | Carnegie Hall Institute; Berklee School of Music. Professional Musician and Recording Artist |
| Andrew Lamb | Woodwind Instructor | SUNY Old Westbury; Professional Musician and Recording Artist |
| Janet Lucy | Suzuki Violin Instructor | |
| Christopher Palmer | Music Department Assistant Director, Brass Teacher, Stage Band Conductor | B.A. Berklee College of Music; Composer, Instructor |
| Jairo Quinonez | Violin Instructor | M.A. Lehman College; B.A. Queens College; Teacher with Multicultural Music Group; Professional Musician |
| Nina Riley | Voice Instructor | B. A. Manhattan School of Music M.A. Manhattan School of Music in Vocal Performance; Professional Singer |
| Robin Small | Piano and Voice Instructor | B.M. Berklee School of Music; Recording Artist; Performer; Vocal and Piano Instructor |
| Eric Zolan | Guitar Instructor | B.M. William Paterson Univserity |
| Janet Lucy | Suzuki Violin Instructor |
| PYT Theater Department | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Willa Bost | Director | |
| Hilda Willis | PYT Artistic Director In Residence | |
| Joshua Scarlett | Assistant |
| Martial Arts Program | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bennet | Martial Arts Coordinator and Instructor | Martial Arts Master, 8th degree black-belt "Goju Ryu" |
| Evan Berry | Martial Arts Assistant Instructor |
| Dr. Beverly J. Robinson Community Folk Culture Program | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Jametta Davis | Folk Culture Program Director |
| Arts Passage XPress | Title | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Burvick | Digital Music Production Instructor | |||
| Darnell Hannon | Digital Music Production Instructor | |||
| Brittany Murray | Youth and Family Support Specialist | |||
| Michael Tudor | Anime/Visual Arts Instructor |
| Pre-K Program | Title | Credentials |
|---|---|---|
| Desrine Charlton | Teacher/Education Director | B.A. SUNY Purchase; M.A. Early Childhood Education Grand Canyon University |
| Brittany Scott | Pre-K Assistant Teacher | A.A. Bronx Community College |
