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Meet the Directors
Rosa Jiyoon Hyun '15 BFA Graphic Design, Chair
Portland, Oregon USA
Rosa Ji Yoon Hyun (she/her/hers) is a Systems and User Experience (UX) designer, born in Hanguk (South Korea), raised in Egypt, and living on the traditional land of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya and Molalla people (Portland, OR). Rosa has spent years designing pharmacy and healthcare software systems, and is currently designing for educators and children K–12 in the EdTech marketplace at Outschool. Rosa has served in numerous leadership roles and continues to be a design mentor to many young creatives; she’s an artist and activist focused on fostering community grounded in social justice. She is passionate about public health, education, the creative economy, culture, science and technology, environmental/ social justice, and systems design.
Why did you join the ALC?
I joined the ALC because I care deeply about our community. I want to continue engaging with the larger MassArt community and weave our stories together to improve, expand, and revolutionize our influence in the creative economy.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Getting comfortable with uncertainty cultivates more creativity; give yourself the permission to make space for the unknown and practice swimming in it
Mel Taing '16 BFA Film/Video, ALC Vice Chair
Boston, MA, USA
Mel Taing (she/her) is a Cambodian-American photographer. She received her BFA in Film/Video at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design in 2016. Specializing in creative portraiture, exhibition documentation and events, Mel seeks to celebrate the vibrance, radiance and joy of the intersecting communities in her life.
Beyond the camera, she is deeply interested in increasing cultural equity within the arts and culture sector of Boston. Mel has collaborated with organizations such as Arts Connect International, Pao Arts Center and Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center to fight for equity in and through the arts. She is also currently a taiko player in Boston, supporting artist Karen Young in a project called Older and Bolder, which seeks to provide a space for elders of color to address issues of racial equity and build community through the art of taiko.
Mel is currently living on the ancestral landwaters called Wessagusset (Weymouth), home of the Massachusett people.
Why did you join the ALC?
I joined the ALC because of 3 reasons: 1) to connect with alumni and make new friends! 2) to find and create ways to support alumni and current students 3) to learn about leadership and how it applies to building community and equity.
Advice to Recent Alum:
You are enough. What you’re doing is enough. Give compassion to the journey you’ve just gone through - you don’t have to have it all figured it out right now! The creative path is a winding, unpredictable one; if we all can find sustainable, nourishing lives as alumni here on this webpage, you will eventually too.
Ed Malouf '85 BFA Graphic Design & Photography,
ALC Secretary
Scituate, MA, USA
Edward Malouf (he/him) is from the Newton/Brighton area west of Boston, oldest of five to parents who were first and second generation in-country. Married “outside the clan” by meeting a fellow MassArt student, Carol Lieb, ‘83 Photography, who is my number one collaborator on all my projects. Initially I practiced graphic design in an architectural environment, but obtained a graduate degree in product design to more fully realize my three-dimensional skills. This brought me into the world of interpretive exhibit design where I merge the human narratives of editorial graphic design with the environmental challenges of space, light, media, and digital interaction.
Partnering with media specialists, researchers, and writers, I have developed and designed permanent exhibits at the Roxbury Heritage State Park, The Museum of Work and Culture, and the Silver Lake Nature Center. What brings the most satisfaction to me is providing organizations the means to tell their stories, display their collections, and spread their messages of nature conservation to their audiences.
The first two years at MassArt continue to be the most influential in my work, with professors Doc Legg, Marylin Gabarro, Robert Lassiter, and especially a sophomore design studio professor (who was she?) providing excellent advice and inspiration.
Why did you join the ALC?
To learn more about other MassArt Alumni and to expand my network of creatives outside of the interpretive design profession.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Find your niche and give yourself over to it.
Sabrina Dorsainvil '12 BFA Industrial Design,
Former ALC CO-Chair
Boston, MA, USA
Sabrina Dorsainvil (she/they) is an artist, designer and illustrator. Sabrina is also the Director of Civic Design for the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics. In that role they use creative approaches to navigate issues around public health, civic participation and the built environment. Over the years Sabrina has collaborated with organizations on projects centered on social, spatial, and environmental justice. As a public artist, muralist and illustrator, Sabrina explores facets of identity, difference, deep reflection, storytelling and the celebration of our shared humanity. Sabrina serves on a variety of non-profit boards and is a member of the Guild of Future Architects. They are also a visiting artist, panelist, educator, advisor and lecturer in a variety of spaces. Sabrina has a BFA in Industrial Design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MS in Design and Urban Ecologies from Parsons the New School of Design.
Why did you join the ALC?
I reconnected with MassArt as a visiting artist/designer in several courses, as a partner in studio courses, as an adjunct professor and more. I saw current MassArt students, particularly BIPOC students, articulate similar struggles as alum. I see our capacity to have a positive, larger impact in our broader communities. I'm eager to address any pain points in our experience and celebrate our community of creatives wherever our paths take us.
Advice to Recent Alum:
A few thoughts: Don't expect to figure it all out immediately. Reflect on what you're interested in, where you hope to go, and what you're wrestling with others. (You'll find advocates in places you might not expect.) Remember that you can't get what you don't ask for and the worst you'll get in return is a no. Be tender with yourself and make space for caring for yourself and your community.
Dayanne Danier '99 BFA Fashion Design,
Astoria, NY, USA
Dayanne Danier (she/her) is a graduate from Mass Art’s class of 1999 with a concentration in Fashion Design. Her background in the fashion industry extends over decades working as a designer for such companies like Blauer Manufacturing, Perry Ellis International, and Phillips-Van Heusen. Her designs have been manufactured in countries all around the world which include China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Peru, Africa, Vietnam, Korea, and Haiti.
Currently, Dayanne is the creative director behind the fashion lifestyle brand called Bien Abyé (means Well Dressed). The collection is a combination of French style with a Creole influence. It has been exhibited in fashion shows in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Miami, Trinidad, and Haiti and has been distributed nationwide in boutiques in New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Santa Fe, South Carolina, Austin and Dallas.
While achieving career success with her expertise in the arts and fashion, Dayanne spends much of her time giving back to the community both in the United States and in Haiti. She is the cofounder of the non-profit organization called Fleur De Vie (means Flower of Life) whose mission is to support struggling organizations which focus on implementing positive change in their community in the areas of education, health, and environmental sustainability in Haiti. Underneath Dayanne’s leadership, Fleur De Vie empowers over 800 students, ages 5-18, through education.
Over the years, she has also been a consultant in Haiti teaching artisan groups pattern drafting, construction, and quality control. She is a member of the organizations Haitian Roundtable and Haitian Women’s Collective. Dayanne is also a recipient of the Mayor of New York Immigrant Women Leaders Fellowship 2015.
Why did you join the ALC?
I joined the ALC because I recognize the importance of art education in the person I've become today and I wanted to give back to Mass Art as my way of saying thank you!
Advice to Recent Alum: This may be the most freely creative time in your life, remember it and cherish it for what it is.
Robert Davison '89 BFA Graphic Design
Arlington, MA, USA
Robert Davison (he/him) is Creative Director at Boston University’s award-winning internal design agency. He manages the strategy and execution of print, digital and environmental deliverables for major academic and business units across the university. His team of designers, writers, and photographers provide a range of services including creative strategy, brand development and marketing writing.
Rob has an established track record in brand building and joined Boston University with more than 20 years’ experience in brand strategy and management. Prior to BU, Rob held senior creative leadership roles at Raytheon Technologies, MathWorks, and Northeastern University, where he led the creative development of various integrated campaigns and top initiatives.
Rob earned an M.F.A. from Boston University and received his B.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He attended the Brissago Program in Switzerland through Yale University where he studied with Paul Rand and Armin Hofmann.
Rob is an Assistant Professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design where he teaches advanced-level graphic design and visual communication. He has presented at design conferences throughout the United States and has received recognition from organizations including AIGA, Type Directors Club, How Magazine, Print Magazine, UCDA, CASE, Hatch Awards, and the Webby Awards.
Why did you join the ALC?
It has been exciting to witness the ongoing transformation of MassArt over the years. I welcome the opportunity to use my skills to further strengthen the MassArt alumni community and contribute to the institution’s ongoing and vibrant evolution.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Open yourself to new experiences and viewpoints but let your inner voice and unique point of view hold you steady as you navigate uncharted waters.
Kristine Sanchez Henson ’09 Graphic Design
Jersey City, NJ, USA
Kristine Sanchez Henson (she/her) ('09 BFA Graphic Design) is a designer from Newport, RI, currently living in Jersey City, NJ.
Specializing in experience design, Kristine is interested in helping her clients solve challenges with their digital presence. Currently in her role as Associate Creative Director — Experience Design at EY Design Studio New York, she leads design teams across the US and internationally on a range of work both consumer and client facing in various industries such as financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, and more. Past clients include Comcast Business, Anheuser Busch, Mondelez, Food Network, American Express, Travel+Leisure, and Scholastic.
Kristine is an advocate for design education and culture in the workplace, where she often coordinates events focused on inspiration, skill sharing, and sharing feedback. She especially enjoys organizing and teaching design classes for new designers starting out in the industry. Her biggest passions are building inclusive communities where everyone can learn and be inspired by one another, and finding ways to push for shared resources and design systems that help accelerate day to day work.
Outside of design, Kristine is a passionate Boston sports fan, enjoys improving her public speaking and leadership skills through Toastmasters International, learning new languages, and playing the oboe.
Why did you join the ALC?
I'm interested in the Alumni Leadership Council's mission to make a greater impact, bridging student life at MassArt to becoming well connected and successful artists and designers in the real world. MassArt was essential to my professional success today, and I'm interested in helping to strengthen the bonds with both students and alumni alike to achieve their highest potential.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Never stop learning. It’s essential to keep up and be comfortable, because the only constant is change.
Gail A. Hendricks-Hill '75 BFA Art & Design
Mashpee, MA, USA
Gail Hendricks-Hill (she/her), BFA, M.Ed.
- Elementary School Art Teacher, Town of Mashpee (Retired)
- Massachusetts Commissioner on Indian Affairs (currently, appointed in 2010)
- Mass College of Art Alumni Leadership Council Member (currently)
- Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council Board of Directors (served 14 years)
- MWTribe Juvenile Justice Department Director
- Native Tribal Scholars Program Director (UMass Boston/MWTribe)
- NYCP/Native Youth Program Manager (MWTribe Education Department)
- Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Museum Cultural Interpreter
- Plimouth Plantation Cultural Interpreter & Education Department Teacher
Why did you join the ALC?
With my many years of art education and cultural experience, I wanted to share that with the ALC.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Know why you want to be an artist, or a storyteller, or a teacher. Then tell the world who and where you are through your art.
Leila Lee Mitchell '03 MFA Dynamic Media Institute (DMI)
Milton, MA, USA
As Founder and Creative Director of LLM, Leila Mitchell (she/her) is an expert at communicating identity and information to shape experiences that connect people to place. With more than 25 years of design experience in a variety of disciplines, her process begins with engaging the collective voice and ends with capturing the audience in a compelling story. Whether it is environmental graphics design, wayfinding and signage programs, marketing campaigns, or branded interiors, Leila turns the design focus onto the participants who will be sharing the built environment. Leila earned a B.S. in Architecture from The University of Virginia and an M.F.A. from The Dynamic Media Institute at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Prior to founding her own business, she was a Creative Director and Associate Principal at Neoscape, a creative agency for real estate marketing, for six years. Leila is also currently a professor of design at Wentworth Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Design, and is a Board Member of the Design Museum Everywhere, for which she has served as Vice Chair and DEI committee chair. (Website)
Why did you join the ALC?
To connect alums with the school's larger strategic plans. To give back to my alma mater and community network.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Don't seek traditional avenues to find a job. Focus on what you do well, what your passion is, and design your career path toward a fulfilled life.
Nancy Glazer Pearl '87 BFA Illustration
Melrose, MA, USA
Nancy Glazer Pearl (she/her) is passionate about building successful brands. She brings years of creative direction to your venture. Nancy’s design, strategic thinking and marketing expertise have built brands large and small. From top business leaders such as AT&T, American Express, T.J.Maxx, General Motors, Target and Fidelity Investments to local small businesses and non-profits, Nancy will guide you through the marketing process and help you build your competitive advantage. (Website)
Why did you join the ALC?
To give back and help support Mass Art alumni and students
Advice to Recent Alum:
Be open to new ideas, directions and innovations. It's a great time to be creative and the world needs you.
Wesley Issac Richardson ‘99/00 Film/Video
Boston, MA, USA
I grew up in southern New Hampshire. My parents, and grandfather with roots in Louisiana cultivated an environment where their southern heritage, and culture was woven into our New England backdrop. Through traveling locally and nationally I interacted with their community of friends, and relatives; it was their colorful palette of personalities that sparked my interest in storytelling.
I moved to Boston to study art and design. At MassArt I became a film maker. The medium of film combined my love of stories and how they allow us to peer into cultures, or subjects matter through a unique perspective, from a nuanced point of view.
As a director I’ve had the opportunity to showcase my work at film festivals like Urban World, and Roxbury International Festival with some of my childhood cinematic heroes/sheroes. As a cinematographer via the local chapter of the Emmys documentary film I’ve shot have won and have been nominated for awards. Being behind the camera for me is equal parts gratifying, and humbling; with every project, and audience interaction my understanding of the power of moving images grows.
Why did you join the ALC?
To engage with the larger community of grads in a more meaningful and purposeful way beyond my immediate circle of friends.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Your definitions of success can and will change along your professional journey.
Brooke Scibelli '12 BFA Studio for Interrelated Media
Jamaica Plain, MA, USA
Brooke Scibelli (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist and educator. Her work explores various media including fibers, printmaking and performance, and has shown work locally and internationally. Brooke has a background in event production and community education, facilitating educational experiences for communities in Greater Boston and beyond. Brooke has developed curriculum and instructed classes for all-ages in visual arts and handcrafts. Currently Brooke works at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston as the Family and Art Lab Programs Coordinator, developing public programs for families with children and curriculum for K-12 school visits. She is also on the Faculty at the Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts. Brooke co-founded Non Issue Studio where she and Dyllan Nguyen (SIM ’12) develop art-making and curiosity-led workshops, and design and fabricate handmade goods.
Why did you join the ALC?
I joined the ALC to better understand the alumni and student bodies. To build stronger connections and find ways to support one another throughout our journeys as creative individuals.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Work to build a supportive community.
Sarah Shakeri '13 BFA Fashion Design
Greater Boston, MA, USA
Sarah Shakeri (she/her) graduated from MassArt with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design in 2013. She currently works for Alumni Relations at Brandeis University, engaging alumni and planning events across the globe. After many years enrolled as a part-time student while working at Brandeis, she completed her graduate degree, a Master of Business Administration at The Heller School for Social Policy and Management with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Management, in August of 2020. Sarah lives in the greater Boston area and has served as an ALC Director at MassArt since 2019.
Why did you join the ALC?
To connect with fellow alumni. I also wanted to help MassArt engage their alumni base by fostering meaningful relationships with each other and the college through my work on the Alumni Leadership Council.
Advice to Recent Alum:
Have faith in yourself. Also say yes, take chances, and meet people! It will all work out.
Peter Strutt ’05 BFA Graphic Design
Needham, MA, USA
Pete Strutt (he/him) is a creative director and founder of Common Co. where he focuses on building brands and creating innovative digital experiences for today’s connected world.
Pete received his BFA in Graphic Design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2005 and found his footing at a global design and innovation consultancy, Continuum. He later led the creative team at a Boston based digital agency, Almighty, for several years before starting an independent design studio of his own in 2018, where he partners with global and regional brands across many categories including education, footwear, furniture, and travel.
He met his wife and some of his best friends while attending school and hopes to share that same love for the creative process with his daughters. He stays tightly connected to the local creative community and spent time as a mentor to high school students interested in pursuing creative education and professions through AIGA Boston's YouthDesign program.
Why did you join the ALC?
MassArt gave me a lot and I'm excited to be a part of the community and work collaboratively to help it continue to evolve.
Advice for Recent Alum:
Figure out what you love and surround yourself with people who you admire and will learn from.
Jim Tirone ’03 BFA, Industrial Design
Harvard, MA, USA
Jim Tirone (he/his) currently holds the role of Senior Industrial Designer at Butterfly Network where his focus is on shaping the future of medical imaging. Previously, as a Senior Industrial Designer at Farm, he focused on the design and development of healthcare, life science and biomedical products. He is enthusiastic about the value of human centered design, and has employed design thinking processes to guide clients to innovative solutions, adding value both to his client and to the end users. Some of the clients he has worked with include Amgen, Bayer, Canon, Ethicon and Optinose. Prior to joining Farm, he held multiple industrial design roles within Stanley Black & Decker, leading, and designing products for the Black & Decker, Porter Cable and DEWALT brands. In both roles, Jim has led internship programs, and is responsible for recruiting, conducting student portfolio reviews and mentoring young talent. Jim holds 22 utility and design patents and has earned awards and recognition for his power tool designs. He has served twice on a panel of judges for the IDSA Student Merit Award.
Why did you join the ALC?
I joined the ALC to give back to the MassArt community, and help create opportunities for others in design.
Advice for Recent Alum:
Stay curious. Be a sponge, but most important, be inquisitive and ask why.
Carlos Villamil ’12 Fashion Design Certificate
Boston, MA, USA
Carlos Villamil (he/him) is an industrial designer who has worked in several design fields including jewelry, fashion and footwear and graphic design. He is interested in traveling and has lived and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany and the United States besides his home country, Colombia.
Carlos is also passionate for mentoring and has experience teaching Design and Architecture History and Product Research at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogotá, Colombia in the early 2000s. After moving to Boston in 2006 he worked with teenagers leading graphic and fashion design workshops in after school programs around the city and as assistant to the director of the Teen Arts Council at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston.
In 2013 Carlos was selected to be part of The Launch, Boston Fashion Week’s emerging designers’ platform. In 2014 he won the 1st edition of Descience – Science on the Runway, a global competition pairing designers and scientists to help spread the value of scientific research through fashion. The transformable clothing concept Cytocouture created in collaboration with MIT PhD Laura Indolfi is based on her endothelial cell research.
Currently, Carlos is an Assistant Professor at the Industrial Design Department at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He holds a Master in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University.
Why did you join the ALC? I joined the ALC because MassArt has given me so much at the professional and personal level. As an alumnus I want to give back to the institution by supporting the important work that the ALC does.
Advice for Recent Alum:
Keep studying, keep learning and come back to MassArt to do it.
Michelle "Shelby" Wang ’19 BFA, Communication Design
Honolulu, HI, USA
Born and raised in the Greater Boston Area, located in Honolulu, and frequently located on the west coast, I am a multi-disciplinary designer and strategist looking to innovate through thoughtful and data driven design. Bringing brands and ideas to life is my passion through brand strategy, team workshops, social media marketing, visual design, and experience strategy. Outside of my day job, you can often find me painting, working to create equitable spaces for young creative minds, exploring nature, picking plastic off the beaches, and eating my way through American cities. (LinkedIn)
Why did you join the ALC?
MassArt is a place of growth, innovation, and transformation and the alumni are the best conduit to tell these stories and share what makes art and creative education so important. I am passionate about outreach and hope to work to create an equitable, open space for alumni to thrive and continue to grow as a community.
Advice for Recent Alum:
Work hard, stay open-minded, and allow yourself the space to be a human being.
Alumni Relations Representatives
Darlene Gillan ’12 MSAE, Director of Alumni Relations
ALC Ex Officio / Greater Boston, MA, USA
Olga Batyuk '13 BFA, Glass, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations
Greater Boston, MA, USA
Elected Alumni Trustee, MassArt Board of Trustees
Kelly Sherman '02 BFA Sculpture,
Cambridge, MA, USA