About Us

Founded in 1991, Artists For Humanity’s mission is to bridge economic, racial and social divisions by providing under-resourced youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.

At the heart of Artists for Humanity is the belief that skills equal power and opportunity. AFH has four goals, which provide urban teens with:

• a safe meaningful place where they are respected for their contributions and develop mentoring relationships so important to teens;
• an opportunity to have a voice through exhibitions, commercial services, and public presentations;
• the respect and responsibility of paid employment that promotes self-esteem and financial accountability.  At AFH, young people learn entrepreneurship and get paid for their own creative production.
• provide access to educational experiences and support that encourage academic achievement

While the goals remain stable, methods of reaching them are constantly evolving. AFH reaches into every niche of the city to ensure fresh input, new projects and media, and a unique outlook.

For twenty years, AFH has been empowering and employing Boston teens in a uniquely intensive program of arts, creativity and enterprise. AFH partners youth in small groups with professional artists/designers to design, create, market and sell art products. Youth gain hands-on experience in:

• Digital Media/Video
• Graphic Design/Motion Graphics
• Painting/Murals
• Photography/Web Design
• Screen Printing
• Sculpture/Industrial Design/3D Design
• Web Design

Youth and mentors collaborate on creative projects, many specifically commissioned by clients. In the process, young artists develop entrepreneurial skills, and introduce audiences to the voice, vision and virtuosity of today’s youth. Artists For Humanity has produced fine art and creative products for most of Boston’s largest firms and organizations, and – despite the challenging economy – earned over $800,000 in sales last year.

The AFH model has received national recognition and has been studied extensively as an exemplar of effective mentorship, youth empowerment and social entrepreneurship. Their model has been disseminated internationally to organizations that utilize their framework of respect, relationships, and responsibility to empower young people in their communities.

In 2004, AFH completed its headquarters, the Platinum LEED Certified Artists For Humanity EpiCenter. Built to the highest levels of sustainability of the U.S. Green Building Council, it serves to inform its youth of issues of environmental stewardship, and serves as an inspiration and backdrop for their creativity. Named one of the “Top Ten Green Buildings” in the country, and one of the “5 Most Beautiful Buildings in Boston” it provides a fitting venue for perhaps the largest permanent display of youth-created fine art in the nation.

Quick Facts

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AFH has engaged several thousand teens since 1991 through creative job training and paid employment.

In 2009:

• 238 young people participated in our intensive after-school and summer program, the Youth Arts-enterprise.
• Of these, 208 completed the rigorous 72-hour training program and became paid employees of AFH.
• 56% of our youth employees have been employed at AFH for one year or more.

An additional 1,000 youth participated in ancillary programming at AFH.

• 90% of AFH high school seniors earn their diplomas on time.
• AFH works with the remaining 10% to guide them through alternative-education pathways, which they all eventually complete.
• This is nearly double the percentage of teens who graduate or earn equivalency diplomas from Boston Public Schools (51.3%).
• 80-90% of program graduates annually go on to post-secondary education; the remaining youth attend advanced programs and technical training. 12% of our youth receive academic scholarships.
• AFH has earned more than $6 million through the sale of our youth employees’ fine art, design services and other program opportunities.
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Artists For Humanity Co-Founders

Susan Rodgerson, Executive/Artistic Director – Susan is responsible for artistic direction; program development; administration; and fundraising. Blending her experience as an artist, educator, entrepreneur, and administrator, she has led Artists For Humanity since its founding 18 years ago. She studied fine art and art history at Art Institute of Boston and Radcliffe College. In 2008, Ms. Rodgerson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service by Tufts University for her exemplary work as an artist, activist, entrepreneur, environmentalist, teacher, and mentor.

Damon Butler, Brand Director – Mr. Butler, a co-founder and AFH alumnus, rejoined AFH as Design Director in 2008 after a three-year absence, during which he co-founded and directed the youth program NYC LAB through Sweat Equity Enterprises. Butler contributes to the ongoing development and refinement of Artists For Humanity’s arts and enterprise model. As a member of the US/UK Exploratory Partnership, he contributed to building a field for youth development and has been a featured speaker at several national conferences. Butler studied painting, illustration and graphic design at the Art Institute of Boston.

Rob Gibbs, Studio Director/Painting Mentor – A co-founder, AFH alumnus, and acclaimed street artist, Mr. Gibbs oversees the painting studio, directs large-scale public art projects, and trains teens in painting and mural production. He was awarded an Americorps Fellowship and Prudential Youth Leadership Fellowship. Gibbs has also been an active participant in building a field for youth development through conducting teen-leadership and mentorship training for AFH replication projects and at conferences such as Girls, Inc. and YouthBuild USA and Young Peoples Conference, Odyssey Belfast.

Jason Talbot, Studio Director/Video Mentor – Mr. Talbot, a co-founder and AFH alumnus, leads video instruction and special projects at AFH. He brings technical skills acquired through Adobe’s Youth Voices Training program and undergraduate study at the Art Institute of Boston with work experience gleaned a graphic designer for Turner Broadcasting and Going Interactive. In 2009, Mr. Talbot was selected for the prestigious Emerging Leaders Program run by University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Finance, Development, and Administrative Staff

Andrew Motta, Operations Director – Manager of the organization’s day-to-day and fiscal operations, Mr. Motta has his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Education from UMass Amherst. Motta also oversees “Spiritus Solaris,” including conducting tours, and overseeing program outreach and marketing. Mr. Motta has been with AFH since 1995.

Kafilat Lawal, Staff Accountant/Operations Assistant – Ms. Lawal joined AFH in April 2011. She balances AFH’s accounts receivable and payable, and assists the Operations Director with payroll and other fiscal functions of the organization. She graduated from Boston University in 2009 with a degree in Economics, and a minor concentration in Business Administration. Ms. Lawal volunteers in her community as mentor for high school girls in Providence, RI through the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. She is also a member of Rhode Island Young Professionals, which is a local chapter of the National Urban League.

Shisha King, Office Assistant/Youth Liaison – Ms. King joined AFH as a youth apprentice at age 15, working in our painting and photography studios. She joined AFH’s office staff in 2009 after graduating from Charlestown High School. King has taken on progressively more responsibility and is now responsible for leading student tours, helping prospective participants through the application process, managing youth employee files and general office management. Shisha is a student of Arabic and travelled to Egypt on scholarship to study for one month this January. She is currently saving money to enter a certificate program to become an English teacher abroad.

Brenda Leong, Executive Assistant – Ms. Leong is an AFH alumnus. Upon finishing the program, she went on to continue her passion in the arts and received a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University. She works closely with the Executive Director to manage her schedule and assist in correspondences.

Henry Goodrow, Development Director – Mr. Goodrow brings a passion for the visual arts, a commitment to youth development, and an entrepreneurial spirit to AFH’s fundraising team. He has helped strengthen the philanthropy programs at many of Boston’s most distinguished and unique organizations including Boston Ballet, Codman Square Health Center, and The Art Connection. Before joining the non-profit sector, Henry worked on Wall Street for 15 years. He has a B.A. in Economics from Columbia University.

Danielle Thompson, Associate Development Director – Ms. Thompson works closely with the Development Director on all resource development activities. An accomplished print-maker, she received a Bachelor of Science in Studio Arts from Skidmore College and a Master of Art in Fine Arts from Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Italy. She has also exhibited her work internationally. Thompson joined AFH in 2007.

Courtney Wheeler, Development Associate – Ms. Wheeler joined AFH in 2010 after graduating from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Studio Arts. She volunteered as a general assistant for four months before joining the permanent staff, and now works closely within Development and Individual Giving at AFH. Ms. Wheeler continues her own creative pursuits outside of AFH, as an active painter.

Kathrene Tiffany, Director of Major Gifts and Donor Engagement – Ms. Tiffany joined AFH in 2011 after volunteering on AFH’s Greatest Party on Earth Host Committee for many years. With a background in Arts and Economics from Bates College, Ms. Tiffany has spearheaded the event planning of AFH’s 20th Anniversary Gala, engaging new donors, and positioning AFH for continued success through individual giving. She is also a community activist.

Finance, Development, and Administrative Staff

Richard Frank, AFH Marketing Representative – Richard Frank joined forces with AFH in 2009 to help extend its mission and creative output to an international stage. In this endeavor, Frank combines his years of experience in sales and product development with his passion for social enterprise as a vehicle for youth development and collaboration.

George Mallett, Community Network Director – Mr. Mallett brings extensive business experience as a general manager and operations manager for small manufacturing companies to his role as Community Network Director. In this role, he oversees AFH’s efforts to build relationships and share our model with new communities. He received his Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Santa Cruz. Mr. Mallett joined AFH in 2007.

Events Staff

Alexis Naylor de Orellana, Events Manager – Alexis manages the rental of the EpiCenter for individual clients and coordinates AFH’s special events, including the annual fundraiser The Greatest Party on Earth. She attended New York University where she received a degree in Communication with a concentration in Graphic Design.  In 2011 she joined AFH with a background in Merchandising and Marketing.

Kristina Grinovich, Events and Communications Associate – After volunteering at AFH, Ms. Grinovich was hired in June 2011 to assist in coordinating events and managing special writing projects and social media outreach programs. After graduating from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Writing for Performance, Publication, and Media, Kristina worked for SPIN Magazine before moving back to Boston to pursue a career in the arts. Her writing has been published in the Inman Review and she is the co-founder of Debutant, an arts and literary magazine based out of Somerville.

AFH Artistic and Educational Mentors

Claudia DePiante Vicin, Design Director – Ms. DePiante Vicin cultivates corporate sponsorship and designs/oversees special projects and commissions. A graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, she exhibits her work widely, judges design competitions internationally, and speaks four languages, including Spanish, French and Italian. DePiante Vicin joined AFH in 2001.

Lesley Horrall, Education Director – Ms. Horrall began at AFH in February 2011 and is responsible for the educational programs at AFH, ensuring that participants reach their full potential at school and in post-secondary opportunities. She is also on the development team, researching government and education-related funding sources. After studying theater at New York University, Lesley received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Adolescent Development from San Francisco State University, with a focus on youth arts education. In 2010, she completed her Masters in Education from Harvard. Lesley has worked extensively in youth arts programming in after school settings as a program developer and coordinator, teacher, and grant writer.

Joseph Ramirez, Graphics Projects Coordinator and Mentor – Mr. Ramirez co-leads the Graphic Design Studio and contributes to organizational design projects. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art, and a long-time collaborator with AFH’s Screen-Printing Projects Coordinator, Tom Donovan. Ramirez joined AFH in 2007.

Genaro Ortega, Graphics/BEAD Mentor An experienced youth worker and graphic artist, Mr. Ortega joined AFH in 2011 as a Graphic Design Mentor. With the implementation of AFH’s unique BEAD program, Genaro was also given the role of BEAD Mentor, assisting in the painting studio as well as Graphics. Working with a variety of genres and mediums, Genaro encourages his mentees to explore all aspects of expression. He graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in Illustration.

Michael Guadarrama, Graphic Design Assistant/Motion Graphics/BEAD Mentor – Mike is an AFH alumnus who worked in New York City for a couple of years at a commercial design firm before returning to AFH to share his experience as a graphic and motion graphic artist. Motion graphics are an integral part of video and graphic design today and allow designers to draw a movie, add animation to live footage, or design images and set them into motion. By enlisting advanced graphic design apprentices in this process, he will teach teens critical skills in innovation, driven by a market that is consistently seeking a new aesthetic.

Haidan Hodgson, Photography/Projects Coordinator – A graduate of Boston’s University’s photojournalism program, Haidan coordinates AFH’s photography studio, including our ongoing collaboration with the Boston Globe’s Teens in Print publication. Hodgson joined AFH in 2002.

Mary Nguyen, Photography Mentor – Ms. Nguyen is an alumna of Artists For Humanity, and has been with the program since 2006. She has worked in the Photography studio throughout her whole employment at AFH, and now mentors the youth in both digital and film photography. She is currently studying for a Bachelors of Fine Arts at Newbury College.

Nick Farnham, 3D Design Studio Coordinator/3D Design Mentor – Mr. Farnham received a BFA in Sculpture form Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2009. He joined A.F.H. in 2010 after spending a summer in Colorado building sustainable trail structures with young adults.  He has additional experience as a welder, furniture maker, sculptor, carpenter, painter, metal fabricator, and exhibition installer all of which he draws on in his work with the youth in the 3D studio.

M Quinn, 3D Design Mentor – Ms. Quinn worked as an apprentice for a cabinet maker in Long Island before receiving her BFA in Furniture Design at Rhode Island School of Design. After graduating, she went on to work as an independent metal fabricator and designer in New York, before finally finding her way to AFH in 2012. Though much of her current work is predominantly steel, she works with a much broader range of materials, including but not limited to, woods, bronze and aluminum, plastics, electronics, foam and rubber, fiberglass, ceramics, textiles and more. She is excited to pass on her knowledge and skills by working side by side with the young apprentices here in the 3D Design Studio.

Andrea Vilanova, 3D Design Mentor – Originally from El Salvador, Ms. Vilanova came to the U.S. to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she graduated with a BFA and MFA in Architecture in 2005. Afterwards, she worked at TNG Architecture, an organization dedicated to the design of community need-based projects. Later, Ms. Vilanova worked as a Project Manager at PLA. She has also collaborated with Citizens Schools as an after-school architecture educator at the Mario Uma Academy in East Boston. She began working at AFH as a volunteer in the Sculpture Department, and since 2012, has been hired as a hands-on mentor.

Sneha Shrestha, Painting Mentor and Education Coordinator – Ms. Shrestha recently graduated from Gettysburg College with a double Bachelor of Art in Studio Art and Globalization Studies. Throughout her education, Ms. Shrestha received numerous awards for her work as an author, photographer, painter and illustrator. In 2009, she received a $10,000 grant from the Kathryn Davis Foundation Projects for Peace to establish a children’s library in Kathmandu, Nepal, and write, illustrate and photograph two bilingual children’s books. She has additionally been awarded a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to conduct research on Poverty, Gender and International Conservation Organization in Nepal. At AFH, Ms. Shrestha will contribute her skills to daily mentorship and program development in the painting studio, as well as the ongoing development of educational initiatives for our teen apprentices.

Maggi Brown, Painting Mentor – Maggi, who has led one of the Painting Studios since 2004, is a celebrated local artist. She has exhibited widely throughout the eastern seaboard and her many awards include the 1986 and 1993 Pollock-Krasner Fellowships; and a Fellowship from Radcliffe College’s Bunting Institute. Maggi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tufts University and a Graduate Certificate from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. She also studied under artists Lajos Matolsey and Vivian Milner Akers.

Laura Keane, Painting Mentor- Born under a military dictatorship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ms. Keane spent much of her early life traveling around South America, studying the art of the indigenous communities, and painting murals to earn a living. Since relocating in Boston, she has dedicated her time to sharing her art through mural projects with Boston youth, setting up projects in local high schools and at the Children’s Hospital. She continues to honor the indigenous communities she created with over the years by aligning her creative efforts with the fundraising and educational initiatives of the Rainforest Defense Fund and Land is Life, a coalition of indigenous peoples from around the world.

Szu-Chieh Yun, Painting Mentor/ Perry School Artist in Residence - An AFH Alumnus and recent graduate of Massachusetts College of Art, Ms. Yun has developed outstanding mentoring and artistic skills through her advancement at AFH. After serving as Assistant Mentor in Saturday Blast! and the Summer Arts Micro-enterprise for several years, Yun was promoted to Lead Mentor for AFH’s Saturday Blast! program. In this capacity, she oversaw our arts exploration program for middle school youth and supervises between two and four assistant mentors. Over the 2011 / 2012 school year, Yun is leading a new in-school partnership with the Oliver H. Perry K-8 School in South Boston, and mentoring full time after school in the painting studio.

Stephen Hamilton, Painting Mentor/Bead Mentor- Mr. Hamilton is a recent graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a degree in Illustration. In addition to being a talented illustrator, Mr. Hamilton is very interested in design, concept art and traditional fine arts.

Tom Donovan, Screenprinting/Special Projects Coordinator – A long-time collaborator during his previous position as a screenprinting and marketing professional at the Needham-based ChillyBear, Tom joined AFH in September 2006 to help innovate our Screenprinting Studio and marketing systems. He graduated from Emerson College in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Advertising/Public Relations and has 20 years experience in the screen printing industry.

Ryan Conley, Web Developer/ Web Design Mentor –An AFH alumnus, Mr. Conley was formerly a mentor in the Painting Studio who now manages the AFH website as well as leads a studio on interactive media and web design, that features instruction on the most current software applications available. Mr. Conley graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art and also received a certificate in web development from BHCC.

Paid Participants – Youth are actively engaged in all creative activity; marketing (e.g. outreach, publicity, and presentations); in determining, planning, and carrying out program initiatives; in micro-enterprise fundraising; and in the development and evolution of AFH itself. Micro-enterprise members are paid and treated as staff, having input into all innovations and future direction planning.

Volunteers – AFH enlists hundreds of volunteers each year through multiple avenues. Volunteers participate as members of our Board of Advisors (45) and by serving on the Greatest Party on Earth Host Committee (40). Individuals involved in these initiatives help AFH forge connections in the community; and help market, publicize and increase visibility and patronage to our annual fund raising events, the Greatest Party on Earth, and last year’s 20th Anniversary Gala (23) and other special events. AFH also enlists volunteer tutors (25) each year as part of our evening tutoring program for academically struggling teen apprentices. During AFH’s summer sessions, volunteers are recruited to teach workshops, give lectures, and share their expertise’s with our teens at our Live! After Hours program (15). Volunteer groups from companies, such as State Street, have also visited the EpiCenter to give their time on special projects (20). Finally, AFH also hosts interns each year, who help with administration, assistant mentorship in fine art and design studios, and on a project-by-project basis (20).