2015 SmART Bar Consultant Biographies

Andrew Chiang, Executive Director, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Andrew Chiang earned his black belt in Go-Ju at 17 and began studying Kung-Fu at 18.   After earning his MS in Computer Science at MIT, he studied at the Martha Graham School, re-discovering the link between ancient Asian movement styles and contemporary dance.  He is the Executive Director of the Nai-Ni Chen Company by marriage.  While creating one of the top Asian American dance troupes, he developed some of the most innovative digital systems in telecommunication, government and finance. Andy was a Board Member of Dance/USA, and recently retired from the Board of the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.

Lauren Gibbs, Founder & Director, LG Capital for Culture, LLC

Lauren Gibbs is a multi-disciplinary arts administrator with 13+ years of experience and proven results in diversified fundraising strategies.  As a former dancer, she has predominantly worked with start-up to medium sized dance companies and dedicates her career to promoting and advancing the nonprofit cultural sector.

She has held both directorial, full-time and consulting position in development for a variety of arts organizations, including: Ballet Hispanico, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Jose Limon Dance Foundation, Monica Bill Barnes & Company, Afro House Productions, Company Stefanie Batten Bland, Gallim Dance, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Museum of Arts and Design, Signature Theater Company, Tarrytown Music Hall, Millay Arts Colony, and Queens Symphony Orchestra, among others. Gibbs has extensive experience in the creation and implementation of annual and capital development plans; solicitation of diversified support through prospect research, grant writing, membership, and individual giving; board development and cultivation; event planning and execution; nonprofit incorporation; general management and marketing.

She has taught development strategy as a guest professor for the Master’s Program at Brooklyn College and Hostos College. She has served as a multi-year dance grant panelist for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and a SmART Bar presenter at the Dance/USA Philadelphia and Dance/NYC Winter Symposiums. She is currently an Advisory Board member for Monica Bill Barnes & Company and she is also a member of many local cultural nonprofits in Brooklyn where she resides. She received her M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from N.Y.U. and a dual Bachelors Degree in Dance/Theatre and International Business from James Madison University.

Elissa D. Hecker, Esquire; Dance/NYC Board Chair

Elissa D. Hecker practices law in the entertainment and business fields. Her practice focuses on copyright, trademark and business law.  Her clients encompass a large spectrum of the entertainment world. In addition to her private practice, she edited the books Entertainment Litigation - Know the Issues and Avoid the Courtroom, In the Arena and Counseling Content Providers in the Digital Age.

Hecker is Chair of the Board of Directors of Dance/NYC. She is also a Member of the Advisory Board of MARACAS and the Legal Advisory Committee of Safe Football. She is Past Chair of the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law (EASL) Section of the New York State Bar Association, Editor of the EASL Journal, amember of the Editorial Board of the NYSBA Bar Journal, and Co-Chair and founder of the EASL Pro Bono Committee. She is also editor of the EASL Blog. Hecker is a frequent author, lecturer and panelist, a Trustee of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. (CSUSA), a member of the Board of Editors for The Journal of the CSUSA, and the CSUSA’s Newsletter Editor.

Amber Henrie, Founder and CEO, In The Lights

Amber Henrie is a seasoned PR veteran and arts professional. She leads In The Lights with strategic diligence and empowerment for its clients. She has coordinated and developed marketing, branding, social media and media outreach initiatives with large corporations, emerging start-ups, non-profits and artists. Bringing principles learned in dance training – discipline, tenacity and attention to details – she successfully publicized the technology, consumer and entertainment sectors for 6 years before starting In The Lights in 2010. She now brings technology understanding into her press campaigns for arts organizations; specifically encouraging companies explore simple ways to effectively utilize technology and new media to gain the spotlight. She holds a B.A. in Dance from Brigham Young University.

Mattie Kaiser, Promotion Manager, G. Schirmer Inc./AMP

Mattie Kaiser manages the dance and collaborative projects catalogues for G. Schirmer Inc, the oldest continuously active North American music publisher and a part of the international Music Sales Group. She was the founder and director of Classical Revolution PDX, which was hailed as "one of Oregon’s most important classical music institutions" (Oregon ArtsWatch). Under Kaiser’s direction, Classical Revolution PDX produced more than thirty inventive outreach performances a year in Portland, Oregon. She has a B.M. in viola performance from The San Francisco Conservatory of Music and is continuing her education by pursuing certification in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, a method for teaching rhythmic movement as well as physical and instrumental improvisation at Carnegie Mellon University, and at the Lucy Moses School in New York City. She currently performs with Aaron Butler in a viola and piano duo called Sound Narcissist, and as a cast member for Mind the Art Entertainment.

Kathy Kim, Esquire

Kathy Kim is on the general management staff of 101 Productions, Ltd. Kathy is also a Co-Chair of the EASL Pro Bono Committee of the New York State Bar Association. From a young age, she fell in love with the world of dance and theatre and loves that she can participate in events to serve this community such as through the Dance/NYC Symposium.

Rosalba Mazzola, CPA, Mazzolla Financial Services

Rosalba Mazzola has been a licensed, practicing CPA since 1998 in the state of NY and subsequently obtained license in New Jersey as well. She graduated from St. John’s University with an undergraduate degree in Accounting and pursued a career in public accounting.  She began her career working in the tax department of one of the largest accounting firms in the nation. She later took a position as a Controller for a mid-size accounting firm assisting managing partner with all aspects of firm’s operations. In 2004 she began working for a firm that specialized in the accounting and tax needs of those working in the performing arts industry. Mazzola decided to start her own practice, Mazzola Financial Services, in 2007 providing accounting and tax services to individuals and small businesses while continuing to specialize in tax services for those working in the performing arts industry. She recently obtained her Masters in Taxation from St. John’s University and has been an adjunct professor for over four years teaching accounting & taxation courses for both accounting and non-accounting majors.

Amy Miller, Artist Representative, Pentacle

Amy Miller joined Pentacle in July 2014 as Artist Representative, a role in which she builds opportunities between a roster of dance artists and presenters from around the nation. She graduated in May 2014 from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with an MA in Performance Studies, a program that strengthened her knowledge of the connective possibilities between academia and the performing arts presenting field. Prior to her time at NYU, she lived in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN), where she worked as Community Programs Manager at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. During her five years there, her work strived to connect touring performing artists from around the globe to the local community by designing and producing community-based programs, events, and residencies. Before joining the Ordway team, she served the Twin Cities refugee community through work in refugee resettlement and as Chair of Twin Cities World Refugee Day. She also has a background in West African dance and various social dance forms, piano, and photography, and holds a BA in Global Studies, Music Performance, and Women’s Studies from Hamline University.

Harold Norris, Director of Booking/Artist Representation Services, Pentacle

Harold Norris was founder and director of H-Art Management from 2002-2014, a full-service agency for touring performing arts companies in America and abroad. Successful artists and collaborations that Norris oversaw with H-Art included: SITI Company at the Dublin Theatre Festival, Batsheva Dance Company in collaboration with David Eden Productions, Rennie Harris Puremovement, the 50-State 50th-Anniversary tour of the Paul Taylor Dance Company/Taylor 2, the 11-city tour of the St. Petersburg Capella Choir also in collaboration with David Eden Productions, RUBBERBANDance Group from Canada, Emanuel Gat Dance from Israel, The Civilians’ Gone Missing, Universes’ Slanguage, and Ilkhom Theatre from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, performing Ecstasy With The Pomegranate, White White Black Stork, and Imitations of the Koran. For 10 years, Norris worked with Rena Shagan Associates, pairing major presenters with some of the world’s most accomplished dance and theater troupes. He is a past Vice-President of NAPAMA, the national service organization for North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents, and serves on the Arts Presenters Conference Committee. Before relocating to New York he worked with Stage One, the Louisville Children’s Theater, serving as Tour Coordinator/Company Manager and then instituted the troupe’s immensely successful national touring program. Norris attended Oklahoma State University as a theater/music major.

Jina Paik, Associate Director of Advisory Services for Nonprofit Finance Fund.  

Jina Paik oversees NFF’s Metropolitan New York region in the delivery of strategic financial advisory services and manages business development, funder initiatives, and relationship building across the region. As a senior consultant, Paik leads advisory engagements that help nonprofits with business plans, management tools, needs assessments and financial management coaching.  She came to NFF from the philanthropic sector, including the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Helene Fuld Health Trust. In addition to her work at NFF, Ms. Paik is board treasurer of Dance/NYC, which serves New York City’s dance community through advocacy, research and convenings.  She holds an M.S. from the Milano Graduate School in Urban Policy Analysis, a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and a certificate in leadership from Columbia University’s School of Business.

Honie Ann Peacock, President, HAP’nings now inc.

HAP’nings now inc. is a business coaching and consulting firm that works holistically to assist small arts organizations reach their maximum potential by creating and implementing strategic approaches to marketing, business planning, organization development and fund-raising with a specialty in social enterprise and developing/ increasing earned income streams.

Founder, Honie Ann Peacock has a unique, pragmatic approach based on her unique background of working in Fortune 500 companies, NYC government, and in founding four small businesses of her own – including a socially entrepreneurial 501c.3 in culinary arts. Ms. Peacock is an entrepreneur and an agent of change. She has won recognition and awards for exceptional entrepreneurial outcomes in diverse organizations. Workshops and one-on-one consulting for the following NPOs and their constituencies: Bronx Council on the Arts, Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Co, Christine Suarez Dance Co., Pregones Theater, IATI, Association of Hispanic Arts, Greene County Council on the Arts, and NYSCA.

Jane Penn, Penn Consulting Group

Jane Penn has spent her career working in the not-for-profit sector providing fundraising guidance to New York City culturals since 1997.  In that time she worked with close to two dozen arts organizations and independent artists thanks to a consulting practice, as well as senior development positions. Penn began her career as Development Manager at the Limón Dance Company, and, most recently, served as Associate Director of Development at The Studio Museum in Harlem, where she was responsible for raising $3 million annually.  Adept at juggling day-to-day demands with the need to implement a plan for the future,Penn specializes in helping nonprofits leverage institutional assets, increase their capacity and creatively resolve longstanding bottlenecks.  Clients: The American Tap Dance Foundation, The Tank, SculptureCenter, Misnomer Dance Theater and DanceBrazil.

Susan Koblin Schear, ARTISIN, LLC 

Susan Schear founded ARTISIN, LLC in 1995 to offer comprehensive, process-oriented and holistically-based planning and business development, management and implementation services to the arts and design sector. She also founded a2a® / Artist-to-Artist™ to help artists, arts-related/creative-sector businesses, and artists in hybrid careers, develop the business side of their creative practices.

Schear draws on her many years of prior corporate experience when working with her clients (arts/cultural organizations and artists). Her visionary strengths and grassroots approach allow her to be particularly resourceful to her clients as she has the unique ability to help them develop strong relationships, and “translate” business / entrepreneurial skills and practices in order to understand and feel comfortable with business ownership and responsibilities. She excels at keeping her “finger on the pulse” of the external environment, “connecting the dots” that are often not obvious; and, “seeing” missed opportunities. She is able to quickly develop trust to assist her clients in moving forward by understanding their needs and then helping them to set and realize their goals, particularly during difficult times.

Ms. Schear is an established speaker, moderator, facilitator and trainer and provides workshops and seminars as part of her practice. She formerly served as the National Professional-Development Workshop Consultant for the College Art Association. She is a visiting assistant professor at Pratt Institute’s Graduate Arts and Cultural Management (ACM) Program, since 2002, and has also been a thesis advisor to ACM students. She is a board trustee and also serves on several advisory committees and has received several awards and honors.

Janice L. Shapiro, Director of Development, National Jazz Museum in Harlem

Janice L. Shapiro is a senior leader in the arts with wide-ranging experience and expertise in fundraising, nonprofit management, leadership and board development, team building, grantmaking, and strategic planning.   She is currently Director of Development at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.  Janice has served the field as Director of Professional Development at the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, Managing Director of the Brooklyn Arts Council, Managing Officer for Grants and Services at the New York Foundation for the Arts, Program Associate in the Arts at The Pew Charitable Trusts, and Special Assistant to the Director of Philanthropy for the Rockefeller family.   As a consultant, she has worked with organizations and artists including the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Movement Research, Richard Move, Heidi Latsky, Larry Goldhuber, Tami Stronach, Bridgman/Packer Dance, Philadelphia Dance Projects, La MaMa, and The Foundry Theatre among others.  Janice danced and taught with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company and was Phylicia Rashad's Assistant on The Cosby Show prior to studying arts management.

Stephanie Spindell, Consultant, National Executive Services Corporation

Stephanie Spindell is a consultant with a life-long passion for arts and culture.  She provides her services to arts and education nonprofits and currently consults for National Executive Services Corporation (NESC), an organization providing management and consulting services to the nonprofit and public sectors. She helps groups identify critical organization-wide strengths and weakness, and then proposes program, operational, and financial plans to support greater impact, stability and sustainability.  Stephanie has assisted nonprofit organizations by presenting revenue opportunities and feasibility studies, customizing and clarifying financial reports & processes, improving program outcome measurement, and providing budget planning and funding strategy. Companies include: Dance New Amsterdam, NYC Dance Week, White Wave Young Soon Kim Dance Company and Books for Kids.  Prior to her nonprofit experience, Stephanie served more than 15 years as Vice President and Credit Officer at leading financial institutions including Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch & Company and Standard & Poor’s Corporation, where she assessed clients’ strategic, operational and financial sustainability. She has a Certificate in Nonprofit Financial Management and Reporting from Baruch College. She received a Masters of Business Administration (Finance) from New York University-Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a Bachelors in Mathematics from Connecticut College (with 32 dance credits).

Susan Stedman, Arts Consultant

Through her consulting firm, Susan Stedman provides performing and visual artists, as well as staff and board members of nonprofit organizations, with key services and solutions to strengthen their creative practices and carry out their goals: developing good business and professional skills; raising and managing financial resources; designing communications and marketing plans, and implementing strategies for sustainability. Working with organizational leaders as well as start-up organizations she conducts strategic planning, facilitates board development and governance, designs and manages earned revenue and charitable fundraising campaigns and helps to build collaborative partnerships, as needed. As executive director/administrator she led several arts and grant making (NYS Council on the Arts, Massachusetts Arts and Humanities, Wheeler Foundation, etc.) organizations. And, Stedman has also served more than 60 arts, education and social justice clients such as the Smithsonian Institution; National Park Service; Norwalk Maritime Center; La Napoule Art Foundation (FR, US); British Museum International Trust; Museum Education Consortium (Museum of Modern Art, NY); NAACP Legal Defense Fund; Joffrey Ballet; American Indian College Fund; Bronx Museum; Asian Americans for Equality; Paper Bag Players; CUE Art Foundation; Julliard School, L. Henderson Scholarship Fund; Bearden Foundation; Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art.