52nd Street Project

Kat (she/her) is a formerly undocumented Filipino. She has been working in the field of theatre in education for over 20 years. Prior to joining The Project community, Kat was part of the Creative Arts Team (CAT) community, going from youth theatre member in 1996 to becoming Program Director for the Literacy through Drama program. She has also studied Applied Theatre at the CUNY SPS. Lastly, Kat is a visual and theatre artist, and a youth rights advocate.

Avi (he/they) is a Turkish-American composer, sound artist, and educator. He has written hundreds of songs with the young people at The 52nd St. Project over the years and continues to be inspired each time he sets foot in the building. Outside of The Project, Avi is a sought-after collaborator in theater, film, dance, and experiential art. Recent work includes music, songs, and sound design for projects with: Ars Nova, Atlantic Theater, The Civilians, Disney, HBO Films, HERE Arts, Hulu, The Kennedy Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, New York Theater Workshop, The New Victory, PlayCo, Roundabout Theater, SoHo REP, Spotify/Gimlet, St. Louis REP, and Tribeca Film Festival, among others. Avi is the recipient of the Thom Thomas Award and a Jonathan Larson Grant. He is also a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, a New Jewish Culture Fellow, and an inaugural fellow with THE WORKSHOP. Avi teaches a variety of collaborative art-making courses at NYU Tisch, where he received his MFA in Musical Theatre Writing. www.aviamon.com.

Ahmed (he/him) is a former Project kid and a graduate of Lehman College where he earned his BA in History and in Theatre. Prior to re-joining the Project, Ahmed was a part of the Whitney Museum’s membership team for 2 years, joining them when they moved to their new location downtown. He was also an Educator at the New York Historical Society, where he enjoyed guiding kids of all ages through the museum’s exhibitions. More than anything, Ahmed loves tennis, despite a woeful record playing for the Lehman College tennis team (a record Ahmed refuses to speak about or acknowledge).

George worked for years as a bicycle mechanic at Bicycle Habitat in New York City while futilely pursuing a career in the theater. Prior to working at the Project, he helped found Recycle-A-Bicycle. George also traveled the world as a member of TheaterSports New York, an improv comedy troupe. He has a degree in English Literature from Hunter College. George is also a PADI SCUBA Divemaster and a member of the New York Aquarium Volunteer Dive Team since 2007. Two of his proudest achievements are swimming the Hellespont in Turkey in 2015 and 2019 with his wife Vanessa Valdes. He loves the Project, is delighted to finally have that elusive career in the theater, and wants to work here for a couple of centuries.

Liz received a BA in English with a minor in Philosophy from Villanova University in 1998. She has a long history with the organization, beginning as a volunteer Homework Helper in 2000 and becoming an intern that same year. In 2001, she completed her MA in American and British Literature from NYU, and joined the Project staff, serving as the Director of Education for 17 years. In 2009, she received her MSW at Fordham University, with a concentration in clinical social work and a specialization in children and families, earning licensure in 2010. In 2017, she became a licensed clinical social worker, received her certification in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, and became an Affiliate Member at IPTAR (Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research). In addition to being Clinical Consultant to the Project, she has a private practice (Elizabeth Bell, LCSW) working individually with adolescents and adults.

Diego (he/him) is a Filipino-Mexican theatre artist with a passion for both technical and creative elements of the stage. His first encounter with the 52nd Street Project was in 2018 during an iTheatrics recording, where he recalls wandering through the prop-filled stairs, waiting in the iconic blue room, and feeling uncertain about his future in theatre. Though originally pursuing a path in mechanical engineering, the three days spent at the Project convinced him to explore a broader interest in theatre, helping him to switch paths and earn his BFA in Acting with a Minor in Environmental Studies. Before fully diving into theatre, Diego spent many years competitively dancing in various styles, particularly tap, with Spark of Creation Studios in South San Francisco. Now, as a proud member of the 52nd Street Project team, he is thrilled to contribute to the community that helped shape his theatre journey.

Abigail (whom we usually call Abby) is a Fordham University graduate who joined the Project in 2023 as an intern and volunteer and has stuck around ever since, participating in programs like Playmaking and Teen Ensemble. Before joining the Project team, she worked with young people of all ages in a variety of settings, from tutoring to summer camp to donning a mascot costume at birthday parties. When she’s not at the Project, Abby can be found advocating for public transit, researching disability representation in popular media, or telling her friends and family about public transit and disability representation in popular media.

Ana (she/they) is a Mexican-born theater enthusiast and purveyor of the arts. She moved to New York in 2019 to attend Pace University and shortly after found the 52nd Street Project where she became an intern and volunteer. Ana has participated as a dramaturg, backstage crew, and in-class volunteer for many programs such as Playmaking and Teen Ensemble. Throughout her youth, Ana spent her time studying and practicing different performing arts in Arizona, Southern Texas, and NYC. Her other interests include fashion, travel, carbohydrates, sports that are mostly stretching, and films about immigrants. She lives in Hell’s Kitchen with her husband and her two cats, Elliot and Lana.

Natalie was born and raised in San Francisco. She attended Brown University and then received a Masters in Applied Theater from the City University of New York. Before coming to the Project, she directed the Junior Youth Theater of the Creative Arts Team. For many summers, she was the Performance Coordinator of Camp Winnarainbow, a performance arts and circus camp in Northern California. Natalie can speak fluent French, juggle, and walk on stilts. She is also trained in a number of different dance techniques. She is totally exhilarated to be joining the Project Team.

Garrett (he/him) is a theater-maker and educator based in New York City. He joined the staff in 2015 after interning and volunteering at The Project. He has taught at First Stage Children’s Theater in Milwaukee for their Theatre Academy and their Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum. As a playwright, Garrett has developed work with Ars Nova, Rattlestick Theater, The New Harmony Project, The Parsnip Ship, Leviathan Lab, and Piper Theatre Company, to name a few. When he’s not involved with theater-related shenanigans, Garrett can be found tending his plants, cooking, or playing tabletop games with his friends. B.A. Fordham University.

Carol has worked in the non-profit theater community for over 35 years and recently celebrated her 30th anniversary at the Project. One of her major accomplishments was the completion of a $20 million dollar capital campaign and construction of a brand new theater and home for the neighborhood kids. Carol came to the Project from Lincoln Center Theater where she worked for five years in finance and general management. Previously, she was director of marketing and development for the Ark Theater Company of Soho. She holds an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama and has taught there. She is a board member of the Human Arts Association, AisFor, and ART/NY and has sat on the Nancy Quinn Fund and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs grants panels.

John (he/him) joined the staff of The 52nd Street Project in 1998, from Lincoln Center Theater where he was Development Associate and Research Associate for four years. Prior to that he worked at the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, CT. John is also a lyricist and published playwright with an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Brandeis University. His plays have been seen in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Louisville.

Liz is an educator, facilitator, performer, theater director, and filmmaker. Liz is a proud mother, Latina, and a native of the Bronx. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from Marymount Manhattan College and a Master of Arts in Applied Theater from the City University of New York. Early in her career, Liz concentrated on developing youth theater productions in New York City while serving as the Associate Program Director for the Creative Arts Team. In 2012, she founded the Park Avenue Youth Theater Company, producing and directing over twenty original shows. Liz has actively participated in various educational conferences and collaborated with diverse communities. Her experiences have allowed her to engage with individuals from numerous backgrounds, enriching her understanding and impact in the field of arts education.

Caylyn is a Bay Area native and way too proud of it. At NYU she performed in the Stella Adler tour of Th. Caylyn has taught at Kids On Camera and the Marsh Youth Theatre as well as interned at the American Museum of Natural History.

Brianna is better known as “Bri” (it rhymes with “glee”). Bri has been working in theater since she was in 2nd grade. She completed her MFA in Technical Production in spring of 2020 and has worked in educational theatre throughout her career. Prior to moving to New York, Bri worked in dance, concert production, events, and theatre, and is excited to come back to her ultimate goal of creating theatre while working with young people.

Yazzy (she/her) is a former Project kid and a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Economics. At the University of Michigan Yazzy was the co-chair of the Latino Culture Show and a member of F.O.K.U.S. – an arts advocacy non-profit/student org. Yazzy worked at the 52nd Street Project from 2016-2019, but left after the birth of her second child. She currently sits on the executive board of the Parents Association at her children’s school. Yazzy is super excited to be back at the Project!!