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Creative Connections partners with more than 50 schools in New York City. Many of the Success Coaches who implement our programs are working artists and entrepreneurs. All of them have extensive teaching experience and undergo comprehensive facilitator training with Creative Connections. Our coaches are college graduates, great role models, and have a driving passion to work with inner-city youth.
MAXINE ROCA
Senior Program Manager
ABDUL-QAWIY ABDUL-KARIM
ABBY CONKLIN
Program Manager
ELIZABETH BARROW
CFO, President
EARL HAGEN
CEO, Founder
SUZANNA RAMOS
Operations Manager
STAFF
ELIZABETH BARROW
CFO, President
EARL HAGAN
CEO, Founder
MAXINE ROCA
Senior Program Manager
Senior Program Manager
ABDUL-QAWIY ABDUL-KARIM
Program Director
Program Manager
MARISSA BLOSE
SAM DIAZ
Program Manager
MATTHEW AUFFREY
Community School Director
Community School Director
JUSTIN CARLISLE
SUZANNA RAMOS
Operations Manager
ABBY CONKLIN
Program Manager
HANNAH CHRISTENSEN
Program Administrator
Community School Director
ERIN CULLEN
SUCCESS COACHES
AMANDA JOY
SCHWARTZ
Amanda Joy earned a BFA from the University at Buffalo. She loves the movie Mean Girls!
ANNABELLE PAEZ
Annabelle studied at dance at Laguardia Community College. She speaks Spanish and Italian, and has performed in patois in a Jamaican folk choir.
ASHA JOHN
Asha studied at Penn State for her B.S. in Actuarial Science and is completing her masters at NYU for Educational Theater. She speaks Spanish and competes annually in a dance sketch comedy competition
ASHA WHALE
Asha received her B.A. in History from City College of New York, and her favorite childhood movie is Matilda
BASSIT MALAM
Bassit attended the City College of New York. He speaks Houssa, Tchamba, and Arabic, and is able to fall asleep anywhere
CARL BARTLETT JR
Carl received a Bachelors of Music in Jazz Alto Sax Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and attended grad school at Queens College. He speaks Spanish and enjoys juggling
DAMON DANIELS
Danessa studied at Hunter College and received her BA in English. She speaks Spanish and is a self-proclaimed Nintendo nerd.
DANESSA
RODRIQUEZ
Erica studied at Marygrove College and received her BFA. Her favorite color is purple!
ERICA BLAKE
Gladys received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She also makes and sells hip hop beats!
GLADYS BROWN
Guerdley received her B.A. in English from Pace University and speaks French Creole. She loves DIY arts and crafts, and repurposing old clothes
GUERDLEY CAJUS
DONESSA WILLIAMS
Donessa studied at Temple University for her B.A. and received her masters in Public Administration from MCNY. She enjoys acting and writing!
JULIETTE NIEVES-
BECKER
Juliette graduated with Honors from Pace University with a B.A. in Commercial Dance and a minor in Arts Administration. She loves to bake!
JOSEPH BIEHL
Joe attended St John's University for his Bachelor's in Psychology, and The City Univeristy of New York for graduate school. He has never seen ET
LARON DOWDELL
Laron graduated from East Carolina University with a Masters in Social Work, and personally doesn't think his dimples are cute.
LESLIE CAMACHO
Leslie studied at Hunter College CUNY for undergrad and Fordham School of Education for her graduate degree. She speaks Spanish and roller dances.
MATTHEW HARMS
Matt attended Iona College and graduated with a Bachelors in Finance. He speaks Spanish and loves to write, publishing his first book in 2018!
NALIAKA WAHISI
Naliaka attended Northwestern University for her B.S. triple majoring and received her M.P.S. from New York University. She speaks Spanish and is a vegan chef!
ROWA EL TOHAMI
Rowa attended Columbia University and has a B.A. in Middle Eastern South Asian African Studies. She speaks Arabic and grew up in 3 different continents!
RYAN KIM
Ryan received a BFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University and speaks Japanese, Spanish, German and ASL. He has visited 30 countries, 15% of the world!
SHARLENE PIVERGER
Sharlene graduated with a B.S. in Marketing & Finance from NYU and speaks Haitian Creole. She was once in a Greek milk commercial during a spring break trip!
SHERILL-MARIE HENRIQUEZ
Sherill-Marie attended Columbia for her B.A. and graduated from NYU with a M.A. in Educational Theater. She can speak Spanish and Italian, and she was her high school mascot!
SHYANNE VALENTINE
Shyanne attended Clark Atlanta University and graduated with her Masters in Social Work. She can speak Chinese, and has traveled to 26 different countries.
SUZANNE
DARRELL
TAMARA THOMAS
Tamara attended Cornell University for her degree in Policy Analysis and Management, and completed graduate school at Temple. She loves to knit!
TAYLOR GOSKA
Taylor graduated at Point Park University with a B.A. in Psychology and Dance and is currently completing her MSW at Fordham. She used to live in Rome, Italy!
TERRENCE BUTLER
Terrence completed his B.A. at Columbia University and studied at Howard University Law School after that! He speaks Spanish and enjoys playing online games.
VERONICA CISNEROS
Veronica completed her B.A. in Anthropology at the University of Texas and her M.A. in Sociology of Education at NYU. She speaks Spanish and her first job was singing in her father's band.
WENDY MUSKAT
Wendy graduated with a B.A. in Art History from Case Western Reserve University, and completed her masters at Fordham. She has seven grandchildren!
