Julia is the Executive Director of Fine Arts for Children & Teens (FACT). Before joining FACT in 2000, Julia directed the fund raising efforts at Amigos Bravos, a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to preserving both the ecological and cultural richness of the Rio Grande watershed. She has also served as a Development Director for LightHawk, Santa Fe (1991-94); and New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Santa Fe, NM (1994-98). She received her B.A. in Literature, with Honors, from Purchase College, Purchase, NY, in 1985. She is a co-chair of the New Mexico Arts Education Advisory Council and board member of New Mexico Alliance for Arts Education. Julia brings 16 years of experience in nonprofit management as well as a long history of community service to her work as FACT's director.

A talented mixed media artist, Keelan has worked at FACT since 2002. She received her B.F.A. in Studio Art with a minor in Art History from the College of Santa Fe and has worked professionally as a gallery administrator, museum docent and artist's studio assistant. An art teacher for more than eight years, Keelan is currently working toward her K-12 state teaching certification at the Santa Fe Community College. Keelan has wanted to be an art teacher since she was four years old and tries to teach her two dogs to paint in between rebuilding her home on the weekends.

Lyn originally joined the FACT staff in 2001 and worked for FACT in a variety of administrative roles over the next three years. In April of 2006 she rejoined the FACT staff as Program Manager and is responsible for scheduling and preparing FACT's year-round, rotating student exhibitions. Lyn has her B.A. from Middlebury College and a M.Sc. in earth sciences from the University of Oregon. Prior to moving to Santa Fe in 1993, she was enrolled in the Diploma Program at the Museum School in Boston, MA.

Danielle is a graduate student at Southwestern College, where she is learning to combine her loves of art, nature and making a difference with a degree in art therapy and a certificate in ecopsychology. She strongly believes in the healing power of art and that through healing the individual you can heal the environment. Danielle's free time is spent outdoors with her chickens, goats and garden, trying to make life a little more sustainable.

Although new to FACT, Christi is no stranger to the non-profit climate of Santa Fe. As the former Executive Director of the Adaptive Ski Program of NM, Christi has an extensive marketing and development background. Her commitment and advocacy to those underserved in New Mexico has dominated her career. Christi lives in Santa Fe with her husband and two elementary aged boys.

Deanna came to FACT in January 2007. She has a BS in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis. She brings a wealth of experience working for other non-profits, state government and a large corporation. From junior high, Deanna has always had an interest in art, whether creating or enjoying. She also pursues efforts in community building and local politics. Her hobbies include bird watching, hiking and biking. Deanna is married to Santa Fe native Rick Martinez, and they have three dogs: Roxie, Gracie and Oscar.

Dallas lived in South Africa until she was 19 and then moved to London where she trained and worked as an X-ray technician. She moved to Santa Fe in 1980. While working for a flight instruction school she earned her private pilot license and participated in the annual women's Air Race Classic. Prior to joining FACT she worked at the Santa Fe Community Foundation managing the office and their technology systems.

A working watercolor artist with exhibits in Monterey Bay, California, Santa Fe and collections from coast to coast, Melinda has been at FACT since 2001. She received her B.F.A from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and has worked for 20 years as an art educator for children and adults in community and private art programs. Melinda was the founder and director of After School Artists, a visual-arts program for elementary-school children emphasizing using art-making and the creative process to build self-esteem. She is working toward her K-12 state teaching certification at the Santa Fe Community College. Melinda says she discovered the joys of color and design in her grandmother's drapery studio and was inspired to decorate and embellish her world ever since.

Shiela Cantrell was born and raised in Northern New Mexico. She feels very fortunate to have a large extended family close to her. Shiela received her B.A. in Elementary Education from the College of Santa. Fe. Shiela has had experience with children as a teacher, caretaker and as a mother of two wonderful girls. Shiela is very excited to join the FACT team. She believes that there is an artist in everyone and every child deserves the chance to explore their capabilities. Shiela has always had a passion for photography and loves working in the darkroom. You can find Shiela reading, swimming with her girls, boating with her husband or taking photographs.

Leland is a bilingual visual artist and art instructor. He recently moved to New Mexico from Washington DC, and has lived and taught in New York, Panama, Philadelphia, and on the Navajo Reservation. He holds a bachelors degree in Fine Art (illustration) and a Masters degree in Teaching Visual Art from the University of the Arts. He is also an alumnus of Teach for America, 2001-2003.

Claire Comfort received a B.A. in visual art from Oberlin College in the spring of 2007. Since graduating she has been living in Santa Fe. Claire has worked with several arts education organizations including P.S.1 (NY, NY), 92nd St Y (NY, NY), The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum (Santa Fe, NM), Girls Inc. (Santa Fe, NM) and is now thrilled to be working with FACT.

Before moving to Rhode Island when he was eleven, Eddie lived in the lush countryside of the Dominican Republic. In 2006, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Moving Image Arts with a minor in Photography. He is finishing his final semester of graduate school at the College of Santa Fe, where he'll obtain a Masters in Secondary Education. He is a certified teacher in the Visual Arts and Social Studies, an independent Moving Image Artist, and a FACT Art Instructor. During his middle school years, Eddie's art teacher asked him to join an afterschool photography workshop that she was doing. She gave him a disposable camera to photograph his community. His whole life changed; he began to explore ways of expressing himself visually and creatively. He used the camera to depict emotions and ideas, which helped him greatly in learning English as his second language and in seeing the world from different perspectives.

Aline started at FACT in September 2005. She received a B.A. in Foreign Literatures from Pomona College in California and her teaching credential from UCLA. Aline has experience working with children and youth as a teacher, careworker, and Americorps volunteer. She spent the past four years in Los Angeles, CA working as a kindergarten teacher. Aline returned to Santa Fe, where she grew up, in order to escape the insane L.A. lifestyle and to be near her extended family. Unfortunately the insane L.A. lifestyle seems to follow her wherever she goes, and she's still a workaholic fighting for time to go to yoga and ice skate.

Megan started at FACT in September 2005. She received her B.F.A. in Studio Art (emphasis in Painting) and minor in French at Truman State University in Missouri and also studied abroad at the Marchutz School of Art in Southern France. Before joining FACT, she taught English in Prague, Czech Republic and Costa Rica for two and a half years, and also taught Drawing in Costa Rica. Megan uses oil and mixed media to create work that suggests what connects and separates us in an ever-shifting world. She lives in Chimayó and is having way too much fun gardening flowers, tending to their needs and watching them grow.

Elaine Kidd is completing her degree in Art Education at UNM. She attended the Massachusetts College of Art majoring in Sculpture. Former gallery owner, museum shop manager and jewelry designer, Elaine is looking forward to sharing her knowledge and love of the arts with students. FACT has always held a special place in her heart as her son Jesse (now a studio art major in college) attended FACT afterschool programs when he was in elementary school.

Robert joined FACT in 2007 as an instructor, but has served as a volunteer in our studios for three years. He has lived and worked in Santa Fe as a visual artist for 20 years and is a certified expressive arts therapist ( C.E.A.T.). Robert is currently completing an Associates degree in Human Services with a concentration in the arts at Santa Fe Community College.