Staff
Derrick J. Washington
Derrick J. Washington
Executive Director
Axel Cruz
Axel is a bilingual (English/Spanish) working artist with experience contributing to and teaching performing arts, including production, directing, design, acting, coaching, and choreography. He is a creative leader adept at interpreting themes and emotions through dance, music, movement, and live performance, including telling stories that give voice to marginalized populations and promote change. Axel uses the arts to instruct students of all ages and abilities, giving diverse individuals opportunities to become creative storytellers.
Axel moved to Maryland in summer 2022. His most recent position was as Director/Producer/Designer at ARC Productions in Holyoke, MA which he founded in 2014. At ARC he managed and directed productions that explored stories of black and brown and queer-identifying people. He collaborated with production teams on all logistical and performance aspects and oversaw budgeting, hiring, and scheduling. At the same time, Axel worked as a Teaching Artist (Pre-K to Adulthood) at Enchanted Circle Theater, where he used improvisation games and movement and vocal exercises to provide tools for learning. He also created and facilitated a Shakespeare curriculum for high school students and worked as a paraprofessional with students with disabilities.
Axel has experience as a theatre electrician, lighting and stage manager, and production designer. He also managed rehearsals and directed virtual theatre productions and musical theatre.
Axel has a Bachelor of Arts, Theater from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an Associate of Arts, Theater from Holyoke Community College. Axel received a Community Spirit Award from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Leslie Phillips Memorial Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts.
Axel Cruz
Theatre & Events Manager
Mimi Hess
Mimi Hess was promoted to Director of Development in 2020 after joining ArtStream as a grant writing consultant in 2018. Since becoming Director of Development, the number of grants received per year has increased 42%, the average grant amount has increased by 81%, and the total yearly amount of grant funding has increased 217%. ArtStream is proud to have 85% grant acceptance rate and a score of 98 from the Maryland State Arts Council, higher than any other arts organization in Maryland.
Mimi holds a BA Magna cum Laude from The University of Chicago, and was a Judaic Studies Graduate Fellow at Princeton University. She serves on the board of the national education non-profit Integrated Schools.
Mimi Hess
Director of Development
Shea Martin
Shea’s database experience includes recording and updating patient information and research data at Baylor University Hospital in Texas and processing payments at various jobs. Shea honed her customer service skills at Wine and Design and Muse Paint Bar. Shea has a BA in Fine Arts in Studio Art from The University of Mary Washington. She is continuing her studies to obtain a Master’s degree that combines art and science. She will be working 10 hours per week.
Shea Martin
Database Coordinator
Rachael Sutherland
Rachael joined ArtStream in the fall of 2021. Her most recent positions were as Marketing Manager for Divine Dance Institute (DDI) in Washington, DC, where she also taught, performed, and serves on the Board of Directors. Prior to that she organized national audition tours and managed the Summer Intensive Program for the Kirov Academy Ballet.
Rachael is a Teaching Artist and is experienced in project management, interpersonal communications, public relations, scheduling, contracting, event coordination, and outreach. She adapted DDI’s programs for virtual learning. She is resourceful, reliable, and strategic. As a Teaching Artist, performer, and choreographer, she will bring a creative collaborative approach to her work. Rachael is passionate about building bridges between the arts and business.
Rachael has a B.A. in Dance Business with a Marketing Minor from Anderson University, and expects to graduate from Goucher College with a M.A. in Arts Administration in 2023.
Rachael Sutherland
Program ManagerBoard of Directors
Jonathan Tepper
Jonathan Tepper has a 30+ year career as a sales and marketing professional. He recently accepted a position as Vice-President of Sales for Timberlake Homes, Annapolis Maryland, having spent the last 5 years as President/Owner of Tactical Sales, Inc.; a sales & marketing consultancy firm.
His focus has been on sales training and development and he served on the Northern Virginia Building Association Sales Achievement Committee and the Maryland Builder Association Sales Advisory committee. Over his career Jonathan has been associated with national homebuilders, leading their efforts in land development, sales, and marketing strategies for the mid-Atlantic region.
Jonathan served on the board of the ARC of Montgomery County and has been a coach with Montgomery County Special Olympics for over 15 years.
He received his BBA and his MBA with a concentration in finance and marketing, from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
Jonathan is married with one son, who has been performing with ArtStream since 2006.
Jonathan is looking forward to bringing his extensive knowledge to the ArtStream Board, to help further the outreach of this wonderful organization.
Jonathan Tepper
Chair
Darlene Richeson
Darlene Richeson is President and CEO of MaZie Global Solutions, a specialty government relations firm, which advises client senior leadership teams on managing organizational change, advocating business policy, performing outreach, building coalitions, and developing relationships with members of Congress, government agencies, and relevant stakeholders. Prior to founding MaZie Global Solutions, Darlene was an executive with Travelers Insurance, Bell of Pennsylvania, AT&T, GTE, and Verizon. She has over 30 years of business experience.
Darlene is a Brookings Institution Congressional Fellow, holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD, and an MBA from Widener University, Chester, PA.
Darlene serves on the boards of non-profit organizations, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, Inc. (NCBA) and CHI Centers, Inc. She is also a member of the Association of Change Management Professionals and is an Adjunct Professor for the Organizational Development graduate program at Webster University’s George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology, National Capital Region.
Her son, Tory Richeson “TR”, has been involved in ArtStream since 2011 and performs with the Silver Spring ArtStream Theatre Company.
Darlene Richeson
Vice President
Molly Myers
Formely, Senior Vice President of the National Venture Capital Association(NVCA), Molly Myers has over 25 years of management experience.
Molly is currently a Board Member and serves as the Board President of Residential Continuum, Inc.(RCI). RCI, a non-profit organization, owns 49 group homes in Montgomery County Maryland housing developmentally disabled men and women.
Molly is married to Frank Myers with two adult children. Her son Joe is an ArtStream actor of many years and daughter Jane works in corporate communications.
Molly Myers
Treasurer
Robert Holden
Robert “Bob” Holden Bob retired in July 2021 from a 42-year federal career as an award-winning manager experienced in all areas of public affairs including daily operations, social media and marketing, and translations. He spent the earlier part of his career as a writer-editor for a government wire service, as well as for longer-term publications and speechwriting.
Among his accomplishments, Bob established a translations office in the Bureau of International Information Programs to meet the need for foreign languages in public diplomacy. He also started the Department of State’s first Chinese-language Internet information service, Meiguo Cankao (“The American Source”) and launched the popular and successful Chinese blog Wu Gu Fei Hong (“The Wild Geese of Foggy Bottom”). Prior to that Bob worked for the U.S. Information Agency where he organized public diplomacy campaigns around U.S. participation in several Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits, including drafting speeches and op-eds for the president, secretary of state and senior U.S. officials.
Bob has a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science from the University of Rhode Island, and a Master of Arts, International Studies from the University of Denver, Graduate School of International Studies.
For the past couple of decades, Bob has used singing and guitar-playing to relieve stress and to raise money for various charities. A founding member of musical ensembles that include the Lost Agency Ramblers, the Last Chance Garage Band, and the Rock Hard Bagels, Bob got into the music business the same way as rock star David Lee Roth. He owns the sound system. Bob has experience raising money through events and his band concerts and is interested in doing so for ArtStream.
Bob lives in Springfield, VA.
Robert Holden
Secretary
Pamela Brown
Pamela served on the ArtStream Board of Directors from 2013-2019 and was Chair of the Board from 2013-2016. During her tensure, she co-led two Executive Director searches. During the second search, she served as ArtStream’s Co-Executive Director (with Sari Hornstein) for nine months. Her son, Tyler, performs with the Gaithersburg ArtStream Theatre Company and son, Noah, served as a volunteer mentor while he was a high school student.
Pamela Brown
Member at Large
Matt DiGilio
Matt DiGilio is a 31-year-old actor from Rockville, Maryland. He joined ArtStream in the fall of 2019 and is on his third performance on the ArtStream stage/ screen! Matt works for Montgomery County Government in Rockville as an Administrative Aid. Matt serves as the Client Liaison to the ArtStream Board of Directors. He plays basketball, softball, soccer, and bowling. He also likes going to baseball games, listening to music, biking, and hanging out with friends. He is very grateful to be a part of ArtStream and appreciates all the support from his family and friends.
Matt DiGilio
Gaithersburg ArtStream Theatre Company
Kim Coates-Schofield
Kim is a Sales Executive at Mid-Atlantic Media. She was a member of the website redevelopment task force that created ArtStream’s current website. Additionally, she recently arranged for ArtStream to be featured in Washington Family magazine. Jeff Schofield, Kim’s husband, is a videographer who has filmed ArtStream Performances. Kim’s daughter, Rachel, has been involved with ArtStream since 2019 and performs in the Maryland Cabaret Company.
Kim Coates-Schofield
Member at Large
Sari Hornstein
Sari Hornstein is a 17th century English naval and economic historian. She is also a free-lance writer on topics relating to The Mysteries of the Special Needs Child, that encouraged parents to see their children’s disabilities as a window into the developing mind. Among other things, her articles addressed learning disabilities, depression, post-secondary education opportunities in Maryland, and the transition process: After the School Bus Stops Coming… It’s Not As Scary As You Fear! Her articles have appeared in Washington Parent, Metroparent (Milwaukee), Baltimore’s Child, and have been posted on various websites.
Sari has served or serves on several Boards: The Ivymount School; ArtStream, an inclusive theatre company; the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; the Advisory Board of the Institute for After School Development, an affiliate of the All Stars Project, that focuses on after school and youth development; and the Quality Advisory Committee of SEEC, a DDA licensed agency that serves adults with disabilities in Maryland. She has supported and advocated for families with children with disabilities for the past 30 years in her capacity as mother of a young man with Autism. Sari graduated from McGill University (BA1978), the London School of Economics (MSc 1980) and Leiden University (PhD 1985).
Sari’s son, Alex, has been involved with ArtStream since 2009. He performs with the Inclusive Theatre Companies and participates in classes. Sari served on the ArtStream Board for two terms, from 2013-2019, and was Vice President from 2016-2019. Sari co-led the Executive Director search in 2015-2016, and served as Co-ED with Pamela Brown for nine months. Sari provided much of the writing for ArtStream’s new website.
Sari Hornstein
Member at Large
Irene Stephens
Irene Stephens is a healthcare data analyst and public health advocate residing in Washington, DC. She completed a Master of Public Health degree from Morgan State University and earned her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University. Born in New Orleans, Irene was raised in the Chicago suburbs and attended public schools. She volunteered on numerous political campaigns during her preteen to undergraduate years but decided to pursue a career in public health based on a passion for health education.
Over the past ten years, Irene has worked for organizations dedicated to health equity and transformation across socioeconomic strata. She has published and presented research related to public health performance improvement, and actively participated in several advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill. Her recent experience in hospital administration has influenced a shift to root causes of population health issues. When she is not attending the latest policy discussion or networking event, Irene is likely enjoying the city’s best food, music venue, or cultural experience.