TEAM
Will K. Wilkins
– Executive Director
[email]
Ian Ally-Seals
– Cinema Coordinator
[email]
Ana Altiery
– Housekeeping
Megan Bent
– Marketing and Communications Coordinator
[email]
Alexia Brown
– 2019-2020 Real Apprentice
David Borawski
– Curatorial Advisor
[email]
Neil Daigle Orians
– Visual Arts Manager
[email]
Mina Echevarria
– Front of House Staff
Angie Godoy
– Assistant Café Manager
[email]
Jessica Henning
– Executive Assistant
[email]
Tricia Haggerty Wenz
– Director of Development
[email]
Barbara Hocker
– Controller
[email]
Maureen Kenna
– Member Engagement Manager
[email]
Jean Paul Leblanc
– Business Manager
[email]
Mia Lozada
– Front of House Staff
– Development Associate
[email]
Tina Parziale
– Education Coordinator
[email]
Lauren Perrault
– Teacher, Park Art
Jules Pitt
– Front of House Staff
Spencer Plourde
– Front of House and Events Manager
[email]
Tajay Valentine
– 2019-2020 Real Apprentice
Will K. Wilkins
Executive Director
“I have always aspired to create an environment where people feel challenged, yet supported.”
Ian Ally-Seals
Cinema Coordinator
“I love making the cinema experience a community experience. We provide something special here you can’t get on your laptop watching Netflix.”
Ana Altiery
Housekeeping
“What I also love about this place is how quickly everything can change.. the artwork – the decorations for events. I remember once we had a grass floor in one of our galleries!”
David Borawski
Curatorial Advisor
“It’s a great place. RAW takes chances. Always pushing the envelope. You are not going to see anything here that you can see anywhere else in this area.”
Neil Daigle Orians
Visual Arts Manager
“Through my work here I get the opportunity to connect the artist with the community. This gives the audience a deeper understanding of the work, through knowing the artist.”
Barbara Hocker
Controller
“The spirit of innovation, collaboration, and creativity has always been a part of who we are. Now we are just more. We do more events, more films, and more concerts. It is more true now than ever that there is always something going on here.”
Maureen Kenna
Member Engagement Manager
“This is such a non-judgmental, welcoming place – where all people can express their true self. And, what we do here – our art, films, education programs, Creative Cocktail Hour – is something you can’t get anywhere else, especially under one roof.”
Jean Paul Leblanc
Business Manager
“A great change is seeing the increase in membership and support. It’s amazing to see how much we have grown and how much we get done with such a small staff.”
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Olu Oguibe
Olu Oguibe is a local artist based in Rockville, Connecticut. He’s been a member of Real Art Ways since 2003, and has exhibited his work at the space on a number of occasions.
Marc Reich
Vice Chair
Marc is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ironwood Capital, a private equity firm in Avon. He’s been an enthusiastic member of RAW for over 25 years and a board member the last four.
Gregg Rohde
Gregg has spent his whole professional career at Travelers. Originally hailing from Wisconsin, he has worked in the Minnesota, London, UK and Hartford offices. He and his wife have a deep passion for all forms of art and is prior board member of the Minnesota Museum for American Art.
Yedalis Ruiz
Yedalis Ruíz was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Hartford. She has been involved with Real Art Ways since she was 13 years old!
Yedalis is a first-generation, bilingual college graduate. She is a graduate of Hartford High, Mt. Holyoke College, and has a Master’s and Ph.D. from UMass-Amherst. She teaches at UMass, working to increase access and equity in higher education.
