Board of Directors

Claire Stolowitz, President | Tech Industry Professional, Student
Claire is a former YMA student and senior counselor living in Portland. Currently a student of massage and bodywork, also working in the tech industry and continues to serve as a volunteer mentor to young professionals in tech. Claire received her BA from Wesleyan University and lived in Connecticut and Texas before returning to her native Oregon. Outside of her work with YMA, Claire enjoys making music, moving her body, and writing fiction.

Katelyn Benage, Vice President | Attorney, Flicker, Kerin, Kruger & Bissada
Over the course of ten summers, Katelyn attended camp in a variety of roles, including senior counselor.  In her final year at camp, Katelyn served as an administrative assistant while studying for the bar exam.  Today, Katelyn practices family law in California, where she uses the skills she learned as a camp counselor every day to support her clients.  Katelyn received a Bachelor of Arts with a degree in Philosophy from the University of Oregon before attending law school at Willamette University.  In her spare time, Katelyn enjoys gardening, baking, and spending time with her family in Central Oregon.

Cassie Worthington, Secretary | Human Resources Supervisor, City of Bend Utility Department
Cassie is an enthusiastic supporter of the arts and passiontate about Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility. A ten-year veteran of Young Musicians and Artists, she learned early the value of connections made and skills learned at camp. She was a flute player and studied music performance in college and believes her foundation in the arts has been pivotal to her success professionally and personally.

Simone Coker-Kamna, Treasurer | Community Engagement and Communications Director, Northwest Academy
Simone received her B.F.A. in Studio Art From Michigan State University and her M.A. in Arts Administration from the University of Oregon. Spending a number of years working in Portland’s nonprofit and arts community, Simone is excited to be on the board of an organization that nurtures young artists. Simone currently works at Northwest Academy, an arts-focused middle and high school, where she is the Director of Community Engagement and the Marketing & Communications Director. Outside of work, Simone paddles outrigger canoes with a local club, enjoys traveling and reading, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and Butter, the family pup.

Bobby Fouther | Performing & Visual Artist
Bobby Fouther’s career spans over forty-five years of artistic expression in the Northwest. Filling the roles of producer, director, performer, designer, exhibitor and teacher, his work has influenced thousands of students, peers and audiences in communities throughout the United States. For many years, this former Portland State University faculty member and instructor for Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Outreach Programs has served as an artist‐in‐education for statewide artist residency programs sponsored by the Oregon, Washington and Idaho Arts Commissions and the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Fouther has also served on curriculum development committees for the Children’s Museum, The World Affair’s Council of Oregon, Portland Public Schools and White Bird Dance. Mr. Fouther is currently the Children’s Program Director & Co‐Artistic Director for the Kemba Shannon Dance Center.

Jessica Gordon | Director of Marketing & Community Engagement, Friends of Chamber Music
Jessica is a former YMA camper. Little did she know then that her passion and excitement for playing the flute would lead her to a joyful life filled with music! After graduating from Portland State University with a degree in Music, Jessica began working for Friends of Chamber Music in Portland. Her job at FOCM includes organizing education engagements throughout the community by connecting visiting artists to public schools, universities, youth music organizations, and retirement communities. When she is not working, Jessica never turns down the opportunity to craft or learn a new hobby. She also loves spending time outdoors “glamping” with her husband and dog in their bright yellow Winnebago Minnie Drop trailer affectionately named Lemon Drop.

Mia Matusow | Former YMA Faculty
Mia has been happily involved with YMA since 1980, when she first attended as a camper. She went on to become a YMA counselor and later served on the Session 1 faculty as the saxophone instructor. Mia passed along her love of YMA to her two sons, both of whom spent many summers as YMA campers and counselors. For 20 years she was the co-owner of a small business, which she ran with her former YMA roommate. She now spends her time volunteering for several local non-profit organizations, including CASA and the Oregon Symphony. Mia and her husband have been YMA volunteers for decades, and she joined the board in 2015.

Laura Moen | Owner, Moxie Northwest
Laura attended Young Musicians & Artists between 1973 and 1989, and both her son and daughter have been campers at YMA over the last several years. After graduating from Pitzer College with a bachelor’s degree in political psychology and art, she biked across the U.S. with fellow YMA alum Emily Harris. Laura went on to be the box office manager at Intiman Theatre in Seattle, Washington, and owner of a small handmade and hand-painted housewares business called Just Art. She then served as soft goods product manager for Gregg’s Cycles, where she was named Employee of the Year, and ultimately opened her own small business, Moxie Northwest, which concentrates on sales and service in biking, running, and other outdoor industries.

Danielle Morone | Attorney, Gatzke Killon & Ballance LLP
Danielle is a former YMA camper and senior counselor who is happy to reminisce about camp whenever asked.  She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in English Literature, and then ventured to the University of San Diego for law school.  When not practicing law during business hours, Danielle spends time perfecting her middle-aged, recreational clarinetist status; shuttling her two kids (who finally are old enough to attend YMA) from one activity to the next; volunteering to support anything that involves reading and/or the arts; and, painfully acknowledging that she is the owner of two of the most untrainable but brilliant pups ever.  She resides with her husband and children in Bend, and is honored to provide a voice for Central Oregon on the YMA Board.

Emma Pelzner | Employee Engagement, Energy Trust
Emma is a former YMA camper and counselor who has spent much of her adulthood wishing she could return to camp. She is now an organizational development consultant, coach, and facilitator who has worked with a wide range of companies to support their leadership and cultures. Emma earned both a BA and MBA from Yale, and is happy to be back in her hometown reading, hiking, and playing marimba while she eagerly waits for her son to get old enough to attend YMA.

Zach Pesznecker | Sales Manager, DeaMor Associates Inc.
Zach has seen YMA from many different angles. From being the last chair of the trumpet section in his first year, to being a senior counselor and spending 10 years at YMA in various roles. After graduating from the University of Oregon and spending 6 years living in Sacramento, he now contributes to Oregon's skyline working as the sales manager for a local, specialty subcontractor who designs, fabricates and installs custom glass skylights all over the Pacific Northwest. He loves to cook for his friends and family, spend time on the golf course or skiing down a mountain. Zach currently lives in Gresham, Oregon with his wife and two cats. 

Joellen Sweeney | Actor, Director, Teaching Artist
Joellen is a former YMA student, counselor and administrator whose current career in the arts was inspired and supported by her time at camp. These days, Joellen is an actor, director, and teaching artist, with a creative research focus in immersive and site-specific performance. Recent regional credits include work with Artists Repertory Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Shaking the Tree Theatre, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Renegade Opera, Northwest Children's Theatre and others. She is a co-founder of Bedrock Theatre, a performance collective that combines storytelling, live music and hiking in parks and wilderness areas. Joellen earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Washington’s Professional Actor Training Program, and currently teaches with the Actors Conservatory and Portland Center Stage.

YMA’s public annual meeting will be held on Saturday, October 26th at 10:00am. If interested in attending, please email kate@ymaarts.org for information on attendance.