Kate Andries, Executive Director
503.281.9528 Kate@YMAARTS.ORG
Kate is a seasoned arts administrator whose journey seamlessly blends a deep connection to the arts with wealth of professional experience. Her dedication to ensuring the arts are accessible to everyone stitches perfectly with YMA’s mission, “to provide young people with a unique personal experience in the visual and performing arts”.
Kate's love for the arts began early in life, learning the piano and violin at a young age, while also immersing herself in theater and ballet. These early experiences laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to the arts. She continued her artistic journey at the University of Puget Sound, where she further expanded her horizons in the world of theater.
With almost 20 years of experience as an arts administrator, Kate's career is marked by continued growth and success. Her aptitude for grant management, fundraising campaigns, and community relationships is invaluable. She is a passionate advocate for arts access for young individuals. Her dedication to nurturing the transformative power of the arts and her expertise in arts administration make her a remarkable figure in the arts world, ensuring that the joy of creativity is accessible to all.
GALEN COHEN, CAMP DIRECTOR
503.880.3817 GALEN@YMAARTS.ORG
Galen has been involved with YMA since 1993, when he attended 1st Session as one of the youngest cellists in the program. He remembers that all of the cello parts had to be re-written for him, as it was his first time attempting to play more advanced music. He continued at YMA into his teenage years as a CIT (Counselor in Training) and then as a Counselor. After a brief hiatus, Galen returned as the Director of Student Life for 8 years and was appointed Camp Director in 2015.
Galen holds a B.S. in Education and Social Policy and a Minor in Music from Northwestern University, and a M.A in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. In addition to being Camp Director, Galen works as a Mental Health Therapist, primarily with adolescents and families. Galen is also an active cellist in the Portland music community.
As with most students who attend YMA, the summer program has been life-changing for Galen, and he is thrilled to pass the experience along to new generations of families. At camp, in addition to seeing him run around addressing parent questions, training the Counselor team, helping with facilities issues and supervising the Faculty, he is known to be a beast on the 4-Square Court. However, he sadly admits that he has never won the tournament.
DARIAN TODD, RECRUITMENT & outreach coordinator ANd clinician
darian@ymaarts.org
Darian Todd is a violist, educator, and clinician based in Portland, Oregon.
Darian (or as students across the Pacific Northwest know him, Mr. Todd) has spent the past 15 years building up and growing school orchestra programs, teaching in a diverse range of educational settings, adjudicating orchestra festivals and competitions, serving as a guest conductor for several school and regional honors orchestras, and advocating for orchestra programs across the western United States. Darian also conducts the Portland Chamber Strings and Portland Overture Strings ensembles with the wonderful musicians of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and maintains a growing viola and violin studio in NE Portland.
Darian has had the privilege to work with students and teachers in Tucson, Arizona; Portland and Lake Oswego, Oregon; and Boulder, Colorado. Teaching 4th graders to seniors in high school in all of those communities, serving as the coordinator for district-wide strings programs, managing several High School All-State Orchestras, and rebuilding a Suzuki-based elementary strings program for 4th and 5th grade students have been some of the highlights and proudest moments of Darian’s teaching career. Performing highlights have included master class performances for Larry Dutton, Rebecca Fisher, and the Pacifica String Quartet, as well performing with various orchestras including The Vancouver Symphony, The Arizona Repertory Theatre, and the Portland Festival Symphony. Through partnerships with Young Musicians and Artists, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Oregon Suzuki Association, and local symphony orchestras, Mr. Todd works to initiate more active involvement of students, parents, and fellow educators in the artistic communities where he teaches and performs, and advocates for the importance of music in our schools and communities at large.
Darian holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Music in Music Performance with an emphasis in Violin and Viola Pedagogy from the University of Oregon.