The UTC Team
Staff and Board
Facilitators
Laurie Marshall
Executive/Artistic Director,
Program Manager, President of Board
For 35 years, author, speaker and artist Laurie has empowered youth and adults through creative collaboration. She practices Peace-Building through Art, inspired by Nature and founded The Singing Tree Project.
Edward Schuldt
Director of Operations and Treasurer,
Vice President of Board
Edward has 37 years experience in non-profit administration and organizational development.
He has been connected to Unity Through Creativity from its inception.
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Rachel Quintana
Secretary
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Rachel Quintana, a native of El Paso, Texas, is an advocate for community unification, public service and the well-being of children.
Lili Lopez
Marketing and Web Specialist,
Art Facilitator
Lili is in charge of UTC’s website, social media, and marketing. She generates imagery, posts, and videos to raise awareness of Unity Through Creativity’s programs. She has also co-facilitated over 35 murals in the San Francisco Bay area.
Beatriz Vera
Board Member at Large
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Beatriz Vera, BSW MA, is a bilingual Sociocultural Anthropologist. She is a top-performing and result-driven Program Management Executive and Youth Advisor.
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Elenna Goodman
Board Member at Large
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Elenna holds a BA in Political Science, an MA in Anthropology and Social Change. Her work is devoted to gathering and nourishing community.
De Palazzo
Board Member at Large
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De Palazzo brings a passionate spirit and a solid depth and breadth of schools, corporate and community-based knowledge in her varied roles as classroom teacher and advocate.
Katia Petersen
Master Facilitator
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President of Petersen Argo Inc. a Transformational Education company, Katia brings decades of experience as a psychotherapist, educator, story teller and author.
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Wanda Whitaker
Master Facilitator
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Wanda Whitaker is a visionary artist, hypnotherapist, information facilitator and conscious leadership coach residing in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Kanizius Nsabimana
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Kanizius Nsabimana is a social entrepreneur who has lived at the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, with his wife and three children, since 1996. While at Kyangwali, Kanizius co-founded and worked at Youth Challenge-4-Change, Uganda (YC4C, Uganda).
Emmanuel “Emma” Kavuma
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Emmanuel “Emma” Kavuma is a self-taught artist born in Masaka, Uganda.
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Gabi Lipska
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Gabi is a human working from the heart with the intention of connecting people to themselves, each other and all life. She is a purpose-driven educator and community weaver with passion for bringing harmony.
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Bobbie Rae Jones
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Bobbie Rae Jones believes arts is an essential aspect to solving our social problems. A credentialed visual arts educator with over twenty years of experience instructing groups of all ages in a variety of modalities.
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Joanna Redfield Vaughn
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Joanna is a Quaker who has been devoted to children, education and art for over four decades. She taught at the Austin Waldorf School for 11 years and was an elementary Art Specialist for 17 years at 10 of Austin’s public schools.
Leslie Rein
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Making collaborative murals as a Singing Tree Project facilitator aligns perfectly with Leslie's passion for art and creativity. This artistic and peace-building process serves her desire to bring people together and heal common heartbreaks.
Sweta Chawla
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Sweta Chawla PharmD, MS is a Former Professor of Pharmacy and Clinical and Residency Director turned Speaker, Facilitator & Leadership Coach and Author.
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Diana Sciarretta
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Diana Sciarretta (She/They) is a Healthcare Justice Advocate, Somatic Expressive Healing Artist and Director of The Red & Orange House.
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Naomi Duben
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Naomi Duben is mixed-media artist and painter based in Los Angeles. Originally from Marin County just north of San Francisco
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Jane Gabrielle McCadden
Certified Singing Tree Mural Facilitator
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Jane is a writer, songwriter and visual and performing artist. Her work inspects the intersectionality of inward-focused creative practice.
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Consultants
Tanya Vlach
Interdisciplinary Consultant
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Tanya Vlach is an Interdisciplinary Artist weaving her arts background into communications and strategy with special projects and nonprofits
Bennett Smith
Events Liaison
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With over 5 years of events experience and knowledge, Bennett is a jill-of-all-trades when it comes to events.
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