Staff, Board & Youth Fellows

Stacy Sims (she/her) is a mind-body educator and author. In addition to founding the programs of The Well, Sims is a novelist, playwright, and children's books author. She has produced multiple theatrical works as part of her social practice of gathering stories out of community engagement. She talks about why she started the programs of The Well here.

Contact Stacy for Special Collaborations, Development, and General Inquiry.

Bryce Kessler (he/him) came to The Well in 2021. Born into a family of educators, Bryce has personally experienced the lifelong impact of amazing music and arts education. He's been playing piano and cello for 15 years and has a deep love and appreciation for classical music. In this role, he combines his passions for music, education, and arts administration to deepen The Well's national impact with Mindful Music Moments. He is a proud graduate of Baldwin Wallace University's (Cleveland, OH) Arts Management & Entrepreneurship program and Princeton High School (Cincinnati, OH).

Contact Bryce for Mindful Music Moments, Mindful Music for the Work Day, Music Commissions, and Web-App Technical Assistance.

Patrick Raneses (he/him) is a Cincinnati-based musician and writer who manages Mindful Poetry Moments program as well as coordinates The Well’s in person offerings in Walnut Hills. His experience with a variety of nonprofit work alongside his personal passion for music, poetry, wellness, and education drives his day-to-day work with The Well and their collaborators. Patrick is a graduate of Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in English Literature.

Contact Patrick for Mindful Poetry Moments, Upcoming Events, and Event Rental or Collaboration.

Margo (she/her) is a Cincinnati-based singer and photographer, currently studying Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship at Miami University, where she is the Director of Marketing for the Miami Guitar & Music Club and a member of the Sketched Out Improv Team.

Grayson Drew (She/Her) is a Co-Op at The Well serving as a Peer Youth Support Specialist, currently studying psychology at Mount St. Joseph University. Grayson is passionate about arts, creativity, writing, and learning more about the emotional wellbeing of others.

Christine Carli is a Cincinnati native who enjoys blending her creative and professional pursuits in service of improving her community. In addition to writing and art making, Christine enjoys gardening, leading tours at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and volunteering in a range of capacities.

Makiah Malan is a poet, author, teaching artist, wellness facilitator, and creative who believes words, expression, and connection have the power to heal. Blending creativity with real-life reflections, she shares content that sparks thought, laughter, and growth. Through workshops, youth programs, and poetry performances, Makiah encourages others to find meaning in their experiences and discover the strength hidden within everyday moments.

Adriana Prieto is the voice of Momentos de Meditación Musical en español (Mindful Music Moments in Spanish) and is The Well's resident Spanish translator since 2021. She has more than ten years of experience as a children’s literature teacher, and has worked as a researcher and writer in different educational projects for Fe y Alegría, a prominent movement for integral education in South America. In her home country of Venezuela, she was awarded a prestigious grant to develop a regional program for teaching and promoting children’s literature in different communities. She has authored a children’s book titled Where Are We From?, published with the support of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures and Wave Pool. Adriana is also a proud CANS parent, and she is excited to help CANS students develop their literacy in Spanish.

Phillip Cotter is an Emmy-nominated music producer who has created music for the PBS, Cincinnati Ballet, Playhouse in the Park, and the Contemporary Arts Center. He joined The Well in 2019, mixing and editing the thousands of audio files in our catalogue.

Isaac Karns is a musician and producer from Cincinnati, Ohio where he works out of his studio the Marble Garden. He is a multi-instrumentalist and producer whose work fearlessly explores disparate genres while seeking to cultivate an intuitive, childlike sense of creative freedom and collaboration. Isaac joined The Well in 2025, mixing and mastering audio for Mindful Music Moments and other programs.

Kelly Barber is a Client Director at Radius Insights and Marketing Director for Turn In Concepts. Her career has focused around brand-building, marketing optimization and insightful consumer research. An avid non-profit volunteer, passionate about leadership development and community engagement, Kelly has been a member of the Junior League of Cincinnati since 2013, most recently serving as the League's President, overseeing the Board of Directors and the League's 800 members.

Kelly was named one of Cincinnati's 40 Under 40 in 2024. She earned her MBA at Xavier University and her bachelors in Art History from DAAP at the University of Cincinnati.

Kelly resides in Pleasant Ridge with her husband, Tony, and their two dogs. She is an adventurous traveller, supporter of the local music, arts and culinary scenes, and is a part-time Pilates instructor.

Jane is the Chief Financial Officer of Cavalier Distributing companies, distributors of American craft and specialty import beer.

She started in public accounting and then moved into the non profit sector as Finance Director of the Contemporary Arts Center before joining Cavalier. She is a CPA and MBA.

She also serves on the Finance Committee of the Cincinnati Observatory and is a docent for the CAC.

Jill Smith has been the CLCI Resource Coordinator at the Academy of World Language since 2010 after a decade of nonprofit leadership. She was the Executive Director of the Center for Peace Education and then worked for four years for KnowledgeWorks Foundation and its subsidiaries.

Karisma Hazel, MS, LPCC, NCC, is a licensed professional counselor, educator, and behavioral health leader dedicated to expanding access to high-quality, trauma-informed care. With a background in case management, school-based and community mental health, Karisma has built her work around serving underserved and underrepresented communities, including youth, families, and individuals navigating systemic barriers to care.

She is also an adjunct instructor in an Adult 22 Plus high school diploma program, where she integrates mental health, life skills, and career readiness into her teaching. Karisma is passionate about creating spaces where individuals feel seen, supported, and empowered to identify their own path forward.

Her work centers on developing innovative, sustainable models of care that bridge clinical services with education and community systems. She emphasizes evidence-based and person-centered approaches, including motivational interviewing, to support individuals in building insight, resilience, and meaningful change.

Karisma’s leadership is grounded in integrity, accessibility, and a deep commitment to ensuring mental health care reflects and reaches the communities it serves.

Emily Lusk is a dedicated fundraising and events professional whose career has been shaped by a passion for building meaningful relationships and creating experiences that inspire community engagement. With a talent for bringing people together, she has spent years connecting donors, partners, and organizations around shared missions and impactful work.
Outside of her professional accomplishments, Emily is a proud wife and mom of two, roles that fuel her drive to serve her community with empathy and purpose. She is a lifelong reader, a lover of stories, and an artist at heart who finds joy in creating whenever inspiration strikes. Her interests extend to holistic wellbeing—mind, body, and soul—which she actively pursues and brings into her leadership style.

Morgan works at Procter & Gamble in Finance and Accounting, having held various roles across Corporate, Brand and Product Supply Finance. Morgan has nearly 10 years of experience where she has built a reputation for operational excellence, forecasting accuracy, and a deep commitment to organization morale and culture.

Morgan serves as the Co-Chair of Procter & Gamble’s annual ArtsWave Campaign, raising over $2 million to support Cincinnati arts organizations. Previously holding leadership roles in various organizations including Women’s Networks, New Hire/Intern Programs, as well as several workplace culture teams. In her spare time, Morgan enjoys baking, hosting dinner parties, and supporting Cincinnati sports.

Brian Raphael Nabors (b.1991, Birmingham, AL) is a composer of emotionally enriching music that tells exciting narratives with its vibrant themes and colorful harmonic language. Nabors' music has been performed by the Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, Cincinnati, Detroit, Fort Worth, and Munich Symphonies, among others. His music has been performed at many events across the US and internationally, including the National Orchestral Institute (NOI) and the Tanglewood Music Festival. Nabors’ music draws from combinations of Jazz Funk, R&B, and Gospel with the modern flair of contemporary classical music.

He was named a 2021 composition fellow of the Tanglewood music festival; a 2019 composer fellow in the American Composers Orchestra’s Earshot program with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; a 2019 composer fellow with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra’s Composer Lab; and 2019 cycle five grand prize winner of the Rapido! National Composition Contest. Nabors was also a 2020 Fulbright scholarship recipient to Sydney, Australia, studying with composer Carl Vine at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Nabors earned a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degree in Composition at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and a Bachelor of Music Theory & Composition degree from the School of the Arts at Samford University.

William (Billy) Stonecipher, MBA, is a Senior Project Manager at Fifth Third Bank, leading financial operations across Corporate Real Estate, Marketing, Communications, and Brand. He oversees workflows including purchase order management, vendor coordination, capital project tracking, and high-volume financial reconciliation. Billy has led hybrid teams through organizational growth and significant acquisitions, improving forecasting, KPI reporting, and cross-functional alignment, delivering cost savings, enhanced transparency, and stronger governance.

Beyond his corporate work, Billy is a veteran of the Cincinnati drag community, performing since 2008 under the stage name Mirelle Jane Divine. Known for his quick wit, inventive choreography, and dynamic stage presence, he has emceed, headlined, and developed performances locally and nationally. He also serves on the boards of the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus, Cappies of Greater Cincinnati, and Hamilton Ohio Pride, supporting arts education, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and community celebration through performance, mentorship, and advocacy.

Billy lives in Hamilton, Ohio, with his husband and two pets. In his downtime, he enjoys cooking, global travel (having visited four continents with three more to go), and exploring new creative projects in the arts and wellness space.

Brianna Vollman is an associate attorney at Thompson Hine LLP where her practice focuses on commercial litigation, including disputes involving breach of contract and product liability issues. Brianna earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Kentucky and her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. She was born and raised in Northern Kentucky and has had a passion for theatre and performance from a young age. She cherishes the time she spent in her high school theatre program. Brianna is a graduate of the ArtsWave Boardway Bound Program. Brianna currently lives in Northern Kentucky with her dog, Louise.

Dr. Adam A. Vukovic is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center who brings a strong record of leadership, service, and community engagement to board service. Throughout his career, he has led multidisciplinary teams, guided strategic quality improvement initiatives, and built programs focused on organizational excellence, equity, and community impact. His experience spans healthcare operations, professional development, mentorship, and large-scale institutional collaboration.

He is active in multiple local and national organizations, including leadership roles focused on inclusion, wellbeing, education, and professional advancement. He is committed to collaborative, mission-driven work and strives to bring people together around shared goals to strengthen the community he serves.

As director of community outreach and philanthropy for integrative medicine at UC Health and UC’s College of Medicine, John Tew lectures frequently about the links among longevity, cognition and the pillars of healthy living.

Susan Tew is a strong supporter of education. She is an Emeritus Board Member of the Catholic Inner-City School Education board of trustees.

Engler Gonzalez (they/them) is a local writer, dancer, and choreographer based in the Greater Cincinnati Area. They were last seen on stage as a trainee with the Cincinnati Ballet for their 2024 and 2025 seasons. Outside of the studios, Engler runs the up and coming community organization “Quills & Queers”, which focuses on community development for LGBTQ+ individuals in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Engler’s passion for creating safe spaces for queer individuals is what drew them The Well’s Cartography Fellowship as they will be focusing on identifying safe spaces for transgender youth throughout the project’s duration.

They would define their safe spaces as anywhere where they can feel connected to their community or to the natural world.

Gabriela Barreto (she/her) is an 8th grader at SCPA and her majors are drama and vocal music. She was drawn to the Youth Fellowship because of its mission statement of going above just maps, but focusing on the people. She is very passionate about people in the community and is looking forward to helping everyone, primarily youth, to stay safe in areas in Cincinnati.

Her sanctuary is primarily in Northside, walking all around the houses, stores, and parks. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends in this neighborhood.

Helena Anthony (she/her) is a sophomore enrolled at Mariemont High School. She is passionate about helping others find their own safe spaces and loves to seek innovative solutions to complex problems, which is why she is interested in The Well’s Youth Cartography Fellowship.

Her sanctuary is undoubtedly any place where she can be both creative and logical, and wants to speak up to inspire a better community for those around her.

Olivia Tomboli (she/her) is a sophomore at DePaul Cristo Rey. She is interested in finding safe places for youth where they can be themselves, feel comfortable, and enjoy.

Her sanctuary is an area where it is peaceful, relaxed, and where there is fun. Her sanctuary is also at her house where she feels most comfortable and a place where she doesn’t have to worry about others judging her and where she can be herself.

Samahra Allen (she/her) is a sophomore currently attending DePaul Cristo Rey. She loves the opportunity to grow not only herself, but the community and to build stronger connections and relationships with those around her.

Her sanctuary would be her friends and family. Being able to smell her moms cooking, spend time with those that matter most to her, and hold those that are dear close.

Victoria Marx (she/they) is a senior attending Miami University majoring in Media and Communication with minors in Arts Management and German. They’ve always sought out spaces that center art and expression, and they hope that through this project they can help others do the same.

Her sanctuary is her bedroom, preferably reading with her cat in her lap or strumming a guitar.

AJ Domelle (he/they) is a freshman at the University of Cincinnati majoring in Urban Planning with a minor in German Studies. They are interested in understanding the complexity of safety in our neighborhoods and why certain spaces feel safe. Understanding what makes these spaces safe for different groups and people. With the eventual goal of utilizing that knowledge to lead policy and design, creating safe spaces and communities for everyone.

Their sanctuary is the great outdoors, preferably surrounded by trees.

Every summer, The Well works with paid Apprentice Artists in collaboration with ArtWorks. This past summer, Youth Apprentices created multiple works of art inspired by the Ohio River for America's River Roots Festival. Front Row, left to right: August Brown, Regan Jordan, Lira Whaley, Max Rush, Desmond Reeder. Back Row, left to right: Ashe Gruenhagen, Josiah Mateo, Violet Holland, Elke Hounshell, Ash Carroll, Jayson Drew.

In the summer of 2024, 13 Youth Apprentices were paid to create a body of work for the 2024 FofoFocus Biennial. The theme was Sona and Soma and the young artists created lens-based work and were included in an exhibition catalogue. Back Row, left to right: Regan Jordan, NaRaya Johnson, Ija' Nae Staley, Janyla Smith, Ash Wesolowski, Forrest Money, Elke Hounshell, Madison Motley. Front Row, left to right: Luna Debono, Erica Knolls, Visiting Artist Romain Mayambi, Nora Bower, Finley Smith.

In the Summer of 2023, 13 female-identifying or gender expansive youth apprentices worked at The Well and built a new world that they would want to live in: Planet Love. The youth created a book and mural, plus designed a pocket park in Camp Washington. Back Row, left to right: Janyla Smith, Adeline Steiner, Ashe Gruenhagen, Visiting Teacher Rowe Schnure, MJ Cook, Pierce Gravenstine, Well Director Stacy Sims, Ava Bunke, Luna Debono, Malea Love, Roxie Ritchie, Finley Smith.