ART WITH HEART STAFF

Founder/Executive Director Steffanie Lorig left her successful and award-winning design career to become the founding director of Art with Heart in order to focus her talents and heart on helping children in crisis. Before doing this, she enjoyed working at Hornall Anderson Design Works, designing for clients such as Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Harcourt, Nordstrom’s and other high-profile companies. She is the visionary and co-author of Oodles of Doodles, a therapeutic activity book for hospitalized children, Chill & Spill, a healing journal for teens, and most recently Magnificent Marvelous Me, a therapeutic activity book for siblings. She co-wrote a children’s picture book with her husband entitled Such a Silly Baby (Chronicle Books). Her work has been recognized by the Society for the Arts in HealthCare, Make A Wish Foundation, Lance Armstrong Foundation and Starlight Starbright Foundation as well as Communication Arts Magazine, CarePages.com and Family Circle Magazine. She enjoys bettering the world – one child at a time. And, when she can, she also enjoys organic gardening, writing stories, and exploring places with her family.

Development Director, Doris Wong-Estridge, joined the Art with Heart staff in March 2008, following an eight-year tenure at Powerful Schools. Prior to this, she served as Development Director at Cancer Lifeline and the Bush School. She served as Assistant Development Director at Seattle Central Community College, as well as in all areas of development at KCTS TV. Throughout her more than 25 years in the development field, she has had the good fortune of being part of organizations that have given her the opportunity to exercise her strong interest in and advocacy of children’s issues and the empowerment of children. During her three-year hiatus from the development arena in the mid-90’s, Doris served as the education consultant for the first, and subsequently the largest online children’s site, FreeZone. Doris is a lifelong Seattleite and graduate of the University of Washington.

Office Manager, Zandi Salstrom, joined Art with Heart in August 2007 after nearly 6 years of work in Alternative Health Care Administration. She received her undergraduate degree in Health Psychology from Bastyr University in 2003, and is currently in the Master’s of Psychology and Art Therapy program at Antioch University.

As the need for Arts educational programs increases, she is committed to assisting under-served populations access the healing power of art. Her volunteer work with children’s literacy and creativity has continued to fuel her passion for art, education, health care, social justice, and cultural diversity. She is deeply influenced by patterns in nature, including human behavior, numbers, and designs and is a wonderful addition to the Art with Heart team.

Contract Trainer, Annie McCall, MA, LMHC, received her Master’s degree in psychology from New York University in 2000. She joined Art with Heart as a Trainer in 2005, teaching school counselors how to use Chill & Spill in group settings and as a tool for managing school crisis. She also provides training and ongoing support for volunteer artists in the Art Buddy program. She is a contributor to the Chill & Spill Therapist’s Companion, and co-author of the Art Buddy Training Manual. Annie has a private practice providing one-on-one and group treatment to adolescents, adults, and families. She specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and treatment of self-harm and suicidal behavior, and is co-founder of Youth and Family DBT of Seattle. She is also a research therapist at the University of Washington, working with suicidal and heroin-addicted clients. Prior to studying psychology, Annie taught high school English, which forever solidified her love and respect for teenagers.

Graduate Research Assistant, Anne Basham, began working with Art with Heart in October of 2008. Her desire to help children through exposure to artistic outlets made her instantly attracted to the mission of Art with Heart. Anne has over a decade of experience working with nonprofit organizations and a passion for strengthening communities by working directly with youth. Anne spent ten months as an AmeriCorps N*CCC Member and has also worked for organizations in San Diego,CA, Honolulu, HI, Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. Anne moved to Seattle to study management of nonprofit arts organizations at Seattle University. She will graduate with an MFA in Arts Leadership in June 2010.

Intern Kim Thomas is currently earning her MFA in Arts Leadership at Seattle University and is passionate about the intersection of the arts, community development and social justice. Kim has a degree in creative writing and a professional background in alternative education, arts program administration and social service.  When she discovered Art with Heart, she was eager to contribute in any way possible, as she recognizes that the arts play a pivotal role in allowing for processing and transformation, both individually and within a community. Blogging and journaling for the newsletter has helped Kim to provide a voice for others to share their story about this incredible organization.