StoryCorps » About » Our Team

Executive Team

Dave Isay,
Founder & President

Dave Isay is the founder of StoryCorps and its parent company Sound Portraits Productions. Over the past two decades his radio documentary work has won nearly every award in broadcasting, including five Peabody Awards, two Robert F. Kennedy Awards, the Edward R. Murrow award, and two Livingston Awards for young journalists. Dave has also received a Guggenheim Fellowship (1994), a MacArthur Fellowship (2000), and a United States Artists Fellowship (2006). He is the author (or co-author) of four books based on Sound Portraits radio stories including: Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago (Scribner, 1997), Flophouse (Random House, 2000), and the first-ever StoryCorps book, Listening Is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project (The Penguin Press, 2007).

Donna Galeno,
Director of StoryCorps

Donna Galeno worked for twenty years at the American Red Cross in Greater New York, managing their Homeless Services Department. Her work focused on two major areas: the creation, development and management of nationally-recognized models of service for homeless families, and the shaping of public policy and awareness related to housing and homelessness throughout the United States. She has served in leadership positions on numerous boards, coalitions and committees focused on issues of housing, homelessness, and hunger. Subsequent to the tragic events of September 11th, Donna functioned as the American National Red Cross’ first Administrator in charge of creating and implementing the Red Cross’ Long-Term Recovery Program.

Sharyanne McSwain,
Director of Finance & Administration

Sharyanne McSwain has over 20 years of financial services and business operations experience, working in finance engineering, marketing, municipal finance, and equity research in the for-profit sector. Sharyanne’s love for the stories of everyday people and the desire to support the mission of StoryCorps inspired her move from Wall Street to the nonprofit sector. Sharyanne received her MBA from INSEAD in France and currently serves on the school’s Board of Trustees, responsible for alumni fundraising efforts in the United States. She received her B.A. in Urban Studies from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

Kara Fagan,
Director of Development

Kara comes to StoryCorps directly from Chicago with an extensive background in nonprofit experience. Most recently she served as Director of Development for Chicago Foundation for Women and previously led the fundraising efforts for the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. She holds a Masters in Management of Nonprofit Administration, with a concentration in fundraising management, from North Park University. With an undergraduate degree in Fiction Writing and originally from Connecticut, Kara is thrilled to be back on the east coast working at StoryCorps helping to collect stories for all to cherish.

Development Staff Bios

Heather Burke,
Deputy Director of Development

Heather comes to StoryCorps from a career in publishing. After graduating from Wesleyan University with a degree in English, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked as a writer and editor for the Library of Congress. Returning to her hometown of New York City and settling in her adopted borough of Brooklyn, she continued in book publishing until departing for StoryCorps to further pursue her love of great stories spoken as well as written.

Kathrina C. Proscia,
Executive Assistant

Kathrina Proscia graduated with an A.O.S. in business/occupational studies from the Wood Tobe Coburn School, Manhattan and received her B.S. with a major in historical studies from Empire State College. Kathrina has held executive assistant positions at Ted Bates Advertising, Agrexco (USA) Ltd., SAGE Foods, and Sun World International. Kathrina was also a substitute teacher, co-founded and chaired her parish golf outing for eight years, and was president of the PTA. Kathrina and her husband of twenty-five years live in Queens with their two daughters.

Administration Staff

Stephanie Roth,
Manager, Administration

Stephanie Roth joined StoryCorps in 2008 after receiving an MPA from the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College, CUNY. Stephanie has worked at several nonprofit organizations based in New York City and continues to show her passion for the nonprofit sector through volunteer work. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Law from Binghamton University, SUNY.

Kenisha Fearon,
Office Manager

Kenisha Fearon moved to New York from Jamaica, West Indies. She is currently finishing up her B.A in Hospitality Tourism & Travel at New York City College of Technology CUNY. Before joining the StoryCorps team she worked as a personal trainer at Bally Total Fitness, where she looked forward to the daily stories from her clients. She was also the office manager for the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

Business Development Staff

Alissa Pelc,
Manager, Business Development

Alissa joined StoryCorps in 2008 with extensive experience in development and communications. Most recently she served as an American India Foundation Fellow working with several NGOs in Pune, India dedicated to issues of HIV/AIDS and prior to that worked in New York City as the Senior Development Associate for Mercy Corps, an international relief and development agency. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Alissa earned a B.A. in English from Boston University and is thrilled to be a part of the StoryCorps team.

Abby Lesnick,
Business Development Coordinator

Born in New York and raised in Philadelphia, Abby returned to her roots when her passion for storytelling led her to become a Creative Writing English Major at New York University. Abby came to StoryCorps in June 2008 as the first member of the new Business Development department. She brings years of administrative and development experience in New York City nonprofits, which ranged from a downtown experimental theater to working with Middle School public education and technology.

Community Outreach Staff

Adam Wilson,
Manager, Community Outreach

Adam Wilson joins the StoryCorps senior team after almost ten years of union and community organizing, most recently as the Managing Director of the Prewitt Organizing Fund (POF). Before POF, he worked for UNITE! and the Offshore Mariners United in campaigns around the United States. Until Hurricane Katrina, Adam lived in New Orleans and was a member of Community Labor United and the Frederick Douglas Coalition, a multi-racial, multi-generational organization committed to social change through Story Circles. A recent arrival to Brooklyn, Adam is proud to join the Outreach team and contribute to the realization of the StoryCorps mission. He is originally from Wisconsin, and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.

Melvin Reeves,
Alaska Planner

For nearly twenty-five years, Melvin Reeves held leadership positions within the American Red Cross. In 1985, he created and managed the social services department for a ninety-unit motel converted into temporary housing for single, homeless mothers with children. He then served as the Director of HELP I, a 200-unit emergency housing program for homeless families, before becoming the Director of Disaster Services for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. In addition to managing the Red Cross response to TWA Flight 800 and numerous other disasters, he also created the statewide disaster response plan for the Red Cross in New York. In 2001, he was working with the Bay Area Red Cross when he was urged to return to New York City because of September 11th. He subsequently created and managed the social services department for the organization’s long-term recovery program for September 11th clients, serving more than 10,000 individuals in fifty states and sixty-five other countries. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he designed a long-term recovery plan for the American National Red Cross. Melvin graduated from Harvard College in 1979 with a B.A. in psychology and social relations.

Dina Zempsky,
Senior Outreach Coordinator, Memory Loss Initiative

Dina has a twenty-year employment history with social service programs in the fields of industry and aging. She holds a B.F.A. from Syracuse University and an M.S.W. from Columbia University. Prior to coming to StoryCorps, she was the Director of Partnership for Eldercare, an eldercare case management program at the New York City Department for the Aging. She currently has a private practice in geriatric care management. At StoryCorps, she is thrilled to blend her passions for the arts and human services.

Veronica Ordaz,
Senior Outreach Coordinator, New York City Outreach

A Guatemalan and native New Yorker, Veronica has worked directly with people in various settings, from translating for non-English speakers in New York City courtrooms to teaching pre-schoolers to rock-climb. She has knocked on doors informing people about environmental and public health issues in New York, instructed high-school students in creating and running after-school programs for children, and more. She put all these experiences to use as a StoryCorps Facilitator from 2005-2006 and maintains her love of people and stories.

Rachel Daniell,
Coordinator, Outreach

Rachel Daniell has pursued her love of independent media by creating databases, spreadsheets, and online resources for such organizations as AK Press, The New Press, Seven Stories, Downtown Community TV, and Berkeley Community Media. She was part of the collectively-run nonprofit technology organization Media Jumpstart/May First and has been involved with Paper Tiger TV, Bluestockings Women’s Bookstore, Blackout Books, and the microradio movement. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in liberal studies with a concentration in international studies at CUNY Graduate Center.

Andre Lancaster,
Coordinator, New York City Outreach

Amongst his accomplishments as a storyteller/playwright and activist, he is a founding company member and current Artistic Director of Freedom Train Productions. His plays have been performed in New York at HERE Arts Center, Collective:Unconscious, and BRIC Studio. Contemporary social movements have inspired much of his work in theatre. Andre’s contribution to StoryCorps’ Community Outreach Team reaffirms a personal value he holds in his theatre work: every story matters. He is a proud native Texan and avid Houston Rockets fan.

Perri Chinalai,
Coordinator, Memory Loss Initiative

Perri comes from a background in the arts. She studied Photography and Art History at the Rhode Island School of Design and Media Studies at the New School University. Her recent projects include a video documentary about her Thai aunt/nanny who has Alzheimer’s Disease and photography/video work that explores immigrant experiences in the U.S. Perri is a hospice volunteer in NYC, loves to run, bake vegan desserts (even though she is not vegan) and spend time with her family. She is thrilled to be part of the Memory Loss Initiative and to support innovative ways to partner with people and organizations from around the country.

Andy Hollenhorst,
Data Analysis Assistant, Outreach

Andy hails from Wisconsin and received his M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Among other things, he has taught civics in Washington, DC, directed a service learning program in Mississippi, led cross country trips for foreign travelers and advised American students preparing to study abroad in Southern Africa. Andy was previously the StoryKit Intern, and now revels in crunching numbers. He enjoys trivia, maps and cheese curds.

Development Staff

Jessica Benjamin,
Development Associate

Jessica earned her B.A. in English and Communications with a minor in Women Studies from SUNY Oswego. She then traveled halfway across the country to receive her M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In Minnesota, she focused her studies on nonfiction writing and taught introductory English Composition and Creative Writing. Additionally, she worked as the Director of Development of The Arc of Minnesota Southwest and as a Prejudice Reduction Workshop Facilitator for the Greater Mankato Diversity Council. She has returned to New York to fuse her passion for philanthropy, writing, and storytelling at StoryCorps.

Christa Orth,
Development Associate

Christa comes to StoryCorps from Portland, Oregon where she worked in development offices at the Equity Foundation and REACH Community Development. After receiving her Master’s degree in history from the University of Oregon, she served on the faculty at Portland State University where she taught courses in gender studies and oral history. Christa has an extensive background in individual giving and loves working with donors to preserve the amazing stories of everyday people.

Door-to-Door Staff

Elaine Davenport,
Manager

Elaine Davenport came to StoryCorps in 2006 with a background in youth development and workshop facilitation gained from over four years at the Posse Foundation. She started as a Facilitator, moved on to marketing, and has now dedicated herself to helping organizations and groups host recording days on site as head of the Door-to-Door department. She is thrilled at this opportunity to help make the StoryCorps experience more accessible to people across the country.

Sylvie Lubow,
Coordinator

Sylvie Lubow was born and raised on the streets of Brooklyn, New York. Surrounded from an early age by culture and clamor, Sylvie quickly developed affinities for chance encounters, subway conversations and the general eccentricities of city life. After earning a B.A in English from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Sylvie returned to her native land where she dabbled in teaching before joining the StoryCorps team in 2007. Beyond 80 Hanson, Sylvie likes to explore the world of lexicography, makes a mean batch of popcorn, and has been known to rock a microphone or two.

Read blog posts from our Door-to-Door Facilitators.

Facilities & Archive Staff

Nick Yulman,
Manager, Facilities & Archive

Nick Yulman grew up in Philadelphia, and studied English and studio art at Wesleyan University. Starting at as a Facilitator, he spent four months on the Mobile Tour, traveling between Chicago and Gulfport, Mississippi, before returning to Brooklyn to join the Facilities & Archive team. Nick’s long-standing interest in sound also finds an outlet in his creative work involving musical automata.

Desiree Leary,
Archive Senior Coordinator

Desiree has developed a fondness for archives and collections over the past several years. Previously she managed the archiving department for a photo-retouching studio, restored and cataloged video, and worked with various collections of art and rare books. Currently Desiree enjoys caring for all of the stories that come to StoryCorps (among her other Facilities and Archive duties). She holds a BFA in Studio Art from Alfred University, is working towards a MLIS at Rutgers with a concentration in digital libraries, has dabbled in architecture, and wishes she could master speaking Mandarin. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her dog Leela.

Michael Dougherty,
Coordinator

Mike Dougherty moved to New York from Herndon, Virginia, to study music technology and journalism at New York University. Before joining the team at StoryCorps, he spent two years working at New York University’s Avery Fisher Center for Music and Media and interning at various local publications. He is now a contributing writer for the Brooklyn-based L Magazine.

Talya Cooper,
Coordinator

Talya Cooper grew up in Ohio and New Jersey and earned her B.A. in anthropology at Barnard College. Currently finishing a Master’s degree in library and information science at Pratt Institute, she has worked at a number of New York City’s finest academic libraries, archives, and video stores. She has also served as a staff member at several local independent radio stations, including WBAR at Barnard and Washington Heights Free Radio.

Finance Staff

Ed Schemitsch,
Manager, Finance

Ed, who is a CPA, comes to StoryCorps with many years of financial management experience as vice resident of finance, chief financial officer, and auditor in the financial services sector. Recently, Ed had been working with community development credit unions to improve their accounting practices and procedures. He was also a personal financial counselor for a nonprofit organization that helps low-to-moderate income families achieve their financial goals.

Human Resources Staff

Chris Shutzer,
Manager, Human Resources

Chris Shutzer joined the StoryCorps Team in the Winter of 2008 after working as the Employee Relations Specialist for the 92nd Street Y, and Assistant Program Manager for Lehman Brothers’ Investment Management Division. A history major from Harvard College, Chris wrote his thesis on School Shootings and the Media, and he spent a large amount of his free time singing for the Harvard Callbacks. Chris’ interest in Human Resources stems from his love of all types of people and helping those in need. In addition to his interests in Human Resources, Chris enjoys cooking, running, and golfing.

Megan Thiele,
Generalist, Human Resources

Megan joined StoryCorps in the summer of 2008, moving to New York after a lifetime spent in the South. She was born in Columbus, Mississippi, and has lived in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, and, for the past 15 years, Texas. Megan’s love for the written and spoken word led her to pursue a BA in English with a minor in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin. Now, at StoryCorps, she is able to combine her interests in interpersonal communication, sociolinguistics, psychology, and personal histories in her role as an HR Generalist. When Megan isn’t analyzing the things people say and the way they say them, she enjoys listening to live music of all genres, reading just about anything she can get her hands on, writing/blogging, yoga, and getting lost in her new city. Prior to joining StoryCorps, Megan was an HR Administration Analyst at Dell, Inc. in Round Rock, Texas.

Ihsan Muhammad,
Coordinator, Human Resources

Ihsan Muhammad is an artist and media educator. Prior to joining Storycorps she created her own series of hip-hop education youth workshops that were conducted in sixteen New York City public schools. She is co-chair and national spokesperson of UrbanMentor, a youth development commercial brand and is a lifelong poet, singer, and songwriter. She has just published her first book of poetry entitled “Break and Heal”. You can read or listen to her work on her website www.ihsanm.com.

IT Staff

Dean Haddock,
IT Manager

Originally from the small town of Denton, Texas, Dean Haddock brings to StoryCorps over twelve years of Information Technology experience. As the founder of two online businesses and a scholarly peer reviewed journal, Dean is passionate about technology, especially as it relates to the academic community. He joins us from the financial consulting industry after graduating from the University of North Texas in 2005 with a MS in Political Science. He also recently served as the Chairman of the Texas Leadership Forum, an organization dedicated to equipping young people for a life of public service. Dean is an advocate for a platform-agnostic, open-source environment, and you can find him occasionally blogging about his technological leanings here.

Marketing & Communications

Dalton Rooney,
Webmaster

Dalton comes to StoryCorps from the Corporation for Supportive Housing, where he was Director of Information Technology for five years. He is currently finishing up his B.A. in art with a concentration in photography at Brooklyn College.

Katie McGowan,
Senior Coordinator, Participant Relations

Katie McGowan comes from a family of Ham Radio operators, genealogists, and public servicemen and women. She found her niche at StoryCorps in February 2006, listening to the stories of participants, supporting our reservations, StoryKit, and inquiries systems. She has worked for WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show, New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, and United Indians of All Tribes Foundation in Seattle, WA. She holds a B.A. from Smith College and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Media Studies at the New School. In her spare time, she enjoys textile crafts and yoga. You can see her media related ramblings on her blog.

Marisa Karplus,
Senior Coordinator

Marisa Karplus joined StoryCorps upon earning her Master’s degree in Media Studies from the New School where she focused on social marketing and media literacy. She worked as associate producer on the Academy Award-nominated documentary, Street Fight, which aired on PBS, and the film Dust to Dust: The Health Effects of 9/11, which aired on The Sundance Channel on the five-year anniversary of September 11th. Her enthusiasm for StoryCorps comes from her love of non-fiction storytelling, where she finds true life consistently proves to be more interesting, entertaining, and inspiring than fiction.

Stacey Edelstein,
Marketing Coordinator

Stacey grew up in San Diego, California and earned a B.S. in Communication from the University of Miami, Florida. Prior to joining StoryCorps in 2008, Stacey worked in public relations, marketing, and event planning that specialized in modern art and industrial design. She is also an active member of the New York Open Center and a collaborator and designer for WideSky Designs.

Sacha Evans,
Participant Relations Assistant

Sacha Evans has worked for a variety of media and international affairs organizations. After completing her journalism degree at George Washington University, she served as a research assistant to veteran journalist Marvin Kalb at Harvard University and worked at National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. In 2007 she traveled between Germany and South Africa as a media consultant. She comes from a family of car mechanics and acrobats, who taught her the importance of sharing stories.

Mobile Staff

Eliza Bettinger,
Manager, Mobile Department

Eliza Bettinger came to Sound Portraits as a production intern. She joined the fledging Mobile team in September 2004. Previously, she was a newspaper reporter whose beats included the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and the U.S./Canadian border. She has a B.S. in biology from Cornell University, and hails from southern Jefferson County, New York.

Mitra Bonshahi,
Senior Coordinator

Mitra Bonshahi developed an ear for listening while working at a 24-hour diner in her hometown of Chicago. She grew to appreciate the colorful stories she heard from the local patrons, which led her to become a Facilitator for StoryCorps in 2006. After roaming the country recording stories, she was inspired to become a part of the Mobile staff where her natural affinity for traveling and working with public radio stations continues to flourish.

Jenna Weiss-Berman,
Senior Coordinator

Jenna Weiss-Berman was born and raised in Northampton, Massachusetts. She moved to Brooklyn after graduating from Oberlin College where she studied politics and was the proud Station Manager of WOBC, Oberlin’s college and community radio station. She joined StoryCorps in 2006 and was a Facilitator for over a year, spending eight months out on the open road in StoryCorps’ MobileBooths. Her experiences on Mobile inspired her to join the Mobile Team, and there she remains.

Read blog posts from our MobileBooth Facilitators.

Production Staff

Michael Garafolo,
Senior Producer

Michael Garafolo fell for New York’s panoply of voices while teaching English as a Second Language, Literacy, and Writing in schools throughout the city. He was a StoryCorps intern and facilitator before joining Production in 2004. Michael also makes music using radios — among other things — as a member of the electro-acoustic duo Latitude/Longitude. He is a Transmission Artist with the non- profit arts organization free103point9.

Katie Simon,
Producer

Before Katie joined StoryCorps in 2005, she worked as a development officer and reporter for WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM, and as a freelancer for NPR’s JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater. Prior to that she attended Kenyon College; she graduated with a degree in American Studies and Anthropology and was awarded a Henry G. Dalton Fellowship. Katie grew up in New Jersey and continues to reside on the Hudson’s west bank.

Nadia Reiman,
Associate Producer

Nadia graduated from Kenyon College with a double major in International Studies and Spanish Literature. Before joining StoryCorps, she was the associate producer for the Washington-based Spanish language radio show Epicentro. She also reported and covered Latino issues in Congress. In addition to obsessing over the sound of sneakers hitting gravel, Nadia is an avid blogger, traveler, and an occasional DJ and translator. She hails from San Jose, Costa Rica.

Lizzie Jacobs,
Editor

Lizzie Jacobs hails from Chicago and got her start at StoryCorps as a production intern. Before StoryCorps, she was an editor in educational publishing and taught in various educational nonprofits, mostly with middle schoolers. Lizzie got her B.A. at Williams College and her MFA in Creative Writing at the New School. When not at StoryCorps, she writes essays and is currently working on a book of profiles of American eccentrics.

Vanara Taing,
Associate Producer

Vanara Taing first joined StoryCorps as a Facilities and Archive Coordinator. In that role, she trained facilitators on sound recording and managed StoryBooths. Vanara has also published and produced documentaries on the Cambodian refugee experience. Her film, bloodlines, was selected for the 2006 Portland Documentary and eXperimental Film Festival. She holds a B.A. from Scripps College and an Ed.M. from Harvard University.

Chanda Khatso,
Production Assistant

Having spent most of his early life in-between England and Zimbabwe Chandapiwa Edward Lucian Khatso is a self-described global citizen. After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Bristol, Chanda briefly moved to London before making the move to San Francisco for graduate school. Before Governor Schwarzenegger’s signature on his Masters in Radio and Television was dry, Chanda had set sail for New York to pursue a career in radio, where he would hold positions at ABC Radio News, the BBC and PRI before arriving at StoryCorps.

StoryBooth Staff

Read blog posts from our StoryBooth Facilitators.