Former public school educator, marketing and advertising experience; dance educators; communications experience; board experience with other nonprofits; entrepreneurial business development; program development and advocacy.
Meet Our Team
AIM’s board and staff members bring diverse and broad experience to the organization. AIM’s leadership team represents the following areas of experience and expertise: former public school educator and owner of All That Dance; marketing and advertising experience; dance educators; communications experience; board experience with other nonprofits; entrepreneurial business development; program development and advocacy. Additionally, the leadership includes parents of youth with disabilities, as well as individuals who identify as Neurodivergent or Disabled.
Administrative Team
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Kristin is thrilled to be a part of the AIM community! She brings with her a background in music therapy, music education, arts administration, and youth development work. She also brings her lived experience as an Autistic person with another invisible disability, both of which inform everything about how she approaches her work. Her highest priority in her professional life is to foster creative spaces where young people, families, community members, staff, and volunteers feel valued, supported, and free to bring their full authentic selves. In her personal time, you can find her on outdoor adventures, crafting, and learning new things.
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Megan Martinko (she/her), Evaluation Coordinator, graduated from John Carroll University in 2015, with a degree in History and a minor in English. She then received her Masters in Museology with a focus on Education and a Certificate in Evaluation from the University of Washington in 2015. She is currently the Communications Manager and Tap Department Lead for All That Dance. She brings to AIM her years of experience working in nonprofits and dance education.
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Mackenzie Guillen, Registration Coordinator, graduated from UC Irvine in 2015 with a Bachelor's Degree in Dance. She has a personal connection to the disabled community and has treasured her time working with disabled community members since youth. She enjoys supporting AIM behind the scenes administratively, and is always excited when she gets the occasional opportunity to substitute an Adaptive Movement class. Outside of AIM, Mackenzie enjoys teaching dance, spending time with her son and husband, and adventuring with her pups.
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Miranda Veenhuysen (she/they) has been an arts educator in the Puget Sound region for over a decade and a teaching artist at AIM since 2024. She holds a degree in Theater Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a dual emphasis in Dance and Drama and completed her dance teacher training at the Creative Dance Center in Seattle, WA in 2010. Miranda also performs with two collectives: MoDanCo (modern dance) and Rain City Tappers (tap dance). In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, reading, and spending time with her husband and two cats. Miranda strongly values inclusivity and is a fervent believer in the power of the arts to bring joy and depth to individuals and communities.
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Laina Bentley (she/her), Volunteer Coordinator and Support Staff, graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2023 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies. She has since completed music-based continuing education certificate programs at NYU: Tisch and the University of Washington. Laina brings to AIM her passion for and experience in working with music therapy, music education, and nonprofit organizations. She is also a theatre kid who grew up dancing and doing competitive concert and show choir! In her free time, you can find Laina in nature, doing crafts and puzzles, reading, or playing board games.
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Aidyn Stevens (she/her) began as a volunteer with AIM and then got the joy of working as a Support Staff. Aidyn’s background in the arts includes having received her BA in Theatre and Music from Western Washington University in 2022. Since then, her work has been focused on teaching, directing, and social service. Aidyn cares deeply about creating transformative arts engagement and works to be an artist for all people! She is excited to now support AIM’s community through the role of Program Coordinator.
Support Staff & Teaching Artists
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Allie Pape (she/her) is pursuing a double major in Environmental Science and Dance, with a concentration in Wildlife Conservation and a minor in Marine Biology at the University of Washington. Currently on a gap year, Allie works as a freelance dancer and dance teacher within Seattle elementary schools. During the past few summers, she worked at an overnight camp for youth with chronic illness and other life challenges, where she developed a passion for bringing inclusivity and accessibility to the arts and the environmental sciences. Outside of dance and academics, Allie loves to read, do photography, go scuba diving and spend time in nature!
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Allison Tsai (she/her) earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She is particularly interested in working with youth with disabilities and older adults to promote independence and quality of life. Allison is passionate about advocating for equitable access to services for underserved communities. She is dedicated to delivering compassionate, client-centered care that values each individual’s unique strengths and experiences.
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As a music therapist, Amy is passionate about using music to build environments where people can build supportive connections, celebrate their achievements, feel comfortable with themselves and embrace their true identities. With dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and music therapy, Amy loves to use music to build community and personal connections in creative ways. She is excited to be a part of a team of unique creative arts professionals helping to bring inclusion and access to arts to the community.
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My name is Ashritha Cheeyandira and I am a 3rd year at the University of Washington studying Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. I joined AIM to help neurodivergent minds stay active through dance therapy. One fun fact about me is that I have 10 piercings!
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Bee (they/them/he/him), Support Staff, recently graduated magna cum laude from Cornish College of the Arts in 2023. Bee draws from his experience as a queer, disabled artist to give voice to the human experience. Born and raised in Oak Park, IL, they have over 20 years of dance education in ballet, Graham, contemporary, improv/contact improv, jazz, integrated dance, and more. Bee's work has been performed in Cornish's New Moves, MOMENTA's CounterBalance, and HEARTH, their up-and-coming dance company, co-directed by artistic partner Vera Drumond-Moore. They also put energy into their other passion, teaching, working with students of all ages at Haven Dance Academy, All That Dance, AIM Seattle, and the Academy of Music and Dance in Ballard and Shoreline. With almost a decade of teaching experience, Bee strives to create a welcoming space where dancers can explore and discover the creative force that they are!
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Charmin Wray, Movement Teaching Artist, has a degree in Sociology from the University of Washington. She teaches beginning level dance to ages 3 and up, and caregiver/child dance classes. She studied at The Summer Dance Institute for Teachers, at The Creative Dance Center in Seattle, for guidance in The Brain Dance. Watching The Brain Dance practices open up self awareness and communication possibilities in all populations and levels of dance is a joy. She is also a certified Home Care Aide, and a preschool teacher. She likes the summer season, outdoor theater, and karaoke.
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Chelsea Hanawalt (she/her) is an educator, applied theatre practitioner, teaching artist, and future drama therapist with over 12 years of experience leading creative, inclusive arts programs for people of all ages. She holds a BFA in Performing Arts from Cornish College of the Arts and an MA in Applied Theatre from City University of New York, and is currently completing her drama therapy credential through the Drama Therapy Institute of LA. Chelsea has taught in schools and communities in Seattle and across New York City. She is passionate about the expressive arts and is dedicated to creating inclusive, imaginative spaces where people of all ages and abilities can explore, express, and connect through creativity. Recently back in Seattle, she’s excited to join the AIM community and support their mission of addressing systemic barriers faced by people with disabilities. Learn more about her work at chelseahanawalt.com.
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Colleen (she/her) earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from CSU Sacramento and is currently finishing up her graduate studies in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Washington spring 2025. Before her studies in speech and language, Colleen trained as a ballet dancer and continues to bring dance into her life in all sorts of ways! She is very passionate about AIM's mission to bring creative movement and music to the community and loves learning how every person connects in a uniquely beautiful way.
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Dan Dumont-Eton is a Choreographer, Artist, and Software Engineer. During his performance career, Dan was a company member of Nimbus Dance Works in New York, Evolving Doors Dance in Colorado, and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in Utah. Throughout his career, he had the pleasure of performing works by Daniel Charon, Sam Potts, Doug Varone, Alwin Nikolais, Angie Simmons, Raja Feather Kelly, Ann Carter, and many others.
As a dance teacher, he has taught dance to all ages and abilities across the United States. During his time in Ririe-Woodbury and thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts, Dan was able to teach internationally in South Korea, Mongolia, and France. Performing mostly in Contemporary Dance companies, Dan also likes to incorporate release-technique, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and Horton into his classes. His deep love for floor work and accessibility combine together to offer students from any background a chance to express themselves in their own voice and movement.
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Eliza Siracusan, Support Staff, received her bachelors degree in clarinet performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2005. Her primary teachers were Richard Hawkins, Linnea Nereim, and Franklin Cohen. She performs with the Seattle Collaborative Orchestra and as principal clarinet with Octava Chamber Orchestra and also performs with SMCO, PNW Opera, Cascade Symphony Orchestra, and Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island. Eliza plays as much chamber music as she possibly can and especially enjoys collaborating with strings and piano. This summer will mark the fourth year of annual August chamber concerts with fellow CIM grads. Eliza teaches private lessons in Monroe and coaches at Interlake HS in Bellevue. This fall, she will start coaching for CYSO for two of the younger orchestras and also start a paraeducator position in the Snohomish School District. She loves teaching and supporting the growth and engagement of the whole student, not just as a clarinet player but also as an authentic human and she especially loves working with adult music students who are coming back to music after a lifetime away.
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Erika, Teaching Artist, has had the privilege of teaching for AIM for over two years now. Erika has a degree in dance from Pace University with an emphasis in pedagogy. Erika has a dance background mainly in ballet and jazz. She still does much of her own training and performing when she is not teaching. Erika enjoys learning about each of her students and the individual movement qualities they bring to AIM. She loves to find music and develop activities that her students connect to that instill joy, confidence and self expression.
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Garima Tripathi is a visual artist from India and lifelong student of Buddhist teachings on interdependence. She works in sculptures, public art installations, and prints. She learned pottery from traditional potters in Dharavi, Mumbai, earned her MFA from the University of Oxford, UK, on the Charles Wallace Scholarship, and post-baccalaureate at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Her work has been exhibited in India, the UK, the US, South Korea, and Denmark. She has created permanent installations for Harvard University's ceramic studio, Anneberg Kulturpark in Denmark, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, India. She was awarded the NCECA Multicultural Fellowship in 2022 and has done residencies at Golden Bridge Pottery in India, the L H Project in Oregon and Vortex Pottery in Seattle.
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Madeline grew up dancing at All That Dance and holds a Minor in Choreography from the University of Southern California. She currently teaches at ATD and runs their Mentee Program, which places high school students into dance classrooms to gain teaching and leadership experience. She is passionate about making dance accessible to people of all abilities, sizes, ages, and genders. Outside of the studio, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, skiing, and rock climbing.
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Michaela Summers holds an MA in Dance Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a BA in Theater Arts from Azusa Pacific University. She has extensive experience teaching PK–6th grade performing arts, managing camps and enrichment programs, and working as a teaching artist in Title I schools across Los Angeles. Her teaching emphasizes creative expression and embodied learning. Michaela recently relocated to Seattle and is excited to be here!
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Miranda Swan Veenhuysen (she/they) has been teaching dance in the Puget Sound region for over a decade. She holds a degree in Theater Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a dual emphasis in Dance and Drama. She completed her teacher training at the Creative Dance Center in Seattle, WA in 2010. She is also part of two performance collectives: MoDanCo (modern dance) and Rain City Tappers (tap
dance). Her goal as a teacher is to inspire a life-long love of dance in her students.
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Moranne Aaron-Berel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Washington State and a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT). She holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master’s degree in Theater, and brings extensive experience across social services and mental health settings. Moranne has worked with clients across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, with particular experience supporting marginalized communities, individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, individuals with severe and persistent mental illness, and their families.Her work integrates drama therapy, Narrative, and Experiential approaches, and includes individual, family, and group therapy in outpatient, education, school-based, and community settings. Currently, Moranne works in Outpatient Behavioral Health at the Y Social Impact Center, facilitates Beat and Movement drum circle class with AIM, and facilitates groups for individuals with chronic illness and ongoing conditions.
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Nouci Ha (she/her) earned a degree in Kinesiology and is now diving deeper into the world of Occupational Therapy as a graduate student. Passionate about accessibility and inclusion, Nouci loves finding creative ways to help people fully participate in the activities that bring them joy and purpose. Nouci hopes to empower individuals to participate fully in the tasks they want and need to do, to live life on their own terms.
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Sonja is so excited to be at AIM! She grew up in Lake Forest Park just outside of Seattle. Sonja has a background in music, art, and advocacy. She brings her personal lived experience with invisible disabilities and is passionate about creating community where everyone can feel welcome. Sonja has many creative talents including costume design & creation, music, and writing. In her free time she enjoys attending anime conventions, playing video games, and singing with a local choir.
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Susan Moffitt is a Washington state certified teaching artist who has taught art to children as young as three and adults as old as a hundred and five. Single handedly raising twin sons on the autism spectrum sparked her passion for teaching drama and art to special needs populations. Susan is also a pianist/composer and writer/poet. In her spare time she loves being out in nature with one or both of her sons.
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Taara Elahi, Support Staff, is a recent graduate from the University of Washington with a double degree in Biochemistry and Dance. She is currently working as a clinical research coordinator at Fred Hutch Cancer Center and plans on applying to medical school in the coming year. Taara was a competitive gymnast before she began dancing and she is very passionate about serving her community. She has found a deep interest in using dance to help improve the human condition and aims to continue advocating for marginalized groups throughout her future medical education.
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Val was born and raised in Washington and eventually made her way back home after living in Dublin, Albuquerque, and Boston. She earned her BA in Psychology and Community Wellness from The Evergreen State College and is now pursuing her Master’s in Occupational Therapy at the University of Washington. Val is especially interested in pediatric OT, with a focus on hippotherapy and outdoor, nature-based approaches. She hopes to build a career helping kids grow, move, and gain confidence in natural environments. Outside of school, she loves paddleboarding, playing tennis, playing guitar, and cheering for the Huskies and Cowboys during football season!
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Will Shaw (he/him) received an undergraduate degree in Public Health and is now pursuing his Master of Occupational Therapy at the University of Washington. He is passionate about serving the community and loves animals, especially his two cats, Pippa & Pepper. He hopes to merge his two passions and work in animal-assisted therapy one day.
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Yumin is pursuing her B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington. She also works with Seattle Young Engineers, helping run an after-school LEGO STEM program for SPS. She joined AIM because she sees it as an incredible opportunity to immerse herself in creative arts and connect with an amazing community. Outside of academics, Yumin enjoys reading Penguin Modern Classics, using Letterboxd, spending time with cats, and trying new restaurants.
Board of Directors
Anneli Jefferson
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Anneli Jefferson (she/her), Board Co-President, received her degree in Marketing from the University of Pretoria and then her MBA from the University of Phoenix. She co-founded Largesse Company, working with and providing a business platform for marginalized artisan communities around the globe. She has served on the Board of Open Doors for Multicultural Families. As the parent of a child severely impacted by her disability, she contributes valuable lived experience. She brings to AIM years of entrepreneurial background in marketing and business development.
Katie Hurt
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Katie Hurt (she/her) earned her Juris Doctor Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Washington.
Katie grew up in the disability community, so understands firsthand the struggles and needs of families impacted by disabilities. Her interest in advocacy began when her brother was diagnosed with Autism as a child. She chose to pursue a career in the legal profession to better meet the more complex needs of families like hers.
Ms. Hurt has experience navigating the areas of federal, state, and county benefits and understands how assets, income, and special needs trusts can impact an individual’s access to them. Ms. Hurt has also gained expertise in guardianship, estate planning, trust drafting and administration, special education, and independent living and housing options. In her free time, Ms. Hurt enjoys skiing, running one-day relay races with her husband and friends, and swimming with her kids. In 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, she received recognition as a Washington State Super Lawyers Rising Star in the area of Estate planning.
Beatrice Hewitt
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Beatrice Hewitt (she/her), Board Co-President, received a Ph.D. in Mathematics from The University of Illinois at Chicago in 1996. Teaching in various settings and volunteer work have been her life-long calling and commitment. She has two amazing daughters, one with disabilities. Learning to care for her daughter launched her into a new career in specialized program development and advocacy. She brings to AIM a passion for creating a safe, welcoming place for everyone to experience joy and acceptance.
Christopher Jones
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Christopher Jones (he/him) is the Director of Operations at APPLE Consulting, a therapy company for individuals on the autism spectrum. He has served in multiple director roles and consulted widely for disability-related companies across the US and Canada.
He also served as adjunct faculty in the School of Education at the University of Washinton. His prior positions in academia supported his research looking at social supports for young adults on the autism spectrum as well as adaptive development and self-help skills for younger children on the spectrum.
Dr. Jones has nearly three decades of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults with developmental disabilities and over 20 years working specifically with populations affected by autism.
He also served as founder and president of the Washington Association for Behavior Analysis from 2014-2016 and is still active within the association’s leadership.
Jenny Moss Benson
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Jenny Moss Benson (she/her) received degrees in journalism and Spanish from Pacific Lutheran University. She was a book development editor and project manager at Prentice Hall and Microsoft Press. She also was a project manager and warm line volunteer at Perinatal Support Washington. She is the parent of a disabled child with very high support needs, which has inspired her passion for disability and mental health advocacy. She brings to AIM a focus on thinking creatively and comprehensively to make things happen.
Michael Ferguson
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Michael Ferguson (he/him) is a senior tax partner with 30 years of experience, based in the Seattle office of EY, serving as tax account leader for public and private companies.
As a leader of the Pacific Northwest international tax and transaction services practice, Michael has extensive experience providing tax advisory and compliance services to US and foreign-based multinational companies, focusing on developing sustainable, cross-border operating models that appropriately balance a company’s business objectives with tax risk.
Michael has a B.A. in Accounting and Finance from Washington State University and obtained a CPA and CMA accreditation.
Andrew Mullenix
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Andrew Mullenix (he/him) is a registered nurse in the state of Washington and received a Bachelors in the Science of Nursing from Hope College in 2003 and a Master’s in Health Administration from the University of Washington in 2016.
He provided nursing care to children with medical complexity on the medical and cancer care units at Seattle Children’s starting in 2003. He has continued his career as a leader at Seattle Children’s.
Informed by an extensive background in administrative leadership, understanding of the healthcare landscape, and familiarity with the disabilities community, Andrew’s unique perspectives contribute to a well-rounded board focused on achieving AIM’s mission and vision.
Lisa Gurry
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Lisa Gurry is a business leader, storyteller, and mom of a daughter with several rare diseases. Her daughter loves the music and hip-hop dance classes at AIM!
She is the Chief Business Officer at GeneDx, where she is leading the company through its next phase of growth – advancing data and information services across biopharma, health systems, and other partners – to accelerate the future of precision medicine. She also oversees marketing, communication, and strategic partnerships.
With expertise at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and data, Lisa loves to turn bold ideas into scaled businesses. She co-founded Truveta, serving as Chief Growth Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. Lisa spent more than two decades at Microsoft, leading global teams and driving global growth strategies, marketing, and communications for Windows, Office, and Xbox.
Lisa has an MA in Communications from the University of Missouri and a BA in Communications from University of Arkansas.
