Sarah Illiatovitch-Goldman is our Camp Director. She is an artist, educator, and activist who works across North America. Sarah has worked as an actor, director, playwright, and dramaturge. She is the founding Artistic Director of the award-winning Cue6 Theatre in Toronto Ontario, a finalist for the RBC Tarragon Emerging Playwright Award, and has had the honor of working at some of the finest theatre establishments around including Collaboraction Theatre Company, Project: Humanity, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Sarah has taught ages 3-50 in settings far and wide including, but not limited to, homeless shelters, public schools, summer camps, and prisons. Sarah has worked with Organizing for Action, Planned Parenthood, Indivisible, and is on the board of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. Hearts to Art is an intersection of all of her passions and she is incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to helm it and work with such extraordinary staff and campers!
Molly Mehl is our Assistant Camp Director. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, went to college in Ohio, and is now happy to call Chicago her home. She teaches kindergarten in Chicago Public Schools. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys dancing, traveling, reading, spending time with friends and family, and going to see musicals. She have been involved with camp for the past 10 years, previously as a dance teacher. Molly says, “I come back to camp each summer because I love the community and am continuously inspired by the strength, passion, and creativity of the campers, staff, and families.”
Nailah Cartman is our Camp Coordinator. She has been with camp for 10 years now! She has had the opportunity to experience camp from several different perspectives: as a camper, a junior counselor, a group leader, the Creative Engagement intern, the resident photographer, and has been our Camp Coordinator for three years now! This summer she is honored to have the opportunity as the lead in planning and organizing camp while Sarah is out on maternity leave. She is so excited to see familiar campers and beginning to build relationships with the new campers!
Megan Rhyme is our Camp Registrar. She is a dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist based in Chicago. She has performed as a contemporary dancer with Chicago companies such as Synapse Arts, Salty Lark Dance, Renegade Dance Architects, and Nicole Gifford Dance. Her choreography has been produced by The Chicago Fringe Festival, The Field Chicago, and Links Hall. She has worked as a teaching artist with notable art integration programs such as Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, the Auditorium Theatre’s ArtsXChange Teacher Development Program, and Dancing With Class, Inc.. She loves Hearts to Art and is excited to be back for another summer of this amazing camp!
Velma Johnson is our Food and Beverage Coordinator. She is a Computer Technology Educator with Chicago Public Schools. She loves spending time with her family at barbeques, reunions, and outings! She loves attending church service and watching old movies! Though she doesn’t have biological children of her own, she says the “students that I teach daily are just like my children. I love to see all children demonstrate their love for technology!”
