Our Staff

Michele A. Parchment is Brandywine Workshop and Archives’ Executive Director, successor of Founder Allan L. Edmunds as of August 21, 2023.

“[Michele] brings three decades of experience working with museums and arts organizations in a variety of capacities, including education, public programming, and exhibition and collection management. She has been serving as a consultant to Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator in Miami, Fla.

Previously, she was director of public engagement at the Sarasota Art Museum at Ringling College of Arts and Design (2018–22) in Sarasota, Fla., and held several roles at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte, N.C. (2006–14). Earlier in her career, she worked at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore; The Newark Museum in New Jersey; Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Mich., and the Studio Museum in Harlem.”

Culture Type, by Victoria L. Valentine, Aug 12, 2023.

Matthew Singer serves as the Director of Communications and Development for Brandywine Workshop and Archives and Editor-in-Chief for Artura.org. He earned an MA and PhD from Penn State University in American Studies, focusing on visual and material culture and ethnic and religious studies. He served as Senior Museum Writer and Communications Officer for the Philadelphia Museum of Art from 2001 to 2015—with particular specialization in writing for fundraising, marketing, and strategic-planning contexts—and a curator (pro bono) for the Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art from 1999 to 2014. He is a regular contributor to theartblog.org and has had articles published in specialist periodicals such as The Magazine Antiques, newspapers including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Tribune, and scholarly journals.

Gustavo Garcia is the Associate Director for Artist Residencies & Media Projects. In this capacity he is involved in the planning and execution of the internationally recognized artist-in-residency program, and the digitization of the archive at the organization. He joined BWA as an intern in 2012 while pursuing his BFA in printmaking and art education at Tyler School of Art and Architecture. His most recent initiative was to facilitate the transition of the residency program from an exclusive offset-lithography production to a collaborative program that partners with workshops across Philadelphia specializing on production techniques allowing artists to explore technologies inline with the 21st century.

As Manager of Collections and Exhibitions, Jessica Hamman serves as steward of Brandywine Workshop and Archives’ print collections. She is responsible for the care of the collections, improvement of public accessibility, fostering the institution’s archives, and assisting with the development and implementation of exhibitions.

Jessica earned her Bachelor degrees in Fine Arts and Art History, and certificate in Arts Administration, from Indiana University. Her Master’s degree in Art History and certificates in Museum Studies and Cultural Heritage & Preservation are from Rutgers University. Since moving to Philadelphia in 2017—and most recently before working at Brandywine Workshop and Archives—Jessica worked as an archivist for the City and as a freelance photo editor.

As Content Coordinator, Cyan Fireall works collaboratively with our Editor-in-Chief, Matthew Singer, Ph.D., and she is responsible for the overall management of the artwork descriptions and artist biographies found on Artura.org, as well as the online management of our collections (Visiting Artist, Robert Blackburn, Coronado Studios, Self Help Graphics, and so on).

Cyan started working with Brandywine as an intern during her junior year of high school at Carver ENS. According to Cyan, “What was meant to be a short internship accounting for our print collection has turned into a long term commitment.” She has been with Brandywine since 2017 and works on entering the metadata for prints as well as writing descriptions for prints on Artura.org. She now attends the Community College of Philadelphia.

Rohan McDonald is a Philadelphia-based printmaker and Brandywine Workshop and Archives’ Facilities Manager and Printer Apprentice.

Rohan graduated from Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University, having earned his BFA in printmaking with a certificate in entrepreneurial studies. Rohan joined the BWA team in May 2021. Having served as Assistant to Founder and prior Executive Director Allan L. Edmunds, Rohan has made crucial contributions to the successful completion of both ongoing tasks and special projects, including working virtually with El Anatsui to assemble Wade in the Water.

Beyond his role as Facilities Manager and Printer Apprentice, Rohan is integral to BWA through his roles as Digital Media Output Technician and General Maintenance & Upkeep Support.

Joann Nguyen, as Video and Digital Media Producer, provides BWA with event/video documentation and assists with the organization’s database content. Joann is a Film and Media Arts major at Klein College of Media and Communication, minoring in Content Creation for advertising.

From her extensive work in Adobe Premiere Pro to her distinguished cinematography film collaborations, Joann’s goal has always been to help others through art and storytelling. Through her work at Brandywine, she is learning about the institution’s special collection/archives and exploring the relationship between cultural representation and artwork.

Elizabeth Carey-Holmes has been the Bookkeeper for Brandywine Workshop and Archives for a little over 3 years. Responsible for entering transactions in QuickBooks and processing the payroll. Making sure Expenses are paid and Income received is deposited. Working closely with Allan and the Board to prepare Financial reports. As well as handling special projects and communicating with our vendors.

Elizabeth earned her Bachelor of Science Degree many years ago from Philadelphia College of Textile and Science. (1981) Which is now known as Philadelphia / Thomas Jefferson University. She has been working in the field of Accounting for over 40 years at PNC Bank, GBCA and the Sporting Club at the Bellevue and well as the Robert Half Accounting agency that connected her Brandywine.

She always greets everyone with a warm welcoming smile.

Deja-Nicole Stokes graduated with a Bachelor of Science in graphic design from Philadelphia University (now Jefferson at East Falls) in 2014 and immediately began an internship at BWA. She was hired that fall as the graphic designer and has worked on all documentation and promotional projects (printed and digital) since that time. While working at Brandywine she also received her Master of Arts degree in graphic design from Academy of Art University in 2017. Since 2018, she has been the lead designer for Artura related projects and works collaboratively with all staff on the digital image library and archival photography collection.

Marta Sanchez serves as Public Engagement Coordinator for Brandywine Workshop and Archives and Coordinator of Education Outreach for Artura.org. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, she earned an MFA in painting from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and a BFA in painting from the University of Texas at Austin. She taught at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for over seventeen years and now teaches at St. Joseph University. She is co-founder of the grassroots organization “Cascarones Por La Vida,” which assists families affected by HIV/AIDS. Her artwork is currently archived at the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.

John Cardone serves as Artura’s Digital Strategy Consultant where he leads the team in crafting vision and implementation strategy for the growing online database.

John is the Principal at Being Design Inc, a branding consultancy that helps business leaders build values-driven brands. Through his leadership in branding, design, and business model innovation, John is relentlessly focused on creating positive impact for his clients and his community.

Before founding Being Design, John spent 5 years working in the public art world, both as an artist himself, and also through building programs within institutions. When not on the job, you’ll most likely find John at a local coffee shop, or taking long walks through the city with his wife and two children.

Laurie Elder, as a representative of Being Design, joined BWA-Artura in October 2021 as a Design and Technology Coordinator. Enthusiastic about design and the opportunity to highlight brilliant artists of diverse backgrounds, she applies her 15+ years of design experience to elevate Artura’s web presence. Laurie was a co-designer for Artura’s website redesign (Artura 2.0) and currently oversees the web development process as well as implements new features and technology.

Laurie is most at home working with mission-driven or non-profit organizations related to healing or the arts. As a mother of 2 children and 3 cats, Laurie is passionate about always working to leave the world a little brighter than she found it.

Blue comes to BWA as a co-op intern from Drexel University’s Westphal College of Art and Design and the university’s Pennoni Honors College. A Graphic Design major, Blue has a passion for printed design and printmaking—screenprinting in particular, which he pursues in his free time.

As Content and Social Media Specialist, he hopes to continue expanding Brandywine’s digital presence via social media and public engagement with Artura.org, Brandywine’s free online database presenting culturally diverse artists, arts, and educational resources.

Blue is excited to be a part of Brandywine Workshop and Archives and continue to learn more about everything BWA has to offer.

As Content and Engagement Specialist with particular focus on development and communications, Ben handles a variety of tasks across different departments. Primarily, he works in collaboration with Editor-in-Chief Matthew Singer, PhD, on a range of content writing and copy editing projects. While Ben is responsible for contributing to the grant application process and keeping BWA’s websites updated, he also assists with inventory and collection management in the archives as well as digital media and video production.

Ben has a double major in English Writing and Film Production at Drexel University. He is motivated by a love of visual storytelling and a passion for both community-driven and accessibility-driven initiatives in the arts. In his free time, Ben enjoys writing poetry, photography, and watching narrative films.

As Content and Engagement Specialist, Julia Yun assists with communications outreach, program development, and documentation of the archives and print collection.

Julia is a Global Studies major at Drexel University, with a concentration in Culture, Arts, and Media, a minor in Asian Studies, and is set to pursue a second minor in Art History. Within Global Studies, she hopes to hone her knowledge within Korean culture and history in relation to the longstanding traditions of Korean art and intersectionality of the Korean American experience.

As Content Development intern at BWA, Ashia Roberts works with the Manager of Content Development to assist in data entry and formatting changes on BWA’s public research database Artura.Org. Ashia studies fine arts at Moore College of Art and Design.

As an artist, Ashia experiments with high chromatic colors and floral backgrounds, combining painting techniques and 3D materials such as wood and metal so as to add interest and dimensionality to her works. Centering the experiences of Black women, Ashia strives to create art in which pain and beauty coexist, offering both the viewer and artist a harmonious experience.

John Cardone serves as Artura’s Digital Strategy Consultant where he leads the team in crafting vision and implementation strategy for the growing online database.

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Illustration

As a Collection, Content, and Engagement Specialist, Julia Yun assists with communications outreach and documentation of the archives and print collection.

Attending Drexel University, Julia is a Global Studies major with a concentration in Culture, Arts, and Media, a minor in Asian Studies and soon set to pursue a second minor in Graphic Design. Within Global Studies, she hopes to hone her knowledge within Korean culture and history in relation to the longstanding traditions of Korean art and intersectionality of the Korean American experience.

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Illustration

As a Collection, Content, and Engagement Specialist, Julia Yun assists with communications outreach and documentation of the archives and print collection.

Allan L. Edmunds is recognized as an award-winning artist-printmaker, educator and arts manager. As founder of Brandywine Workshop and Archives, arts management consultant and lecturer, he has built a strong following nationally and internationally among artists, art historians and curators. Over a five-decade career, Edmunds has been driven to create wider access for artists of color and their art in institutions, and document, broadly, their contributions to global culture. He has a BFA and MFA degrees in fine art from Temple University, Tyler School of Art & Architecture, served as a Senior Research Associate in computer graphics at Cardiff Art School in Wales (UK), and was a Fellow of the Getty Museum Management program.

Collections and Social Media Coordinator Liz Ramos works closely with the Curatorial Assistant – Collections Manager, assisting with inventorying the collection, researching and updating artist records on the Artura.org research database, designing and writing social media posts for featured events, and assisting with curatorial tasks. She recently took up the role as BWA’s Social Media Coordinator.

Prior to moving to Philadelphia three years ago, Liz had minimal exposure to the art world. Having relocated to attend the University of Arts, Liz is now a full-time Fine Arts student (Painting emphasis); a part-time intern at BWA (through the Studio Institute’s Art Intern partnership); and a practiced muralist, currently working with Hagopian Arts in Philadelphia and, previously, with Promise Neighborhoods in creating a large-scale mural in Allentown, PA.

Content and Collections Management Assistant Elena Pippilo aids with the preservation of the collection. From large-scale tasks such as rehousing to the meticulous work of condition reporting, she assists with assessing the needs of the collection, providing archival standards of care and documentation, and researches and records data within the institution’s DAMS.

Elena is an art history student at Drexel University, recently relocated to Philadelphia from Houston, TX. In studying art history, she hopes to explore the relationships between culture and art, and examine art through the lens of their historical context. Elena joined BWA as part of the Drexel co-op program in March 2022.

As Content and Digital Engagement Specialist, Sophia Aitcadi contributes to advancing Brandywine Workshop and Archives’ social-media-based marketing and promotion. Sophia applies her learned skills to BWA’s online platforms, building public relationships through the integration of digital and analog means. Sophia introduces new ways to share BWA’s artistic and educational offerings in both physical and digital spaces. She hopes to promote BWA’s programs and resources while raising public awareness and appreciation of its mission and history.

In her final year as a communications student at Drexel University, Sophia hopes to explore career opportunities in public relations with a particular focus on spatial curation and design. Sophia is a Philadelphia native who joined the BWA team as part of the Drexel co-op program; she chose BWA, specifically, to work with and assist a local institution that she finds integral to the city’s culture.

David E. Moore, III, with his team at MooreTech.Guru, supports Brandywine Workshop and Archives with IT service for its staff, networks, company owned devices, cloud resources and various tech related projects onsite and remote.

David is the CEO of MooreTech.Guru, an IT solutions service provider in the Philadelphia tri-state area that has over 30+ years of IT experience with managed systems, networking, cloud, security and Internet, and more.

As Content and Digital Media Specialist, Jacqueline Blizzard contributes to advancing Brandywine Workshop and Archives initiatives in photography, videography, digital media, and design. She produces producing BWA’s ArtistsNConversation series of livestreamed and video-on-demand lectures. In addition, Jacqueline works on the digitization of historic visual resources including photographic slides and other analog media with the intention of documenting BWA’s programs and institutional growth since its founding in 1972.

Jacqueline is a photography major at Drexel University and is interested in a career as a photojournalist with an emphasis in street photography. Among her photographic influences are Evelyn Hofer, Vivian Maier, and Hellen Levitt. Jacqueline joined the BWA team in September 2022.

Taswir Davis is BWA’s Archives Intern through the Studio Institute Arts Intern program. She is a Philadelphia-based artist majoring in Illustration at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Her expertise lies within graphic design, illustration, and fine arts painting. As Archives Intern, Taswir’s work includes organizing and cataloging analog media and contributing to digital-design and printing projects.

Taswir pursues illustration due to her unending curiosity for combining traditional and digital mediums to create something unique, particularly related to book illustration and storytelling.

As Collections Intern through the Studio Institute Arts Intern program, Kahmara works with the Curatorial Assistant-Collections Manager to update object and entity records within BWA’s Collective Access collections-management database. Kahmara is an interdisciplinary artist pursuing a BA in Art Therapy at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture. She hopes to encourage the use of art for therapeutic expression and to bring light to art therapy and its many benefits. While studying to become a licensed art therapist, her aspiration is to work with underserved communities and individuals who are in need of mental support. When she is not at work, she enjoys trying out new restaurants, painting, and spending time with her family and friends.

As Art Education Intern through the Studio Institute Arts Intern program, Lana works with the Curatorial Assistant-Collections Manager, Editor-in-Chief, and branding consultant team to audit BWA’s visual-art and education resource, Artura.org, and create lesson plans and other educational materials. Lana also assists in strategizing community and school-district outreach, resource promotion, and testing accessibility and user interface experiences.

Lana is a non-traditional student at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture pursuing a BS in Art Education. They are passionate about creating dynamic, inclusive art lessons and hope to teach students that every single person is welcome to enjoy a relationship to the arts.

Our Staff

Michele A. Parchment

Matthew Singer, PhD

Gustavo Garcia

Jessica Hamman

Cyan Fireall

Rohan McDonald

Joann Nguyen

Elizabeth Carey-Holmes

Deja-Nicole Stokes

Marta Sanchez

John Cardone

Laurie Elder

Blue Koenig

Benjamin Roe

Julia Yun

Ashia Roberts

John Cardone

Laurie Elder

Taswir Davis

Taswir Davis

Allan Edmunds

Liz Ramos

Elena Pippilo

Sophia Aitcadi

David E. Moore, III

Siona Pearson

Jacqueline Blizzard

Taswir Davis

Kahmara Beckford

Lana Hanulec

Brandywine Workshop and Archives, Inc TM

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