Nathalie Cerin, M.ed
Operations Coordinator
Nathalie Cerin is a singer-songwriter and educator originally Haiti. Nathalie has worked in school administration, workforce development and vocational rehabilitation. She has also worked as a teaching artist in schools in the Bronx and Philadelphia for arts various arts organizations such as, The Dreamyard Project, The Center for Arts Education, MIMA Music, and Artwell Inc. where she designed and facilitated in-school and after school music programs for a wide range of ages. Focusing on folk and popular music, Nathalie believes in utilizing song to teach key life concepts such as active citizenship, global history, social justice, and self expression. She is passionate about music, social justice, education, and everywhere that these topics converge.
Ami Yares, MSSP
eXECUTIVE dIRECTOR
Ami Yares is a social activist and singer/songwriter. He joined BuildaBridge in 2018, following the retirement of BuildaBridge founders, Dr. Vivian Nix-Early and Dr. J. Nathan Corbitt. His experience in arts interventions ranges from research on the social impact of the arts to arts-based conflict transformation programming and design as well as being a socially minded folk musician who uses music as means to understand about society and culture. Ami holds a MS in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. He has toured internationally and continues peacebuilding work as a global ambassador for the Israeli and Palestinian youth music program, Heartbeat. BuildaBridge captures Ami’s passion for the necessity and urgency for the arts to play a more integral role in society.
Stevie French
VOLUNTEER Graphic design & Curriculum Support
Stevie is an art therapist and illustrator with a passion for combining art with social justice. Stevie was inspired to become an art therapist partly due to her work as a BuildaBridge teaching artist, where she facilitated several projects starting in 2010 including the Bhutanese Elders Mural Project, where refugees used art-making to transcend language barriers and inspire healing and community. Stevie presented on trauma-informed community art at Jefferson University's THRIVE symposium and served on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Art Therapy Association . Stevie has conducted clinical art therapy in forensic, residential, inpatient and outpatient settings with youth and adults. As an illustrator she has published two children's books, Lizzie Fox-Top and Cousin Ann's Stories for Children. Stevie earned her MA in Art Therapy & Counseling at Drexel University, and her BFA in Communication & Design at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Kate Myers-COffman, PHD, MT-BC
VOlunteer Research associate
Kate Myers-Coffman, PhD, MT-BC is a board certified music therapist and researcher in Philadelphia, PA. She has worked with BuildaBridge since 2015, facilitating creative arts therapies groups with refugees, survivors of torture, and women and children who have experienced domestic violence. With a long history of recording and performing as a singer/songwriter, Kate integrates therapeutic songwriting into her music therapy practice. As a research associate, she evaluates the impact of BuildaBridge programming on the communities and consumers served. Kate is also a postdoctoral research fellow and adjunct professor at Drexel University. Her areas of research involve developing and evaluating resilience-focused music therapy programs for youth who’ve experience trauma and/or loss, evidence-based practices in music therapy, and research methodology.