About Benvenuti Arts
Our Staff
Benvenuti Arts is a small and mighty team, just like yours. Headed by Founder, Sarah Benvenuti, Benvenuti Arts brings together expertise in fundraising, management, producing, administration, marketing, sales, and more. What this means is if you have a need, chances are, we have a solution.
Contact us for a free, 30 minute consultation to see for yourself.
Executive Office
Sarah Benvenuti, CEO & Founder, Pittsburgh, PA (she/her)
Sarah Benvenuti has worked in arts and culture for almost 20 years, gaining experience across the country in theater, dance, film, education, and other cultural fields. She has worked with over 200 small and midsize arts organizations and individual artists across the United States, assisting them with fundraising, financial, administrative, planning, and interim needs. Benvenuti began her career as Director of Future Tenant in Pittsburgh, PA. Before founding Benvenuti Arts, she served as Special Events Manager of Arena Stage in Washington, DC; Managing Director of Curious Theater Company in Denver, Colorado; and Director of Development and Interim Managing Director of The Civilians in Brooklyn, NY. Having consulted with small organizations and individual artists since 2011, she founded Benvenuti Arts in 2014 with the goal of helping small and mighty organizations build up the operational support needed to create and produce their work.
Benvenuti earned her B.M. in Music Education (piano and voice) from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, and her M.A. in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has served on the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association Board in Denver, CO; on the Carnegie Mellon Heinz College Alumni Association Board; and was Chair of the Future Tenant Alumni Association, based out of Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University. Benvenuti has participated in the Arts Leadership Institute of the New York Arts and Business Council and Impact Denver of the Denver Metro Chamber, and was an inaugural Emerging Leaders of New York Arts Fellow. She has been a guest lecturer for arts administration courses at Bard College, Brooklyn College, St. Lawrence University, and Mercyhurst University. She is currently an a Adjunct Professor for the GIOCA Master of Arts Management program at the Università di Bologna in Italy. She has sat on a number of grants and conference panels concerning arts management, real estate, emerging leadership, and creative partnerships.
Sarah is a digital nomad, based out of Pittsburgh, PA.
Julie Hord, Deputy Director, Reston, VA (she/her)
Julie has worked in the arts, culture, and wellness industries for the past 15 years. She began her career as a Development Associate at Future Tenant, a space for emerging, alternative artists in Pittsburgh, PA. A year later, she and Sarah Benvenuti forged their personal and professional relationship serving as co-Directors at Future Tenant. Julie would go on to serve as Communications Officer for the world renowned Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, NE and Marketing Manager for Las Vegas’ professional ballet company, Nevada Ballet Theatre. While in Las Vegas, Julie entered the wellness industry by way of her love of Bikram Yoga. She began teaching in June 2010 after completing Bikram Yoga Teacher training, and continues her teaching career to this day. She joined Benvenuti Arts in early 2016. Julie earned her B.A. in Communication Studies from Furman University, with a focus in persuasive speech, and her M.A. in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She is classically-trained on the French horn. Julie lives in Reston, Virginia with her husband, son and Tucker the dog.
Nathan Bussard, Consultant & Associate Director of Consulting Services, Pittsburgh, PA (he/him)
Nathan is a multi-disciplinary artist, arts manager, and creative business consultant based on Pittsburgh, PA. His creative practices is currently focused on ceramics, illustration, and painting. As an arts manager and creative business consultant, he received dual Masters degrees from both Carnegie Mellon University in Arts Management and the University of Bologna in Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts to ensure that creative individuals have the essential tools to pursue their artistic practice or small business. Outside of Benvenuti Arts, Nathan uses his 10 years of event management experience and art management background to ensure local artists ad creative entrepreneurs have the resources and support they need to thrive in their creative practices. He has previously worked in arts management in several organizations including Radiant Hall, Brew House Association, The Chautauqua Institution, Creative Business Accelerator, and the Art Supply Co.
Candace Tabbs, Consultant & Associate Director of Education, Atlanta, GA (she/her)
Candace is a performer, writer, creator and facilitator of movement-based practices including choreography, improvisation, movement as self-care and movement as social justice for movers and thinkers of all ages and abilities. She was the recipient of a 2019 Pepatián Dance Your Future Residency and premiered her first evening-length work coming toward at BAAD! (Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance; Bronx, NY). Recently she shared a movement meditation, rescue, for Fly On A Wall’s Excuse the Art in 2022 (Atlanta, GA). Candace earned a B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior from Barnard College. Deepening her practices around self and community care, Candace shares energy healing work rooted in embodied listening as a certified Reiki practitioner. This passion for supporting the visions of others led to working as a freelance editor for writers in all stages of their creative process. Candace brings to the Benvenuti Arts team a desire to uplift artists’ authentic stories.
Paengsuda Panyatham (Suda), Executive Assistant, Bologna, Italy (she/her)
Paengsuda(Suda) describes herself as an all-rounder. Through her work in media production, journalism and the arts, she has gained skills in communication and management while broadening her experience in the arts and creative landscape. Her passion for the arts began at a young age. Since the age of six, she was trained in ballroom dancing for 15 years and participated in national and international competitions. She also enjoys drawing and performing on stage, which eventually led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Innovation and Organisation of Culture and Arts at the University of Bologna (Italy). Her interests include storytelling, multiculturalism, design and technology. Combining her skills and passion, she now works as an executive assistant at Benvenuti Arts.
Internship Program Members
Kritanu Manokam, Intern, Bologna, Italy (he/him)
A Broadcasting graduate from Bangkok, embarked on a captivating journey driven by his fervor for acting, immersing himself in the world of theatre and arts festivals both onstage and behind the scenes for over three years. Collaborations with prestigious cultural institutions like the Bangkok Arts Biennale, Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting, and That Theatre Foundation enriched his experience. Fueled by the realization of limited opportunities for artists in Thailand, Kritanu discovered a passion for arts management. This ardor for curating and organizing artistic endeavors marked a turning point in his journey. Now a second-year student at the University of Bologna, he passionately studies Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts.
Tina Beyk Abbasi, Intern, Bologna, Italy (all)
Tina defines herself as a job fluid creative worker. She connected with performing arts from a very early age, pursuing dance most prominently. She worked with Tehran’s underground contemporary dance scene, and taught creative dance to young children. Her educational path takes turns from Architecture (BA) and Philosophy of Art (MA) in Iran, to Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts (MA) in Bologna, Italy. Interning to finish her late studies, she chose Benvenuti Arts as her next best step as it offered an ethically and professionally well-curated environment to expand knowledge, skills, and impact. Devoted to creative life and its relation to liberation movements, she currently focuses on the subject of the Middle East throughout attention industries.
Marguerite Rousselet, Intern, Bologna, Italy (she/her)
Originally from Paris, Marguerite left for England in 2018, at the age of 17 to pursue multicultural experiences. She obtained a Bachelor in Liberal Arts from the University of Exeter, before moving to Italy to pursue a Master in the management of the creative and cultural industries. She is particularly interested by the impact of politics and policies on culture, and the subsequent impact of culture on everyday life, interests that have shown through her every experience in the cultural fields, whether in coordinating independent musical events, or international festivals. Convinced that funding is too often difficult to obtain while remaining a key to success, she joined the Benvenuti Arts team as a seasonal intern.
Alessandra Signorini, Intern, Bologna, Italy (she/her)
Alessandra Signorini is an arts manager, a researcher and performer. Passionate about every aspect of the cultural sector, she chose two highly hybrid and flexible study paths, namely a Bachelors in Economics and Management of the Arts in Venice and a Masters in Innovation and Organisation of Culture and the Arts in Bologna (Italy). Dancer and performer for more than 15 years, during her studies she shifted to management, working in many performing arts and cinema festivals and in some cultural associations as administrator, press office and events organiser. She is currently involved in a couple of research projects with her thesis supervisor. Alessandra is deeply passionate about community engagement in the arts, sustainable city development, and inclusive education in cultural organisations.
Operations and Membership Department
Alicia Margarita Olivo, Manager of Membership Programming, Houston, TX (she/her)
Alicia is a Mexican American playwright, director, and arts administrator based in Houston, Texas. Alicia was the Texas representative for the 2022-2023 the National Leaders of Color Fellowship cohort through the Mid-America Arts Alliance. Outside of BA, Alicia has worked with TEATRX, Rec Room Arts, Stages, Company One Theater, The Workshop Theater, Teatro Chelsea, Telatúlsa, AlterTheater, and The Inkwell Theater. Alicia holds a B.A. in Theatre Studies and Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies from Wellesley College. Alicia loves talking about comic books, good food, and the weather.
Alyona Solovyova, Operations Manager, Bologna, Italy (she/her)
Alyona is a cultural and innovation manager. After graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management of Organizations, Alyona gained experience working as an analyst in a small consulting company. After she worked in the fashion industry, helped to build business processes and develop an ethical clothing brand (Only Me). Alyona loves working on the development of cultural startups — she participated in the creation of a startup called EU1697 in Amsterdam. She also created her start-up as part of Almacube in Bologna. Alyona lives in Italy, where graduating with her Master in Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts in University of Bologna.
Rebecca Mastrorocco, Membership and Marketing Coordinator, Berlin, Germany (she/her)
Rebecca has worked in live events organisation and promotion, fine arts workshops and film industry productions. After obtaining her bachelor in Ethnomusicology and Global Popular Music in London UK, she worked as music journalist for Rhythm Passport magazine, event promoter in London’s vibrant world music scene, and behind the Netflix series ‘The Crown’. She originally joined Benvenuti Arts in 2021 while graduating in Bologna with her Master in Innovation and Organization of Culture and the Arts. She has supported BA in many roles, while navigating Berlin’s local independent music scenes on her personal artistic and musical journey.
Client Experience Department
Consultant Team
Cheryl-Lynn Trenary, Associate Consultant for Grants Management, Orlando, FL (she/her)
Cheryl has been involved in the arts industry for 24 years as both a parent and an administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication, and a master’s degree in Professional Counseling. After raising her daughter and volunteering backstage for numerous ballet productions, she joined Boca Ballet Theatre as the president of the Volunteer Guild. She then moved on to become the Administrative Director where she remained for eight years. She currently enjoys traveling with her spouse and writing about her adventures.
Natasha Cabrera, Associate Consultant for Grants Management, Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico (she/they)
Joining the team at Benvenuti Arts as a Staff Grant Writer marks a full-face pivot in Natasha’s career towards the arts. They draw on a rich background in hospitality, contemplative community practice and compassionate end-of-life caregiving as a former Buddhist monastic aspirant and resident volunteer in monasteries and meditation centers across the Western US such as Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery and Insight Retreat Center in California. They bring to bear their study and practice of Nonviolent / Compassionate Communication as a deep and empathic connection to what matters most in their writing for Benvenuti clients. They are a visual artist and painter exploring the complexities of identity and inner-reconciliation between colonizer and colonized lineages as a mixed-race individual through the tension of geometric abstraction, graphic elements and fluid media. They are a novice Surface Pattern Designer and Logo Designer, currently residing in Mexico on traditional Zapotec and Mixtec land.
Katya Barmotina, Associate Consultant of Membership, New York City, NYC (they/them)
Katya Barmotina is a NYC-based upper strings pedagogue, thrives in freelancing and champions contemporary music, specializing in expanding the viola repertoire and passionately collaborating to promote community-based music. They have premiered numerous contemporary works, advocating for queer representation in the arts through their projects like the Queer Commissioning Project. With a master’s in viola performance from the Mannes School of Music, Katya maintains a private studio in the greater New York area. Proudly residing in Brooklyn, they prioritize accessible spaces for their performances, away from gentrification.
Ana Cristina Da Silva, Interim Consultant, New York City, NY (she/her)
Ana Cristina, based in Brooklyn, NY, is a multifaceted artist, encompassing roles as a performer, writer, director, musician, and producer. She creates intimate and provocative theatre on identity, trauma, and resilience. With a portfolio lauded as “chilling,” “crisp, and focused” (BroadwayWorld) and deemed “fascinating to watch” (Providence Journal), Ana continually pushes artistic boundaries. Currently, she is channeling her creative fervor into mastering the guitar, promising an imminent music release. Ana’s artistic journey has garnered support from prestigious institutions such as NEA, Brooklyn Arts Council, and ART/NY, to name a few. As the founding Co-Artistic Director of 501©3 theater company “What Will the Neighbors Say,” Ana curated compelling content and fostered community for six seasons. Born in Florida, raised in Austin, but not quite from anywhere, Ana is a first-generation American. Both her parents hail from Caracas, Venezuela, making her, yes, you guessed it, Bilingual! Ana embodies a fusion of cultural influences that enrich her artistry. Alumni of NYU Tisch, Ana is passionate about leveraging her arts administration skills and on-the-ground NYC theatre experience to support artists worldwide, secure funding, and bring their visions to life.
Ariel Estrada, Associate Consultant, New York City, NYC (he/him/his/siya)
Ariel Estrada (he/him/his/siya) is a Webby Award-winning producer, actor, writer, and advocate for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) performing artists and all performing artists of marginalized identity. As an actor, he has performed on television, film, commercials, digital media, and Off-, Off-Off-Broadway, and regionally including at Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center; and on tv/film on “Osprey”, “Tell Me A Story”, “Bull,” “Blue Bloods”, and “The Americans”. As a producer, Ariel is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director for Leviathan Lab, a nonprofit creative studio for AANHPI performing artists. As a member of the AANHPI producers collective CollaborAzian, he was part of the leadership team of a 2022 Webby Award-winning online concert of A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER which raised over $25K in support of the nonprofit community advocacy organization Stop AAPI Hate. As an arts administrator and grant writer/manager he has garnered over $500K in funding for small, nonprofit arts organizations, and is the grants manager for National Asian Artists Project and Brooklyn Children’s Theatre. He also serves on the boards of Musical Theatre Factory and Episcopal Actors Guild, as well as the advisory board for Houghton Hall Arts Community. His leadership has been recognized by artEquity, New York Foundation for the Arts, and Theatre Communications Group. He has also been designated as an Educator Advocate by Theatrical Intimacy Education. www.arielestrada.com | www.leviathanlab.com
Tory Russo, Associate Consultant, New York City, NYC
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Adriana Rossetto, Senior Consultant – On Temporary Leave, Cislago, Italy (she/her)
Adriana is a multi-hyphenated third culture kid with a predilection for raw, socially progressive art with avant-garde aesthetics. Born in Mexico from Brazilian parents, she grew up between Italy and the States. She graduated from Bocconi University (Milan) with a Bachelor in International Economics, Management and Finance. In New York, she attended The Stella Adler Conservatory program, class of 2014. Recent credits include Rocco Chelsea Adriana Sean Claudia Gianna Alex at HERE Arts Center (NYC) and Title Point’s Post:Death (directed by Theresa Buchheister) at The Brick Theatre (BK). Adriana is a resident actress and Director of Development at John Gould Rubin’s The Private Theatre, company artist and board member at Vieve Price’s TEA.
Staff Grant Writers & Grant Writers Pool
M’Balou Camara, Former Consultant and Grant Writer, Bethesda, MD (she/her)
M’Balou is a researcher, writer, and arts administrator with a passion for exploring the possibilities of sound and movement. For over eight years, M’Balou has brought her analytical and creative thinking to numerous academic, nonprofit, and financial institutions. Prior to joining Benvenuti Arts, she worked in editing for the African Seed Access Index (TASAI), as well as in consulting at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Sadie Collective. M’Balou received a master’s in public policy from Duke University and a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). From 2015 to 2017, she was a research fellow at NYU Stern School of Business. M’Balou is dedicated to unveiling art’s contribution to a more equitable, healthy, and liberating society. Outside of her role as consultant, M’Balou supports dance and music organizations in Bethesda, MD.
Flutura Chelaj, Grant Writer, Prishtina, Kosovo (she/her)
Flutura Celaj is a St. Lawrence University international alumni, Class 2023 with a major in creative writing and a minor in film and media studies. Born in Pristina, Kosovo, from the age of nine, Celaj hosted a children’s morning show for six years, in the national television programming of Kosovo. She sings, plays the cello and is a self-taught pianist. In 2016, she attended high school studies in a boarding school in Hong Kong. While there, she did volunteer service work, also in Cambodia and Taiwan. Took part in Class 2018 art exhibition in Hong Kong showcasing her paintings, sculptures, photography, and video art. For three years she was a vocalist for SLU Funk, a school band, and took part in the school choir, Laurentian Singers.
Emma Joanne Solomon, Grant Writer, Bologna, Italy (she/her)
Emma J Solomon is an arts professional, visual artist, and an avid appreciator of many different aspects of the arts and cultural field. She started in the industry after completing her Bachelors in Fine Art (Painting) and began working and eventually managing a private art collection and gallery in Melbourne, Australia. She moved to Italy in 2021 and is currently completing her Masters in Innovation and Organisation of Culture and the Arts at the University of Bologna. Her interests are in community-engaging arts and cultural projects and organisations, preservation of cultural heritage sites, and the sustainable advancement of the arts and cultural field. She is an advocate for public funding and innovative policymaking in the arts and cultural sector.
Batima Tulegenova, Grant Writer, Tbilisi, Georgia (she/her)
Batima Tulegenova is an arts manager, literature scholar, and editor from Kazakhstan. With a deep-rooted passion for theatre, Batima embarked on her journey by graduating from the Music and Fine Art school, followed by studying Russian Language and Literature at Lomonosov Moscow State University, and working as an assistant stage manager in Astana, Kazakhstan. This diverse background paved the way for her pursuit of a master’s degree in Arts Management at GIOCA in Italy. Batima volunteered at the renowned film restoration festival Cinema Ritrovato and serving as an artist coordinator for Bologna’s artist collective, Antonello Ghezzi. Batima is deeply committed to making theatre accessible to all. Looking ahead, she aims to contribute to the theatre community as a playwright and stage director while gaining unique experience at Benvenuti Arts.
Rose Cole-Cohen, Associate Grant Writer, New York City, NYC
Shoshana Freund, Associate Grant Writer, Minneapolis, MN (she/her)
Shoshana graduated from Augsburg University with a B.A. in Theatre, concentrating in Technical Theatre and Design. She has worked with Mixed Precipitation, Full Circle Theater Company, and was one of the inaugural fellows in the Kinetic Light Fellowship Program, where she studied lighting design. In her free time, she enjoys learning new things, video games, and playing with her cat.
Mary-Anne Ospina, Associate Grant Writer, Los Angeles, CA (she/her)
Mary-Anne Ospina has worked in various non-profits and currently based in Los Angeles. She previously worked as a Client Database Assistant for the Asian Taskforce Against Domestic Violence in Boston and is now a file clerk for the UFW Foundation. Outside of Benvenuti Arts, she is the Membership Coordinator for her alma mater’s shared interest group for LGBTQ+ alumni and does volunteer transcription and data maintenance work for different web platforms. Mary-Anne holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Wellesley College.
Kalyani Singh, Associate Grant Writer, New York City, NY (she/her)
Kalyani Singh is a performer, actor, musician, and social justice advocate. Passionate about social justice, her interests span across urban environmental policy, criminal justice, food justice, and grassroots-driven community and economic development. She is constantly curious about how we can lay the groundwork for liberation and democratic decision-making processes at the micro and macro levels. She holds Bachelor degrees in Theatre and Political Science and a Masters in Political Science from Lehigh University, which then led her to the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs in Pittsburgh, PA. She worked in nonprofits, economic development, and community-supported agriculture, and also performed in immersive theatre and improv.
Laura Vola, Associate Grant Writer, Torino, Italy (she/her)
Laura Vola is an arts manager who started working with Benvenuti Arts as an intern while graduating in the Organization and Innovation of Culture and the Arts M.A. in Bologna. She is passionate about visual arts, and is currently also working at the Guggenheim Collection in Venice as an intern for the Membership and Individual Development department. She loves travelling and did several abroad experiences, cultivating her passion for different cultures. Benvenuti Arts not only gave her a great career possibility, but also the opportunity to meet and work with some incredible artists and creatives.
Michelle Yisiya, Associate Grant Writer, Nairobi, Kenya (she/her)
Currently serving as an Associate Grant Writer at Benvenuti Arts, she adeptly balanced the role with her pursuit of her Electrical and Electronics degree, with an anticipated graduation. Her professional background also encompasses being a successful freelance writer on Upwork. With deep passion for writing, visual arts, and dance not only enriching her personal life, they also contribute significantly to shaping her professional identity.
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We Work Everywhere
Though based in Pittsburgh, Benvenuti Arts works in your community. With clients from California to New York, Louisiana to Idaho, we have a wealth of experience with nonprofit needs in communities across the country. We work with you to adapt our strategies to your needs, working on site or online, to keep overhead low and quality high.
