OUR TEAM
Allie Berg, Acting Executive Director
Allie Berg brings a unique fusion of nonprofit experience meshed with the visual arts to her work with CREATE Arts Center. She has over 15 years of experience with a variety of DC-based nonprofit organizations. In almost seven years with CREATE Arts Center she has worn many hats, beginning in a part-time registrar and marketing position, to eventually becoming CREATE’s first Deputy Director, and now as Acting Executive Director. Previously, she managed volunteer programs and worked with grantees through the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation. She specializes in crafting communications that reach across multiple audiences with powerful messaging. Allie takes her inspiration from the the deeply-rooted creative community in the DC Metro Area.
Gwendolyn Short, Art Therapy Director
Gwendolyn Short, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT is CREATE’s Art Therapy Director and Director of our Studio Downstairs program. Before joining CREATE in 2015, Gwen served as Founder and CEO of Cradle of Art, a community art center in Capitol Heights, Maryland, and worked for the Prince George’s County Health Department for more than 30 years specializing in addictions, mental health, and rehabilitation services. A member of the American Art Therapy Association’s Board of Directors, Gwen also assisted with the creation of the film Wheels of Diversity: Pioneers of Color in Art Therapy. She is a recipient of AATA’s Clinician Award for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical work with Adults.
Yael Ginossar, Arts Program Director
Yael Ginossar brings with her a diverse career in the field of community arts, positive/creative youth development, and informal education. In her most recent positions, she focused on developing partnerships and collaboration across sectors to bring quality youth-centered programs in the county. As education director at ArtReach Orlando, Yael oversaw several art-based educational programs aimed at marginalized youth in Central Florida, where she developed curricula that support social-emotional growth through the arts. Her combined experience in social work and art education, especially with youth of marginalized communities, had deepened her passion to create accessible, equitable, and exciting opportunities for people of all ages to engage in the arts in a meaningful way.
Lisa Pascal, Art Therapy Program Manager
Lisa Pascal, LGPAT, ATR-P, is a mixed media artist, emerging professional art therapist, and lifelong Montgomery County resident. Lisa began her journey at CREATE Arts Center in 2016 as a volunteer, and quickly transitioned to teaching artist, eventually becoming director of CREATE’s smARTkids™ program before going back to school to obtain her master’s degree in Art Therapy from George Washington University. She has always been fascinated by the healing aspect of art and remembers tapping into its therapeutic value as a young child when she would retreat to her easel and paint to soothe herself. Lisa holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Maryland and appreciates the potential of the arts to transcend language barriers and communicate across diverse cultures. She aligns with a person-centered approach and is passionate about using the visual arts to support the development and well-being of all individuals.
Angelica Credle, Registrar & Office Manager
Angelica Credle is a community worker, multidisciplinary artist, and CREATE’s Registrar and Office Manager. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University where she received a B.F.A in Painting and Printmaking with a minor in African American Studies. While attending school, she formed the VCUarts Student Coalition to advocate for equity and inclusion within the fine arts department. Her experience in the arts ranges from creation to curation and everything in between. She has participated in group shows and worked as a group curator at The Anderson Gallery in Richmond. Previously, she spent two years working as a community organizer for Virginia Student Power Network, a multi-issue grassroots non-profit of radical young organizers. Angelica has always been passionate about social justice causes, as well as the transformative power of art to ignite change in our local communities. It was her desire to combine her experience in non profit work, community organizing, and the arts that led her to a new home at CREATE Arts Center.
Theresa Bean, Communications & Program Assistant
Theresa Bean is an artist, an event planner, and the Program and Communications Assistant at CREATE. She received a BFA from Shepherd University, concentrating on painting and education. She aims to create community-focused collaborative art projects through vibrant abstraction and exploration. As a result, she has spread this mission in the United States and abroad. Her work has been featured in juried art shows, community projects, and collaborative exhibitions. She is eager to spread her goal of making art accessible to everyone.