OUR CORE TEAM
ArtSmart is an organization founded by musicians and run by musicians from the top down. Our diverse team provides skill sets from the creative to the technical with professional real world experience so we can lead the charge into the future of arts education.
Michael Fabiano
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Michael Fabiano is a distinguished international opera singer. His musical artistry is matched by his passionate commitment to arts education. From a family of musicians and music educators, Michael understands the great value and impact that culture and arts have on the potential for success in life for children and young adults.
While opera is his passion, Michael’s large focus is building a better future for Americans seeking greater upward mobility. It is his belief that the arts is one of the great unifiers and a catalyst for success in life. He is an active private pilot, a life long baseball umpire, and writes extensively about the American educative experience in blogs and articles.
John Viscardi
Co-Founder and Managing Director
John Viscardi has dedicated his career to a diverse but deeply connected set of objectives: using music to strengthen our understanding of the human condition, empowering individuals to harness their creativity in the pursuit of success, and championing the arts as our most powerful tool for self-expression.
As an opera singer, John has performed on some of the world’s greatest stages and is highly sought after for the power of his dramatic interpretation. As an entrepreneur and non-profit leader, his experience spans multiple industries; form classical music and education to insurance. This unique cross section of experience in business and the arts gave John the tools to co-found ArtSmart.
Kelly Harris
Director of External Affairs
Chief-of-Staff to Michael Fabiano
kellyharris@artsmart.org
Kelly has an expansive career working across the sectors forging public-private partnerships in non-profit leadership– The Ford Foundation – as a White House and U.S. Senate aide –Chief of Staff to 3 CEO’s, including Michael Fabiano – and educational consultant. She has spent her career focusing on issues impacting youth, health, education, and music education. She holds a graduate degree in Developmental Psychology with a focus on statistics and evaluation, and an undergraduate degree in Politics and Communications.
Elizabeth Letak
General counsel Consultant
Liz is a distinguished attorney and has extensive experience working in the healthcare industry. She is also a lifelong pianist with a great passion for music education and the ArtSmart mission.
Lucas DeJesus
Director of National Program Operations
Lucasdejesus@artsmart.org
Lucas DeJesus is a multidisciplinary vocalist spreading his performance focus across collaborative, operatic, choral, sacred, and new music. Since 2017, he has served as an ArtSmart mentor, Regional Leader, Program Operations Assistant, and currently leads National Program Operations. He holds degrees from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.
Chad Armstrong
Assistant Director of Program Operations
Chad’s singing career has taken him from the Prairies of Saskatchewan to Opera Houses in Europe and the United States. He combines this experience with his passion for teaching when working with his students. Chad is the Assistant Director of Program Operations.
Danielle Bavli
Operations Assistant
daniellebavli@artsmart.org
Danielle has been a member of the ArtSmart team since 2021. She currently serves as ArtSmart’s Operations Assistant and previously taught as a mentor in New York City. In addition to running her own private voice studio, Singing with Danielle, Danielle has also worked in various administrative capacities at the Boston Conservatory and Metropolitan Opera. As a performer, Danielle has sung with Encompass New Opera Theatre, the Brevard Music Center, Opera NEO, Pacific Northwest Opera, and more. She holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Danielle is originally from New York City, where she continues to reside. Danielle is proud to have attended a public performing arts high school in New York City, making ArtSmart’s work towards an accessible music education all the more personal and important to her.
Lisa Gwyn Daltirus
Curriculum Consultant
Lisa Gwyn Daltirus is a current ArtSmart mentor and curriculum consultant. Lisa has performed internationally with major opera houses & symphony orchestras including New York City Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera. She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Elektra by Richard Strauss during the 2017-18 season.
Evan Linett
DATA AND STATISTICS ANALYST
Evan Linett (they/them) is a musician and arts education evaluator who is passionate about addressing the systemic barriers that block access to a quality education for all youth. Evan is pursuing a master of public policy with a focus on education equity and evaluation from George Washington University. They can be reached at Evan.Linett@artsmart.org.
Erin Alcorn
Communications & Development associate
erin@artsmart.org
Erin has taught as an ArtSmart mentor since 2018 and assists in communications and development with several years of nonprofit work previously at the Philly POPS, Brent Woodall Foundation, and more. As a performer, Erin has sung for the Music Academy of the West, Opera Philadelphia, Cincinnati Opera, and more. She is currently a doctoral candidate in vocal performance and pedagogy at the College Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati and holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and University of North Texas.
Cortni Loveridge
Development Representative
Cortni Loveridge has worked as a business manager and has assisted companies to organize, create systems and find solutions. As a consultant at ArtSmart she works primarily in development management, as well as team planning and organization. She has a piano pedagogy background from Utah State University, and is passionate about the ArtSmart mission.
Elena Cherkashyna
Marketing & Social Media Manager
elena@artsmart.org