Camp Administrative Staff
Diana Tsai – Camp Director (she/her)
Diana began at VisArts in 2009 and has been the Camp Director and Volunteer Coordinator since 2010.
Devon Miller – Assistant Camp Director (she/her)
Devon graduated from College of Charleston in 2014 with a degree in International Relations and a minor in Spanish.
Charlotte Yang – Assistant Camp Director (she/her)
Charlotte is a student at UMD, and has been with VisArts since her sophomore year in high school
Helena Aytenfisu – Assistant Camp Director (she/her)
Helena is an incoming college freshman and has been with VisArts for the past 4 years.
Nethuli Kapilaratne – Jr. Assistant Camp Director (she/her)
Nethuli is a rising sophomore at Drexel University and she has been with VisArts since her freshman year of high school.
Quinlan Le – Jr. Assistant Camp Director (she/her)
Quinlan has always been passionate about art and fashion. She has spent the last five years designing garments and participating in fashion shows.
Belle Sargent – Jr. Assistant Camp Director (she/they)
Belle is a college sophomore with a passion for creating art inspired by what she finds beautiful. She attends MICA,
Li-Fang Tsai – Jr. Assistant Camp Director (she/her)
Li-Fang Tsai is currently a senior studying Studio Art at University of Maryland College Park and resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Antonia Ackel – Camp Assistant (she/her)
Antonia Ackel is a rising sophomore attending Drexel University. She started out as a volunteer 3 years ago and is very excited to be a part of the team!
Avery Seo – Camp Assistant (he/him)
Avery is a rising freshman at Washington University in St. Louis with a focus in finance and entrepreneurship.
Grace Sponaugle – Camp Assistant (she/her)
Grace is a senior studying Psychology at UMBC. She had been a camper at VisArts for many years and is now returning to work for them.
Shraddha Tiwari – Camp Assistant/Media Intern (she/her)
Shraddha Tiwari recently graduated with an MFA in Digital Media Arts focusing on Stop motion and experimental animation from Pratt Institute.
Seven Ya Han Chang – Camp Assistant (they/them)
Seven is a young artist dedicated to action, using their various works to inspire new ideas within all viewers.
Isabella Miller – Camp Intern (she/her)
Isabella is currently enrolled at Towson University, where she just finished her third year.
Christie Pandiangan – Camp Intern (she/her)
Christie (Kiki) is a rising high school senior, she has a passion for fiber arts but specially in crochet.
Camp Teachers
VisArts Summer Camp Staff is composed of professional artists, MCPS teachers, private school teachers, and emerging teachers.
Alysha DeVries (she/her)
Alysha DeVries holds a master’s degree in Costume Design and Technology from Florida State University.
Dustine Hayes (she/her)
Dustine Haye’s artwork is based on personal memory, stories and found objects that she adapts and transforms into painted objects, sculpture, and mixed media.
Ellen Lafferty (she/her)
Ellen Lafferty has been an instructor at VisArts in Rockville since 2013.
Emily Fucello (she/her)
Emily Fucello has had a lifelong interest in art and has taught children’s art classes for the past 12 years.
Gary Moomau (no pronouns shared)
After working in a pottery studio for a semester, Gary took his first pottery class in 2013 at Anne Arundel Community College and was hooked.
Kimberly Swanner (she/her/they/them)
Kim graduated from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri with a degree in Japanese Area Studies.
Ryan Rakhshan (he/him)
Ryan received his Bachelor of Art in art history and philosophy from Hood College in 2011.
Sarah Sater-Murray (she/her)
Sarah is a self- taught artist who enjoys acrylic painting as well as working with a wide range of mediums, drawing inspiration from nature, the magical realm, feminism, and Mother Earth.
Viva Virtuoso (any pronouns)
When it comes to her approach at art, life, and education, Miss Viva Virtuoso has adopted the iconic words of eccentric 4th-grade science teacher, Ms. Frizzle, of the Magic School Bus book series.
Marta Lopez Teigeiro
Marta was born in Spain and came to the United States as a teenager with the idea of pursuing her dream to become an artist. She completed graphic design and early education degrees at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland.
Camp Teacher Assistants
Future VisArts Summer Camp Teachers! These young, talented artists will provide assistance and suport to VisArts Camp teachers throughout the summer.
Helena Cervantes (she/they)
Helena is a Guatemalan-American, multimedia, lowbrow artist, born and raised in Washington D.C. and now residing in Maryland.
Byanca Morales Cabrera (she/they)
Byanca Morales Cabrera is Junior Graphic Designer and Printmaker studying at UMBC, currently based in Baltimore.
Andres Ugartechea (he/him)
Andres Ugartechea is an undergraduate student at NYU Abu Dhabi pursuing a double degree in Interactive Media and Visual Arts.
Camp Technicians
Our VisArts Camp Techs help bring your children’s glass, wood, and ceramics projects, to completion!
Hayden Heitzman (he/him)
Hayden Heitzman is a rising junior at Richard Montgomery High School and has several
Owen King (he/him)
Owen started at VisArts as a camper when he was about 8 years old, and started volunteering at 12.
Gabby Pandiangan (she/her)
Gabby is a rising freshman and this is the first year of many working with Visarts.
Tori Pilpel (she/her)
Tori has been a part of VisArts for 10 years, first as a camper, then as a volunteer, and now as a tech!
Sydney Ruckdeschel (she/her)
Sydney Ruckdeschel has been taking ceramics classes since her freshman year of high school.
