Meet the Staff
Lake Erie Ink is made up of a variety of artists, writers, and professionals of all kinds. Get to know us!
Staff
Amy Rosenbluth
Executive Director
Reaching out, stepping back; letting go
Amy Rosenbluth has worked with youth in school and out-of-school time programs since 1991. She created the Youth Leadership and mentoring programs for the Shaker Heights Youth Center and has facilitated Teen Poetry Slams in the Heights area for over 20 years. Credentialed as a 7-12 English teacher and a passionate youth advocate, Amy is co-founder and oversees all operations of Lake Erie Ink. Amy facilitates professional development workshops for teachers and other youth serving professionals and still works with youth on personal narrative and spoken word projects. She received her BA in English from Hiram College and her teaching certification and graduate work from San Francisco State University. Her training in Bay Area Writers’ Project gave her a passion for and strategies to incorporate writing throughout the curriculum. She believes that all youth have stories that deserve to be heard and uses creative writing as a way to make that happen. Reach Amy at arosenbluth@lakeerieink.org.
Charisse Bailey
Director of Programs
A soul full of beautiful dichotomies.
Charisse began writing as a child and continued into adulthood as a way to self-reflect and invite growth into her daily life. She is a proud Falcon of Bowling Green State University where she spent many days hiding in a corner studying for exams. Eventually, Charisse started developing programs on an 80-acre rehabilitation farm and her journey keeps turning pages. Charisse prides herself in being a renaissance woman, jack of all trades, pull up your sleeve kind of person who is fully committed to community and youth development. Reach Charisse at cbailey@lakeerieink.org.
Cynthia Larsen
Education Director
Hammering words, frame the new world
Cynthia Larsen is Lake Erie Ink’s co-founder and Education Director. She holds a BA in English with an emphasis in creative writing from Stanford University and a single subject teaching credential in English and Language Arts from San Francisco State University. Ms. Larsen taught secondary English in Jersey City, New Jersey; Oakland, California; and Cleveland, Ohio before attending graduate school at the University of Arizona, where she received her MFA in creative writing. Ms. Larsen has facilitated project-based creative writing in collaboration with teachers for over ten years, combining her training in education with her passion for writing. Ms. Larsen continues to stay abreast of new standards, methods and technology that helps Lake Erie Ink best meet the needs of youth and educators. At Lake Erie Ink, Ms. Larsen develops and implements creative writing curriculum that supports and meets the educational state standards for English and Language Arts. Reach her at clarsen@lakeerieink.org.
Janae Bryson
Marketing Coordinator
Gracefully tripping through life’s trials & tribulations.
Expression of creativity is Janae’s heart & soul. Before joining the team at Lake Erie Ink, she founded a brand and marketing studio, Auden & Company, where she helped businesses craft visually bold stories. She uses her years of design & marketing experience helping LEI ink share their vision with the youth. Reach her at jbryson@lakeerieink.org.
Maya Watkins
Operations Manager
Finding joy in this strange journey.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Maya has been involved with Lake Erie Ink since 2015. She graduated from Hiram College in 2017. She is passionate about art in all its forms, and loves finding new ways to express herself and be creative. Reach her at staff@lakeerieink.org.
Jane Lee James
Program Coordinator
Inspire the love of learning and writing
Jane Lee James is a Bowling Green State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Before joining the team at Lake Erie Ink, she was an English teacher and writing tutor in Cleveland’s inner-city schools. Jane is pursuing one of her passions by studying Creative Writing at The University of Oxford and drafting her first novel, Somewhere Like Home, a tale of friendship, love, and betrayal. Driven by passion and creative expression, she desires to educate, create art—through her writing, paintings, and collages—and inspire everyone she encounters to do the same. Reach her at jane@lakeerieink.org
Jarod “Od” Perry-Richardson
Creative Arts Teacher
Sitting down sketching, away like always
Jarod “Od” Perry-Richardson is a Creative Teaching Artist at Lake Erie Ink. Beginning his time at LEI as a volunteer, Od eventually joined the LEI family as a teacher. As a graduate at the Cleveland Institute of Art Od brings his artistic experience and love of the arts to the table. When he isn’t busy teaching or drawing, Od can be found at one of Cleveland’s many concert venues. He believes that visual arts and creative writing are invaluable expressive outlets for which the youth can channel their creativity and let it burst out in all directions.
John Boucher
Creative Arts Teacher
“Storytelling is what makes us human”
John Boucher is a creative writing teacher with an interest in mythology and comic books (and who would argue that the distinction between those two is tenuous at best). He finds great joy in stories of all kinds and is passionate about helping his students do the same, showing them how stories can create deep human connection across time and space. He likes to encourage his students to discover their authorial voices, to write with courage and empathy, and to not be afraid to just get weird with it.
Teaching Artists
Matt Hribar
Creative Arts Teacher
The best life is 1000 lives
Matt Hribar currently works in the entertainment and media industry as a producer, voice talent, emcee, writer, event host, tour guide, actor, and DJ. Additionally, he runs his own creative content LLC Starvolt Studios, and teaches writing, content creation, and creative arts. He recently finished his M.A. in Digital Storytelling Communications. His hobbies include working out, producing catchy pop music, or soaking in the culture in Northeast Ohio.
Amy Hughes
Creative Arts Teacher
Everywhere I look, I find art.
Amy Hughes is a writer and teacher from Northeast Ohio who has taught writing to middle school, high school, and college students for more than ten years. She is passionate about helping students discover that stories, like all forms of art, have the power to connect, heal, build empathy, and create change. She is also a scuba diver, amateur potter, chronic procrastinator, baker of pies, and mom of two. She’s addicted to thrift stores and has never been known to pass up vintage glassware or salvaged windows. Send her all your unwanted family heirlooms and antique junk—they tell stories too.
Tiffany Alexander
Creative Arts Teacher
Equal parts left brain, right brain.
Tiffany is a journalist, author, and screenwriter who is dedicated to bringing diverse voices to media. She has a BA from Hampton University and an MFA from the University of Georgia. When she isn’t writing or teaching, you can find her in her garden growing heirloom tomatoes and specialty melons.
Tiffany also enjoys traveling, hiking, yoga, and watching 70s and 80s television sitcoms.
Vivian Vail
Creative Arts Teacher
Give a boost; reveal fresh promise
Vivian Vail became a certified elementary teacher with a reading endorsement many years after earning a Master’s degree in dance. Her experience teaching in various academic and community settings has taught Vivian that we all do better when we find our voice. She loves to garden and makes a mean guacamole.
Elana Pitts
Program Associate
A lonely Traveler Searching for Words.
Elana helps out during the programs or wherever she magically shows up next. Her goal at the end of each program is to make sure they had a great time creating and exploring. If you see her, she may be running around but she’s always open to help or talk—she may even shoot you a hello when she zips by!
AJ Jackson
Creative Arts Teacher
She rises despite the tough challenges
AJ Jackson is from Shaker Heights, Ohio. She graduated from Case Western Reserve University with dual degrees in English and Education. Teaching is what drives her; the ability to shape young minds and have an impact on the future of the world is what she has always strived for. She started working with Lake Erie Ink in 2019 as a volunteer, but now she co facilitates the Teen Book Project. Someday she dreams of having her own classroom, but for now she loves all of the opportunities that LEI gives to students and the voice that we give to young writers and artists.
Chayim Wolf Weinstock
Creative Arts Teacher
You gotta wobble before you stand.
Chayim was born and raised in Cleveland Heights and is currently attending Cuyahoga Community College for psychology. He finds interest in riddles, nerdy activities, cinema, and painting. Always one for a little adventure, Chayim first joined LEI as a volunteer, and hopes that any little adventure can turn into a legend. A firm believer in the slow and steady approach, Chayim is always looking forward to what happens down the line.
Sammie Besaw
Americorps Member
Creating Light from Dark; Always Evolving
Sammie Besaw is a graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Creative Writing minor. She’s a Northeast Ohio native, born and raised in a small town, but not unfamiliar with city life. She is a self proclaimed nerd with a love for books, Dungeons and Dragons, LARP (Live Action Role Play) and spooky movies. She is currently our AmeriCorps member serving as a writing coach, assistant teacher, outreach assistant, and anything else that’s needed at Lake Erie Ink. She’s happy to help wherever she can and is excited to be a part of everything that Lake Erie has to offer.
Alex Ashbrook
Creative Arts Teacher
“stop, look, listen, repeat”
Alex is a writer and musician from Cleveland. He graduated with an MFA in fiction from Cleveland State University where he currently teaches English and creative writing. He enjoys cooking, golfing, traveling and is a hopeless Cleveland sports fan.
Raja Belle Freeman
Creative Arts Teacher
Breathe in, make art, breathe out
Raja Belle Freeman is a performance poet and visual artist. She started to take writing seriously as a student at Twelve Literary Arts. She grew to become a teaching artist at Twelve until she came to Lake Erie Ink. Currently, Raja is the youngest member to ever serve on the board of directors of South Euclid’s community development corporation One South Euclid. She graduated from Cleveland State University in 2020, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing with a minor in Black Studies. Her poetry can be found on various Youtube channels and she does not like writing bios.