Staff

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Amy Rosenbluth has worked with youth during both in-school and out-of- school time programs since 1991. She created the Youth Leadership group and mentoring program for the Shaker Heights Youth Center and has been facilitating Teen Poetry Slams in the Heights area for over 18 years. A credentialed 7-12 English teacher and prevention certified youth advocate, Amy is co-founder and oversees all operations of Lake Erie Ink. She still works directly with youth, primarily teen poets, facilitating writing and spoken word workshops, both on site and off. Amy also designs and facilitates professional development workshops for teachers and other youth serving professionals. Amy has been teaching as adjunct English faculty at Lakeland Community College since 1998. 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 has given her a passion for and strategies in incorporating 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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Abby Star is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. She received her BA in Studio Art from Carleton College in Minnesota. Following graduation, she stayed at Carleton for an extra year to work in the Studio Art Department as well as help to photograph Carleton’s permanent art collection. Abby has interned with the Wassaic Project, an arts organization in Wassaic, NY, helping to plan their annual summer festival featuring music, dance, art and film. Reach her at astar@lakeerieink.org.

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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.

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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. 

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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. Over the years she has been quoted in Scene Magazine, Cleveland.com, WKYC, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and others. Her poetry can be found on various Youtube channels and she does not like writing bios.

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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. 

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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. Halloween is her favorite holiday, so much so that she works as a scare actor at a haunted house on the weekends during October. However, having always had a passion for writing and literary arts, she found opportunities to apply those skills and passions through AmeriCorps service. She is currently the 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.

Teaching Artists

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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 is running the Teen Book Project and helping students write Stop the Hate essays as well. 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. In her free time, AJ reads comics, watches a lot of cartoons (The Owl House is her favorite), and enjoys baking especially during the fall and winter when it’s cold outside!

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Chayim was born and raised in Cleveland Heights, and so knows (or pretends to know) the town like the back of his hand. He is currently attending Cuyahoga Community College for psychology, and 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. When not teaching, Chayim is often found at game shops, or taking long walks in the park listening to music or seeing whether or not a dark purple paint compliments a red. A firm believer in the slow and steady approach, Chayim is always looking forward to what happens down the line.

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Sean McNamara Robinson was born on Earth and reared to adult form in Cleveland Heights. He intends to use his love of all forms of storytelling to help students maintain this most ancient and august of human arts. A nerd-of-all-trades, Sean can oft be found lost within written, drawn, or virtual worlds, or else engaging in activities that bring joy and luck to those in his life such as cooking and merry-making.

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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.