Staff

Terry Murphy
Executive director

Since she joined ArtWorks in 2012, Terry has increased ArtWorks’ capacity to include a full-time program manager; two, half-time teaching artists and artist assistants; and a half-time workforce development coordinator.  With her leadership, ArtWorks completed an internal program review which resulted in extending internships from three months to a year to increase professional development, community impact, and intern experience.  Additionally, the organization’s sustainability has increased with an expanded and diverse board of directors, an operating reserve, and increased funding, most notably in individual support.  Terry loves working with creative people on creative projects and applies everything she has learned in a long career in both the nonprofit and corporate sector towards ArtWorks’ mission.  She is passionate about helping youth develop skills to last a lifetime, community engagement around the arts, and collaborations for their power to accomplish greater things.

 

tracy lomenzo
program manager

Tracy is the newest member of the ArtWorks for Milwaukee team. After teaching high school visual art for over five years with Milwaukee Public Schools, she has developed a passion for projects that help connect students to their communities through the arts. Tracy is committed to help guide Milwaukee’s youth on their artistic journeys of empowerment, community activism, and professional growth. She is skilled in program development, social and emotional learning, as well as a wide variety of art making practices. Tracy has witnessed firsthand the positive impacts and lasting impressions that ArtWorks for Milwaukee internships, have had on her own past students. She looks forward to supporting the important work already taking place, and to helping that work continue to grow in her role as program manager. 

 

Megan Mathison
Career Readiness Coordinator

Megan has been living in the Milwaukee area for a year and half and has been enjoying the opportunity to explore the city and connect with the communities within it. Before joining ArtWorks, much of Megan’s work focused on mentoring and providing case management for children, families, and volunteers in the different communities she has served. She is looking forward to bringing these skills and experiences into her new role as she assists in preparing youth for the future through the arts!

 

megan Añonuevo
social media coordinator

Megan joined ArtWorks in the spring of 2022, as Lead Artist Assistant of the Graphic Design + Mental Health Advocacy Internship. She earned her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from UW-Milwaukee, focusing on Animation and Computer Science with a passion for the Entertainment and Video Game industries. As a first generation Filipina, Megan hopes to be able to share her experiences and stories growing up as a minority in the US, and contribute to the fight for racial justice through art.

 

DIONNA HAYDEN
lead artist - graphic design & mental health advocacy internship

Dionna joined ArtWorks for Milwaukee in September 2021. Born and raised in Milwaukee, her love for the arts and artistic abilities were developed at a very young age. Some of her skills include realism, still life, abstract, illustration, and photography. Her extensive background in visual and graphic arts has enabled her to serve in the creative arts industry for over 20 years. This includes operating her own business, Pink Elephant Graphic Design, and being the creator of The Cookie-Flower Rock Kids book series under her publishing imprint, Lucky Boots.

Graphic design, educating youth, and advocating for mental health are a few of Dionna’s passions that fuel the work she does in her community. It’s also very important to her to teach aspiring artists and designers how to find their own unique voices to enhance and diversify the creative field. To see Dionna’s work, check out www.dionnalhayden.com

 

KYRA Mushall
lead artist Assistant - graphic design & mental health advocacy internship

Meet Kyra, the latest addition to the ArtWorks for Milwaukee team. Currently attending the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, she intends to graduate in the Fall of 2023 with double majors in Journalism, Advertising, & Media Studies, as well as Women’s & Gender Studies. Kyra's upbringing with a mother who was an elementary teacher instilled in her the significance of creativity and self-expression. She believes that art can positively impact people's mental health and enjoys working with youth to help them discover their own unique ways of self-expression. Kyra is thrilled to be part of the team and is eager to begin her new journey.

 

marco romantini
lead artist - environmental arts internship

A lifelong Milwaukee artist, Marco joined Artworks in summer, 2022. With a Bachelor’s in Arts and Leadership from Alverno College, he works as an artist and community arts educator to help inform and elevate the voices of young artists across Milwaukee. Apart from his time as an educator, Marco runs a small business, Anxious Ink, as a hub for his personal work. Additionally, he operates a small fundraising project called the Forget-Them-Not Flower Drive that uses art to help raise money and awareness for local bail relief funds. You can find Marco’s work at Anxiousink.com and @inkbirds on Instagram.

 

Lily Gruenewald
lead artist assistant - environmental arts internship

With a passion for art, education, and environmental sustainability, Lily joined Artworks in the fall of 2023. She is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a B.S. in Conservation Biology and certificates in Studio Art and Environmental Studies. Lily joined Artworks to pursue her interest in working in the field of sustainability by encouraging community involvement and education. She wants to be a part of strengthening efforts that bring awareness to environmental sustainability for students and their communities through public artwork.

 

Mitch Liebhauser
lead artist assistant - environmental arts internship

Meet Mitch, who has recently joined ArtWorks for Milwaukee through a UWM internship that has connected him to the position of Lead Artist Assistant with the Environmental Arts program. Mitch is currently enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he is completing his bachelor's in fine arts with a sculptural focus. He has worked with many different mediums to create art such as clay, wood, and metal work. Mitch wants to help create work that inspires the public for generations of artists to come.

 

Sydney Eserkaln
lead artist assistant - environmental arts internship

Sydney is a first year undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, pursuing a degree in Art History. She was raised to appreciate the arts and respect the nature around her, both contributing to her excitement for working with ArtWorks for Milwaukee's Environmental Arts program that she was connected to through a UWM internship! She's excited to be involved with a program that correlates with her core values, and hopes to pass that excitement on to the interns. In the future she hopes to continue positively impacting people of all ages through art related education.