Marie Klepacz is Arts Ignite’s Program Manager and a former special educator. Originally from Danbury, Connecticut, Marie served two years as an Americorps volunteer and a Teach for America Corps Member. Marie’s experience working with students who have learning exceptionalities in an underrepresented community propelled her to better understand the deep-rooted issues of inequity in education. This motivation led to her earning her M.Ed. in Curriculum & Teaching from Boston University. Marie’s professional philosophy is that building positive relationships based on trust and compassion is at the core of progress in education and nonprofit work. Marie’s passion for the arts and helping youth build agency and confidence through their self-expression is what makes her so excited to be a part of the Arts Ignite Team.

Frank Ruiz is a Nicaraguan American artist and educator with ADHD. He was a 2024 TYA/USA Emerging Leader Fellow, and conducted his research trip at the Woody Guthrie Center’s American Song Archives in Tulsa, OK. Currently the Manager of Education Programs for New York City Children’s Theater, he received a 2024 LMCC Creative Learning grant for his protest songwriting workshop. As a facilitator, he has presented for the Arts in Education Roundtable’s Face to Face conference, the Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability conference, the Opera America Teaching Artist Forum, the Entertainment Community Fund’s Creative Classroom Symposium, and the Arts for All Abilities Consortium.

Teaching Artist Mary Suk holds a MA in Dance and Dance Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a BA in English from Dartmouth College. She currently teaches in NYC public schools through Franklin Furnace Archive and New York City Ballet Education. Since 2024, she has served on NYC Arts in Education Roundtable’s Board of Directors. Previously, in addition to choreographing and performing her own work at Green Space, Joe’s Pub, Aaron Davis Hall, and Westbeth Theater, she worked with Claire Porter and jill sigman/thinkdance. She has served as a facilitator for The Field’s multidisciplinary Fieldwork sessions in New York City and Workspace for Choreographers in Sperryville, VA. When not teaching, Mary enjoys learning and practicing House and Vernacular Jazz dance at studios, clubs, and outdoor events in NYC.

Dale Novella Anderson-Lee is a dynamic educator, artist, and wellness advocate dedicated to empowering communities through creative expression and holistic well-being. A graduate of the University of South Carolina’s Media Arts program, Dale found her passion for teaching social justice through the arts after completing the Teaching Artist Training and Internship Program (now the Teaching Artist Project) with Community-Word Project in 2016. Since then, she has worked with students across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, helping them find their voices and celebrate their cultures through music, poetry, and digital media.  

Beyond her work as a Teaching Artist, Dale is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Wellness Coach, with specialized training in children’s yoga and sound healing. She integrates these practices into her residencies, fostering safe, trauma-informed spaces, where students can freely create and share.  

Currently serving as Co-Director of Operations, and Communications for the Teaching Artist Project, Dale continues to lead and support fellow educators in harnessing the power of the arts for social change. She is also an entrepreneur and curator, producing live music events like the poetry jam session “The Poet Will Be Televised!” and facilitating yoga, and wellness workshops that bridge the gap between artistic expression and mindfulness.  

A seasoned singer, songwriter, and producer, Dale has been a force in the NYC music scene, blending Soul, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Rock to craft a unique sound. In 2020, she released her self-produced debut album, SANG BXTCH!!, and went on to tour both the U.S. and Europe, further solidifying her place as a multifaceted creative.  

From the South Carolina Lowcountry to Brooklyn, Dale Novella remains committed to using music, movement, and mindfulness as tools for connection and transformation. Whether in the classroom, on stage, or in a wellness space, her mission is clear: to bring the world together in rhythm, one beat at a time.  

Stay connected with Dale Novella at dalenovellapresents.com or follow her on Instagram: @dalenovella.