CEO

Chelsey is an entrepreneur that has a focal point of enhancing quality of life for developmentally-disabled adults. Spending many years in the music industry, Chelsey has a strong belief in arts powerful ability to change the world.

Group Coordinator / Therap Specialist

Josh started working in Art-Based Day Programs in the late 90’s when he was still in high school. He went to college for Art / Painting, and after that he moved to Providence, RI and lived there for 20 years. While there he worked as an Art Coordinator in a Day Program, an Activity Therapist in a Mental Hospital, a Case Manager in a Community Mental Health / Substance Abuse setting, and he also ran an art Gallery for Outsider Artists from the New England region. He moved to Portland, OR at the end of 2019. He runs a radio station in his free time, enjoy playing the drums, and taking long walks in the woods with his trusty dog Speck.

Supervisor

Nich is an artist eager to try new ideas with a never give up spirit. They joined the Artsify team in 2022 with several years of experience. Nich is passionate about supporting clients to realize and strengthen their capabilities, through connecting with others and accomplishing goals. They believe with art we can bring out our inherent potential, to create value and joy in everything we do. At Artsify they are looking forward to continuing to cultivate a positive influence in our community.

Supervisor

Mavis Barber moved from Alabama to Portland in 2019 after graduating with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. They had always felt drawn to move out west, and chose Portland to be closer to nature and the arts. With a passion for music, the outdoors, and connecting with people, Mavis was seeking a way to integrate their passions into a career when they discovered Artsify. Mavis devotes most of their time to meditation, hiking, swimming in rivers, playing music, and experimenting with various art mediums.

Supervisor / Direct Support Professional

Hanna is a multidisciplinary artist from rural Missouri and has been residing in Portland since 2017. She earned degrees in Art Practice, Arts and Letters, and Theatre Arts from Portland State University and additionally works as a film professional and public art fabricator. Hanna is passionate about community care, place-based learning, and collecting tools in her creative toolbelt to collaborate with clients on artwork and daily care that supports their skills and goals.

Supervisor/DSP

Hunter was born and raised in the Portland area and has lived in the city since 2014. In conjunction with working with Artsify, Hunter is pursuing a degree from Portland State University's Honors College, majoring in Psychology and minoring in American Sign Language. Hunter's career goals center on supporting and advocating for individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In his free time, Hunter plays bass guitar in one band and drums in another. His love for both music and supporting the I/DD community is what has drawn him to work at Artsify!

Supervisor/DSP

Mira moved to Portland from Phoenix Arizona in 2017 to pursue her bachelors degree at PSU. She is an active rock climber, a published illustrator, and a free spirit at heart. She is currently pursuing a masters of social work at Portland State University and looks forward to applying her continued education to her work here at Artsify. Mira is dedicated to serving their community and looks forward to the connections they make while at Artsify and in grad school. 

Onboarding Manager / DSP

Sarah was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and moved to Oregon in 2014 to pursue degrees in Psychology and Dance at the University of Oregon. In recent years, Sarah has worked in education, administration, and the arts while pursuing continuing education in Human Services. As a lifelong dancer, Sarah’s passion is offering help to people in her community through the medium of movement, and loves supporting Artsify clients in pursuit of their own personal and artistic goals. When she’s not at a dance class, Sarah enjoys spending time outdoors, watching movies, and knitting.

Direct Support Professional

Sarah was born and raised in the Willamette Valley and has lived in Portland for a decade. She was drawn to film photography in high school and continues to enjoy working with the medium today. She is currently working on building out a darkroom in her basement so that she can once again get lost in the slow magic of making her own prints. Prior to working as a DSP, Sarah worked for many years as both a gardener and farmer and still loves getting her hands in the soil and introducing people to the healing practice of working with plants.

Onboarding Specialist / DSP

Lucy is a Portland-area native with a lifelong love of the arts. She has worn many work hats including a baker, a paralegal at a disability law firm, a house manager for a local fringe theater, and has been a freelance photographer for several decades. She loves plants and gardening, music and concerts, sci-fi tv shows and movies, and going to comic con. Lucy wanted to work for an equitable and inclusive company who prioritized their clients’ individual needs and dreams. She is excited to bring her love of creating community to Artsify.

Administrative Assistant

Kristine is an Administrative Assistant at Artsify, bringing creativity and organizational skills to her role. With a passion for crafting, building, and flipping furniture, she enjoys transforming ideas into tangible results. In her free time, Kristine loves to dive into books and explore new areas of knowledge, always eager to learn something new.

Direct Support Professional

Savannah moved to Portland over two years ago with her wife Chelsey. Since living in Portland she has found a love for nature walks and exploring her city. She enjoys nature, gardening, painting, crafting, and learning new ways to connect with her clients. You can often find her exploring new parks and going to local events with her clients.

Direct Support Professional

CJ Wiggan is a Jamaican-American writer, illustrator, and performance creator, making emotional artwork about nature, relationships, and magic. CJ practices meditation and active listening and uses these skills to take an understanding and relaxed approach to work and new relationships. They love being in nature and interacting with people in natural settings, helping them learn how to achieve their goals. 

Direct Support Professional

Ian Uponen (he/him/his) is a 32-year-old musician, writer, teacher, and Portlander of over 10 years. He loves art of all kinds, but his main mediums are music, film, radio, and podcasting. Music especially has long been both his passion and livelihood; he loves to teach, play, and share it, and he currently plays in three bands. He also watches roughly one movie per day on average, at home or in the theater, and he hosted a radio show for seven years and is hoping to get back into podcasting soon! He is beyond thrilled to be part of the amazing team at Artsify!

Direct Support Professional

Kevin was raised in Spokane, WA and moved to Portland in October 2021 to seek out a place where they could focus on furthering their art. Kevin enjoys painting, makeup (along with prosthetic making and application), music, flower design and fashion design, and loves that they are able to bring his diverse knowledge to Artsify and help others expand their love of arts and culture; while providing the care and help needed for the clients success.

Direct Support Professional

Brendon is born and raised in northeast Portland. He has been working in the special needs community for over 20 years. When not working, he is a high school baseball coach, and enjoys spending time with his family.

Direct Support Professional

Molly is an artist and crafter who likes finding inspiration from people and from nature. She enjoys painting, photography, jewelry making, gardening, and using repurposed materials. Molly loves going to museums and attending art classes with her clients. She believes fresh air and art are forms of therapy that every one can benefit from, and she loves that Artsify agrees!

Direct Support Professional

Karla grew up on a farm in Iowa and has a degree in Horticulture with an art minor. She worked in group homes while going to college and was a paraeducator at the Greenthumb transition program here in Portland. There she discovered her love of teaching others about plants and being artistic with them. Karla was very excited to find Artsify as it combines her love of working with people and plants. She currently does a weekly garden group at Belong and is excited about hosting future art classes with plants and cooking classes with veggies from the Belong garden.

Direct Support Professional

Jonathan is a musician, author, and advocate within the autism community. A lifetime Portland resident and professional nerd, he often connects with clients through mutual interests such as Magic cards, Dungeons & Dragons, and other geeky pursuits. He even runs medieval foam sword battles in the summertime. He has over 25 years of experience as a professional musician (bass and guitar), many years of experience working with nonprofits, and has given presentations on advocacy and autism support across the country. After 14 years offering one-on-one services through his own consulting business, he joined the Artsify team in 2022 to connect with new people and continue the work of supporting our wonderful neurodiverse community.

Direct Support Professional

Emily is a multidisciplinary artist from Texas, who graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in New Media Art. She is constantly experimenting with new art practices and mediums, including painting, sculpting, jewelry making, and digital art. She has a passion for caring for others and spreading joy through creativity. Her hobbies include cooking, listening to audiobooks, and exploring the PNW wilderness.

Direct Support Professional

Ruth is a current student at an arts college in Chicago, Illinois, routinely coming back to Portland. She is studying journalism alongside arts, and works at her school paper. Ruth has been an artist her whole life, and was a part of a painting studio throughout high school. Ruth loves to engage with others through all kinds of arts and crafts, cooking, and community activities. Ruth also loves the outdoors, frequently going on nice walks in the city parks and along the river. Ruth values kindness as a foundation to everything; approaching new people and new situations with kind, open minds is always the way she likes to navigate life and relationships!

Direct Support Professional

Sophie (or Soph!) has been in the Portland area for the majority of their life and loves the community and nature this city has to offer. They are working as a DSP while pursuing a psychology degree with a minor in gender studies. In their free time you can find them with their family and friends, going on long nature walks, drawing, or watching a sitcom curled up with their three cats.

Direct Support Professional

Rory is passionate about working as a DSP and building meaningful and empowering relationships with the folks they support. Rory values creatively working together in community to build better futures. Their work focuses on facilitating individual empowerment through nurturing personal autonomy and self advocacy with the people they support. Rory has enjoyed doing art their whole life, finding it as a way to process emotions and bring creativity and joy into the world. Their favorite mediums to work with are watercolor and gouache! They value the way art can be a form of self expression and also be a way to connect with other people. Rory enjoys working with people to find creative outlets in the day to day and to empower people on their own artistic endeavors as they explore their own interests and creative processes.

Direct Support Professional

Erin is passionate about the arts and self expression. Her main focus is painting acrylic on wood which is heavily influenced from nature and animals. In her free time she enjoys yoga, rock climbing, hiking, cuddling with her cat and taking care of her houseplants. She is currently pursuing a degree in social work and has a genuine desire to make a positive impact. She joined Artsify to contribute in making a more compassionate and inclusive world. 

Direct Support Professional

Hilary is a lifelong Portlander and dabbler in the arts. She was drawn to Artsify's emphasis on community, art, and empowering people to pursue their own goals. She is autistic and passionate about supporting and being part of a neurodivergent community that strives for equity and inclusion. Hilary is into gardening, crafting, sci-fi, enjoying the outdoors, cosplay, and experimenting with various artistic mediums. She believes in approaching life and people with kindness and curiosity. While working with Artsify, Hilary is pursuing a degree in art therapy.

Direct Support Professional

Howdy hi there! My name is Brina, but you can call me B. My pronouns are they/them and sometimes he/him. I’m 27 years old and I’d consider myself to be weird and goofy, I just love to be silly and creative! Nature and music are big inspirations for me and my various forms of art. Embracing queerness, uniqueness, and the unusual also fuels my artistic fire. I can’t wait to support, create, and explore with Artsify!

Diect Support Professional

Megan moved to the Portland area in 2019. She enjoys exploring parks lakes and near by trail hikes. Megan is passionate about art and its ability to promote expression and healing. Megan has a Bachelors Degree in Special Education Teaching and is applying yo Masters programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis is art therapy. 

Direct Support Professional

Kari is a Portland artist and student. She holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from PNCA and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Art Therapy at Lewis & Clark. Kari has 3+ years of experience working with adults with varying abilities and is passionate about supporting independence and joyful experiences for the people she works with. Her favorite part of direct support work is forming relationships and finding ways to have fun! In her personal time, Kari enjoys reading, traveling, making art, sewing, going on walks, dancing, and spending quality time with her friends and pet cats. 

Direct Support Professional

Zora has worked as a support staff in various iterations for over a decade. She has stayed working in the DSP/Care worker field because of the personal connections she has made with the people she has worked with, and the impact she's been able to make through her work. She enjoys writing and performing stand-up comedy, music, gardening and chess.

Direct Support Professional

Larz was born and raised in New Mexico where he got a degree in English/Philosophy and was introduced to many different art forms and styles. He moved to Portland about 2 years ago and has learned to love the city and the communities within it. He is passionate about many forms of art and enjoys spending his time painting, embroidering, reading and exploring town.  He believes in the power of community being a life changing force and strives to make those around him feel welcome and heard. He looks forward to working with clients to meet their personal goals and in their creative pursuits.

Direct Support Professional

Jason is an actor, writer, director, editor, educator, and lifelong Portlander. In addition to his work in film, television, sketch comedy, and theatre, Jason is devoted to supporting adults with disabilities and kids in their creative pursuits. He also works closely with several education and disability-focused non-profits to help further their missions to create access and equity. In his free time, he enjoys making friends with every dog, baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie, seeing movies, and hanging out with his wife.

Direct Support Professional

Court (she/her) considers herself a multimedia artist with interest in photography, graphic design, video, and ink printing. She's been in Portland for 7 years, and considers it home at this point. She has a personal interest and deep desire to foster community connections and engagement by art and how art can be the center and forefront of community rebuilding and culture. In her spare time, she helps lead a local queer running group called Lezrun and primarily handle their Instagram page. She loves to amplify the community’s LGBT voices and create inclusive spaces for their talents and strengths to be displayed.

Direct Support Professional

Lukas (they/he) is a multimedia artist with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. They love to create with a wide array of mediums, including drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, drag, and music. Passionate about empowering individuals through artistic expression, Lukas brings creativity and compassion to his work.

Direct Support Professional

Claire (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist with a BA in Studio Art from Willamette University. They find inspiration from the intersection of nature and people, resulting in an affinity for fairy tales. She is excited to explore art with her clients and how it can be connected to their very own lived stories. In her free time Claire is often snuggling with her cat and listening to music.

Direct Support Professional

Luke (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist who has been residing in Portland since 2016. He earned his BS in Theater Arts from Portland State University. His two main forms of creative expression these days are writing/producing music as well as illustration. His hobbies include gaming, hiking and spending time with his two cats. As someone who has family on the spectrum, Luke is passionate about his work as a direct support provider, and is excited to be a part of the Artsify team.

Direct Support Professional

Ezra is an artist and poet who grew up in rural Texas, and graduated with an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Texas in Austin. They moved here to Portland in 2022, and have loved exploring all the beautiful nature we have in the PNW. They have spent many years in different teaching roles with children and adolescents, as well as being trained in yoga and sound therapy with adults. Ezra has found art to be the biggest healing agent in their lives, and has found personal freedom and joy through creative expression. They enjoy expressing themselves through various painting mediums, multi-media art, writing poetry, and digital art. Being able to help others is one of the biggest passions in Ezra’s life, and they joined Artsify to support I/DD individuals in our community in meeting their life and creative goals. Some of their other hobbies include video games, hiking, swimming, and watching movies with friends. 

Direct Support Professional

Kat moved from the Bay Area to Portland and holds a Bachelor's in Social Work, equipping them for community strengthening and cultivating inclusive spaces. They are also a drag artist and use drag as a tool for creating welcoming affirming spaces for creativity, and collaboration. They also enjoy dance, writing, nature, music and learning all the animal facts that one can learn!

Direct Support Professional

Brooke (they/them) is a visual artist and drummer with a background in the mental health field as well as Graphic Design. Brooke moved to Portland in 2020 from Salt Lake City, Utah and is currently on the path to getting their Art Therapy Masters starting the fall of 2025. Brooke’s primary art form is visual arts (drawing mixed with watercolor paints). Brooke also enjoys crafting, painting, and drumming and plans to learn the Keyboard while working at Artsify. Other hobbies Brooke enjoys are walks in the woods, card and board games, video editing, crafting, theatre, movies, dancing, and so much more. Brooke enjoys getting to know people and fostering a welcoming environment for people to feel a sense of belonging while empowering the unique gifts of those individuals.

Direct Support Professional

Emily is originally from Los Angeles, CA and has lived there most of her life. Emily studied psychology at University of California, Santa Cruz and has a background in education, which has shaped her love for learning and connecting with others. Emily is also passionate about the arts, spending much of her time drawing and painting. When Emily is not making art, she enjoys exploring nature on hiking trails, baking, or reading the latest thriller novel.

Direct Support Professional

Diane spent many years employed as a research analyst/computer programmer, but her true passion is helping people, particularly those with special challenges. As a young adult, she assisted special education teachers in toddler and kindergarten classrooms, taught basic sign language to adolescents at Pearl Buck Center, and helped adults learn basic life skills in a group home. Diane is also passionate about the arts. She has taken drawing and creative writing classes, enjoys attending plays, symphonies, and dance performances, and is teaching herself to play the piano. Diane is excited to employ her passions to support Artsify clients in attaining their goals.

Direct Support Professional

Care provider for my son with disabilities for over 35 years. The responsibilities include hiring, training and managing staff for twenty four hour care. Skilled at managing and scheduling staff, medical appointments, recreational, educational and augmentative communication technology to maintain an active social lifestyle.

Founder

Nolan is the parent of a developmentally-disabled young adult artist with a successful track record in business, non-profits and public service.