Meet Our Board Members

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 Founder & President: Maya Joshi
Hi, I'm Maya and I founded LHA as a freshman at Walter Payton College Prep! I have a passion for the visual arts that has stemmed from my early childhood. Some of my favorite memories come from learning to paint and weave with my grandparents. Finger painting and weaving with a loom was a special way for me to learn about being creative. Now, finger weaving and watercolor painting has become a favorite way for me to relax and unwind in my free time. Art has given me everlasting memories and bonds that I hold close to my heart. I hope to create art and new memories with others that they can also cherish and remember with smiles.

​Please email me at maya@lhateam.org if you have any questions regarding care facility onboarding, how seniors can sign up, partnering with LHA or LHA's social media!

 Communications Director: Eleanor Van Houten
Hello! I’m Eleanor, and I became the Communications Director as a freshman at Whitney Young High School. I love the arts and participate in my school’s theatre company and choir and I also play piano. I’m also super passionate about helping others and I’m so excited to be able to put these two interests together and bring happiness, friendship and art to those who need it most.

Please email me at eleanor@lhateam.org if you have any questions regarding volunteering for LHA!
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Treasurer: Riya Joshi
​Hi, I'm Riya and I became LHA's treasurer as a freshman at Walter Payton College Prep! I love words, reading poetry, and playing board games. Fun Fact: I love Latin! Some of my favorite games to play are Scrabble, Boggle, and Charades. I think that playing board games evokes the magical feeling of joy that brings us back to our childhood.  I believe connecting through games can help us all feel the simple pleasures in life, even in challenging times.

Please email me at riya@lhateam.org if you have any questions regarding donations!

Secretary & Publicist: June Stevens
​Hey! My name is June, I became Lifting Hearts With the Arts’ secretary and publicist when I was in 8th grade at Lane Tech Academic Center! I love going on walks and playing card games. Some of my other interests are politics, cooking and sports. A fun fact about me is that I’m on the debate team at my school. I look forward to talking with you!

Please email me at june@lhateam.org if you have any questions regarding spreading the word about LHA!

Meet Our Volunteers

Chelsea Warkentin

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Chelsea and I'm started volunteering when I was in 8th grade at Lane Tech Academic Center! I love to dance, sing, talk, and listen to music. I enjoy having meaningful conversations and trying new things. ​​I am so excited to talk with you!

Mia Combs

Volunteer

Hi I’m Mia! I’m a student and artist who is constantly up for learning and creating. I’m a multi-medium artist who partakes in everything from chainmaille to film. Speaking of film, I co-lead the film club at my school and I am an avid cinephile and amateur director.

Darcy Combs

Volunteer

​My name is Darcy and I'm a rising sophomore at Whitney Young. My interests include reading graphic novels and science fiction books, drawing, journaling, and watching films.

Eleanor Corken

Volunteer

Hi! I’m Ellie and joined LHA as a freshman at Whitney Young. I love being active and connecting with others on and off the ice or field. I love sports and play ice hockey and lacrosse for my school. I appreciate the arts and enjoy drawing, playing games, and arts and crafts. I’m passionate about helping others!

Chloe Krasman

Volunteer

Hi everyone, I’m Chloe! I started volunteering for LHA when I was in 8th grade at Lane Tech. I love everything about music from singing to playing the piano. I am part of my school’s choir and I also love board games and going on bike rides by the lake! I am so happy to be a part of this organization and I can’t wait to meet you!

Jordan Williams

Volunteer

Hi, I'm Jordan! I joined LHA as a sophomore at Whitney Young and I am incredibly passionate about the well being of senior citizens since they're vulnerable and easily abused. Their wealth of knowledge, and brutal honesty make for wonderful conversations. They warm my heart.

Aria Fifer

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Aria and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Whitney Young High School! I enjoy playing and listening to music, reading, learning about history, improving my Spanish, STEM, and learning about people from different cultures. I hope to meet and befriend many new people!

Ella Harrison

Volunteer

Howdy, I'm Ella, and I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at Walter Payton College Prep! I am the youngest of five children - a chaotic pack of goofy, emotional artists. You can catch me jamming out to music, drawing, cooking/eating, or investing myself in some quality fiction! ​

Ivy Tollefsen

Volunteer

Hello! I’m Ivy and I began volunteering for LHA when I was in 8th grade at Lane Tech Academic Center. I’m into reading, music (any and all kinds), history, and roller skating. I love to talk to people, and I’m excited to get to know everyone!

Gabrielle Drutchas

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Gabi! I love reading and writing stories, dancing, and sewing. I love learning about everything, history, science, music and so much more. I think that Lifting Hearts With the Arts is a wonderful platform to share and connect people.

Tova Kaplan

Volunteer

My name is Tova Kaplan and I joined LHA as a rising junior at Whitney Young! I am passionate about volunteering in my community and making a difference in the world. I’m thrilled to be able to participate in this organization!

Meg Denberg

Volunteer

I'm Meg Denberg and I started volunteering for LHA as a sophomore at New Trier High School. I love helping others and meeting new people. My other interests include drumming, rowing, animal welfare, and spending time with friends. I am so excited to be working with LHA and getting the opportunity to help out!

Caroline Klearman

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Caroline and I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at Evanston Township High School. I am a competitive figure skater; I compete both individually and on a theater on ice team. I also run track. I love math and I am on my school’s math team. For fun, I enjoy sewing, baking, and biking!

Hanna Lindroth

Volunteer

​Hi, my name is Hanna and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Evanston Township High School. I am on the debate team, love theater, and love to volunteer! I also like to dance, sing, and play piano in my spare time. I love to meet new people and connect.

Hannah Xie

Volunteer

Hello! My name is Hannah Xie and I began volunteering for LHA as a rising senior at Walter Payton College Prep. I love helping people out! I am also a part of my school's Music Medicine, where we volunteer at hospitals. I run cross country and track but I also enjoy swimming. I love to read books & watch stand-up comedy!

Ellerie Lusignan

Volunteer

Hi! My name is Ellerie, and I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at Lake Mary High School. I love to sing, act, and design clothes. I also love to draw and write. While I was originally born in Chicago, I am the first member of the Central Florida division! I look forward to talking with you!

Carissa Park

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Carissa! I love exploring the visual arts, including painting, drawing, embroidering, knitting, and basically anything I can create with my hands! I also play volleyball, and I have a huge heart for dogs. I am passionate about making others feel heard and loved.

Sophie McBroom

Volunteer

Hi! I’m Sophie and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Payton College Prep: I play softball and some recreational tennis and love drawing, painting and sculpting. i speak French fluently with my family and am in my 4th year of learning Chinese now!

Rachael Zacks

Volunteer

Hi! I’m Rachael and I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at New Trier. I love playing sports, especially basketball, and I play for my school. I also love cooking, doing arts and crafts, and spending time outside. I’m very passionate about helping others, and I love meeting new people.

Kalaya Sriver

Volunteer

Hello, I’m Kalaya and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Jones College Prep. I really enjoy painting, drawing, sewing, knitting, and mixed media arts. I love watching and breaking down great films and sailing in Wisconsin's many lakes and our very own Lake Michigan!

Liana O'Rourke

Volunteer

Hi, I’m Liana and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising junior at Downers Grove South High School! I have played violin for many years, and this summer I’m learning to play piano and guitar. I also love to dance act onstage, and write poetry. I’m so excited to meet everyone!

Kristen Si

Volunteer

Hey! My name’s Kristen and I’m joined LHA as a rising senior at Walter Payton College Prep. I’m a huge science nerd and love running in my free time! I help run my school’s Science Olympiad team and UNICEF Club!

Toks Opeifa

Volunteer

Hey! I’m Toks and I joined LHA as a rising Junior at Walter Payton. I enjoy reading, writing, and spending time with my dog. I believe that everyone should be treated as equals and I will continue to push for this until no one is left behind. We all should be able to be who we want when we want and how we want. I love helping others in whatever way I can!

Seema Arjuna

Volunteer

Hi! I'm Seema! I graduated from Walter Payton College Prep and attend the University of Pittsburgh. I really enjoy photography and music. Recently I've been spending my time playing many card and board games with my family. I'm really excited to meet and spend time with everyone!

Rose Joshi

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Rose and I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at Pearson Online Academy. I’m a level 8 competitive gymnast, and spend most of my time at the gym. In my free time, I am constantly reading, solving sudoku puzzles, or playing games with my family.

Maria Sarango

Volunteer

Hello, my name is Maria and I joined LHA as a sophomore at Lane tech High School. I'm part of a jazz ensemble and play many instruments like the congas and guitar. I'm very creative and spontaneous and I'll love to share my excitement with the world. I'm happy to volunteer for LHA and help with their mission of lifting hearts!

Julian Kane

Volunteer

Hello! I'm Julian. I started volunteering for LHA as a senior at Lane Tech. I love drawing and painting, listening to music, and learning about history. I know a lot about musicians and artists of the past. At Lane Tech, I act in plays and musicals and I take a classical drawing class. I love to help people and learn new things!

Amy Hernandez

Volunteer

Hello! I'm Amy Hernandez, and I joined LHA as rising sophomore at Lane Tech. I love listening to what people have to say. And I enjoy to express myself in an artistic way, whether it's by watercolor, dance, singing, playing guitar, or really any form of art. I'm excited to talk with you!

Sareena Shah

Volunteer

Hi my name is Sareena and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Walter Payton! I love learning - especially about new cultures, and I enjoy volunteering in my community. In my free time, I enjoy a good book, playing tennis, working out, biking, and spending time outdoors.

Ivy Gomez

Volunteer

Hi!!! My name is Ivy Azul Gomez, I began volunteering for LHA as a rising junior at Lane Tech College Prep. I am part of the school's tennis team and am the president of my school's boxing club. I enjoy working out, painting, playing piano, and playing with my dogs. I have two black labs and I love animals. I've been playing piano since I was 6 and love playing for others whenever i get the chance.

Michelle Zhu

Volunteer

Hello hello! I am Michelle, and started volunteering for LHA as a rising senior at Walter Payton College Prep! My interests are knitting, running, and reading! I run my own nonprofit centered around knitting and I hope to change the world by helping one person at a time, no matter how long it takes! Nice to meet ya!

Sophia Zhang

Volunteer

Hi, I’m Sophia! Although I grew up with the expectation of involvement in STEM, I’ve always been drawn to the arts. Some of my favorite activities are part of the arts – playing music, painting, drawing, writing – and I’m happy to be able to help others through them!

Joshua Medina

Volunteer

Hello! My name is Joshua. I joined LHA as a junior at Lane Tech. I enjoy hanging out with friends and family and spending time with my 2 dogs. When I am not studying or out I am most likely at a pool. I really enjoy swimming. I am also a lifeguard and a swim instructor. I also enjoy helping others which is why I am here!

Gigi Calcagno

Volunteer

Hi! I'm Gigi, and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising senior at Northside College Prep. I absolutely love anything related to musical theatre; I've been performing since I was a child, and I hope to study acting in college! When I'm not singing, you can usually find me wrapped up in a classic novel, learning about history, or improving my French. I'm so excited to connect with new people through LHA!

Staja Szukala

Volunteer

Hi, I'm Staja and I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at Lane Tech College Prep. I love art, such as painting and drawing and I love playing games! I also love helping out in the best I can and I am so glad that I get this opportunity to do just that. Hopefully I can brighten someone's day with these activities!

Desiree Rios

Volunteer

Hello! My name is Desiree and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising senior at Lane Tech. I love to sing and dance, so much in fact that I am a captain of my school's dance team and a member of advanced choir! Along with these, I also love to knit, talk to others, and generally learn new things!

Nena Tesinsky

Volunteer

My name is Nena and I enjoy making others smile. I love to read, dance, play volleyball, listen to kpop and watch anime. Meeting new people always makes my day!

Ethan Ashmore

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Ethan and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising Sophomore at Lane Tech. I love the visual arts, especially painting, drawing, and sewing! When I’m not drawing, I’m usually listening to music, whether it’s digitally or vinyl. I enjoy using creativity to connect with others, so I’m very excited to meet new people through LHA! ​

Julie Kang

Volunteer

Hello, my name is Julie Kang and I am a nursing student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I am an empathetic, passionate, and loyal person who strives for the connection and energy of others. My passion is to serve others holistically so this volunteer window is very special to me. I love dancing with my team, listening to music, writing creative novels, being active, and expressing myself through creative outlets. Being a volunteer member with LHA is an extremely rewarding experience and opportunity for me to expand on what I love to do in my daily life into my career, and to create deep, meaningful and special connections with residents. ​

Lucy Boemmel

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Lucy! I’ve lived in Chicago my whole life, but I’m currently in Saint Louis studying physical therapy. I’m very passionate about serving marginalized populations in my communities! When I’m not studying or volunteering, I like to cook, swim, sail, ski, make craft projects, nap, and spend time with friends!! ​

Monica Thokkudubiyyapu

Volunteer

Hi! My name is Monica and I’m from Chicago, Illinois! I am very passionate about making a difference in the life of another. In my free time, I love drawing, painting and riding my bike! I am so excited to start working with LHA and getting to know everyone! ​

Lydia Elbert

Volunteer

Hi! I'm Lydia. I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Walter Payton College Prep. I love spending time outdoors, mostly on my bike. I also enjoy cooking, baking, and reading. I love learning new things and meeting new people, and I am grateful for this opportunity to help put a smile on someone's face. ​

Heather Wheeler

Volunteer

Hi, my name is Heather! I joined LHA as a rising sophomore at St. Ignatius College Prep. I love helping others and having the opportunities to make a difference in our community. My interests include playing the piano, cooking, and I love dogs!

Natalie Morro

Volunteer

Hello! My name is Natalie Morro and I started volunteering for LHA as a rising sophomore at Lincoln Park High School. I am an avid dancer and spend a lot of my time training in the studio. My other hobbies include baking, painting, traveling, and playing the clarinet! ​

Emily Harper

Volunteer

Hi! My name is Emily and I joined LHA as a junior at Walter Payton College Prep. I play soccer and am learning to play tennis. I love reading, writing, listening to music, biking, and playing with my new puppy. I also like fashion and am interested in economics. I can't wait to meet some new people through LHA! ​

Beyza Yildirim

Volunteer

Hi! I'm Beyza and I joined LHA as a junior from Houston, Texas. I love thrifting, playing video games, skating, and reading in my free time. I'm a fool for having conversations about people's past and insightful things! ​

Nick Lagges

Volunteer

My name is Nick Lagges and I joined LHA as a junior in high school. I am a middle child and have 2 brothers. My favorite things to do in my free time are play baseball and go outside with my friends. ​

Fay-Ling Laures

Volunteer

Hi! I'm Fay-Ling, and I joined LHA as a rising senior at Walter Payton College Prep. My interests vary from STEM and robotics to singing and performing: I'm part of a city-wide vocal ensemble called Musicality, and teach younger students music through Marvelous Music at my school. I also love dabbling in visual arts and am always looking to broaden my experiences, share and learn from others!

Nidya Jurado

Volunteer

Hello ! my name is Nidya Jurado, I joined LHA when I was sixteen years old. I love to bake and listen to old school music:). My favorite artists are Llene woods, Soul For Real, and Whitney Houston! ​

Roxy Kronshtal

Volunteer

Hi! My name is Roxy and I joined LHA as a junior at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I love to cook and bake, my favorite thing to bake is banana bread! When I am not nose deep in a textbook, I listen to music and have a little private concert to clear my mind from academia. ​

Raynne Parsons

Volunteer

Hi! I'm Raynne and I am from Central Ohio. I joined LHA as a junior at Marietta College and am majoring in psychology while getting a leadership certificate. I cannot wait to become more acquainted with the program. ​

Abigail Hartzell

Volunteer

Hi, I'm Abigail! I joined LHA as a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I enjoy cooking and love expressing myself through art. You can normally find me listening to music or playing with my dog. I'm very excited to be a part of LHA and to meet new people! ​

Lifting Hearts with the Arts is a 501(c)(3) organization. 
Donations and gifts are tax-deductible to the full extent allowable under IRS regulations.