Meet Our Team
A Lasting Impact Through Mentorship
Our team helps young artists transform through access to world-class mentorship, real-world skill development and mental health support. We foster an inclusive community where historically underrepresented artists are emboldened to raise their voices through music.
Meet the Board
Enrique Chi
Making Movies
Founder
Adam Fichman
Lifted Logic
Founder
Ryan Fields
Kansas City Southern
Service Design Specialist
John Gordon
Boysgrow
Founder
Aisa Palomares
Actor and Writer
Celia Ruiz
Bilingual Community Outreach Specialist
UnitedHealthcare
Our Advisors
In 2020, we added professional advisors from across various industries to our team to help make our program the best it can be.
Ben Yonas
is a Grammy Nominated Music Producer, Engineer, Artist Manager and Assistant Professor of Music Business.
Ben empowers others to become leaders through music. He has revolutionized his craft, empowering artists in countless ways, thus earning the nickname “el maravilloso.”
Julián Zugazagoitia
Julián is the director of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
Julián uses the museum to allow others to discover true originals, mankind’s greatest achievements, from ancient to contemporary works of art and to feel the power of community.
Sherri Jacobs
Sherri is the founder of Heartland Art Therapy and former president of the Kansas Art Therapy Association.
Sherri is devoted to assisting people in the cathartic process of unloading their troubles.
She works with Art as Mentorship to integrate therapeutic principles into our curriculum.
Steve Berlin
Steve is a Grammy Award-winning Producer and member of Latin band Los Lobos.
Steve has pursued musical excellence for over 40 years, shaping an important part of the american musical landscape. His work in the Latin-music community has made him a legendary figure and valuable advisor to Art as Mentorship.
Gina Chavez
Gina is a Latin Grammy Award-nominated multi-ethnic, Austin native, is a queer, Catholic, internationally-acclaimed Latinx pop artist.
Gina appeared as a guest to one of the most loved RSA Live! Sessions which lit a spark and a desire to collaborate more. She joined the advisory board in January of 2021.
Jeff Zimmerman
Jeff is a lawyer with over 40 years of experience, serving people and using his powers to be a staunch supporter of the Kansas City arts scene.
Over the last three years Jeff has helped Enrique visualize the structure and create the boundaries around Art as Mentorship. He brought his experience with the Owen/Cox dance group and other local arts organizations to us, which has been an instrumental part of helping us grow.
AMERI’KANA is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
- Martha Lee Cain Tranby Music Enrichment Fund
- R.A. Long Foundation
- Tim Lyons Music Fund
- Paul & Marilyn Lyons
- Mike Lyon Foundation
- Terry Basham
Helping Artists Write Their Own Success Stories
It is through the support of the community that makes it possible for us to deliver the best possible curriculum to our students. Your contribution will have a lasting impact on the lives of those we are mentoring. We thank you for your support of the next generation of creative artists.