CATA Adds New Staff and Board Members
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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Community Access to the Arts (CATA) announced the hiring of Kelly Rybczyk as its new Development Director and Bailey Girvan as Associate Director of Development.
CATA also welcomes new board members Will Osborne, Bryan House, and Terry Coughlin.
CATA has expanded programs serving people with disabilities in recent years, with a community-based model rooted in strong partnerships with disability agencies, day-habilitation programs, residences, and schools. CATA currently provides more than 2,200 arts workshops annually for 1,000 children, teens, and adults with disabilities in painting, dance, acting, songwriting, drumming, creative writing, juggling, yoga, and more.
These new staff and board appointments will help CATA deepen community partnerships and expand financial support for the organization, giving people with disabilities across the Berkshires and Columbia county more opportunities to explore their talents and express themselves creatively. Each year, CATA must fundraise 85 percent of its annual budget to deliver inclusive arts programs to a low-income, historically marginalized population.
Kelly Rybczyk (she/her) has over 20 years experience in nonprofit leadership, operations, and fundraising. She comes to CATA from Project SAGE, a domestic violence prevention agency in Lakeville, CT, where she served as Interim Executive Director and previously as Director of Operations and Director of Special Gifts and Events. Kelly has a master's in Strategic Fundraising & Philanthropy from Bay Path University and a Certificate in Governing for Nonprofit Excellence from Harvard Business School.
Bailey Girvan (she/her) comes to CATA from Norman Rockwell Museum where she has served in a variety of roles, most recently as Senior Development Officer. Bailey has a master's in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor's in American Studies and Classical Civilizations from Colby College, as well as a Certificate in Fundraising from Philanthropy Massachusetts and a Certificate in Grant Writing from the University of Southern Maine.
In their new roles at CATA, Kelly and Bailey will work with Executive Director Margaret Keller to expand CATA's fundraising activities and oversee the organization's donor relations program, furthering its mission to enhance the lives of people with disabilities through the arts. They will also work closely with Kate Harding, CATA's Development Coordinator, and David Dashiell, CATA's Development Associate.
Will Osborne (he/him) is an internationally published and produced playwright, lyricist, and book author and a respected director, teacher and actor. He has enjoyed a career in professional theatre that spans five decades. His play Smoke & Mirrors, a comic murder mystery, has been produced in theaters throughout the United States, as well as in South Africa and Korea. He has provided book and lyrics for Magic Tree House: The Musical, a full-scale Broadway-style family musical which traveled to 54 cities around the country and subsequently toured Germany. Will also created A Night in New Orleans, a Magic Tree House musical celebrating the childhood of Louis Armstrong that has been performed in dozens of theaters around the United States. Will has authored more than a dozen books for children and young adults, many co-written with his wife, Mary Pope Osborne. A graduate of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Will is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writers Guild, SAG, AFTRA, Actors equity and is currently vocalist and lead guitarist for the popular New England rock band Lucky Bucket.
Bryan House (he/him) is currently the Vice President of Youth & Community Development at 18 Degrees. He oversees the agency's youth development and violence prevention strategies and provides leadership and direction on inclusive strategic community relations and engagement opportunities. He previously served as the Director of Community Engagement for the Berkshire District Attorney's Office. After being drafted out of Illinois State University by the Chicago Cubs Baseball organization in 1984, Bryan played seven years as a professional baseball player in the Cubs and Texas Ranger organizations. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Massachusetts.
Terry Couglin (he/him) has been involved in hospitality since his very first job at age 16. For 23 years, he worked for Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, ultimately as Managing Partner and Director of Operations. During his time with the group, he helped conceptualize and open 4 restaurants, oversaw 7 different businesses and mentored hundreds of young leaders. As the head of USHG's Community Council, he helped to raise over $4 million dollars for various charitable organizations. Since 2015, he has served as a board member of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded by the late Paul Newman. In 2019, Terry and his family moved up to Great Barrington, where they own and operate Granville House, a five guest room Bed & Breakfast.
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