Staff

Will Law joined Artspace in 1992 and has worked in property development, asset management, consulting, and financial management. Among the major projects for which he has had primary responsibility are the Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative in Saint Paul, the Washington Studios in Duluth, the Riverside Artist Lofts in Reno, and El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 in New York.

As President, Mr. Law is a member of Artspace’s senior management team and is responsible for overseeing the organization’s day-to-day operations. Mr. Law graduated from the Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Political Science.

Kathleen Kvern is Chief Advancement Officer of National Advancement and Consulting at Artspace.  The core responsibility of this position is to raise the private funds necessary to complete individual Artspace projects in communities across the country. 

Prior to joining Artspace Kathleen was Development Director for Northwoods NiiJii (NiiJii means “friends” in Ojibwe), a nonprofit Economic Development organization located in rural Northern Wisconsin assisting Native American communities.  While there she developed and implemented a regional Woodland Indian Arts Initiative, and opened the Woodland Indian Art Center located on the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation. Prior to Northwoods NiiJii, Kathleen worked at the Walker Art Center as Project Director of mnartists.org, providing her with a depth of knowledge working with individual artists, community building in the arts, and internet technologies and social networking. 

Kathleen has a strong entrepreneurial background and was co-founder and owner of The Fine Line in Chicago; and assisted in opening Studium in Manhattan. She was a founding member of the Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization and has done independent consulting and development work for diverse organizations including the Minnesota Museum of American Art, All My Relations Gallery, the Loring Park Art Festival, and the Madeline Island School of the Arts. 

Being part of a creative community and developing her own creativity and creative process is vital to her sense of well being. She participated in Intermedia Arts’ leadership program, The Creative Community Leadership Institute, one of only a few programs nationwide to provide comprehensive, professional-level training and support for local, community-engaged artists and community developers. 

Kathleen lives in South Minneapolis with her daughter, Emma, and their squirrel-chasing English Springer Spaniel, Daisy.  

Tionenji Aiken (Tio Aiken) is the Chief Communications Officer for Artspace Projects Inc. Recruited to Artspace in 2016 as the Communications Manager, Aiken has slowly shifted the Artspace brand to focus on multi-format storytelling with a deep desire to highlight the intersectionality of Artspace's diverse residential communities and partnerships nationwide. In 2017, Aiken became the Director of Communications. She also became the Program Director for the Rafala Green Fellowship program, a two-year fellowship that promotes equity and inclusion in non-profit real-estate by training the next generation of POCI emerging leaders working at the intersection of arts, real-estate, and community development, funded by the Ford Foundation.

Outside of her formal roles at Artspace, Aiken is a practicing poet and a champion of anyone using their creative expression to make space in the world for positive change. She currently sits on the advisory boards of Made Here MN and Giant Steps MN, and the Board of Directors for the Twin Cities Jazzfest.

She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and holds a BA., in Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, and Media Studies.

Freddie, despite all attempts, has been able to skillfully evade his colleagues and refuses to write a bio of himself. It's okay, Freddie. We've got your back.   

Here is what we know: 

• He wears, on occasion, an amazing (and massive) Russian fur hat given to him by his fantastic wife. 
• His sense of humor is so intact that he manages to play verbal defense in a way that would shock a politician.
• In 2009, Freddie started exploring the real estate business and began working for Artspace leading the Performance Property team. 
• In his spare time, Freddie likes to drink pink ladies while hanging out with his friends; enjoys making people laugh; go on bike rides in the rain; and read science fiction books while soaking in a bubble bath. Just kidding. Well, everything except the making people laugh part. His good nature is contagious.

Freddie is our talented President of Performance Property, and we are so fortunate to have him taking care of myriad things at our properties. Rock on, Freddie. 

Dana Mattice joined Artspace in 2017 and currently manages capital campaigns for Artspace properties in Loveland, CO; Colorado Springs, CO; and Utica, NY; in addition to supporting Artspace General Operations and other needs. She was a key contributor on the design and launch of Artspace’s inaugural, nationwide resident survey that achieved statistically significant results; and nominated Artspace and senior leadership for a variety of awards that were received, including ACHP/HUD Secretary’s Award for the Bell Artspace Campus. During the height of the pandemic, from 2020 through 2022, Dana also achieved revenue goals for The Cowles Center, Artspace’s performing arts venue in downtown Minneapolis. Dana has worked as a nonprofit administrator for 15+ years and was previously the Interim Executive Director and Development Communications Director at the Duluth Art Institute, a community art center in Northern Minnesota, where she increased grant funding by more than 60%. Before that, Dana lived in Texas and was the Publicist for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston—one of the largest art museums in the country—where she promoted some 30 exhibitions per year as well as special initiatives like the construction of the Arts of Asia wing. She pitched and placed news stories locally and nationally, including at the BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ARTnews, and Travel + Leisure, and was named “Best Flack” by the Houston Press. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dana lives in Minneapolis with her partner, Tom, and their dog, Arlo. She can often be found indulging her addiction to narrative through reading books or watching movies; or out hiking in the woods, looking for mushrooms, or kayaking on the Mississippi River.

Pace Winkels (He/Him) joined Artspace in 2022 as the National Advancement Manager.  The son of a musician and costume designer, Pace has been steeped in the Minneapolis artist community and understands the importance of fostering and housing the arts across the globe.  After receiving his BA in writing for TV and Film at DePaul University,  Pace returned home to Minneapolis and began work at an accessibility company, creating audio description for television and film.



When he's not working, Pace enjoys a wide variety of horror films and is an avid practitioner of Muay Thai. He's also the father to the light of his life - his pitbull, Imelda Mae.

Addison joined Performance Property Management's team at the beginning of 2021. With a BA in mathematics and theatre arts from Simpson College in Iowa, Addison believes that she's found an excellent place to work! Addison is a bookkeeper for a handful of Artspace's real estate properties and performs regular accounting duties for the team.

When she's not in the office, Addison spends much of her time around Lake Bde Maka Ska, singing showtunes around her apartment, and reading the same novels over and over. An Iowa native, Addison is thrilled to be in the Twin Cities where the winters are only marginally worse and the accent is contagious.

Mary Jo joined Artspace in 2009 as a temp after taking a few years off to raise 3 children.  Mary Jo is responsible for master lease accounts receivable, El Barrio accounts receivable and accounts payable and helps the Finance Team with other projects as needed.  She also files annual reports for all Artspace entities keeping them in good standing.  Prior to joining Artspace, Mary Jo worked as a legal secretary at a law firm in Minneapolis.

When not working, Mary Jo enjoys going on walks, exploring new places and going to plays at community theaters.

Carly Karjala graduated from South Dakota State University with a BS in Art Education. Karjala is certified through the Professional Picture Framers Association and has worked as a CPF for 10 years. She recently finished an AA in Accounting. She is excited to be a part of the finance team at Artspace. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, biking, camping, and traveling with her husband, Brent, and their son, Owen.

Nu Lee joined Artspace Project’s Performance Property Management Company team in May 2011 after graduating from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul with a BA in Accounting. Nu is Bookkeeper for several of Artspace’s real estate commercial and residential properties locally and regionally. She performs regular accounting duties, prepares monthly financial statements, and conducts regular accounting audits.

Nu brings a sense of enthusiasm to the Finance team, as well as an attention to detail that is necessary for her position. Her previous work experience varies from providing administrative support at the Department of Natural Resources; extensive customer service at the House of Wong family restaurant; and peer tutoring at St. Paul Public School’s Bruce F. Vento Elementary.

When she is not working, she cooks for big family parties, keeps the house polished, and enjoys scrapbooks and photography.

Molly McKeen (they/them) joined Artspace as a Temporary Assistant to the Finance department in the spring of 2022. McKeen is a freelance pet sitter, plays video games, and enjoys spending time with their nieces and nephews.

Shaela Wilson graduated from the Academy of Design and Technology, Chicago, in 2004. She then began to freelance while pursuing her dream of owning her own FedEx Kinkos. Shortly after that idea was born-- and after giving birth to two dance machine, lip gloss-popping divas; and after reading “The Secret”-- she began working at Artspace Projects in 2010. From making coffee and scheduling appointments to drawing up leases and managing the Artspace database, Shaela puts her awesome multi-tasking skills to work at Artspace daily. She is not limited to being the Queen of the front desk, however-- she was also MVP of the Minneapolis Pee Wee League Championship game in 1991.

In her free time, she likes to draw, spend time with her two lovely daughters, watch popcorn pop in the microwave,  watch the exercise channel while eating that butter-soaked popcorn from the couch.

Toi joins PPMC with a Regional Management agent and compliance background. She has held supervisory roles with property management companies for portfolios of HUD/ Tax Credit, Public Housing, and Trust Fund affordable housing sites. She holds a broker’s license and is COS, TCS, and CLIHTF certified.

Toi has extensive knowledge of the Tax Credit, Low Income Housing Trust Fund, Housing Choice Voucher, Project Base Section 8, Statewide Referral Network programs and regulatory compliance for all. Toi has worked as a consultant and trainer to provide on-site and remote staff services for these program types for nationally known organizations and management companies.

Toi is a playwright and short story writer. Toi’s love for writing and acting was further enhanced when she studied under Artistic Director Runako Jahi of the ETA Theater in Chicago. Although a writer of plays and short stories, Toi has utilized her oratory, broadcasting and marketing skills while working with A.C. Green of the A.C. Green Radio Show and early on for public speaking engagements for the City of Chicago’s Department on Aging.    

Dr. David Stark has served as Community Manager of Artspace Hamilton Lofts since February 2018. 

It’s a decision we’ve regretted ever since he was hired. 

Originally from Nashville, he is a former high school All-State and collegiate All-American basketball player. But he only got those awards for being 7ft tall. He wasn’t really that good. 

He postponed adulthood for as long as he could by just staying in school until like the 30th grade. This insecure over-achiever earned three master’s degrees (at the same time, under full scholarships, and with honors, no less… what a nerd!) including one in Organization Leadership and Admin from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington (2007). 

He also holds a PhD (one of the British kinds that you actually have to earn with an “original thought”, which is specifically funny because his closest acquaintances and co-workers call him a “himbo” right to face) from the University of Manchester, England (2011). But only a few other geeks have yet to care about his revisionist thoughts on religion and perfectionism in the 18th century Age of Enlightenment because, you know, it’s a total snooze fest that didn’t shake anything up for anyone. 

And he’s not that smart so he must have cheated anyway. 

He’s spent ten years as a high school history teacher at private schools in the Kanas City and Cincinnati areas because this guy isn’t really suited for the public. And he just showed YouTube clips the entire time and no one learned anything. He also coached several sports team at the time and his teams lost every single game they played and never once won a championship or anything. 

When it comes to the arts, he is entirely talentless. 

But he knows plenty of great artists and creatives who indulge him and his title of Founder and Director of The Strauss Gallery (at Artspace Hamilton) as a kind of long-running practical joke. When he throws an event, there is often standing room only, which is testament to how much of the City of Hamilton and Butler County, OH are in on the joke of David’s affability and relevancy. 

He’s also way too involved with local civic organizations and causes, like Hamilton’s “17 Strong” Neighborhoods executive board, The Corn Stand Jam for Mental Health Awareness, Hamilton LGBTQ Pride, and Hamilton’s Charter Review Commission, to name a few. They give him leadership titles at the top out of a sense of pity because everyone else involved in said groups knows they are his only “friends”. 

If we had to say one nice thing about this silly giant man, it would be…

Stacy Malbon joined Artspace as a member of the finance team in 2015 and transitioned into Property Management over the next few years. When Artspace purchased the Northrup King Building in 2019, Stacy instantly knew that spending her days trying to get over 350 independent artists to agree on any one thing was the life purpose she had been waiting for.

As Director of Operations and Programming at the Northrup King Building, Stacy manages the day-to-day operations at Artspace’s largest building while coordinating and hosting a number of art events that bring thousands of people through the iconic building’s front doors.

Born and raised in the Twin Cities, she graduated from the University of Minnesota and stubbornly insists that all of the good beer, good food, good dogs, good art and well, good pretty much everything is found in Northeast Minneapolis. On the rare occasion that you can convince her to leave the northern part of the city, you can usually find her in the northern part of the state, getting sunburnt in a canoe or hopelessly lost on a trail in the Superior National Forest.

Kim Sanchez joined the Artspace team in 2017 as the tech support and programming manager at El Barrio's Artspace PS109. She is certified by I.A.OT.S. as a wedding and event designer and planner, as well as certified by I.C.O.E.S. as a music and film events manager. Currently, she is working towards achieving her associate degree in business management.

Kim is a proactive, results-oriented, bilingual professional with solid experience in the finance and nonprofit fields. Her expertise spans project management, financial reporting, office management, and customer service. Her excellent analytical, research, and writing skills has led her to much success within the entertainment and events industry. Kim has more than 14 years of experience planning various types of events, and brings her eye for design and sense of style to each. She has planned, designed, and executed weddings, various private social events, and much more. Her detail-oriented and organized mind motivates Kim to create the perfect journey for her clients, where they get to experience their events as a guest. She likes everything to be just right, even the small details, because they can make a huge difference in a special event. She is a dedicated professional who is not afraid to put in the extra time to make her client's event special. 

When Kim is not being a worker bee, she likes to spend time with family and friends, dance, and travel.

Becky's contagious enthusiasm for Galveston, its history, and its arts community is the first encounter potential tenants have when contacting the National Hotel Artist Lofts. As the building manager for over a decade, Becky exemplifies the grassroots community building efforts championed by Artspace. Her tireless volunteer efforts continue to connect a diverse range of artists and patrons, Galvestonians and tourists, and regional and international arts organizations.

Becky wears many hats at NHAL as landlord, maintenance, janitor, event coordinator, dog walker, fish feeder, and partner in all things good. She has served on the City's Cultural Arts Commission and the Galveston Theater and Arts Partnership for a number of years. She believes that if there were more institutions like Artspace that empowered creative people to do what they do best, the world would be a better place and NHAL is evidence of that!

Educated in the Chicago Community College system, and DePaul University, Doran also holds the following certifications:  “Certified Property Manager (IREM-NAR); Community Association Manager (License – Illinois); and Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA/CAI).  Doran has specialized in the management and development of affordable housing assets for most of his career in the real estate industry, but he has also managed commercial assets that were adjunct to his assigned residential assets.  Geographically, Doran’s asset assignments have included sites in Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  And his program experience includes:  Section 42/LIHTC; Project-Based Section 8 for Families and Seniors; Section 236; RAD; Rural Development; Public and Indian Housing; and Market Rate.  Doran’s connection to the arts is in music.  He was a performing percussionist, who later wrote and taught youth in the field of marching percussive arts.  Doran is married to the love of his life: Tina, and they have 6 adult children and 10 grandchildren. 

Jean Kramer-Johnson first joined the Artspace family remotely coordinating staff travel from her Montana home. In 2002, Jean moved back to her hometown of Minneapolis, and was offered the position of Executive Assistant to the President. Three years later, Jean joined the Asset Management team and now leads Artspace’s commercial leasing operations. Jean is also the point of contact supporting new project lease up efforts and continues to serve as travel consultant to Artspace staff.

When not working, Jean loves to camp, ski, and go on long walks with her husband and her dog, Mayla Belle.

Get in touch with Pablo here.

Pablo Lituma is a first-generation Ecuadorian-American with roots in New York. Mr. Lituma is Indigenous from Azuay, Ecuador, and advocates for the cultural preservation of diaspora communities in the U.S.A. His experiences of living in distinct cultural communities have shaped a path to advocate for equity and diversity in communities. Mr. Lituma's early aspirations to create equity through community and real estate development led him to obtain his  Bachelor of Science of Architecture degree from the University at Buffalo, in New York, and later his dual Master's degrees in Architecture and Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico. Mr. Lituma was part of the second cohort Rafala Green Fellowship at Artspace and now supports Artspace in a Project Manager role in the Property Development department. 

Jennifer was born and raised in New York City, where her parents met after migrating from the Dominican Republic. Jennifer is the youngest of three children and the first college graduate in the family. She holds a bachelor's degree in Forensic Science from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and is always seeking to learn more, with an interest in a wide variety of subjects. 

Before joining Artspace in 2014, Jennifer was a project manager at El Barrio's Operation Fightback, a property management and community organization focused on housing, economic development, and social service needs of East Harlem's El Barrio neighborhood. Her bright and easygoing personality, along with her deep understanding of the El Barrio neighborhood, brought great strength and coordination to Artspace's largest project to date: El Barrio's Artspace PS109; of which Jennifer is the Asset Manager. 

Andrew Michaelson has more than 10 years of experience in the field of affordable housing. He began his career with Artspace as an intern in 2006, and is now Director of Property Development. He played a key role in the development of the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, and is currently team lead for the Pullman Artspace Lofts in Chicago and the Space to Create Colorado initiative. He has extensive experience in historic adaptive reuse, including the rehabilitation and conversion of former cavalry buildings at Fort Snelling into supportive housing for homeless veterans and their families (a project he completed as a Senior Project Manager for CommonBond Communities).

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Forensic Science Certificate from Hamline University, and a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law).

Andrew is a Minneapolis native, and currently resides in the Fulton neighborhood with his wife and two young daughters. He plays drums in his spare time, dabbles in home brewing, and enjoys tinkering in his basement workshop.

Neda Shahghasemi joined Artspace in 2022. She works closely with the project leads on development projects particularly, the Artspace Utica Lofts in NY, and the Northrup King Residential Project in MN. Prior to joining Artspace, Neda worked for Seward Redesign, a nonprofit community development corporation in Minneapolis. Before moving into real estate development, she was a director for an alternative dispute resolution provider in NY. Neda has a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law (now Mitchell Hamline) and a B.S. in engineering from University of Minnesota. 

Neda is a calligrapher and a painter. She is inspired by representational modern paintings as well as abstract work with a calligraphic twist.

Becky Carlson St. Clair joined Artspace in 2011. She played a key role in the development of projects in Minot, ND; Dearborn, MI; Hastings, MN and Minneapolis, MN and is currently leading the development of SOMO Artspace Lofts, Artspace Utica Lofts, and the NKB Residential Project. Prior to joining Artspace, Becky worked for five years at Somerset Development Company, an affordable housing development company in Washington, D.C. Before moving into real estate development, she worked for two years as a cartographer at Syracuse University and at a custom cartography company in D.C. Becky has a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, a B.A. in Geography from the Maxwell School of Citizenship, and a B.A. in Spanish from Syracuse University. Becky lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two boys.

Sarah Swingley joined Artspace in 2011, serving in Artspace’s Property Development division for over a decade. Sarah oversees a number of financial processes for Artspace, from financing applications to managing the successful closings of projects, thereby launching new construction in Artspace’s pipeline. Sarah also administers construction draws for projects across the portfolio, and had significant responsibilities advancing developments in Elgin, IL; Waukegan, IL; Hamilton, OH; and El Paso, TX—enabling 184 new units of affordable housing for artists and their families. Previously, Sarah was Senior Mutual Fund Accountant at First American Funds. She holds a Master of Urban & Regional Planning degree from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and a B.S. in Finance from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. In her free time, Sarah stays busy with her three very active children. She enjoys home improvement projects, exploring parks and playgrounds, geocaching, kayaking, and hitting the pool. She is also a candy addict.  

Colin Edwards (he/him/his) joined the team as Program Assistant beginning in January 2021. Edwards is a Twin Cities-based multidisciplinary artist, event coordinator, administrator, and performer with a passion for movement, music, and unique visuals. Founder of Meridian dance company, he has created and coordinated events such as Cell Games (I & II) and Air It Out, located at Gamut Gallery. Edwards has performed at various major venues including The Ordway Theater, Guthrie Theater, First Avenue, and many others.

He graduated from Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts and studied at TU Dance with artists such as Marciano Silva dos Santos and Berit Ahlgren. In addition to dance, Edwards also works in animation and creates clothing. His choreography was recently seen in Rooted: Hip Hop Choreographers’ Evening as well as The Walker Art Center's Choreographers Evening in summer 2021.

www.mcknightdancechoreo.org

Photo credit: Canaan Mattson

Dana K. Kassel (she/her/hers) brings a wealth of experience to the Program Director position with her long history as a performer and a highly skilled and respected administrator. She served in an administrative capacity for several Twin Cities dance organizations, including Threads Dance Project, Voices of Sepharad, Corning Dances & Company, and for writer/choreographer Judith Brin Ingber. She was Co-Coordinator of the Minnesota SAGE Awards for twelve years, has been an advisory member for DanceMN, and a board member for Young Dance. In addition, she worked in event management and catering for over two decades.

Kassel graduated from the University of Minnesota Dance program in 1992; she was a company member in JAZZDANCE by Danny Buraczeski; and danced with Cathy Young and Zenon Dance Company, among others. In recent years Kassel has performed with Laurie Van Wieren, the New Standards Holiday Show, in Rhythmically Speaking, and as part of Choreographers’ Evening at the Walker Art Center.

www.mcknightdancechoreo.org

Photo credit: Canaan Mattson