Our Team
Detroit Region Administrative Staff
Allyson Sweeney
Studio Manager
“Treat others the way you want to be treated.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Some of my favorite musicians are Depeche Mode, Prince, Drab Majesty, Orville Peck, and Soundgarden. I love all genres, I try to branch out musically as much as possible.
What is your favorite dessert? Butterscotch milkshakes.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Purple, and I like the look of Amethyst stones.
What animal represents you? Red pandas. I like their vibe.
What's your favorite hobby? Sewing. I also collect movies.
Deborah Holcomb
Studio Administrator
“Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Metal and video game soundtracks. For bands, personal favorites are Sabaton, The Devil Wears Prada, and Wind Rose. For video games, the Mass Effect and Like A Dragon soundtracks.
What animal represents you? Capybaras. I just want to be chill.
What is one movie you could watch every day? The Emperor’s New Groove
What's your favorite hobby? Tabletop gaming and miniature painting.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My sense of humor.
Gretchen Higbee
Administrative Logistics Manager
“A closed mouth does not get fed”
Do you have any pets? If not, do you want any? Yes! I have a Cockapoo named Cosmo!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Definitely Taylor Swift!
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Light Pink, and that would be when the clouds at sunset are pink!
What's your favorite hobby? Reading!
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My bubbly personality!
Do you have any pets? If not, do you want any? I have two cats who are sisters: Sabine and Padme and I previously had a dog named Rocky.
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Tori Kelly, Lauren Daigle, Steffany Gretzinger, Maverick City
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Pink, especially the softer more subtle pinks. My mom knit me a blanket in soft pink that I love.
What's your favorite genre of books? Non-fiction. I love learning new things.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? That I can see and appreciate people for who they are and see the beauty in them even if they can't see it themselves.
Do you have any pets? One, three-legged cat officially named Superman, however I mostly call him Bubba or Bubbs! I would be VERY open to another pet (either a cat or dog) in the future!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? I am all over the place musically! I love all things 90's and 2000's! Favorites currently include Matt Nathanson, Matchbox 20, Various Broadway soundtracks, Taylor Swift, Hozier, Train, and so many more...
What animal represents you? I was once told there is "something of a wolf about you" and I will RUN with that for life! Wolves are loyal, protective, and can run in pack or run solo successfully for life!
What's your favorite hobby? Currently it's probably freewriting, reading and playing video games! I just recently started thinking about starting ballroom dancing again, which used to be a huge part of my life and I can't wait to make that a hobby again!
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? Oh so many places! Scotland, Iceland, Denmark, Italy, California, and going back to England/Ireland again is on the list!
Julia Ciccone
Studio Administrator
“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Monique Goodroe
Director of Design & AAM Program Architect
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? It would be impossible to choose a top favorite, but currently I am quite into Hozier and Taylor Swift.
What is your favorite dessert? I would say a cherry chip cake with almond buttercream! It was a staple of my birthdays growing up!
What animal represents you? A panda! Pretty chill, kinda goofy, and cuddly!
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? I would have to say green! Most shades are lovely, but I think my most favorite is the green of an emerald.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? I like to think that I am pretty good at setting people at ease and letting them be themselves around me!
Nicole Jendrusina
Studio Administrator
“The beginning of purpose is found in creating something that only you understand.”
Do you have any pets? I have two cats, Finley and Fergus, as well as a dog named Winifred.
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? My favorites would be In This Moment, Nightwish, and Ville Valo.
What animal represents you? A goose because I also enjoy bread even though it's not good for me and want to hiss at people who walk too close.
What's your favorite hobby? Hiking and getting a little lost.
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? The Atacama Desert
Rachel Barczuk
Studio Administrator
“You are not defined by someone else’s opinion of you.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Hilary Hahn and Yo-Yo Ma!
What is your favorite dessert? Strawberry rhubarb pie!
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Blue! I have some beautiful royal blue decorative bowls made by a friend from college
What is one movie you could watch every day? Probably the Princess Bride!
What's your favorite hobby? Photography!
Shawn DeBono
Studio Manager
“The sun will rise tomorrow”
Do you have any pets? I have a dog named Lucy and a turtle named Megatron.
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? I grew up on country, so pretty much all country artists. I am also a fan of Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte and Simple Plan.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Green. Dinosaurs.
What is one movie you could watch every day? Jurassic Park.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My dependability. I feel as though whatever the situation is I am always willing to help.
Brea Battaglia
Studio Manager
“Courage, you know I can’t hear without my glasses.”
Do you have any pets? I have three cats. Mr. Butters, Baby Blaze, and Miss Mouse. I adopted all three of them because I know there are plenty of good pets always looking for a home.
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? I was raised on a lot of Beach Boys, Carpenters, Country, Pop, and Rock. I enjoy a wild variety of music though and I am always looking for new songs to enjoy.
What is your favorite dessert? My favorite dessert would have to be a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with a tall glass of milk. It's always relaxing and when its just baked it feels like home.
What animal represents you? Butterflies, I love the different varieties they come in and the way that they fly gracefully in the air. I've always enjoyed them since I was little, but I didn't know that I was usually chasing a common Moth around in my backyard. They also demonstrate how healthy change can be.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My favorite quality about myself would be that I am a good listener and communicator. I love to chat with others, but respectfully I know that a conversation requires two people and not just one. Listening is just as important as talking to someone and if you understand that you can make someone feel understood and seen by you!
Erik Bander
Studio Manager
“Do it.”
Do you have any pets? YES! The cutest Maltipoo named Lola
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Indigo Girls, Tyler Childers, Snoop Dogg, James Taylor, and I LOVE Motown
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Grey. Rain clouds
What is one movie you could watch every day? Mary Poppins
What's your favorite hobby? CROCHET
Haley Clark
Studio Administrator
“You and I...we need to stay together. We’re better this way.”
Jennifer Bander
Operations & Development
“Oh look at that, I’ve been impaled!”
Jessica Kunka
Studio Manager
“The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t always spoil the good things or make them unimportant.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? At the moment I’m very much enjoying the music of several people including Amber Mark, Cool Company, Q, Hope Tala, and Fall Out Boy
What is your favorite dessert? Tiramisu or banana pudding cheesecake
What's your favorite hobby? Film analysis
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? Edinburgh, Scotland
What's your favorite quality about yourself? I like how good I am at remembering little details about people.
Do you have any pets? I have two cats, a white calico named Ginny and a black void named Remus. I've had fish, guinea pigs and dogs my whole life but I've always been a cat person!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Some of the favorite musicians I listen to while I'm working on designing tend to be Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and Chappell Roan.
What animal represents you? I think a nice, lazy cat lounging in the sun taking a nap would represent me.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? My favorite color is brown - I love coffee, chocolate, I enjoy woods that have a nice dark hue to them, its just a warm color. But my designs are FULL of all the colors of the rainbow - I love color!
What's your favorite hobby? I enjoy curling up with my cats and watching TikToks. I also like mystery puzzles and I enjoy doing the Wordle every day!
Morganne Bentley
Operations & Development
“But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.”
Do you have any pets? One cat, my orange tabby named Ned
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Twenty One Pilots, Paramore, Fall Out Boy
What animal represents you? A house cat, I would like to get to nap in the sun all day!
What's your favorite hobby? Making Art! I love photography, drawing, painting, and sewing
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? The Redwood Forest in California
Nicole Yeager
Studio Manager
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”
Do you have any pets? Yes, I have a cat named Penny and dog named Daisy. They are both black and white and very sweet!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Glass Animals, Jhene Aiko, Bea Miller, and Dua Lipa are a couple!
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Purple! I love all shades. One of my favorite purple things is Lilac!
What's your favorite hobby? Singing and listening to my favorite artists.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? A quality that I like about myself is that I am loyal.
Renee Nestorak
Studio Administrator
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”
Do you have any pets? Black cat named Luna, but would like a dog and another cat
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? I prefer classical music, but I respect musical composers of game soundtracks like Nobuo Uematsu, Masayoshi Soken, or Yu Ping Chen
What animal represents you? Probably a panda
What's your favorite hobby? Video games, easily
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? Japan, specifically the countryside though
Washington, D.C. Region Administrative Staff
Carolina Gonzalez
Studio Manager
“This above all; to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? My partner got me into folk punk, specifically The Mountain Goats, but I've been really into finding newer indie artists recently and exploring new music! I stumbled across EPIC! The Musical a few months ago and have been listening to it nonstop.
What is your favorite dessert? Ooooh, my favorite dessert is probably an affogato! I'm a big coffee guy. I discovered Trader Joe's pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin coffee the other day, and I think I found my all time favorite affogato combination.
What animal represents you? A snow leopard! I love how they still make time to play and have fun, even as adults, and their paws are so big compared to their bodies when they are cubs, which brings me joy.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? My favorite color is a dark emerald or forest green. Think pine trees in the middle of a true Maine winter, all that dark green peeking through the snow!
What's your favorite hobby? I love singing and reading, but my favorite hobby is writing! I love writing poetry and creative nonfiction.
Elise Readen
Senior Studio Manager, D.C. Region
“I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had the courage to go forth into its expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst its perils.”
Do you have any pets? YES! I have 2 dogs, Marley Rex and Ricky Bobby. Marley is very smart and loves to sleep, but he will get up and start to play just to get RB away from me! RB is the live phrase "If you ain't first, you're last". He's ALWAYS on the go and he is a sweetheart! He doesn't feel physical pain, but if I get mad at him, he will pout for hours.
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? I hope this is not too silly... I learned English because of the Jonas Brothers. I love their music SO much! I learned reading the lyrics and translating to Portuguese. I'm honestly down to hear anything, but when I am not feeling the best, I always put some JB on and my day gets better :)
What animal represents you? I think a dog, especially Marley! We're both so chill but READY for an adventure anytime you ask!
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? I love blue because it reminds me the very blue sky on hot summer days
What's your favorite quality about yourself? I try to always be kind and put myself in other people's shoes.
Kylie Castrovinci
Studio Administrator
“You do not need a license to drive a sandwich.”
Do you have any pets? Two kitties (Salem and Sabrina) and two guinea pigs (Puff and Queso)
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? The Weeknd, Fall Out Boy, Stevie Nicks, Lana Del Rey
What animal represents you? I think I'd be a little house cat! I love to take naps but also love to explore!
What's your favorite hobby? Playing video games or going for walks
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? New Zealand!
Mignote Befekadu
Studio Administrator
“If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is grass in the beginning”
Paige Hall
Studio Manager
“Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? BEYONCE - she is in my opinion the best performer of our time and I love her music so much.
What is your favorite dessert? The Kouign-amann is my favorite dessert of all time. It's a french pastry that I describe as a mix between a croissant and baklava - it's DELICIOUS. If you're ever in Paris, I highly recommend trying the Kouignettes from Maison Georges Larnicol.
What animal represents you? I think I'm best represented by a cheetah because my adhd makes me move fast and I have a witty sense of humor (:
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Pink! I just love anything pink and the color makes me feel very girly and cute
What's your favorite quality about yourself? I love that I have a big heart and prioritize my loved ones!
Sam Lee
Studio Manager
“1.21 Gigawatts!?”
Do you have any pets? Yes, I have a cat and would love to own a monitor lizard at some point.
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Jethro Tull was my introduction to the flute, my instrument, and I also love Fall Out Boy. But honestly, music is amazing no matter the genre or artist.
What animal represents you? Wolf, shy around strangers but social around friends/family
What's your favorite hobby? I have too many to choose: writing, reading, composing, crafting, you name it.
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? New Zealand
Sharon Feng
Studio Manager
“You’re walking through a field all by yourself one day in spring, and this sweet little bear cub with velvet fur and shiny little eyes comes walking along. And he says to you, ‘Hi, there, little lady. Want to tumble with me?’ So you and the bear cub spend the whole day in each other’s arms, tumbling down this clover-covered hill. Nice, huh?”
“Yeah. Really nice.”
“That’s how much I like you.””
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Honestly I can listen to anything but lately I have been listening to a lot of Afrobeat
What is your favorite dessert? Tiramisu
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Pink; anything in pink looks good
What’s your favorite hobby? writing, working out, and finding aesthetic coffee shops
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My ablitiy to create a safe space for everyone
Do you have any pets? I have two dogs currently, although they are staying with my parents at the moment! The one pictured above is my handsome boy Buster. However, my roommate and I are debating on adopting a cat for the house!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? The Weeknd, SZA, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Rauw Alejandro, NCT, and many, MANY others.
What is your favorite dessert? Ice cream, hands down!
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Light blue! It's actually a very specific light blue, like a soft cerulean - needless to say, this color is one of my defining personality traits. The Easter M&M packs use this specific shade of blue on the M&M candy coating!
What's your favorite hobby? Writing!! Poetry, music, short stories, anything!
Dex LaFrance
Studio Administrator
“I have been — and always shall be — your friend”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? It's hard to narrow it down since I have a very diverse taste in music! I tend to listen to a lot of blues, soul, R&B, rock, and Americana, but I also love jazz, big band and swing, musical theatre, classical... I could go on. I think all music should be enjoyed.
What is your favorite dessert? Tiramisu! Or just regular coffee
What animal represents you? A crow! Investigates everything, loves puzzles, and collects trinkets.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? I have two: orange, like a sunset, and a deep blue, like blue glass!
What's your favorite hobby? I love video games, but I also love doing nature photography! One is my favorite indoor hobby and the other is my favorite outdoor hobby.
Gabriela Griffin
Studio Administrator
“Let all that you do be done in love. ”
Do you have any pets? I have a tuxedo cat named Chip.
What is your favorite dessert? Cannoli
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Blue and the ocean
What's your favorite hobby? Cooking and hiking, I also just doing anything outdoors and going snowboarding in winter
What's your favorite quality about yourself? I'm very outgoing and love meeting new people
Madeline Rice
Studio Manager
“Never tell me the odds.”
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? It depends on the weather, where I'm at, what mood i'm in, and what I'm doing. Generally, Frank Ocean is king but I also love Sza, Gunna, Hozier, Gregory Alan Izakov, Searows, The Marias, Otis Redding, Thee Sacred Souls, Leon Thomas, Berloiz ...I could take up all 2000s words if I could.
What animal represents you? I want to say a baby brown bear.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? My favorite color is green. I love some well-seasoned brussel sprouts!!
What's your favorite hobby? I love to write!
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My favorite quality about myself is defintely my curiosity!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Chappell Roan, Wet Leg, Vulfpeck, The Beatles, The Lonely Island, and Dolly Parton.
What animal represents you? I would live a very happy life as a walrus or a seal. Just lounging beachside living my best life.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Yellow! I love seeing yellow houses and will have one of my own one day.
What's your favorite hobby? I really like playing games with friends, whether they are video games or board games.
What's your favorite quality about yourself? My sense of humor. Best gift my dad every gave me.
Rebecca Ambaye
Studio Administrator
“Nothing changes until you change”
Do you have any pets? I would eventually love to have dogs, cat, chickens, and a sheep or two!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Sylvan Esso, Mountain Man, Typhoon, George Harrison, Beyonce
What is your favorite dessert? Tim tam slams
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Green for nature! Springtime greens!
What's your favorite hobby? Hiking
Shari Jefferson
Studio Manager
“The difference between professionals and amateurs is consistency”
Do you have any pets? I have a cat!
Who are some of your favorite musicians or some of your musical influences? Debussy - I was not interested in piano until I heard one of his pieces in a movie.
What animal represents you? According to a quiz from the Wizarding World, my Patronus is a black stallion therefore I shall let this animal represent me.
What is your favorite color and one thing that is that color? Purple, ube pancakes!
Where is one place you've always dreamed of going? Japan!
Tinsaee (Tinsu) Eshetu
Studio Administrator
“These things will last forever - faith, hope and love - and the greatest of these is love. ”
