Staff Members

Lorienne Beals, Chief Development Officer

Lorienne has been working with ST since October 2010 and helped the organization transition to a nonprofit. She brings more than 10 years of experience in nonprofit administration prior to commencing work with Story Tapestries, and 8 years in the corporate world in finance and project management roles. In her last position at a Shared Services financial center, she supervised a team of 10 as the Cash Applications Manager. She began with ST as the Booking Manager, became Program Manager, then helped develop the current Strategic Plan and as ST grew, Lorienne shifted into her current role. Ms. Beals holds a BA in Languages, Literatures and Culture from Wells College, and three professional designations recognized in the finance industry. She brings to the role of administrator insight as an accomplished performer and educator in the US, England, Italy, Tunisia and France, having trained at Purchase Conservatory of Dance and the New York Institute of Dance and Education (NYIDE) and having served for many years as VP of Operations for NYIDE and Associate Director of Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre. Lorienne completed Leadership Greater Washington’s Anti-Racist Leadership Series in 2023.

Kellie Butsack, Operations Director

Kellie Butsack has been working in the non-profit sector for over 25 years. Most recently, she served an 18-year tenure with the Alzheimer’s Association as Associate Director, of Programs, providing oversight and support for program delivery, volunteer cultivation, and training throughout the tri-state region of southeastern PA, southern NJ, and the state of DE, as well as managing data analysis and reporting, strategic partnerships and grant deliverables. Prior to joining the Association, Kellie served eight years in development and programming roles with the March of Dimes Foundation, after managing corporate communications and community relations in the for-profit sector. She began her career as an advertising copywriter and freelance editorial/feature writer. She holds a B.A. in Speech Communications/Journalism with minors in Public Relations and Marketing. In her personal life, Kellie is married to her husband of 32 years, David, and they have two grown children – Noah, a University of Pittsburgh graduate living and working in Annapolis, MD, and Gracey, a Public Health graduate of Rutgers University currently completing her BSN at Drexel University.

Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg, School Director

Valerie joins Story Tapestries from Chicago where she was an active theatre and social justice educator. She brings over 25 years of experience working with diverse populations of youth as a teaching artist-in-residence, performer, stage director, and educator. She has created and implemented various theatre courses for companies and organizations around the US; including Boise State University, Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s Drama School, Pima for Kids (Tucson), and Camp Whispering Pines (AZ). She has directed people of all ages from preschool to adult. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Florida and has completed various post-baccalaureate courses in theatre pedagogy, education, and theatre for youth. She is a member of the Alpha Cohort of Anti-Racist Educators of the Arts Learning Lab (A-REALL).

Jamie Cowan, Early Childhood Director

Jamie Cowan brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as the Early Childhood Development Director at Story Tapestries. With over 20 years of experience in education, her innovative approach to education emphasizes personalized, multidimensional learning experiences that instill a love for learning and foster holistic growth and development. Jamie encourages a culture of resilience and perseverance among children, empowering them to embrace challenges and cultivate self-confidence. She champions the transformative power of literature and advocates for equitable access to quality learning experiences. Jamie has a Master of Science in Education, with a focus on Teacher Leadership from Walden University. She continues to fuel a culture of curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning at Story Tapestries, inspiring young learners to reach their full potential. Once inspired by the work of Ken Robinson on creativity in education, Jamie now focuses on creating and supporting environments for curiosity and creativity as a means to encourage others to grow through their own learning journey.

TBD, Community Director

Jessica Wallach, Content Manager

Jessica Wallach has created visual stories for schools, artists, non-profits, businesses, theaters, and families for over 20 years and has created social media content for good causes for 20 years. Jessica is an artisan and educator in her own right. She has been an arts educator for 15 years and a Teaching Artist for Story Tapestries since the summer of 2022.  She has worked with people of all ages in schools, community centers, camps, and homeless shelters. Her artwork centers around art and disability. Her goal is to reimagine space as a love letter to the body. As a photographer, content creator, and educator with cerebral palsy, her work is deeply rooted in the body, accessibility, and disability. Her current art practice includes working with bubbles, stencils, and cameras.

Vivienne Azarcon, Development Manager

Vivienne was born in Iowa and grew up in the Philippines. She speaks about 3.55 languages and has well over a decade of experience with nonprofit, corporate, and volunteer organizations, including stints in microfinance (ACCION International) and Deloitte Consulting. Most recently, she handled project management and proposals for an international aviation consulting firm. She has an MBA from Duke but never attended a single Coach K game. Her interests include estate sales, languages, creative writing, and aikido.  She believes in tolerance, translation, and the Oxford comma.

Regie Cabico, Program Liaison

Regie Cabico is the lead poetry spoken word educator at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a pioneer of the Poetry Slam having won the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Grand Slam and three national Poetry Slams. He’s appeared on MTV, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, NPR, and TEDx Talk. Since 2020, Mr. Cabico worked extensively with the Department of Aging to conduct workshops in Washington, DC. His work at Iona Senior Wellness Center, Bernice Elizabeth Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, and Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Story Tapestries utilizes a multidisciplinary component with creative movement artists, poets, musicians, and visual artists. Mr. Cabico is also the lead Poetry Out Loud Teaching Artist for Washington, DC, Virginia, and Mississippi. He is the author of A Rabbit in Search of a Rolex (Day Eight, 2023)