clownswithoutborders.org

Moshe, aka. Mr. YooWho, is the founder of Clowns Without Borders-USA as well as the ambassador for CWB-International. Since 1987, he has performed Burma/Myanmar, Kosovo, South Africa, Nepal, Guatemala, Haiti, Croatia, Chiapas (Mexico), Sudan and Baton Rouge, LA. Moshe performs and teaches internationally. Over the past 25 years, he has given over 2000 performances in thirty plus countries. He teaches workshops exploring the expression of personal humor through physical theater and contemporary clown.

Tim was roped into the work of Clowns Without Borders in 2003 when we was literally lassoed by an audience member during a performance with the clowns in Chiapas. Since, this graduate of the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre (’01) has volunteered with CWB throughout South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho. He has helped develop CWB’s work in Haiti and has performed there multiple times. Within the borders of the US, Cunningham has performed, lectured and facilitated workshops about CWB’s mission and work and universities and high schools. His work with CWB has inspired him to study nursing, global and public health and he looks forward to integrating laughter with global health in the years to come.

Sarah graduated from Brown University with honors in creative writing in 2001, and she studied physical theatre and clown at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, at the Celebration Barn Theatre, and with Giovanni Fusetti. Since then she has been creating, performing, and teaching clown, theatre and circus skills in Portland, around the United States, and internationally. She has created five original shows with the Nomadic Theatre Co in Portland. In 2005 Sarah went on her first Clowns Without Borders expedition to Haiti. She has been an active CWB volunteer ever since, and joined the Board of Directors in 2007. She enjoys jumping stilts, eating ice cream, and wrestling.

After having spent many years in awe of Clowns Without Borders, Dianna is thrilled to be a part of such a unique and valuable organization. Dianna spent five years working with Windsor Mountain Student Travel, providing intercultural education programs for high school students abroad. She has taught second grade at Marin Country Day School, au paired in Paris, led students to explore the Caribbean and studied traditional tattooing in Samoa. In addition to her new role as director of Clowns Without Borders, Dianna is pursuing her masters in International Education at the School For International Training. While not a clown, she loves to be silly and laugh, which is a nice perk of working with so many who clown around!

David Lichtenstein has been a professional performer specializing in street, clown and physical theater for over 20 years. He has performed various versions of his one-person Leapin’ Louie Comedy Shows at festivals, theaters, and other events in 21 different countries and 30 something states of the United States. 12 countries in 2008 alone! David has been was a company member of Do Jump Movement Theater for 3 years, and has collaborated with many performers over the years. He has written and performed two reading encouragement themed shows for young people that he has performed at over 100 different schools and libraries. He has a Masters Degree in Education from Portland State University and taught 4th and 5th grade for two years before being drawn back into performing. He has studied physical theater in workshops with Phillipe Gaulier in Paris, Sigfrido Aguilar in Mexico, Sue Morrison, the del’ Arte School of Physical Theater and others. David produced the first Portland area Clowns Without Borders Benefit Shows starting in 1999 and is co-producing the 11th annual Benefit this year. He has performed on five Clowns Without Borders expeditions, all in the Mayan lands of Chiapas and Guatemala, organizing the last three trips himself. David is based in Portland, Oregon and lives with his wife Lisa, a journalist, and their two teenage kids.

Peter Criswell, an executive manager with over 20 years of experience in non-profit organizations, arts management, education, travel, tourism and events, currently Peter serves as the Executive Director of Big Apple Performing Arts. He is responsible for all management aspects of the organization including strategic planning, budgeting, fund raising, public relations, marketing, programs, personnel and board relations. Peter has worked with several nonprofit organizations in transition, shepherding them through shifts in programs and leadership using interactive techniques to help teams focus and energize while identifying: vision/mission, strategic plans, goals and action items. Peter has held executive leadership positions with the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership, Hudson River Heritage, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Historic Philadelphia Incorporated, and Bard College Department of Theatre. He has managed and produced large scale educational travel programs in the U.S. and abroad with such organizations as Royal Caribbean International and Windsor Mountain International and has worked in 31 countries on six continents. He has conducted leadership training workshops at Bard College and New York University’s Steinhardt School. He holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Strategic Management from Manhattanville College as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Bard College and a BFA (Bachelor of Fun Arts) from the renowned Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He currently serves on the Board of Governors for Bard College.

Stephanie Pollack wanted to attend university in another country and major in theatre. Her father requested she do neither. A respectful daughter, she complied. She’s spent most of her adult life traveling the world and playing theatre games, grateful that she knew her calling as a mere teenager and determined to live it fully. A happy nomad, Stephanie has 20 years of experience working, studying, and playing in a variety of cultures and environments on 6 continents. She has planted herself in a few places long enough to earn degrees, including a B.A. in Organizational Psychology from The University of Michigan, an M.A. in Leadership, Education, and the Arts from Long Island University, and certificates from the Intercultural Communication Institute and Rotary International Foundation. Stephanie is an interculturally and artistically focused experiential educator, trainer, facilitator, writer, and consultant who connects people with ideas, each other, and themselves. With her business Creative Facilitations she develops and leads innovative organizational and individual transformation processes, retreats, trainings, educational programs, and community building events around the globe. Clients include Royal Caribbean Cruises (The Scholar Ship), University of Virginia, Mercy Corps - Gaza, Fulbright, and Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Stephanie is passionate about combining the arts and interactive on-your-feet methods to inspire ‘A-Ha’ moments for cultural proficiency, conflict prevention, team-building, leadership development, and healing.