INSPIRATION FINE ARTS
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Our Board

A behind-the-scenes look at the individuals who help our organization run.

Executive Board

Miriam Yampuler
Chief Executive Officer​

      Miriam is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. In 2017, she founded Inspiration Dance Camp, a free camp taught by experienced Houston-Area teachers, she has since built up the non-profit to Inspiration Fine Arts. She has had over 12 years of combined experience in dance and music, working with prestigious studios such as Houston Dance Lab, Beatty Music Works, Houston Grand Opera, and assisting at 6th Position Dance. She has received numerous music awards, traveled around America with art groups, enjoys playing the piano, drums, harmonica, and taught Zumba classes in Costa Rica!

Shelby Colvin
Secretary

      Shelby is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. Shelby aided in founding Inspiration Dance Camp in 2017, and has since been working with Inspiration Fine Arts for over 4 years. Dancing since the age of three, Shelby become one of Houston's foremost teen dancers. She has worked with numerous prestigious dance companies including Top Flight Dance, toured America with Streetz company, and received a number of dance accolades including Teen Miss Starquest and best in class for numerous competitions. When she's not dancing, Shelby enjoys playing the guitar and piano in her free time.   

Evelyn Fung
Public Relations

      Evelyn is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. She aided in founding Inspiration Dance Camp in 2017 and has since been working with Inspiration Fine Arts. Evelyn has much experience in music and dance around the Texas community- she founded numerous music organizations including her school music society, is part of Trio Oriens Jr., and has auditioned into the Region 23 Orchestra 6 years in a row. Additionally, she has danced with award-winning schools including Dance of Asian America and Mitsi Dancing School. Evelyn has had the chance to perform in many prestigious venues such as Jones Hall, the Houston Rockets, and Miller Outdoor Theater. In her free time, Evelyn loves to paint, sing, and choreograph.

Ellie Carlin
President

      Ellie is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. She has since been working with Inspiration Fine Arts for more than 3 years. Ellie has been in theater for more than 8 years and is a part of her International Thespians Society and has stage managed  numerous award winning plays including, Red and Faust. In addition to managing, Ellie has years of experience in Musical Theater having trained in prestigious intensives in New York. She plans on studying Media Production. 

Abby Sode
Chief Financial Officer
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      Abby is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. In her freshman year, she founded Inspiration Dance Camp, and has since been working with Inspiration Fine Arts for 4 years. Abby has been dancing since a young child and has traveled around Houston performing in numerous events including weddings and festivals. Specializing in African dance, Abby has lead workshops in many community organizations including Gethsemane St. Lukes and Sonia's World of Dance. Serving as CFO she hopes to unite the organization and bring stability to the cause. 

Management Board

Zuzanna Hitchcock
Director of Video Education
Zuzanna is a freshman in high school in Western Massachusetts. She just started working with Inspiration Fine Arts but is excited to do so! Zuzanna loves to express herself with creative digital art and creating and editing videos. During quarantine, she created her own art related small business creating faceless portraits. When she is not expressing herself through art, Zuzanna likes to indoor rock climb, ski, and run with friends!
Dorinda Kyeremateng
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Webmaster
Dorinda Kyeremateng is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. She spends much of her time painting and designing graphics for various clubs, including National Honor Society, Junior State of America, and Interact Club, so she is incredibly excited to be the Webmaster for Inspiration Fine Arts. For three years, she has participated in the ACE Mentorship Program, an activity for budding architects, construction workers, and engineers. In college, she plans to study architecture and graphic design. Outside of the visual arts, Dorinda enjoys creative writing while listening to artists like Taylor Swift.
Rakesh Oberoi
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Deputy Finance Director
Rakesh is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. He plans to study finance and business in college and has been interested in using that knowledge to help others since his freshman year in high school. Most of his efforts have been through his time in student council. Starting out as Freshman Representative, he is now coming to the end of his student council journey as President. In addition to giving back to his school community through student council, Rakesh has been selected to participate in the renowned Atlas Scholars program, where he interns in finances and learns about business techniques. In his free time he likes to spend time with his dog, and watch movies and tv shows.
Hannah Pham
Director of Social Media
Hannah Pham is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. From a young age, she has been exposed to the arts. She has over 10 years of experience in dance and over 13 years of experience in piano. Hannah has been in some prestigious girl choirs such as Bay Area Youth Chorus and AFA's Houston Girl's Chorus. Hannah has much experience in numerous music and dance around the Texas community. She has even performed the national anthem at the rodeo with the AFA choir. Additionally, she has won numerous awards at state competitions with the National Federation of Music Clubs. Hannah has recently found a passion for writing poetry and hopes to one day publish her own book.
Allison Paquette
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Scholarship Coordinator
Allison is a senior at James E Taylor High School. She recently joined the executive team at Inspiration Fine Arts. Allison has extensive experience with music as she started playing the piano at the age of five and transitioned to the viola at the age of eleven. As the leading violist of her school orchestra and member of the Back to Bach Project, she is dedicated to spreading awareness of the fine arts. She has auditioned into the Region 23 Orchestra for 6 consecutive years and has had the honor of performing with the Texas All-State Sinfonietta and Philharmonic Orchestras. She has received several awards within the music community and has had the opportunity to perform in establishments such as Carnegie Hall and the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center. She enjoys painting and longboard dancing in her free time.
Chanel Williams
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Director of Social Media
​Chanel Williams is an active senior at Central City Value High School in Southern California. She has experience in Social Media Management through her own Instagram brand Land and C, which concentrates on Environmental Racism. Her passion for the planet and the people on it directed her to form Courageous Conversations, a student-led club that promotes recognition of systemic racism in our societies and prompts students to note how it can change. In her free time, she genuinely enjoys reading, editing, and baking. 
Isabel Khattar-Hatem
Director of Fundraising
Isabel is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School with a passion for the fine arts and fundraising for important causes. She started working with Inspiration Fine Arts in 2021. She was a fundraising agent and deputy director of fundraising for organizations including Texas Junior State of America. She has a past in dance, especially Ballet and Lyrical and enjoys viewing other forms of fine arts. Serving as Director of Fundraising, Isabel hopes to gain funds to host further events and bring IFA to its fullest potential!
Sandhya Maddali
Blog Coordinator
Sandhya Maddali is a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. She is beyond excited to be serving as the Blog Coordinator for Inspiration Fine Arts this year. She has a very deep passion for all things writing and has written for various online publications. Sandhya has received awards for her creative writing and her journalism pieces, and she has been published as a co-author in a major medical journal. In addition, Sandhya has a very deep connection to music, learning Hindustani music, a style of Indian classical singing, since she was around seven. For fun, Sandhya loves to go on long bike rides, find new places to eat, listen to music, and be with her dog, Andy. In the future, she hopes to be a doctor, a journalist, or a medical reporter.​
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Taiyo Okamoto
Scholarship Coordinator
Taiyo is a junior at Carnegie Vanguard High School. Whether it was practicing pottery, painting, or wood crafting, throughout his childhood he was always involved with art. He hasn’t been able to spend as much time with art as he used to, so he hopes that by working with IFA he would be able to start spending more time with art. Taiyo has experience with organizing community events for volunteering, so he would like to utilize that experience as much as possible when working with IFA. With his connection to art and interest in pursuing a career in business or finance, he is very excited to join IFA as a scholarship coordinator.
Aaron Wang
Grant Coordinator
Aaron is a senior at Katy Taylor High School. He is one of the newest board members working with Inspiration Fine Arts and serves in the financial and logistics department of the organization. In the course of his academic career, he has acquired experience in multiple fine arts programs including participation in Orchestra, intermediate studio art, and independent study of Instrumental Contemporary music theory. While not engaging in the auditory and visual arts, Aaron enjoys spending his free time competitively swimming or watching his favorite films. As Inspiration Fine Arts’ Grant Coordinator, he is committed to establishing strong relationships with the program’s financial sponsors and intends to foster change in the Houston area.
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  • About
    • Teachers
    • Executive Board
    • Our Cause
  • LEARN
    • Virtual Classes >
      • Writing
      • Art
      • Dance
      • Music
      • Theater
      • Photography
    • Events >
      • Advocacy & Art Show 2020
    • Summer Camp
    • Resources for students and parents
  • Get Involved
    • Teaching Positions
    • Executive Board Positions
  • Support us
    • Donate
  • Contact
  • Blog