We are motivated to help students combat loneliness.

Loneliness is not new a problem for children and adolescents. In one study from before the pandemic, time trends of eight-year-olds’ loneliness across 24 years showed that up to 20% of children consistently reported feeling lonely. - National Library of Medicine

We know that the antidote to our most complex social challenges is connection - an essential human experience that appears to be simple, but is increasingly challenging to cultivate.

Using the foundations of social emotional learning and Emotional Intelligence, The Brainchild Collective designs and curates thoughtful educational experiences designed to empower connection, mental well-being, creativity and purpose.

You can find us delivering youth programs and teacher professional development in schools across our home city of Chicago, hosting local, national and international events on EQ in the workplace, and reaching families throughout Chicago through our TBC at home workshops.

Interested in bringing TBC to your school or community space? Drop us a line at info@brainchildcollective.co.

The Brainchild Collective is committed to social impact at every level. For us, this means we support artists and educators with sustainable employment, invest in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training and HR practices, and practice transparent compensation across all levels of our organization.


  • Debra Giunta is a purpose-driven Founder, CEO and Advisor whose life’s work is centered around Social-Emotional Learning (SEL).

    As a TEDx speaker, recipient of the 2016 Goodcity Women’s InnovationFund Award, Crain's Chicago 2020 Notable Entrepreneur, Founding Board Member of the Illinois Dance Education Organization, and active mentor for growing organizations, Debra is driven by a lifetime of learning and development for herself and others.

    Informed by her creative and visionary approach to social entrepreneurship, Debra is on a mission to create spaces and experiences where individuals feel supported and empowered in order for them to reach their greatest potential.

    In 2008, Debra founded Design Dance, a dance education company inspired by the positive impact dance had on her own social and emotional development during her time as a competitive performer and teacher.

    Continuing to infuse social and emotional learning into personal and professional development, Debra expanded her focus to include teenagers and young adults. In 2016, she founded Prismatic, a 501(c)(3) non-profit bringing holistic career readiness learning to Chicago students in 6th-12th grades.

    Debra credits healthy, supportive environments to her own personal and professional development. She is committed to creating the spaces and experiences that empower each of us to lean into our vulnerabilities in order to unlock our authentic selves and positively contribute to our community and world.

    In support of continuing to expand her impact to all ages, in 2019, Debra founded The Brainchild Collective, a platform to expand the reach of social emotional learning organizations in her home city of Chicago.


  • GiGi Hernández (she/her/ella) is an abstract and movement painter who is using all of her arts knowledge to teach and create SEL programming within and for The Brainchild Collective (TBC) in Chicago. Before getting involved with TBC, GiGi was in Hartford, CT studying Educational Studies and Theater & Dance at Trinity College. She worked closely with the Queer Resource Center (QRC), the Women's and Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC), Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office (DEI), as well as other cultural organizations. Pursing organizations that really sparked her interested, when looking for the perfect job she stumbled upon TBC and immediately became and contract educator teaching for Design Dance, Knuckleball Comedy, and The Simple Good. After a year of being a contractor, she was hired to be a Program Coordinator and is now working behind the scenes AND in the classes. GiGi is now very excited to see what this new role will bring!


  • Admira is a dynamic financial professional with over 10 years of experience in accounting and financial analysis. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, she developed an interest in understanding the why’s. She decided to pursue her degree in Business Economics at Oakland University, combined with Masters in Accounting at CUNY. In her free time, Admira loves to be outdoors exploring nature, capturing its beauty with her camera.

  • Camila Rivero Pooley [she/they] is a Venezuelan/Peruvian movement artist based in Chicago, IL.

    Within her artistic trajectory she has performed for U.S. based artists Erin Kilmurray [“SEARCH PARTY”, “Fly Honey Show X” and “Nightshade”], Alex Grelle [“Lady Di” and “The Grelley Duvall Show 4”], Body Watani [“TERRANEA”], Peruvian dance artist Verónica Garrido Lecca [“Ser o Hacer” and “Donde se esconden las flores”] and worked as a director for Peruvian theater Teatro La Plaza [“FRONDOSO”] and ZINFORMA [“iORGAN”].

    She is a recipient of the Albert P. Weisman Award [2018], received an Honorable Mention at the Experimental Forum in NYC 2020 [“iORGAN”], was listed as an Official Selection of the Blow Up Film Festival in Chicago 2020 [“iORGAN”], selected as a competitor for Best Scenic Video Selection for FAE 2021 in Lima, Peru [“Sábanas”] and exhibited at the SPACES gallery in Cleveland, OH 2021 [“Sábanas”].

    She has worked with multiple pedagogical institutions such as Design Dance, Hubbard Dance Street Chicago and Markham College (Lima, PE). Currently she is a Program Coordinator and educator with The Brainchild Collective.


  • Julia Schaeffer, originally from California, began dancing at age 13. She received her BFA in Dance

    Performance from Chapman University where she studied ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary. After graduation, Julia danced with the Lineage dance company for four years where she had the privilege of performing and teaching community outreach classes. She relocated to Chicago in summer 2019 and has enjoyed getting to know the wonderful Chicago dance community.

    Since moving to Chicago, Julia has danced for South Chicago Dance Theatre at ‘Night Out in the Parks’, Joel Hall Dancers and Center in ‘Dances in the Hall’, Kaela Norwood in ‘Fused’, Mariah Eastman in ‘Patternalia’, Contretemps Contemporary Ballet in “Heat Lightning”, and is currently a company dancer with Winifred Haun and Dancers. She teaches various ages and styles at local studios such as Dance on Broadway, Design Dance, and Chicago Ballet Arts. Additionally, she had the opportunity to present her choreography at Trifecta’s Emerging Choreographer Showcase and The Chi Dance Fest. Julia is very grateful to be involved in the vibrant Chicago dance community.

Jaime Raglow

  • Jaime is originally from a small town in Akron, OH and moved to Chicago to attend Loyola University Chicago. She studied theatre and dance there and performed in many musicals and dance shows before she graduated in 2015.

    Since graduating, she has performed in shows around Chicago with Matter dance company, taught theatre camps and classes with several Chicago theaters including Music Theatre Works, Raven Theatre, and DePaul University. She has been teaching dance classes in schools and studios around Chicago since 2016, and, as if that's not enough, she started painting in 2020 and now sells her art at festivals in Chicago and more!

    Jaime loves bringing her passion for all arts to kiddos around the city and sharing the skills that dance and art bring, including socialization, emotional intelligence, communication skills, and more!

Hera Shakir

  • Hera brings her creativity and passion to teaching at Design Dance where she had been working as a contractor since 2019 before becoming a lead educator at 2021. After earning her AFA from Oakton Community College, she became a teaching artist for many organizations.

    Hera enjoyed giving her time teaching to organizations who helped the lives of kids in a unique way where they could foster their SEL muscles. One company she enjoyed working for is S Olive Tree Arts Network as a teaching artist where she helped kids from different faith groups come together and learn the ways of friendship.

    She also worked as a music teacher since 2019 where she worked in studios and in her own private music lessons business. In May of 2020, Hera graduated from Columbia College Chicago.

Rebecca Hurd


  • Rebecca has been acting professionally for the last 12 years, working with companies such as the Guthrie Theater, Goodman Theater, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Writers Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and American Players Theatre, among others.

    As a teaching artist and private acting coach, she has worked with students of all ages, teaching anything from Shakespeare to musical theatre. She cares deeply about empowering young people to discover their creative authenticity while bringing a spirit of curiosity and play into the classroom!

Kenya Fulton

  • Kenya Fulton, (who writes and performs under the name Kao Ra Zen), hails from Chicago, Illinois. Much of Kenya's art practice involves creative writing, spoken word, music, video directing, and performance art. He has also been involved in projects involving drawing, painting, acting, modeling, and dance. He has curated events and performed at many prominent venues throughout Chicago including Symphony Center, Links Hall, Dank Haus (German American Cultural Center), Subterranean, Alhambra Palace, and Elastic Arts. In his travels, he has performed and exhibited artwork in Germany, performed at an Open Mic in Guatemala, and helped to install solar panels in El Salvador.

    Kenya's poetry (credited as Kao Ra Zen) has appeared in 'Not My President-The Anthology of Dissent' from Thoughtcrime Press, 'Illinois's Best Emerging Poets' and 'America's Best Emerging Poets’ from Z Publishing, 'A Love Supreme’ (an oral history of Chicago Hip Hop collective, the legendary Nacrobats), Fnewsmagazine, Tuck Magazine, Highland Park Poetry, and 'Gut Check digest' from Shady Pines Radio.

    Starting in February 2020, Kao Ra Zen has directed and released multiple music videos, including "Morning in America", "F.T.A.", "Advent", and "Fight Forever".. Kao would direct the debut music video, "Killing in the Name of Love" for longtime friend and creative collaborator, Dodo Mafioso, released in April 2020. Following the murder of George Floyd, Kao would team up with another Chicago Hip-Hop stalwart, Ness The God, to release the single and music video, "I'm Tired", on the 4th of July, 2020.

    In 2015, Kenya would earn an Associate in Fine Arts degree from Harold Washington College. A recipient of a Presidential Merit Scholarship, Kenya would earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in December 2020. He has plans to eventually earn a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing.

    He is currently recording material for his solo debut album, 'TIME of the SIGNS', as well as working on music with his performance art/music troupe, The Ungovernables, for an EP tentatively titled: "SUMMER of LOVE".

    Kenya works as a substitute teacher and a teaching artist at multiple schools in Chicago.

Miranda Mc Govern

  • Miranda McGovern is 24 years old and is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University. She is originally from Henderson, Nevada where she trained and danced competitively with The Dance Zone for fourteen years. Dance has been a significant part of her life since she was three years old. Throughout the years, she has participated in various dance performances and competitions.

    As passionate that she is about performing, she also has a strong interest for teaching in the dance world. Before she left for college, she had the opportunity to teach and assist her dance teachers with children of varying ages. Additionally, she was chosen as an ACE assistant for the dance competitions Adrenaline and Revive. During her senior year in high school, she worked the competitions, gaining first-hand experience of behind the scenes dance competition production. In the immersive position, she worked backstage and assisted the faculty during convention classes.

    During her time at Ohio State she participated in numerous shows as a performer, choreographer, and backstage help. She has performed and trained in works and practices ranging from Cunningham to African techniques. She has performed in pieces choreographed by Daniel Roberts, Crystal Perkins and Countess Winfrey. In addition to faculty work, she has also performed in and choreographed student run concerts. While at OSU, participating in numerous composition classes inspired her to perform a self-choreographed work to share her story and life experiences. Improvisation has been a seminal concept of her dance career and continues to serve as inspiration behind aspirations to be a performer in company works and works of her own.

    In addition to training at OSU, she has trained with companies Ate9, Deeply Rooted Dance, Groundworks Dance Theater Cultivate Dance Project and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. She is currently training in Chicago, IL

    To further cultivate her interest in teaching, she is currently starting to do research on how movement and improvisation can benefit people with disabilities. She wants to start teaching people with disabilities about improvisation and contact improvisation and how it can open up a creative outlet for the disabled especially those who are nonverbal.

Abbi Bryson


  • Hello! I am Abbi Bryson a new(ish) Chicago transplant by way of Orlando, Fl. I am a performer and educator who believes arts education is the most priceless preservation of our craft. I have been teaching for over 5 years, teaching everything from 3 year old ballet to middle school improv.

    Since moving to Chicago in 2020, I worked in Edgewater as a JK Teaching Assistant and a K-8 Permanent Substitute. I am excited to share my passion for theatre and comedy with students across Chicago, making memories and having fun along the way!


  • Austin Ryan Hunt (he/him) is a Chicago-based performer, director/choreographer, and coach. He is a producer with Refracted Theatre Company, a non-profit producing company based in Chicago that creates electric theatre that incites productive, empathic discourse. and in 2023 Austin founded his own business, @UncommonPlantBoy, cultivating and collecting rare houseplants.
    As a performer, he has been seen on the stages at Steppenwolf Theatre Company (King James), Lyric Opera of Chicago (Fiddler on the Roof), Drury Lane Theater (Elf, An American in Paris, Matilda), Skyline Music Theatre (Newsies), and several other across the country.

  • Fay Florence-Steddum is a multidisciplinary community-based artist and performer, skilled in acting, directing, playwriting, poetic-voice, movement, dance, costumes, technical design/operation and ensemble-based devised theatre. Having performed and taught internationally in China, India, Mexico, and across the United States, Fay received their Masters of Fine Arts from Dell’ Arte International in Blue Lake, California, before calling Chicago home. In just a few short years, Fay has since collaborated with over 40 different community partners, facilitating short and long-term performance programs for thousands of students and young people across Chicago, as well as in neighboring suburbs, and states. As an independent playmaker and ensemble member of Chicago’s Theater Unspeakable, Fay’s passion for new and experimental art is reinforced by the flourishing storefront theatre scene unique to Chicago. When Fay is not actively immersed in art making, you can find them feeding their storytellers soul: listening to music, touring museums, gardening, engaging in social justice initiatives, and spending quality time with friends and family in nature.

KiEra Banks


  • Ki’Era is a self starting teaching artist and community activist who focuses most of her work in low-income communities of color in an effort to create and maintain resources. After 10 years as a teaching artist and professional dancer, Ki’ Era offers unique skills and perspectives that would be valuable to any organization looking to incorporate socio-emotional and cultural learning to its curriculum.


  • Hi, I'm Carmella (she/her)! I am a recent graduate of Loyola University Chicago's Theatre Program, where I sang, acted, danced, sewed, researched, and found my home in the performing arts. I developed a personal philosophy centered around accessibility, positivity, collaboration, and creativity. I hope to instill self-confidence and self-love with every student I work with, no matter their age. I am deeply passionate about bringing the performing arts to the city of Chicago.

    When I'm not teaching or creating, you can find me birdwatching, tasting gluten and dairy free foods in the city, or spending time with friends!

Jake Schwingshakl


  • Jake has been involved in theatre for over 30 years. He's been an actor, director, writer, set designer, and stage manager.


  • Chanelle Turnbull began her dance training where she was born and raised in Greensboro, NC at The Pointe! Studio of Dance. There she also attended summer training programs such as Dance Theatre of Harlem, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts Dance Program. After high school, Chanelle continued her dance training at East Carolina University where she graduated with her bachelor’s in fine arts Degree in 2021. There she received great training from her professors and was able to train with many outside choreographers such as Jennifer Archibald and even Daniel Madoff from the Merce Cunningham Trust. While in school she was also able to receive a full scholarship to the International Blacks in Dance Association where she continued to learn from great African American dancers and choreographers. This inspired Chanelle to really focus on teaching and choreographing while in school as well. Upon graduation from college, she continued to pursue her dance career by teaching at her home studio in Greensboro while also pursuing her passion to perform onstage. In the fall of 2022 Chanelle received a full scholarship to Visceral Dance Chicago’s Trainee Program where she trained under various instructors and got to experience Company life firsthand, while also teaching for the youth program even now. Currently she is a company dance member of Red Clay Dance Company for their 15th season! Chanelle hopes to continue to grow her artistry and spread her love of joy for dance in Chicago.

  • Jake is a stage, film, television, and commercial actor based here in Chicago with years of teaching and childcare experience. He just recently came off of Paramount Theatre's Next To Normal and Mercury Theater's Big River. He can also be seen soon in some feature films. Can't wait to have an awesome year with TBC!

Katherine Schwartz

  • Katherine is a professional actor in Chicago and is very excited to be teaching with Brainchild Collective! She has been in the city for 17 years and can't wait to share her performing arts knowledge. Some favorite credits include productions with The Artistic Home, Irish Theatre of Chicago, Promethean Theatre, Shattered Globe, and Signal Ensemble.

    Katherine is a Jeff nominee for Best Ensemble for The Drowning Girls in 2016 with Signal Ensemble and a 2017 Broadway World nominee for Best Ensemble for The Liar with Promethean Theatre.

    In her spare time, Katherine can be found writing in coffee shops, exploring the city, doting on her two kitties Camille and Elsie, and volunteering at PAWS!

Jake Ziman

  • Jake is a stage, film, television, and commercial actor based here in Chicago with years of teaching and childcare experience. He just recently came off of Paramount Theatre's Next To Normal and Mercury Theater's Big River. He can also be seen soon in some feature films. Can't wait to have an awesome year with TBC!

  • Adanya Gilmore is a teacher, writer and movement artist born in Washington DC, raised across the Midwest, and currently residing in Chicago. Drawing from multiple intersections of histories and experiences, their artistic process is improvisatory and centers divergent, goofy, and queer narrative dance from a Black femme-nist perspective. More recently their movement studies generate characters and personal cultural references. She recently graduated with an MFA in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she met incredible people and learned how to teach. Her favorite classes to lead are improvisation and floor work, where they can access play, be silly, and have fun. They have worked with artists such as Jennifer Monson, Tere O'Connor, Dr. Cynthia Oliver, Gina T'ai, Christine Johnson, Ching-i Chang and jess pretty. Their writing has been published by the Chicago publication Sixty Inches From Center and the Humanities Research Institute at UIUC.


  • Zoe A. Tyler is a theatre maker, and educator from St. Louis, Missouri. Zoe holds her MFA in Theatre for Youth and Community in addition to two Bachelor's degrees, a B.A. in Theatre Performance and B.S. in Education. Her work seeks to empower diverse artists of all ages and create radically accessible theatre that evokes empathy, education, and entertainment throughout communities. Zoe directed musical theater productions with autistic and disabled residents of the nonprofit First Place (through Design & Arts Corps) and developed theatre experiences for the very young (Polyglot). Zoe’s other collaborations include the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, Childsplay Theatre, i.d.e.a. Children’s Museum, Mesa Arts Center, Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA/USA), and Vessel Theatre. Recently, Zoe founded her own youth theatre, For Youth By Youth (FYBY) Theatre Company (https://zoetheatre.com).

Alexandria Neil-Sevier


  • Alex Neil-Sevier (she/her/hers) is a dance educator and artist based in Chicago, IL. Originally from West Michigan, Alex spent her early years competing in regional competitions, attending theatre workshops in New York and London as well as completing Cecchetti Ballet Method student exams I-IV. Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with concentrations in Dancemaking and Pedagogy from Columbia College Chicago, and a Masters of Public Policy from DePaul University.

    Alex is a YPAD (Youth Protection Advocates in Dance) certified educator and served on their Advisory Panel from 2018-2022. She is a member of the National Dance Education Organization and has attended trainings through Discover Dance and Building Blocks of Dance.

    Alex is a performer and guest facilitator with Inclusive Dance Chicago/Unfolding Disability’s Futures. Alex’s passion is working with young dancers, helping them experience movement and foster artistry early in their dance education in a safe and healthy way. She is proud to have worked with movers of all ages and abilities in both traditional and non traditional dance settings.


  • Hi I’m Katie! Also known by students as Bob. (Katie Bob if we need to be formal) I’m a trained improviser, writer, and director that also loves to dance. I graduated college with a theater arts degree that sent me here to train and graduate from multiple Chicago-based comedy/improv theaters by 2018. I’ve been working in the Chicago improv theater world for 7 years and learned to dance formally as a child but never stopped learning and loving the art form. I stumbled into teaching on accident and thankful for it as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed teaching the last 5 years. I love seeing how creative students can become when they are set free within the boundaries of an arts classroom. My favorite is seeing the discoveries being made about themselves and their skills in real time, and the enjoyment that follows. :)


  • Rahila is a movement artist and instructor based in the Midwest. She has performed new works and repertoire by Abigail Sena Atugah, Kofi Anthonio, Judith Brin Ingber, Karen Charles, Marciano Dos Silva Santos, Drew Lewis (House of DOV), Carl Flink, Kevin Iega Jeff, Ohad Naharin, Andrea Miller, Robert Moses, Leslie Parker, Uri Sands, Chris Schlicting, Erin Kilmurray, Anna Martine Whitehead, and Tali Wertheim- Agranionik and more in and outside the US dance community. Her works have been shown through the support of Chicago DanceWorks, Synapse Arts, Co.mpany Projects, Twenty Percent Productions, Jerusalem Jazz Festival, and Thodos Dance Chicago. In 2021 she received Chicago’s 3Art’s Make A Wave Award along with 120 Chicago based artists. She toured nationally with Red Clay Dance Company from 2021-2024, and currently performs in Anna Martine Whitehead’s FORCE! An Opera in 3 Acts. Rahila regularly performs and composes music with the music collective Family Junket.

Darrell Roberts


  • Creative design professional with production work experience holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Communications & Graphic Design. Graduated from the International Academy of Design & Technology with specialties in document layouts, illustrations, prepress, type design, digital imaging, and concept development. Currently work as the business owner and designer of Citsitra Designs & Printing but always looking for new ventures in the world of creativity to become apart of.


  • Roy is an artist and educator who has taught music and drama at a number of institutions in Chicago. His career began by specializing in students with Autism, and later grew into roles expanding upon his background in performance; from teaching movement to Pre-K children, to helping improve the literacy of high schoolers through script-reading.


  • Glenn B. Rust is a playwright, educator, and producer who has been working in Chicago theatre for the past seven years. They received their Bachelor of Arts in Writing for Performance from Columbia College Chicago in 2019 and their Master of Arts in Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2024. They have worked as a teacher with Mentoring Academy in California and Chicago HOPES for Kids. They have worked as a producer, administrator, and technician professionally for a number years--primarily as the Technical Director of Chicago Dramatists for three years. Glenn has studied theatre, comedy, and performance since they were six years old and continue to find ways to engage performance both onstage and off.

Hannah Mary Simpson


  • Hannah Mary Simpson (she/her) is an actor, singer, improviser, and teaching artist based in the great city of Chicago. She has taught in a variety of settings– from music class in summer camp to 1:1 Shakespeare coaching with professional actors! In addition to her teaching work, Hannah has been seen on multiple stages across Chicagoland, including Black Ensemble Theater, Music Theater Works, and The Shakespeare Project of Chicago.

    She holds degrees in Theatre and English Literature from Ohio Wesleyan University, and she’s a graduate of the Music Program at Second City. Hannah approaches her work from a place of joy, empathy, scholarship, and wonder, and her goal is to help her students embody that same mirth and enthusiasm she feels when performing!


  • Karen Habicht began dancing professionally at age 15 at Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy. She was a company member and soloist of both Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy and Alaska Dance Theater until she moved to Chicago to obtain a Bachelor's of Arts in Dance at Columbia College Chicago. Outside of school, she performed choreography by Bekah Norwood alongside Chicago dance companies Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, The Met Down Collective, and Re/Dance Group. She has also taught dance at Music House and Heartland Alliance. She has been teaching dance for five years to students from ages 2 to 73. Karen took great inspiration in the anti-colonialist approach her college offered and is constantly looking for ways to better the dance space by making it more accepting, positive, and supportive.

Vicky Bolanos

  • Hello, my name is Vicky Bolanos! I am a Special Education teacher with a love for fine arts, especially dance. I hope to bring an inclusive and exciting program to your school!


  • Alexis A Tornez Martinez (he/him) is a Chicago - based educator, actor, collaborator, and writer who uses storytelling elements to confront issues within the Latinx communities. He has a Bachelor in Arts in Theatre and Performance from UIC. His education career began when he became a teaching artist for Steppenwolf and Northlight Theatre. From that, he has had the opportunity to work with multiple different theater education cohorts in Chicago. He is thrilled to join The Brainchild Collective team where he is able to continue to implement and learn on how to improve SEL capacities in the classrooms. Outside of work, he is writing and developing a play that confronts the issues, struggles, and experience of immigration through the Mexico/US Border. Outside of the arts, he does interior construction and has a passion in learning more about videography/photography. He collaborates with different artists in Chicago to bring their stories to life, whether it be performance, music videos, and/or photography.

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