Jane Burkhard, President A native east coaster and long-time Bay Area resident, Jane Burkhard has been on the board of the SF Opera, SF Ballet, and SF Museum of Modern Art. She served in different capacities over the three organizations, from president of auxiliary groups to gala chair to general board member. Having stayed home with her two children, loving the involvement in their early lives, Jane went back to work full time in finance when the kids were older and self-sufficient. While she enjoyed the arts scene in SF, the appeal of having a greater impact in her own community – particularly with youth – is more in line with my current interests. “Our children were lucky to have arts in all of their grades, and I didn’t realize until much later on that many adjacent school districts don’t have the resources to provide this to their students.” Jane shared, “I’ve been a lifelong art lover, am an amateur photographer, and value what art provides in my life. I feel strongly that all children need the creative outlet and emotional development that art can provide.”

Kathleen Newsom, Vice President Kate is a Wisconsin native, born in Milwaukee and raised in Green Bay. She completed her BA in French at Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN in 1991. She holds a MA in French Language in Civilization from the NYU Paris Campus (1993) and a MBA from University of San Francisco School of Management (2001). Upon moving to San Francisco in 1991, Kate became involved in the wine & spirits industry, first working for a distributor/broker. She then moved on to work as the Western region marketing manager for Schieffelin & Somerset who represented luxury brands such as Moet & Chandon, Tanqueray, Johnnie Walker, and Hennessey. Since retiring from the wine & spirits industry in 2012, Kate has been a California Licensed Fiduciary. She serves in the capacity as trustee and estate administrator. She and her husband Eric have a recent graduate (daughter) from George Washington University and a sophomore son at Northwestern. In her free time, she loves to travel, cook for friends and family, and hike the trails in Marin.

Suzanne Joyal, MEd, Secretary, believes that art is communication. Whether it’s working with families in Zambia, children with disabilities, or newcomers building new communities, Suzanne has seen first-hand how the arts help us speak a common language. In her paintings and sculptures, Suzanne uses the pages from discarded books to reinterpret their stories (and tell her own in the process).

Suzanne works on community development and outreach at the Neuroarts Blueprint initiative. She holds a Master of Arts in Adaptive Arts Education from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, PA, and is currently working on her doctorate in educational leadership at the University of Maine. In 2021, she was honored as the Outstanding Special Needs Visual Arts Educator of the year by the California Arts Education Association. Suzanne has extensive experience teaching students with disabilities, providing professional development workshops for educators and families, and building model programs aimed at utilizing the arts to better engage every learner. During her long tenure at Youth in Arts, Suzanne’s projects included the ARTSbank (Arts Resources for Teachers and Students), VALuEd (Virtual Arts Learning Experiences) and scaffolded, sequential visual arts curriculum designed to help students from traditionally under-resourced schools to utilize the arts to find their voice and develop the confidence to share it.

Cherity Payne, and her family live in Mill Valley. She received her degree in English Literature from Boston University and spent her career in technology PR. She ultimately left the corporate world in favor of raising her two daughters. While her kids were in preschool, Cherity co-founded the Mill Valley Library Foundation’s Storybook Ball which raised funds for teen and children’s programming while creating a magical experience for local children. At her daughters’ elementary school, Cherity introduced a community engagement program for students to participate in age-appropriate service-learning activities. More recently, Cherity and her husband started the Tahoe Blue Foundation to provide grants and assistance to organizations supporting the environment and social equity. Cherity and her husband have a daughter in her first year at Northeastern University and their younger daughter is a junior at Marin Academy. In her free time, Cherity enjoys travel, spending time with friends, trying new restaurants, and giving belly rubs to their yellow lab, Skye.

Hartley West, is a litigation partner at the law firm Dechert LLP, where she leads the firm’s global Enforcement & Investigations practice. A former DOJ prosecutor, Hartley graduated from MIT (1994) and Harvard Law School (1997). Hartley has been a huge fan of Youth in Arts since the late 1990s, when she represented the organization on a pro bono basis as a junior associate. In more recent years, her younger daughter was a repeat award winner in Youth in Arts’ Rising Stars exhibition. Indeed, both of Hartley’s daughters are active artists, with one attending Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the other attending Reed College. When not lawyering or traveling, you can often find Hartley on the local trails with her hounds. 

Rebecca Guan, is a private equity investor passionate about youth empowerment and the Arts. Originally from Toronto and New York, she is classically trained pianist who graduated from The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Associate Diploma program at a young age. Following her music training, she pursued an undergraduate Business degree, pursuing her professional interests in private investing. She looks forward to channeling her business and financial acumen to support YIA’s important initiatives. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, and investing in modern art. She lives in San Francisco.

Elliana Rivera, Student Representative, a senior at Archie Williams High School, has been part of Til Dawn since her freshman year. Her time at Youth in Arts has been truly transformative. Under the mentorship of Austin Willacy, she has not only honed her musical talents but also grown personally, cultivating a deep connection with her ‘Til Dawn community. Accessible music and arts programs are her passion, and she is deeply committed to them. Through her involvement on the YIA Strategic Planning Committee, she has gained a strong understanding of the importance of outreach to ensure the representation of all Marin youth. In her free time, Elliana enjoys playing guitar, backpacking, and running track. She feels fortunate to be part of Til Dawn and takes pride in playing a leadership role within Youth in Arts.