Staff

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Denise Fisher
Denise Fisher co-founded Arts of Life, Inc. in 2000, and has served as the executive director over the course of development for the last eight years. She has become known and respected in the disability field for her innovative programming, as well as her compassion and advocacy for adults with developmental disabilities.

As a child, Denise assisted her mother in a special education classroom. She went on to volunteer at several Special Olympics and worked as a summer counselor and cabin leader at New York’s Camp Jened for three summers.

In her professional career, Denise worked for over ten years in residential and support services for people with developmental disabilities. As founder of Arts of Life, she led the development of an innovative program model, recruitment of artists, staff, and board members, and achieved a 3-year accreditation with The Council of Quality & Leadership (CSL), a respected international accrediting body. She continues to inspire the artists in the Arts of Life community, those who work for her, and all those who come in contact with the Arts of Life studio.

Denise has her B.A. in education and psychology from Eastern Illinois University. She is also a qualified mental retardation professional (QMRP), trained to meet the needs of people with developmental disabilities.

Art and Music Director, Ryan Shuquem
Ryan Shuquem is a trained community-based artist with a B.F.A. in painting from California State University, East Bay. He has lived in Chicago for four years and has been a professional in the field of visual and performing arts for over 18 years.

Ryan’s bands have toured throughout the U.S. and Europe numerous times creating a strong following in the alternative arena. In June of 2007, the zany marching band he currently plays with, Mucca Pazza, was featured on the Conan O’Brien show during its taping in Chicago as well as part of Chicago’s 2006 Lollapalooza.

In addition to his accomplishments in the music field, Ryan is also the founder of Reversible Eye Gallery in Humboldt Park. The gallery provides a showcase for avant-garde music and art. Ryan has successfully guided, taught, assisted, produced, and managed numerous artists in a range of mediums and venues.

In the spring of 2006 he joined the staff at Arts of Life and has brought a whole new array of experiences and opportunities to the studio. His commitment to community goes beyond his own and he has contributed to the Arts of Life community substantially.

Outreach Coordinator, Tim Sarrantonio
Tim has worked professionally and volunteered for non-profit organizations since moving to Chicago three years ago.  Working with a diverse set of organizations he has found innovative ways to reach new audiences while creating events that are as fun as they are diverse.

Tim received his B.A. in History from Plattsburgh State University, which was then proceeded by attending and receiving a masters degree in Culture and Colonialism from the National University of Ireland in Galway.  Before moving to Chicago to pursue a dream of working in social justice, he taught ESL in New York City while completing a masters degree at Teachers College – Columbia University.

Tim has had articles published in Chicago-based magazines The Platypus Review and AREA Chicago as well as creating dynamic web-based content for local businesses and non-profit organizations.

Community Coordinator, Kelli Becker
Kelli first joined the Arts of Life community in 2004, working as an intern while attending the University of Illinois at Chicago. Kelli graduated from UIC with a B.F.A. in Painting and a B.A. in General Psychology. She is experienced in Applied Behavioral Analysis with the Autistic population and in Community and Direct Support with developmentally disabled adults.

Kelli was recently honorably discharged as a Technical Sergeant from the United States Air Force where she had served since 1995. In the Air Force Kelli worked in the mental health field, specializing in suicide awareness and substance abuse awareness. More recently Kelli assisted in the development of the Reunion – Reintegration program for Air Force members returning from Iraq Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan’s Operation Enduring Freedom.

Kelli says she’ll always be a part of Arts of Life. “The sense of accomplishment I feel each day is unmatched by anything else I’ve ever been a part of. The positive changes I have seen within this community, within the artists, and the program, give me faith in humanity. So many people in general can benefit from having art in their day to day lives. I’m lucky in this way; I get to see with my own eyes how art effects people’s lives in a positive way.”

Kelli is also a practicing artist concentrating in painting and drawing. She lives in Chicago

Arts Facilitator, John Sharp
For the past ten years John Sharp has been a muralist in the Chicago land area for both commercial businesses and private residences. Through that experience John has painted over an estimated one hundred thousand square feet of wall and ceiling. While under commission for the largest behavioral health care provider in the nation, John had the privilege to serve as their artist in residence for three years.

During that time he worked along side physicians and therapists as well as patients to create murals that provided therapeutic environments intrinsic to specific patient care. It was this residency that earned him recognition in nationwide behavioral health newsletters and local publications such as Chicago Hospital News. John has a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Central Michigan University and is a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America.

Studio Manager, Hilary Marshall
Hilary joined the staff of Arts of Life as the North Shore’s Studio Manager in January 2010.  She has worked with adults with disabilities since graduating from North Park University in 2005 with a BA in Creative Writing, Media Studies, and Spanish Language. She has previously held positions at Center for Independent Futures in Evanston and Neighborhood Services in Chicago. She has also worked independently with families to provide support for their loved ones.

Hilary first encountered Arts of Life when working as a direct support person for several individuals who attend the studio. Arts of Life’s commitment to those individuals’ personal and professional growth convinced her that it would be the perfect place for her to work and grow, too.

Hilary’s creative interests include putting things together, taking things apart, use of found objects, collaboration, audio documentary and the DIY craft movement.