Our Talented Team Members
Abbie Kasoff
Founder/Executive Director
Say It With Clay (SIWC) is a private, non-profit Organization founded by Executive Director Abbie Kasoff. Abbie holds dual degrees in Art Therapy and Ceramics from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Nancy T. MacGregor
MA, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPAT, LPC. ACS, CCS, Clinical Director
Nancy believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship and that everyone has the strength to improve his or her relationship with the world given the opportunity.
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Rene Marrero
Director of Operations
Rene graduated from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s in psychology. He has worked with children and families in the non-profit social service setting for 20 years with experience in case management, community outreach, information technology, and management. He has made it his goal to keep families and communities healthy. He is also Co-Chair of the Community Network Association (CNA) of Camden County.
Megan Richards
Director of Education
Megan is a local ceramic artist. She has been involved with the studio in various capacities since 2018, and is so excited to now be our Director of Education, starting in 2025! Megan has a Bachelor's in Art Education, a Master's in Fine Arts from PAFA, and over a decade of teaching experience.
Megan loves getting to share her passion for art with her students. In her personal artwork, she is exploring concepts of the materiality of craft mediums and the purpose of objects in our daily lives.
https://www.instagram.com/meganjeanrichards/
Ricci Sheridan
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
After nearly two decades of involvement at Say It With Clay, whether long ago participating in mommy & me classes with her daughters, volunteering for various fundraising events or more recently enrolling in adult classes, the timing was right for Ricci to become a permanent member of the Say It With Clay team as a therapeutic clay teacher. A graduate of the University of the Arts with a BFA in crafts, Ricci has always been drawn to the power of clay and has witnessed the therapeutic benefits of creating one-of-a-kind pieces from concept to fine art. Ricci is most excited to work one on one creating masterpieces with young adults having diverse special needs.
Alex Kachenko
Ceramics Clay Specialist/ Kiln Technician
Alex is a self-taught, professional potter living and making work in Philadelphia. He has been working as an artist since 2013.
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Gabriel Slimm
Building Maintenance
Gabe works as a caretaker at Say It with Clay, helping with jobs inside and outside of the studio. He also enjoys getting his hands dirty with clay projects.
Gabe graduated from the Career and Community Studies program at The College of New Jersey. He now lives in Collingswood and participates in the JEVS program there. Gabe also loves the theater and enjoys doing shows at the Ritz Theatre Company.
Amy Gopshes Human Resources Consultant
Amy’s breadth of human resources skills and experience is somewhat unique in that it spans multiple industries, workforce demographics, company cultures, and business challenges.
As a strategic business partner and director, she also bring to the table hands-on HR generalist experience covering everything from payroll, pension and benefits administration to building HR departments from the ground up.
She has held HR roles in retail, manufacturing, business services and energy production and delivered HR support to organizations with as few as 25 employees to 14,000+.
Read more about Amy
MaryJo (MJ) Eppright Therapeutic Clay Teacher
MaryJo “MJ” Eppright has enjoyed a 40 year career in Social Work. Having worked in school settings, counseling agencies, and as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, one could say she has a love of learning. Being able to build connections and engage people in reaching their goals fuels purpose and motivation in MJ’s life. The opportunity to join Say it with Clay, where creativity is valued and celebrated, has always been a dream of hers. She thrives in caring environments and aspires to support others along their path of expression and success.
Gopi Shah Art Therapist
Gopi is a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and a graduate of Drexel University’s Art Therapy and Counseling program. She has experience working with children, teens, and adults in a variety of settings.
Gopi believes art can be used as a way of processing and communicating emotions. When it comes to the art-making process, Gopi encourages connection, discovery, creative autonomy, and play.
Ivy Hunnicut Studio Manager
Ivy grew up in Philadelphia, surrounded by the arts community. She began ceramics as a 7-year-old during summer camp and has loved working with clay ever since. She got her BFA in Ceramics with Entrepreneurial Studies from Tyler School of Art. Ivy loves wheel throwing and has more recently found herself making handbuilt sculptural work that also has function. While at Temple, she made many pieces without understanding their deeper meaning until after completing them. It is wonderful to get to experience the emotional value of creating art. Aside from artwork, Ivy loves nature, cooking and baking, and being with her pets!
Helen Driggs Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Helen is an NJ State Certified K-12 Art Teacher and has taught in both public and parochial schools as a substitute classroom and long-term art teacher since 2018. During the 2023-24 term, she worked as a long-term sub in Fine Arts and AP Studio Art at the High School level, and then immediately after that as a General Ed Art Teacher for the 2024-2025 term at the Middle School Level.
Handcraft – specifically Jewelry and Fiber – is a daily artistic focus in Helen’s own home studio, and she has spent more than 20 years teaching both focused technical aspects of those crafts plus object creation at the teen and adult levels for independent workshop situations and summer camps across the country.
Helen recently discovered her passion for Ceramics while completing the NJ state requirements for her Art Teacher’s license, and has enthusiastically continued her education in this wonderfully expressive craft at Camden County Community College. She loves clay!
Helen is a BFA graduate of Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and has never stopped learning.
Sybil Cohen
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Sybil happily comes to Say It With Clay after a 30 year career as a public school secondary art teacher. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Tyler School of Art of Temple University and a four year certificate of the Fine Arts from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In addition to working in clay, Sybil pursues other creative interests in painting and photography and her work can be seen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/what.i.see23/
Sulaiha Bitar
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Sulaiha graduated in 2019 from Rutgers University with a B.A. in Social Work and Gender Studies. A Philadelphia native, she grew up witnessing the impact unresolved generational trauma had on her community and decided that social work was her calling. Throughout her studies she has engaged and learned from many different populations, including those with Autism, developmental disabilities, behavioral challenges, and youth residing in correctional facilities. Although new to the art scene, she strives to empower people from both a strengths-based perspective and a trauma informed approach.
Maia Root
Bookkeeper/Billing Specialist
Maia has a passion for numbers, organization, and helping individuals feel confident around their finances.
She began her career as an accountant and worked as a tax professional for five years (some of which at a big four accounting firm). After moving to a billing role and doing bookkeeping on the side, Maia decided to pursue a career in bookkeeping full-time in October 2019. It was the best career decision she ever made!
In her spare time Maia enjoys cooking, exercising, and spending time with her family. When the weather is nice, she loves being outside and working in the garden or going for a walk around the neighborhood.
Lee Ann Thill
Art Therapist
As a lifelong artist and art therapist for 25+ years, Lee Ann is happy to join Say It With Clay. In clay-based art therapy, not only do we build art, we also build towards the changes you hope to achieve. Every client’s needs are unique, but common goals that Lee Ann considers are: confidence-building, self-expression, self-awareness of strengths (ex: imagination) and growth opportunities (ex: asking for help), and problem-solving.
Clay became a creative passion in high school at a time when she was struggling. Lee Ann got a BFA in ceramics and painting & drawing at Tyler School of Art at Temple University, and an MA in art therapy at Drexel University. Later, she earned a PhD in expressive therapies at Lesley University.
In addition to providing art therapy at Say It With Clay, Lee Ann has a private practice, Prism Art Therapy. Visit her website at www.prismarttherapy.com.
Lee Ann received the Ron Hay’s Presenter’s Award and Innovative Applications of Art Therapy Award from Delaware Valley Art Therapy Association, and she is presently a member of the American Art Therapy Association and New Jersey Art Therapy Association. Lee Ann holds clinical licenses in NJ, PA and CT. As an academic, Lee Ann focuses on applications of art-based research, and she has taught art therapy at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Tess Cronin Program Coordinator
Tess is a multimedia artist and administrative specialist living and working in Philadelphia. She has loved art her entire life, starting in childhood with summer camps and after-school programs. As an adult, Tess focuses her clay practice on sculptural forms and functional objects. She also enjoys painting, illustrating, and collaging.
Tess has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied visual arts and creative writing. She believes in diverse and equitable access to artistic expression and is excited to be a part of the Say It With Clay community.
Isabelle Schecter
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Isabelle took her first pottery class after she graduated from college in 2019, at the University of Vermont Pottery Co-Op. She fell in love immediately, and pottery has been a huge part of her life ever since. After the University of Vermont Pottery Co-Op shut down due to the pandemic, Isabelle began a work-trade arrangement at Blockhouse Studio, a local ceramics studio and gallery in Central Vermont’s Mad River Valley, gaining experience in technician responsibilities, including creating glazes and retail in a pottery-centric boutique space. Nowadays she enjoys selling at small art markets around Philly or online. Isabelle has a natural love for teaching, so she loves to take any opportunity to teach friends and family how to work with clay. Over the years, she has enjoyed teaching people in her life how to make a prototypical piece: the Pinch Pot. She finds this so fun and rewarding! Additionally, at Blockhouse Studio, Isabelle was tasked with making glazes from raw materials in their glaze lab.
Isabelle is excited to work with Say it With Clay’s diverse population, as she truly believes in the healing power of clay. Her background includes working in education and nonprofit settings with people from all walks of life, including four years working in refugee resettlement and two years working with neurodiverse learners in a public school. She finds this work rewarding, and she loves using clay to connect with her clients. Helping others express themselves through clay is fun, interesting, and fulfilling, and she loves to see the many ways that ceramics can bring joy and peace to people.
Isabelle has a BA in Anthropology.
Becky Rosen
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Becky brings over a decade of art experience since earning her B.A. in Arts Education from Rowan University in 2013. A lover of art since childhood, she grew up filling sketchbooks and never stopped creating. As an elementary art teacher, she instills confidence and creativity in all of her students. Clay has long been a meaningful medium in her practice, and she believes it offers growth, connection, and healing. Becky is excited to share her passion at Say It With Clay.
Alyssa Dominguez
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
The first time Alyssa worked with clay was in a beginner’s ceramics class at Temple University. She immediately loved it, and took to hand-building quickly.
Alyssa has an AA in studio arts and is working on her BA for art therapy. Say It With Clay is her first professional experience with clay, but while working here as an intern she was given the opportunity to have a very rich learning experience with clay and what the medium can offer. Alyssa was able to facilitate groups working with clay and it was incredible!
Alyssa comes from a background of painting, which translates well into glazing and color. She thinks this skill is useful for clients that want particular color or designs, as she would be able to teach clients to paint these on their works. She has a particular love for hand building; she can guide clients on how to make a piece they’re envisioning. This has been a great journey moving from Intern to being a Team Member.
Sierra D’Intino
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Sierra began working with clay in high school and immediately fell in love with it. Wheel-throwing became a creative outlet for her while balancing the challenges of school and work. In ceramics class, she found it easy to quiet her mind and focus on creating. As soon as Sierra stepped into the room, she was at peace. Sierra feels fortunate to now be able to help others find that same feeling. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Psychology and a Master of Science in Teaching English as a Second Language from The College of New Jersey. She began working with clay in high school and has continued practicing and building her skills ever since. Sierra has found that incorporating art into the classroom is deeply beneficial for both her students and herself, which made Say It With Clay a perfect fit. After teaching in Rome for a few months, her philosophy shifted toward prioritizing creative autonomy. Whether in the classroom or at the studio, Sierra encourages all of her students to create freely and in whatever way feels right to them. Having taught English to nonnative speakers and having learned another language herself, Sierra has developed a strong understanding of nonverbal communication, not just verbal. After all, art is a universal language!
Matthew Owens
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Matt began working with clay in middle school through the arts club. They mostly focused on slab building, and he got to take home clay at the end of the school year. In addition, he has taken ceramic classes at Rowan University. When it comes to teaching, Matt wants his students to be comfortable to explore, ask questions, and not fear failure. When he creates, he follows these same routines because it will provide a unique outcome. Matt takes pride in being present when interacting with others and is ready to adapt to student needs.
Matt has an Associate’s in Art from RCSJ Gloucester, and is in the process of pursuing his Bachelors in Art Education at Rowan University. He has taught at many different grade levels through his clinical teaching practice and hopes to be a leader that students seek.
Laura Zimmaro
Therapeutic Clay Teacher
Laura Zimmaro is an artist and art teacher from Medford, NJ. She holds a master’s degree of Art in Teaching Visual Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, both from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She has been teaching and making art professionally of different kinds in different capacities since 2006, and has also worked as a professional graphic designer. Though she has experience in many art forms such as fine arts, clay, glass, graphic design, printmaking, jewelry, and fibers, she is most passionate about using art as a catalyst to increase self esteem in students and help them learn how to share their talents with the world. Laura believes there is no such thing as “bad art”, and that all humans are capable of communicating through art in some way. Art is not a thing to be judged or measured by value, but a channel of self expression and connection. It is a language spoken by all people of all abilities and all places, and is a judgement-free space where there is room for everyone