Staff Bios
Carolyn Austin, Glass Studio Manager
As the Glass Studio Manager and instructor for the Lighthouse ArtCenter, Carolyn is right in her element. After moving from the Jersey Shore to Jupiter/Tequesta, Florida in 1979, Carolyn met and married her husband in 1984 and started working in the family business as a glass artist in 1986, then becoming owner/artist of Unique Glass Art in 1995. She has been professionally designing and creating glass art for over 30 years in South Florida. Her love of glass etching and carving then led her to exploring fused glass and incorporating it into her doors and windows for residential and commercial applications. Carolyn's designs are created in a wide variety of styles, from intensely detailed tropical Florida scenes and ocean life to contemporary, modern, and traditional one-of-a-kind art glass for homes and commercial areas in South Florida, many other states, and the Bahamas. She has been an active member of the Lighthouse ArtCenter for many years, entering her artwork and winning awards in multiple exhibitions, so when CEO/CFO Nancy Politsch brought glass fusion to the center, Carolyn was sure to be right by her side! Teaching others the art of glass fusion is a rewarding experience that Carolyn takes pride in, as well as in the exclusive following her glass art has created over the years. You can find Carolyn's work in local galleries and online.
Lisa Diblasio, Gift Shop Manager
Lisa DiBlasio Hoyer comes to Lighthouse Artcenter after 35 years in the garment industry. Lisa, along with her husband Glen, own Pleasure Tiki’s Island Oasis here in Tequesta. Lisa spent 15 years as a buyer in Ohio, California and New York before switching sides of the business into retail, design and product development. A lifelong love the arts steers her eclectic choices for our gift shop – combining art with wearable art. Local talent inspires all shoppers to buy something new and different. Lisa believes that the visual experience of shopping in a gallery gift shop should be as satisfying as viewing whatever exhibit is going on.
Lisa Johnson, Co-Director of Education (3D)
Lisa Johnson is the Director of Jewelry & Textiles at The Lighthouse Art Center in Tequesta, FL. After receiving her B.F.A. from Miami University and M.F.A. from Indiana University in Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design, she was awarded as Artist-In-Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She exhibits art and conducts workshops nationally. Recent publications featuring her work include Making Glass Jewellery, Metalsmith Magazine Exhibition in Print, On Body and Soul: Contemporary Armor to Amulets, 500 Necklaces, Humor in Craft, 500 Prints on Clay, New Earrings, and 500 Jewelry Designs.
Jeni Licata, Co-Director of Education (2D, Outreach, Camp)
Jeni Licata is a studio potter living and working in Boynton Beach, FL. After obtaining her B.S. degree in Psychology at the University of Central Florida, she began pursuing her love of working with clay and teaching adults and youth. Her current body of work is focused on handbuilding with slabs and press molds, combined with monoprinting processes onto the clay. She draws her designs on newsprint, using underglazes and custom developed slips for bright colors and contrasting designs. The print is then laid on top of the clay and peeled away slowly, leaving the hand-drawn image on the clay. Her bright colors and motifs are all inspired by growing up on the beaches and waters of the Sunshine State with summer boat trips to the Bahamas.
Janeen Mason, Curator
Janeen is the author and illustrator of the national award winning children’s books in the Ocean Commotion series. Her original artwork hangs in the notable collections of universities, movie stars, and museums. A passionate arts advocate, she served on the Florida Council of Arts and Culture, the board of directors of Citizens for Florida Arts, and the Division of Cultural Affairs Strategic Planning Task Force. Mason’s work has been featured in solo exhibitions at museums and cultural institutions around Florida.
Sheila McDonald-Bell, Events
Raised in southern California, Sheila graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of California at Irvine. While working as an Art Specialist for the city of Norfolk, Virginia, she and her husband built a catamaran sailboat and, when finished, sailed to Florida. Sheila’s professional background is in shopping center marketing and management, spending over 25 years in the field in South Florida. The ArtCenter has been a part of Sheila’s life as a Tequesta resident, with her family enjoying ArtCenter membership, attending the ArtCamps, volunteering at the School of Art and taking art classes. In August of 2008, Sheila found her métier as the Director of Events for the ArtCenter. Using her background in art, management and marketing, she enjoys the creativity of planning and executing all facets of the many varied special events and finds it very rewarding being a part of a team making the Lighthouse ArtCenter a continued success.
Theresa Miles, Studio Manager
Theresa Miles loves everything art! From drawing illustrations, painting geometric abstracts, to graphic design on the computer; her style is clean lines and bright colors! While she has been with the Lighthouse ArtCenter since 2017 as the Youth Draw and Paint Instructor, Theresa joined the faculty in 2020. She has a Dual Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Ed and Special Ed. Now she is continuing her education in Graphic Design. She will have completed a Graphic Design Bachelor of Science: Web Design and Interactive Media in 2021. Her teaching career has been working with diverse needs and learning styles since 2007.
Jet Orsi, Gallery Admin & Curatorial Assistant
Jet Orsi was born in Omaha, Nebraska and had lived in 4 different states before the age of 9. Her love of art was born from all that she saw moving as often as she did in her youth. This love drove her to get her BFA and Masters in Art Education at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. After graduation, Jet went into the art field as a freelance artist and illustrator. Her freelance career took her from Baltimore to Massachusetts to Florida, where she now resides and works, hoping to help spread beauty in art and education with the rest of the staff at Lighthouse ArtCenter.
Nancy Politsch, CEO/CFO
Before joining the staff at Lighthouse ArtCenter, Ms. Politsch was a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo Private Bank in Baltimore, Maryland. After 38 years in banking and wealth management, retired from the banking world to pursue her passion for the arts and begin her position at the Lighthouse ArtCenter. Ms. Politsch served on the Maryland Hall Center for The Creative Arts (Annapolis, MD) Board of Directors Executive Committee and as Chairman of their Finance Committee. She also served as the Chair of their annual fundraising event, All That Art, that took place on April 29, 2016. Ms. Politsch holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Missouri. She began her financial career in Kansas City with Waddell & Reed and moved to Baltimore to serve as a portfolio manager for Bank of America. She has also managed portfolios at PNC and Andersen Tax. In 2010, she joined Wells Fargo Private Bank as a Wealth Advisor. Besides her work with Maryland Hall, Ms. Politsch has been involved with The Kidney Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Chesapeake, Paul’s Place, and is a founding member of Leadership through Athletics. She established her own fused glass art studio at Maryland Hall and has published two books of her photography. She is also an avid scuba diver. Ms. Politsch was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record, which recognizes outstanding women who are both professional and community leaders.
Fernando Porras, Art & Design Consultant
Fernando Porras earned his MFA from Radford University and has 10+ years of experience teaching at the university level. He has designed for American Express, Pepsi, Proctor and Gamble and many more. As a painter he won a watercolor competition to create the conservation stamp “First of South America”. For the past 24 years, through his sketches and oil paintings; he has been bringing awareness to the plight
of fast disappearing indigenous groups living in the rainforests of South America. His exhibits have taken him around the world. As an Illustrator, he travels and uses his sketches to create children’s books.
Penny Robb, School Concierge
Penny has been working at the Lighthouse ArtCenter part time as an administrative assistant since 2004. She became passionate about the arts when she was an “au pair” in Paris, France in 1962. She paints portraits, where she “tries to capture the essence of a person.” She has studied at the Art Students League and The New School for Social Research in New York, the Community College in Peoria, Illinois, The Somerset Art Association in Bedminster, New Jersey and the Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta, FL. Awards include: Award of Excellence, 2004, Merit Award, 2006, and Honorable Mention, 2007, at the Lighthouse ArtCenter.
Joe Sabbagh, 3D Admin & Studio Assistant
Joe started his passion for art when he was very young - having been born to two artists, this was greatly encouraged. Growing up, his father would instruct him on different drawing techniques in hopes of elevating Joe's artwork to the best it could be. After graduating from high school, Joe immediately got a job as a custom framer. This job exposed him to local artists and art collectors which, in turn, influenced his artwork and helped him grow even further. While still at the frame shop, Joe would experiment with charcoal and paint, which later expanded into digital artwork, as well.
With all of this knowledge and practice in the arts, in his time off, Joe has also been working on his pre-med degree, and is slated to graduate in 2022. His hope is to mesh his understanding of art and the human spirit with a degree in psychiatry and help people with their troubles.
Allie Snyder, Data & Media
Born in Long Beach, California and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Allie graduated summa cum laude with a BA from Loyola University Chicago in International Studies with an emphasis on Asian Studies and French, in addition to her time studying Asian Studies at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. A certified Teacher of English as a Second Language, Allie joins the Lighthouse ArtCenter after two and a half years living and teaching abroad in Japan, Mexico, and Vietnam. During her travels, she uses photography as a way to connect with diverse communities and engage in local cultures. She is excited to join the Lighthouse ArtCenter team and continue to pursue her love of the arts.
Susan Snyder, Director of Development
Director of Development, Sue Snyder, is now helming development efforts after a stint on the Lighthouse ArtCenter’s marketing and event team. For over 15 years, Sue has been involved in producing and managing events, including the beloved fundraiser, Art in the Gardens, at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on the beautiful northern California coast. Prior to her time in California, Sue was the operations and staff leader at Ameriprise Financial in St. Louis, where she regularly organized client appreciation and acquisition events for financial advisors as well as managed the administrative teams and operational functions at both St. Louis Ameriprise offices. Sue has her BFA from Utah State University and studied drawing and painting at Syracuse University. After visiting family in Tequesta for 35 years she is happy to finally call this area home and is thrilled to be involved in the Arts once again.
Chad Steve, Director of Ceramics
Chad R. Steve was born and raised in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. He received his BFA from University of Wisconsin-Stout. In 2009 he moved to Hawaii and received his MFA from University of Hawaii at Manoa. While living there, he worked at the University as an adjunct professor and a lab technician. Chad has instructed at a variety of institutions such as Hawaii Potter’s Guild, Honolulu Art Museum, Montana University, and Western Montana University. Concerned with innovation and function Chad treats each piece as a small sculpture. With consideration of line, mass, and balance he finds an arrangement that displays a strong visual presence within each piece. Constructing both sculptural and utilitarian ceramics, Chad is most intrigued by the way we connected and interact with objects in our daily lives.
Jordan Weber, Graphic Design Manager
Jordan is a graphic designer born and raised in Mid-Michigan. She graduated with honors from Saginaw Valley State University receiving a Bachelor’s in Arts of in Graphic Design and a minor in Marketing. After college, she moved to Henderson, Nevada to escape the cold, travel, and gain experience in design. During her time in Nevada, she worked in a marketing agency that lead her to South Florida with new career opportunities. Now calling Florida home for the past 3 years, Jordan is very passionate about communicating her creativity through her designs at The Lighthouse ArtCenter.
As the Glass Studio Manager and instructor for the Lighthouse ArtCenter, Carolyn is right in her element. After moving from the Jersey Shore to Jupiter/Tequesta, Florida in 1979, Carolyn met and married her husband in 1984 and started working in the family business as a glass artist in 1986, then becoming owner/artist of Unique Glass Art in 1995. She has been professionally designing and creating glass art for over 30 years in South Florida. Her love of glass etching and carving then led her to exploring fused glass and incorporating it into her doors and windows for residential and commercial applications. Carolyn's designs are created in a wide variety of styles, from intensely detailed tropical Florida scenes and ocean life to contemporary, modern, and traditional one-of-a-kind art glass for homes and commercial areas in South Florida, many other states, and the Bahamas. She has been an active member of the Lighthouse ArtCenter for many years, entering her artwork and winning awards in multiple exhibitions, so when CEO/CFO Nancy Politsch brought glass fusion to the center, Carolyn was sure to be right by her side! Teaching others the art of glass fusion is a rewarding experience that Carolyn takes pride in, as well as in the exclusive following her glass art has created over the years. You can find Carolyn's work in local galleries and online.
Lisa Diblasio, Gift Shop Manager
Lisa DiBlasio Hoyer comes to Lighthouse Artcenter after 35 years in the garment industry. Lisa, along with her husband Glen, own Pleasure Tiki’s Island Oasis here in Tequesta. Lisa spent 15 years as a buyer in Ohio, California and New York before switching sides of the business into retail, design and product development. A lifelong love the arts steers her eclectic choices for our gift shop – combining art with wearable art. Local talent inspires all shoppers to buy something new and different. Lisa believes that the visual experience of shopping in a gallery gift shop should be as satisfying as viewing whatever exhibit is going on.
Lisa Johnson, Co-Director of Education (3D)
Lisa Johnson is the Director of Jewelry & Textiles at The Lighthouse Art Center in Tequesta, FL. After receiving her B.F.A. from Miami University and M.F.A. from Indiana University in Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design, she was awarded as Artist-In-Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She exhibits art and conducts workshops nationally. Recent publications featuring her work include Making Glass Jewellery, Metalsmith Magazine Exhibition in Print, On Body and Soul: Contemporary Armor to Amulets, 500 Necklaces, Humor in Craft, 500 Prints on Clay, New Earrings, and 500 Jewelry Designs.
Jeni Licata, Co-Director of Education (2D, Outreach, Camp)
Jeni Licata is a studio potter living and working in Boynton Beach, FL. After obtaining her B.S. degree in Psychology at the University of Central Florida, she began pursuing her love of working with clay and teaching adults and youth. Her current body of work is focused on handbuilding with slabs and press molds, combined with monoprinting processes onto the clay. She draws her designs on newsprint, using underglazes and custom developed slips for bright colors and contrasting designs. The print is then laid on top of the clay and peeled away slowly, leaving the hand-drawn image on the clay. Her bright colors and motifs are all inspired by growing up on the beaches and waters of the Sunshine State with summer boat trips to the Bahamas.
Janeen Mason, Curator
Janeen is the author and illustrator of the national award winning children’s books in the Ocean Commotion series. Her original artwork hangs in the notable collections of universities, movie stars, and museums. A passionate arts advocate, she served on the Florida Council of Arts and Culture, the board of directors of Citizens for Florida Arts, and the Division of Cultural Affairs Strategic Planning Task Force. Mason’s work has been featured in solo exhibitions at museums and cultural institutions around Florida.
Sheila McDonald-Bell, Events
Raised in southern California, Sheila graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of California at Irvine. While working as an Art Specialist for the city of Norfolk, Virginia, she and her husband built a catamaran sailboat and, when finished, sailed to Florida. Sheila’s professional background is in shopping center marketing and management, spending over 25 years in the field in South Florida. The ArtCenter has been a part of Sheila’s life as a Tequesta resident, with her family enjoying ArtCenter membership, attending the ArtCamps, volunteering at the School of Art and taking art classes. In August of 2008, Sheila found her métier as the Director of Events for the ArtCenter. Using her background in art, management and marketing, she enjoys the creativity of planning and executing all facets of the many varied special events and finds it very rewarding being a part of a team making the Lighthouse ArtCenter a continued success.
Theresa Miles, Studio Manager
Theresa Miles loves everything art! From drawing illustrations, painting geometric abstracts, to graphic design on the computer; her style is clean lines and bright colors! While she has been with the Lighthouse ArtCenter since 2017 as the Youth Draw and Paint Instructor, Theresa joined the faculty in 2020. She has a Dual Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Ed and Special Ed. Now she is continuing her education in Graphic Design. She will have completed a Graphic Design Bachelor of Science: Web Design and Interactive Media in 2021. Her teaching career has been working with diverse needs and learning styles since 2007.
Jet Orsi, Gallery Admin & Curatorial Assistant
Jet Orsi was born in Omaha, Nebraska and had lived in 4 different states before the age of 9. Her love of art was born from all that she saw moving as often as she did in her youth. This love drove her to get her BFA and Masters in Art Education at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. After graduation, Jet went into the art field as a freelance artist and illustrator. Her freelance career took her from Baltimore to Massachusetts to Florida, where she now resides and works, hoping to help spread beauty in art and education with the rest of the staff at Lighthouse ArtCenter.
Nancy Politsch, CEO/CFO
Before joining the staff at Lighthouse ArtCenter, Ms. Politsch was a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo Private Bank in Baltimore, Maryland. After 38 years in banking and wealth management, retired from the banking world to pursue her passion for the arts and begin her position at the Lighthouse ArtCenter. Ms. Politsch served on the Maryland Hall Center for The Creative Arts (Annapolis, MD) Board of Directors Executive Committee and as Chairman of their Finance Committee. She also served as the Chair of their annual fundraising event, All That Art, that took place on April 29, 2016. Ms. Politsch holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Missouri. She began her financial career in Kansas City with Waddell & Reed and moved to Baltimore to serve as a portfolio manager for Bank of America. She has also managed portfolios at PNC and Andersen Tax. In 2010, she joined Wells Fargo Private Bank as a Wealth Advisor. Besides her work with Maryland Hall, Ms. Politsch has been involved with The Kidney Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Chesapeake, Paul’s Place, and is a founding member of Leadership through Athletics. She established her own fused glass art studio at Maryland Hall and has published two books of her photography. She is also an avid scuba diver. Ms. Politsch was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women by The Daily Record, which recognizes outstanding women who are both professional and community leaders.
Fernando Porras, Art & Design Consultant
Fernando Porras earned his MFA from Radford University and has 10+ years of experience teaching at the university level. He has designed for American Express, Pepsi, Proctor and Gamble and many more. As a painter he won a watercolor competition to create the conservation stamp “First of South America”. For the past 24 years, through his sketches and oil paintings; he has been bringing awareness to the plight
of fast disappearing indigenous groups living in the rainforests of South America. His exhibits have taken him around the world. As an Illustrator, he travels and uses his sketches to create children’s books.
Penny Robb, School Concierge
Penny has been working at the Lighthouse ArtCenter part time as an administrative assistant since 2004. She became passionate about the arts when she was an “au pair” in Paris, France in 1962. She paints portraits, where she “tries to capture the essence of a person.” She has studied at the Art Students League and The New School for Social Research in New York, the Community College in Peoria, Illinois, The Somerset Art Association in Bedminster, New Jersey and the Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta, FL. Awards include: Award of Excellence, 2004, Merit Award, 2006, and Honorable Mention, 2007, at the Lighthouse ArtCenter.
Joe Sabbagh, 3D Admin & Studio Assistant
Joe started his passion for art when he was very young - having been born to two artists, this was greatly encouraged. Growing up, his father would instruct him on different drawing techniques in hopes of elevating Joe's artwork to the best it could be. After graduating from high school, Joe immediately got a job as a custom framer. This job exposed him to local artists and art collectors which, in turn, influenced his artwork and helped him grow even further. While still at the frame shop, Joe would experiment with charcoal and paint, which later expanded into digital artwork, as well.
With all of this knowledge and practice in the arts, in his time off, Joe has also been working on his pre-med degree, and is slated to graduate in 2022. His hope is to mesh his understanding of art and the human spirit with a degree in psychiatry and help people with their troubles.
Allie Snyder, Data & Media
Born in Long Beach, California and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Allie graduated summa cum laude with a BA from Loyola University Chicago in International Studies with an emphasis on Asian Studies and French, in addition to her time studying Asian Studies at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. A certified Teacher of English as a Second Language, Allie joins the Lighthouse ArtCenter after two and a half years living and teaching abroad in Japan, Mexico, and Vietnam. During her travels, she uses photography as a way to connect with diverse communities and engage in local cultures. She is excited to join the Lighthouse ArtCenter team and continue to pursue her love of the arts.
Susan Snyder, Director of Development
Director of Development, Sue Snyder, is now helming development efforts after a stint on the Lighthouse ArtCenter’s marketing and event team. For over 15 years, Sue has been involved in producing and managing events, including the beloved fundraiser, Art in the Gardens, at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on the beautiful northern California coast. Prior to her time in California, Sue was the operations and staff leader at Ameriprise Financial in St. Louis, where she regularly organized client appreciation and acquisition events for financial advisors as well as managed the administrative teams and operational functions at both St. Louis Ameriprise offices. Sue has her BFA from Utah State University and studied drawing and painting at Syracuse University. After visiting family in Tequesta for 35 years she is happy to finally call this area home and is thrilled to be involved in the Arts once again.
Chad Steve, Director of Ceramics
Chad R. Steve was born and raised in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. He received his BFA from University of Wisconsin-Stout. In 2009 he moved to Hawaii and received his MFA from University of Hawaii at Manoa. While living there, he worked at the University as an adjunct professor and a lab technician. Chad has instructed at a variety of institutions such as Hawaii Potter’s Guild, Honolulu Art Museum, Montana University, and Western Montana University. Concerned with innovation and function Chad treats each piece as a small sculpture. With consideration of line, mass, and balance he finds an arrangement that displays a strong visual presence within each piece. Constructing both sculptural and utilitarian ceramics, Chad is most intrigued by the way we connected and interact with objects in our daily lives.
Jordan Weber, Graphic Design Manager
Jordan is a graphic designer born and raised in Mid-Michigan. She graduated with honors from Saginaw Valley State University receiving a Bachelor’s in Arts of in Graphic Design and a minor in Marketing. After college, she moved to Henderson, Nevada to escape the cold, travel, and gain experience in design. During her time in Nevada, she worked in a marketing agency that lead her to South Florida with new career opportunities. Now calling Florida home for the past 3 years, Jordan is very passionate about communicating her creativity through her designs at The Lighthouse ArtCenter.
