Meet Our Instructors

Chris Rodriguez

Chris Rodriguez is a New Jersey-based educator, community organizer, and practitioner of Puerto Rican bomba music. He has served as a high school English teacher for nine years, advocating for racial equity and culturally-responsive education. Outside of the public school system, Chris explores decolonized education through bomba and critical consciousness raising within, facilitating book clubs and cultural workshops in grassroots spaces such as community gardens, museums, and local art studios. He is also a founding member of the New Jersey Bomba Collective, which hosts monthly events educating the public about the history, culture, and practice of Puerto Rican bomba. Throughout all of his work, Chris explores, with others, the psychological legacies of colonization, the reclamation and power of Indigenous and African knowledge systems, and the creative potential of intergenerational spaces of nature, culture, music, and expression.

Jimena Vega

Jimena Vega was born and raised in Ambato, a community in the Andean mountains of Ecuador. After experiencing a childhood full of traditions interwoven with nature, she immigrated to urban New Jersey as a teenager to reunite with her family. While the cultural shock was initially bewildering, Jimena was able to persevere and attain a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2012.

Her art career began after her graduation. Drawing inspiration from her nature-filled childhood, the trauma of migration, and the cultural and artistic resilience of immigrant communities in the United States, Jimena began to explore diverse mediums such as illustration, sculpture, and art-making with organic materials; she also began participating in and facilitating women’s circles centered on plants, healing, oral history, and therapeutic art-making. Her art and her workshops have been featured in as diverse places as Guttenberg Arts, the Queens Museum, community gardens, and more. You can view her work on her website or Instagram.

Yamilka Castellanos

Yamilka Castellanos began her journey into macrame in 2022. After praying to God for guidance and for any talents or gifts she could share, she heard a voice telling her to “take the yarn and knit.” She had given macrame a try previously but had never succeeded. Suddenly, she understood it and began crafting yarn with the skill of a professional.

What started as a simple calling turned into a passion that led her to create handbags, bassinets, curtains, blankets, tapestries, and countless other handmade creations. In 2023, she officially launched her shop on Etsy and Amazon, GGOMacrame, which has become a best-selling enterprise. In 2024, she joined Michael’s Marketplace, and in 2025, she was selected as a vendor for one of Michael’s New Jersey locations.

She also began offering macrame classes in 2024, as a way to share her love for the craft with others. Teaching brings her immense joy, and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to inspire and guide others in this beautiful craft.

Isabella Verma (Miss Izzy)

Isabella Verma began her dance education at the age of 4 at Mariann’s School of Dance. As a member of our New Millennium and Terpsichore Dance Companies, Isabella performed at nursing homes, malls, and charity events as well as competing at regional and national competitions. She has attended the Peridance Summer Intensive, Rockette Mini Summer Intensive, and the Joffrey Ballet School Contemporary and Jazz Summer Intensive. She has attended the Disney Dancin’ workshop and performed at Disney Springs in Florida with the Paramus High School Spartanettes Dance Company. In 2020, Isabella was announced as an Honorable Mention for the NHSDA in the National Dance Education Organization and was also a recipient of the NJGAAE Student Award for Artistic Excellence and Leadership. In 2021 she was announced as a State Level Winner and awarded for Artistic Merit for her student choreography. In May of 2025 Miss Izzy graduated with a BA in Dance Education from Montclair State University.

Haydee Espinal

My name is Haydee Espinal, a certified yoga teacher and healing arts facilitator. My yoga journey began during the pandemic when I turned to the practice for grounding and healing. What started as a personal exploration quickly grew into a passion for sharing the benefits of yoga with others, especially within underserved and diverse communities. I currently lead yoga classes in the Middletown Parks Department, where I facilitate family and adult yoga, creating spaces where people of all ages can feel supported, breathe deeply, and reconnect. In addition to that, I work as a yoga facilitator with Maggie’s Mindful Playground, an organization that brings yoga and mindfulness into children’s lives through playful, inclusive, and trauma-informed classes. We bring yoga directly into homes and schools, making it accessible and fun for children of all needs and abilities. I’m also a proud co-creator of Lajaras Blissful Journey, a growing community focused on healing through retreats, breathwork, mindful events, and yoga. We create safe and nurturing experiences to help people feel seen, grounded, and connected.

George Pacheco

Gabriel Pacheco is an artist who creates sculptures that are informed by self-definition, cultural identity and acknowledgement of community. Pacheco creates artwork that is inspired by and pays homage to the history of the African Diaspora and Caribbean history yet there is always a reminder that they were created in a very urban context. In working a mix media Pacheco reclaimed material by recycling and transforming, re-creating the purpose of the material through his art. Pacheco works with aluminum cans by putting them on his carvings to add texture and a contrast between man-made and nature. He also adds aluminum to his mixed media drawings to add texture and a contrast between shadow and light.

Pacheco being born and raised in Brooklyn New York. Who often difficult childhood includes time spent in foster care and group homes. He was diagnosed with dyslexia in high school. ART was the balancing factor in his life. He started to depend on Art to understand school and be successful in life. Pacheco was part of creating a gallery in Jersey City called the distillery, he became chair and Curator, then started a children’s arts class. (Pacheco’s Aprons). He Learned that art is a tool of learning. Receiving a citation from the mayor of Jersey City for managing the gallery and the children’s art class. The neighborhood also became an artist district because of Pacheco managing and creating the gallery.

Gabriel Pacheco was born and raised in New York City. I attended fashion industry high school. He earned a BFA from Purchase College at the State University of New York. and then went on to Columbia University teachers’ college. Pacheco completed a One-year fellowship in glass blowing and a one-year residency in Cape Town South Africa. Pacheco has been Also chosen for X by Florence biennial Italy and Da’Art 2008 Dakar Biennale, Senegal, Rush art Gallery Philadelphia, Art scope Prospect Park Brooklyn, Secret files El Museo del Barrio, Africa now world bank Washington D.C, African-American museum Long Island, diversity transit museum Brooklyn And Being chosen to be a juror For the Sugar Hill children’s Museum To pick the next artist for the residency.

When life’s Road leads you to a wall, create a Gallery.