Juliana P W Kerrest
Outreach Coordinator - AmeriCorps*VISTA Member
Juliana Kerrest is passionate about female empowerment, equality, international human rights, and highlighting the many contributions that immigrants make to this country. She has been to over 20 countries and is bilingual in English and French.
She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of community outreach, partnership building and volunteer participation in EWI’s programs and services. Additionally, Juliana leads EWI’s online social networking and retail development, and assists in event planning, communication and marketing.
Juliana graduated with honors from The Johns Hopkins University in August 2009, having designed her own program of interdisciplinary study entitled “Rights and Equality” and double-minored in Anthropology and Gender Studies. While at JHU, Juliana co-founded and was president for three years of the school’s first mental health awareness and advocacy group.
She has volunteered for nearly four years with Soldiers’ Angels and has fostered abused pit bulls for over three years with the Baltimore rescue Adopt a Homeless Animal. Most recently, Juliana has started volunteering with the City of Alexandria’s Sexual Assault Response and Awareness Program as a hotline and hospital companion. To reach Juliana email her at juliana@ewint.org
Sharmila Karamchandani
Client Services Manager
Sharmila Karamchandani, an Indian-born artist and graphic designer has a passion for working in arts education and community non-profits. She graduated from EWI Training for Success in 2006 and began assisting the organization with graphic art projects and in various art development projects. Sharmila works in a series of art media including Jewelry Design, Photography, Calligraphy and Henna painting.
She currently coordinates the client services at EWI, conducts the initial client intake and career & self-assessment, and provides coaching, referrals, guidance and marketing support. Sharmila is also one of the instructors in EWI’s Entrepreneur Training for Success, and she works tirelessly to help immigrant women in our program develop fulfilling businesses and careers. Sharmila has a Master’s in Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. To contact Sharmila e-mail her at sdkhush@hotmail.com
Sush Mazumdar
Art Enrichment Coordinator
Sushmita Mazumdar is an Arlington-based designer, writer, and book artist. She got her BFA in Applied Art from Bombay University, India, in 1990 and has been in the US since 1999. She writes stories for children and makes them into fun yet curious books by hand, for children to enjoy.
She is a graduate of the EWI Training for Success and EWI Art Enrichment Coordinator. She identifies inspiring and educational opportunities in the DC metro region for EWI member artists, and organizes special events, workshops, art educational opportunities and visits/cultural exchange with Museums, Galleries, Collectors, Art Organizations and Art Retailers in the region.
She teaches art education programs for children as well as adult groups to encourage storytelling and passing on cultural heritage from one generation to the next. She has done workshops for the Smithsonian Institution, and for Arlington and Alexandria public schools. Sushmita is a docent with the Smithsonian’s Freer & Sackler Gallery of Art and gives tours of Asian art regularly.
Her books, collages based on her stories, and book kits, are about stories shared and cherished www.HandmadeStorybooks.com To reach Sushmita, email her at sushmaz@comcast.net
Steve Borbiro
Web Master & IT Consultant
Steve Borbiro is an independent IT consultant and web developer based in Alexandria. He has over 12 years experience with a background in system administration, system development and integration, project management and strategic planning for IT infrastructure development, deployment and operation. Steve has a Master of Science (Information Technology) and is currently studying to further his IT qualifications.
Marga C. Fripp
Art Marketing Coach/President EWI
Marga Fripp, the Founder and President of Empowered Women International, is an art marketing coach, journalist and entrepreneur with over 15 years experience in managing non-profits, marketing, art management, media relations, gender and entrepreneurial development. She has a passion for empowering women to make a living from their work and thrive as leaders, educators, global citizens and entrepreneurs.
Over the past seven years since immigrating to the United States, she has worked with hundreds of immigrant and American-born women of all media and cultural backgrounds, and helped build their careers and businesses. Through her vision and work, Marga gives voice to immigrant, refugee and culturally diverse women by promoting their art and cultures, and leading them to entrepreneurial success.
In 2008, she formed Entrepreneurship Academy for Artists as a business school for artists to expand art marketing, business workshops and coaching services to artists, artisans, educators, arts organizations and entrepreneurs in creative industries. Read Marga’s full bio.
