Board of Directors

The Inclusive Arts Vermont Board of Directors is comprised of community members and meets monthly to oversee and guide the direction of the organization.

Interested in applying to be on the Board of Directors?
Email board@inclusiveartsvermont.org or call 802-556-3668

photograph of Inclusive Arts Vermont staff and board members outside in front of a brick wall in black t-shirts.
A photograph of Inclusive Arts Vermont staff and board members at the POP fundraiser outside in front of a brick wall in black t-shirts with a hot pink paint splatter design.

Board Members

Abbey Pratt

Abbey stands in front of a wall with blue and white wallpaper with tree branches and leaves in the pattern. Abbey has curly, shoulder length, brown hair, pale skin, and a bright smile. She's wearing a neutral polka dot top with a dangling metallic necklace with a large pendant.
Abbey stands in front of a wall with blue and white wallpaper with tree branches and leaves in the pattern. Abbey has curly, shoulder-length, brown hair, pale skin, and a bright smile. She’s wearing a neutral polka dot top with a dangling metallic necklace with a large pendant.

President (November 2021 – Present)
Member (June 2021 – Present)
Abbey writes “The work of Inclusive Arts Vermont is so important because everyone deserves to feel connection, and our communities are stronger when we celebrate everyone’s voice.  Dance has been the greatest gift in my life, and the arts have provided me with community and an outlet for personal expression that has formed my entire identity.  Having local, affordable dance opportunities in Vermont early on in my life was a huge privilege, and after spending eight years in California, I’m excited to be back in my home state to invest in the community that shaped me.”

Abbey studied Dance at UVM and has performed at the Flynn Theater, UVM’s Dancing Uphill, Tiffany Rhynard’s Everyone Can Dance, and competed with multiple dance companies in San Francisco.  She is a Burlington resident and works as a Sales Operations & Business Consultant with early-stage technology startups.

Kaitlyn Barr

A close-up portrait of Kaitlin. Kaitlin has long brown hair, pale skin, and is smiling with their head tilted to one side.  They are wearing a white shirt and behind them is lots of green foliage. 

Member (May 2022- present) 
Kaitlyn received her B.A. from the University of Vermont in Studio Art in 2010. After graduating and getting her Art Education Certification in grades K-12, she quickly fell into leading art classes for Vermonters of all ages. After several years of teaching, Kaitlyn caught the travel bug, and has yet to shake it loose. She has continued to dabble in teaching but has found her passion as a Graphic Designer.   As a board member of Inclusive Arts Vermont, she can stay connected to the artistic community of Vermont in a rewarding and meaningful way. She wants to promote the value in uplifting art-makers of all abilities. Kaitlyn currently lives in Burlington with her partner Mike, and their blue heeler puppy, Fable. 

Maya Kraus

A black and white headshot of Maya. Maya is Japanese-American with long brown hair, light skin, and is wearing a black tank top. She is smiling towards the camera and is in front of a grey background.
A black and white headshot of Maya.  Maya is Japanese-American with long brown hair, light skin, and is wearing a black tank top. She is smiling towards the camera and is in front of a grey background.

Member (February 2023 – present)
Maya Kraus (choreographer, educator, performer) received her BFA in Dance from Alvin Ailey Dance and Theatre School/Fordham University. Post-graduation, Maya danced, toured and taught with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in Fort Lee, NJ and FreeSpace Dance in Montclair, NJ. Shortly after, she danced and facilitated movement with Matheny Medical and Education Center in Peapack, NJ within their Arts Access program-a program borne of evidence-based research that continues to explore arts creation for differently-abled adults. In 2012 Maya became an Adjunct Professor of Dance in the Theatre Arts Department at Castleton University in Castleton, VT. While at Castleton U. she developed a Dance Minor in 2016, established Castleton Collaborative Arts and choreographed countless dance and theatre performances including Spring Awakening, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and My DNA – an autobiographical dance piece on growing up Japanese American in non-inclusive spaces.

In 2022, Maya taught at Skidmore College as a Lecturer and Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance where she designed and instructed courses in ballet, modern and hip-hop and choreographed an original work Senbazuru. She is currently choreographing Footloose the Musical with Fort Salem Theatre and teaching at the LiHigh School in Poultney, VT – where teens with developmental challenges thrive through alternative learning practices. Maya also serves as a Board Member for Inclusive Arts Vermont and dances with Stone Valley Arts Dance Collective. In 2022, Maya graduated from Goddard College with an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts and a concentration in Performance Creation. She lives in Poultney, VT on a bustling farm with her fabulous family.

Masha Harris

Masha stands in front of a flowering tree. She has light curly hair pulled back, pale, skin, and smiles softly at the camera. Masha wears a blue floral short-sleeved shirt.
Masha stands in front of a flowering tree. She has light curly hair pulled back, pale skin, and smiles softly at the camera. Masha wears a blue floral short-sleeved shirt.

Secretary (July 2022-present) Member (February 2022 – Present)
Masha Harris has first-hand experience of the importance of the arts in the lives of people with disabilities, through both her profession and her own lived experience. When she learned about Inclusive Arts Vermont’s mission, she immediately knew she had to get involved. She looks forward to the wealth of learning opportunities that will come with serving on the board, and to working hard to spark creativity in the lives of those around her.

Masha has a BA in Creative Writing and Translation Studies from Marlboro College and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from Kent State University. She currently works at Counseling Service of Addison County. In her free time she enjoys art of all kinds, writing, volunteer work, and snuggling with her dachshund, Lemon.

Kassandra Kohler

Kassandra is photographed in front of green foliage, with little peaks of yellow and pink flowers behind her. Kassandra wears glasses, has pale skin, and a blonde bob swept to the side. She smiles brightly at the camera. She wears a black blazer over a printed blue shirt.
Kassandra is photographed in front of green foliage, with little peaks of yellow and pink flowers behind her. Kassandra wears glasses, has pale skin, and a blonde bob swept to the side. She smiles brightly at the camera. She wears a black blazer over a printed blue shirt.

Treasurer (December 2022-present) Member (February 2022 – Present)
Kassandra shares that the “Arts are connected to almost all my favorite memories growing up and now with my children. It’s important to me that all individuals have the same access to arts to create their own memories, expression, and gain fulfillment. I am excited to be able to support this at Inclusive Arts Vermont.”

Kassandra is an accounting and audit professional with experience in banking and Farm Credit cooperatives, which provide financing to those who support rural communities and agriculture. She holds a BS in Accounting from Saint Michael’s College, an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University, and is a Certified Internal Auditor. She grew up in central Vermont and now lives in Essex with her family.

Samantha Zimmer

Member (January 2023 – present)
Sam Zimmer (she/her) is an educator, nature nerd, and lover of creative expression. Sam has a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Fordham University and a dual MA in Childhood Special and General Education from Bank Street College of Education. Sam loved being a classroom teacher for 4th and 5th graders for many years (general and special education). She has also enjoyed working with kids of all ages in non-traditional settings, especially outside as an environmental educator! Her passions include
increasing access to the arts and the natural world and disability / racial / environmental justice. Everything is connected! She is the founder and host of the podcast Earth, Wind, and Water: We Will be Ancestors and currently works for an arts nonprofit as an Education Program Coordinator.

As a member of an art collective that explored the intersection of creative play and liberation throughout her twenties–Sam is so excited to work with the Inclusive Arts Vermont team and community as a board member. To cultivate communities of care and sense of belonging, Sam loves building and showing up for and with community, near and far. A native New Yorker, Sam is a both a city and country creature whose heart stretches from the pulse of Providence block parties to the white noise of water streaming down backcountry mountains. Her ADHD has her constantly seeking thrills and calm through hiking & camping, gardening, moving her body, making art with recycled materials, and playing music with others on her fiddle and cello. In her spare time, she is slowly learning to become a luthier.