the purpose

Executive Director - Danielle Festa

Danielle has been painting hyper-realist portraits with mixed media fabric elements since graduating with a BFA from UMASS Amherst in 2007. Festa began painting her cousin who opened up about experiencing childhood incest. What started as a cathartic expression of personal pain and observed strength emerging from her cousin has evolved into a full fledged project. She is honored to create and give portraits to individuals that trust her to reflect back the resilience she sees. Textile plays an important role in the survivor paintings as it represents the choice each survivor makes to portray their own empowerment. In addition to painting the portraits and spearheading the community programming, Danielle has a background in graphic design and web design that enables her to run a full range of operations for the organization. Listen to a podcast Danielle was featured on here.

Katherine O'Dea - President

Katherine is a retired non-profit executive who served multiple sustainability and conservation organizations over a rewarding 30 year career. She is still an active strategy and management consultant focusing on non-profit leadership, fundraising, and conservation as well as corporate sustainability and the circular economy. Katherine now spends her free days doing the things she loves most - drawing, painting, cooking, swimming, kayaking, hiking, and/or gardening - depending on the season. Katherine is a proud and strong survivor of anorexia and finds fulfillment in helping others recovering from psychological trauma. She lives by the wisdom of The Little Prince, her passion for philosophical discovery, and the exploration of "why."

David Gibson - Vice President

David is a Sales Engineer at an internet security company and an artist. He grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts and travels the world in his spare time. David came to art late in life and began painting as part of a creative outlet about 7 years ago. He understands the importance of art as therapy and is excited to join the Aplomb Project and help survivors through the many courses and projects we run.

Megan Witter - Secretary

Megan is a local 4 Elevator Constructor Apprentice. She has a BA in Fashion Design and loves to sew. She enjoys volunteering at various organizations around the Boston area. She is an active member of her community in Revere where she coordinates and participates in clean ups in her neighborhood. Her previous work as a food pantry coordinator in Revere gave her the incredible opportunity to help her community members and their families at their most vulnerable time. She enjoys traveling the world with her husband, growing food in their garden, eating spicy foods from different cultures, composting, biking, rollerblading, and lending a hand to anyone she meets. She is looking forward to being a productive board member at The Aplomb Project and seeing the organization thrive!

Sarah Brown - Treasurer

Sarah Brown is Aplomb Project’s Treasurer. She does commercial banking for multinational corporations and holds an MBA and MS Finance from Northeastern University. Her undergraduate studies were in psychology and French and she has previously lived in Senegal, France and South Africa.

Hope Anderson - Board Member

Hope Anderson is the Tourism Manager at the Greater Portsmouth Chamber Collaborative. Prior to working for the Greater Portsmouth Chamber Collaborative, Hope was the Community Events Manager for the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce where she found her love of working for and with the communities she spends time in. Hope finds joy in helping others around her. Originally from Uxbridge, Massachusetts, Hope graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Recreational Management & Policy; Program and Event Management and fell in love with the Seacoast. She has been here since! Hope currently lives in Portsmouth NH, and loves walking around town, going to the farmers market, participating in local events, and spending time on Lake Winnipesaukee with her fiancé.

Carson Jackson - Board Member

Carson Jackson is a contemporary visual artist deeply influenced by his personal journey and heritage. His background in interventional radiology gives him a unique perspective on healing and the power of art to communicate human suffering and emotions. Carson's experiences in healthcare, particularly in saving lives during major neurological emergencies like strokes, combined with his travels and residence in Central America and other parts of the world, have profoundly shaped his artistic approach. As the son of a Cuban refugee, Carson's art reflects themes of resilience, freedom, and the human spirit. His paintings serve as an outlet for expressing his understanding of life's fragility and strength, aiming to offer tools for profound healing through art. Carson's commitment to using art as a medium for healing and expression aligns perfectly with The Aplomb Project's mission, where he aims to contribute to the project's ongoing efforts to uplift trauma survivors and promote creative healing.

Sravya K - Board Member

Sravya is a previous portrait recipient and current board member for The Aplomb Project. She is a data scientist who is currently obtaining her master’s in the field, and she has a bachelor’s in economics, Japanese, and computer science. She enjoys combining her interest in technology with a love of arts and crafts to make various mixed media creations.

In her free time, you can find her crafting, singing, or reading. Her preferred craft is crochet, her favorite song to sing is Susan Boyle’s “I Dreamed a Dream”, and her top three books are The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, and The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. She lives with her partner and two dogs that she loves with all her heart.

Jai Mitchell - Board Member

Jai is an internationally shown artist and survivor of childhood sexual abuse. He is proud to be a part of this project and hopes to inspire others by bringing his creative perspective.

Susanne Preble - Board Member

Susanne is a COO and Operations Manager for several thriving companies across the country. She holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and has worked in Digital Marketing and Project Management. She enjoys all that the Seacoast of New Hampshire offers, from evenings on the beach to hiking in the mountains with her family. Susanne is a survivor of child sexual abuse who, through the support of her amazing family and cousin Danielle, has found her voice to help others through the Aplomb Project. A life long equestrian, she has found solitude and strength through her time spent with horses.