Staff Archive - Pittsburgh Glass Center
Source: https://www.pittsburghglasscenter.org/staff
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:35
Staff Archive - Pittsburgh Glass Center
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Staff
Heather McElwee
Randi & L. Van V. Dauler, Jr. Executive Director
Chris Clarke
Director of Operations
Sylvia Altman
Technical Apprentice
Gene Anderson
Bookkeeper
Valerie Bundy
Program Director
Sophia Corona
Front Desk Associate
Lisa Demagall
Part-Time Instructor
Rebecca DeStefano CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Leo Fine
Studio Technician
Melissa Fitzgerald
Flame Studio Manager
Calli Friedman
Technical Apprentice
Michael Gnad
Part-Time Instructor
Dilann Harris
Youth and Community Programs Coordinator
Morgan Hawkins
Design & New Media Manager
Janet Hayes
Front Desk Associate
William Haynes
Director of Studios
Paige Ilkhanipour
Marketing Director
Theresa Jorgensen
Hot & Cold Glass Manager
Claudia Kaiser
Technical Apprentice
Naz Khoury
Technical Apprentice
AK Kurtz
Registrar
Justin Lin
Art Handler
Chiara Lutz
Technical Apprentice
Ashley McFarland
Exhibitions Coordinator
Roswell McNutt
Renter Relations + Fab Lab Coordinator
Drue Miller
Visitor Services Coordinator + Part-Time Instructor
Olivia Narciso
Donor Relations Manager
Alex Neal
Kiln Studio Assistant, Instructor
Lyla Nelson
Part-Time Instructor
Rachel Niederberger
Deputy Director
Olivia Ruth
Technical Apprentice
Brenden Roumaya
Technical Apprentice
Beyvan Schantz
Part-Time Instructor
Cecilia Sherwood
Director of Retail and Creative Commissions
Becky Smith
Hospitality & Kiln Shop Manager
Rachael Strittmatter
Groups and Events Coordinator
Jennifer Swartzwelder
Accountant + Administration Manager
Hot Shop Activities
With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to transform 2,000°F molten glass into a unique glass artwork. Sculpted items will be manipulated and shaped with various metal hand tools. Blown items will be inflated via a flexible tube attached to a blow pipe. The Hot Shop, as the name might suggest, can get warm at times, particularly during summer months. That being said, the activity will only take about 10-15 minutes per person so you won’t be warm for long. We encourage our guests to wear lighter, natural material clothing for safety and comfort. Visitors are welcome to bring water bottles and a water fountain/filling station is available. These activities will involves sitting, standing, and walking around. Suitable for ages 5 and up.
Kiln Shop Fusing Activities
Combine brilliantly colored pieces of glass granules and thin glass strands to create a one-of-a-kind luminous fused glass artwork. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so that all pieces become one. Participants will work seated in our climate-controlled Classroom and with room temperature pieces of glass. You will begin with a glass tile that acts as your “canvas,” then arrange the colorful glass granules and thin glass strands into a design of your choosing. Once the designs are complete, suncatchers are placed in a kiln overnight to melt (fuse) together forever. Suitable for ages 5 and up.
Flame Shop Activities
With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to use tools and a tabletop torch to melt and manipulate glass rods and transform them into truly one-of-a-kind objects. These activities take place in our climate controlled Flame Shop, which involves working with a flame, but is not nearly as warm as our Hot Shop. Participants will be sitting at a workstation, making this option slightly more accessible and less physically demanding. Suitable for ages 8 and up.
ARTISTS
EDUCATORS
SHOP
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Skip to content
Staff
Heather McElwee
Randi & L. Van V. Dauler, Jr. Executive Director
Chris Clarke
Director of Operations
Sylvia Altman
Technical Apprentice
Gene Anderson
Bookkeeper
Valerie Bundy
Program Director
Sophia Corona
Front Desk Associate
Lisa Demagall
Part-Time Instructor
Rebecca DeStefano CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Leo Fine
Studio Technician
Melissa Fitzgerald
Flame Studio Manager
Calli Friedman
Technical Apprentice
Michael Gnad
Part-Time Instructor
Dilann Harris
Youth and Community Programs Coordinator
Morgan Hawkins
Design & New Media Manager
Janet Hayes
Front Desk Associate
William Haynes
Director of Studios
Paige Ilkhanipour
Marketing Director
Theresa Jorgensen
Hot & Cold Glass Manager
Claudia Kaiser
Technical Apprentice
Naz Khoury
Technical Apprentice
AK Kurtz
Registrar
Justin Lin
Art Handler
Chiara Lutz
Technical Apprentice
Ashley McFarland
Exhibitions Coordinator
Roswell McNutt
Renter Relations + Fab Lab Coordinator
Drue Miller
Visitor Services Coordinator + Part-Time Instructor
Olivia Narciso
Donor Relations Manager
Alex Neal
Kiln Studio Assistant, Instructor
Lyla Nelson
Part-Time Instructor
Rachel Niederberger
Deputy Director
Olivia Ruth
Technical Apprentice
Brenden Roumaya
Technical Apprentice
Beyvan Schantz
Part-Time Instructor
Cecilia Sherwood
Director of Retail and Creative Commissions
Becky Smith
Hospitality & Kiln Shop Manager
Rachael Strittmatter
Groups and Events Coordinator
Jennifer Swartzwelder
Accountant + Administration Manager
Hot Shop Activities
With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to transform 2,000°F molten glass into a unique glass artwork. Sculpted items will be manipulated and shaped with various metal hand tools. Blown items will be inflated via a flexible tube attached to a blow pipe. The Hot Shop, as the name might suggest, can get warm at times, particularly during summer months. That being said, the activity will only take about 10-15 minutes per person so you won’t be warm for long. We encourage our guests to wear lighter, natural material clothing for safety and comfort. Visitors are welcome to bring water bottles and a water fountain/filling station is available. These activities will involves sitting, standing, and walking around. Suitable for ages 5 and up.
Kiln Shop Fusing Activities
Combine brilliantly colored pieces of glass granules and thin glass strands to create a one-of-a-kind luminous fused glass artwork. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so that all pieces become one. Participants will work seated in our climate-controlled Classroom and with room temperature pieces of glass. You will begin with a glass tile that acts as your “canvas,” then arrange the colorful glass granules and thin glass strands into a design of your choosing. Once the designs are complete, suncatchers are placed in a kiln overnight to melt (fuse) together forever. Suitable for ages 5 and up.
Flame Shop Activities
With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to use tools and a tabletop torch to melt and manipulate glass rods and transform them into truly one-of-a-kind objects. These activities take place in our climate controlled Flame Shop, which involves working with a flame, but is not nearly as warm as our Hot Shop. Participants will be sitting at a workstation, making this option slightly more accessible and less physically demanding. Suitable for ages 8 and up.
ARTISTS
EDUCATORS
SHOP
JOIN & GIVE
DONATE NOW