AIP Board of Directors
Johanna has been named Long Beach Herald's Person of the Year for 2022. She has been recognized for her professional and community involvement by a number of organizations and publications including: The Long Beach Herald Woman of the Year and “Celebrating Local Heroes” supplement; Community Endeavor Awards from the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce; Citizen of the Year by the Kiwanis Club; Long Island Woman of Distinction; Long Beach High School Wall of Fame inductee and recipient of the 2013 Long Beach Latino Civic Association ART and Culture award.
JOHANNA MATHIESON-ELLMER, M.S. Ed., SAS, SDA
SUSAN LANG JAMES
SUSAN LANG JAMES is the owner of the Shaklee Wellness Center for over 40 years creating healthier lives through products in harmony with nature.
She is also a producer/director/actress/singer (Ensemble Arts : Entertainment thru Enlightenmen having created shows for the American Theatre Wing and the USO as well as performing in regional theatre, off and on-Broadway. She is the Founding Director of AIP and currently resides in Williamsburg, Virginia.
MICHAEL JANIN
MICHAEL JANIN has spent his career in sales, management and as a pre-licensing instructor in the insurance industry. He is a resident of Long Beach as well as a member of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (M.A.C). He describes himself as a long time supporter of the arts as well as a "professional audience member". He has traveled to all 50 states and Europe to enjoy various cultural and musical events. He recently returned from a week in Cuba, where he attended the Havana International Jazz Festival. He is especially proud of his role as Musical Director of Meredith's Puppet Theater, a production of his then seven-year-old daughter that ran in his living room but closed after one performance despite the family's rave reviews.
ANISSA MOORE
ANISSA MOORE, a native of Flatbush, Brooklyn, is an educator, social activist, playwright, and poet. She is currently Nassau County's Deputy County Executive for Health and Human Services. Anissa was previously a full-time member of the Communications Faculty and holds the rank of Full Professor at Nassau Community College, State University of New York. She has successfully integrated the arts into her curriculum to promote social justice. Anissa Moore became the first African American woman elected to the Long Beach City Council in 2015.
HONORARY AIP MEMBERS
Tedd Firth,
Jazz Pianist and Musical Director
Denise Ford,
Nassau County Legislator
Rob Lester,
Cabaret Critic.
Harvey Weisenberg,
former NY State Assemblyman
Joseph Smith,
Executive Director of Long Beach Reach
George Trepp,
Former Director of Long Beach Library
ADVISORY BOARD
LISA ENGELLIS
LISA ENGELLIS has been producing, directing, choreographing and performing theatre for over 25 years. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Long Island University, Lisa holds a BS in Education and a BA in Theatre. She is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild having appeared in multiple movies, television series, and commercials throughout her career.
KIM GORDON
Kim Gordon is a native of Long Beach, New York. She earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Kim is the Founder of Artwhirl Arts, a curatorial platform for New Contemporary Art, former owner of Artwhirl Gallery, Founder of home company Gordon Craftworks, and working fine artist for 20+ years, featured worldwide in art exhibitions and publications.
MADDY LEVI
MADDY LEVI is a licensed, freelance tour guide who specializes in walking tours of historic New York City districts and neighborhoods. She is the former Director of Cultural & Fine Arts for the Friedberg JCC, and prior to the birth of her son, spent many years in the entertainment industry as the Manager of Radio City Music Hall's venue tours. Maddy currently resides in Long Beach and is passionate about the arts.
LAURA O'SHAUNESSY-SWAN
is a Long Beach, NY barrier-island native and a mother of two grown sons. She holds a Masters in Art from Teacher’s College, Columbia University and is an esteemed Art teacher at Long Beach School Distinct for three decades. Her leadership as an environment “artivist” has triggered important changes for her community. She and her community hold the Guinness World record for the world’s longest continuous line of surf boards (2016). She founded www.StewardsoftheSea.com and they are currently creating their second marine-debris sculpture for The Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center’s LBNY International Coastal Clean Up.
Former ADVISORY BOARD
JUDITH ALBERTS
Judith Alberts is a former printmaker who discovered photography as her best medium for manipulating light and imagery for expression. Trained in classic methods of black-and-white image capture and darkroom techniques, she spent much of her career in the educational and marketing aspects of professional photography. Now living in Le Roy, New York Judith focuses her digital camera on the butterflies that she raises, and also serves as Board Chair of the Williamsburg Botanical Garden.
CHRIS GANIM
Chris is the owner of Ready Set Studios, a website and marketing development company offering multiple services. He is also an independent solo artist from Long Island, New York. His music has been featured in movies, on radio stations and TV series.
ROSA MARIA GOELLER
ROSA MARIA GOELLER is a painter that was classically trained in Europe, where she concentrated on religious icons. When Mrs. Goeller moved to Long Beach, she became a Sunday painter and, due to motherhood, became an active member of the Long Beach Art League and co-founded The Artist Mothers Group. She has taught cultural art workshops at the Long Beach Schools, the Long Beach Public Library, and other similar venues
HOWIE HABER
HOWIE HABER is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. A founding member of the
band Breakaway, he is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame.
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DEBORAH MISIAG
DEBORAH MISIAG is a retired educator now living in Williamsburg, Virginia. She served as the President of the Maryland Multicultural Coalition for eighteen years and is currently on the Board of the William & Mary Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and chairs a genealogy group in Williamsburg. She continues to teach graduate school courses at McDaniel College in Maryland. Her love of performing arts and humanities began when she was in high school participating in the chorus and as a dancer.