Our Team

Brandon H. Allen has been with ZUMIX since 2012, teaching private voice lessons and the Voces Ensemble. He is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, arranger and music educator living and working in the Greater Boston area. With a starting foundation in gospel music growing up in church, Brandon went on to study classical and Negro spirituals, touring with The Boys Choir Of Harlem while still in middle school. There, he got to perform alongside greats like Kathleen Battle and Aretha Franklin. In high school, he performed alongside Whitney Houston on Good Morning America with the Talent Unlimited Chorus before moving to Texas and earning the 1st Chair Bass 2 position in the TMEA competition, earning him several scholarships to study classical music and opera. While studying opera, he realized his passion was contemporary music (songwriting, production and business) and transferred to Berklee College of Music. There, he performed with Bootsy Collins, Patrice Rushen, Michael McDonald, the late John Blackwell Jr., Bobby McFerrin and many others while earning his degree in music business. Along with teaching at ZUMIX, Brandon is a lead singer with Honey Train Music Services (Weddings & Corporate) , a worship team musician with New Roads Catholic Community, music director for the upcoming new hybrid film and musical stage play “Donuts and Stardust”, and is working on his first solo EP. His cover rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings” was used by Miss Massachusetts Elizabeth Pierre in December 2021 for the talent portion of the Miss America 2022 competition.

Esther joined the ZUMIX community in April 2022. Music was at the center of her childhood, and she taught herself multiple instruments. Esther received her MA in International Relations and International Communications from Boston University in 2016. She completed the Institute for Nonprofit Management's Core Certificate Program in 2024. She was a teacher in Ethiopia with the Peace Corps and an ESL teacher in Boston's Chinatown.  Since moving back to the U.S., she has been working in fundraising in the nonprofit and higher education sector. She is thrilled at the chance to merge her love for music, education and fundraising.

Christian Baquerizo is a dedicated music educator, drummer, and multi-instrumentalist, as well as a Berklee College of Music graduate based in Boston. With a strong foundation in performance and teaching, Christian brings a wealth of experience and passion to his work, inspiring students to explore and develop their musical potential. As a drummer, Christian’s expertise spans a wide range of styles, reflecting his versatility and deep love for rhythm. His ability to adapt across instruments and genres enriches his teaching, allowing him to connect with students of all backgrounds and skill levels. Christian’s approach is centered on creating an engaging and supportive environment, tailoring lessons to meet the unique needs and goals of each student. Whether guiding beginners through foundational skills or helping advanced players refine their craft, Christian strives to instill confidence and a lifelong appreciation for music in all his students.

Angelina Botticelli is a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter from East Boston, who grew up coming to ZUMIX from the age of seven. In 2023, she received her bachelor's degree in music on a full tuition City Music Scholarship from Berklee College of Music, where she studied Music Business/Entrepreneurship with a focus on Vocal Performance. For Angelina, everything comes from a place of inspiring self-love, joy, imaginative thinking, and playfulness. She teaches private singing lessons to youth and teens that empower them to be musical storytellers, prioritize vocal wellness, and educates them on career development in the music industry. As the ensemble director for ZUMIX’s rock ensemble, Pop Rocks, she coaches students on learning instrument parts, performance readiness, and finding opportunities for artistic development in the local music and arts scene. She's also often checking in with them about mental health and interests outside of music, acting as a support system and resource to help them reach their goals. She creates an environment for her students to have fun while they learn and a safe space for artistic expression.

Alyssa joined ZUMIX as Senior Director of Advancement in October 2023. After more than 16 years in various roles on the development team at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Alyssa is thrilled to bring her skills and experience with fundraising, events and community partnerships to ZUMIX. She lives in East Boston and is looking forward to being more actively engaged in the community through ZUMIX. Alyssa holds a bachelor’s degree from Providence College.

Brian Burke is a Boston-born singer/songwriter, artist, carpenter, and longtime friend and admirer of ZUMIX. Brian joined the ZUMIX team in Spring 2022 as events coordinator in charge of our annual Summer Concert Series and other events.

Steve Chandy began his journey into songwriting and musicianship as a way to process trauma, mental health, and the world around him. His artistic path started as a street busker in Philadelphia, where he collaborated with organizations to provide music education in communities that had lost their school music programs. Seven years ago, Chandy relocated to Boston, where he helped manage a music school and performed as a songwriter under the name "Barefoot Chandy." You might also often see him at local protests, with a drum or guitar in hand. Chandy is committed to making music education accessible to all ages, using it as a medium for self-expression, personal storytelling, and social justice advocacy. He believes in the power of music as a tool for resistance and community building.

Jamie Cohen - dad, DJ and sound guy - brings more than 40 years of live sound experience to the ZUMIX Z-TECH team. From a young age, Jamie has been fascinated with music and the effect it has on all of us. He got his start in the audio world interning at noted Boston studio Downtown Recorders, working with local and Boston-based national musicians. From there, Jamie was drawn to live sound and the immediacy of an in-person musical experience. Over the last 40 years, Jamie has worked with many local, national and international bands, as well as spending three years as the house sound engineer for the Boston production of Blue Man Group. Jamie also spent 20 years in the corporate world, working at famed audio company Lexicon and later at Extech/FLIR, managing technical support, customer service and technical training. In 2019, Jamie started his own sound reinforcement company, at the same time becoming a mentor at ZUMIX. In 2022, he stepped into the A/V Coordinator position, where he has found his happy place.

A guitarist, pianist, bass player, composer, arranger, instructor and administrator, Leo holds a B.A. in music (summa cum laude) from the University of Massachusetts. He is a Berklee College alumnus and an instructor and performer in New England since 1995. Leo has shared the stage with some of the finest musicians in the area, including Patrice Williamson, Rusty Scott, Nick Grondin, Dan Fox, Fernando Huergo, and jazz-fusion superstars T-Lavitz and Steve Hunt. He has opened concerts for Sting, Kool and the Gang, and Eddie Vedder as musical director for ZUMIX’s DiverCity Band and also co-produced their self-titled debut album. Leo holds a professional teacher license in the state of Massachusetts and is currently a teaching artist for ODA, CCISJ and Brooke High School. He speaks three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Alliyah joined ZUMIX at age 11 in 2014, through a dance program called Con La Corriente. She returned in 2020, when she became a member of the ZUMIX Teen Council and participant turned co-facilitator of Z Black Box. Later on, she found joy in radio programming as a Live On Air! Participant and served as the summer 2022 ZUMIX Radio Intern. Alliyah credits her time in ZUMIX’s programs for expanding her creative skill set and leadership qualities. She believes that the arts are a powerful tool, especially when used to ask meaningful questions and give platforms to underrepresented people and their stories. Alliyah is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree and hopes to combine her passion for the arts and mental health in the future.

Marlene del Rosario is a composer, vocalist and pianist. She has performed for international and national audiences, in private functions for former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Menino and MA senators, and for Philippine ex-presidents Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Thailand's Princess Chulabhorn. Her bands include The Marlene Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Breeze, and The Brazilian Project. Marlene is a regular in the local jazz circuit and has performed for New England special events such as Boston Harbor Hotel’s Boston Sail and summer concerts and holiday jazz brunches, Fairmont Copley’s Bacchanale dinner and wine series and New Year’s Eve galas at Chatham Bars Inn.  Concert performances abroad include France, Peru and the 2008 Philippine International Jazz festival.  Local concerts include the 2017 Arlington Jazz Festival, Boston Arts Festivals and summer series in Chestnut Hill, Dedham and Framingham.  Her albums, “LIVE with a Little Help From Her Friends,” and “Crying Days,” are available on all major streaming services. Marlene is also a culinary educator and founder of The Refined Cook, and writer/podcaster for Cooking Subversive on Substack. www.marlenemusic.net

Corey DePina is an accomplished rapper, a skilled workshop and program facilitator, and a longtime participant in ZUMIX programs. He has done workshops on the history of hip-hop, creative writing and Performance at numerous city-wide agencies. Corey’s professional career outside of academia includes serving on the committee and hosting Critical Breakdown, Boston’s largest and longest-running all-ages open mic event. He also has considerable experience as a freelance facilitator for local and national nonprofits, schools and community centers. Corey was influential in helping ZUMIX develop its award-winning curriculum, which was nationally recognized by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities in 2011. In 2015, Corey completed The Institute for Nonprofit Management certificate program at Boston University. In 2019, he was a recipient of the 2019 Institute for Nonprofit Management Change Maker Award. In 2020, Corey Founded the FOGO Project and was a recipient of the 2020 State House Black Excellence on the Hill award.

Rene Dongo, Director of Creative Media and Technology, joined ZUMIX in 2017. As a filmmaker, media maker and teaching artist, he has found the intersection of community and youth arts education to be a pivotal step to helping young people grow and find their voice in the communities where they live and learn. At ZUMIX, he works to support community and youth-produced radio programming. Outside of ZUMIX, Rene has worked as a teaching artist for the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston and The Urbano Project. His first teaching artist project focused on crafting radio pieces centered on spoken word poetry inspired by the community of Egleston Square. He is a graduate of Emerson College and continues creating work inspired by community perspectives and personal storytelling.

Kathy Franklin joined the ZUMIX team in Summer 2024, after five years at the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health. She previously spent 10 years at MagiQ Technologies as their business manager. Kathy is a certified yoga instructor and the mother of two grown sons.

Sebastian is a Chilean jazz guitarist, composer, and educator based in Boston. Between 2006 and 2007, he won national guitar competitions in Chile. In 2012, he graduated in composition from the Modern School of Music in Santiago, Chile. At the Modern School, he was also a professor and taught courses such as History of Music, Guitar, Counterpoint, and Music Theory, among others. Sebastián has played in important international jazz festivals such as the Panama Jazz Festival, Chile Jazz for la Paz, Chileuropa Jazz Festival, and the Las Condes International Festival, among others. In 2021, he graduated with a degree in Jazz Performance and Composition from Berklee College of Music. In 2022, he earned his master's degree in Contemporary Performance (Global Jazz Concentration) from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. At Berklee, he has studied with world-class jazz players such as Tim Miller, Mick Goodrick, Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, John Patitucci, Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ben Street, Chico Pinheiro, and Marco Pignataro, among others.

Katie joined the ZUMIX team in June 2021, two years after moving to East Boston. She previously worked in higher education for 15 years, doing communications work at Berklee College of Music, Emerson College and Harvard University. She is a singer and believes in the power of music to shape individuals and communities. Outside of work, Katie is an avid runner and cyclist, a flower fiend, a bookworm (and book reviewer), and a proud Texas transplant to Boston.

Tiffany Lee is a visual artist, a graduate student pursuing Library Science, and a resident of East Boston. Some of her career highlights include publication in the 34th Annual for American Illustration in 2015, speaking on a panel about family and cultural literacy and storytelling at the 2023 American Librarians Association (ALA) Annual Conference, and jurying for the 2024 APA Lit Award for adult fiction.

Chris Lee-Rodriguez is a musician, songwriter, and educator. He graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music with a B.M. degree in music education and is currently working on his M.M. in music education at Boston University. While at Berklee, Chris studied under world-class jazz musicians, including David Gilmore, Freddy Bryant, and Marcello Pellitteri. During his time at BU so far, he has studied with renowned music education scholars, including Andre deQuadros and Kelly Byllica. Chris has spent the past eight years teaching music in the nonprofit and public sectors in Massachusetts and New York. Some of these organizations include Highbridge Voices in the Bronx, and Midori & Friends in Harlem. He currently is a teaching artist both at ZUMIX, where he teaches ukulele, private guitar and bass lessons and two ensembles, as well as in the Brookline School District, where he teaches guitar/ukulele, music production, and fourth-grade instrumental classes. He has also received grants to study Brazilian music under musicians such as Pedro Martins, Michael Pipoquinho, and Kapital, as well as flamenco music in Spain with Jorge el Pisao. In addition to teaching, Chris also tours nationally and internationally performing with his band, Really From, which released its third critically acclaimed album in March 2021. Really From’s music has been featured in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and WBUR. His philosophy as a musician and an educator is that teaching music is the ultimate tool for social change and development because it gives students the opportunity to build community, express themselves, and change the world around them.

Stefanie joined the ZUMIX team in the summer of 2022. She is an active composer who has been commissioned and written pieces for many local ensembles and musicians, including New Gallery Concert Series, Transient Canvas, the opera company Strange Trace, and guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan. Stefanie received her BA in Music and Technology and Guitar Performance at Connecticut College in New London, CT, her masters in composition from New England Conservatory, and her doctorate from Boston University. Stefanie is also the recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council Music Composition Finalist Grant for 2015.

Laura Macias received her Bachelor's in Music Composition and Theory from the Petrie School of Music at Converse College and her Master's in Music Composition from the Longy School of Music, where she was awarded the Nadia Boulanger scholarship. In 2005, she was selected to be part of the European American Music Alliance, where she was awarded a scholarship to study composition at L'Ecole Normale in Paris, France. In 2008, she completed the Kodaly Music Training at the New England Conservatory. Laura is an active composer in the Boston area. Her musical catalog includes compositions for chamber orchestra, art songs, chamber music and incidental music for the theatre. Laura was selected as a composer to participate in the 2011 Vancouver International Art Song Institute. Her music was also recently featured in concerts given by the Boston New Music Initiative ensemble. Besides writing art music, Laura enjoys working with children. Laura has been working to map a path for our youngest members to actively participate in group programs and to increase and deepen their involvement as they grow. She has a strong belief in developing music fundamentals, and her youthful personality makes learning fun.

Paola Cossermelli Messina joined ZUMIX in 2026 and, as Radio Program Coordinator, supports youth-produced radio programming at ZUMIX Radio, 94.9FM. Her previous experience as Project Manager at Sound Thinking NYC and as a mentor for young writers, musicians, and media makers deepened her commitment to arts education initiatives that give young people the space and tools to share their stories, express themselves creatively, and connect with their communities. While earning her M.A. in Sound Studies (The New School) and Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology (Columbia University), Paola received grants and fellowships to conduct an oral history of Iranian musicians, research Arab music in Brazil, and produce radio plays by Palestinian playwrights. Outside of academia, she has worn many audio-flavored hats – previously as a radio producer in her home country of Brazil and a film sound designer – and remains an avid bassist.

Miguel Morales is a composer and arranger from Lima, Peru, with a passion for blending Peruvian and Latin music with contemporary techniques and styles. He studied Jazz Composition at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), where he wrote arrangements for the Peruvian Music Ensemble and its Polyphonic Choir. Miguel’s work includes composing the song “Tiempo” for the first recording produced by UPC, Peru, Un Sonido (2019). At Berklee College of Music, Miguel continued to develop his unique musical style, merging his cultural roots with advanced music knowledge. Throughout his time at Berklee, he arranged and conducted pieces for the Berklee Performance Center and served as a leader and ambassador for the Latin American Association of Berklee Students. Miguel also has had the opportunity to share stage and arrange for artists like Tony Succar, Franchezka Olazabal, Milena Warthon, Eguie Castrillo and Gilberto Santa Rosa, experiences that shaped his evolving career as a composer, music director and as a guitarist. Now based in Boston, Miguel serves the East Boston community as a music educator, combining his teaching experience and musicianship to create an engaging, positive atmosphere in the classroom. His philosophy is simple: “Music is a means of communication, and our voice is waiting for us to be heard. Let’s make it sound!”

Ben Paulding is an American percussionist who extensively lived in Kumasi, Ghana, where he had over 200 performances with the Centre for National Culture and the Nsuase Kete Group. An active performing musician, he currently plays drums/percussion in Kotoko Brass, Air Congo, the Agbekor Drum and Dance Society, and the Ahenema Cultural Group (NYC). Ben teaches music at Brandeis University, Inspire Arts and Music, and Zumix, and is a member of the Vic Firth Education Team. His recent publications include the article “Meter, Feel, and Phrasing in West African Bell Patterns” in African Music (2017), the book chapter “Kete for the International Percussion Community” in Discourses in African Musicology: J.H. Kwabena Nketia Festschrift (U. of Michigan & U. of Ghana, 2015), and the article “Kete for Drumset: Left-Foot Bell Approach” in Rhythm! Scene (2014). Recent conference presentations include Percussive Arts Society International Convention (2015), Analytical Approaches to World Music (2016), and Northeastern Chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology (2017). Ben holds his MA in Ethnomusicology from Tufts University, where he studied with David Locke and Attah Poku, and his BA in World Music from UMASS Dartmouth, where he trained with Royal Hartigan and Kwabena Boateng.

Brian Paulding is a trombone player, music educator, and composer living in Malden, Mass. He is an internationally touring musician and a cofounder and trombone player of Kotoko Brass, a West African dance band described by The Boston Globe as “propulsive, infectious party music.” Brian is the brass instructor and Latin Ensemble director at ZUMIX, and is pursuing a M.A. in music education at Longy School of Music. As a multi-instrumentalist and composer, Brian has composed, performed, and recorded more than 10 albums. His soundscapes and compositions have been featured in NPR’s Invisibilia podcast and Boston’s Illuminus Festival.

Forrest Pettengill is a Boston-area bassist, producer, and music educator. He joined the ZUMIX team in 2023.

Jacob Pettigrew is the Instrumental Music Coordinator at ZUMIX. He is a lifelong musician, with passions ranging from engineering to powerlifting to community organizing. He started working with ZUMIX as a volunteer with Rock Ed in early 2025. Jake is an aspiring music educator with a passion for improvisation and increasing accessibility in music. He is so excited to be working with a school that shares his vision and philosophy, and he hopes to contribute meaningfully to ZUMIX's mission.

Madeleine Steczynski, Co-Founder and Executive Director, is an East Boston resident. She founded ZUMIX in 1991 in response to the worst year of violence in the City of Boston's history. Together with ZUMIX's Board of Directors and Youth Advisory Board, she has grown ZUMIX from a kitchen table project into a vital East Boston community institution that serves over 1,000 youth per year. As an advocate for the arts, Madeleine served on the Executive Committee for East Boston Healthy Boston Coalition; was one of the founding members of Cultural Connections, a three-year effort to integrate arts as part of a Sustainable Community initiative funded by The PEW Charitable Trust; and served as an Artistic Fellow for The Boston Foundation’s Arts and Audiences Initiative. She also served for three years as a Cultural Fellow for the New England Foundation for the Arts Building Communities through Culture Initiative, and as a Community Fellow for Eureka Communities Boston. In 2006, ZUMIX was chosen as a Social Innovator for the Social Innovation Forum at MIT, the same year Madeleine was chosen by the East Boston Times-Free Press as East Boston’s Woman of the Year. In 2007, Madeleine was nominated and participated in the Salzburg Global Seminar's Cultural Institutions Without Borders seminar in Austria; received the Canyon Ranch Be the Change Award at the Massachusetts Conference for Women; and was an advisor for the Music National Service Initiative in Washington, D.C. In 2008, Madeleine spearheaded a development team in the acquisition and full renovation of an historic firehouse as a new home for ZUMIX. In 2009, she successfully completed a $4.6 million dollar capital campaign and moved ZUMIX into its new home. In 2011, Madeleine started a 3-year learning journey as a prestigious Barr Fellow, and ZUMIX received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from then First Lady, Michelle Obama. In 2012, she was honored with a Berklee Urban Service Award. She served as a board member for the nonprofit Voces de Cambio from 2013-2020. Madeleine was named one of Boston’s most influential women by the Women of the Harvard Club Committee in 2014, and was included in El Planeta’s 2016 list of the 100 most influential people in the state of Massachusetts. She currently serves as a member of the Boston Cultural Leaders Coalition, a 30+ member cohort of Boston-based cultural leaders committed to equity and racial justice. Madeleine attended Boston College, the School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts – Boston, and the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University.

Giselle "Gigi" Steczynski is the official mascot of ZUMIX. She came to the U.S. from Cuba in 2017, and has lived happily with Madeleine (and at ZUMIX) ever since. She enjoys long walks, loving attention from the ZUMIX community, and singing along to the harmonica.

Brittany Thomas, Senior Director of Operations, is a media artist and facilitator. She joined ZUMIX in 2014 and led ZUMIX Radio to its launch on the airwaves at 94.9FM.  Since then, she has been devoted to accompanying young people towards curiosity and creative opportunity. To connect youth makers with purposeful first jobs, she co-created partnerships with Celebrity Series of Boston, Hoopla Productions, Boston Public Art Triennial and The Boston Research Center, among others. She designed the narrative project Constelación de Historias –– a live storytelling event series and letter writing project documenting neighbors' work for housing stability in East Boston. Brittany's work has been recognized by the Association of Independents in Radio’s Localore Labs, New England Foundation for the Arts’ Creative Economy Award and as a finalist for MA Nonprofit Network’s Award for Excellence by a Young Professional. She proudly serves on the Advisory Board for The Center for Cooperative Development and Solidarity and the Board of Directors for Lynn Music Foundation. Her spirit instrument is a saxophone, and in real life, she plays piano.

Born and raised in western Massachusetts, and moving to Boston in 2014 to attend Bay State college, Will Wallace has been dedicated to making a positive impact in the city of Boston for the greater portion of the last decade. His work has been focused on youth development, community organizing, teaching art, and restorative justice. In college, Will studied music business, running the campus radio station, serving as president of the community service club, and leading as the campus improvements coordinator on student government. From 2019 to 2025, Will worked as the Director of Youth and Restorative programs at Maverick Landing Community Services (MLCS), a local service-based organization in East Boston. At MLCS, he was a mover and shaker, organizing community to combat social justice issues in East Boston. Will worked with and supported youth to launch and start their own business using laser printers and other cool equipment and developed an entire Restorative Justice program – keeping circles, workshopping circle curriculum, and acting as a trusted restorative practitioner in East Boston. His work has been recognized by the city of Boston and continues to make a lasting impact in our neighborhood.