The Ones Who Make It All Happen

Jan Papirmeister
Founder & Executive Director

Jan Papirmeister has always been passionate about bringing artwork created by youth into healthcare environments. After receiving her first art commission at age eleven, Jan donated her art to a camp for children with cancer, a hospice volunteer organization, and an environmental nonprofit. As a registered nurse, Jan believes in caring for the whole person and deeply understands the power of art to comfort, inspire, and heal. Her nursing experience includes pediatrics, hospice, home health, school health, and cancer care navigation. While working as a pediatric nurse, Jan would draw with her patients when time allowed. As a school nurse, she provided art supplies for students to create drawings to hang in the health office. While supporting people living with cancer, Jan was inspired to bring art into the oncology unit and received a Society for the Arts in Healthcare grant to provide an art cart with supplies for patients, their families, and staff. As a volunteer at the Fisher Houses at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Jan coordinated an art project with Walt Whitman High School art teacher Jean Diamond and her students, who created paintings for two Fisher Houses. The seed was planted for Youth Art For Healing. All of these experiences have strengthened Jan’s passion and commitment to bring uplifting art created by young people into healthcare environments to comfort, inspire, and heal patients, their loved ones, and the staff who care for them.

Leah Bushman
Outreach Coordinator

When Leah Bushman was introduced to Youth Art For Healing, she knew instantly she wanted to support the organization’s mission with her skills and time because she is very passionate about art being integrated into daily life. Leah wanted her work to impact others, and YAFH was a perfect fit. With a BA in English, Leah also brings over four years of professional experience with writing, editing, and proofreading to her work on our team. Outside of Leah's work at YAFH, she is a creative writer and an avid explorer of the natural world, finding inspiration in the woods and by bodies of water.

Board of Directors

Carol Rubel Berman
Chair & Lead Art Advisor

Health, honesty, and spirituality are Carol Berman’s driving forces. Carol earned her BA and MA in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Maryland and had a private practice for several years. Then she committed herself to childrearing and leadership in the Jewish community. During this time, she spearheaded The Initiative in Congregational Education through The Jewish Federation and The Board of Jewish Education, helping re-energize congregational education at 43 synagogues throughout Washington, DC. Carol began painting at the time of her mother’s death in 1988. Since that time, she has studied and painted with Dan Mistrik, Eric Butters, Walt Bartman, Glen Kessler, and Virginia Levy. In 2010, Carol and landscape designer H. Paul Davis designed a 36-foot carousel for the Downtown at the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Eight of her own paintings are on the center round. Carol has also taught art classes for seventh graders centered around the theme “Where is God in your Life?” at Congregation B’nai Tzedek. Additionally, Carol has been on a journey with Regression Therapy and Energy Work. Since 1995, she has been a Board-Certified Regression Therapist, and she began learning Kabbalah in the 2000s. But while she is passionate about healing, art, and charitable endeavors, her first priority has always been her family. She and her husband have three sons, three daughters-in-law, ten grandchildren, and a large extended family.

Celia Solloway
Vice Chair

With over 40 years in advertising and healthcare marketing, Celia Solloway brings a unique blend of expertise to Youth Art For Healing. After graduating from Ohio University, Celia started out at an advertising agency as a television and radio producer, then transitioned to an account supervisor for print, broadcast, and direct marketing. Celia’s real passion emerged when she began working with hospitals and healthcare facilities, so she ultimately focused on healthcare marketing. She served as Director of Marketing at MetroHealth Medical Center, one of Cleveland’s top three hospitals, where she became fully dedicated to the hospital’s mission. After relocating to Washington, DC, Celia continued to work in healthcare marketing as a consultant, promoting Shady Grove Hospital’s Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine Center to referring physicians. Celia also serves on the Board of Directors of the Woman’s Club of Chevy Chase. Because of her deep devotion to healthcare, Celia is especially honored to be part of the YAFH team. Celia is married and joyfully shares a son, a daughter and son-in-law, two stepsons, three daughter-in-laws, and six grandchildren with her husband.

Cheri Friedman
Treasurer

Always a very visual person, Cheri began her 15-year career in graphic arts as a young apprentice in a firm that created visual display charts for DOT and FAA under the Carter Administration. Eventually, the firm merged with another firm where Cheri was given an opportunity to expand into corporate logo and design as well as magazine and publication layout design. Her work includes the original Discovery Channel logo and magazine, PBS logo and magazine, development of the original artwork for the World Wildlife Panda Bear logo, Family Therapy Network Magazine, Public Welfare Magazine, AAUW newsletter and many others. After 15 years she retired into “motherhood” just as computers were coming into the age of graphic design work. Not one to be idle, Cheri soon committed herself to a new endeavor in retail. For 13 years she was co-owner of ‘Kron Chocolatier’ in the Washington area giving her another chance at design, this time in packaging design. Currently, Cheri is a preschool teacher at Beth El in Bethesda and a hospice volunteer with JSSA. She recognizes, describes and appreciates art as a dance that occurs within one’s own imagination. It is able to take both the creator and the viewer to otherwise unreachable destinations and uncover new discoveries within oneself. She has seen the magic work first-hand with her preschoolers and with her JSSA hospice friends who are afflicted with dementia and Alzheimer disease. Art has a very calming and soothing effect on everyone mentioned. She is honored to participate with YAFH to help represent the young artists who create magnificent works to help others in our community.

Leslie Pujo
Secretary

Leslie Pujo is a firm believer in the connection between the arts and healing and she is honored to work with Youth Art For Healing, supporting local students as they use their artistic skills to help others heal. Leslie earned her BA in French and International Relations from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, her JD from The George Washington University Law School, and her DESS in international law from the University of Toulouse (France). She has practiced law in the Washington DC area for over 20 years and enjoys working with clients to find creative solutions to problems. Over the years, Leslie has shown a love for and commitment to education by teaching a wide range of topics, from Sunday School to Business Law and Ethics. She has also served on the PTA of her kids’ schools and the Board of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs – Educational Programs, which oversees science, foreign language, and cultural showcase enrichment programs in Montgomery County elementary schools.

Jean Diamond
Art Advisor

Jean Diamond, a National Board-Certified Teacher in Art, dedicated herself to teaching art in Montgomery County, Maryland for 42 years. Jean earned her BA at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University, studied in Italy, and earned her MFA-ATE from the Maryland Institute College of Art. While teaching art at Walt Whitman High School, Jean founded and curated the Legacy Collection, an award-winning student art collection, and sponsored the National Art Honor Society (NAHS). Jean’s NAHS students participated in the YAFH program from its inception and for many years, Jean served as Chair of the Festival of the Arts at Whitman. In 2007, The Walt Whitman Foundation honored Jean for her dedicated service to the high school and community. Jean maintained her National Board Certification from 1998 to 2018, and during these years, she worked with NBCT colleagues, the MCPS’ National Board coordinator, and the Maryland State Department of Education, to provide workshops for teachers interested in achieving National Board Certification. Jean also taught classes in Drawing and Painting, and Art Methods, and supervised student teachers at Hood College, American University, and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Additionally, Jean was Art Coordinator at Temple Sinai in Washington, DC for 25 years and served as decor coordinator for the Barker Adoption Foundation’s 65th and 70th Anniversary Galas at the Women’s Museum in Washington, DC. In her home studio, Jean enjoys painting and teaching individual students.

Alison Greenhouse

With over three decades of experience in leadership and talent development, Alison Greenhouse brings deep expertise and business acumen to support Youth Art For Healing. For 16 years, Alison served as an Executive Business Coach, Senior Leader, and Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer with IBM. In each position, she was responsible for advancing employee talent to support business growth. She created a worldwide business coaching certification program for IBM Leaders, as well as established and executed a strategic plan for expanding inclusion & diversity, reaching over 3,000 employees. Alison also led Building Relationships & Influence, a global award-winning workshop that reached over 1,000 emerging women leaders, and the national virtual discussion Veteran Success Jam, to help veterans successfully transition to civilian life and new careers. Through this program, thousands of veterans, veteran families, active service members, nonprofits, and government agency leaders collaborated to draft an agenda for Congress. After retiring from IBM, Alison launched Turn Right Strategies, a business consulting firm that supports clients dealing with difficult transitions and complex challenges. Alison was recently honored with an invitation to host Executive Leader Radio, a national radio program with CEO guests that tell the story of their leadership journey.

Cherry Goldblatt
Art Advisor

Cherry Goldblatt (www.CherryGoldBlatt.com) has been involved in the arts throughout her life. In the 1970s, she designed handmade one-of-a-kind handbags sold on Madison Avenue and in Soho in New York City. In 1985, she became the co-owner of Renaissance Fine Arts Gallery in Bethesda, Maryland, assisting clients select artwork. In 1997, Cherry returned to her love of creating art, using boxes, teapots, and plaques as her canvases for beadwork. Cherry’s beaded panels were placed on the arc of B’nai Tzedek Synagogue in Potomac, Maryland, while her teapots have been displayed at SOFA Chicago, the National Liberty Museum Glass in Philadelphia, Hot Tea! del Mano Gallery in Los Angeles, ART Palm Beach, and other locations. Cherry is happily married, with three married children and nine grandchildren.

Doug McDaniel

Doug McDaniel spent his professional career working for newspapers and magazines. He was the Washington correspondent for the Indianapolis Star, where he reported on local and national events related to Indiana for 12 years. He then became editor and publisher of Tee Time Magazine, which he ultimately merged with GolfStyles Media Group, where he served as associate publisher. Doug ended his career with a six-year stint as president of Montgomery County Media Group, a specialty publisher with lifestyle, dining, and direct home-mail titles.