BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Siobhan Egan, President
Caila Brown, Board Member
Caila Brown moved to Savannah in 2007 from Stony Brook, NY to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design. She received her B.F.A. in Graphic Design from SCAD in 2011, and currently works as the Online Communications Manager for Telfair Museums. In addition to her work at Desotorow Gallery, Caila is heavily involved with local organizations including the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, GreenDrinks, Savannah Tweetup and C-Spot.Lisa Jaye Young, Board Member
Lisa Jaye Young moved to Savannah with her husband, Fred, and two children, Lily and Scarlet, in 2006 from Brooklyn, New York. She received her B.A. in Art History and Cinema Studies from The University of Pittsburgh in 1991. She traveled in Europe and lived in Berlin between 1991 and 1993. She worked for numerous galleries, an auction house, and museums in Pittsburgh, Berlin and New York and as assistant to and then co-Director for Deitch Projects. Lisa received her Ph.D. in Art History from The City University of New York’s Graduate Center with concentration areas in the history of photography, cinema studies, and contemporary art. She was a regular contributor to Tema Celeste and has published with Art Review magazine, The Chicago Art Journal, and others. Lisa has taught at Hunter College, SUNY Nassau College (where she was the gallery director for the Firehouse Gallery, curating six exhibitions per year) and is currently Professor of Art History at SCAD. She is interested in developing Savannah as an arts community and sees the Starland District and Desotorow Gallery as having an exciting opportunity to lead in this process.
MANAGEMENT STAFF
Jeanne Svendson, Co-Director
Jeanne Svendson decided to make Savannah, GA home after graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design in June of 2007. With a BFA in photography she immersed herself in the commercial photography scene as a photo assistant for Nurnberg Photography, LLC. The same year Jeanne also created JES Photography and Fine Art with a focus on travel/documentary and fine art photography. She became a member of the Desotorow Gallery Board of Directors in 2010 holding the position of treasurer. Jeanne is currently co-director of Desotorow Gallery, Inc and has been since April of 2012. She also spends her time volunteering with and is a member of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, the Ogeechee River Outreach Committee, Telfair Museums, and Savannah Tree Foundation.
Julia Thompson, Co-Director
Julia Thompson is a painting major at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She grew up in Connecticut but now resides in Saratoga Springs, NY. She originally began her career at the University of Rhode Island as a Biology Major and Art Minor. She would like to spend her art career sharing her work and helping others share their own work.
CURATING STAFF
Christina Maria Zanetti, Curator
Christina Maria Zanetti moved to Savannah in 2007 from Manhasset, New York. She has received her B.F.A. in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design and is currently applying to receive her M.A. in Arts Administration. In addition to her work at Desotorow Gallery, Christina is a part of the Savannah Art Association where she works as curator as well as a contributing artist. She is also pursuing her photographic ventures along a commercial and freelance basis having been featured in F-Stop Magazine, Savannah Magazine, and Lenscratch.
Brianne Shew, Gallery Associate
Brianne Shew moved to Savannah in 2011 from Champaign, IL to attend Savannah College of Art and Design. She is currently studying Fashion Design and looks forward to graduating in Spring of 2014. In addition to attending SCAD she works as a docent at the SCAD Museum of Art.
DEVELOPMENT STAFF
Astoria Jellett, Grant Writer
Astoria Jellett is currently pursuing her B.F.A. in Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in addition to exploring all there is to image-making: illustration, graphic design, sequential art, printmaking, painting, photography, and anything else she can get into. She is deeply interested in political science, philosophy, and psychology. She hopes to become a journalist and travel the world. She has lived most of her life in Daphne, Alabama, but she’s also lived in London, England and Washington, D.C.
MARKETING & EVENTS STAFF
Hadley Henry, Marketing/Events Manager
Originally from North Carolina, Hadley is working towards her B.F.A in Photography from SCAD.
Damian Salinas, Graphic Designer
Damian Salinas moved to Savannah in 2005 from Houston, TX to pursue a B.F.A. in Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. After graduating he began to explore sculpture and is currently building a portfolio in that field in hopes to apply for the masters program. In addition to his sculpture work he is working on a book with his father titled The Spirit of Gesture.
Clinton Edminster, Community Collaborator Clinton is enthusiastic about the spaces and the charm of Savannah. He enjoys long walks on the beach, and light dinner.
