Management Team

Christopher Barclay
Executive Director

Chris Barclay is an education advocate, management professional, and working artist-photographer, with a notable public service record in Montgomery County. He served as the District 4 representative on the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education, twice as president in 2010 and 2013, and twice as vice president in 2009 and 2012. Barclay’s community leadership roles have included the Montgomery County Council of PTAs, the NAACP Parents’ Council, the Takoma Foundation Board of Directors, and the Takoma Park Department of Recreation Advisory Committee. He is a member of Leadership Montgomery’s Core Class of 2014, a graduate of Columbia College of Chicago and worked in telecommunications prior to public service.

Cherrah Barclay
Manager of Development & Outreach

Cherrah Barclay was raised in Takoma Park MD. Throughout her life, she has been inspired by the intersection of music, visual art, and literature. Through her writing, Cherrah explores the complex nature of the human spirit, expressions of love, and what she calls ‘human pain’. She hopes to expand her skills in visual art and music to lend a new voice to her own expression and connect with more people. She is inspired by artists such as Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Audre Lorde. Cherrah joined AOB in October of 2019 as a Studio Crew member. She hopes to embrace mosaic work as another medium to both expand and grow her skills as an artist.

Jadyn Covington
Studio Manager and TAP Assistant

Feeling like an outcast, othered in my own community, art created endless possibilities, made possibilities seem endless to me. My main mediums are writing, illustrations and toy modifications, and I would say that in all of them I am in an experimental phase. I believe my inspirations will always be my own life, the supernatural/fantastical and anime. I feel heavily influenced by all things Japanese, such as art, cuisine, fashion, lifestyle, etc. Writing for me is my only medium that I try to be abstract with and most of my visual art is pretty straightforward. I love color and variety like not being stuck in a box, I feel like I thrive personally in that spontaneity. Though professionally, I do prefer guidelines just because that helps me focus on the purpose of a commission better.

Angela Faye Cruz
Digital Studio Manager & Studio Crew Program Assistant

Angela Faye Cruz is an emerging illustrator that works both traditionally and digitally and has dabbled in other media throughout her creative career. With a fine arts focus throughout high school, Angela graduated from Quince Orchard High School and became an apprentice for Arts on the Block’s Pour Your Art Out program in 2018. She then became a Studio Crew member from 2019-2021 designing and fabricating client commissioned artwork. Currently, she works as the Digital Studio Manager and Program Assistant supporting the professional development of studio crew members while also working on building a co-owned start-up business, Galaxy Garden Crafts as an alternative creative outlet to design and sell fandom-inspired merchandise as a display of admiration for her other hobbies and interests.

Clayton Evans
Deputy Director

Clayton B. Evans has dedicated most of his 25 professional years towards working with youth and families in the out-of-school-time field and is the recipient of a PASEsetter Award for exceptional youth work in New York City. Evans has taught art to students of virtually every age, from kindergarteners to retired adults. In addition to teaching the visual arts, Evans has extensive experience in not-for-profit and arts management. He was the founding director of the LeRoy Neiman Art Center in Harlem, NYC and Executive Director of Leave Out Violence-U.S. Evans received his Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art (Education minor) from Lafayette College, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from Maryland Institute, College of Art (MICA). Learn more about Clayton and his art and follow him on Instagram!

Kelsey Joyce
Manager & Lead Teaching Artist, The Apprentice Program (TAP)

Kelsey Joyce has spent the past 4 years as a professional teaching artist, fundraiser, and arts event planner, working with a variety of organizations and student populations. She earned her B.A. in Studio Art from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In addition, she has held positions of art instruction at Port Discovery Children’s Museum, CREATE Arts Center, Latin American Youth Center, VisArts Center, and the Zenith Arts Foundation. Since 2019, she has been a practicing studio artist and focused on creating sculptures that take inspiration from daydreams, storytelling, and the world around her. Joyce’s work plays with the idea of traveling in the mind, physical world, and finding an intersection to both with fantasy storytelling. The goal of Joyce’s work is to temporarily transport the viewer into Joyce’s immersive fantasy by using bright expressive colors, affectionate smiles, and a peaceful and fun environment. When she is not creating works of art she is expressing herself through dance, fashion, music, and baking.

Kern Lee

Studio Crew Manager

Kern Lee is an arts educator and freelance illustrator with multiple years of experience in arts education, working with both Montgomery County Public Schools and local arts nonprofits. Their artwork references and twists popular design tropes to craft fresh, yet vaguely familiar narratives. You can check out some of their work here!

Kelly Palmer

College and Career Readiness VISTA

As an ever growing creative, Kelly Palmer has allowed her strong passion for the arts to continually inspire her life. As a graduate from Coppin State University, she attained her bachelor’s degree in Urban Arts and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership. During that time, her studies in the arts and nonprofit sector has developed her understanding of present day business tools, marketing strategies, and how to make herself knowledgeable in other industries, including technology. Working with people, whether in a classroom or administrative setting has sharpened her communication skills and ability to build a rapport with people from all walks of life.

Alexandra Rivera Rivera
GWU Graduate Art Therapy Intern

Alexandra Rivera Rivera, is a 26-year-old Puerto Rican Art Therapy intern here at AOB and is acquiring an Art Therapy Master 2024 with The George Washington University. From the mountains of Cañaboncito in Caguas, PR; she has created murals around the island with her project “Besito-e-Coco” (Instagram: @besitoe_coco). In addition to being an artist, she carries a natural science bachelor’s and visual arts minor from The University of Puerto Rico-Cayey. Her dreams of creating safe spaces and bringing communities together have brought her here to the DMV area. She’s also part of other artistic groups like “Brumas de Borikén” a folklore dancing company based in Cayey, Puerto Rico (Instagram: @brumasdeboriken). Representing her culture and sharing it with others is part of her identity. Exploring more of her learnings in art therapy, and bringing them to use in our programs, she’s excited to embark on this journey with us.

Veronica Sloan
Development & Outreach

Artist, photographer, and writer, Veronica is inspired by the social and biological sciences and collaborating at the intersections of art and science in sustainable and impactful ways. Her previous professional experience includes B2C marketing and communications for GE’s Advanced Materials division in the Netherlands and international communications for the World Wildlife Fund in the US, Panama, Vietnam, and the EU. She has a Bachelor of Art in visual communications from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington and further education diplomas from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Peter Tabri
Artwork Installation Master Craftsman

Peter Tabri is a well-renowned mosaic craftsman in the Washington DC are. With over 30 years experience in tile, marble, and mosaic installation, Peter has decided to carry on the family tradition of mosaic craftsmanship that has been part of the Tabri line for well over a century. He has been recognized for his exceptional work by both the DC Commission on the Arts and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County.

Management Team

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