Molly Richey

Secretary and MUSIC IS MEDICINE PROJECT COORDINAToR

Molly Richey is very excited to be a part of Katie’s Art Project™. She is a North Carolina native, and attended the University of Colorado Boulder where she studied Spanish Literature and Ethnic Studies.  Molly's diverse career started in Real Estate in Denver for three years before meeting her future husband and moving to Dallas, Texas.  Once in Dallas, she became a bilingual teacher, teaching first through third graders for seven years.  Molly received her Masters in Educational Administration from Lamar University, and later moved to Chicago with her Husband Brent.  Molly has one daughter, Elizabeth. Molly truly believes in the mission of Katie’s Art Project™ and feels that creating a legacy for children who suffer from life-threatening illnesses through art and music provides an irreplaceable sense of consistency and calm during a somewhat chaotic time in their lives.

Benny Lumpkins Jr.

Program coordinator - Los Angeles

Benny Lee Harris Lumpkins Jr. Originally from Detroit Michigan, Benny a “jack” of many trades recently moved to LA to work as a costumer for the film industry. Recent credits include: Real Steel, Detroit 187, and Oz the Great and Powerful. Founder and Lahser Rd. Theatricals, Benny is committed to creating theatre that speaks to social issues both past and present. Benny received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in theatre/ communications from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, and a Master of Arts Degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Music Theatre from Eastern Michigan University. Has directed at Norfolk’s Chrysler Museum, Rochester College (MI), Goodpasture Christian Highschool in Madison TN, and performed as an actor and vocalist for Spirit Cruises, Greenfield Village, and many community theatre, college, and regional productions.

Clara Thomson, MD 

Director of Campus Chapters

Clara is from Edmond, Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2016. She is currently a Pediatric Resident Physician in the DC metro area. Her journey began with Music is Medicine (MiM) and continues with KAP as the Campus Chapters Director! In 2014, she started the first student chapter of MiM with her founding team at the University of Oklahoma. In 2018, she participated in the Music is Medicine program under KAP and recorded a song at Likeminds Studio in Brooklyn, NY called “Strong Like Me” for a now cancer free patient named Charlie. Music has always been a big part of her life and she loves its ability to connect people together! As an aspiring pediatrician and leader, she wants to give back to the patient population through multiple means. Her work with the former MiM student chapter in Oklahoma has inspired her goal to bring the mission of KAP to talented students at different universities and lay the foundations of this campus chapter program to continue raising awareness for the KAP mission.

Stephanie Klemons

President and Founder

Stephanie Klemons is a Drama Desk Award-winning Performer, Choreographer and Director that has worked on the pre-Broadway and Broadway productions of Hamilton, In the Heights, Bring it On and If/Then. Her work can be seen currently on Broadway and around the world as the Associate and Supervising Choreographer of the smash hit Hamilton. In 2018 she Directed and Choreographed the Broadway Center Stage production of In the Heights at the Kennedy Center to critical acclaim. Stephanie served as Director and Choreographer of This is Sadie, a New York City Children’s Theater Production. Other choreography credits include Rock of Ages (PCLO), Rock of Ages (Drury Lane), and Frank Wildhorn’s Zelda (Flatrock Playhouse). Commercially she choreographed content for Victoria’s Secret, Vogue, Sesame Street, and the new Amazon Series “Hunters”, and was the choreographer behind the viral “Time of Our Lives” Super Bowl commercial ft. Eli Manning & Odell Beckham.

Stephanie is a passionate educator, and philanthropist, and is most proud of the legacy her friends Katie & Abby left on her heart driving her to bring art to kids facing illness as a way of processing and leaving their mark. Her dream is to create a world where artists can easily access communities in need of their gifts. Learn more about Stephanie at stephanieklemons.com.

Erika Estrada Boden, a native of Durham, NC, graduated from Duke University in 2003 with a B.A. in both Sociology and Spanish. She went on to do a dual-degree program at St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, Florida, where she earned both her law degree and Master of Science in Sports Administration. Throughout her entire career, Erika has been an in-house, transactional entertainment and media attorney, working for major multinational music, television and media companies in Miami. She currently serves as Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, where she has worked since 2016. She and her husband have two spunky young daughters. An avid music fan who was the lead singer in R&B cover bands in high school and college and a member of an award-winning college a cappella group, Erika is humbled and proud to serve on the Board of Katie’s Art Project and help terminally ill children leave their legacy through music and the arts.

Rachel Engel

Rachel has been involved in volunteering with non-profit work for the past few years. After losing her first wife to cancer she created a community that gave money to those who were going through difficult illnesses and gave their families some hope and happiness. Rachel has now begun working with Katie's Art Project to bring in sponsorship's and donations. This is her way of helping to raise money for a non-profit near and dear to her heart.

Mary Pat Fortier

For the last 15 years Mary Pat has been the assistant to key executives in the classical performing arts, including the former General Manager of the Met Opera and, since 2009, the present Chairman of the Met Opera.Her current job involves communication and coordination with several charitable organizations specializing in the arts and education for a very active philanthropist. Her prior work experience has included positions in both business and not-for-profit in New York, California, Colorado and Virginia.

Cheri Golub

As a former special education teacher and current Learning Disabilities Consultant, Cheri has been working alongside children for 26 years. She is an advocate of keeping the arts in education and in the lives of all children. Cheri and her husband, Keith are Executive Producers of the dance movies High Strung and High Strung: Free Dance. Cheri serves on the board of directors for another non-profit that helps to fund dance education for children that cannot afford it. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children, Zachary and Amanda.

Marcella Guarino-Hymowitz

As a classically trained dancer and former Knicks City Dancer with a seat on the leadership board of Youth America Grand Prix, and mom of three.

Marybeth (Beth) Andryca

Mother of Katie Andryca, currently retired and living the beach life in Asbury Park, NJ...Loves Music, dancing, zumba, bowling, and an avid movie goer. Thrilled to be part pf Stephanie's dream to honor Katie and bring happiness and joy to those who most need it, the children whose lives are on the line with illnesses we have yet to conquer.