Jaymee Harvey Willms – Executive Director; jharvey@cavtmuseums.org (She/Her)
Jaymee Harvey Willms is the Executive Director of the Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Art Museums. She hails from Minneapolis/St. Paul and currently homesteads in Erin, Wisconsin. Harvey Willms brings 10 years of non-profit management experience and holds degrees in painting, sculpture and art history. She has a studio in Milwaukee's Walker's Point and continues to show artwork nationally and internationally.
Phoenix Brown – Senior Curator; pbrown@cavtmuseums.org (She/Her)
Phoenix Brown is an interdisciplinary artist and curator based in Milwaukee, WI. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, she graduated from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 2019 with a BFA in New Studio Practice and a minor in Art History. Brown was the Albert Family Curatorial Fellow at the Milwaukee Art Museum from 2020 to 2021. She currently leads the curatorial department at Charles Allis and Villa Terrace as Senior Curator. Her curatorial voice is influenced by popular culture, technology-informed art, institutional critique, and interpretations of contemporary art through critical theory lenses. Alongside her studio practice and curatorial research, Brown teaches art at various capacities throughout Greater Milwaukee and beyond.
Jade Hess – Collections Manager; jhess@cavtmuseums.org (She/Her)
Jade Hess joined the Museums in 2022. After expressing interest in aiding with the archives and collections, Jade became the Collections Manager in 2023 and began organizing the Museums' collections. Jade is passionate about uncovering the overlooked stories in history and can often be found deep in research. Currently, she is working with her team to catalog and digitally archive the collections at each Museum to make them accessible to students and researchers everywhere.
Rheta Matsumoto – Membership and Visitor Services Manager; rmatsumoto@cavtmuseums.org
Bio coming soon.
Andrea Bell-Myers — Program Director; abellmyers@cavtmuseums.org (She/Her)
Andrea has been with the Museums since 2023. She holds a B.F.A. in graphic design from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Andrea has taught in Kenosha for over two decades, championing access to the arts. Bell-Myers believes programming should be made with community input, and she can often be found networking on the East Side or chatting with museum guests. She is passionate about accessibility, culture and inclusion. Since joining the Museums she has championed partnerships with the Electa Quinney Institute for American-Indian Education and Chessbox Academy, and led cultural programming initiatives like the Museums' first Dias de los Muertos celebration.
Monica Miller — Rentals Manager; rentals@cavtmuseums.org
Bio coming soon.
Gina Cornejo — Event Coordinator; rentals@cavtmuseums.org (She/They)
Gina Cornejo is new to the CAVT team as of April, and is thoroughly savoring the historic and uniquely Milwaukee location of the Villa Terrace as the new Events Coordinator. Decades of onsite event marketing and brand ambassador work have included clients such as REI, Cooking Channel, Nissan, SELF Magazine, and WWE. Cornejo is a Milwaukee native, and proud to reintroduce herself and her artistic practice to her home city as an immersive storyteller, autobiographical writer, multidisciplinary solo performer, actor, and Intimacy Coordinator for the stage. Seeking whimsy and depth, her dedication is to kind connection/collaboration, consent-based culture, and compassionate silliness within conversations. Cornejo is currently an Artist-in-Residence with Art House 360 (writing/performance/multimedia collaboration), and will be the Artist-in-Residence at Milwaukee-based Tooth + Nail Studio and Gallery for the month of October 2024, showcasing her personal artifact immersive solo project while offering workshops and live performances. Visit ginacornejo.com to explore more of her work!
Susan McCrickard — Store Manager; smccrickard@cavtmuseums.org (She/Her)
Susan McCrickard holds a BA degree in Business Management/Professional Communications from Alverno College. After living out of state for nearly 30 years, she and her husband returned to Milwaukee in 2021. She joined the museums in 2022 and was tasked with establishing two museum stores. The focus of the stores is to enhance the visitor experience and offer opportunities to purchase creative works from local artisans. In her spare time, Susan volunteers for MKE Urban Stables. Her passion is equine therapy and advocates for the use of horses to heal mind and body.
Nandini Viras – Financial Manager; nviras@cavtmuseums.org
Bio coming soon.
Caroline Dannecker — Marketing Director; cdannecker@cavtmuseums.org (She/Her)
A Milwaukee native, Caroline has been with the Museums since 2022. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a bachelor's in global studies, and minors in French and JAMS (journalism, advertising and media studies). Her background is in nonprofit communications. Caroline is a passionate storyteller who uses her skills to help develop a sustainable future with nonprofits and mission-based organizations. When she isn't working, Caroline spends her days with good books, great friends and her dog.