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Our Team

Tim Butler

Site Leader

Tim first got involved with Publicolor as a member of Paint Club back in 1998 after they visited his brother’s school. Publicolor also happens to be where he met his wife, who he says “gave me two beautiful kids who will also be in the program when they become of age.

 

José Figueroa

Director of Next Steps and Youth Development

José joined Publicolor in 2014 and has over 25 years of professional experience in youth development. Jose specializes in providing high school transition and academic support and college and career counseling. In addition to overseeing our Next Steps and tutoring programs during the academic year, he co-directs our Summer Design Studio program, teaches our S.A.T. preparation courses, and manages the Publicolor Gap Scholarship for Community Service.

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Alan Kornblum

Chief Development Officer

Alan brings over 20 years of Development leadership to the Publicolor team. With a focus on helping organizations grow their donor base and creating and implementing strategic fundraising plans, his path to this field began volunteering with youth development organizations, public schools, and coaching youth baseball, basketball, and soccer leagues.

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Sophia Livecchi

Site Leader and Summer Design StudioTeacher

Sophia has a background in environmental studies, design and mural painting. Sophia works directly with our students as a Site Leader and Summer Design Studio Teacher. A painter her entire life, Sophia has a deep passion for public art as it can be utilized as a critical tool in pushing agendas for social justice, city health, and strengthening communities.

 

Irma Nepomuceno

Director of School + Community Relations

Irma Nepomuceno has been with Publicolor since 2012 and holds a degree in Business Administration from the College of Mount Saint Vincent. She wears many hats but is mostly involved in securing school and community site partnerships, managing Paint Club, and event planning for fundraisers, galas, and volunteer groups. She is incredibly passionate about empowering youth and making meaningful connections. If she’s not scoping out new projects and meeting new principals, you can find her painting with the kids and jamming out to old school music. She’s a proud NY Yankees + Giants fan, coaches volleyball, and enjoys walks in the park with her dog Apollo. 

 

Maria Park

Senior Designer

Maria joined Publicolor in 2015. She has over 20 years of experience as an Art Director and Graphic Designer. She has worked with diverse design firms, corporations, retailers, and non-profit organizations. Maria specializes in creating visually captivating brand identities, designing marketing and promotional materials, and producing stunning graphics for corporate events, special occasions, and fundraising galas.  While she has a strong foundation in print design, Maria is also passionate about interactive projects. She holds an AAS in Photography and BFA in Graphic Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, along with an MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts. In addition to her professional pursuits, Maria takes pride in being a devoted baseball mom to two athletic boys and the wife of a talented photographer.

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Elizabeth Rose

Chief Financial Officer

Elizabeth Rose joined Publicolor as Chief Financial Officer in January, 2021. She previously served as Treasurer and a member of the Publicolor Board of Trustees.

 

She is a former CEO of School Operations and Deputy Chancellor for Operations at the New York City Department of Education (DOE), where she was responsible for facilities, transportation, food, health, safety and youth development, space management and the Public School Athletic League. She joined the DOE in 2009 as Director of Planning for Manhattan, and subsequently served as Chief of Staff for Intergovernmental Affairs, and Chief of Staff in the Division of Operations. 

 

Prior to joining the DOE, Elizabeth spent over a decade in digital media strategy and marketing, at Bertelsmann, Travelzoo and Vault.  She has also worked as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, and in consumer brand advertising.

 

Elizabeth has an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and a BA from Rice University. She and her husband are the very proud parents of two college students and three dogs. 

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Alan Weng

Design Programs Manager

His journey first started when Publicolor came to his middle school, MS 202 in Ozone Park, Queens. As a Paint Club student he was able to take part in transforming the once dull hallways into a vibrant learning environment. This inspired him to join the program a year later as a COLOR Club student. As he transitioned through the different programs that Publicolor has to offer, he was able to qualify for the Ablers Foundation Scholarship that helped him graduate in 2023 from the Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Sustainability. Now he is not only responsible for creating STEAM based curriculums for our Design Studios and Summer Design Studios but also the one at the forefront teaching these invaluable creative lessons to students across the boroughs.

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Deborah Wolfsohn

Director of Government Relations

Deborah Wolfsohn has served as an attorney in New York in many capacities, including most recently as Special Counsel to the New York State Senate and in private practice specializing in public-private partnerships. She is a graduate of Brown University and New York University School of Law.

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