For more information on Pratt staff, visit our contact page.

Scott Ball, Sculpture Studio Manager, received a BFA in sculpture from the University of Washington and an MFA in studio art from the State University of New York at Albany. His sculptural work is primarily mixed-media and installation and has shown in Seattle, Albany and Brooklyn.

Michelle Bufano, Executive Director, has 20 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations. She holds a Master of Arts degree in education from George Washington University. Prior to joining Pratt’s staff, Bufano held leadership positions at the Museum of Glass and the Tacoma Art Museum during times of major growth and expansion for these organizations. Bufano has been a consultant to nonprofit arts organizations on development, evaluation and management of education programs, and has served as an adjunct professor on these topics in the Museum Studies program at the University of Washington. In the last seven years, Michelle has become addicted to pouring molten glass in Pratt’s hot shop.

Brandi Clark, Events Manager, received a BA in Literature from Texas A&M University in 1999 and has been working for non-profit arts organizations ever since.  As well as event planning, her experience includes fund-raising, marketing and advertising.  Her largest challenge since being at Pratt has been choosing between TIG and MIG or oxy-acetylene welding.

Julie Custer, Administrative Assistant, received an MFA in Fiber from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA in Textile Design from the University of Kansas.  Her work was recently included in the catalog and exhibition HOT HOUSE: Expanding the Field of Fiber at Cranbrook 1970-2007, and has been shown at the Kirkland Arts Center, the Burnaby Art Gallery in Vancouver, BC and SOIL Gallery in Seattle.

Ryan Davis, Registrar, has worked as a higher education administrator for nearly 10 years and holds a BS in Business Administration.  As a local musician, Ryan has performed at venues large and small all over the Puget Sound with a number of different groups.

Lise Graham, Administrative Assistant, moved to Seattle from Boston, MA in 2006 after receiving her BFA at Massachusetts College of Art and is a recent MFA graduate from the University of Washington. When not at Pratt, Lise paints in her Seattle SODO studio.

Skye Guidotti, Development Associate, has been at Pratt since 2004 and received her BA in Visual Arts from the University of Washington. Skye’s favorite class she’s taken at Pratt is kiln casting where she made cast glass sculptures of horses and dogs - a theme that appears in all of her artwork.

Erik Halaas, Youth Art Works Manager, brings to Pratt his experience working with youth with the YMCA and as an Americorps VISTA in the Minneapolis Public School System. He holds a degree in American Racial and Multicultural Studies and Religion and enjoys connecting youth with the same type of inspirational arts opportunities that he had as a child.

Kamla Kakaria, Print & 2D Studio Manager, received an MFA in printmaking from the University of Washington and has exhibited at various galleries in and around Seattle. In addition to managing Pratt’s print studio, she teaches at Pratt and Kirkland Arts Center.

Penelope Karovsky is a retired educational researcher; holds a BA in English and Music from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and a PhD in Educational Technology, University of Washington. She got her start in Pratt’s 2-D studio and is an abstract oil painter and beginning printmaker.

Jim Lakin, Business Director, has over 20 years of accounting management experience. As Senior Accountant for the Woodland Park Zoo, he played a major role in facilitating the Zoo’s successful transition to private management. As a private business owner, he grew a $1,500 investment into a 4,000 square foot retail store and was the largest imported arts and craft retailer on the internet running over 10,000 auctions a month.

Chuck Lopez, Glass Studio Technician, has been working in glass for 19 years and part of the Pratt community since 1999.  With a background in computer science and mathematics, he received a BA in Philosophy from the University of Colorado and a MFA from Alfred University.  Chuck has been awarded grants and residencies from Pilchuck Glass School, PONCHO, Artist Trust, and CGCA-Wheaton Arts. 

Jennifer Malley, Grantwriter and Development Communications Coordinator, has a BA in Anthropology from Earlham College and has worked for non-profits since 2004.  While a Fulbright Teaching Assistant in Vienna, she discovered metalsmithing and enrolled in classes at Pratt upon her return to the U.S.

Grace Meils, Director of Development, received BAs in Art History and Anthropology from Indiana University. Since moving to Seattle a little over ten years ago, she has worked in fundraising, marketing and public relations for the Seattle Art Museum, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Center on Contemporary Art and the Traver Gallery. She feels that her experiences as a student and staff member at Pratt have not only changed her life, but made her a better person, and she feels lucky to spend her days helping to create similar opportunities for others. When she is not at her desk in the Development office, she is likely to be found in the mountains, in her kitchen, or in the hot shop.

Katie Miller, Glass Studio Manager, received a BFA from the University of Washington and an MFA from Tyler School of Art.  Before graduate school she studied glass at Pratt and Pilchuck, where she has been a student, staff member, and TA.  She has exhibited her work nationally and recently returned to Seattle from Philadelphia.  Her sculpture and installations incorporate a variety of materials including video, metal, glass, fibers, beeswax, and found objects.

Amanda Ondrick, Education Program Manager, received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She sits on Artist Trust’s Washington Artists Health Initiative Program, gave a lecture at the 2008 Glass Art Society Conference, attended surf camp on Vancouver Island and has worked with several youth and arts organizations in Chicago and Seattle.

Jennifer Ray, Accounting Manager, has 10 years of accounting experience, has completed a Paraprofessional Accounting degree and is currently pursuing her BA in Accounting from the University of Washington.  She has a passion for music and is hoping one day to perform for the masses.

James Salay, Sculpture Studio Technician, has a BS in mechanical engineering from the UW and a BA in Fine Arts from the Evergreen State College. He prefers to make sculpture and installation that is interactive and has been a long time participant in the Burning Man festival.

Paula Stokes, Program Coordinator, has a Bachelor's Degree in Design from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland, and has studied Printmaking at the University of Washington, where she received the Milnora Roberts Scholarship for Academic Excellence. Paula shows at the SAM Gallery in Seattle and at the Eblana Gallery in Dublin and her work is in the collection on the National Museum of Ireland.

Rebbecca Tomas, Jewelry/Metals Manager, received her BA in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design from the University of Iowa.

Angelique Traverso, Evening Administrative Assistant, earned a BA in Performance Productions from Cornish College of the Arts in 2004.  Since then she has worked throughout Seattle as a costume designer and freelancing as a seamstress making people look fabulous.