Reach Out Arts Affiliates

Individuals and organizations whose work embodies the principles of altruistic creativity promoted by ROA.

Karla Booth BA, M.AmSAT, YTA, Dip IMH

Karla Booth is a movement specialist with over thirty years of international performing and teaching experience. She began exploring the world of music and dance as a young child, developed her choreographic skills at college, and became certified as a yogainstructor as well as a teacher of the Alexander Technique.

Karla maintains a busy teaching studio in Westchester where she enjoys helping adults and children explore their creative potential through dance and music, so that they have the confidence to use their creativity to enhance not only their lives, but also of those around them.

 

Michael Brenner

Michael Brenner is a talented, versatile, and inspiring musician. Despite having challenges such as autism and a visual impairment, he has an amazing ability to connect with all the people that he makes music with and for. This ranges from toddlers to nonagenarians and includes a mastery of an enormous repertoire of music that he can play and sing.

He takes great pride and joy in sharing his passion for music with others, which has resulted in his active participation in many community groups in the Hudson Valley, as well as becoming a much sought after performer for conferences and professional meetings. In every setting, Michael adds a unique flavor that fills each attendant and participant with a happy heart.

Sue Carpenter, Ph.D.

Sue Carpenter has worked internationally as an arts educator in schools, museum education and extensively in special education. She is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science and Human Services at Kingsborough Community College—part of the City University of New York.

At Kingsborough she is the course coordinator for the Arts in Education courses, mandatory courses for students working toward their associate degree in Early Childhood and Childhood Education. She also advocates for students with Intellectual Disabilities, and is a member of the CUNY wide committee looking into credentials for these students.
Dr. Carpenter has published widely. Her research interests include altruism, arts and disability.

Susan Burghardt Diamond, MM, Dip IMH
Susan Diamond is a concert and operatic soprano soloist of international caliber. Trained at the Juilliard School of Music, she has performed with many opera companies and orchestras in the US and Europe, given numerous solo concerts throughout the US, and completed five tours in Australia. Her recording of the Nielsen Symphony Number 3 conducted by Sixten Ehrling hasbeen widely praised. An accomplished popular/jazz singer as well, she has also performed in jazz concerts in the US, Britain, Europe, and Australia. She is former Professor of Voice at Fairfield University in Connecticut and Columbia Teacher’s College in New York City.

 

 

 

Michael G. Garber, Ph.D.

Michael is an interdisciplinary teacher, historian, theorist, critic, and artist, whose creative work and pedagogy integrates drama, dance, music, film, and media. He teaches at several universities in the New York Greater Metropolitan Area and lectures internationally. Read more about Michael>>

 

 

 

Erika Hunter, Dip IMH

Erika, born and raised in Germany, has been passionately involved with American Popular Music for nearly 20 years.  She is married to a professional trumpet player/builder in the New York area and is a qualified bookkeeper with experience in several company start-ups.  She first got interested in the concept of Life Energy 30 years ago when visiting her German medical doctor who referred her to a book called “Life Energy”.

 

 

 

Brigitte Pohl, Dip IMH

Brigitte Pohl,  is a Naturopathic Therapist & Acupuncturist, who has been interested in health and healing her whole life. Originally from Germany, she moved to the USA in 1997 to continue her studies and and worked as a Licensed Acupuncturist. For the past twenty-five years she has also trained extensively with John Diamond M.D., on how how to use the arts to promote healing. She has given lectures and workshops on the arts and healing in Europe, Australia, and the USA.  She returned to her native Germany in 2022.