Our Team
Meet Our Mentors and Leaders
Aisha Khan, Executive Director and Lead Ceramics Instructor
Aisha Khan is the visionary leader and co-founder of EVAM ARTS CORP, bringing over fifteen years of experience in non-profit management and a celebrated career as a ceramics and sculptural artist. She holds an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and has exhibited her work internationally, but her true passion lies in educational leadership and mentorship. Aisha’s philosophy is deeply rooted in the belief that the tactile process of working with clay provides a profound connection between the physical world and internal emotional landscapes, making it an essential tool for grounding and self-discovery. Her commitment to creating equitable access to the arts led her to personally design our mentorship curriculum to emphasize psychological safety and individualized pacing for all participants. Beyond her administrative duties, Aisha continues to teach advanced ceramics classes, where her patient, encouraging, and highly technical approach inspires students to push the boundaries of their craft, cementing her role as both a leader and a dedicated teacher within the organization.
Dr. Elias Vance, Program Director and Educational Psychologist
Dr. Elias Vance oversees the pedagogical structure of all EVAM ARTS CORP programs, ensuring that our curriculum is informed by the latest research in developmental psychology and creative cognition. Holding a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and a minor in Fine Arts, Elias brings a unique, evidence-based approach to artistic instruction. His work focuses on how the creative process—specifically activities like observational drawing and narrative-based performance—enhances executive function, critical thinking, and emotional regulation in participants of all ages. Elias is responsible for the design of our Expressive Mentorship Model, training our entire faculty to integrate social and emotional learning into every art form we teach. His passion stems from seeing art’s therapeutic potential; he advocates for a learning environment that celebrates mistakes as essential data points for growth, rather than failures to be avoided. With over a decade of experience consulting for educational institutions, Elias ensures that EVAM ARTS CORP maintains the highest standards of academic rigor while preserving a supportive and warm atmosphere that prioritizes the student’s holistic well-being over purely aesthetic results.
Lena Rodriguez, Outreach Coordinator and Digital Arts Specialist
Lena Rodriguez is the driving force behind EVAM ARTS CORP’s community engagement initiatives, connecting our studio to the wider Apex and Wake County population, and she is also our primary specialist in contemporary digital media. Lena earned her BFA in Graphic Design and Interactive Media and has a background working in corporate communications, which gives her a practical edge when teaching digital tools like Adobe Suite and 3D modeling. Her professional dedication emphasizes her belief that modern art must embrace technology to remain relevant and accessible, and she is dedicated to demystifying complex digital tools for our students, ensuring every participant is equipped for the future. As the Outreach Coordinator, Lena manages all community partnerships, working tirelessly to secure grants and coordinate off-site programs for underserved groups, directly embodying our commitment to accessibility. Her teaching style is known for being energetic, highly structured, and incredibly encouraging, empowering students to translate traditional design principles into powerful digital creations, making her a gifted educator and a committed advocate for the arts.
Community & Engagement
A creative partnership between the studio and the home.
At EVAM ARTS CORP, we view the family unit as an essential partner in the artistic and personal development journey of every participant, recognizing that support at home amplifies the lessons learned in the studio. We actively encourage family involvement through dedicated events such as Family Open Studio Sessions, where parents, siblings, and guardians can create alongside their artists, experiencing the joy of expression firsthand and building a deeper appreciation for the creative process. We host regular Parent Information Seminars led by Dr. Vance, focusing on topics like “Fostering Creative Confidence” and “Understanding Artistic Development,” equipping families with the tools to support their child’s growth in a positive and informed manner. Our mentors maintain open lines of communication, providing detailed feedback on progress and offering suggestions for creative activities that can be seamlessly integrated into daily life. This strong bridge between our organization and the home ensures a consistent, supportive ecosystem for the artist, reinforcing the message that creativity is a valued and integral part of lifelong learning and family life for everyone involved in the participant’s journey.
Join Our Team
Become a professional mentor and contribute to a transformative mission.
EVAM ARTS CORP is continuously seeking passionate, highly qualified, and dedicated professional artists and educators to join our growing team of mentors and administrative staff. Our organization offers rewarding career opportunities for those who are driven by a commitment to both artistic excellence and holistic personal development, recognizing that our team is our greatest asset. We look for individuals who are not just skilled in their artistic discipline but who embody our core values of integrity, community, and expression, and who are eager to work within our unique Expressive Mentorship Model to guide others. Current opportunities typically include part-time and full-time mentorship roles across our various programs (Youth, Teen, Adult), as well as administrative positions in outreach, program coordination, and facility management at our Apex, NC location. Working with us means becoming part of a supportive, collaborative, and purpose-driven environment where your professional expertise directly translates into profound, positive community impact, making every role here a deeply fulfilling career step with ample room for personal and professional growth.
Team Culture
A collaborative, supportive, and creatively charged professional environment.
The team culture at EVAM ARTS CORP is purposefully cultivated to be an extension of the warm, non-judgmental environment we create for our participants, fostering a truly supportive and collaborative professional space. We value open communication, mutual respect, and a shared dedication to continuous personal and programmatic improvement across all levels of the organization. Mentors are actively encouraged to collaborate across disciplines, sharing teaching techniques, materials knowledge, and creative insights in regular faculty meetings, ensuring a constantly evolving and enriched curriculum that benefits all our students. We prioritize professional development, offering ongoing training in pedagogical methods, social-emotional learning integration, and specialized technical skills to keep our team at the forefront of arts education. Furthermore, our leadership, including Aisha Khan and Dr. Elias Vance, maintains an approachable, flat organizational structure where every team member’s voice is heard and valued. Working here means belonging to a tight-knit family of creative professionals who are passionately dedicated to making a tangible, positive difference in the lives of every student and the cultural fabric of our community.
