Meet Our Team
Englewood Leadership Team
Shannon McGillick
Director
Shannon McGillick graduated from Pace University, receiving her BFA in Fine Art with a focus in photography. Her personal work explores digital design, sculpting and mixed media. Shannon is passionate about curating shows and enjoys collaborating with other artists to develop a safe, welcoming community for creatives to connect with across the globe. Shannon loves teaching at One River School and enjoys seeing her students grow in an inclusive, creative environment.
Zach Erdmann
Assistant Director of Education
Zach is an educator with a passion for art, curriculum and community! Graduating from The University of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration, he worked as a freelance artist, illustrator, graphic designer, and front-end web designer in the private sector. Discovering his vocation for education, he returned to The University of the Arts to receive his Master of Arts in Teaching in Visual Arts. Before joining the One River team, he taught Drawing & Painting and World of Art at Piscataway High School, designing the curriculum for the latter. Zach is excited and motivated by art history, contemporary art, equity in education, and social justice. In his free time he loves to create abstract art and consume all kinds of film, television and media.
Shayla Nolan
Assistant Director
Shayla graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2020 with a BA in Art Education and Art History. She then went on to teach Painting, Ceramics, Photography, and AP Art History at Randolph High School. Shayla also maintains a professional painting practice that focuses on abstract expressionism through a contemporary feminist lens. Shayla is passionate about visual culture, art accessibility, and mentoring young artists. She loves that at One River School, students study contemporary art to inform their own artwork, and inspire their personal expressions.
In-Studio Educators
Dana Kjeldaas
Dana Kjeldaas graduated from Montclair State University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and Illustration. She is experienced as a concept artist, working with both 2d and 3d digital media. She is passionate about teaching new methods of digital art and sharing her knowledge of various art industries with aspiring artists. She loves being a part of the One River School to help her students advance their skills and grow as artists by using their interests as a source of inspiration.
Emily Evanowski
Emily is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in NYC where she received a BFA in Illustration. She has been working for New Jersey public schools for over 8 years, with experience with all age groups. As a teacher at One River, Emily loves being able to see students grow and be able express themselves in their most authentic way.
Tina Grammer
Tina is an artist and educator with a BFA in Painting and Drawing from Parsons School of Design, and an MAT from Montclair State University. Informed by her love for hiking and the outdoors, she creates artwork across various 2D media that bridges abstraction and nature. Tina teaches adult classes, guiding her students not only through technical artistic development, but creative personal growth.
Elba Rovelli
Elba graduated with a BFA in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute and went on to teach Portfolio Development at Pratt for 8 years working with High School students. Since then she has been working for the past 17 years as an art teacher in the New Jersey public school system. Elba loves being a part of the One River Team because it gives her a chance to work with her students in a smaller group setting that allows for connection and collaboration.
John Prehart
Graduate of William Paterson University with a BFA in fine arts with a concentration in painting and drawing. John has exhibited his work in various galleries and shows throughout the NY, NJ area. He specializes in landscape and wildlife art gaining his inspiration from nature. John also has a passion for teaching. For the past decade, he has been a painting instructor sharing his skills and techniques with his students. John is excited to be apart of the One River School family and is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with students of all ages.
Marzie Farzad
Marzie Farzad is a passionate and dedicated art educator. She graduated from Tehran University with a BFA in Industrial Design. With years of experience in set design, she specializes in creating immersive art experiences for children, fostering teamwork and self-expression. In Marzie’s classes, students not only learn technical skills but also gain the confidence to express themselves through art. As a mentor, she is committed to helping children uncover their artistic talents, making art an enriching and transformative journey at One River School of Art + Design.
Erica Travia
Erica is a visual development artist specializing in environment design and concept art. She recently obtained her bachelor's degree at Savannah College of Art and Design, where she pursued animation with a concentration in storytelling and concept development. Erica is incredibly passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge with others, especially regarding the positive influence that art can have on students. She truly believes that art can inspire, motivate, and transform lives, and she can't wait to see what her students will create!
Join Our Team
Career opportunities at One River School allow passionate artists, educators and lovers of art to share their love and knowledge of art and enhance the lives of people they connect with everyday.