The Arts for Humanity! Team
Karsen Lee Gould
Founder/Executive Director
Karsen Lee Gould, MA, CDT, founded Arts for Humanity! in 1997 and continues to lead the development and programming of this unique arts outreach organization. For over 25 years she has been active in bringing the inspirational and healing power of the arts to underserved segments of our communities.
An acclaimed educator, artist, theatre director, and creative arts therapist, Ms. Gould received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and Creative Arts Therapies from Antioch University, Santa Barbara. Her career began as a performing artist after completing formal training at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and the Theatre School at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. She soon gravitated toward teaching theatre and movement to children, which eventually informed the core of her understanding of the innate nature of creativity. This led her to work with a wide variety of populations, developing an integrated arts practice teaching creative theatre, expressive dance, and visual art for personal growth. Realizing that facilitating other people’s creativity and working with the therapeutic nature of the arts is an art form in its own right; she began creating original theatre pieces and directing. She subsequently delighted in discovering that working with “mixed ability” was a tremendous opportunity to explore authentic and unique creativity.
Over the past decade Ms. Gould has produced and directed seven original Mixed-Ability Theatre/Dance Productions for Arts for Humanity!, providing the Santa Barbara community with an inclusive and enriching cultural experience.
Through Arts for Humanity!‘s Internship Program, Ms. Gould trains college youth to work through their art form in the social service sector, bringing an altruistic dynamic to the value of their art experience and helping them to expand their world view while changing the lives of those they serve
Megan Whitney
Past Program Development Associate
Megan Whitney recently received her Bachelors of Arts in Communication Studies at Westmont College. She spent her undergraduate years engaging in cultures around the world and uses her passion for communication as a way to amplify marginalized voices. Megan’s particular love of writing is foundational in her pursuits to connect with her diverse communities, both locally and globally.
As the Arts for Humanity! Program Development Associate, Megan works with our partners to expand outreach, engage with our community through social media, and support the administrative and organizational needs of the inspirational work of this non-profit.
“Art and love are man’s greatest gifts to himself; and there can be no
art without love. Art is always the making of the soul …”