Our Team
The team at Allens Lane Art Center helps to provide quality and innovative art and cultural programming for the Greater Philadelphia Region.
Tara Harrison Turner
Director of Operations
Tara Harrison Turner was born and raised in the West Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia and came to Allens Lane Art Center’s Summer Camp as a child. She has worked in the Healthcare industry for the last 15 years, gaining experience in Operations, Customer Service, and Provider Relations. As a seasoned Director of Operations, she is passionate about identifying and providing efficient solutions and communicating the most up-to-date information. Outside of work Tara, who is a current Glenside, PA resident, is also involved in the Springfield Township School District community as a member of the multicultural parents association. Tara has been married to her husband, Thomas, for 21 years and has a 17-year-old son. In her spare time, Tara enjoys time with family, hiking Valley Green, and Podcasting. Tara holds a BS from Chestnut Hill College and an MS from Saint Joseph’s University.
Anthony Skinner
Facilities Manager
Anthony Skinner has been with Allens Lane for over 20 years. He has decades of experience managing facility maintenance at various cultural institutions including Settlement Music School and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
Letta Brown
Box Office Manager
Letta Brown
Box Office Manager
Autumn Blalock
Performing Arts Coordinator
Born in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Autumn Blalock is a Villanova University graduate with an MA in Theater and a Certificate in Non-Profit Administration. For almost five years, she has held positions as a Philadelphia arts administrator, educator, and dramaturg.
Autumn is an arts administrator and Theater for Health researcher. An acclaimed scholar with a focus on Afro-American phenomenology, Blalock focuses her artistry around embracing the wholeness of humanity. She is a published researcher, poet, and essayist. Autumn is currently the Resident Dramaturg of Azuka Theatre and the Managing Director of Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival. Some of her other credits include working in dramaturgy and stage management with Inis Nua, PlayPenn, Eagle Theatre, and Philadelphia Artists Collective.
Autumn loves to see the latest shows around the city and visit new restaurants. Have a favorite food spot? She is always accepting recommendations!
Leah Gelb
Development Director
Through her years of experience in the nonprofit field, Leah has developed a passion for advancing the work of cultural organizations and in providing sustainable support for equitable arts and community programming. A native Philadelphian, she believes strongly in the impact of community and mission-driven organizations, and in the transformative power of art. Most recently, she worked in fundraising at the American Friends Service Committee and Fleisher Art Memorial, where she served for over a decade. Leah just moved to Mt. Airy within the past year with her husband and twin 4-year olds, and is loving its strong sense of community as well as its amazing outdoor spaces.
Chloe Theodosiou
Art Studios Manager
Originally from New York, Chloe is a graduate of Alfred University with experience as a teaching, assisting, and exhibiting artist in NYC. Chloe has extensive knowledge of ceramics, fibers and theater. She has been living in Pennsylvania since 2020, working with local art spaces and non-profits to provide affordable, high-quality art education. She is motivated by community and humanity in the arts with an intense passion for all things clay with her practice focusing on where material experiments meet emotional articulation.
Jana Shea
Marketing and Communications Associate
Jana is a Philly-area native whose background as a freelance writer and photographer includes assisting corporate and nonprofit marketing campaigns and several years as a multimedia reporter, during which she covered both regional and hyperlocal news in Philadelphia and New Jersey for public media.
After returning to Philadelphia from the Netherlands 13 years ago, Jana settled in Mt. Airy, where she’s been ever since. She is a firm believer in the transformative power of art and collaboration is her guiding philosophy.
In her free time, Jana enjoys co-creating visual art and music projects with her spouse and son, intuitive gardening and impromptu dance parties.
Suzanne L Seesman
Programs Director
Han McCoy
Visitor Services and Exhibition Coordinator
Nan Latona
Executive Director
Nan is a lifelong Philadelphia resident, visual artist, and nonprofit leader with over two decades of senior experience in the arts and cultural sector. She most recently served as Executive Director of Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, guiding the organization through financial restructuring and strategic growth. Previously, as Director of Development at Main Line Art Center, she managed relationships with hundreds of funders while expanding revenue and strengthening board engagement.
Nan combines expertise in fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational development with a deep personal connection to community arts centers—as both an artist and longtime participant, she understands the vital role these organizations play in fostering creativity and community.
Board of Directors
2026
Susan Matyas, President
Larry Liss, Vice President
W. Roderick Gagne, Vice President
Sigrid Lundby, Treasurer
Mary Kurtz, Secretary
Lynne Andersson
ReVae Boyd
Baiyina Brown
Cynthia Chatman
Thomas Gartside
Zambia Greene
Nari Kim
Debbie Lerman
Lindsey Norward
Marzena Quinn
Shanice Rountree
Melissa Torpie
Trudi Williams
