CVPA faculty

Vianey Martinez Acosta is an interdisciplinary artist from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico who currently lives and works in Washington D.C. Her work explores the vulnerabilities and violence of her community and narrates her experience crossing the U.S.-Mexico border daily, questioning the political corruptness of this division.

Joey P. Mánlapaz is an accomplished contemporary realist painter recognized for her multifaceted roles as painter, educator, curator, and juror of art exhibitions, and advocate for the elderly through art.

Syrian artist Abdulrahman Naanseh, known for his mastery of Arabic calligraphy, learned this craft with guidance from his father, a self-taught calligrapher. 
His dedication and gift led to notable achievements, including exhibitions at the Arneli Art Gallery during the Beit Misk Festival in Beirut and creating murals at Damascus University.

Jesse Cowan

Recognized in The New York Times as a "Super Lawyer" in the fields of Entertainment, Intellectual Property, and Artist Immigration, Brian is a partner in the performing arts and entertainment firm of Goldstein and Guilliams PLLC.

Lesley is an adjunct professor with the Arts Management program and the Fundraising/Donor Relations Manager for Persevere, a multi-state nonprofit empowering justice-involved individuals through technology education for better opportunities post release.

Award-winning cellist, Ismar Gomes, has performed internationally as a chamber musician, and soloist. Hailed for his “impressive virtuosity, energy, and a handsome tonal range” (Berkshire Review), he has established himself as a captivating young artist, delivering exciting and innovative performances.

Mallory Kimmel is a Washington-D.C.-based artist, who makes conceptual furniture to address exclusionary design practices. She focuses on disrupting loopholes used to deny human rights.

The notion that art could be a practice of living inquiry led Dr. Barney to seek and obtain a PhD in Curriculum Studies with an emphasis on Art Education from the University of British Columbia, where he taught communications, classroom methods, principles of teaching, and supervised student teachers. Barney has won many regional and national awards for his teaching and scholarship over his career.

Paul Damasco is a technical specialist within the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University. His specializations include Apple and Dell computer repair, university application support, remote support, and JAMF pro 300 certification for Apple systems administration.