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the TEAM

Daniel Callahan

Daniel Callahan

Co-Artistic Director

Daniel Callahan is a multimedia artist, filmmaker and designer. Merging a legion of disciplines including painting, digital photography, film, music, writing and performance, Daniel works to craft immersive experiences incorporating story, ritual, and the human form to explore aspects of resilience and mysticism.

Rachel Styles

Rachel Styles

Operations Manager,
Castle of our Skins

Rachel Styles is an operations manager with a decade of experience. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a BA in African American Studies. In her free time she has performed in and stage managed community theater productions, sung in various choirs, and served as part of the leadership team for Voices Rising.

Ashleigh Gordon

Ashleigh Gordon

Co-Artistic Director,
Castle of our Skins

Described as a “charismatic and captivating performer,” violist Ashleigh Gordon is an active performer appearing with such groups as Grammy-award winning BMOP, A Far Cry, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and the Boston Ballet. She is co-founder, Artistic Director and violist of Castle of our Skins.

Brandie Garcia

Brandie Garcia

Development & Events Assistant, Castle of our Skins

With degrees in both Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies and Black Music Studies from Brandeis University, Brandie has been committed to studying the impact of Afro-diasporic musics from an ethnomusicological lens. They view the arts as not only as a tool for self expression, but also a historical means of change.

Ciyadh Wells

Ciyadh Wells

Executive Director,
Castle of our Skins

Dr. Ciyadh Wells is a multi-talented musician who not only considers herself an artist, but also an activist and scholar. With a passion for promoting diversity and inclusivity in the arts, she firmly believes that access to such experiences is crucial for a healthy society.

Create & Record

Create & Record

Co-Producer

Create & Record (C&R) is Daniel Callahan's multimedia production and design company. C&R specializes in creating engaging, artistic and culturally innovative design, content, products and experiences for a mainstream audience.

Ruben McFarlane

Ruben McFarlane

Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships, Castle of our Skins

Ruben's work as an arts administrator centers on creating equal opportunities for audiences, schools, and communities to experience the performing arts. An active performer and freelance violist, Ruben has performed in venues across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, China, and South Korea.

Castle of Our Skins

Castle of Our Skins

Co-Producer

Castle of our Skins is a Black arts institution dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity and celebrating Black artistry through music. In classrooms, concert halls, and beyond, Castle of our Skins invites exploration into ​Black heritage and culture, spotlighting both unsung and celebrated ​figures of past and present.

Kelley Hollis

Kelley Hollis

Digital Media & Marketing Manager, Castle of our Skins

Kelley is a soprano and non-profit marketing administrator originally from Wellington, FL. She performs regularly with Juventas New Music Ensemble and Boston Baroque.

The Arnold Arboretum

The Arnold Arboretum

Host

A 281-acre preserve in the heart of Boston, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University stewards one of the world’s most comprehensive and best documented collections of temperate woody plants, with particular focus on the floras of eastern North America and eastern Asia.

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