Meet The Team
Kelsie Godoy
Kelsie, an artist and community builder originally from Indiana, has lived, studied, and worked in Europe and South America (The Netherlands, Greece, Spain, and Chile). She is fluent in Spanish and speaks basic modern Greek. As an Eli Lilly Scholar she received her Bachelor's from Butler University in International Studies and Spanish. She holds a Master's Degree in International Laws from the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands and the Pontifical Catholic University of Santiago de Chile. Kelsie has served as an adjunct instructor at Purdue Fort Wayne University in the Foreign Language & Culture Studies Department. She and her husband are raising their children in a bilingual multicultural family. Kelsie is grateful to be a part of this unique organization nurturing artistic sensitivity and appreciation for multicultural learning experiences in Fort Wayne and beyond.
Maria Sutherland
Maria, born and raised in Bolivia, is fluent in both Spanish and English. She holds a B.A. in Public and Nonprofit Administration from Grand Valley State University. Over the last decade, she has been actively involved in various roles focusing on community impact and education. Maria is currently working as a DOJ-partially accredited representative to support immigrants through diverse humanitarian cases at Catholic Charities Fort Wayne-South Bend. She is also pursuing a law degree to further her impact as an attorney. Outside of work, she enjoys nature and traveling. Maria takes pride in serving on the board of an organization that promotes cross-cultural learning, diversity, and bilingualism, all passions close to her heart.
Antoinette Murray
Toni, a retired teacher, is a dedicated advocate for arts and education initiatives on both local and global levels. She has actively supported Project Reads to nurture a love for learning and literacy from a young age. She supports and contributes to organizations promoting quality educational and artistic opportunities for children in her community. Toni holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from St. Francis University. Outside of her philanthropic work, she cherishes spending time with her family, especially her great nieces and nephews. She further enjoys international travel and has travelled to all seven continents. Toni is honored to be on the board of this non-profit with a mission that aligns with her own life mission of bringing quality arts, education and cultural learning experiences to young people.
Amber Oda
Amber returned to Indiana after spending time in Uganda, Sudan, and various locations in the U.S. She speaks basic Sudanese Arabic and has more than fifteen years of experience collaborating with nonprofits and communities in the United States and Africa, with a strong focus on trauma healing and justice. She has experience working as a Programs Specialist, ESL Instructor and Research Consultant. Amber received her Bachelor's Degree in Global Studies from Azusa Pacific University in California. She holds a Master's Degree in Transformational Leadership from and currently works as a violence prevention facilitator with youth in Ft. Wayne. Raising her three children is Amber's most beautiful and transformative experience. She is excited to be part of Bridging Worlds and to contribute her gifts and expertise to foster empathy and connection through the arts.
Angela Tippman
Angela was born and raised in Indiana. She lived abroad in Córdoba, Argentina; Barcelona, Spain; and Guanajuato, Mexico for over a decade. She is an avid international traveler and lifelong learner, committed to fostering cross-cultural understanding and creativity in her own community. Angela holds a BFA from Eastern Michigan University and is a Spanish teacher with Fort Wayne Community Schools, where she is passionate about integrating the arts into everyday life. She is a strong advocate for community-based arts experiences in Fort Wayne and is dedicated to sharing the rich cultural diversity of the Spanish language and Latin American culture with her students in grades 1–8. She brings a global perspective to her teaching and community work. She is looking forward to adding her energy, passion and experience to the Bridging Worlds mission and programming in NE Indiana!