Founder and Executive Director

Eleanor discovered creative reuse as an mutimedia artist, and developed her ideas in the nurturing environment of SCRAP PDX. She was also General Manager of the Creative Reuse Warehouse, and spearheaded their collaboration with the ReBuilding Exchange before founding The WasteShed in 2014. She has a BA in Art History from Reed College.

Director of Finance and Operations

Nicole loves to get lost in rabbitholes solving problems, developing systems, and making spreadsheets look beautiful. Her favorite mediums include metalworking, wood carving, and upcycling clothes. Nicole's favorite aspect of The WasteShed is the community-centered approach to creativity and sustainability.

Evanston Director of Programs

Emily loves applied art mediums like quilting, sewing textiles/fiber art, ceramics, printmaking, and anything that gives her Big Craft Thoughts/Feelings. She has a MA in Arts Education and loves helping people to engage with art + crafts in meaningful ways. She also enjoys getting to work with interesting materials, help folks out with their projects, and participate in creative community building at The WasteShed.

Chicago Director of Programs

Laura’s favorite mediums are photography, weaving, and building projects out of wood. She enjoys trying out new materials. She loves the community aspect of the WasteShed.

Chicago Program Coordinator

Earl’s favorite medium is sewing/ quilting as well as acrylic & oil painting. Their favorite part about working at The WasteShed is getting to know members of the community and seeing what creative endeavors everyone is working on.

Evanston Program Coordinator

Avery is a performance artist and painter who gravitated towards The WasteShed family for it's love of all things reuse! She uses a mix of materials, mostly found objects and recycled materials, in her work where she turns feelings into the physical and the audience into active participants. She loves The WasteShed's mission in combining arts, community, and environmental justice!

Creative Reuse Specialist

Frank’s favorite media are sculpture and photography. His art incorporates upcycled materials into miniature worlds. And he loves helping others to find that perfect piece needed for their projects.

Creative Reuse Specialist

Cam’s favorite mediums are watercolor, pen and ink, printmaking (specifically mono printing), and photography. Their favorite part about working at The WasteShed is seeing how inspired and creative community members of all ages become when they visit.

Creative Reuse Specialist

Vahnaree is a current undergrad at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her focus is in Fiber and Material Studies, so her chosen mediums are typically sculpture and textile based. She is experienced in printmaking, fashion design, and 2D mediums as well. Her works are primarily found objects and recycled materials!

Creative Reuse Specialist

Hannah’s favorite mediums are photography and crocheting/knitting. She loves talking about pop culture, going to the park, and anything to do with thrifting and antiquing! If she’s not watching a movie she’s probably taking a picture of a flower somewhere. Her favorite part of working at The Wasteshed is getting to chat with creative people of all kinds about their interests.

Creative Reuse Specialist

Abby likes to paint with acrylics mostly, but is always looking to learn new skills, currently sewing and using fabric! She's always liked the idea of using everything around her as a creative art form. She finds it really hard to part with things, so creative reuse allows her to make them new again. She loves to hear how other people go about this too!

Board Chair

Seva (she/her) is a facilitator, trainer, and consultant working on both community and organizational development in Chicago and with partners around the US & globe. She continually seeks out new tools and innovative processes that center inclusion, participation and strategic thinking in group planning efforts.

Board Secretary

Grace (she/her) is a former art educator in schools and museums who now works in educational nonprofits. Currently, she is part of the Community Support team at Khan Academy, where she is committed to understanding the needs of teachers using the Khan platform, and developing tools that meet those needs. As an artist, she specializes in drawing and cut paper, showcasing her work at https://www.tallgrace.com/

Board Treasurer

Katie (she/her) is a Chicago-based artist and educator. Her works utilize traditional textile techniques to create sculptural and woven dreamscapes that engage viewers in ideas of touch, pleasure, and the roles we play in shaping the world around us. For over a decade, Vota has worked to incorporate sustainable modalities into her life as well as her art practice. From composting, cycling advocacy, volunteering at local farmer’s markets and with CSA’s, hosting clothing exchanges and mending education events, she lives these ideas in a way she hopes is an example for others. She’s been a patron of the Wasteshed since its original home on California and is extremely excited to be a part of shaping its future.

Kristin (she/her) is a textile artist, natural dyer, and gardener. She grows dye plants like indigo, coreopsis, and marigolds in her small Chicago backyard alongside food and cut flowers. In addition to her textile work, she also extracts & works with natural pigments to create watercolor paints and inks. Kristin was the 2023-2024 Textiles Artist-in-Residence with Lillstreet Art Center and the Summer 2023 Maker-In-Residence with the Chicago Public Library. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Fiber and Material Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Jennifer (she/her) has extensive experience managing nonprofit organizations and working with boards and volunteer committees, and is currently an Associate Executive Director of the Academy of General Dentistry. She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and has successfully brought many programs to fruition in a nonprofit setting. She also sews, mends, repurposes, thrifts, and generally does what she can to pass useful things along to those who can make good use of those items.

Emily Piff is a data-driven analyst and artist living in Chicago, IL. Emily currently works as a Financial Analyst with Irca Group, and has worked in Data Analysis and Management for the Chicago Transit Authority and Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. Emily is passionate about art and creative reuse, and in her free time she likes to play flute and guitar, make stained glass, read and go to the library, organize for social change within her community, and spend time with her pets and partner.

Erin Booker is a seasoned real estate broker with extensive experience in residential sales, investment properties, and fix-and-flip renovations, offering clients a steady, thoughtful, and highly informed approach. Before real estate, she ran an art-based, Reggio-inspired preschool for 12 years, shaping her creativity, problem-solving skills, and commitment to community. She is deeply invested in repurposing materials and keeping usable items out of landfills, a philosophy she carries into her renovation work—and she runs the Buy Nothing Evanston group to help neighbors share resources. Erin is also committed to supporting the community through a wide range of volunteer initiatives, reflecting her belief in showing up, pitching in, and strengthening the place she calls home.