About Us

Arts FMS delivers exemplary financial management services focused on long-term fiscal health and sustainability, empowering organizations to focus on fulfilling their missions. Our experience brings stability, efficiency, and reliability to your financial operations. Our clients receive accurate and timely data that both informs their current strategic financial decisions and better prepares them for the future.  

As your financial partner, Arts FMS integrates directly with your staff and board. Once engaged, we work with you to assess what services and systems would most benefit your organization. Our approach is adaptable, working seamlessly with your current effective systems while introducing new systems to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows for both you and Arts FMS.

Art is vital to our society and core to our mission. Principals Andrea Nellis and Lucy Mallett bring decades of nonprofit financial experience as both practitioners and advisors to cultural leaders, strengthening the sector, and securing both the present and future of our clients.

Andrea Scala Nellis, Arts FMS Principal

Andrea Scala Nellis, Principal

With over 30 years of service in the Arts, Andrea Nellis launched her consulting practice in 2014. Prior to this, Andrea held financial leadership positions within several major cultural institutions. Most recently, she was the Managing Director of New York City Opera. Prior to NYC Opera, she was the General Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the Public Theater, managing day-to-day operations of a seven-performance space organization. In addition, she has held positions at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, BAM Local Development Corporation, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. 

Andrea holds an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama and a BFA in Stage Management from Boston University. She has also served as a lecturer in Financial Management at both the Yale School of Drama and NYU Steinhardt.

Lucy Mallett, Arts FMS Principal

Lucy Mallett, Principal 

Lucy Mallett has over fifteen years of experience working with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, primarily in the arts. Most recently, Lucy served as the Director of Finance & Operations for Denham Wolf, the leading real estate firm serving nonprofit performing arts in New York. Prior to this position, she served as Director of Finance & Administration for Elevator Repair Service (ERS). When Lucy transitioned to consulting in 2016, both ERS and Denham Wolf chose to engage her for their financial management and became her inaugural clients.  

Lucy holds an MA in Performing Arts Administration from NYU Steinhardt and a BA in Psychology with a minor in Dance from The College of Wooster. Additionally, she studied Financial Management for Film, Advanced Nonprofit Accounting, and Real Estate Financial Analysis at NYU School of Continuing Professional Studies.

Chief of Staff

  • Mariana Kao comes to Arts FMS with 8 years of experience working in non-profit arts administration and the performing arts. Most recently, she worked as the Director of Center Rentals at Gibney, leading the rental department. In this role, she managed one of the organization's largest revenue streams and all rentals across two Manhattan locations, a total of 55,000 square feet of studio space in NYC. Mariana's leadership experience and skills are focused in business development, people and systems management, strategic planning, operational process improvement, and project management.

    Mariana holds a BFA in Dance from The University of Texas at Austin. 

Managing Consultants

  • Jessica Adler comes to Arts FMS with over two decades of experience in non-profit organizations ranging in size from $5 to $50 million where she has overseen all aspects of financial operations, including budget development and management, preparation of financial statements, and supervision of day-to-day financial functions. Her most recent role was the Head of Finance and Administration at Taproot Foundation. Previous positions include Finance Director at Manhattan Theatre Club and Controller at New York City Ballet.

    Jessica holds an MBA with a concentration in Arts Administration from Rutgers University and a BA in Theatre from Drew University. She is currently an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College, teaching Accounting for the Performing Arts in the MFA in Performing Arts Management program.

  • Stephanie Jernstrom comes to Arts FMS with nearly 20 years of financial and administrative experience in both the for-profit and non-profit world, with a focus on arts and environmental organizations. Most recently, she worked with two companies focused on driving sustainability in the built environment, Active Design Advisors, Inc. and Brightworks Sustainability, where she was the Director or Operations and Director of Finance and Administration, respectively. Prior to that, she was the Director of Finance for the NY City Opera and an Accounting Manager at the City Center of Music & Drama. Stephanie’s experience covers all areas of Finance and Administration, including budgets, forecasting, financial statements, data analysis, and day to day financial operations.

    Stephanie holds a BA in Fine Arts from Seattle Pacific University and a Post-Baccalaureate degree in Accounting from WA State University. She is currently a licensed, inactive CPA. 

  • Liz brings over 20 years of experience in performing arts management to Arts FMS. She spent 10 years overseeing the Finance and Strategy Team at Disney Theatrical Group where she developed the company’s multi-year strategic plans and served as an integral player in high level decisions for all Broadway and National Touring Productions. Liz has also worked as a freelance financial consultant with clients that include Michael Cassel Group, Disney Theatrical Group and The Broadway Workshop. She first began her career as an auditor with the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr, preparing audits for a wide range of non profit performing arts clients.

    She holds a Masters Degree in Performing Arts Administration from NYU and a BA in Accounting and International Business from Muhlenberg College.

Senior Finance Consultants

  • Julia Corrigan has worked with MCC Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, and Studio Theatre in various financial & human resources management roles. She serves as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors of NACHMO Dance, a non-profit that provides programming for choreographers across the U.S., and was the co-founder and Managing Director of Electric Eye Ensemble, a devised theater company. 

    Julia holds a B.A. in Business Management and Dance from Goucher College, with concentrations in Arts Administration, Choreography, and Performance.

  • Clarissa Soto Josephs brings over a decade of experience in non-profit arts management. With a strong background in leadership and organizational development, she spent 12+ years at Pentacle, a non-profit management support organization, where she held various roles, including Director of Fiscal Services, Director of Programming, and became its first BIPOC Executive Director. Clarissa has had the privilege of working with hundreds of artists and arts organizations, and training over 200 interns in arts administration. She previously served on the board of directors for Pentacle, Unique Projects, and The Foundation for Independent Artists and served on the Young Professional Committee for Groove With Me.

    Clarissa holds an MBA from Quinnipiac University, a BA in Dance and a BBA in Entrepreneurship from Hofstra University.

  • Michael Levinton has worked for 20+ years in NYC non-profit arts management, including stints as a producer, managing director, director of finance and operations, general manager, business manager, and freelance financial consultant. Clients and employers over the years include Clubbed Thumb, New Georges, Rooftop Films, Soho Rep, Target Margin Theater, Hook Arts Media / Dance Theatre Etcetera, Culture Project, Pearl Theatre Company, Ping Chong + Company, TADA! Youth Theater, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Banana Bag & Bodice. Michael is also a director, writer, producer, performer, and creator of original work for the theater as artistic director of Little Lord, an ensemble-based company that aggressively reinterprets classic, found, and neglected texts to create new works of experimental performance

    Michael holds a BA in Liberal Arts (Mythology/Ritual/Theater) from Sarah Lawrence College.

  • Belina Mizrahi comes to Arts FMS from Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where she served as the Director of Finance & Operations. Belina has worked in arts and events administration for over 15 years, holding varied leadership positions in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago.

    Belina holds an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama and a BS in Astronomy & Physics from Yale University.

  • Prior to joining Arts FMS, Megan Runyan was the Financial Operations Lead at ArtsPool, where she led the onboarding of new members including conversion of their financial systems. She also served as team lead for the staff responsible for all client bookkeeping and cash management. Additional past experience includes New York Foundation for the Arts and an entertainment law firm.

    Megan holds an MA in Performing Arts Administration from NYU Steinhardt and a BA in Dance from San Francisco State.

Lead Finance Consultants

  • Eric Colton has spent the last decade working in regional theatre in various finance and management positions. He comes to Arts FMS from the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre, where he most recently served as the Deputy Director of Finance. Additional past experience includes Studio Theatre and The Arden Theatre Company. Eric has also served on the board of Emerging Arts Leaders DC, as well as the Artists & Administrators Host Committee for DC’s Helen Hayes Awards.

    Eric holds an MS in Arts Administration and a BS in Film & Video, with a minor in Theatre from Drexel University.

  • Prior to joining Arts FMS, Sam Doyon worked for ArtsPool as a Financial Operations Lead and Workforce Administrator. He also served on the Operations and Communications teams while there. Before ArtsPool, Sam worked for Learning through an Expanded Arts Program, a large arts-education nonprofit, as the Senior Manager of Operations, where his day-to-day role encompassed financial, operational, human resources tasks. Prior to the arts administration world, Sam worked at a boutique financial services recruiting firm as a Research Assistant.

    Sam holds a BA in World Politics and Anthropology from Hamilton College.

Finance Consultants

  • Evan Aanerud has worked for organizations including Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), Pittsburgh Opera, and Koszyn & Company in various artist services and development capacities. He previously organized a national mutual aid fund for emerging arts and cultural professionals impacted by COVID-19. Evan has also served on the Board of Directors at Lake Region Arts Council in Minnesota.

    Evan holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Arts Management from the University of Minnesota Morris. He is currently a Master of Arts Management candidate at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University.

  • Ariana Cook has 15 years’ experience in not-for-profit theatre management. Ariana comes to Arts FMS after serving as the Managing Director for Cara Mía Theatre in Dallas, Texas where she successfully shepherded the company through a 627% budget increase, making it one of five Latinx theatres with a budget of over one million in the United States. She is an adjunct professor of Theater Management for Texas Woman's University and serves on the board of Temple Emanu-El.

    Ariana holds an MA in Theatre from Texas Woman's University and a BFA in Musical Theatre from Sam Houston State University.

  • Kelly has over 7 years of experience working in non-profit finance, operations, and contracts - most recently as Senior Finance Manager at Hester Street Collaborative. Prior to joining Arts FMS, Kelly worked at the organizations Hester Street Collaborative, Cinereach, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC). She specializes in grant administration and fiscal compliance, government contracting and compliance, and capital project administration. Major accomplishments include opening LMCC's Arts Center on Governors Island with 12 million in capital funding. Kelly also works as a freelance event stage manager - some favorite events include: NYC Marathon, NYC 5 Boro Bike Tour, and the International Emmy Awards. 

    Kelly holds a B.F.A. in Theatre Design and Technology, concentration in Stage Management, from SUNY Purchase. 

  • Kiku Ono has worked with a number of presenting and performing arts organizations in various financial and operational capacities, including with the San Diego Symphony, Symphony Space, and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Most recently, she served for three years as the Director of Artistic Operations for The Knights, a NYC-based orchestral collective, where she played a key role in artistic and financial planning.

    Kiku graduated summa cum laude from the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College with a Bachelors in Music Performance, along with a secondary specialization in accounting.

  • Jen Soloway comes to Arts FMS with over 15 years of arts administration/finance experience. Most recently, Jen served as the Director of Administration for ArtsWestchester, Westchester's designated arts council and regrant organization. Jen has held a variety of financial and management positions for several distinguished nonprofit arts organizations including Mint Theater Company, Classic Stage Company, Exploring the Arts, and the José Limón Dance Foundation. In 2010, Jen co-founded and spearheaded the adaptive re-use plan for the Railroad Playhouse, a nonprofit performance space in Newburgh, NY focused on new play development and arts education programs. She served as the Executive Director of the Railroad Playhouse for two years, earning the Times-Herald Record’s “Best Theatre Venue” voter award in 2012.

    Jen holds an MFA in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College and a BFA in Technical Theatre from DePaul University. She has held adjunct faculty positions at Brooklyn College and the Blair Music School at Vanderbilt University.

  • Arden Walentowski comes to Arts FMS with more than 15 years of administrative and finance experience with non-profits, arts and culture organizations, and independent theatrical producers. Prior to joining Arts FMS, Arden held various positions at the Atlantic Theater Company and TheatreC. Most recently, Arden served as Chief of Staff for a boutique public relations firm supporting non-profit, arts and culture, and social justice clients in New York.

    Arden holds an MFA in Screenwriting from Feirstein’s Graduate School of Cinema at Brooklyn College and a BA in Political Science with a concentration in Business Management from Columbia University.

Finance Associates

  • Louise Benkelman got her start in nonprofit finance at Gibney as Finance Coordinator. In addition, she is the Performance Coordinator for Arts On-Site, a female-led nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists with rehearsal space, creative residencies, and performance opportunities.

    Louise graduated magna cum laude with honors from Roger Williams University with a BA in Dance Performance.

  • Anna Jans brings over five years of experience in nonprofit arts administration and financial management. In her most recent role as Executive Director of Regina Klenjoski Dance Company (RKDC), she oversaw financial operations, including budget development, financial reporting, and strategic planning to support organizational growth. Prior to RKDC, Anna held key positions at Oklahoma City Ballet and Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, where she managed educational programming and day-to-day financial functions. She also served as Business Manager at SPARK! Creative Lab, playing a pivotal role in building the financial and operational infrastructure of the organization during its founding year. Anna holds an MBA in Business Administration and a BA in Arts Administration with an emphasis in dance from the University of Central Oklahoma.

  • Corinne Kibler comes to Arts FMS from the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre, where she worked in various roles in the business department over the past eight years, most recently as Finance Manager. She also has enjoyed working the box office and front of house management at other theatres, such as Warner Theater and Avant Bard.

    Corinne graduated with honors from Virginia Tech with a BA in Theatre and a concentration in Business.

  • Maeve comes to Arts FMS with experience from Pentacle, where she started her arts administration career. While there, she primarily developed and managed their fiscal sponsorship programs, as well as gained experience across the board as a fiscal associate.

    She holds her BFA in Acting from Emerson College.

  • Andrew Slater comes to Arts FMS with over a decade of experience in the New York City nonprofit theater industry in various finance, administrative, and human resources roles. He has worked with The Actors Company Theatre, Rattlestick Theater, Theatre for the New City, and most recently served in several positions in Atlantic Theater Company’s finance department.

    Andrew holds a BA in Dramatic Arts and Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

  • Christine Stroup comes to Arts FMS with over 10 years experience in the performing arts serving in Human Resources, Administration, and Production roles. She has worked with Asolo Repertory Theatre, The Washington School of Ballet, and most recently served as the HR Manager at Signature Theatre.

    Christine graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Stage Management.

  • Maggie Vail started her career in nonprofit administration at Pentacle, where she took on various roles in general, fiscal, and fiscal sponsorship administration during her 4-year tenure. She most recently worked at the Simons Foundation on the Grants Management team as a Temporary Grants Assistant.

    Maggie graduated from Emory University with a B.A. and in Dance & Movement Studies with a concentration in Arts Administration.

Finance Assistants

  • Miriam Chasteen comes to Arts FMS with experience in production management, grant writing, and financial management. She has enjoyed working with the Murchison Performing Arts Center, Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, and South Florida Friends of Classical Music. With experience securing substantial funding and overseeing budgets for events on an international level, Miriam brings a unique blend of artistic passion and financial acumen.

    Miriam graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Texas with a BM in Flute Performance and from Florida State University with a MA in Arts Administration.

  • Ian comes to Arts FMS with skills in development, operations, and financial management of arts organizations, serving most recently as the Operations Manager at REACH Studio Art Center in Lansing, Michigan. While in this position, Ian managed budgeting, reporting, and bookkeeping procedures in addition to coordinating fundraising efforts, events and exhibitions, and overseeing upkeep and use of REACH’s multiple studios, gallery, and performing arts facilities. Ian has additional operations and development experience across the arts industry, having worked with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Museum of Art, and Lansing Art Gallery.

    Beginning his career in the arts during the pandemic gave Ian a passion for financial stability and sustainability in arts organizations as well as for post-pandemic strategies for revenue growth, operations, and development.  

    Ian is a Master of Arts Management candidate at Carnegie Mellon University, having earned his BA in economics with a minor in art history from Michigan State University.

  • Valerie Murray comes to Arts FMS with over 8 years of experience in arts administration, including roles in fundraising and operations, patron services, artistic planning, and education and community programming. She has held positions at distinguished organizations including Interlochen Center for the Arts, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and most recently, Washington Performing Arts, as their Education and Community Program Manager. In this role, Valerie oversaw the program budgets, logistics, administrative processes, and Teaching Artists involved in a wide array of arts initiatives serving schools, senior living communities, hospitals, and other community spaces in the D.C. metro area.

    Valerie holds an MS in Arts Administration from Drexel University and a BM in Music Education with a minor in Nonprofit Leadership from Youngstown State University.