Claire Knowlton

Executive Director

Claire has served as the Executive Director of McGroarty Arts Center since 2006. Her skill analyzing data, building partnerships, and accurately measuring community need is largely responsible for the tremendous increase in enrollment and membership experienced by the Center over the last three years. Thanks to her leadership and vision, McGroarty Arts Center has entered a new stage of growth and expansion, with a solid strategic plan and an engaged Board of Directors. She was one of ten arts leaders selected for the prestigious 2008-2009 class of Los Angeles County Arts Commission’s Executive Leadership Group, and completed the Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations program at Harvard University.

Before coming to McGroarty, Claire spent three years working in development as a Supervisor for the University of the Pacific’s Office of Annual Giving and managing after-school programs in the Stockton Unified School District with the Jacoby Center for Public Service and Civic Leadership. Claire’s arts background is in theater and professional vocal performance. She holds a B.A. in Economics and Religious Studies from the University of the Pacific.

Claire is a product of McGroarty Arts Center programs. She began taking arts classes at the Center at the age of three, and her first job was as a McGroarty Teacher’s Assistant through the Arts Internship program. She is committed to providing her community with the enriching experiences and training that she was fortunate to receive in her youth through McGroarty Arts Center.

Denise Statland

Program Director

Denise grew up in the Tujunga community. She started taking classes at McGroarty Arts Center as a child, and these early arts experiences led her to pursue several years of performing arts and music education throughout grade school. In 2008, Denise decided to “give back” to McGroarty by volunteering at events and interning in the office, sharing her data analysis skills to examine enrollment trends at the Center. After her internship was complete, she was hired as Assistant Director and later promoted to Program Director.

Denise earned her BA in Sociology with a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies from California State University, Northridge. At Northridge, Denise received the 2008 Harvey Rich Scholarly Award, as well as one of two awards in the 2009 Sociology Department Student Writing Competition, and the 2009 Outstanding Graduating Undergraduate Award. She brings to McGroarty several years experience in administrative work, a strong background in social research methodology, data analysis, and human resources, as well as a passion for education and the creative process.

Monica Elayne Hicks

Communications Associate

Monica is a working artist residing in North Hollywood. She teaches drawing, multi-media, and aboriginal collage art to students ages 4- 13. Her line of greeting cards EmpowerME is sold in Cherish Consignment in San Francisco, and she stays busy with her love of reading, cooking, and being the host of a radio station called GYSTRadio. Monica believes in each student's authenticity and interests, and she feels that art is a collaboration, where both student and teacher can share in the learning process. Her students learn to trust themselves and believe in the growth and process of their abilities through visual art.

Monica holds a BA in Studio Art from U.C. Irvine and a MFA in Fine Art from California Institute of the Arts. She has taught visual arts for the Community Arts Partnership, animation at Watts Towers Cultural Center, and Special Focus art classes at Oakwood School in North Hollywood. She has been a McGroarty Instructor for almost 2 years. Monica has experience in marketing, graphic design, non-profit administration, and development.

Cathie Fransen

Program and Operations Assistant

Cathie is a native Southern Californian coming to McGroarty after an extensive administrative support career for two major corporations. She is very happy to be a member of the McGroarty family.

Ceramics is a passion she has carried throughout her life. She has studied sculpture and ceramics at Pierce College. As a Pierce student she exhibited her work at the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art in Davis, California. She was introduced to McGroarty during the “Cups” Exhibit in 2010 and it was love at first sight. She has participated as a volunteer and as a student showing her work during McGroarty’s Annual Ceramics Exhibits over the past several years.

She considers her greatest works of art as being her daughters, Kimberly and Christine. Keeping her heart happy are her animal friends, Luna, the Moon Doggie, and Maxine, the Tortie cat with an attitude.