About the Asian Cultural Center of VT

ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER OF VERMONT: CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH ASIAN ARTS AND CULTURE

ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER OF VERMONT: CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH ASIAN ARTS AND CULTURE
For further information about Asian Cultural Center of Vermont, contact Executive Director Adam Silver, (802) 257-7898 ext. 1 or email to acc [dot ]vt [at] verizon.net .
Adam Silver Executive Director & Co-Founder	Adam Silver is a teacher, trainer and educational administrator with degrees in art history and education/evaluation, advanced graduate certification in educational administration, and graduate coursework in technology, accounting, and teaching English to speakers of other languages. With working knowledge of Chinese, French, Spanish and Hindi, he was a Watson Fellow in India, Nepal and China, and has a special interest in cross-cultural communications. He is a scholar of Asian art, architecture and literature, and of cross cultural studies at the intersection of art, philosophy, psychology and world religions. He has degrees in Art History, Special Education and Educational Evaluation, advanced certification in Educational Adminstration and Supervision and done graduate work in Accounting, Programming, Teaching English as a Second Language, and Language Learning. He is webmaster for the Cultural Center.
Xi Cai Artistic Director & Co-Founder	Painter, t'ai chi master, art instructor, and language instructor, Cai has been giving Chinese cultural performances for more than ten years. She has worked in film, theatre and television doing scenic painting, costume, make-up and stage design. She has had numerous solo and group shows over the past fifteen years. Cai is a teacher, trainer and workshop presenter for children and adults in art, Chinese language and culture, calligraphy, and taijichuan (t'ai chi ch'uan). She is a graduate from Shanghai Drama Institute. Her live action painting has been presented on youtube. She says: "Everyone is born an artist. Art is everywhere. Life and learning are through art. We achieve and enrich our lives through art."
Diana Bander	Diana O. Bander is President/CEO of DBA IBC, a management consulting firm that specializes in strategic planning, operations and business process anaysis. Diana has lived in Vermont since 1974, and in Brookline since 1989. She has travelled extensively throughout Asia and has worked and lived in Japan. Her home here in Brookline has a stupa that was built by Sonam Lama and consecrated by Buddhist monks. Diana's doctorate from Harvard University is in Administration, Policy and Planning.
Beatriz Fantini Board President	Beatriz Fantini, native from Bolivia, has lived and worked in Vermont since 1966. She is a faculty member at the SIT Graduate Institute, and Language Specialist for Study Abroad. Presently she serves as Special Advisor to WL President, Carol Bellamy. Beatriz developed an interest in Asia, when her two children spent time in Japan. At the moment her husband is under a 2 year contract in Japan, helping Matsuyama University to launch a Masters program in Teaching English. With a grant from the Department of Education, Beatriz has worked with Asian languages and has conducted workshops in India, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Carla Fantini Treasurer	Carla Fantini works as a consultant in the field of language and cross-cultural education. She also teaches Spanish at the SIT Graduate Institute, and trains facilitators for an online dialogue program. She first traveled to Japan as an English teacher in 1995 and returned in 2004 as a Rotary World Peace Fellow to complete a Masters degree in Peace Studies. During her five years in Japan, she learned to play Taiko drums and to dance Kenbu, a traditional dance. She joined the board in May 2008.
Seth Harter Secretary	Seth Harter is a professor of History and Asian Studies at Marlboro College. He has lived in Asia for more than five years, mostly in the region formerly known as Yue or Viet (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Hanoi). He is the caretaker of a Vietnamese ceremonial dragon.
Ani Hawkinson	Ani Hawkinson, educator and naturopathic physician, is President, Executive and Medical Director of HeartSong Health In Community, a nonprofit health organization dedicated to helping create inclusive communities where all members have equal access to natural health care and education, and where everyone experiences optimal health at all levels -- physically, mentally, socially, culturally, economically, and spiritually . As a graduate student in linguistics and a language and cross-cultural teacher educator, Ani has lived and worked in Europe, Africa, the South Pacific, and Japan, in addition to her work as a faculty member at the School for International Training (now SIT Graduate Institute) for twenty years, and as coordinator for the African Language Program at the University of Indiana, her last academic position prior to entering the field of naturopathic medicine. Ani speaks French, Swahili, and some Japanese, and is currently studying Sansrkit as part of her ongoing training in Ayurvedic medicine, the ancient art and science of natural medicine practiced in India. For Ani, cultural education, such as that offered by the Asian Cultural Center of Vermont, is a vital part of supporting and promoting integral community health.
Steev Lynn	Steev Lynn has spent his career in international economic and agricultural development in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. His experience includes Peace Corps, World Bank, and several private non-profit organizations. He is now based in Brattleboro, and when he's not traveling for work he runs up the road and skates right wing.
Marie Procter	Marie has graduate degrees in Psychology and Education, attended the School for International Training has been an elementary school teacher, directed an early childhood center, has been a trustee of the Arts Council of Windham County for more than 20 years, President of the Council for 19, and served as Secretary for Baha’i administrative bodies for over 40 years, Marie has traveled to most of the 50 states in the Union. She has traveled to a number of International Baha’i Conferences through the years and have been on Pilgrimage to the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Countries visited include: Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Pakistan, Nepal, Goa, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Greece, England, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zambia, Swaziland, and Mozambique. Marie states: "I think of the earth is one country and that mankind are its citizens. We are all one people in spirit and each person has something unique to contribute. The diverse cultures in the world add to the richness of our experience on this planet. I believe that we are here to realize our common destiny and to help each other reach our full potential during our time on earth."
Harvey Nystrom	Harvey Nystrom has been involved with science, education, Asia, and fantasy in some form or another all his life. He graduated with a BA in Physics for Cornell University, with an MA in Astronomy from the University of Chicago and an MSW from Loyola University, Chicago. He received a certificate of secondary education at DePaul University in 2001 and has been teaching science in high school ever since. He is currently employed at Bellows Falls Union High School to teach physics and technology. He has made several trips to Asia including Thailand (1991), China (2000 and 2002), and Japan (2004 and 2005). Japan is his first love, and in 2007 led a group of high school students on a summer program for the Experiment in International Living. He has participated in the Asian Studies Outreach Program through the University of Vermont and has attended seminars through the Five Colleges East Asian Program. He has developed a high school Japan Club at Keene High School and serves on the board of the Asian Cultural Center of Vermont. He has given public talks on Kuan Yin and Chinese Astronomy. He speaks Japanese among other languages. He has also given talks on Japanese monster movies. Godzilla and company have fascinated Harvey since he saw his first move, Rodan, at age 5. He has been a devoted fan along with his son Carlos. He has developed a course on science and science fiction movies that he taught for several years at DePaul University. He has assisted in the planning of the Samurai and Kaiju film festival in Brattleboro, VT.
Pratima Vaidya	Pratima Vaidya is the owner of America's Best Inn, Brattleboro. A resident here since 1981, Pratima was born and raised in the city of Baroda, Gujarat state, India. She has also lived in Canada. Her degree is in sociology and history. Before becoming a hotelier, she was in the banking industry. America's Best Inn Brattleboro is located on Putney Road, a quarter mile south of Interstate 91 Exit 3 traffic circle. The hotel has a banquet hall seating up to 130 people. Pratima states: "For me, what I most cherish in the hospitality industry is the opportunity to learn about people, their different cultures and traditions. Listening is very important as a part of this learning process. It has been very interesting to have World Learning / School of International Training nearby."
James Valente	James Valente was born in Brattleboro and has spent all but his college years in the area. He graduated Brattleboro Union High School in 2002 and Drew University (Madison, NJ) in 2006. James is currently a member of the Vermont Board of Bar Examiner's Four Year Law Clerk program, and will be eligible to take the bar exam in 2010. James's interest in Asia developed during his studies in college, and he was active within Drew's Asian history community and worked as an intern at the United Nations. He recently visited the continent for the first time and hopes to be back as soon as possible. James joined the Board of Directors in April, 2008 and assists the center with fundraising, conceptual, and administrative tasks.
Norma Willingham Board Vice President	Norma Willingham came to her interest in Asia when her daughter Grace was adopted from China 10 years ago. She has been part of a group that for a number of years sponsored the public Moon Festival and Lunar New Year celebrations which are now under the auspices of ACCVT. She is pleased to be part of an organization that is promoting a deeper understanding of all of Asia, not just China, and feels this kind of exposure is important for all children. She is an assistant professor at Landmark College.

ASIAN CULTURAL CENTER OF VERMONT: CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH ASIAN ARTS AND CULTURE