our staff
Kristin Proto
Executive Director
Kristin Proto became the Executive Director of The Garage Community and Youth Center in May of 2013. She began her employment with The Garage in West Grove, serving as the founding Director in 2011. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science and History from University of Pittsburgh, and a Master’s Degree in Education with a Secondary Education certification and ESL endorsement from St. Joseph’s University. Through her work with AmeriCorps, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, and PathStone Corporation, Kristin has served in the non-profit sector since 2005, working with immigrants, refugees, and at-risk youth, while developing educational and work-readiness programs.
Kristin lives in West Grove with her husband Anthony and their children Lydia, little Anthony, and Fiarella. They enjoy spending time with family, traveling, and working in their slightly outrageous garden.
Kate Henson
Director of Development
Kate joined the Garage in August of 2019 as the Director of Development. She holds a Bachelors in English Education and a Masters in Special Education both from West Chester University. Kate was a Special Education aide in the Kennett Consolidated School District and has been working in Chester County nonprofits since 2016. She enjoys developing her philanthropic endeavors through memberships in The Chester County Women's Commission, Impact 100 Philadelphia, and Longwood Rotary Club.
She lives in Downingtown with her husband Joe, their dog Gage, and about 12 koi fish.
Aaron Smith
Site Supervisor - Avondale
Aaron joined the Garage in January 2019. He has a degree in Political Science and International Relations from Widener University, during which time he studied abroad in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.
Before working at the Garage, Aaron has worked in various roles across different non-profits and community-based organizations, as well as a few jobs in the finance industry. Aaron is passionate about investing in students and teaching them skills that will help them grow into successful and valuable members of their community.
Aaron currently lives in Downingtown with his wife Brittany.
Liliana Guzman
Site Supervisor- kennett Square
Liliana began working at The Garage in 2023 as Kennett Square Site Supervisor and has worked within the community for over 10 years. Before The Garage, Liliana worked with Maternal Child Health Consortium as the program assistant and case worker. Liliana was born in Mexico and moved to the United States in 2004 and has lived in Chester County since. Liliana is passionate about helping her Community and loves being able to support teenagers by having a positive influence on their lives.
Liliana is an aluminum student from The Garage.
Liliana loves to spend time with her family and friends. She enjoys working in construction with her family,traveling and is very passionate in helping her community. Currently lives in Avondale with her husband Gustavo.
Lizette Herrera
MAPS & Career Compass
Lizette started at the Garage as an intern in her spring semester of 2021 and later joined The Garage as a Student Support Specialist for the Chester County Intermediate Unit in June of 2021. Eventually she moved into the role of coordinating Motivating Advancing Powerful Students (MAPS) and Career Compass.
Lizette earned her Bachelors of Arts in Social Work and minor in Latino/a Studies from Millersville University. At Millersville University she became a peer leader for the Latino Student Leadership Institute and attended the 38th United States Hispanic Leadership Institute in Chicago, Illinois. As a first generation student herself, she is passionate about working with students to support them in pursuing and achieving their goals.
In her free time, Lizette enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and nature.
Murphy McArdle
Volunteer Coordinator, Avondale & Kennett SQuare
Murphy joined The Garage in June of 2015. Prior to The Garage, Murphy worked in the customer service and retail industry and served with her church’s youth ministry. Murphy studied English at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She is also a youth group leader at the Presbyterian Church of Kennett Square and La Iglesia in Toughkenamon. She enjoys working alongside Garage students and making a small seed of difference in their lives. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching the Phillies, and attending concerts.
Murphy lives in Kennett Square with her husband Chris and two kids.
ANTony da Cunha
Body shop Coordinator, AVondale & Kennett Square
Antony joined the Garage in February, 2020. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware. For the last 3 years, Antony has been working in Community Enrichment primarily with immigrant and refugee communities. His passion is to help empower local leaders in the community to be catalysts for positive societal transformation and growth. During this time, he has been able to work in communities in the United States primarily in Newark, Delaware and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; while also making several short term trips abroad to work with refugee/immigrant/ native populations in Greece, France, Tunisia, Kenya, and Morocco. Prior to working in Community Enrichment, Antony lived in Australia for 1-year teaching English.
Esmeralda Carrillo
Parent outreach - Avondale
Esmeralda Carrillo was born in Mexico and came to the United States with her parents and siblings
Esmeralda has three wonderful children and loves to spend as much time as possible with them with her large extended family. She loves to craft and considers herself a very positive and hardworking woman.
In 2000 Esmeralda started working for Rural Opportunities in Coatesville PA, this program changed its name to Pathstone and moved to Kennett Square, where she worked as a teacher's aide.
In 2011 Esmeralda received her Children Development Associate Degree.
Esmeralda is currently enrolled in Immaculata University to complete her Bachelor’s degree. In 2021, Esmeralda started working for The Garage Youth Center in the K-5 Learning Pod program as the site supervisor. She then transitioned to the Parent Coordinator at The Garage Youth Center in West Grove.
Nick Brendle
program coordinator
Nick started working at the Garage in May 2021. Prior to working at the Garage Nick spent time in Asia working with college students at top universities, helping them pursue mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Nick has always been passionate about working with middle and high school students, helping them navigate that difficult time in their lives. Nick enjoys engaging with students through the things they enjoy and love, whether it's 4-Square, memes, or japanese cartoons.
In his free time Nick enjoys skiing, playing soccer, or hitting the links for a round of golf.
Kati Davis
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Kati started working at the Garage in 2023 as our Marketing and Communications Coordinator. She attended Delaware County Community College for a couple of years before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in English Writing. She also recently earned her Certified Digital Marketing Professional certification from the Digital Marketing Institute.
Kati has almost a decade of experience working for non-profit organizations, including 7 years at Avon Grove Library. Her day-to-day tasks at the Garage include managing their website and social media accounts as well as creating email campaigns and assisting with fundraising efforts. She loves finding creative ways to use digital media as a tool to connect organizations with the communities they serve. She also enjoys getting to know the high school students she gets to drive around during Career Compass!
In her free time, Kati enjoys writing, reading, creating both traditional and digital artwork, volunteering with teenagers at her church, and spending time with family and friends (especially her fiancé!)
BETH CLEVENSTINE
MAKERSPACE COORDINATOR
Beth is joining the Garage this year to launch the new Makerspace. She has worked to develop and implement arts programs throughout the country and in Tijuana. She holds a Masters in Art from the Rhode Island School of Design with a focus in community based art and is currently working towards becoming a licensed art therapist through Drexel. Beth is an active public artist along her husband Paul. Together they create large scale murals and glass installations. Beth loves connecting and supporting individuals to art making materials so that they may experience the transformative power of creativity.
In her free time, Beth enjoys being with her family; creating large drawings and playdough sculptures with her two sons, working in the garden, and crystal mining.
Amadeo Gomez
Program Coordinator
Amadeo started working at The Garage in 2023. He is a professional in performing arts with experience in community education and the development of projects with social and environmental impact through art.
Amadeo created the social, environmental and community school ECOCASA SUR ORIENTE in the city of Bogota, Colombia; a project that generated positive impact on children and young people with limited resources and in vulnerable situations. He has worked with older adults in Colombian folkloric dance and has supported the development of artistic circus and theater schools with children and young people. He has formulated, promoted, and developed different cultural and environmental projects with artistic and community groups. He has also participated in national and international dance and theater festivals.
Amadeo holds a degree in Performing Arts from the National Pedagogical University of Bogota, Colombia. He lives in West Chester, PA with his wife.
Rodrigo Zurita
program Coordinator
Rodrigo started working at The Garage in 2023. Born in Yuriria, Guanajuato in Mexico, he has a bachelors in Physical Education awarded from the ESEF University in Mexico City. Prior to working for The Garage, Rodrigo worked for over 30 years as a Physical Education teacher for the Secretary of Education of Mexico. Rodrigo also led the CONDEBA Regional Program and supervised six municipalities. For these achievements, he was chosen to participate three times in a Teachers Exchange Program between Mexico and the United States of America and was selected as the International Ambassador of Congress in Ecology and Environment for an event that took place in San Jose, Costa Rica.
In his free time Rodrigo enjoys discovering and hiking places around the area with his family. Rodrigo was also a member of the Magisterial Folkloric Dance Ballet of Uriangato, Guanajuato in Mexico for 6 years and enjoys sharing his lifelong passion for dance with our community.