Melanie Kaplan

Born and raised in Chicagoland, Melanie received her B.A. in Studio Arts with a focus in Photography from Illinois State University in 2013. Since her first job as a summer camp art instructor, Melanie discovered she had a passion for working creatively with youth in underserved communities. She continued her work in the non-profit sector serving as an Americorps LISC member at Outside the Lens in 2019. She has also spent time serving homeless and runaway youth while co-running an arts empowerment program that allowed them to freely express themselves through the arts, in an effort to destigmatize mental health.