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Meet the BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AYCO/ACE is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit with a volunteer board of directors..

CODE OF CONDUCT
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  • Dr. Stephanie Morphet, known on the stage as The Flying Brain, has worked with nationally and internationally touring circuses such as Garden Brothers’ Circus, Great Benjamin’s Circus, The Vampire Circus, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, Loomis Brothers’ Circus, Shoestring Circus, and Omnium Circus. In 2022, with Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, she co-produced NYC’s first all Indigenous variety show. The Flying Brain performs aerial hoop, aerial chains, and hula hoops, although her greatest joy is performing and sharing the art of hair hang. You may have seen her on the TV screen as a competitor on season 2 of TBS’ Go-Big Show or on EstrellaTV’s Tengo Talento Mucho Talento. Stephanie also has the Guinness World Record for most weight held while suspended from hair (confirmed in 2023). The Flying Brain is a member of the American Circus Alliance, a core member of the BIPOC Circus Alliance, and a board member of American Circus Educators/American Youth Circus Organization, where she spearheaded the formation of a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice committee. Her passion is bringing the circus to all and sharing her culture through her acts onstage.

  • Jake Weinstein has dedicated over 30 years to circus education and performance, primarily in New England and the Southeast U.S. His career includes roles as Technical Director and later as the overall Director of a major children’s circus in Connecticut, as well as serving as a founding member and board president of a nonprofit circus arts studio in Tennessee. Jake teaches aerial arts and ground skills to both children and adults, and performs across a range of disciplines, including trapeze, fabrics, vertical dance (on the sides of buildings), stilts, juggling, and clowning, among others. He also brings deep experience in social circus, contributing his expertise to create positive social impact through the circus arts.

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  • After years as a competitive gymnast, Jens spent 19 years as a performer in circuses all over the world. His specialties were aerial Roman Rings, comedy chairbalancing, handbalancing, and rola bola. Over the course of his varied career he performed both solo and group acts in shows that ranged from the very small to the very large and ran the stylistic spectrum from traditional to contemporary. After retiring from performing, Jens obtained his teaching certificate and a Masters Degree in Secondary Education and spent 14 years as a high school teacher in Phoenix. In 2015 Jens embarked on his third career, by creating Phoenix Youth Circus Arts, a non-profit social circus program that conducts after-school programs at area schools. 

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  • Donnell Earl Griffith is a juggler and circus educator living in New York City. He found juggling nearly a decade ago at Bryant Park Juggling in Midtown, NY. Since then, he served several years as a juggling coach for the park but has also taught juggling and circus at many other institutions, including Bindlestiff Family Cirkus After School, Yonkers Youth Bureau, and the New York City Department of Transportation. He travels to juggling conventions around the country and hopes to find a way to bring circus to inner city communities who might not have otherwise had the chance to do so. He has an MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing and works as an Adjunct Professor at Hudson County Community College.

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  • Craig Lewis has been fascinated with circus arts since he taught himself to juggle at age 10. He has since pursued training in aerial arts and juggling through Aerial Space in Asheville, NC, and the Aerial Dance program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). In 2013, he founded Night Owl Circus Arts in Johnson City, TN, where he enjoys teaching Aerial Silks, Juggling, and Acro. During the pandemic of 2020 he began teaching a monthly Aerial Rigging Fundamentals class over Zoom, which has become very popular. He is very active in the juggling community, and serves as the Festival Site Director for the International Jugglers’ Association (IJA). He has a degree in Digital Media from ETSU, where today he works as a fitness instructor for the campus gym. He runs several other businesses, including a hot sauce business (Night Owl Spice), a mobile DJ business, and a circus school management software business. He enjoys international cooking, rock climbing, caving, and making hot sauce.

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  • Born and raised in Louisiana, now residing in Portland, Maine, Raymond Diamond (he/him) is a professional circus artist and AYCO/ACE Board Member. As a Board member, Raymond is a member of the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) committee, and the Safety Committee.

    Raymond is a bounce juggler, handbalancer, and partner acrobat, and strives to remind those in his community that great things are often possible with support, love, and a desire to do one’s best.

  • Circus has been a lifelong source of joy and community for Jennifer. She grew up attending circus shows with her mother and later rediscovered the magic as an adult student. Jennifer fell in love with the creativity, challenge, and connection that circus brings. Volunteering as an instructor with Cirque du Monde, a social circus at The Point in the Bronx, NY inspired her deeply. Motivated by that experience, she created and now directs the Yonkers Social Circus Program. Her program creates a safe and welcoming space for young people to build confidence, community, and circus skills.

    In addition, Jennifer teaches hula hoop to adults and youth and is a passionate community circus

    artist. She has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit, corporate, and public sectors. Jennifer brings expertise in program development, event planning, fundraising, and community engagement. She is deeply passionate about using circus to inspire, connect, and uplift people of all ages.

JOIN THE BOARD

Board Member in Memoriam: Rick Davis

A founding member of AYCO, Rick’s 30 year career took him to Ringling Brothers Circus, Broadway, DisneyWorld, The White House, and on tours of 15 countries. He was the author of 3 books, and conducted circus school residencies for Circus Smirkus. He was also the founder of SchoolShows.com, the largest directory of school assembly performers.

Interested in joining a committee?

info@americanyouthcircus.org

Meet the Team

AYCO/ACE runs with a small but dedicated team. We are grateful to our community for all the volunteer hours that have helped build this amazing community.

  • Zoë is abundantly proficient in both the creative, performance side of circus arts as well as the technical and management skills of operating in the circus business. She specializes in Cyr wheel, aerial silks, and aerial rope.

    Zoë began her circus training at Aloft Circus Arts in 2008, predominantly under the instruction of Shayna Swanson. In 2010, Zoë joined the teaching staff at Aloft and quickly became one of the most beloved and trusted instructors. Two years later she was invited to become a senior company member of the Aloft performance ensemble. Simultaneously, she was promoted to studio manager and head rigger at Aloft Circus Arts in Chicago. 

    She has performed at numerous events and in ensemble shows throughout the United States. Most recently she performed, toured, and was the head rigging and costume designer for Aloft’s newest immersive circus show, Brave Space. 

    She successfully combines her athleticism, artistic voice, and enterprising business savvy into an excellent representative of the new circus world.

  • Doug has developed a unique career path both as a performer and arts administrator. From touring internationally to producing award-winning shows, Doug approaches each project with a strong passion for the arts and desire to create positive impact.

    Doug graduated from the New England Center for Circus Arts, the longest running professional training program in the United States. As a performer he has worked for Circus Smirkus, Chicago’s Midnight Circus, Diamond Family Circus, AIDA Cruises, Live305Entertainment, The Vampire Circus, Westchester Circus Arts, Cirque Dreams and has performed in 6 of the 9 Cirque Us tours. Doug holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business of Live and Performing Arts with a concentration in Touring Productions from Columbia College Chicago. At age 20, Doug founded Cirque Us.

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  • Elena Brocade has been an active part of the international circus community since 2002. Beginning her performance career as an aerialist, Elena worked internationally in numerous circus theater productions and gala events. She began working for AYCO/ACE as a Safety Consultant in 2015 and now continues her support of our community to bring the community closer.

Interested in an internship, project-based volunteering, or something else?

Click the link or Email info@americanyouthcircus and we’ll work with you to find the right opportunity at AYCO/ACE!

VOLUNTEER HERE!