IndyKids » Staff Bios

Staff Bios


	Judi Cheng Judi Cheng works with young children with communication disorders in New York City. She has been a writer and volunteer with IndyKids since 2006. She loves supporting teachers, and hearing what kids have to say about the world we live in.
	Maya Davis Maya Davis, 12, lives in Queens, New York, and recently joined the IndyKids writing group. She is excited about writing more articles.
	Zazil Davis-Vazquez Zazil Davis-Vazquez, 14, lives in Queens, New York. Her interests in editing, production, and activism led her to join IndyKids.
	Pedro Lahoz Wolfe Pedro Lahoz Wolfe, 8, lives in New York City. His favorite pastime is reading. He likes writing for Indykids because it is a political newspaper that shows the REAL world.
	Amanda Vender Amanda Vender is one of the founders and editors of IndyKids. She is currently a full-time parent of two young kids. Amanda is a graduate of Wellesley College and is working toward her Master’s degree in Education at Hunter College, City University of New York. Since 1995 she has been involved in activism related to immigrant and labor rights, anti-war work and Philippine solidarity.
	Bill Marsh Bill Marsh is a writer, teacher, and publisher. He teaches English at Queensborough Community College and is co-director of Factory School. He has been writing and editing for IndyKids since 2009.
	Octavia Davis Octavia Davis grew up in New Mexico, wishing she could live in New York City and write for a newspaper. Now in her forties, she celebrates her dream come true. She lives in Queens, teaches writing at St. John’s University, and works with IndyKids.
	Nina Svirsky Nina Svirsky is a sixth grader at NEST+M in New York City. She is 11 years old and was born in Indianapolis. She has two older brothers in college. She takes ballet, plays the piano, and the trumpet. Her favorite subject at school is science.
	Fanny Sosenke Fanny Sosenke is a math teacher and K-12 math coordinator at Brooklyn Friends School. She is a native of Uruguay, moved to the United States in 1984 and has lived in New Orleans, Boston, Indianapolis, and New York. She is 48 years old. Fanny is an architect but she made teaching her job – she has been teaching math for 30 years, to both children and teachers.
	Xavier Tayo Has been with Indykids since its inception in the Summer of 2005 and has been involved in all aspects of making Indykids happen; such as writing, mailing, distributing, drawing, and tabling. He works in the city’s housing department saving kids from lead paint. And he lives in East Harlem where he plays his guitar at night. .
	Erin Thompson Erin Thompson is a reporter and editor and former coordinator for IndyKids.
	Ruth Kelton Ruth Kelton bakes cookies, cakes, sweets and other tasty things to eat, and may be solely responsible for attendance at any of our meetings. She also copy-edits and proofs, saving us many, many embarrassing mistakes in the newspaper.
	Mike Newton Mike Newton, 29, is an artist and graphic designer living in New York City. His artwork has been exhibited in museums and galleries in Detroit, Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio. He has been contributing design and graphics to IndyKids since 2008.
	Jesse Kuhn Jesse Kuhn, involved with IndyKids since 2008, is a commercial artist who indulges in everything from children’s book illustration to editorial and commissioned pieces. Each illustration still starts with the old analog process of pencil/pen & ink and is then digitized and colored. He is partner at Creative 3, LLC, The Quirkles start-up publisher, and runs his own illustration and design studio in NYC named RAWTOASTDESIGN
	Nico D’Auterive Nico D’Auterive has worked as a communications and new media specialist with many social justice organizations in the U.S. and abroad. She also is a writer and editor for IndyKids and serves as the publication’s coordinator, handling administrative tasks, volunteer and community outreach and fundraising. A former Middle School Special Educator, she cares deeply about all youth.
	Gary Martin A politically minded cartoon artist, Gary Martin has contributed to IndyKids since the beginning as well as The Indypendent, and NewPolitics and is the author of 2 collections of drawings; “The New Leisure Class” & “Sects in the City”. His work can be seen at www.antisocialstudies.com
	Sheba Sethi Has been an editor and writer with IndyKids since it was founded in 2005.
	Leo Garcia Leo Garcia has been an illustrator with IndyKids since 2006. He was born in South America but was raised in the United States. A graduate of the Parsons School of Design, Garcia is a freelance illustrator and photographer who also works as a civil servant for New York City.