Leadership
Leah Lowe
Professor, Theatre, Directing & Dramaturgy
Director, Curb Center for Art, Enterprise & Public Policy
leah.lowe@vanderbilt.edu
Leah Lowe earned her undergraduate studies in theater and religion at Oberlin College. She went on to earn her MFA in directing at the University of Minnesota doctorate and completed a certificate in women’s studies at Florida State University. Professor Lowe joined Vanderbilt in 2011. Since that time she has raised the bar on innovative student productions, while serving as Theatre’s department chair for a total of seven years. She received the Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Undergraduate Teaching in the Humanities in 2018 and served as 2021-2022 interim director of the American Studies program.
On campus, Professor Lowe spearheaded the Plays from the Pandemic project, which commissioned and produced plays with themes inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, she led the committee of faculty and students who selected the plays from diverse and emerging playwrights, and she directed two of the shows: Wingman Telegram and To Stab a Butterfly Through the Heart, or Vladimir Nabokov on a Westbound Train.
In the Nashville community, she has directed several plays for Actors Bridge Ensemble, including Tiny Beautiful Things last April, and the Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s upcoming production of Cymbeline. She was a co-collaborator and directed the world premiere of Sloppy Bonnie: A Roadkill Musical for the Modern Chick at OZ Arts Nashville in spring 2021.
As Curb’s Director, her oversight of all center activities ensures that the center is engaging in work to fulfill its guiding mission. She will continue to teach in the theatre department while exploring how the Curb Center can develop trans-institutional programming which sees Curb partnering with groups on campus and in the community to advance creativity.
Molly Barth
Associate Professor of Flute
Associate Director, Curb Center for Art, Enterprise & Public Policy
molly.a.barth@vanderbilt.edu
Professor Barth is a Grammy Award-winning flutist, professor and clinician who moves effortlessly from concert hall to teaching studio to rehearsal room to orchestral section. She has been described as a “ferociously talented” performer (The Oregonian) whose performances are always concentrated and intense. She has premiered hundreds of pieces, finding the creation of new music uplifting and miraculous. You can hear Molly’s blend of control and ferocity on Vento Appassionato, digging into 20th century solo flute repertoire; Thorn, focusing on the chamber music of David Lang; and Castillos de Viento, performing intimate music with guitar.
She was awarded first prize at the 1998 Concert Artists Guild International Competition and received the 2000 Naumburg Chamber Music Award. Molly is a co-founder of the Zohn Collective, a group of curious musicians who share a love of risk and exploration. As a founding member of new music sextet Eighth Blackbird, Molly won the 2007 Best Chamber Music Performance Grammy.
As an associate professor of flute at the Blair School, and she guides her students to become comprehensive flutists. She gets her teaching inspiration from her stellar teachers at Oberlin, the Cincinnati Conservatory, and Northwestern.
Administrative Support
Rachel Thompson
Program Manager, Academic & Educational Support
rachel.h.thompson@vanderbilt.edu
Rachel Thompson, M.A.R., serves as the Curb Center’s program manager. Rachel brings nearly a decade of experience in education and arts programming to her work at the Curb Center, including positions at the Yale University Art Gallery and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She earned a Bachelor of Arts with majors in English and in Rhetoric and Writing from the University of Texas and a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School.
Rachel is animated by a deep curiosity about how individuals and communities make meaning of their life experiences through art, spirituality, and learning together. She is a firm believer that arts encounters should be accessible to all. At the Curb Center, Rachel manages the Public Scholars Program for Vanderbilt graduate students; co-organizes exhibitions and facilitates gallery visits; and administers the Creative Inquiry Grant Program.
David D. Wilson
Program Coordinator, Academic & Educational Support
David received his MFA in Painting from Illinois State University, a BA in Fine Art and Design from Columbia College in Chicago, and an associate degree in art from Joliet Junior College. Prior to joining the Curb Center, he was the Art Instructor, Program Coordinator and Gallery Director for Owensboro Community and Technical College in Kentucky. Before moving to Kentucky, he was the Gallery Director for the Salem Art Association in Oregon and instructed community art education courses at Oregon Coast Community College. David has a passion for community art education, curating art exhibitions, and building artistic connections within Nashville.
Additionally, he worked with Black Hills State University, Eureka College, Illinois State University, Joliet Junior College, University of St. Francis, and the International Music Camp as their summer camp art instructor and coordinator. As a practicing artist, he has participated in over 100 art exhibitions, and conducted grant-funded research with the U.S. military art archives in Washington DC. David is currently curating a historical exhibition of original comic strip artwork.
Em Palughi
Creative Writing Fellow
Em Palughi received her MFA in Poetry from Vanderbilt University in 2024. She has served as a poetry and visual arts editor for the Nashville Review and a graduate assistant for the Vanderbilt Literature Prize in Poetry. She believes creative practice is essential for a healthy community. Em writes for the Curb Center, runs all Curb Center social media accounts, and provides administrative support.
You can find her poetry in Gulf Coast, Black Warrior Review, Foglifter, The Southern Poetry Anthology: Alabama, and elsewhere. She was a finalist in the 2023 Saints and Sinners Poetry Prize, the 2023 Tennessee Williams Literary Festival Poetry Prize, and the 2024 Lit/South Awards. She has received support from The Breadloaf Environmental Writers Conference and Vanderbilt University.
Devin Maruqess
Graduate Research Assistant
devin.p.marquess@vanderbilt.edu
Devin received a BS in Psychology at Furman University in 2024 and is currently pursuing an M.Ed. in Community Development and Action at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, class of 2026. With a background in visual and performing arts, she supports research at the Curb Center on how the arts can serve as a vehicle for community and civic engagement.
Her graduate research explores questions of democratic civic engagement, urban activism, and how the arts can encourage creative placemaking. She believes in connecting her academic research to community practice and is passionate about her work with the Friends of the William Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens here in Nashville.
Faculty Fellows
Jyoti Gupta, PhD
Curb Research Fellow
Assistant Professor of the Practice
Jyoti Gupta (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt University. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with interests that intersect urban and community studies, community power and collective action, agency and subjectivity. She examines participatory processes and the opportunities they afford or foreclose for individuals to become public people and collectives to shape the conditions that affect their lives. Her most recent projects examine community organizing practices, the development of grassroots leaders, and community power as a vehicle for transforming inequities.
Since 2016, she has been exploring municipal arts and cultural initiatives to center racial and cultural equity, as well as analyzing Nashville’s broader public and private efforts to integrate arts and culture into urban development strategies. Jyoti earned her PhD in Community Research and Action from Vanderbilt University, an MPH concentrating in Urbanism and the Built Environment from Columbia University, and a BA in Sociology & Anthropology and Theater from Swarthmore College.
Undergraduate Curb Scholars
Angel Akpovi
First-year
Angel Akpovi is a first-year at Vanderbilt University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where she explores the connection between storytelling, film, and meaningful change. Her creative work includes poetry, fiction, and directing short films and plays. Inspired by the words of Langston Hughes and the storytelling in Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us, Angel brings a thoughtful and emotionally honest voice to her work.
She received the Inspirational Youth Award in the Culture and Arts category in 2023. She has completed the Khadija Saye Arts Internship and a competitive summer internship at United Agents, a leading UK talent and literary agency representing prominent creatives in film, television, theatre, and publishing.
Angel has performed her original spoken word at national events, including the Fair Education Alliance Summit, and has written and directed films exploring social issues that affect young people. She is also active in youth leadership, serving on the Nottinghamshire Youth Literacy Board and the Nottinghamshire Youth Crime Commission.
Emelia Bailey
Junior
Emelia is a Vocal Performance major at the Blair School of Music. She has performed in opera, musical theatre, and plays, and is passionate about bringing performing arts opportunities to a more diverse audience. She believes access to arts education should not be limited by socioeconomic factors and hopes to commit to work that will open new pathways to the next generation of artists. She is honored to be a Curb Scholar
Kaitlynn Brice
Sophomore
Kaitlynn is an intended Architecture major with plans to pursue a minor in business. She intends to use her passion for architecture to establish a firm that specifically supports youth of color and women entering the architecture field, with the aim of promoting diversity. At Vanderbilt, she intends to join the BCC and become an advocate for black voices. Beyond academics, she enjoys activities such as crocheting, embroidering, and watching anime and animated movies.
Brianna Dahle
Sophomore
Brianna Dahle is a premedical student pursuing a Theater major and an Anthropology minor. She has a deep passion for all aspects of theater ranging from acting, to directing, as well as writing and production. As someone who dedicates herself to interdisciplinary study, she is drawn to productions that blur the lines between disciplines. Through the Curb Scholar program, she hopes to continue to explore this concept, pushing the bounds of traditional theatrics.
Vibha Duraikkannan
Junior
Vibha is an Engineering Student who also hopes to explore Visual Art at Vanderbilt. She believes that art can help capture the human experience in ways that words sometimes cannot and looks forward to seeing the diversity of art on campus. In her free time, Vibha enjoys painting portraits, listening to music, needle felting, and reading.
“I am excited to be a part of a community with a similar passion for the arts and inclusivity and I am grateful to have their support through the start of my journey at Vanderbilt.”
Olubiyi Fabusoye
First-year
Olubiyi Fabusoye is a passionate musician and advocate for the arts. From directing choirs to creating original music, he has dedicated himself to using his talents to inspire and lead others. As a Human and Organizational Development (HOD) major with a planned minor in Business, Olubiyi seeks to merge his love for the arts with his interest in strategy and leadership, aiming to create platforms that empower artists and foster meaningful impact.
Stewart Geisz
Senior
Stewart is a Computer Science Student who will also be exploring Music Composition at Vanderbilt. Stewart describes himself as a music theory nerd, board game aficionado, and musical theater kid who is proud to be a Curb Scholar.
Stephen Hill
First-year
Stephen Hill is a vocalist who specializes in songwriting and classical singing. As a Curb Scholar, he hopes to undertake projects in songwriting with classical voice techniques to help connect people within the Vanderbilt and Nashville Community.
Anissa Ibrahim
Junior
Anissa is a Music Education and Music Composition student in the Blair School of Music. She is a composer and violist who is devoted to the intersection of music composition and performance. As a Sierra Leonean-American, her work frequently explores the rhythmic and harmonic intersection of Western and African traditions, immigrant identity and experience, and narratives that bring together the individual and the collective. She is committed to creating equitable access to music education for all students
Annabel Long
Sophomore
Annabel intends on majoring in English: Creative Writing and Child Development. She loves to write, whether that be novels she hopes to publish one day or plays for schools and community theaters to perform. She believes that sharing stories is key to people understanding one another, and she hopes to do this on a large scale throughout her life. Annabel also enjoys swimming, lacrosse, improv, and working with kids.
Sam Malone
Junior
Sam Malone is a graduate of Flowery Branch High School from northeast Georgia. He is an avid musician, reader, and student and hopes to utilize his time at Vanderbilt to explore career options. In his spare time, he enjoys karate, composition, and games with family and friends. He contributes to his community in a variety of ways, including tutoring individuals on a spectrum of developmental disorders and playing the flute for his local parish.
“Coming to Vanderbilt as a Curb Scholar is particularly exciting to me because I will have the opportunity to engage with other service-oriented students and explore new and creative ways of contributing to our community and society as a whole.”
Jenna Ng
First-Year
Jenna Ng is attending Vanderbilt as a double major in piano performance and political science. Her Curb artistic practice is music, and she plays the piano in order to connect with others of diverse backgrounds. Jenna also enjoys reading, working out, coaching gymnastics, and traveling and exploring new places.
Rachel Sobers
Junior
Rachel feeds her creative soul with the words of her favorite poets. She transforms paints, pencils, and paper into works of art, writes poetry and prose for literary contests, and publishes artwork that reflects her heart. She believes in the power of purposeful contemplation. “I often display my work in art shows in the Virginia Beach area, always searching for the event with the cause most meaningful to me. I have published various poetry collections on online platforms, and I am also the designer of my own website exhibiting both writing and painting.” While art is at the core of her personal happiness, she often seeks out new adventures to conceptualize her next creative endeavor.
“I am most excited to be a Curb Scholar because I believe in the power of collaboration. Opportunity, risk, creativity, and change are born from passionate conversation and observation!”
Sebastian Vasquez
Senior
Sebastian is an intended Economics major. He is motivated by entrepreneurship and the positive effects it can bring to the world. Likewise, he is inspired by social causes and is determined to advocate for them. He is passionate about painting with acrylics and visual arts. He is a fan of soccer and in his free time loves to dance Salsa and Latin music.
Yoshi Yano
Sophomore
Yoshi is an Art and Education major. He has a passion for anything artistic or musical, but specifically practices ink drawings, photography, as well as playing the bass and guitar. Yoshi one day hopes to become a teacher or photographer who can share his love for art and inspire others through his work.
Annie Zhang
Junior
Annie is majoring in Applied Mathematics and Economics. Her passion for poetry extends beyond the page, guiding her to approach every part of her life from a creative angle. In her free time, she enjoys exploring, volunteering, and listening to music. She is proud and humbled to be a Curb Scholar.
Graduate Public Scholars
Lana Ćosić
Lana Ćosić is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning, theorizing embodied ensemble learning in devised theatre through ethnographic and arts-based methods. As a Public Scholar, she is partnering with Turnip Green Creative Reuse and local theatre-makers to create an art installation and devised theatre piece that explores personal and global relations to material objects. The work, entitled A Story of Things, prompts audiences to engage with the connections and consequences embedded in the everyday objects they keep.
Jasmine Keyes
Jasmine Keyes is a doctoral student studying cultural anthropology. Her research focuses on the partitioning of Black bodies through discourses of death, surveillance, and pain, emphasizing the body’s multiple existences as a medical specimen and commodified entity within late-stage capitalism. Jasmine is partnering with the Vanderbilt Writing Studio to develop and publicize a database of mentor texts, both academic and creative, to support the writing practices of students who have been marginalized by the hidden curriculum of academia.
Mandy Muise
Mandy Muise is a doctoral student studying cultural anthropology. Using feminist activist ethnographic methods, Mandy examines manifestations of ethnoracialization, public policy, and community organizing upon Latinx students within publiceducation systems, grounding her work in political engagement, collaboration, and a commitment to educational equity. As a Public Scholar, Mandy is partnering with Cosecha Community Development to provide arts-based child care to widen access to professional development for immigrant communities in South Nashville.
Sarah Oh
Sarah Oh is a dual-degree professional student pursuing an M.Ed. in Community Development and Action at Peabody and an M.T.S. in the Divinity School. Her research lies at the intersection of community arts and spiritual health, and she is interested in outcomes of young adults navigating high-demand, high-control religious spaces. In partnership with Proskuneo Ministries, Sarah will be facilitating arts experiences for young adults in mainline denominations who are interested in investigating faith-based political action.