Junior Board

Samara Gaev

Samara is a New York based activist, educator, dancer, poet. She has been working as a teaching artist in the New York City schools, shelters, transitional programs and community centers for over ten years. Her active involvement in progressive social change has taken her beyond the classroom and the stage, and towards actualizing the change she wishes to see. As a consultant for a number of Arts and Education organizations, she has initiated young women’s groups, support networks for pregnant and parenting teens, interactive educational theatre residencies, and performance poetry and hip-hop intensives for formerly incarcerated youth. She serves as an educational specialist, teaching artist, and artist in residence at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and was the lead teaching artist for BAM’s Theatre and Justice program.

Samara graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study; her interdisciplinary degree was awarded in performance as a tool for cross-cultural education and social change. She received her Master's Degree in Performance Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a thesis that explored trauma, advocacy, and witnessing.

Steven Speldewinde

Steven has recently made the hop across the pond from Australia to the great city of New York. Prior to making the move, he worked for the international health policy branch of the Australian government to promote preventative health policies and education in the developing world. During this time he was also actively involved as a volunteer lawyer at the Legal Aid Clinic providing free legal advice to underprivileged people in the local area. In 2009 he undertook a Masters of Entrepreneurship at Lund University in Sweden where he became particularly interested in social media as a tool to effect change. As part of this course, he ran a social media campaign to promote micro-financing of entrepreneurs in the developing world and started a social network for recreational fishermen. Steven has traveled extensively throughout South East Asia, South America and Europe. He graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Law (honours) and a Bachelor of Science – specializing in conservation ecology and genetics.

Matthew Doumar

Living in New York by way of sunny South Florida, Matt has always acted on his entrepreneurial inclinations in both the financial and web-tech arenas. Seeking to expand upon his analytical background, he has consistently carved out roles for himself in early-stage enterprises, ranging from a start-up private equity firm to, presently, an online service platform helping to drive business to local merchants in the role of Product Manager at SinglePlatform. Matt joins the junior board of Project Rhythm with the same ambition that he has brought to all his previous ventures. An avid lover of all things music and a witness to the powerful effects it has had on his own life, Matt seeks to commit his time and talents to see that the future of his community is afforded the same opportunities enabled through the discipline of music.

Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in 2009, with a dual concentration in finance and entrepreneurship. In addition to his studies, Matt took multiple leadership roles while at Penn, most notably serving as Director of Penn’s Social Planning and Events Committee where he organized large scale concerts for the student body featuring major recording artists.

Radhika Batra

Originally from Southern California, Radhika came to New York City in 2008 to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree. Upon graduation, she began working on BBVA's project finance team which funds large-scale infrastructure and energy projects. Her day-to-day involves the analysis of potential infrastructure opportunities to determine whether they meet the bank's financing criteria and support in the execution of such projects.

Though in the private sector, Radhika is dedicated to incorporating social change issues into her life. As a two-year Indicorps fellow in rural Rajasthan, Radhika worked primarily on livelihoods and employment projects such as a start-up women-based small business and a vocational institute. Her exposure abroad instilled in her the desire to give back beyond her time there. As such and given that she also worked to engage youth in sports in India, Project Rhythm's mission resonated with her and she's excited to be involved.

In her free time, Radhika can be found trying new restaurants, justifying the food with exercise, reading, or rooting for the Lakers.

Isa Loundon

After graduating from Barnard College at Columbia University in 2004, Isa worked as an acquiring editor at Abrams Books and Random House. Since 2007, she has helped to develop, implement and execute successful public relations programs for companies in the business to business technology sector.

Isa has also served as a founding junior board member at StepUp, a nonprofit organization that benefits women and teens in underserved urban areas across the country, and is currently a member of the National Arts Club. She also sings with the Broadway UCC Choir and is an avid runner.