PORT ANGELES — Tami McIntyre-Ceriello knew she wanted to work for Clallam Mosaic the second she entered the building.
“The first moment I walked in and met everyone, I was just completely bombarded with love and joy and I thought, ‘Yep, this is where I’d like to spend all of my days,’” McIntyre-Ceriello said.
She started as the executive director of Clallam Mosaic on Nov. 17.
Program director
McIntyre-Ceriello has worked with the organization since March, when she was first hired as the program director and then became the All In Arts Studio gallery director.
“Clallam Mosaic provides year-round non-vocational day programming for individuals of all abilities,” according to a news release announcing McIntyre-Ceriello as the executive director. “It offers support to artists through the All In Arts Studio and gallery, and supports families caring for children with special health and developmental concerns.”
McIntyre-Ceriello has worked with people with disabilities since she was a child because she has an older sister with a developmental disability, she said.
“When I was about 12 years old, I started volunteering with her and Special Olympics Idaho, and I spent 35 years working as a volunteer for Special Olympics Idaho, and then I became their area director for the Boise area,” McIntyre-Ceriello said, adding that she spent probably 15 of those years coaching her sister. “Through that experience, all those years with my sister, her friends, the community, I’ve always had a heart for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. It’s been in me since the moment I was born.”
When McIntyre-Ceriello and her family moved to Sequim, she started looking for a program that worked with individuals with developmental disabilities and found Clallam Mosaic.
“I loved their mission and that they work with people of all abilities,” she said. “I’m a creative person, so I liked the idea of bringing art to people of all abilities.”
McIntyre-Ceriello has a degree in marketing and worked as a web and graphic designer for 25 years as a small business owner, according to the news release. She became the director of marking and communication for a construction company in Boise.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, McIntyre-Ceriello retired from the business world to home-school her children.
She said the family moved to Sequim because they were looking for an adventure.
“I always wanted to live in the Pacific Northwest,” McIntyre-Ceriello said. “I grew up in Idaho, but I spent summers in Bellingham and I loved it here.”
Before leaving Idaho, McIntyre-Ceriello survived breast cancer, an experience that left her feeling like she had a new lease on life, she said.
“I lived through it and we just wanted a new place to raise our kids,” she said. “We started driving around and I really feel like God brought us right to Sequim.”
As the executive director, McIntyre-Ceriello plans to continue the organization’s fundraising efforts and to continue the will of the creative endeavors, she said.
“We have an amazing board of directors I’m working really closely with as far as making some changes, but the organization is incredible,” she said.
Her vision for the future is “to build an environment where everyone is seen and honored as the unique individuals they were created to be,” according to the news release.
“Gracing us with her exceptional people skills and business background, I am thrilled that Tami will lead Clallam Mosaic onward and upward,” Clallam Mosaic board president Boneita Smith said in the news release.
One change the organization already has made is to add the position of artist in residence by bringing in a professional artist to lead the artist in residence program, McIntyre-Ceriello said.
The artist, Baillieu Lewis — who goes by the name Bayloo — is “incredible,” McIntyre-Ceriello said. He also works for Clallam Mosaic so he teaches art throughout the week.
“We’re working on getting that art into our gallery in a sellable format, whether that’s stickers or cards or wearable art,” she said. “We’re also starting a community art Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., which means that anyone can come in and work on art with Bayloo. You can do whatever art you want to do. It’s a community art day, so the whole community has access to a professional artist on that day.”
Another program the organization is working to expand is its theater productions, she said.
“We just had a production at The Hub and that was an Elvis production,” McIntyre-Ceriello said. “We partnered with The Hub and a local band, Merge In Traffic. That was a really awesome experience. We did a play called ‘Swingin’ on a Dream,’ and we performed a bunch of Elvis songs and The Hub said it was the largest gathering they’d ever had.”
The organization’s next scheduled performance will take place during Squatchcon in April.
“We really want to partner with the community to put on events to really showcase what our participants bring to the community,” McIntyre-Ceriello said. “We just want them to have more opportunities to get out into the community and for the community to have more opportunities to engage and see how unique they are. I always want Clallam Mosaic to be a real positive light in our community.”
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
