Xiola Etherington
Xiola has been involved in music for as long as she can remember. Specializing in the horn, she has played in many ensembles through the University of South Dakota and is currently a member of the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra. A musician by trade, she is working to learn instruments appropriate for bedside and healthcare environments, and she enjoys incorporating many modalities into her Arts in Healthcare work, especially creative writing and visual arts. She has always been drawn to caregiving, and loves that she has been given the opportunity to meld her two passions to better serve those in need.
Lindsay Seier
Lindsay is fueled by her passion for the arts. There is nothing more Lindsay wants than being able to serve others while using her interests. She is currently a student at the University of South Dakota working to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Painting, along with a minor in Art History and Psychology and a Certificate in Arts in Healthcare. Lindsay’s most used medium is oil paint currently, but is exploring ways to tie other modalities, such as dance and photography, into her paintings. She is a dancer outside of school and aspires to use dance and visual art in her future career to better the well-being of others around her. Lindsay found her purpose during her time as an intern at Sanford Arts Vermillion, and she is extremely eager to continue to mature in her arts in medicine education.
Heather Steffen
Heather has always been a creative spirit. She was born and raised in Yankton, South Dakota to a family who supported her every dream. She was a first generation student at the University of South Dakota, where she began to pursue her passions of psychology and art, especially painting. While in college, she traveled to London on an art history trip, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam on a spring break art exploration, and Portland, Oregon on a health and wellness trip, where she had the opportunity to help homeless populations. It was through her studies, travels, and college job of in-home care for people with disabilities, that she discovered her desire to bring the arts into healthcare settings. She graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and a double minor in art and art history. Now, Heather dabbles in all mediums of artistic expression, including writing, painting, and fashion design. She recently completed her first mural for a counseling service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she currently lives. She also works with Creative Care LLC to bring wellness through the arts to various populations.
Sadie Potter
Sadie’s two greatest passions are, and have always been, music and helping others. Her favorite part of Arts in Healthcare is the meaningful engagement with participants that combine those passions, and she has had opportunities to do so with a variety of people including the geriatric community, advanced dementia population, and adults with disabilities. Sadie utilizes a wide range of instruments within her scope such as piano, ukulele, guitar, voice, and various percussion instruments. Although primarily a musician, she has experience with and interest in further exploration of visual arts materials.
Cyrus Albright
Cyrus (Cy) Albright is a quick study. His talent for computer science emerged early with achievements in robotics, pen-testing, coding and software development. His portfolio of technical skills is currently being used in several businesses – domestic and international- for engineering, entertainment and cyber security projects.
Ashley Zimmer
Although Ashley has many interests, creating has always had a special place in her heart. Ashley’s primary modality is oil paint, but she has a wide range of curiosity and adaptability when it comes to materials. Ashley currently attends the University of South Dakota, where she is finishing up her Art Education degree with a minor in Psychology, and will graduate in May of 2019. Her interests in arts in health were solidified when she took an Arts in Healthcare course her freshman year, and from then on she volunteered and became an intern for Sanford Arts Vermillion, and later at Sanford Arts in Sioux Falls.
Courtney Anderson
Growing up in what she would describe as a creative household, Courtney Anderson learned to utilize the arts as her personal method of self-care, with culture, travel and memories of past experiences largely influencing her work in the visual arts. Courtney graduated in 2018 from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a minor in Art and an Arts in Healthcare Certificate, allowing her to intern and work as an Artist in Residence at Sanford Arts in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Courtney aspires to use the arts in in her job as an Art Specialist at Sanford Arts Sioux Falls, and through the rest of her career, to provide a level of escape, rehabilitation and freedom for others through the act of creating.