Meet the Team

Fremont Creates is organized and led by a Steering Committee, and there are numerous opportunities to participate and volunteer during the year. If you’re interested in joining the 2026 organizing team, please contact us.

2026 Steering Committee

Susan Longini, Co-Chair

Susan Longini is a Fremont artist who has been actively involved in the glass world for over three decades as a studio artist, educator, and administrator. Past roles included Adjunct Professor at Ohlone College, Executive Director of the Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI), and board member of the Glass Alliance of Northern California (GLANC). Susan is a 40-year Fremont resident, and since 2014, she’s served as the Program Manager for boxART!, the Fremont-wide program turning 170+ traffic signal control boxes into works of art. She’s a founding member of Fremont Arts Now, and her commissioned work has appeared in public spaces such as Washington, Highland, and O’Connor Hospitals, the Masonic Home, and the Fremont Animal Shelter.

Julie Gilson, Co-Chair

Julie Gilson has served with the Fremont Cultural Arts Council for 20+ years currently as President and previously as Treasurer. A Fremont resident for over 30 years, she’s an avid cyclist, active member of the Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club including co-organizer of their annual Primavera cycling event. Her professional experience as a Big 4 accounting firm CPA along with accounting and finance consulting in the high-tech and biopharm industries provide expertise to the various nonprofits with which she is involved, including Fremont Creates. Whether participating in the arts or in the audience, she believes that art is a critical connector for our community.

2026 Advisory Board

Phyllis Wood

Phyllis Wood has been a member of the Fremont community for over 35 years. Her career as a corporate trainer provided her with experience in analyzing the needs of an organization; designing appropriate training for the needs identified; developing the training materials, which allowed her to use her creative skills; publicizing the training classes; presenting them; and evaluating them. Since her skills were easily transferrable, she enjoyed working in various industries including Aerospace, Semiconductors, Banking, and Healthcare. Her strengths are in training, technical writing, organization development, and people engagement with a specific passion for the arts.

Lisa Stambaugh

Lisa Stambaugh is a zealous wordsmith and Web Diva® with a 700+ site portfolio created over 25 years, including many arts-related sites. Living in Fremont since 1980, she has a particular interest in helping nonprofits enhance their online presence through websites, writing, and social media. She currently serves on the boards of the Olive Hyde Art Guild and the Fremont Chamber of Commerce. When she’s not wrangling words and websites, you’ll find her wallowing in yarn, fabric, sequins + glitter, while singing along to Broadway soundtracks and listening for the timer signaling cookies ready to exit the oven.

Janine Pitta

Janine Pitta is a ceramic artist born and raised in Fremont and is known as a creativity spreader. Since 1992, Janine has been working with students of all ages and abilities in K-12 public education classrooms, after-school programs, international summer camps, and art history programs. She comes from a family of artists and received her BA in Art Studio with an emphasis in sculpture. She has a multiple subject teaching credential and MA in cross-cultural education. Janine left her regular education teaching job in 2022 and created a supportive and joyful studio environment in which to create art, for both children and adults, in the Niles district of Fremont. In 2024, she took on the job of Elementary Art Teacher at Niles Elementary as well. In addition to spreading her love of art, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 daughters, as well as practicing yoga.