Executive Staff
Michael Toombs, Executive Director
Michael V. Toombs founded Storytellers Inc., Artist Collective as a community-based arts organization that provides a safe environment for artistic expression and addresses social, economic and educational needs. Michael left the corporate world as customer service manager for GHA Insurance to develop his own business in the belief that “Art is a change agent for society’s difficulties.”
With over 12 years experience in working with at-risk youth, Michael has led many large-scale educational projects for Storytellers Inc., involving students, adults and professional artists. He has provided behavioral intervention and entrepreneur education workshops for numerous Kansas and Missouri clients including Jackson County Juvenile Correction facilities, TREC Alternative School, Kansas Public Schools, Kansas City, Missouri School District, Full Employment Council, Jackson County and Kansas City Kansas Housing Authority, and Summer Science Academy for the University of Kansas Medical Center. He has instructed and created curriculum for Arts Education and Arts Entrepreneurship K-20 level at Wichita State University. Michael serves as a facilitator in an initiative funded by the Kansas Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts. The Arts Learning Collective, involving an exchange of information and research on arts learning, mutually benefits classroom teachers, artists, school arts specialists, students, and community youth program providers. Mr. Toombs currently serves as project director for ArtsTech’s (formerly Pan-Educational Institute) Department of Education grant to develop an integrated art model of education that makes mainstream academics more accessible and understandable through the arts.
Michele Bridges, Vice President of Human Services
Michele Bridges holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute and has 11 years experience in working with and designing curriculum for at-risk youth in diverse educational settings. For seven years, Michele has assisted in training staff and in facilitating programs within the Jackson County Family Court System. Michele managed the Storytellers Inc.’s contract in 13 locations for elementary and middle school extended day programs of Kansas City Kansas Public Schools. Her responsibilities for this program included establishing effective communication with collaborating organizations, training and supervising instructors, administering employee evaluations, and overseeing curriculum direction.
Michele has facilitated several workshops for high school youth directing their design in a series of coloring books distributed statewide, focused on promoting minorities in medical professions. The program was funded by the Health Careers Pathways Program, KU Medical Center. Utilizing her graphic design skills, Michele was contracted to publish a journal, the “Student Improvement Team Anthology”, by the Director of Prevention Services, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools to be used as a statewide training manual for the Student Improvement Program. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Michele has assembled a five-unit curriculum that utilizes art methods to help middle school students better understand and retain academic information. Her responsibilities included ensuring that the final curriculum was packaged appropriately in accordance with Kansas and Missouri state standards and assessments and proved accurate and acceptable for use in the classroom.
Richard Fritz, Vice President of Operations
Richard Fritz holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute and has 11 years experience in supervising and facilitating educational programs for at-risk youth in diverse settings. Currently, Richard serves as program manager of Storytellers Inc.’s contract with KC Futures 150, training and supervising employees in educational outreach for adjudicated youth in the Jackson County Family Court System. Richard’s skill sets include establishing solid relationships with collaborating agencies, coordinating staff, equipment and materials, and managing large events, contributing to team projects, strong analytical and problem solving skills, accompanied with specialty skills in video/audio production.
As a formally trained artist, Richard lends an innovative and holistic approach to educational instruction. His creative problem solving skills are showcased in his recent series of educational videos created for use in Storytellers Inc.’s Art Model curriculum via a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Within extended day programs in Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, Richard directed middle school youth in the creation of a public service video designed to deter juvenile delinquency.
Additionally, Richard is an accomplished scenic painter, having worked for Kansas City’s New Dinner Theater. His paintings have since been loaned to prominent theaters in New York. Richard has expanded his repertoire to include an outdoor sculpture for a Kansas Elementary School a larger than life-size portrait bought by Will Shields of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Professional References
Marcia Pomeroy - Director of KC Mentoring Initiative and Board Member of Storytellers Inc. (913) 551-3499
Kelli Mathers - Director of Prevention Services, KCKPS and Board Member of Storytellers Inc. (913) 551-3495
Marc Marcano - Administrative Coordinator for Kansas City Kansas Housing Authority (913) 279-3429
Dave Sullivan - Executive Director of ArtsTech (formerly Pan-Educational Institute) (816) 461-0201
To view the highlights of our past contracts please click here
