Meet the staff
Rebecca Shulman Herz
Rebecca moved to Peoria in 2013. For nearly 25 years prior to that she lived in New York City, and worked in the Education Departments of art museums, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Noguchi Museum. She is the author of the book Looking at Art in the Classroom and writes the blog Museum Questions.
Jake Guzan
Jake joined the PlayHouse in November 2018. He is a printmaker, with a BFA degree from Bradley University and an MFA degree from West Virginia University. He has worked as a Preparator for West Virginia University Mesaros Galleries, an Installation Preparator for the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and a Technician with Bradley University’s Audio / Visual Services.
Courtney Baxter
Courtney graduated with her MA in Public History in 2014 from Loyola University Chicago. She has experience working at various museums including Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Her interests and experiences are in museum education and museum audience diversity.
adrienne huffman
Family & Public Programs Educator
Adrienne holds a BA in Art History and Anthropology from Beloit College and an MA in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She has worked at the Field Museum, the Walker Art Center, the Seaport Museum, and A Child’s View Cooperative Preschool in Normal, to name a few. She loves playing, making, and building with kids of all ages, and has two kids of her own!
Tiffanie McNeese
Tiffanie has a degree in Graphic Design, as well as a background in Fine Arts. She enjoys volunteering at her children’s school and at a local animal rescue. She loves to travel and be inspired by the environment around her and apply that inspiration to her watercolor, photography, and graphic design.
Jimmy Ulrich
Jimmy is a former Preschool Teacher and advocate of childhood learning and positive family relationships. He is very involved with Theatre in the community having directed both at Peoria Players and Cornstock. Jimmy has been on again and off again involved with the Peoria Park District since childhood.
Dori Beaupre
Crystel Otto
Operations Assistant
Dori graduated from ICC in 2012 with an Associate’s degree in Arts & Sciences for psychology. Before joining the PlayHouse, Dori worked in multiple development roles at Children’s Home, and has over 7 years of customer service experience. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her three rambunctious boys.
Crystel Otto is from DeKalb IL and graduated from McKendree University with a BA in Business Administration with a focus in Management. She is an US Air Force Veteran who served as an F-15 Crew Chief and a Database Analyst. She is the Cheer Director for the Washington Junior Football League and a mother of 3.