Anita Durst has been a star, a muse, and a patron of the avant-garde performing arts and emerging arts scene in New York City, since she was 18. She founded chashama in 1995 following the death of her mentor and artistic professor Reza Abdoh. While performing and working in his company, Dar A Luz, she learned the value of unbridled expression and how to value art objectively. In the wake of Reza’s absence she was driven to create a place for artists free of financial and subjective constraints. Anita has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to secure over one million square feet of space in New York City for artists.

She believes programs like Chashama are the vital building blocks to ensuring cultural capital in New York City. Anita was born in New York City and was the flower child to hippy parents living in New Foundland Canada, Ibiza Spain, and the suburbs of New York City. As a precocious teenager she resisted conventional schooling. Shortly after graduating high school she moved back to New York City to help care for her grandfather.

She is a proud mother who ensures her entire family eats healthy, practices mindful movement, and lives in the moment. True to her ability to be in the moment and greatest strength of objective thinking, she believes all art to be valuable.

Marc has worked with and for Chashama since its inception in 1995 as a performance art company, segueing from performance to field assistant, manager and administrator. He took a sabbatical in 2010, returning in 2014, and most recently assists Chashama on a volunteer basis while the Covid-19 protocols are in effect.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., he is a graduate of Bard College with a degree in music.

“I believe in creating spaces where art fosters connection, dialogue, and inclusion.” 

Donna Kessinger is an award‑winning curator, gallery director, and artist whose work bridges contemporary art, social justice, and community engagement. She currently leads ChaShaMa’s Space to Create and Present programs in Matawan, NJ, where she curates exhibitions and supports emerging and established artists. 

Formerly the Executive Director of the Monmouth Museum, Kessinger developed innovative programming for individuals on the autism spectrum, earning the prestigious IMPACT 100 Grant. Her curatorial approach is rooted in inclusion, diversity, and accessibility, shaped by her leadership roles at MoMA PS1 and The Bronx Museum of the Arts. 

As an artist, Kessinger explores feminism and memory through richly textured paintings, experimental video, and oral histories of pioneering women. Her video works have screened at the Jersey City Museum and internationally via ARTFEM.TV. 

Victoria Linchong is an arts administrator with over a decade of experience in development, communications, and community-rooted programming for leading NYC cultural institutions including Film Forum, Theatre for a New Audience, Target Margin Theater, and Pan Asian Repertory Theatre. Her work is driven by a commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable arts ecosystem. She has secured institutional funding, led marketing and storytelling efforts, and produced live events that center diverse communities. Victoria is also a writer, performer, filmmaker, and producer of immersive theatrical events under the name Viva Lamore—most recently the critically acclaimed Full Moon Cabaret in Berlin and the web series Viva Lamore’s Forgotten History.