JOIN EDD’S RISING PHILANTHROPISTS
Join our Rising Philanthropists group and connect with a vibrant network of young professionals who care about the arts and giving back.
For as little as $35/month, your membership includes:
Exclusive access to pre-show donor events
Invitation to open rehearsals
Chances to win backstage passes and EDD merch
Reserved seating at all EDD mainstage performances.
*All monthly donors over $35 are considered Rising Philanthropists!
Support the arts, and build a strong community of like-minded patrons while doing so!
UPCOMING RISING PHILANTHROPISTS EVENTS:
Thursday, April 9, 2026
An homage to owner Kris Lelcaj’s father, “babo” (slang for “dad” in Albanian) is a gourmet, all-day diner in Midtown Detroit.
Ticket includes:
Specialty cocktails, wine and chef-selected small plates served family-style, and a ticket with reserved seating to BEYOND on April 9 at 7:30pm
Rising Philanthropists access this event at no additional cost as part of their monthly membership.
RISING PHILANTHROPISTS COMMITTEE
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Ms. Chirio-Humenay graduated with a BA in Dance from Oakland University and joined EDD as a company dancer in 2012. From 2012-2020, she had the pleasure of touring, teaching, and performing with EDD. In 2018, through EDD’s Beyond the Stage Initiative, she was promoted to Company Manager and currently serves as EDD’s Assistant Executive Director. Wearing several hats within the organization, Ms. Chirio-Humenay teaches at The School of EDD and directs several of the projects and programming EDD offers including the annual intensives: NewDANCEfest, U.P.rootEDD, and the EDD Winter Intensive. She is responsible for national booking and coordination of in-studio workshops, known as The EDD Experience, as well as educational and choreographic residency programs for school systems from elementary to college level. Ms. Chirio-Humenay also manages EDD’s EducatEDD programs which provide high quality educational materials and resources from knowledgeable and experienced professionals to the public and the dance community. A few of these programs include EDD’s monthly Pro-Tips, High School Dance Table Talks, An Insider’s Guide to Contemporary Dance online course, and EDD's annual “See and Be Seen” event.
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Andrew Cribbett, originally from Thomasboro, Illinois, received a full scholarship to The Washington Ballet in Washington D.C. He then attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts to finish his senior year of high school. He joined Eisenhower Dance Detroit in 2011 and retired as a company dancer and Rehearsal Director in 2021. While dancing with the company, Mr. Cribbett toured nationally and internationally both teaching and performing in venues as far as Tel Aviv, Israel. He also had the great pleasure of performing original works by Nicolo Fonte, Gina Patterson, Darrell Grand Moutrie, Edgar Zendejas, Joshua Peugh, Ron De Jesus, among many others. His choreography has received recognition for Top 12 placement at YAGP for solos, small groups, and ensembles. Over the years, Mr. Cribbett has taught and choreographed for several local studios including The School of Eisenhower Dance Detroit and also trains elite level figure skaters in Junior Ice Dance. He is also pursuing a degree in Nursing concurrent with his role of Assistant Artistic Director.
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Taylor Mae is architecting a better world through business. As the force behind PRMSN (Permission Group) — a growing portfolio of transformative ventures including Creatively, Detroit, In-Common Funerals, and CreativeMornings/Detroit — she leads with the belief that when aligned ideas meet courageous execution, they have the power to shift culture.
She builds and invests in ventures that are both disruptive and deeply human, conscious, resonant, and rooted in beauty, cultural relevance, and long-term impact. Her work empowers people to become more of who they are and fosters ecosystems where values and results grow in harmony.
Through Advisory by Permission Group, Taylor partners with visionary organizations including Michigan Central, Femology, and Art-ology, helping them grow with clarity, resonance, and purpose. She also shares her philosophy through Align To Achieve — her signature framework, coaching experiences, and fast-growing newsletter exploring alignment, creativity, and conscious leadership. Rooted in her concept of Aligned Brilliance™, her work helps people reconnect with the truth of who they are and achieve more than they ever imagined possible.
A sought-after host and emcee, Taylor is known for her ability to bring people together, shape powerful ecosystems, and translate vision into scale, creating environments where creativity flows, communities spark movements, and both individuals and ideas are given full permission to express their highest potential.
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Dr. Tessa Fredal grew up in metro Detroit, where her mother and grandfather served the Macomb County communities at LaCroix Eye Care for over 80 years as optometrists. She continues their tradition of combining experience and expertise with elite technology to ensure her patients receive optometric care of the highest quality. Dr. Fredal provides comprehensive eye care to patients of all ages. In addition, she has a special interest in dry eye disease and specialty contact lenses. Above all, she is passionate about developing relationships with her patients and creating a family-like atmosphere, as her mother and grandfather have done through generations.
Dr. Fredal completed her undergraduate studies at Hope College where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Dance Performance & Choreography, graduating summa cum laude. She obtained her Doctor of Optometry degree with highest honors from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.
As a part of her training, Dr. Fredal completed internship rotations in Louisville, Kentucky and the Birmingham VA Clinic in specialty areas including retina, glaucoma, cornea/cataract, pediatrics, binocular vision disorders, diabetes, and advanced contact lens fittings, including scleral lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, and specialty soft lenses. While in optometry school, she participated in Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity and Remote Area Medical to provide eye care for patients in rural communities of Alabama and Tennessee. She is currently a member of the American Optometric Association, the Michigan Optometric Association, the Scleral Lens Education Society, and the Ocular Wellness and Nutrition Society.
Among her interests, Dr. Fredal has nurtured a lifelong passion for the art of dance. Prior to optometry school, she pursued a career in dance, performing and teaching ballet with Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Michigan’s premier professional contemporary dance company. Today, she continues to support the organization as a board member. In her free time, she now enjoys golfing, skiing, walking her dogs, and spending time with family.
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Allison Armfield grew up in Michigan and was a student at the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet and the School of Eisenhower Dance Detroit. She attended Texas Christian University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in modern dance and a minor in business. While at TCU, Ms. Armfield was a rehearsal photographer for the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance, as well as Editor-in-Chief of the Horned Frog yearbook. Her choreography capstone work, of the mind made up, was selected for adjudication as a guest artist work at ACDA’s regional festival in 2018 and was performed in several dance festivals in both New York City and Michigan. Upon graduating in 2017, she relocated to New York City to work as Studio Manager for the world-renowned dance photographer, Lois Greenfield. During her time in New York City, she continued to photograph dance performances throughout the city for clients such as Bridge for Dance and Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre. In 2021, after relocating to Michigan, she accepted a position as Marketing Associate for Eisenhower Dance Detroit. In addition to becoming Marketing Director for the company’s 31st season, Ms. Armfield became the resident photographer for Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Her photograph of former EDD dancer, Kyle Halford, recently was the grand prize winner for ‘Best Studio Portrait’ in the Inspired Dance Photography Competition in Australia.
RISING PHILANTHROPISTS MEMBERS
Lisa Applebaum
Christopher Handsy
Sue and Igor Handsy
Christa Koerner
Cody Michael
Clare Pollard
Gregory Wallace