Meet the Team
Caroline Poppell
Founding Director of Milk Carton on a String
Caroline was born and raised in Darien, Georgia where she acquired a love for good seafood and manatees. She began dancing at age 4, and it was pretty obvious to her teachers that she did not have a lot of natural ability. But her love for dance carried her farther than her natural potential ever could have. In 2004, she was accepted into the Kirov Academy of Ballet full-time which she graduated from in 2006. She then moved to NYC where she danced alongside some of the best in the business. She thought she was living the dream, until she went on a relief trip to Haiti two months after the 2010 earthquake. Her eyes were opened up to the world outside of herself and God gave her new dreams. She ended up studying Dance Ministry at Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, AU, where she had amazing opportunities including choreographing for the Veggietales. Today, Caroline lives full-time in Haiti living the dream teaching kids dance and creative arts classes. Caroline is driven by the fact that dreams are dying everyday; she desires to create opportunities and inspire change. She is the proud mom to Sephora (age 7) and Leo (age 5).
Catherine Colon
Guest Artist
Catherine Colon has been studying dance for 23 years in Georgia, New York City, and Sydney, Australia. Her studies have covered a wide range of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, macro, contemporary, hiphop, and more. While growing up, she trained at Dancing Unlimited in Georgia. After graduating high school, she attended the American Music and Dramatic Academy for their Dance Theatre program from 2010 to 2011. From 2011 to 2014, she was the Artistic Director of Dance for Change based in NYC while also dancing in Jessica Ray's, Dance Into Deliverance. In 2012, she traveled to India with Promethean Spark International, where she taught dance and across to children affected by leprosy. She then moved to Australia where she studied Dance Ministry and Pastoral Leadership at Hillsong International Leadership College from 2014-2017. She currently resides with her husband, Michael, in Australia, teaching dance and works closely with Hillsong Dance AU.
Daniel Fears
Guest Artist
Whether performing with orchestra, brass quintet, or pop artists, Daniel seeks to make performances fun, participatory events that excite, unify, and uplift listeners. Daniel has performed with many groups including the East Rock Brass Quintet and the SubitoBones. Daniel also co-founded and led a brass band that played pop, funk, and soul music for events in Connecticut. A committed educator, Daniel served the community of New Haven through private lessons, chamber music coaching and general music education in public schools. Mr. Fears graduated Yale University with his Master's Degree in Music Performance in December 2015. He now resides in Austin, Texas. In his free time, Daniel longboards, explores the city of Austin, and plays the drums loudly.
Gabriella Bragg
Guest Artist
Gabi was first introduced to music by her parents. She began singing in the children's choir at the age of 5 and piano lessons at 11. She fell in love with the arts in high school, thanks to movies and senior english projects on poetry and Shakespeare. She met Caroline Poppell at Hillsong College in 2012, where she pursued leadership, worship, music, and songwriting. After graduating Hillsong College in 2014, she lived in Australia for a year to creative direct at one of Hillsong's extension services. In April 2016, Gabi moved back to her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida just in time to help with the first MCOAS Arts Benefit in July of 2016. She finally made it to Haiti in May 2017 where she fell in love with all of the students and truly understood the impact of the second Arts Benefit in July 2017. She presently lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Bryan, working full time as worship director at Bold City Church.
Hannah Furcinitti
Director of Media and Publications
Hannah is the Director of Media and Publications for Milk Carton on a String. She is the Executive Editor of Degajé Magazine, president of the Book Club, and resident photographer in Haiti. As an advocate of fresh breath, Hannah loves to sprinkle parsley on her dog’s food.
Joanne Saint-Hilaire
Assistant Haiti Programs Manager
Joanne is 26 years old. She was born and raised in Leogane, Haiti. Joanne loves to write short stories and plays. She also loves acting, dancing, and cinematography. She has worked with Milk Carton on a String in many ways, helping teach dance, creative arts, and theater classes. She now also teaches an adult literacy class in Malgré. Joanne began working with Milk Carton on a String in 2015, and continues her work with us.
Josiah Furcinitti
Guest Artist
Josiah fell in love with music when he was a young teen and hasn't stopped loving it since. He has played guitar, bass, and piano professionally both in classical and jazz arenas, and has composed over 30 original pieces, two of which he has conducted in front of a live audience. Music is now and will forever be a large part of who Josiah is.
Kervens Donat
Children's Advocacy Coordinator
Kervens is a 20 year old who is passionate about Jesus. He's originally from Fauche, Haiti. Kervens began working with Milk Carton on a String in 2015 after participating in the high school theatre program. He started out by helping to teach creative arts classes alongside Caroline and Joanne. Now he is a student and continues to work with Milk Carton on a String.
Lynn Poppell
Lynn Poppell was a music educator for 33 years. She served as the Georgia Music Educator's Association as State Elementary Chair for one term and the District One Elementary Chair for two terms. She had the honor of conducting several Elementary choirs over the years. Lynn is currently the Choir Director at the Darien United Methodist Church where she also works with children and youth. She also serves as a Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child Drop Off Center Coordinator and works with the DUMC Backpack Buddy program. In her spare time, Lynn attempts to work for her husband as his secretary!
Morgan Gittemeier
Guest Artist
Morgan is a passionate and energetic person who is happiest when she is laughing with her husband or friends. She first began choreographing while studying dance at Hillsong College. Soon, she was choreographing for large conferences and weekly master classes. She now leads her own dance team in Kansas City where she teaches an eclectic mixed style that leans heavily on hip hop. Morgan's goal is to create dances that allow people both young and old to express themselves and have fun.
Philip Slocki
Guest Artist
Philip began dancing in Clear Lake, Texas as a seven year old. At the age of twelve, he left home to study at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., where he continued until he was eighteen. In 2007, he joined Texas Ballet Theater under the direction of Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. Since that time, Philip has danced some of his favorite roles in Mr. Stevenson's works, namely Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, and Renfield in Dracula. During his career, Philip has traveled to Vienna, Austria and Sapporo, Japan for gala performances and competitions. In 2007, he earned a silver medal in the Japan Grand Prix. He has been teaching at Milk Carton on a String for two years and looks forward to the organization's growth and contributions.
Swiper
Security
Swiper is a German Shepherd who loves swiping. He’ll swipe shoes, socks, food, jump ropes, leotards, or anything he can get his teeth on. In his free time, Swiper loves chewing on his bone or chasing his older siblings, Leo and Sephora. Swiper especially loves when kids come over for dance and creative arts classes.