Artists Rights Society Team

Janet is Vice President and Director of Licensing at ARS, and serves on the Executive Committee of the visual arts arm of CISAC, known as CIAGP, the International Council of Creators of Graphic, Plastic, and Photographic Arts. She is also the ARS representative for IFFRO, the International Federation of Reproductive Rights Organization. At ARS she handles advertising, film and television uses as well as major museum exhibits and international and membership relations. She has a MA in Art History from the University of Oregon and is also a curator and advocate for emerging contemporary and outsider artists at her art gallery, One Mile Gallery.

Katarina Feder is a Vice President and Director of Business Development for ARS, where she oversees new membership and client initiatives. A reformed theater actress, Katarina holds her undergraduate degree in English Literature from Emory University and an M.A. in Art History from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts and an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Her first love being literature, Katarina’s favorite works tend to be conceptual and text based. Check out her monthly advice column "Know Your Rights", where she answers all your questions on copyright (and then some) on artnet.com.

Andrea Fisher-Scherer has worked at ARS for 9+ years and now holds the title of Managing Director, Merchandise Licensing. A fine art copyright aficionado, Andrea holds her B.A. in Art History from Pratt Institute and an M.A. in Art Market Studies from F.I.T. Before joining the ARS team, Andrea worked as a corporate Art Advisor, sourcing art from around the world for some of our biggest financial institutions. A craftsman in her own right, Andrea’s favorite artistic media are fabric and clay.

Andrea Mihalovic is Managing Director, Media Licensing  and VAGA Artists Liaison at ARS. Andrea joined the ARS team through its 2018 merger with VAGA, having worked there since 2002. Originally from Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (modern day Slovakia), Andrea obtained her B.F.A. from the College of New Rochelle and her M.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Andrea works predominantly with The Easton Foundation, the Holt/Smithson Foundation, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, the Romare Bearden Foundation, Jasper Johns, Alex Katz, Harmony Hammond, and David Salle. Andrea loves paintings and works on paper and is especially inspired by Louise Bourgeois.

Fernanda Pessaro holds the title of Managing Director, Museums and Galleries Licensing at ARS. A staff member for over 15 years, Fernanda is the senior managing liaison for many ARS artist estates and foundations and has extensive experience working with art institutions of all sizes as well as academic and commercial publishers. Fernanda received her Bachelor of Humanities and the Arts in European Cultural Studies and Visual Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. She is particularly moved by Abstract Expressionism, Fauvism and Surrealism.

Alan Baglia is a Senior Licensing Executive and Auction Liaison at ARS, managing copyright adherence for the auction market, media, and publishing. Alan was mentored by the late Harry H. Lunn Jr., a pioneering fine art photography dealer, and previously worked for Hulton/Archive, a division of Getty Images. Alan lives with his wife Jennifer, daughter Virginia, and their three cats in their home in central Connecticut. His artistic heroes include Diane Arbus, Robert Frank, and Francesca Woodman.

Lisa Ballard is a Licensing and Legal Executive at ARS. Hailing from Hamburg, Germany, Lisa moved to the states for college, obtaining her B.A. with honors in Art History from New York University. Lisa obtained her Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School, where she focused her studies on Intellectual Property Law. During her time in law school, she interned with the Office of General Counsel at the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration. Lisa’s interest in art history and art traces back to her childhood, where she spent much of her free time visiting museums. Lisa feels particularly drawn to mixed media art, which she also enjoys creating in her limited free time.

J’Aimee Cronin is a Licensing Executive at ARS who specializes in handling permissions for museums and publishing houses. J’Aimee holds a double B.A. in International Studies and French from New York University’s Gallatin School. J’Aimee’s love of documentary/street photography led her to Getty Images and later to the Aperture Foundation, where she worked prior to joining ARS. When she isn’t handling client requests or preparing onion dip and cheese plates for her colleagues, J’Aimee is fixing up her 100-year-old house with her husband and 2 daughters in Montclair, NJ.

Josh Medina is the Office Manager and occasional Instagram model for ARS. A native of New York, Josh moved to Puerto Rico at the age of 14, where he finished his studies. Josh loves fashion, with a particular affinity for street-style. His favorite artists include Jean-Michael Basquiat, Ray Johnson, and Andy Warhol.

Dan Trujillo is a Licensing Administrator at ARS and a self-educated art lover. Dan has had a variety of careers in the arts, writing for magazines, television, and theater. Dan has an M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from New York University. He currently curates a street art wall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where he likes to showcase works by some of his favorite artists including Shepard Fairey, FAILE, and Margot Kingon.

Jacqueline Simon is a Licensing Executive at ARS. Born and raised in San Francisco, Jacqueline moved to New York City to attend Columbia University where she studied Art History, Architecture, and Economics, for which she holds her B.A. Jacqueline possesses close to 25 years of professional experience in the art business, having worked in everything from sales, curation, licensing, art publishing, marketing, and artist and client relations. Jacqueline is fluent in both French and Spanish and is a lifelong devotee of the arts with a passion for literature, music, drawing, painting, and artists’ rights.

Cara Erdman is Licensing Executive & Manager of Membership Services. at ARS. Originally from Western Massachusetts, she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in art history from Barnard College of Columbia University. Prior to joining ARS, she worked in development at CUE Art Foundation. Beyond artists' rights, her passions include knitting, cooking, and vintage clothing. Some of her favorite artists are Remedios Varo, Carrie Mae Weems, and Hans Haacke.

Kim Tishler Rosen is a Licensing Executive at ARS. Prior to joining the ARS team, Kim worked as Royalties Director and Licensing Executive at VAGA for close to a decade. Her extensive experience in the field of art also includes working at both the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Solomon Guggenheim Museum. Kim obtained her M.A. from Brandeis University with a joint major in Sociology and Art History. She studied Art History and Archeology abroad in London at University College London, as well, and has been completing her master’s degree in Art History from Hunter College. She currently lives in Westchester, NY with her husband, son, daughter and French bulldog where she enjoys relaxing with her family and spending time along the Hudson River.

Michelle Meged is a Licensing Executive at ARS on the Merchandise and Membership team. Originally a Valley Girl from the suburbs of Los Angeles, she moved to New York in 2006 and has worked in the city’s unmatched arts and cultural sector since. She holds her B.A. in Media Studies from New York University, writing her thesis on the intersection of Instagram, celebrity, and the presentation of the self. She recently acquired an M.A. in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University, where a fateful course on Arts and the Law sparked a keen interest in intellectual property rights. Driven by Warhol’s ethos that art is for everyone, Michelle is passionate about making the arts accessible and facilitating impactful collaborations that expand and deepen artists’ reach. In her free time, she makes collages out of vintage magazines from the 1960s-70s to create surreal and evocative juxtapositions.

Pepper is a Licensing Executive on the Media Team. A New York native, she has a BA and MA in art history, specializing in Surrealism, from Brooklyn College. Before joining ARS, Pepper worked as an archivist, imaging specialist and production manager in a variety of post-production houses, museums, and private archives. She participates in a few projects outside of ARS including retouching publications for The Burns Archive, teaching at Brooklyn Brainery, and working as a tour guide at Green- Wood Cemetery. Her life-long artistic passion is the history of photography, specifically ‘spirit photography’ and the works of Surrealists such as Leonor Fini and Kay Sage.

Siobhan Donnelly is a Licensing Executive at ARS. Siobhan holds a BA in Art History and Religious Studies from the University of Virginia, and an MA History of Art from the Courtauld Institute, with a focus on the architecture of the Barberini in Renaissance Rome. She has previously worked in galleries from Bushwick to Chelsea to the Upper East Side, and is excited to be back in the world of artists rights. It needs to be mentioned that she is also a passionate fan of the Philadelphia Eagles (go birds).

Robinson Varghese is the IT Manager at ARS who has been with the company for more than 20 years. A native of India, Robinson attended University in Mumbai where he obtained a degree in Computer Science. Robinson is a phenomenal cook and a true lover of nature who is drawn towards art that incorporates plant and animal life.