Meet Our Fine Arts Team

Email = First Initial + Last Name@wihi.org

Brooke Pierson

Department Chair, Music Director for Band & Orchestra, MYP 8 Music

I attended Michigan State University (GO SPARTANS!) where I studied music education with a focus on instrumental music. I have worked for Lansing Public Schools and Okemos Public Schools, having taught grades pre-k to 12 at some point in my career. In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I am a self-published composer and clinician, having had my music performed throughout the country and the world. Also, I am an avid cook, often concocting delicious meals on a whim. I enjoy daily exercise and running.

Michael Arquilla

Band and Choir Teacher, MYP 6-7 Music

I received my BA in Theatre Arts in 1999 from Boston College and my MFA in Musical Theatre Writing in 2004 from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. I have taught middle and high school for the last thirteen years, first at an Arts and Technology school in the Berkshires, then at a performing arts school in Western Massachusetts. I've directed and produced dozens of performances and arts festivals during that time, and truly enjoy creative collaborations with my students. I also spend my time writing musicals, plays and screenplays, hosting game nights, trivia, and strumming a guitar by a campfire with friends and family. I enjoy working at WIMA/WIHI because both the faculty and students work to find purpose and relevance in knowledge, which is so important to being a successful person.

​Belen Pilaftsidis

IB and MYP 9-10 Art Teacher

I was born and raised in Argentina, where  I obtained one Associates and two Bachelors in Arts with majors in painting and sculpture as well as two minors in drawing and printing.
At the age of 16, I started working for Art studios and did freelance video edition for about 7 years.  Currently, I'm working for coloring studios  all over the country and the world as well as working on my ongoing art production.  The arts have been a great influence in my upbringing.  My goal as a teacher is to make  a difference in student’s lives and to better their understanding of the subject as a whole. 

Melissa Sheffer

MYP 6-9 Art Teacher

I am currently teaching my fourth year of teaching and feel privileged to be a part of such a dedicated, diverse, and rigorous program.
I received my education from Concordia University in Ann Arbor and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Oil Painting.
I enjoy drawing, painting, and traveling. I live in Ypsilanti with my husband Jonathan, our daughter Adelaide, two cats, Milo & Pedro, and our dog Murphy.