Our Team

Frankie Thompkins joined Clowns Without Borders in 2024, bringing over 15 years of experience in leadership across nonprofit and corporate sectors. Her passion for using the power of laughter to uplift underserved communities aligns perfectly with CWB’s mission. Frankie is known for her strategic vision and dedication to building inclusive, equitable communities.

Before joining CWB, she led initiatives at Advent NYC, where she significantly increased revenue and corporate partnerships. She has also held key roles at KPMG and Escalon, driving corporate citizenship and leading through change. Frankie is honored to continue CWB’s work, spreading joy and laughter to children and families around the world.

Maggie (she/her) has found that working with clowns is the perfect mix of strategy, storytelling, and a little bit of silliness. She’s reimagined how CWB connects with supporters—revamping grant reporting, sharpening donor communications, and designing fundraising campaigns that have grown a dedicated community of believers. Her work has helped secure vital funding, strengthen storytelling, and share the lasting impact of laughter.

Before stepping into the world of red noses, Maggie was a Program Officer with AIDS United, working to advance health equity and community-driven solutions.

Rachel Wansker is an actor, puppeteer, clown, and educator from Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She earned her BA in Theatre and Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University. Rachel also has a Professional Training Certificate in Physical Theatre from Dell’Arte International. She’s has performed with seventeen professional theatre and film companies in four countries.

In addition to performing, she’s worked as a teaching artist for the last ten years. Rachel is TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certified and works with children worldwide. She is newly based in London, where she continues to make art, tell stories, and empower voices.

Josie is a clown, juggler, event producer, and laughter advocate based in Portland, Oregon. She joined Clowns Without Borders in 2016, starting as an administrative intern while earning her degree in Nonprofit Management and Spanish Language, and later transitioning into roles as a performing artist and events manager. Josie is known for her versatility and ability to balance artistic creativity with organizational efficiency. Whether coordinating artists in the theater, performing on tour, organizing spreadsheets, or sharing CWB’s mission on the local news, Josie juggles it all with flexibility and flair!

Zahid is a self-taught graphic designer with over 20 years of experience in the field. His journey into design was driven by curiosity and a passion for learning, shaping his creative approach. He has been designing for CWB since 2022.

Zee specializes in creating timeless and meaningful design solutions with real purpose and value. He has worked with notable clients including Aga Khan Academies, Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett, Clark Atlanta University, Acuity Brands, City of Lawrenceville GA, and Miller/Coors Lite. Zee finds the most fulfillment in working with organizations dedicated to helping children, aligning his work with a deeper sense of purpose. Watch out, the best is yet to come 🙂

Mishal Ali Malik joined Clowns Without Borders in 2025, bringing a fresh perspective, a passion for storytelling, and a knack for turning ideas into engaging content. Currently studying Public Health at National University of Medical Sciences, Mishal completed a Social Media Manager course with Meta and is excited to use her skills to amplify CWB’s mission of spreading joy and laughter to children and families in crisis zones.

Known for her creativity, love of all things digital, and ability to make Instagram algorithms cry tears of joy, she’s ready to make social media a force for good—one post, reel, and hashtag at a time. When she’s not crafting the perfect caption, you’ll find her exploring her hometown of Rawalpindi or binge-watching comedy specials.

Billy is an educator and producer who has been involved with CWB since 2011. He studied International Development and Political Science before jumping into the performing arts where he spent 15 years both on stage and working as a teaching artist for a variety of arts organizations and entertainment companies. He currently teaches art and tech to students grades 4-8 who are regularly subjected to a handful of antics he maintains from his clowning days. He’s produced short films, live entertainment, educational programming and is currently developing a performing arts curriculum for grades 2-5 that mixes tumbling, circus arts, and physical theater called “Wild Bodies.”

Moshe Cohen, aka Mr. YooWho, is the founder of Clowns Without Borders – USA. Since 1987, he has performed in Burma, Kosovo, South Africa, Nepal, Guatemala, Haiti, Croatia, Chiapas (Mexico), South Sudan, and Baton Rouge, LA. Moshe continues to perform and teach internationally. Over the past 25 years, he’s given over 2000 performances in over 30 countries. He continues to teach workshops exploring the expression of personal humor through physical theater and contemporary clown.

Tim joined Clowns Without Borders in 2003 when he was lassoed by an audience member during a CWB performance in a rural town. A graduate of the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre, he has served CWB as a Volunteer, Executive Director, and Board President. CWB’s work in meeting people where they are to share laughter and healing inspired him to become a nurse. He then earned a doctoral degree from Columbia University in public health. He held concurrent roles as VP of Practice and Innovation and Co-Chief Well-Being Officer for Emory Healthcare. Tim has performed with CWB in Kurdistan, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Turkey, Sierra Leone, Eswatini, Lesotho, the Philippines, and South Africa.

Amrita Dhaliwal (she/her) is an award-winning Punjabi American comedian, arts leader, educator and devising artist based in Los Angeles, whose work spans multiple mediums, from stage to TV and film. Her work explores the core themes of humanity, like death and love, through a lens of the current social-political climate. For more, go to www.amritadhaliwal.com or IG @amrithatha.

David M. Rosenthal has worked as a Family Therapist, Faculty member and Executive Director of a harm reduction center. He’s given academic presentations all over the world and has written a number of professional publications and books. David received his Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He’s currently an Associate Professor at the Mailman School of Public Health and a behavioral faculty member in the Center for Family and Community Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center. He’s also served on other nonprofit boards.

Marisol is a theater artist, educator, facilitator, and creator of performance-fueled experiences for people of all ages. Her acting, directing, writing, and devising work have appeared in NYC, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston, Miami, Maine, Colorado, Alaska, Texas, Italy, and Mexico. Marisol is a tenured member of the teaching artist ensemble at the New Victory Theater in NYC, where she has also developed original work for young audiences as a lead artist in the LabWorks program, and made her Off-Broadway directorial debut with Spellbound Theater’s Wink. Marisol is a graduate of Princeton University and of Helikos International School of Theatre Creation in Florence, Italy. She has participated as a performer and teacher on three CWB-USA tours at the US/Mexico border, and is proud to serve on the boards of CWB-USA and Philadelphia’s Cannonball Festival.

Meredith Gordon is an artist working with live performance, clowning, theater, and music. He worked as a medical clown for 20 years, first with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care and now as one of the founding members of Humorology Atlanta. Since 2001, Meredith has been a social circus coach with Cirque du Monde and now with SoCirque. He is a 2019 recipient of the Tanne Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement by an artist. Meredith performed with CWB in The Bahamas and Turkey.

Michi Jakob was born in Germany and, after stops around the globe, he settled in Manhattan in 1997 where he lives with his wife, three children and two English labs. Following 30 years in banking, he runs his own firm focusing on capital raising in emerging markets. Fluent in German, Spanish and English, he has lived, studied, or worked in Germany, the USA, Canada, England, Costa Rica, Argentina, Indonesia, and Spain. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Trent University and a MPhil from The University of Cambridge.

Victoria is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in trauma, immigration/displacement, loneliness, and group dynamics. She also co-facilitates training groups for MBA students at Chicago Booth and provides consultation to psychotherapists in the U.S. and China. She is also a visual artist, a nerd of long-form improv, and an occasional student of clowning. She has presented numerous workshops nationally and internationally on the intersection of improv and psychotherapy. Victoria holds various volunteer roles in the American Group Psychotherapy Association. She has previously worked in management consulting and nonprofits and has previously lived in China, France, and Japan. She speaks Mandarin (native), French (advanced), and Spanish (intermediate).

William ‘Watson’ Kawecki is honored to join the Board of Clowns Without Borders USA. Originally from Morgantown, West Virginia, Watson received a BFA in Theater from Miami University of Ohio and attended Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, touring with their Blue Unit for 1,029 shows. Upon moving to NYC, Watson joined the Clown Care Unit of the Big Apple Circus, accumulating 4,500 clinical hours visiting pediatric patients on clown rounds. He recently completed am Executive Master of Public Health degree at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and currently serves as a Direct Support Professional at Lifestyles for the Disabled, a Day Rehabilitation Facility for adults on Staten Island.