Alyssa Noonen is a Rockford native, burn survivor, and ceramic artist. She graduated from Rock Valley College in 2018 and Northern lllinois University in 2020 with a BFA in ceramics. Shortly after, she survived an apartment fire leaving her approximately 80% percent scarred. Despite tragedy, Noonen has used her experience to ignite her passion for the arts, her community, and the unificaton of the two. Thus, Inferno was born.

Emily Rangel-Cascio earned her BFA and MFA in Ceramics from Northern Illinois University in 2015 and 2019. She has received scholarships to attend Penland School of Craft and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts as well as a month-long residency with C.R.E.T.A. Rome, Italy. Post-graduation, Emily moved to Asheville, North Carolina where she worked at East Fork Pottery as a production potter. She recently came back to her hometown Rockford, Illinois to raise her children and contribute to her hometown.

Peyton has lived in Rockford, IL most of her life and obtained her B.S. in Accounting and Information Systems in 2017 from Millikin University in Decatur, IL. She has nearly a decade in tax accounting experience, as well as experience in nonprofit audit, bookkeeping, and payroll. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening and other arts and crafts.

Jillian is a lifelong Rockford resident, RPS 205 graduate and current RPS 205 art teacher and teacher leader. She has experience teaching middle and high school art, as well as teaching in community spaces such as RAM, Laumeier Sculpture Park, and Urbana Free Library. She has a BFA in Art Education from the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MA in Arts Administration from the Univ. of Kentucky. She uses her position to promote arts access and community connectivity through projects such as Practice, the Rockford Area Art Educator Faculty Show, and the RPS 205 All-City Middle School Mural Project. In 2025, she was awarded RAAC Arts Educator of the Year.

Kelsey Ott is a Rockford, Illinois native and currently works as a Project Coordinator for a local luxury design-builder. Kelsey maintains a home pottery studio and has a deep appreciation for ceramics as both a creative outlet and a community-building practice. 

Self-described as “okay at pottery,” she is enthusiastic about learning, experimenting, and supporting others in their creative journeys. She is excited to contribute to Inferno’s mission and help expand access to ceramic arts in the community.

Paul Cameron serves as our Board Treasurer.