About Us - Ambrose at WMCAT

What We Do

Ambrose at WMCAT sets our clients apart with creative custom designs and screen printing while positively impacting our community.

Our profits help fund the mission of the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT)—to create a culture of opportunity for people to make social and economic progress in their lives. We mentor young people through WMCAT’s nationally-recognized Teen Arts + Tech Program and employ young adults through our Step Year program. We intentionally invite and submerge them into the world of leadership and small-business ownership to set them up for successful futures – both personally and professionally.

Join our efforts simply by doing business with us. View all of our services here.

Our Team

Juan Garcia

Program Manager

Email: juan.garcia@wmcat.org

Juan joined WMCAT in January of 2018 as the print shop manager for Ambrose, our commercial screen printing social enterprise. Juan is a certified jack-of-all-trades with vocational history including multiple worship pastor positions, journeyman and foreman positions as a union carpenter, web designer, and a stint as a chef.

Gen-Dairec Buchanan

Lead of Production

Email: gen-dairec.buchanan@wmcat.org

Gen-Dairec was one of our first apprentices at Ambrose and is now our lead production manager, overseeing screen printing production. GD started attending WMCAT his sophomore year of high school, studying illustration and working on several public art projects. In addition to excelling at screen printing, GD would love to be a professional cartoonist and comic book illustrator, in part because of his love for Japanese animation.

Cayci Woday

Client Specialist

Email: cayci.woday@wmcat.org

Cayci started at WMCAT near the beginning of 2020. She graduated from KCAD in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design with a minor in Printmaking. When she is not working she is either: snuggling her fur-children or sewing/screen printing for her side project (PACE – a project that aims to use recycled materials to practice technical sewing skills and maintain positive mental health).

Contact Us

614 First St NW, Suite 300
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Phone: (616) 552-1580
Email: ambrose@wmcat.org

Monday – Friday from 9 am – 5 pm.

Learn more about parking and entry information here.

Response to COVID-19

Ambrose at WMCAT is open with reduced capacity–production capability and timelines may be affected. We are available to our clients through email, phone, and video calls.

Ambrose at WMCAT and WMCAT as a whole are working in the community in response to the pandemic.

Bound as One — supporting small businesses

Social capital is important to Juan Garcia, manager of Ambrose at WMCAT. As the pandemic forced the closing of businesses in his community, Juan wanted to help his neighbors. This led to Bound As One, a project that encouraged patrons of local businesses to purchase our custom-designed and hand-screen-printed t-shirts and tote bags to support their favorite neighborhood spots. With 50 percent of the proceeds of each purchase going to the featured local business, Bound as One created an immediate impact.

WMCAT Resource Guide for Families

WMCAT is committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for young people and adults to pursue opportunity. That commitment means we are vigilant about the safety of our students, staff and community. Following the extended “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order given by Governor Whitmer for the State of Michigan in response to COVID-19, WMCAT has suspended all on-site programming and will remain closed until June 15, 2020.

WMCAT staff have contributed ideas, resource options and worked with their connections from around the community to help build this resource guide for you and your family. We hope it will provide opportunities and organization during a chaotic time as you focus on keeping your family healthy.

WMCAT’S RESOURCE GUIDE FOR FAMILIES