Faculty & Staff

Ms. Boyer Brown has been at ChiArts since its inception. She joined the school’s academic faculty in 2009, teaching English and advanced placement literature in the first few years. Since then, she has held numerous roles, serving most recently as ChiArts’ Artistic Director, responsible for leading the school’s five arts conservatories—creative writing, dance, music, theater, and visual arts. She played a leadership role in helping to establish the creative writing conservatory, and served as its first department head.

Ms. Boyer Brown is an accomplished poet, and has been published in POETRY Magazine,  Jet Fuel Review, RHINO,  Waxwing Magazine, and The Journal of Education, to name a few. She is also a lead teacher at the Summer Poetry Teachers’ Institute sponsored by the Poetry Foundation. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Queens University of Charlotte and a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University.

As Executive Director, Ms. Boyer Brown heads the school’s leadership team, oversees all programs and operations, and serves as the school’s chief spokesperson. She’s responsible for financial management, annual and strategic planning, board and community relations, and fostering collaboration across academic and arts programs. 

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Greer Reed successfully completed the Certificate and Merit scholarship programs at The Ailey School and shortly after became a member of the outstanding Ailey II. The bulk of Ms. Reed’s professional career took place with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, retiring after 10 years in 2002 with the “Josie” Award for Outstanding Female Artist.

Her dedication to young people is a driving force to enrich, empower and inspire. In the classroom, Ms. Reed focuses dance curricula on academic quality, technique, and cultural experiences that reveal the transparency of thoughtfulness, refinement, and holistic teaching. She is excited and committed to developing the next generation of incredible adults who will redefine how movement plays an important role in their lives while honoring past traditions and creating a heritage that reflects their voice.   

Along with her busy schedule, Ms. Reed graduated Summa Cum Laude from LaRoche University in Pittsburgh, PA. with the President’s Leadership and Scholarship Award, the highest honor La Roche University can bestow on a graduate for exemplary academic and leadership skills who best exemplify the values and characteristics of the college’s mission. Most recently in July 2021, she received her MFA from Goddard College with high honors in Plainfield, VT. Currently, Ms. Reed’s journey continues toward her Ph.D. in Arts Education.

Ms. Driver began her role as Principal of ChiArts on June 1, 2023. Ms. Driver most recently served as Resident Principal at the Air Force Academy High School (Chicago Public Schools, Network 16). Her previous experience also includes serving as Assistant Principal at McNair School of Excellence in Chicago, Assistant Principal at Somerset Academy, North Las Vegas; Founding K-5 Director of Academic Collaborations and Special Education Teacher, Democracy Prep, Agassi Campus, Las Vegas. She also served as Airman (E-5 Staff Sergeant), for the United States Air Force in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to her service in the Air Force, Ms. Driver served in the teaching corps for Teach for America.

Ms. Driver earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee; a Master of Science in Special Education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas; and a Master of Science in Administration Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She’s a proud New Leaders Aspiring Principals Program alum. 

Kenyatta Rogers is a Cave Canem Fellow and has been awarded scholarships from the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference. He has also been nominated multiple times for both Pushcart and Best of the Net prizes. His work has been previously published in Poetry Magazine, Jubilat, Vinyl, Bat City Review, The Volta, PANK, MAKE Magazine among others. Kenyatta is a Lead Teacher for the Poetry Foundations Teacher Institute and Chautauqua Institution’s Young Writer Institute.  He is a co-host of the Sunday Reading Series with Simone Muench and was promoted in 2022 to lead the Creative Writing Faculty at ChiArts.

Anthony Bruno has dedicated his life to music as a performer, educator, and creator. Born into a musical family, playing music has been a hallmark of his existence. He believes creativity and connection is the essence of music performance.

An in-demand saxophonist in Chicago, he has performed with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Larry Carlton (Steely Dan), Bobby Watson, Jeff Hamilton, Gerald Clayton, Bobby Broom, and Mary Wilson of The Supremes to name a few. Bruno has also performed at various music festivals such as the New York City Winter Jazz Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival and the Chicago Blues Festival. He has released numerous recordings that can be found on all streaming platforms including multiple releases chosen for Spotify Editorial Playlists. Anthony is also an endorsing artist for Selmer Paris Saxophones and D’Addario Woodwind Products. Bruno’s main musical influences are Jazz, Afro-Cuban, and R&B and considers them the foundational language to his approach to music performance.

As an educator, Bruno has taught at ChiArts since 2010 and has served as the Jazz Coordinator since 2013. In this position, he has taken the Jazz Combo to perform at four Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conferences in Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, and New Orleans. They have performed with numerous guest artists such as Antonio Hart, Bobby Watson, and Sean Jones. Additionally, he brought the Jazz Combo on a Peer to Peer tour with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz to San Antonio and Austin, Texas with guest artists Bobby Watson and Lisa Henry. Bruno also organized a tour for the Jazz Combo throughout Los Angeles in 2019 which included performances and clinics at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and the Thelonious Monk Institute at UCLA.

In addition to his teaching at ChiArts, he has served as adjunct faculty at DePaul University teaching the Saxophone Technique course from 2010 to 2015. An experienced guest artist, clinician and arranger, he has worked with such schools and organizations as Dartmouth College, Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage, and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. Bruno also served as a guest director for the ILMEA District 1 Jazz Ensemble in 2018.

Anthony Bruno graduated Magna Cum Laude from DePaul University earning a BM in Music Education in 2007. He is a licensed Music Educator in the state of Illinois.

Lauren Wells-Mann is an actor, director, dancer, choreographer and arts educator. As a proud company member with MPAACT, she has had the pleasure of directing the following productions: Mother of the Dark Water  (Jeff Nominee for Best Ensemble, Black Excellence Nominee for Best Production and Best Direction), By Association by Shepsu Aakhu (Black Excellence Nominee for Best Production) and various podcast plays.   Assistant Director credits include: Upstate by Aaron Todd Douglass, directed by Carla Stillwell and Crowns by Regina Taylor, directed by Chuck Smith.  Mrs. Wells-Mann holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Theater/Acting (Columbia College Chicago) and a Masters in Secondary Education (Univ. of Phoenix). She began her professional acting career with Eta Creative Arts foundation. It was here that Lauren had the pleasure of working with esteemed directors such as Ilesa Duncan, Kemati Porter, Runako Jahi and Cheryl Lynn Bruce. She has also performed with companies such as Lookingglass, Black Ensemble, MPAACT, Harlem Theater Company, Healthworks Theater Company, and Victory Gardens to name a few. Lauren also directed and choreographed for Eta’s summer program, Chicago on the Nile for 3 years, Black Lives Black Words – Chicago and 20% Theater Company, Perceptions Theatre and Griot Theatre Collective. Lauren attributes her directing prowess to the tutelage of Darcelle Williams, Cheryl Frazier and  Carla Stillwell. In addition to these accolades, Mrs. Wells-Mann has been coaching competitive acting and speech events for the Illinois High School Association for 19 years. Under her direction, students have won numerous state and national championships in various acting and public speaking activities. Lauren Wells-Mann believes in the power of the arts and the importance of BIPOC artists having autonomy over their own narratives. It is a mission to which she is deeply committed.

Chris Lin Dao-Heng is an interdisciplinary artist and educator based in Chicago, working in media including videos, comics, graphic design, puppetry, music, and installation. A major part of his art practice is related to language learning, immigration, humor, and vulnerability. Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, he earned his BFA with honor from the University of Victoria in 2005 and an MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008. His visual art, short stories, and comic work have been published by the Chicago Architecture Center, Bailiwick, This Side of West, Fiction At Work, Shampoo, and Levitate. Mr. Lin has taught at ChiArts since 2012 in both the Visual Arts and Creative Writing Conservatories. When he is not creating art and teaching, you can find Mr. Lin building elaborate Lego houses with his son, cooking complicated meals, and rocking out to synth music. abalonemoney.com

Mr. Bracken is an accomplished theater artist living in Chicago, even though he has Jersey blood flowing in his veins. He has been at ChiArts for the past 6 years serving as the Director of Production. He has been involved with arts education for over a decade, working with various youth organizations across the country. In addition to his technical theater credits, Mr. Bracken has directed productions at ChiArts as well as theaters throughout the Chicagoland area. He has also performed regionally in New York, New Jersey, and is about to step back on stage here in Illinois. Before leaving New Jersey, he had the privilege of working on Broadway as a stage management production assistant for Tommy Kail. He has designed at The Artistic Home (where he is also an Associate Artist), Mercury Theatre, Nothing Without a Company and Three Brothers Theatre to name a few.

Ursula McGregory came to ChiArts in 2010 and served in various capacities from Math Tutor to Programming Coordinator for four years. Upon returning in 2020, she assists our faculty with all technology needs. iShe marvels at the level of talent and brilliance of the ChiArts students. She is parent of two teen-aged boys, and loves cooking and hanging out with friends.

Dr. Tabbara has been with ChiArts since 2014. A life-long Chicagoan, Dr. Tabbara is a Lane Tech grad, has a BA from UIC, and an MA and PhD from Concordia, Chicago. He lives in Logan Square with his wife and son, and in his spare time enjoys sports, travel, movies, music, and good food.

Meg Arbeiter is a National Board Certified English teacher and founding faculty member at The Chicago High School for the Arts. In 2007 she received Facing History and Ourselves’ Margot Stern Strom Award to travel to South Africa and again in 2012 to publish a book of essays written by ChiArts Scholar-Artists in her English I class. As an adjunct facilitator for Facing History and Ourselves and long-time member of their Chicago Teacher Leadership Team, she facilitates sessions at DePaul University and recently this past summer with Golden Apple Scholars. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master of Education from DePaul University, and a Master of Industrial Relations from Loyola University Chicago.

Mr. Van Herik is here because being part of a school trying to bring equity to the arts and streets of Chicago matters to him. He was raised by teachers and environmentalists who taught him to care about changing broken systems so every person can thrive. He believes skillful writing, reading, and speaking gives people the power to change their worlds for the better. He wants every 9th grader leaving his class to have the tools to care for themselves and their worlds. Also, he enjoys reading young adult literature and fantasy/sci-fi, watching comedy and drama on the TV, playing board games with friends, dismantling all forms of oppression, listening to rap, writing poetry, rooting out injustice in labor, and playing lots of video games.

Filip Lewandowski was born in Krakow, Poland and immigrated to the U.S. to join his family when he was eight years old. He became an avid Legomaniac and Ninja Turtles enthusiast. After watching Bloodsport (starring Jean Claude Van Damme, he fell in love with martial arts. He subsequently took up Tae Kwon Do, and transitioned to full contact Kyokushin Karate in his late teens. After graduating from Whitney Young High School, Filip double majored in English Literature and Communication at DePauw University. His previous teaching experience includes serving as an ESL instructor at a nonprofit, Polish American Association, as well as, teaching English abroad in South Korea. He completed his M.Ed. in Secondary Education at Loyola Chicago in 2014 and student taught at ChiArts, where has been a full-time English teacher since. When he is not at school, Filip enjoys watching movies, occasionally bad ones, with his partner Jennifer, walking around with his two dogs, and trying consistently lift weights. Filip is honored to serve as a teacher for the wonderful students in his English 1 Honors and English 4 classes.

A native of Western Kentucky, Dara Miller earned her B.A. in English Education at Murray State University. After completing a teaching internship in Corozal, Belize, she taught for two years in her home state, where she also worked as a Writing Fellow and Instructional Technology Teacher Leader for the Kentucky Writing Project. In 2011, she relocated from Kentucky to Chicago, Illinois and joined the ChiArts faculty for the first time and earned her MA in English Literature at DePaul University. In her first four years at ChiArts, she served as a Grade Level Team Leader and English Department lead teacher and worked to develop and pilot a collaborative project between Facing History & Ourselves and Harvard University’s Project Zero. She has been a member of Facing History’s Chicago Teacher Leadership team for the past six years, and has also worked as an educational consultant. In her spare time, she loves reading, exploring Chicago’s beautiful park spaces, and helping her four-year-old daughter practice violin. She is ecstatic to return to ChiArts this year as a member of the English Department and the 10th Grade Level Team Leader!

Megan Pietz is originally from Skokie, Illinois where she learned to love music and writing, playing percussion from a young age and as copy editor of her high school yearbook. She graduated from DePaul University as a part of the Golden Apple Scholars program with a B.A. in Secondary Education and English and worked as both a writing tutor and in various editorial roles for the campus literary magazine. She loves to read and has previously written book reviews for the Los Angeles Review of Books and Chicago Review of Books online. In her spare time, Megan also loves to bake and won third place in the 2020 Chicago Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest. She has previously taught 7th grade English and is excited to now be teaching 10th grade.

Allison is originally from Elmwood Park, Illinois and graduated with a mathematics degree from the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign. After Allison received a teaching certificate from Northeastern Illinois University, she headed west to Bakersfield, California where Allison taught math and coached basketball for the last four years. Allison is excited to be back in Chicago and honored to be a part of ChiArts.

Ms. Jezior graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Mathematics. She strives to connect math to her students in enjoyable ways and help her students believe in their ability to do math. In her free time, she enjoys ballroom dance.

Karoly Keefe is a passionate math teacher who strives to eliminate mathematics education as a barrier for any student they comes across. Karoly studied at DePaul University with a Secondary Education Mathematics degree. During that time, Karoly discovered a love for finding the mystical and intriguing qualities of mathematics and hopes to influence students to do the same! If you get the time, ask about their tattoos…as they can be a lesson in and of themselves! Karoly feels honored to be at ChiArts and is excited to engage with such a beautiful and authentic community–students and staff!

Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Marquette University. After spending several years working in logistics, Andrew decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in education. In 2018, he graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Mathematics. In his free time, Andrew enjoys playing video games, and training for triathlons.

Mr. Paul Dorney graduated from Indiana University in 1992 with a BS in Science Education and a minor in Meteorology. He received his first masters degree from Nova Southeastern in 2005, and a second masters degree in Astronomy from Ball State University. Mr. Dorney currently works with NASA in its Astrobiology program and has been taking courses both in Hawaii and at Penn State. He is an avid soccer player since a young age when he played for FC Stuttgart and currently plays in CLASA. He also enjoys playing the piano and doing anything creative! This is Mr. Dorney’s 23rd year teaching, and his fourth year at ChiArts.

Mr. John Jarosz graduated from Creighton University with a double major in Biology and Environmental Science as well as a co-major in secondary education. After graduating, he taught Biology and Earth and Space Science in Omaha, Nebraska. During his two years at Omaha Bryan, he was involved in coaching, sponsoring clubs, and receiving the Outstanding Educator Award. He enjoys biking, playing lacrosse and going on adventures throughout the city.

My name is Joy Layton and I am a second year science teacher at ChiArts! I graduated from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI with my bachelors in Biology and a minor in Secondary Education. During college, I did bioacoustics research on White-handed Gibbons and wrote my senior thesis on “The Importance and Applications of Multicultural Education in High School Biology”. While science has been my area of focus, I love to learn new things and practice creative outlets like dancing, drawing, and painting. I am so excited to work with the amazing students and community at ChiArts and find new ways to creatively approach science with my students.

Jennifer Peppers graduated from Elon University with a BS, double-majoring in Biology alongside Environmental & Ecological Science. She is originally from the rural mountains of North Carolina and moved to Chicago in 2018. Her love of science and learning led her to become a teacher; now, she is in her fourth year teaching, and first year at ChiArts. In her free time, she can be found reading, cooking, sleeping, and exploring. She is ecstatic to be at ChiArts and to be a part of such a beautiful community!

Mr. Cookman spent 10 years in elementary education before making the switch to high school, and he could not be more thrilled to have made that transition at ChiArts. He earned his Bachelor’s in social sciences from Hampshire College and a Master’s in Teaching from Northeastern Illinois University. Mr. C’s core educational philosophy is that students possess an innate love of learning that is to be cultivated by teachers in a welcoming classroom environment. A jazz pianist in his younger years and still an inveterate metalhead, Mr. C can easily relate to the “art kids,” having been one himself. These days, his artistic pursuits are of the martial and culinary variety. He is a boxer, student of Wing Chun Kung Fu, and a vegan chef of some notoriety (within his own kitchen).

I am completing my 6th year at ChiArts and my 11th year of teaching social science. I currently serve as senior psychology teacher and Social Science Department Chair. Previously, i spent most of my time in education teaching Juniors US history and frequently practicing for the SAT. During my free time, I can be found hanging out with my son, Niko or my dog Pierre. I love to travel and I love to read.

Since he was a kid, Mr. Wagner knew he wanted to be a teacher. As a member of the ChiArts staff since 2013, he has gotten to live that dream. He takes great joy in watching his students learn and become empowered to use their knowledge to benefit themselves and society. When not at school, Mr. Wagner enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Education from Maryville University.

Bethany is from southern Illinois but has been living in Chicago for the past 9 years, the last 5 of which she has been teaching at ChiArts. She has bachelors degrees in both Business Administration and Historical Studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She loves spending time with her family (human and non-human) and friends (human and non-human), going for long, exploring walks around the city, practicing yoga and general chill-ness, reading history and listening to podcasts, looking at the lake in silence, practicing gentleness in an agitated world, doom-scrolling on Twitter, (people CAN do both), going for long-drives in pursuit of a specific food, thinking deeply about life and its complexities while trying to drown out the constant sound of the Sesame Street songs playing in the background of her life (she has a toddler), having the time and the mental space to appropriately prepare for her job, traveling when possible, and eating chilaquiles as frequently as possible. But she mostly tries to practice a life of balance and reflection. She believes that an education in the social sciences helps individuals reflect on their own identity and have a greater understanding of the shared human experience.

Mr Cashman started teaching Spanish at ChiArts in 2012. He received his B.A. in TESOL at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and spent a summer teaching English in Mexico while living with a pastoral family there. After teaching ESL at Harold Washington College for a year and a half, he decided to pursue a long-time goal of being a Spanish teacher and studied Spanish Linguistics at UIC (M.A. degree) and taught Spanish there. He completed education coursework at Northeastern and taught for two years at Oak Park & River Forest High School.

Mr. Cashman also has played piano for the choirs and been involved in the Music Conservatory. He lives in West Humboldt Park with his wife, two kids, and two cats. He enjoys piano, biking, working out, and spending time with his family and church. In addition to traveling throughout Mexico, he has also traveled to Spain and Costa Rica.

My name is Srta. Guadalupe León and I currently teach Spanish for Native Speakers as well as Spanish 3 Honors. This will be my 12th year teaching Spanish (at multiple levels) mostly in the South and West Sides of Chicago. I graduated from the University of Chicago and have a Masters degree in Education. I have traveled to multiple countries throughout my career and have given multiple student groups opportunities to experience and become more engaging global citizens. I hope to be able to constantly share my mutual knowledge and cultural experiences to the students that I teach in order for them to expand their own personal experiences.

Kevin Ramirez graduated with his B.A. in K-12 World Language Education from DePaul University. Ever since his youth, he has loved the world, its people, its cultures, and the ability to tear down the walls of language barriers and ignorance towards other people and their respective cultures. During the summers of his university education, he taught English and Spanish primarily in Mexico in impoverished areas at local recreation centers or schoolhouses. In his final two years as a university student, Kevin taught French at the Lycée Français de Chicago in a complete immersion program that focused on bridging the youth together through language and cultures of the Francophone world. Since then he regularly travels and stays on a path for knowledge of the world — he has just returned from a tour of Europe spanning across 18 different cities. Outside the classroom he enjoys creating music on his guitar, being involved with fitness at the local gyms, playing sports, and reading about anything from language-related items to topics in the scientific community. He will be entering his fifth year of teaching and is looking forward to his second year at ChiArts!

Mr. Muñoz is a 12th year teacher with a BSEd in Physical Education from Northern Illinois University and a Masters degree in learning and technology from Wester Governors University. He is certified in grades K-12. Staying very active in his free time doing anything that is challenging. He has completed two ironman triathlons and has competed in over 130 different races. He prioritizes health and fitness and tries to lead his students by example. Mr. Muñoz also has a Spanish bilingual endorsement and is a certified personal trainer. He loves the outdoors, photography, and any activity that provides an adrenaline rush.

James Salazar is a 13th year teacher out of Lombard, IL. James grew up in Chicago and attended Waters Elementary through 7th grade before moving to Villa Park, IL. He graduated in December 2009 from Northern Illinois University with a BSEd in Physical Education, certified grades K-12, and a minor in secondary Health Education. He will be teaching Health Education and 1 section of Physical Education this year, as well as supporting his 4th group of advisees. Mr. Salazar enjoys staying active, spending time with his two children, and working on his long list of hobbies.

Mr. Steger graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Physical Education. He received his Driver Education and Safety endorsement from Northern Illinois University. This will be his fifth year of teaching. Mr. Steger previously taught two years at Downers Grove South High School and one year at York High School.

Sunni Ali is a founding Chicago High School for the Arts teacher and has been a faculty member since 2009. He started as a social science educator and has taught in the Diverse Learner Department since 2010. He earned his Doctorate in Educational Administration from Roosevelt University and holds a Type 75 Principal’s Certificate, Type 9 Social Science Certificate, and LBS1 Special Education Certificate Endorsement. Sunni Ali is also an Associate Professor at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) Education Inquiry Curriculum Studies Department.

Professor Ali has 24 years of high school teaching experience as a social science and special education instructor and two years as a district administrator.

Katie has taught at ChiArts for six years and is proud to be a member of ChiArts’ creative, unique, and determined community. Katie started her journey as an educator at Monmouth College receiving a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and secondary education. After teaching for two years in a suburban school, Katie decided to purse my masters degree in Special Education to support students with a variety of learning styles. In the past few years at ChiArts, Katie has learned a lot from her students and colleagues. She is excited to continue to grow in order to best support each and every one of her students.

Jen B. Larson has been teaching diverse learners across grade levels and contents since 2012. She has called Chicago home since earning a bachelors from Loyola University of Chicago in English literature and a concentration in creative writing. She received her MEd in special education from UIC and holds an LBS I and two LBS IIs in assistive technology and multiple disabilities. Outside of teaching, she is a musician, author, and vinyl record enthusiast.

David Mathews earned his MA in Writing & Publishing at DePaul University. His work has been nominated for Best of the Net, a Pushcart, and he was a finalist in the Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards. His recent publications include Midwestern Gothic, Eclectica Magazine, Belt Magazine’s Rust Belt Chicago: An Anthology, and Open Heart Chicago: An Anthology of Chicago Writing.

Cecilia Pinto has been a teaching artist in the City of Chicago for over twenty years and has worked in a variety of settings and with all age groups. Her novella, Imagine the Dog, winner of the Clay Reynolds Prize, was published in 2021. Her writing has appeared in publications including Esquire, Fence, Diagram, TriQuarterly and elsewhere. In addition to her creative writing classes at ChiArts it has been her pleasure to serve as coach for the competitive spoken word team and dramaturg for two school plays. She received her undergraduate degree from Knox College and an M.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute.

Kenyatta Rogers is a Cave Canem Fellow and has been awarded scholarships from the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference. His work has been previously published in Poetry Magazine, Jubilat, Vinyl, Bat City Review, The Volta, PANK, MAKE Magazine among others. Kenyatta is a Lead Teacher for the Poetry Foundations Teacher Institute and Chautauqua Institution’s Young Writer Institute. He is as a co-host of the Sunday Reading Series with Simone Muench and is the Creative Writing Department Head at The Chicago High School for the Arts.

Jeremy T. Wilson is the author of the short story collection Adult Teeth. He is a former winner of the Chicago Tribune’s Nelson Algren Award for short fiction and was recently named one of “30 Writers to Watch” by Chicago’s Guild Literary Complex. His stories have appeared in literary magazines such as The Carolina Quarterly, The Florida Review, Hobart, The Masters Review, Sonora Review, Third Coast and other publications. He holds an MFA from Northwestern University.

Nick Yokanovich is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he received degrees in English Education and Creative Writing. Nick is currently working on a serialized magazine exploring humor, surrealism, absurdity, and their interconnected roles in contemporary authenticity. His previous work has been featured in Steam Ticket: Third Coast Review. Outside of writing, Nick enjoys drawing, playing catch, and riding his bike.

Maan Nabong received her dance training from Sherry Moray, Homer Bryant, Wes Chapman, and Roger Van Fleteran. In 2000 and 2001, Maan placed 1st in the Junior Classical division at Youth America Grand Prix. From 2002-2004, she danced with the Alabama Ballet where she performed Arabian in George Balanchine’s Nutcracker and various roles in Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, and Swan Lake. Maan was a scholarship student at Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago and at Alonzo Kings Ballet in San Francisco. In 2006-2007, Maan performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, working with choreographer, Daniel Pelzig in Die Fledermaus. Maan is a Stott-trained Pilates instructor and is also currently on faculty at the Joffrey Academy of Dance.

Levizadik Buckins began his dance education at the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven, Connecticut. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, under the direction of Ethan Stiefel. During his time at UNCSA, he worked with choreographers such as Brenda Daniels, Trish Casey, and Diego Schoch. He has also had the chance to work with well-known choreographers Maurya Kerr, Larry Keigwin, Scott Rink, and Trish Lent. He has performed professionally with the Winston-Salem Festival of Ballet under the direction of Gary Taylor in North Carolina, and River North Dance Chicago under the direction of Frank Chaves. While at River North Dance Chicago he worked with Adam Barruch, Kevin Iega Jeff, Ashley Roland, and Ivan Perez. Levizadik is currently a dance instructor at the Chicago High School of the Arts.

A former dancer, Zineb Chraibi has performed with the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, Deeply Rooted Productions, Winifred Haun and Dancers as well as with various independent choreographers. She holds a BA in Dance from Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pa. Ms. Chraibi grew up in Casablanca, Morocco where she first started training. She later returned to her native city of Paris to study ballet, modern, and jazz. She has also trained at Les ballets Jazz De Montreal, Ruth Page Dance Center and Lou Conte Dance Studios. She is currently on the faculty at the Dance Center of Columbia College, the Joffrey Ballet and guest teaches in the U.S. and abroad. She has also served on the faculty of the Conservatory of Dance at Barat College, The Chicago Academy for The Arts, The Joel Hall Dance Center, and taught at the Lou Conte dance Studio. In addition to teaching dance, Zineb is a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor who teaches in the U.S and abroad.

A native of Madison, WI, Imani credits her early training to her mother, Karen Smith-English, Monona Academy of Dance, and the Madison Professional Dance Center’s performing company. She has received scholarships from The Wisconsin Dance Council, The Anthony Quinn Foundation, Dance Chicago, and was also awarded the Rahm Emmanuel Scholarship to attend intensive programs at River North Dance Chicago. Ms. English is a 2014 graduate and Valedictorian of the Chicago High School for the Arts. There, she performed repertoire from Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Muntu Dance Theater, the Joffrey Ballet, and performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria. Upon graduation from ChiArts, Imani joined DanceWorks Chicago in 2014 and in 2016 joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s DBDT: Encore! where she spent two seasons. During that time, she also performed with the Dallas Opera in Samson & Dalila and most recently with the Tony Award winning Dallas Theater Center in their production of the Broadway musical Hairspray. Throughout her career, Imani has performed works by renowned choreographers such as Harrison McEldowney, Kristofer Storey, Demis Volpi, Christopher Huggins, Jennifer Archibald, Tahehiro Ueyama, among others. Ms. English and has been on the faculty of the Dallas Black Dance Academy, The Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center, Steps Dance Center, and Visceral Dance Center. She has also taught for prestigious summer intensives in the Chicago area including The River North Chicago summer program, The Milwaukee Ballet School Summer Intensive, DanceWorks Chicago’s Dance360 program, and the Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Summer Intensive. Imani joined the dance faculty at the Chicago High School for the Arts in 2019 as a ballet instructor and has since additionally served as a Body Conditioning Instructor, Horton Instructor, and Rehearsal Assistant for multiple productions and guest artist works. In addition, Ms. English also teaches for Extensions Dance Company, Chicago Movement Collective, and other local studios in the Chicagoland area. Most recently, Imani commissioned a piece featured on Visceral Dance Company for the 2022 production of “Solus” as well as a new work created for Dance Wisconsin.

Robin Gayle is a professional dancer, an established ballet teacher, and a certified Pilates instructor. She performed for nine seasons as a Soloist with the Columbia City Ballet, apprenticed with the Colorado Ballet, and has been a frequent guest artist around the country. Robin trained privately under Sherry Moray and Alla Osipenko and attended the Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo, the Ruth Page School of Dance, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Her summer intensives include the schools of American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. Robin was a top finalist at the Youth America Grand Prix competition and chosen to perform at YAGP Galas in 2000 and 2001. Robin’s reviews include Dance Magazine’s late Ann Barzel, who praised Robin as a “uniquely talented dancer,” and the Chicago Sun-Times’ Hedy Weiss, who characterized Robin’s dancing as “brilliant.” Additional credits include appearing in the movie “Save the Last Dance,” the TV show “Sabado Gigante,” and modeling for Capezio and Leo’s Dancewear. Robin has had the pleasure of working with the dancers at ChiArts since 2017.

Florence Walker-Harris Director/Choreographer/Visionary & Mentor. Flo, affectionately known as MzFlo, is a descendant of Haiti by way of Queens, New York. Since 1996 she has been taking the Chicago arts scene by storm. When she is not on a project choreographing, directing or producing you can find her passionately teaching, inspiring and empowering our youth through the world of performing arts. Trained in many disciplines; Jazz (strongly influenced by the late and beloved Frank Hatchet), Ballet, Modern Contemporary, traditional Haitian Folklore, Tap and Hip Hop. She also holds a B.S. in Sociology from the State University College at Oneonta in New York and a Master’s Degree in Human Service Administration Program Development from National Lewis University. Mz. Flo has also been a professor for nine years at Chicago State University, and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. of the Chicago Alumnae Chapter. MzFlo has received much recognition for her work including Jeff Awards for best choreographer in a midsize musical; a Jeff Nomination for a large size musical; The Black Theater Alliance Katherine Dunham Award for Best Choreography in a Musical to name a few. Her most recent credit as Choreographer on the MSMT stage for the epic and most compelling play into a musical, The Color Purple. She is currently a member of ChiArts Dance faculty as a HipHop instructor and the Dance Director for Francis W. Parker. Serving the community of artists while wearing many hats as Choreographer, Artistic Director, Creative Director to Producing and simply uplifting the next generation all across the city of chicago, she continues to encourage, motivate, and inspire her motto remains the same “Success is in the Journey not the Destination.” Along with having an impact in the Theater, Mrs. Walker-Harris has added another hat to her list of titles as entrepreneur and president of her company FLO FIYAH LLC and her NonProfit organization, Fiyah. Edifying. Empowering. Developing., better known as F.E.E.D. Flo Walker Harris is a multi ethnic interdisciplinary artistic change agent who continues to galvanize the arts world. She believes in direct, collaborative and transformational leadership pushing the boundaries of Art beyond the dance floor.

David Mathews earned his MA in Writing & Publishing at DePaul University. His work has been nominated for Best of the Net, a Pushcart, and he was a finalist in the Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards. His recent publications include Midwestern Gothic, Eclectica Magazine, Belt Magazine’s Rust Belt Chicago: An Anthology, and Open Heart Chicago: An Anthology of Chicago Writing.

Nicole Scatchell holds a bachelor’s degree in Dance and a minor in Business Management, her teaching license to teach Dance K-12 in public schools and is currently pursuing a master’s in Counseling Psychology. Nicole has been a dedicated dance educator in CPS, domestically, and internationally for over 16 years. She is the Artistic Director of Chicago Dance Institute, on faculty at Chicago High School for the Arts, Harold Washington College, Joffrey Academy, and Dance Director of All City Performing Arts. Her choreography for ChiArt’s mainstage musical was nominated for Best Choreography through National High School Musical Theatre Awards. In partnership with WorldWide Orphans, Nicole has led and directed international programming in Haiti teaching local children and training local teachers in pedagogy. Nicole has trained with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet Legere. She has performed with the International Ballet Ensemble and companies including BONEdanse, Zephyr Dance, David Dorfman, Dropshift Dance and has worked with choreographers such as Peter Carpenter, Reggie Wilson, Jan Bartosek, Tammy Thomas, Sean France, among others. She has performed for audiences across the U.S, Scotland, Italy, France, and Germany. She continues to perform professionally and is earning credentials to pursue her dream of integrating arts education, mental health, and community intervention.

Ted Seymour was born in Dallas, Texas where he trained at the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet. He moved to Chicago to study with Dan Duell and Patricia Blair as a member of the Ballet Chicago Studio Company. Ted later attended The School of American Ballet where he choreographed two ballets for the school and was invited by Peter Martins to create a new ballet for the New York Choreographic Institute. After leaving SAB, he joined Cedar Lake Contemporary dance Company. Ted joined Suzanne Farrell Ballet in 2007 where he has danced featured roles in Balanchine’s Episodes, La Valse, and the Act II pas de deux from A Midsummer Night’s Dream among others.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Greer Reed successfully completed the Certificate and Merit scholarship programs at The Ailey School and shortly after became a member of the outstanding Ailey II. The bulk of Ms. Reed’s professional career took place with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, retiring after 10 years in 2002 with the “Josie” Award for Outstanding Female Artist.

Her dedication to young people is a driving force to enrich, empower and inspire. In the classroom, Ms. Reed focuses dance curricula on academic quality, technique, and cultural experiences that reveal the transparency of thoughtfulness, refinement, and holistic teaching. She is excited and committed to developing the next generation of incredible adults who will redefine how movement plays an important role in their lives while honoring past traditions and creating a heritage that reflects their voice.   

Along with her busy schedule, Ms. Reed graduated Summa Cum Laude from LaRoche University in Pittsburgh, PA. with the President’s Leadership and Scholarship Award, the highest honor La Roche University can bestow on a graduate for exemplary academic and leadership skills who best exemplify the values and characteristics of the college’s mission. Most recently in July 2021, she received her MFA from Goddard College with high honors in Plainfield, VT. Currently, Ms. Reed’s journey continues toward her Ph.D. in Arts Education.

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Carl Aagesen has lived and worked in Chicago since 2004. He is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology. A Professional Piano Technician and lifelong student of music, Carl began teaching privately in 2010. In addition to working as a piano instructor, Carl keeps ChiArts’ fleet of pianos in tune. A frequent guest behind the scenes at innumerable venues, churches, performance halls and recording studios throughout the Chicagoland area, he is daily engaged in the process of finding exactly the sounds to suit the individual needs of each exciting pianist he encounters. Carl is an active member of Chicago ensembles Les Metalliques, Names Divine, Boatist, and the Colm Lennon Band. In his spare time, he rewards his discerning ears by composing, arranging and recording his own music. Evening Airs (2020), Moonbean Champion (2021), and Facades (2022) can be heard on streaming platforms or purchased from Bandcamp.

Melissa Arning (she/her) grew up in the Detroit suburbs, went to college at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and now continues her tour of the Midwest at her home in Chicago. She credits her Midwestern roots with fostering her love of cars, Vernors, and Jello. A busy performer of both opera and oratorio, Ms. Arning’s roles include Ruth in Dark Sisters, Meg in Falstaff, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Cendrillon in Cendrillon, Muse/Nicklausse in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Despina in Cosi fan tutte, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Mercedes in Carmen. For her work with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Ms. Arning also has two Grammy awards. In her spare time, she is a beekeeper.

Trumpet player and composer Gerald Bailey currently leads several groups combining acoustic instruments and music technology. He has a Bachelors degree in trumpet from the University of Cincinnati and a Masters in jazz arranging from DePaul University. As a sideman he has worked with Belle and Sebastian, Ty Segall, Mono, Father John Misty and  Syl Johnson. Gerald plays Adams Trumpets and Flugelhorns.

Anthony Bruno has dedicated his life to music as a performer, educator, and creator. Born into a musical family, playing music has been a hallmark of his existence. He believes creativity and connection is the essence of music performance.

An in-demand saxophonist in Chicago, he has performed with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Larry Carlton (Steely Dan), Bobby Watson, Jeff Hamilton, Gerald Clayton, Bobby Broom, and Mary Wilson of The Supremes to name a few. Bruno has also performed at various music festivals such as the New York City Winter Jazz Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival and the Chicago Blues Festival. He has released numerous recordings that can be found on all streaming platforms including multiple releases chosen for Spotify Editorial Playlists. Anthony is also an endorsing artist for Selmer Paris Saxophones and D’Addario Woodwind Products. Bruno’s main musical influences are Jazz, Afro-Cuban, and R&B and considers them the foundational language to his approach to music performance.

As an educator, Bruno has taught at ChiArts since 2010 and has served as the Jazz Coordinator since 2013. In this position, he has taken the Jazz Combo to perform at four Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conferences in Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, and New Orleans. They have performed with numerous guest artists such as Antonio Hart, Bobby Watson, and Sean Jones. Additionally, he brought the Jazz Combo on a Peer to Peer tour with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz to San Antonio and Austin, Texas with guest artists Bobby Watson and Lisa Henry. Bruno also organized a tour for the Jazz Combo throughout Los Angeles in 2019 which included performances and clinics at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and the Thelonious Monk Institute at UCLA.

In addition to his teaching at ChiArts, he has served as adjunct faculty at DePaul University teaching the Saxophone Technique course from 2010 to 2015. An experienced guest artist, clinician and arranger, he has worked with such schools and organizations as Dartmouth College, Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage, and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. Bruno also served as a guest director for the ILMEA District 1 Jazz Ensemble in 2018.

Anthony Bruno graduated Magna Cum Laude from DePaul University earning a BM in Music Education in 2007. He is a licensed Music Educator in the state of Illinois.

Thomas Clippert savors the wide variety of music available for the guitar, from the early Renaissance to the present day; his performing career regularly takes from solo guitar, to chamber music, to the vast world of improvised music. Tom is a graduate of the Yale School of Music where he studied with Benjamin Verdery and was awarded the Eliot Fisk Guitar Prize. Additional studies include Phillip de Fremery at the Mount Holyoke Guitar Master Class and Patrick Roux at the Domaine Forget Music and Dance Academy in Quebec. In addition to being a founding faculty member at ChiArts, Tom teaches at Oakton Community College. Tom is a regular featured artist at the Interlochen Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop.

An emerging Chicago based countertenor and composer, Kyle Anthony Cortés classes include fall elective “Acting the Song/Music Theory”, where students learn how to respond to music they analyze as an acting tool for the stage, and “Music Theory Fundamentals”, a course focusing students towards proficiency in music literacy. Upon request, he makes appearances as a supporting guest instructor for our “Vocal Performance Foundations 1” and “Treble Choir” students in the vocal department.

Mr. Cortés’ most recent artistic endeavors include having his original opera “Droplet” workshopped and produced this winter, 2021, by the Vizin Virtual Ensemble — an international ensemble of emerging professional and pre-professional singers. Known primarily to the stage for his comedic charm, Cortés has sung in roles such as the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel, Don Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro, and Mayor Upfold in Britten’s Albert Herring. And so, it was with much anticipation that the dark and twisted role of Emperor Lucio Silla, of Handel’s Silla, marked his official summer 2021 debut as a budding countertenor, transitioning him from leggiero tenor to countertenor repertoire. Cortés completed his masters degree with honors in vocal performance at DePaul School of Music studying under Dr. Viktoria Vizin. He relocated to Chicago after having graduated cum laude with two Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Florida in vocal performance and composition, respectively. His other formal training includes a summer of private research in composition and combination-tones in the live-coding environment MAX/MSP at the Mozarteum Conservatory in Salzburg, Austria under their director of electro-acoustic composition, Dr. Achim Bornhöft, along with six-months of study with Dr. Jourdan L. Howell’s Palm Beach Opera Apprentice Studio. His interest in classical voice and composition led him to join the artistic team at Vizin-Production and Starr-Editing, Media Group as their composer-in-residence and young artist for the 2020-21 season, focusing on digital media productions of art song and opera. Cortés’ instrict beliefs drive his passion as an educator. Beliefs stating that we are products, not only of our present circumstance, but of our past; that we stand on the shoulders of giants, our family and community, who have worked arduously to lift us up and present us with our present opportunity. An opportunity to enjoy studying the music and art that we all love. An opportunity for which we will not “throw away our shot” (Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton).

Embracing a multicultural language, while investing in a variety of disciplines within the music itself, composer, bandleader, drummer and lyricist Gustavo Cortiñas continues to surpass himself in the breadth of his work. “Cortiñas’ music is uplifting, robust, melodic, and gets your body moving; it’s an exciting blend of the artist’s musical influences from jazz and Latin America, including his native Mexico” (DOWNBEAT). This can be heard on his four records as a leader, “Snapshot” (2013), “a Smörgåsbord of the moods and nuances that make up the human experience,” (Jazziz); “ESSE” (2017) “a fascinating musical realization, exploration, and distillation of the works of Hegel, Aristotle, Descartes, Plato, and other brilliant minds” (AllAboutJazz); and “Desafío Candente” (2021), “a musical palimpsest that carries the weight of the history of colonialism and neocolonialism of the entire southern part of the Americas” (LatinJazzNet). On his latest release, “Kind Regards / Saludos Afectuosos”, Cortiñas gives life, through music, to words that attempt to build bridges and understanding in times of borders and ignorance; words that focus on our feet and the dust on which they walk, instead of the stars under which they dream. A graduate of Loyola University New Orleans (BM Jazz, Minor in Philosophy), and Northwestern University (MM Jazz), Gustavo Cortiñas has developed a successful career in the US for over a decade, leading and accompanying ensembles in renowned stages and festivals in North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. During his time in Chicago, Gustavo has become one of the most sought out drummers, performing and recording with Javier Red’s Imagery Converter, Matt Peterson, Kitt Lyles, Erik Skov, Emily Kuhn, Michael Hudson-Casanova, Roy McGrath, Kyle Madsen, and the Carla Campopiano Trio, among other ensembles. Cortiñas is a member of the Chicago Jazz Composer’s Collective, performing regularly for their monthly residency at Chicago’s very own Green Mill. Gustavo Cortiñas is a proud endorser of Canopus Drums & Bosphorus Cymbals, and has been recipient of grants from the Mexican National Endowment of the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. His album Desafío Candente, a sprawling meditation on Latin American life and struggles, earned a well-deserved spot in Jazziz Magazine’s list of the 2021’s Best Releases, and was listed among the Jazz Journalist’s Association Top Latin Jazz Albums of 2021, among other critical praise. Born and raised in Mexico, son to a Uruguayan university professor and a Mexican elementary school teacher, Cortiñas grew up surrounded by books of all kinds, ranging from religion and philosophy, to history, economics and art. Music was just as diverse: be it through voice of Chavela Vargas, Wagner’s operas, the revolutionary cry of Rock en Español, or the soothing songs of Edith Piaf, music of all kinds was always there. At age 10, he fell in love with the drums, and was soon seduced by the syncopated and improvised beat of Jazz. This love inspired a journey far from home. First traveling to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, and later Chicago, the place he now calls home. This journey set the foundation for his work: Latin American folklore, classical music, and jazz; philosophy, religion and the Latin American cry for justice. These experiences and streams of inspiration forge the unique voice of an expansive artist who will continue to defy categorization in many years to come. Gustavo is extremely thankful of all the great musicians, mentors, and human beings he has been privileged enough to learn from along the way. Some that stand out are Gabriela Fouilloux, León Cortiñas, Andrés Cortiñas, Andrés Suárez, Agustín Yela, Anne-Marie Garas, Santiago Fortson, Rodrigo Jiménez, Hernán Hecht, Wayne Maureau, Johnny Vidacovich, John Mahoney, Tony Dagradi, Janna Saslaw, William Horne, Victor Goines and Willie Jones III. Cortiñas is invested in giving this back and sharing what he has learned. He started as the drum set instructor at the Edron Academy in Mexico City in 2004. Since then, Gustavo has had an extensive private studio, and also taught master classes in Mexico, Puerto Rico, China, Ecuador, Argentina, and around the US. He has been teaching at Flatts & Sharpe Music Academy since 2014, and has been a guest artist with the jazz small ensembles at Northwestern University. From 2019-21 Cortiñas worked as a Jazz Director at the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory. Since 2018 Gustavo has been an assistant conductor of the jazz combos and jazz orchestras at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. IL and currently teaches drums at the prestigious Chicago High School for the Arts.

Matthew Davis is a Chicago based trombone player and tubist specializing in music from the African American Diaspora. As a performer and recording artist, he has worked with names such as Jenifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper, Matt Jones, Ben Lamar Gay, and LowDown Brass Band. He has extensive experience touring the United States and Europe. He has a B.A. in Jazz studies from Oberlin College, and currently studies Hindustani Classical music.

From playing classical music at Orchestra Hall to rock music on Warped Tour, Rebecca is a violinist, songwriter, producer, and educator who has used her classical music training to focus on innovating and blend genre lines. The genre-bending efforts began in undergrad at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, when she founded the rock band, The Lifeline. She used her training to give the band a unique performance quality, utilizing live looping techniques, as well as sequencing and sampling to enhance the presence of her violin. As a result she has graced the stages of many of the city’s finest venues such as Metro, House of Blues, Aragon Ballroom, Lincoln Hall, Beat Kitchen, Bottom Lounge, Double Door, Soldier Field, Subterranean, Cubby Bear and Goose Island Wrigleyville. In addition, she’s also been a part of many festivals and tours, such as SXSW, CMJ, Taste of Chicago, Taste of Chaos Tour, Warped Tour, Milwaukee Summerfest, and Q101 Block Party which further expand her influence. Rebecca Faber has worked with some of the best engineers and producers in the country. Names like Steve Albini (Nirvana), Chris Shepard (Chicago Recording Company), Sean O’Keefe (Plain White T’s), and Johnny Rioux (The Bruisers, Social Distortion, Street Dogs) are just a few of the diverse individuals that have helped Rebecca hone her craft and continue to innovate. As a result of work in the recording industry, she has become a voting member of The Recording Academy of Arts and Sciences, voting for the Grammys in both the musician categories and the Producers and Engineering Wing. She is also an ASCAP member and recipient of the ASCAP Plus Award in two consecutive years. In the spirit of giving back and inspiring others to use music as an outlet, Rebecca has taught in various settings, including privately, through the Ravinia Festival, at the Chicago High School for the Arts, and through online content on Reverb.com. Growing up in Chicago, Rebecca studied pre-college at the Merit School of Music, Midwest Young Artists’ Program, and studying privately under Laura Miller (Lyric Opera of Chicago). She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, studying violin performance under Peter Schaffer (Concertmaster, San Francisco Symphony). Continuing studies/additional training include playing master classes and lessons with David Kim (Concertmaster, Philadelphia Orchestra), Nathan Cole (Assistant Concertmaster, LA Philharmonic), Lisa-Beth Lambert (National Symphony), Cornelius Chiu (Chicago Symphony), Christopher Wu (Pittsburgh Symphony), and studied chamber music under the Avalon String Quartet.

Ukrainian-born conductor Lev Ivanov serves as the music director of the Joliet Symphony Orchestra. Additionally he serves as the Coordinator of Music and Director of Orchestra at Milwaukee School of Engineering, and Director of Orchestra at the Chicago High School for the Arts. Ivanov is a recipient of numerous recognitions and awards including The American Prize (in multiple categories), Jeunesses Musicales Bucharest International Conducting Competition, The George and Geraldine Swensen Watkins Endowment for Excellence in the Arts, Arizona State University and Brigham Young University Special Talent Awards, Vorzel and Guitaralia International Ensemble competitions in Ukraine and Poland, and others. After the beginning of the russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ivanov joined the efforts of many fellow Ukrainians and became involved in humanitarian work. He is grateful to have numerous opportunities through concerts and workshops to educate the public about the war and raise funds for Ukraine and his war relief efforts. In 2014 – 2020, Ivanov served as the music director of the Illinois Wesleyan Symphony Orchestra at Illinois Wesleyan University. Ivanov led the productions of Hansel and Gretel, The Secret Garden, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Magic Flute, Pirates of Penzance, Trial by Jury, Carmen, La Boheme, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and others. Additionally, Ivanov received praise for his conducting in the production of Osvaldo Golijov’s highly acclaimed contemporary opera Ainadamar. Ivanov is a recipient of both the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Grant and the Harmon Arts Grant to continue to bring orchestral music and opera to audiences in central Illinois. Ivanov collaborated with soloists and composers including Eve Beglarian, David Vayo, Benjamin Taylor, Myroslav Skoryk, Judith Shatin, Ilia Radoslavov, Jamie-Rose Guarrine, Kyle Pfortmiller, Kent Cook, Vadim Mazo, and others. Ivanov participated in music festivals in Europe and the United States including the St. Magnus Festival, Orkney Conducting Course under the direction of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Park City Music and Orchestra Festival, Illinois Chamber Music Festival, and masterclasses with Jörma Panula, Charles Peebles, Martyn Brabbins, and others.

Betsy Ko is a founding faculty member of ChiArts. Ms. Ko previously served as Music Department Head from 2009 to 2021. She now serves as the ChiArts Band Director and has overseen tremendous growth in that program. In March 2018, the ChiArts Wind Ensemble under Ms. Ko’s direction was honored to receive the honor of “Best in Day” designation at the Illinois High School Association’s Organizational Contest. She also conducts the ChiArts Symphony Orchestra, now in its second season. Ms. Ko is a long time flute faculty member at Merit School of Music where she teaches individuals and groups of all levels. She has coached the Purple Hippopotami Flute Quartet for many years and saw that group earn 3rd place in the prestigious M-Prize Chamber Music competition (2018) and a bronze medal at the Fischoff Chamber Music competition (2020). A native of New York, Ms. Ko has been an active performer in the Chicago area since arriving here in 1991. She currently performs with the Northshore Concert Band. Ms. Ko received her M.M. in flute performance from DePaul University where she studied with Mary Stolper. Her undergraduate degree was in pure mathematics from Brown University. She additionally holds Illinois Type 10 certification in music.

Guitarist Jim Konsbruck is a frequent performer in the Chicago area, appearing as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral soloist. Earning his Master of Music degree from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, Jim studied with Paul Henry, in addition to Denis Azabagic and Sergio Assad. Mr. Konsbruck completed his undergraduate studies at Columbia College under the instruction of Norman Ruiz. At the esteemed International Festival del la Guitarra in Cordoba, Spain, he studied with Pepe Romero and Manuel Barrueco. Mr. Konsbruck has been on the music conservatory faculty at ChiArts since 2014, where he teaches Guitar Ensemble I, Guitar Technique II, Music History, Guitar Skills for Vocalists and Professional Development for Instrumentalists. Jim is also on the music faculty at Valparaiso University and South Suburban College.

Erica Lessie is a freelance cellist in the Chicago area, working in a broad range of styles across many facets of the Chicago music scene. Erica has performed on the Oprah Winfrey show with both Whitney Houston and Seal, and has also appeared with Diana Krall, Andrea Bocelli, Peter Cetera, the Four Tops and Johnny Mathis. She is an auxiliary member of the rock band Tributosaurus and co-founder of Cherchez la Femme, a musical ensemble dedicated to presenting the arts expressed by women across the millennium. Ms. Lessie also developed Cellos of Unusual Shape, a solo presentation that explores the diversity of variant cellos. Currently, she teaches at DePaul University Community Music Division, Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College and Chicago High School for the Arts. She has composed duets for flute/cello and piccolo/toy piano and is creating a collection of short pieces for solo cello. Ms. Lessie works with the Cello Museum as a research contributor and author of music and book reviews. Ms. Lessie received a B.M. from Indiana University, where she studied cello with Fritz Magg and chamber music with Rostislav Dubinsky and James Buswell. At Florida State University she earned an M.M. and completed coursework for a D.M.A.

Taylor Mallory is an artist and entrepreneur who has worked professionally in the fields of music, film, education, and the business of the arts. He has an education in the arts, media, and management from Columbia College in Chicago.

As a musician, he’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal, JET, and Windy City Live! and was nominated for Best Male Vocalist at the Chicago Music Awards. His acting highlights include national print, radio, and commercial ads for Corona, Newport, McDonalds, Rocket Mortgage, Lenovo, and many more. He made his film debut on NBC’s Chicago P.D. as Darius Brown. Above all, Mallory uses his artistry as an entertainer to uplift and encourage those who have experienced childhood trauma and sexual abuse; his message is simple: “You are enough, and your healing starts with you —embrace all of your different “selves!”

In addition, Taylor is a proud SAG-AFTRA member and a vocal mentor for the Mentors Artists Chicago foundation. He currently teaches a music business and ethics course entitled “Professional Development for Vocalists,” a songwriting course entitled “All Styles Sing and Songwriting,” a music production course, and is the sophomore advisor at the Chicago High School of Arts. Lastly, he is also the music consultant for Bluewater Water Kings Band and owns his own online music education business called Dancing in My Room—a virtual learning experience that meshes vocal training, music business, and music technology with social and emotional learning. His artistic statement is simple: “My passion is my profession.”
taylormallorymusic.com

Caryn Ott Hillman started dancing at the age of three. After falling in love with singing, she attended Roosevelt University for a Music Degree in Vocal Performance. Caryn then performed in musicals throughout Chicago at Equity and Non-Equity theaters. After starting a family, she dedicated her time to directing and choreographing shows for the youth at Light Opera Works, Chicago Opera Theater, After School Matters and Opera for All. Caryn continues all the above, as well as, teaching and directing Musical Theater at Lycee Francais of Chicago, and of Course – The great Chicago High School for the Arts!

Recio recently finished his post as the Vanguard emerging composer with Chicago Opera Theater, developing operas with Royce Vavrek and Stephanie Fleischmann. This past year he was asked to return as an aperture resident artist with West Edge Opera to further develop his new opera, “L’autre Moi: The Other Me”. As an educator he serves as adjunct faculty of Musical Skills for DePaul University and has been on faculty as theory instructor at Indiana University and composition faculty at the Luzerne Music Center. As a guest artist and lecturer he has been invited to work at Oberlin Conservatory, Cleveland State, Ithaca College and Stony Brook University. Current projects include a commission from Chicago Fringe Opera for the Decameron Opera Coalition, a feature on American soprano, Laura Stricking’s CD “40×40”, a commission for LYNX amplify series, and a commission for Ryan Strand’s Letters for Jackie project, and a commission from the Ithaca College Treble Choir. Recent past projects include a commission for Chicago based professional choir, Stare at the Sun’s Fall concert “Returning”, and a commission for Queer In(n) dedicated to Chicago elder trans icon, Mama Gloria, featuring trans singer, Jalissa Spell, Chicago Fringe Opera’s City of Works series, Fourth Coast Ensemble’s SongSlam and wrote an interactive choral cantata “The Hollow” for Stare at the Sun. He was a winner of the IU Georgina Joshi Vocal Composition prize, the American Prize in choral writing and the first selected commissioned artist for the Cincinnati Song Initiative. Recio has worked with organizations such as BMP, New Voices Opera Company, Cincinnati Camerata, NOTUS and The Crossing. He was a composer fellow at VIPA, IMANI Festival, Atlantic music festival, The Crossing and Norfolk Chamber Series. Recio is a G. Schirmer published artist under the Craig Hella Johnson and Dale Warland series. He is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music where he was a Jacobs Fellowship recipient for his DM and MM in composition. www.matthewrecio.com

Patrick currently free-lances in the Chicagoland area, teaching and gigging. He is a full time member of the Rockford Symphony and has performed with the Grant Park Music Festival, Southern Illinois Music Festival, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Elgin, Kalamazoo, Illinois, Elmhurst, South Bend, Quad City Symphonies as well as the Illinois and Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Highland Park Strings. Other groups include OperaModa, Chicago Opera Vanguard, and the Downers Grove Choral Society. Patrick has also performed with the Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Paramount, Drury Lane, Timeline, Porchlight, Marriott, Writer’s, Royal George and Court Theatre Companies, as well as the American Girl Revue. Other performances include soloing at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Cultural Center’s Sunday Salon Series, and playing on WFMT. Aside from performing, He was a clarinet play-tester/technician at the Conn-Selmer factory in Kenosha, WI. Currently, Patrick is an Artist Clinician for D’Addario Woodwinds and provides free educational classes to schools in the Chicagoland area. As a teacher, he holds studios at Concordia University, Moraine Valley Community College, The Chicago High School for the Arts, and the First Conservatory of LaGrange. Patrick received his Masters from Northwestern University and Bachelors from Middle Tennessee State University.

Charles Taylor is a native Chicagoan who has been active both as a performer and educator, concert producer and recording Studio owner. A graduate of the Northwestern University School of Music, Charles has toured and produced nationally; in various genres from World Music and Jazz, to Opera and Sacred Concerts. Charles is currently a member of the voice faculty and a conductor for The Chicago High School for the Arts and debuted as the conductor for the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra’s Youth Vocal Ensemble at Millennium Park’s tribute concert for the late Nelson Mandela. Charles is a board member of the Chicago NATS, and a founding member of the Illinois ACDA Diversity Committee. He is currently working on a pilot for a children’s music education program and a recording of original children’s music entitled “It’s About Me”.

Dr. Brooks Truly serves on the faculty of both ChiArts and Morton College. He also performs with the world fusion group Callaloo and is a freelance musician with various other groups in the Chicago area. He has taught percussion at several universities, secondary and primary schools, and has performed with dozens of orchestras and chamber groups as a section/principal percussionist and featured soloist, as well as hundreds of drum set and theater performances throughout the Gulf Coast, South Florida, and Midwest areas. During this time, he has shared the stage with such artists as Lil Greenwood, Bobby Shew, Louie Bellson, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Jim Walker, Yo-Yo Ma, Michel Camilo, Andrea Bocelli, Ramsey Lewis, Paul Potts, Faith Hill, Elvis Costello, Evanescence, Lindsey Stirling, Hanson, Celtic Thunder, and Il Divo to name a few, and has worked with such conductors/composers as Scott Speck, Aaron Jay Kernis, Susie Seiter, James Judd, Helmuth Rilling, Sir Andrew Davis, Michael Tilson Thomas, Philippe Entremont, Russell Peck, Placido Domingo, and Phillip Glass, among others, and was a percussionist in the world premiere of Mason Bates’ Music for Percussion and Orchestra. Recently he was invited to present his doctoral essay, The Afro-Cuban Abakuá as a performance/demonstration at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). Dr. Truly holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, a Master of Music degree from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Alabama, all in the field of Percussion Performance. He is an endorsed performing artist with Remo Drumheads, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, and is a member of the Black Swamp Percussion Educators Network. Former teachers include Ney Rosauro, Shannon Wood, Ted Atkatz, Richie Bravo, Ed Harrison, Vadim Karpinos, Paul Wertico, Ruben Alvarez, and John Papastefan.

Josh is a Chicago native and graduated from ChiArts as an Acting major as part of the school’s second-ever class to graduate. He then went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology from Colorado College (’18). He is a Chicago Youth Shakespeare alumnus, teaching artist, and currently serves on its board of directors; he is also a company member of Visión Latino Theater Company, striving to tell the stories of his people and give them a space to do so. Josh has been teaching at ChiArts for the last 5 years, first as a science teacher, then an acting teacher, and now both! While Josh has performed around Chicago (his favorite city!), lately his efforts have taken him to LA and Detroit for various educational performances. He is represented by DeSanti Talent Agency.

An Artistic Associate of the Michigan Shakespeare Festival and A Crew Of Patches Theatre Company, David Blixt has designed violence for Steppenwolf, The Goodman, Writer’s Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington D.C., First Folio Shakespeare, Artistic Home, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Rivendell, and Lifeline, among many others. Twice nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for Fight Direction, David is the resident Stage Combat Instructor at the Chicago High School For The Arts. The author of a dozen novels, David lives in Evanston and describes himself as “Actor, author, father, husband—in reverse order.”

An emerging Chicago based countertenor and composer, Kyle Anthony Cortés classes include fall elective “Acting the Song/Music Theory”, where students learn how to respond to music they analyze as an acting tool for the stage, and “Music Theory Fundamentals”, a course focusing students towards proficiency in music literacy. Upon request, he makes appearances as a supporting guest instructor for our “Vocal Performance Foundations 1” and “Treble Choir” students in the vocal department.

Mr. Cortés’ most recent artistic endeavors include having his original opera “Droplet” workshopped and produced this winter, 2021, by the Vizin Virtual Ensemble — an international ensemble of emerging professional and pre-professional singers. Known primarily to the stage for his comedic charm, Cortés has sung in roles such as the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel, Don Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro, and Mayor Upfold in Britten’s Albert Herring. And so, it was with much anticipation that the dark and twisted role of Emperor Lucio Silla, of Handel’s Silla, marked his official summer 2021 debut as a budding countertenor, transitioning him from leggiero tenor to countertenor repertoire. Cortés completed his masters degree with honors in vocal performance at DePaul School of Music studying under Dr. Viktoria Vizin. He relocated to Chicago after having graduated cum laude with two Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Florida in vocal performance and composition, respectively. His other formal training includes a summer of private research in composition and combination-tones in the live-coding environment MAX/MSP at the Mozarteum Conservatory in Salzburg, Austria under their director of electro-acoustic composition, Dr. Achim Bornhöft, along with six-months of study with Dr. Jourdan L. Howell’s Palm Beach Opera Apprentice Studio. His interest in classical voice and composition led him to join the artistic team at Vizin-Production and Starr-Editing, Media Group as their composer-in-residence and young artist for the 2020-21 season, focusing on digital media productions of art song and opera. Cortés’ instrict beliefs drive his passion as an educator. Beliefs stating that we are products, not only of our present circumstance, but of our past; that we stand on the shoulders of giants, our family and community, who have worked arduously to lift us up and present us with our present opportunity. An opportunity to enjoy studying the music and art that we all love. An opportunity for which we will not “throw away our shot” (Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton).

Christian Helem is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist whose belief is that if it doesn’t scare him a little it isn’t worth doing. The imaginative, musical and complex calls to him. As a playwright he has written: “tofu chitlin’ burrito supreme” (Stage Left Theater), apostles (UIC), and he is currently working on his new play “chronic”. His directing credits include: “The Little Things” (Pegasus Theater) “The Project(s)” (Stage Left Theater), “Marcus; or the Secret of the Sweet” (Pride Arts), 21 Chump Street: The Musical (Counter Collective), a queer version of The Glass Menagerie, and assistant directing for “Middle Passage” and “A View From the Bridge”. His acting credits include: Mr Franklin in Passing Strange, Matthias of Galilee in Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Doaker in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. He is the Competition Director of the Chicago August Wilson Monologue Competition, Associate Board Chair at Jackalope Theater, and a 500 hour registered Yoga Teacher.

Risha Hill is a 2003 graduate of the MFA Acting program at the California Institute of the Arts. Risha taught in and around Los Angeles for seven years and moved to Chicago in 2014. She currently is a theater teaching artist in several organizations in the city and is now in her second year of teaching at ChiArts.

Willow James is a Chicagoland-based artist and educator dedicated to new works, Black stories and theatre as activism. He received his BA in Theatre from Connecticut College (with a focus in acting and directing) and has served as a teaching artist at Pegasus and Definition Theatre. His work has been seen and heard regionally at theatres such as Congo Square, Alleyway, and Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts. He is Resident Sound Designer at Artemisia Theatre and is proudly represented by Dream Team Talent Agency. Willow-james.org

Taylor Mallory is an artist and entrepreneur who has worked professionally in the fields of music, film, education, and the business of the arts. He has an education in the arts, media, and management from Columbia College in Chicago.

As a musician, he’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal, JET, and Windy City Live! and was nominated for Best Male Vocalist at the Chicago Music Awards. His acting highlights include national print, radio, and commercial ads for Corona, Newport, McDonalds, Rocket Mortgage, Lenovo, and many more. He made his film debut on NBC’s Chicago P.D. as Darius Brown. Above all, Mallory uses his artistry as an entertainer to uplift and encourage those who have experienced childhood trauma and sexual abuse; his message is simple: “You are enough, and your healing starts with you —embrace all of your different “selves!”

In addition, Taylor is a proud SAG-AFTRA member and a vocal mentor for the Mentors Artists Chicago foundation. He currently teaches a music business and ethics course entitled “Professional Development for Vocalists,” a songwriting course entitled “All Styles Sing and Songwriting,” a music production course, and is the sophomore advisor at the Chicago High School of Arts. Lastly, he is also the music consultant for Bluewater Water Kings Band and owns his own online music education business called Dancing in My Room—a virtual learning experience that meshes vocal training, music business, and music technology with social and emotional learning. His artistic statement is simple: “My passion is my profession.”
taylormallorymusic.com

Kathy Scambiatterra is Artistic Director and co-founder of The Artistic Home. Chicago acting credits include: Beaten, The American Plan, Sweet Bird of Youth, The Skin of Our Teeth, Look Homeward Angel, Juno and the Paycock, Natural Affection, Orpheus Descending (The Artistic Home); The Glass Menagerie, Nelson Algren Live, The Diary of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf); Broadway Bound (Drury Lane Oakbrook); A Flea in her Ear (Chicago Shakespeare); Romeo and Juliet (Goodman Theatre), among others. Regional credits: The Quick Change Room (Pacific Resident Theatre). TV/Film credits: Chicago PD, The Appointment, Draggage, Sin Collector, Into the Wake. She has received 4 leading role Jeff nominations for work in Sweet Bird of Youth, Natural Affection, Abundance, The School for Wives. As a director, she has helmed acclaimed, Jeff nominated and After Dark Award winning productions for The Artistic Home including: Waiting for Lefty, In the Boom Boom Room, Angel City, After the Fall, Street Scene, Peer Gynt, The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Petrified Forest, Modigliani, Days to Come, The Touch of the Poet, The Night of the Iguana. Other directing credits: The Copperhead (City Lit) Angel City, Welcome to the Moon and Other Plays (LA Dramalogue Award), A Christmas Carol (Pacific Resident Theater (LA). Ms. Scambiatterra is the director of the actor training program at The Artistic Home Studio. In addition, she has taught at The Steppenwolf School, Columbia College, Center Theater’s The Training Center, Chicago, IL; Carolyn Berry Studio, The Pacific Resident Theatre LA, CA; Director’s Symposium, US Army, Heidelberg, Germany; Screen Training Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; and currently at The Chicago High School for the Arts.

Nicole Scatchell holds a bachelor’s degree in Dance and a minor in Business Management, her teaching license to teach Dance K-12 in public schools and is currently pursuing a master’s in Counseling Psychology. Nicole has been a dedicated dance educator in CPS, domestically, and internationally for over 16 years. She is the Artistic Director of Chicago Dance Institute, on faculty at Chicago High School for the Arts, Harold Washington College, Joffrey Academy, and Dance Director of All City Performing Arts. Her choreography for ChiArt’s mainstage musical was nominated for Best Choreography through National High School Musical Theatre Awards. In partnership with WorldWide Orphans, Nicole has led and directed international programming in Haiti teaching local children and training local teachers in pedagogy. Nicole has trained with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet Legere. She has performed with the International Ballet Ensemble and companies including BONEdanse, Zephyr Dance, David Dorfman, Dropshift Dance and has worked with choreographers such as Peter Carpenter, Reggie Wilson, Jan Bartosek, Tammy Thomas, Sean France, among others. She has performed for audiences across the U.S, Scotland, Italy, France, and Germany. She continues to perform professionally and is earning credentials to pursue her dream of integrating arts education, mental health, and community intervention.

Rachel Slavick has been teaching acting for 24 years. Rachel is also faculty at The Theatre School of DePaul University and acts and directs in the Chicago theatre community. She is currently directing the second of The North Shore Trilogy, Pakalolo Sweet, having directed the first (Not One Batu) last summer and will direct all three next summer of 2020.

Jason Sperling works as an actor, singer, teacher, and director around Chicago, and has taught at ChiArts since 2011. He is an emeritus founding company member of PlayMakers Lab (f/k/a Barrel of Monkeys), a children’s writing and theater program, and worked with them for over twenty years. Mr. Sperling created and taught the drama program at St. Juliana School, as well as directing there for seven years; he taught and directed with the CAST program in Oak Park for ten years; he was a poet/educator with the Chicago Park District/Chicago Humanities Festival’s Words@Play program; and he has also taught or music directed for Beverly Arts Center, Raven Theatre, and Prologue Theatre. Additionally, Mr. Sperling has taught, directed, and music directed with Elmhurst Children’s Theatre since 2009, and is a past director of the Chicago Improv Festival’s Summer Theatre Camp. He has worked as a performer at theatres including Marriott, Drury Lane, Apple Tree, Northlight, Theatre at the Center, Illinois Theatre Center, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Noble Fool, and Ravinia.

As keyboardist, Shawn has worked with Common, Ice Cube, Little Brother, Bobby Brown, Dwele, Johnny Gill, Jon B., Bilal, Estelle, Julie Dexter, Rene Neufville, Rakim, Eric Roberson, and Maggie Brown just to name a few.

Arrangement/Composition for Theatre includes Red Summer (with Shepsu Aakhu and Andy White, premiering Sept. 2022), Middle Passage (Lifeline Theatre Spring 2022), Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery (Pegasus Theatre Fall 2017), Lawd the CVS is Burning…a Gospel Musical Stage Play (MPACT 2015) and Warm on the Cooling Board (MPAACT 2014).

Sound Design credits include N (GLP Productions 2019), Single Black Female and Lady Day at Emmerson’s Bar and Grill (Congo Square Theatre 2018-2019). Commercial credits include Jet Magazine, Mississippi Rick’s Restaurant, Huffy Bicycles, Arby’s and Sprint.

Shawn Wallace’s teaching experience includes current work at Storycatchers Theatre, Lyric Opera’s Empower Youth Program, and past work as the Technical Theatre Program Lead at Mayo Elementary School.

Lauren Wells-Mann is an actor, director, dancer, choreographer and arts educator. As a proud company member with MPAACT, she has had the pleasure of directing the following productions: Pulled Punches (BTAA and Black Excellence Award Nominee for Best Direction) Mother of the Dark Water (Jeff Nominee for Best Ensemble, Black Excellence Nominee for Best Production and Best Direction), By Association by Shepsu Aakhu (Black Excellence Nominee for Best Production) and various podcast plays. Assistant Director credits include: Upstate by Aaron Todd Douglass, directed by Carla Stillwell and Crowns by Regina Taylor, directed by Chuck Smith. Mrs. Wells-Mann holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Theater/Acting (Columbia College Chicago) and a Masters in Secondary Education (Univ. of Phoenix). She began her professional acting career with Eta Creative Arts foundation. It was here that Lauren had the pleasure of working with esteemed directors such as Ilesa Duncan, Kemati Porter, Runako Jahi and Cheryl Lynn Bruce. She has also performed with companies such as Lookingglass, Black Ensemble, MPAACT, Harlem Theater Company, Healthworks Theater Company, and Victory Gardens to name a few. Mrs. Wells-Mann has been coaching competitive acting and speech events for the Illinois High School Association for 20 years. Under her direction, students have won numerous state and national championships in various acting and public speaking activities. Lauren Wells-Mann believes in the power of the arts and the importance of BIPOC artists having autonomy over their own narratives. It is a mission to which she is deeply committed.

Josh is a Chicago native and graduated from ChiArts as an Acting major as part of the school’s second-ever class to graduate. He then went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology from Colorado College (’18). He is a Chicago Youth Shakespeare alumnus, teaching artist, and currently serves on its board of directors; he is also a company member of Visión Latino Theater Company, striving to tell the stories of his people and give them a space to do so. Josh has been teaching at ChiArts for the last 5 years, first as a science teacher, then an acting teacher, and now both! While Josh has performed around Chicago (his favorite city!), lately his efforts have taken him to LA and Detroit for various educational performances. He is represented by DeSanti Talent Agency.

Originally from New York, Rebecca Eve Baruc has called Chicago home since 2015. Rebecca is an arts producer, curator, educator and visual artist based in Chicago with 8+ years experience in delivering impactful and transformative programming to diverse audiences. She received her BFA in American Studies and minored in Studio Art from Skidmore College, where she also produced the National College Comedy Festival. Other art schools of study include the Art Students League of New York, The Glasgow School of Art, and The Chicago Mosaic School. Her other professional experiences span project managing, producing and curating with David Wallace Haskins Studio,The Den Theatre, Uncommon Ground, Haymarket Books, and Bruce Mau’s Massive Change Network. Rebecca is passionate about settings that cultivate cultures of liberation, take creative risks, and archive contemporary American culture; she feels the high school classroom is a perfect place to bring these together with the students. Baruc never read Harry Potter, a fact to which her students said “ok so you’re not a weird Millennial.” Baruc is actually your typical millennial: has lots of plants, a cat, and remembers Blockbuster fondly. www.beccabaruc.com

Gwyneth grew up in rural Maryland downstream from a prison. As an artist and educator, she tries to transform the violence of isolation, and celebrate each other as interconnected, weird phenomena. Most of her projects use a frame-by-frame animation process, like traditional cartoon production, but sometimes her animations aren’t watchable, instead becoming sound sculptures, installations, text-based art, or performances. Gwyneth received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has since presented work in galleries, forests, and empty lots around the northern hemisphere, including in Chicago at Roman Susan, the Experimental Sound Studio, and Weinberg/Newton gallery; the NY Art Book Fair at MoMA PS1 in New York; Peephole Cinema in San Francisco; FRISE in Hamburg, Germany; and Utopiana in Geneva, Switzerland. She loves to dance, sincerely enjoys riding the CTA, and feels super lucky to teach at ChiArts. gwynethvzanderson.com

Ms. Barge is an award winning educator and comes to ChiArts with 17 years of teaching experience. She specializes in painting and photography in her spare time and loves working with new teachers as a mentor. She believes that the classroom should be a safe location for students to learn about how design techniques work in real world application. As a goal she continues to work with students to strengthen their skills through the use of the elements and principles of design. Art tells stories and helping students learn to tell theirs through design allows the curriculum to come alive and continue to grow with each set of students she sees.

Eliza Fernand is an artist and educator who works primarily with video, sound, fabric, and clay. After studying sculpture and photography at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Northern Michigan and earning a BFA Sculpture from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Oregon, Eliza led a cross-country career attending over a dozen artist residencies and exhibiting internationally. A new citizen of Chicago, she spent the last eight years in Michigan where she directed and facilitated an artist residency, taught at non-profit organizations, and earned an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Sierra Nevada University. In artmaking and in teaching, Eliza aims to provoke an acceptance of loving practices outside of the norm, and promote experimentation on all levels. www.elizafernand.com

With a background in educational psychology and art, Patrick believes that the camera has the power to transform the way we understand the world and the people around us. By mixing practices of documentary photography, community organizing, and human development, his goal is to encourage young people in Chicago to be their own storytellers. By engaging youth in these practices, he strives to actualize these intersections through a curriculum that centers young peoples’ insight and imagination. lentzphoto.com

Annie Leue is a graphic designer, writer, art director, and educator living in Chicago, IL. She’s most interested in the crossroads among language, design, and civic engagement as a means to drive social change. Much of her work centers on mental health and the ways in which conversation, compassion, and humor facilitate connection and community. Annie received her MFA in Visual Communication Design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2018 and her BFA in graphic design and BA in music from the State University of New York College at Fredonia. annieleue.com

Chris Lin Dao-Heng is an interdisciplinary artist and educator based in Chicago, working in media including videos, comics, graphic design, puppetry, music, and installation. A major part of his art practice is related to language learning, immigration, humor, and vulnerability. Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, he earned his BFA with honor from the University of Victoria in 2005 and an MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008. His visual art, short stories, and comic work have been published by the Chicago Architecture Center, Bailiwick, This Side of West, Fiction At Work, Shampoo, and Levitate. Mr. Lin has taught at ChiArts since 2012 in both the Visual Arts and Creative Writing Conservatories. When he is not creating art and teaching, you can find Mr. Lin building elaborate Lego houses with his son, cooking complicated meals, and rocking out to synth music. abalonemoney.com

Claire Moore is an artist and educator living in Chicago. She uses painting to understand herself and her surroundings, and her work can largely be described as self-portraiture. Claire received a BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2007, and an MFA in Painting and Drawing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2021. She has shown her work at various spaces in Florida, Rhode Island, New York, and Chicago. clairemoorestudio.com

Shaquita Reed is a Chicago-based artist and designer. Reed studied fine art at the Chicago High School for the Arts and received her BFA in Fashion Design in 2018 from Columbia College Chicago. Reed is currently studying at the School of the Art Institute Chicago, where she will receive her Master’s in Design(2022). Reed has exhibited in numerous galleries throughout Chicago, including shows at The Hyde Park Art Center, SpringHill Suites, The Harris Theater, The Chicago Cultural Center, Columbia College Chicago, and the School of the Art Institute Chicago. Her work has won awards through both the Scholastic Art and Writing awards and All-City Art exhibitions. In 2016, Reed took part in a group exhibition with Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design, also known as SOFA art exhibition in a show titled, “Four years later.” Recent exhibitions include the School for the Art Institute Chicago (2021) and Homewood Arts Council (2021). shaquireed.com

Caitlin Ryan is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker. Her work explores the nuances between comedy and humor, specifically using the vernacular of the uncanny to investigate systems of anthropology. I am interested in small underground (and sometimes temporary) communities to observe perspectives that push the boundaries of what it means to have radical empathy. Ryan received her MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has most recently shown works at Airlock,Iceberg Projects, Flatlands, Gallery 400, and Hyde Park Art Center. She has also screened works at Onion City Film Festival, Chicago Underground Film Festival, ICDOCS,Cosmic Rays,and the Nightingale Cinema.

Anastasia Sitnikova has worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and Harper College (Palatine, Illinois). In her artistic practice, Anastasia focuses on sculpture and interactive installations. Her art is largely driven by the curiosity about human nature and social relations as a representation of the inner self and the outer world, subconscious and conscious, respectively. Anastasia holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from UIC. Her work has been exhibited at educational institutions, non-profit and commercial galleries in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Anastasia is Fall 2021 Artist in Residence at the International Museum of Surgical Science (IMSS), Chicago. anastasiasitnikova.com

Frank Vega (b.1992, Cuenca, Ecuador) is an artist based in Chicago. He received an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Vega’s practice includes collaging and assembling objects, ceramics, paintings, and sound materials into hybrid structures that resemble bodies, architecture, and garments. Vega has received the Leroy Neiman Fellowship at Ox-Bow School of Art and has been featured in New American Paintings Magazine Issue #159, 2022. He has exhibited at The Green Gallery (Milwaukee, WI), The Franklin (Chicago, IL), Patient Info (Chicago, IL), Casa Lü (Mexico City, MX), Galeria 54 (Mexico City, MX), and has an upcoming solo show at Devening Projects (Chicago, IL).