Teachers

I grew up on a small family farm in rural Yakima, Washington. My family is very musical and it was part of our family culture to sing, dance, act and perform together. One of my earliest childhood memories is being in costume on stage with my siblings, held in my father’s arms. I learned to sing, play the piano, the organ, the cello and the flute (yay, marching band in high school!). After studying music and dance in college, I moved to Georgia where I began teaching voice lessons. Twenty-eight years later, my love of music and teaching has only increased.

As a young singer, I was classically trained and feel that this training gave me a great foundation. However, I needed more contemporary training as I found myself drawn to musical theatre styles. I have studied numerous vocal techniques over the last three decades and I find value in each one of those techniques. When a singer is facing a specific block or challenge, I can draw on those things that I’ve learned from any of those techniques and communicate the new strategy to the singer in a way that is easy to understand. Studying these various approaches to the human voice has helped me become a more dynamic and flexible teacher, adapting to the needs of each singer.

Over the years, I have served on several boards of teacher organizations where I help hone the standards and practices for voice teachers around the world. I’ve been honored to teach and mentor hundreds of other voice teachers in their own quest for better teaching strategies. I’ve taught in Spain, Uruguay, Malta, China, Thailand, Ukraine, The Czech Republic, Ireland, England, Mexico, Canada, Brazil and Morocco.

In an effort to offer the best and most relevant information to my clients, I constantly train and study. Traveling to voice conferences, reading journals and studies and working with other wonderful voice teachers, constantly inspires me and helps me elevate the quality of training I can offer to singers around the world. One of my latest achievements has been studying and becoming a licensed massage therapist. The entire body is the instrument for a singer and being trained as a massage therapist has given me greater understanding of how the voice is affected by all systems of the body. I look at singers in a whole new light since obtaining my massage therapy license. I will frequently incorporate stretching, movement and massage into a lesson in order to help a singer experience the full potential of their voice.

I have had the honor of directing a variety of adult and children choirs, small orchestras, community performances, show choirs and participated in a variety of national competitions. I have also enjoyed theater from all aspects – leading roles to choreographer to hair/makeup specialist. In December of 2013 and 2015, I traveled  as the female lead in the Eastern Tour of The Forgotten Carols. In March of 2022, I directed a production of Handel’s Messiah. In the summer of 2024, I will be Music Director for Ignite Summer Intensive.

For those clients who want to pursue musical theatre as a career, I specialize in repertoire and audition coaching. In fact, I own another company called College Audition Project (CAP), where I and my fellow colleagues prepare high school students from all over the world for the rigorous, demanding process of college theatre auditions. CAP hosts the largest mass college audition for theatre/musical theatre in the world in St. Louis, Missouri each year in November. We have helped thousands of students find the right college program and launch into their professional careers.

My students have performed on National Tours, Broadway, Cruise Lines, TV/film and in the most respected regional theaters in the nation. Some students have earned degrees in songwriting from Berklee College of Music in Boston, or music therapy from University of Georgia and many other music programs from around the nation. My students can be found studying musical theatre at Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Brigham Young University, Indiana University, University of Oklahoma, Texas State University, Wright State University, Boston Conservatory, Shenandoah University, Royal Conservatory of Scotland and many other prestigious college programs from around the world.

While I love my job (it doesn’t feel like a job!) and find great satisfaction in helping my clients reach their goals, I am most proud of my family. I am married to a wonderful man and have four beautiful children. They are my love and comfort.