A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Ryan Adams: Ryan Adams is a junior studying English and Theology/Religious Studies at Fordham University. He is a two-time National Essay winner and founded the Theatrical Outreach Program (TOP) at Fordham University: Rose Hill campus. TOP abridges classic works of theater and performs them in community centers and schools in The Bronx. The performance is then followed by a theater workshop where the students who have just seen the play get to be a part of it, by acting and directing themselves in scenes from the show. Ryan is currently a resident assistant, IT technician/computer specialist, and tutor for Fordham University. He has no specific career path chosen, but is looking at professions in the arts, law, education/teaching, and journalism. He is, however, very open to suggestion and direction.
Jimmy Andretta: Jimmy Andretta is a junior at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. For the past several years, he’s been working at wine companies in Tokyo, Japan as a summer intern. He is currently majoring in Japanese, with minor concentrations in Economics and Psychology.
Back to top.
Miranda Baker: 20 years old and heading to college in the fall after a year’s respite from school, is a lifelong animal lover who has an extraordinary way with them. She has always had one pet or another, and has worked for years as a volunteer at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary upstate, which cares for maltreated and abandoned farm animals. In high school she worked with search and rescue dogs, visited old people with dogs to cheer them up, and volunteered at Kittykind, a cat adoption service (from which she adopted a pair of cats herself). She nursed and fed a motherless young kitten for its first six months, teaching it to come when called and to follow her around. Currently she lives in Brooklyn, where she cares for a pair of pit bulls, dogs so fearsome looking they intimidate most people, but whom she treats with calm affection. She hopes one day to work as a veterinarian, and meanwhile is seeking opportunities to work or volunteer in any capacity at a vet’s office.
Back to top.
Michele Baldwin: This mutli-talented artist: Actor, Director, Writer, Producer and Inspirer, is a bright and fearless creative spiritual being, who wears many hats. There is nothing mediocre about Michele. She proudly embraces her journey toward her greatness as an artist and a human being. No matter what side of the camera or stage she’s on, a day with her is enlightening, entertaining, fun and more importantly highly productive, as she genuinely lives for the greater good of a project. Michele is passionate about her life, her dreams, staying positive and is constantly taking on new challenges. She believes that with creativity and imagination, sprinkled with a dash of strong passion, determination and belief in self, you CAN do anything. “Keep on Keeping on No Matter the Circumstance”, is one of her fleeting Mantras. As one of six children, Michele aka Chele (Shell-ay), Mich B~ or Mikki (by her beloved father), easily found an audience to perform her many comedic or dramatic skits to. Even today, when not on a professional gig, she can be spotted acting out a Dramedy or two for friends and family. Michele stands apart from her peers as a powerful determined spirit and a ray of positive light and honesty that shines from within. She is genuinely sweet, humble and gracious, and has a purposeful focus and persistent drive! She has a huge heart that she shares with not just her loving family, but she can always be found helping others. Michele lets nothing stop her from reaching her goals as a creative artist and is always working on a varied array of projects. Presently, she is in production with the web series An Actor’s Life: the Series, of which she is creator, producer, director and star, portrays Delilah in the Play Imperfect Women of the Bible, of which she is also co-producer, and is producer and AD on two upcoming feature films. Michele has been on several TV shows like, Wicked Attractions, One Life to Live, Law and Order CSI, and a few TV Pilots, in movies; independent shorts and features, and has graced many NYC stages: Ensemble Studio, Manhattan Ensemble, Hudson Guild, and 59E59 Theaters, Theater for the New City and New Federal Theater, as well as the internet and volunteering for film festivals such as, IFP, Tribecca Film Festival, Reel Sisters and Image Nation. Michele attains to do good in the world and has always been “A Star,” especially in the eyes of her beloved father, Thomas, whom she knows is happily smiling down on her. She is a member of: NYWIFT, SAG, AFTRA.
Back to top.
Samantha Bilinkas: Samantha Bilinkas (aka “Sam”) is a BFA Drama student at NYU Tisch. She has performed professionally in a Broadway Workshop (Night of the Hunter), Off Broadway (Trials of Ms. Katherine), and in several independent movies (Spy, Temma, When We Grow Up, Civil War, Right Field, Vacant, Recoil). In addition, she has performed in numerous local and regional productions with roles that included; ; The Cherry Orchard (Lyuba Ranevsky), Steel Magnolias (Truvy Jones), The Children’s Hour (Karen Wright), Is He Dead (Marie), Doubt (Sister Aloysius), Noises Off (as Dottie and also Vicky/Brooke), Equus (Jill), Halcyon Days (Patricia), Hello Dolly (Irene Malloy), Godspell (Peggy), Fools (Sophia), Sound of Music (Elsa Schrader), Tuptim (The King and I), Alice in Wonderland (Alice), Wizard of Oz (Dorothy). Sam is a professional actress, photographer (and belayer!) but also is an accomplished singer, guitarist, songwriter, poet and creative writer. Sam is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.
Back to top.
Daniel Blanck: Daniel Blanck is from Syracuse, New York. He is currently a student at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music studying music industry technology. His music and recordings have won numerous awards including multiple Downbeat Awards in 2007 and 2008. He has founded his own recording studio and live recording company working with nationally acclaimed artists including members of the Metropolitan Opera and Symphony, grammy-nominated artists, big bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles. His has done pro bono sound editing for Mark Edwards, “Hard Rain” exhibit interfacing Bob Dylan, global warming, people with disabilities, and international civil rights issues. Additionally, he has edited sound for a documentary on Darfur. Daniel studies jazz guitar with USC professor Steve Trovato and has played venues ranging from clubs to theaters on the east coast. Daniel’s first mentor, Professor James Abbott, is head of recording engineering at Syracuse University. Daniel has worked for studios and concert halls such as, Belfer Archives and Crouse Recital Hall at Syracuse University, John Williams Scoring Stage and Bovard Auditiorium at The University of Southern California.
Back to top.
Cody Brown: Cody Brown is a first year law student at Brooklyn Law School with intentions to concentrate in Entertainment Law. He is currently a member of several extracurricular groups, including the Art-Law Association, the Brooklyn Entertainment and Sports Law Society and the Basketball Association. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont, where he majored in Political Science. During his junior year, Cody participated in a year-long study abroad program in Rome, Italy, where he advanced his knowledge of the Italian language in addition to taking courses in European Art and Politics. Following his graduation, Cody worked as an Executive Assistant to Laura Flanders, host of the progressive television show, Grit TV. He furthered his interests in entertainment while working with esteemed Casting Director, Ellen Chenoweth, during the making of the Coen Brother’s most recent film, “True Grit”. In the summer of 2010, Cody was the Producer of a short film that was entered into the 48 Hour Film Festival, in which it won the Audience Award. The film was also an official selection for the New York International Film Festival, where it won another Audience Award.
Back to top.
Owen Elijah Brown: Owen Elijah Brown was born in Harrisburg, Pa. Early in life he knew he wanted to be an entertainer. Though growing up in a small town can create somewhat of a tunnel vision when it comes to achieving your dreams in entertainment, Owen was able to cling to the positive and nurturing influences in his life that have allowed him to travel down a path that has helped me to achieve them. Owen has shared a stage with world renown acts such as Parlament Funkadelic’s George Clinton, and has been part of a musical group called Odysy. He has appeared on nation television many times, and have competed in national competitions, placing in the top 5. Owen has been an opening performer for Boyz II Men, Danity Kane, Flo Rida, RocaFella Records, Kelis, Elton John, and Patti LaBelle. He has traveled from Harrisburg, to Philadelphia, to California and Los Vegas and hashad experiences which have been mentally and spiritually enlightening. Owen truly believes that one’s true potential can exceed even their own wildest expectations and that it is all effected by their mind set. One truth that Owen has learned is that no matter what one has done or how much one has accomplished, it is wise to be in awe that the future which lies ahead and is still full of exciting new challenges.
Back to top.
Ali Castro: Ali Castro was born and raised in South Florida and has been dancing since the age of three, and is well trained in a variety of styles. She trained under Jan Hanniford-Goetz and Jeff Satinoff at Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida and was a company member of Performance Edge 2 School of Dance. She has had the privilege of working with renowned choreographers and dancers from all over the country, performing repertoire set by Christopher Huggins, Troy Powell, Rick McCullough, Margo Sappington, Solomon Dumas, Davis Robertson, and Max Stone. She has attended summer programs such as Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary, Alonzo Kings LINES Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. She currently is a student at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU as a dance major. Ali has danced with Billy Bells Lunge Dance Collective since its inception in 2010, and is very grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an innovative vision.
Back to top.
Daniel Christopher: Daniel is a magna cum laude graduate of Rutgers University with a dual degree in political science and philosophy (2008). He is a budding creative media-maker interested in content development in a variety of mediums, as well as new forms of distribution. Through experience in a variety of production environments (national and regional commercials, news gathering / political coverage, fashion shows, music videos, concerts, training DVDs, promotional web videos, non-profit outreach films), he has developed technical knowledge of digital video cameras and lens, lighting and grip equipment, video technology and delivery formats, audio recording, and editing [Apple Final Cut Pro Certified]. Daniel is also skilled in sound recording and musical performance. He will be pursuing an MFA starting this fall at the UC Santa Cruz’s Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) program. His mantra is “staying prolific.”
Back to top.
Jacques de Beer: Jacques de Beer is an 18-year-old student currently attending Pitzer College in Claremont, California. Jacques was born in South Africa and is fluent in Afrikaans and English. He has lived in the US since 1998 and graduated high school with honors in Woodstock, NY. He has worked since the early age of 12, holding cashier, waiting and busing positions at Catskill Mountain Pizza and the Bear Café. He set up networks and software, and resolved technical issues at Woodstock Mediation and Schneider, Pfahl and Rhame. Jacques did research on grants as a member of the I Can Still Do That Foundation. He is currently pursuing a degree in physics and economics. He works as a bicycle mechanic at the Green Bike Program, a local college bike shop, and tutors Calculus and Physics.
Back to top.
Samantha N. Drazin: Samantha recently graduated honors, completing her Master’s in Public Relations from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. She received her B.A. in Government with a minor in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA. Samantha has experience in marketing, event planning, fundraising and public relations in various areas including non-profit, consumer relations, hospitality and fitness. She is well-versed in crisis management and corporate social responsibility. Samantha has also attended the University of Miami’s LA Experience where she networked with 50+ studio executives, writers, producers, directors, managers and casting agents. She hopes to one day pitch and develop her own project involving an animated series for children under the theory of Entertainment Education. Samantha is living and working in Miami, FL as a freelance PR consultant while she works on having her research on Entertainment Education published. She is motivated to land a permanent job in Miami or New York where she can contribute to achieving corporate goals.
Back to top.
James Duarte: James Duarte, age 18, was born and raised in the Bronx and still resides there today. He is currently a freshman at the City College of New York and is pursuing a dual major in Film & Television and Political Science. James began his filmmaking career at age nine when he chose a camera over a family vacation. As part of the pioneering class at the Theatre Arts Production Company School in the Bronx, industry professionals like Steven Mudrick and Jesse Antigua-Perez taught James the fundamentals of video production. In 2006, James became the youngest member to join Downtown Community Television Center’s Pro-TV Fellowship and Samsung’s Fresh-Films program, where he experienced firsthand how the film industry works. Since then, James has produced work that has gone on to screen at film festivals including TriBeCa Film Festival, HBO’s Latino Film Festival, and Media’s DOCFest Festival. In 2008 James helped curate Listen Up’s 11th Annual Urban Visionaries Youth Film Festival and Arts Engine’s 8th Annual Media That Matters Film Festival. That same year, James was invited to screen one of his documentary films at the NY Museum of Modern Art. Also, his autobiographical documentary earned him a first place $5000 college scholarship. The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts has recognized James as an upcoming talented young artist in the field of Cinematic Arts for his production of his experimental short “Cause & Affect”. In his own words, James says, “The kinships created by making a film are precious because it calls for togetherness, but most importantly because of the impact films can encompass on audiences from all walks of life.” Today, James continues to work on his filmmaking career in hopes of becoming a successful Film Director.
Back to top.
Anedra Edwards: Originally from Washington DC, Anedra Edwards is a production professional specializing in entertainment business management and multimedia digital production from concept to execution. She has served in multiple intern roles for NBC Universal, BET Networks, Comcast Television, non-profit associations, government agencies and other organizations. Her most recent professional positions have included being a press videographer for the Washington Wizards, a production assistant for BET’s 2010 Black Girls Rock Awards Show and an on-air promotions coordinator for Centric Television. Anedra is a recent 2010 graduate of Dickinson College located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She has a B.A. in International Business and Management and a minor in Film Studies. Her aspirations are to become a filmmaker and establish her own film distribution and production company. Currently, she resides in Maplewood, New Jersey.
Back to top.
Katherine Floberg: (Kate) was born in Seattle, Washington and soon moved to Billings, Montana where she lived for 13 years. At 14 she and her mother decided to move to New York City. She attended and graduated from the Professional Performing Arts School in the summer of 2010. She assistant directed the school’s production of Sweeney Todd starring Tyler Burr and Evan Daves, directed by Mala Tsantilas this year. She has also been interning with the fashion designer Adrienne Landau for over a year now in the public relations department. She has assisted stylists in dressing celebrities such as Vanessa Williams, Whitney Houston, Queen Latifa, Madonna and many more. She aspires to combine her passion for both fashion and theatre and create costumes on Broadway in the future.
Back to top.
Gary Goldman: Gary is currently the Business Development Director at MediaGlobal, an independent news organization located at the United Nations and focusing on issues of development. In 2010, he started an award-winning online platform and networking site called Daily BR!NK (www.dailybrink.com), which features extraordinary individuals from all ages and industries revolutionizing their respective fields. With a team of over thirty writers and photographers, over two-hundred up-and-comers have been profiled on Daily BR!NK this day. During his time majoring in International Relations Global Business at the University of Southern California, he was President of two major student organizations on campus (UNICEF at USC, Jewish Alliance for GLBTs and Straights), and was published in major student and European publications. He has also interned at NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the United Nations Association Pasadena/Foothills. His dream is to become a social entrepreneur and create a venture that helps those at the bottom of the pyramid.
Back to top.
Aaron Gottlieb: Aaron is a 2007 honors graduate of Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude) Aaron has served as a Research Assistant for the Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse, NY; as well as for the ICF International, Fairfax, VA. He also worked as an intern at Home Headquarters, Inc. where he helped develop a survey to analyze the effectiveness of the Foreclosure Prevention program. He has recently been accepted into the Columbia University Masters Degree program in Social Work. Prior to that Aaron served as a summer intern at the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Distinguished Scholars Program, Washington, DC; where he performed research and writing tasks for the Urban Land Institute using Excel to organize data. Aaron’s deep commitment to community service is evidenced by his work at the Phi Sigma Pi Honors Fraternity, where he chaired the Scholarship Committee and served on the Service Committee, International Young Scholars Program, where he tutored refugee children, and the Boys and Girls Club, where he volunteered at after-school programs and supervised the Computer Room. While Gary is business-oriented, he is also passionate about the world, speaks three languages fluently, has written a TV pilot, and directed three short movies. His membership to USC’s leading consulting student organization, Los Angeles Community Impact, has bolstered his communication and presentation skills; he was selected to present his consulting recommendations at the Shrine Auditorium in a roomful of alumni and professors. Moreover, he has become proficient at doing in-depth research using a wide variety of search engines as a result of his previous experience as an intern at the Center on Public Diplomacy. Gary could not be more excited to be part of the Advisory Board and is an aspiring writer and social entrepreneur.
Back to top.
Denise Grayson: Denise Grayson, who portrays an intellectual property attorney in David Fincher’s movie “The Social Network,” a Columbia Pictures film, opening October 1, is a perfect example of art imitating life. She is an actress who IS an intellectual property lawyer. “I left a successful legal career to fulfill my dream of acting,” she says. “I’ve come full circle—a lawyer, to an actress, to an actress playing a lawyer in a major motion picture.” Denise landed her role in “The Social Network” after being spotted at a party by the film’s casting director, Laray Mayfield. Laray asked her if she was an actor. In the presence of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who were standing nearby, Denise was at first reluctant to admit that she was. But it was a nerve-wracking four months before she knew the role was hers. At first she didn’t even know she was auditioning for a David Fincher movie.
“The Social Network,” written by Aaron Sorkin, is based on the book “The Accidental Billionaires” by Ben Mezrich. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield as Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin (represented in the movie by Denise’s character, Gretchen) the two founders of Facebook. World premiere will be at the opening night of the New York Film Festival on September 24 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Garfield was recently signed to play the next Spiderman.
In her first feature film, 1999’s “Puppet,” Denise played an FBI agent. Next came a short film “Gasline,” which won the jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The writer/director, Dave Silver cast her again in his first full-length feature “Corn.” She followed with three movies for the Hallmark Channel. In “Though None Go With Me” she aged considerably, playing a sixty-year-old opposite Cheryl Ladd. This was followed by “Pandemic” and the 2009 movie “Citizen Jane,” playing a bank manager. Ally Sheedy starred.
Today Denise divides her time between homes in New York and Los Angeles. She is licensed to practice law in New York and Florida. Although Denise is immersed in her acting career, she generously donates her time in California doing pro bono mediation work. She also coaches stand-up comedians, though there is no apparent connection between the two activities.
While still in her twenties Denise was in-house counsel for Paine Webber (now UBS) and then for Bankers Trust (now Deutsche Bank) as an intellectual property lawyer with a specialty in technology. Denise was something of a prodigy, entering college in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York at the age of 16, majoring in accounting and economics. She also took courses in public speaking to overcome her shyness. At twenty she was already studying at the University of Miami School of Law. In her last year there she successfully tried six supervised felony cases. Upon graduating she had the opportunity to work as a state prosecutor, but realized this was not the work she wanted to do when she felt sympathy for the defendant in a major murder case.
Moving back to New York to be near her parents, both teachers and artists, she embarked on a legal career that was far removed from sympathetic murder suspects. She worked in the early days of the technology boom and the beginning of the Internet. Denise soon struck out on her own, representing most of the major banks and financial institutions, including Merrill Lynch, Chase and Prudential. At the same time, she became involved in acting, reigniting her childhood creativity when she played the lead in a number of school plays. Juggling two careers, Denise got work as a model and as an actress in commercials. She started classes at Uta Hagen’s famous HB Studios and continued to study there for years. Her lawyer friends thought she was nuts, but she quickly found herself in a number of off off Broadway plays and low budget movies. Today, she is able to enjoy the fruits of her labors, with her career now moving to a higher level.
Back to top.
Cooper David Grodin: Cooper was born and raised on the isle of Manhattan, which means land of many hills. Cooper went to Laguardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts in NYC, then earned his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Wisconsin Madison, and received his Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. He loves to sing, play piano, compose and is always ready for a game of basketball! He has played Danny in Grease, Javert in Les Mis, Mr. Snow in Carousel, Junious in The Rape of Lucretia, the Count in A Little Night Music, Pharaoh in Joseph, and Billy in Carousel. In 2011 Cooper will be the Javert understudy in The New 25th Anniversary National Company of Les Miserables. Cooper has sung many a concert with the NY Philharmonic, Brooklyn Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St Lukes, been in the NY primer of Grendel at City Opera directed by Julie Taymor, and been in Zaide as part of the Mostly Mozart Festival directed by Peter Sellars. In 2006 Cooper performed Paul McCartney’s Ecce Cor Meum at Canegie Hall. He can be seen in the Films “Music and Lyrics”, (deleted scenes, on DVD) and the 2010 release “Salt”. In 2010 he was awarded a Lys Symonette Award in the Lotte Lenya / Kurt Weill competition. Cooper is a member of Equity, AGMA, SAG, and is singed with NY Agent About Artists.
Back to top.
Malik Hammond: Malik Hammond is a 15 years old Brooklyn, New York resident. Malik began his career in the modeling industry when he was just an infant and has been acting since the age of 6. His film credits include, “The Perfect Holiday”, directed by Lance Rivera, The Manchurian Candidate, directed by Jonathan Demme, and Across The Universe, directed by Julie Taymor. His Theater credits include “13” the Broadway musical and the “Scottsboro Boys”. On television, Malik has appeared on NBC’s Third Watch, Law & Order and has appeared in music videos for Kanye West and Sugar Babes. Malik has also been seen and heard in numerous national commercials and print ads like Gap, Target, Verizon Wireless & Toys R Us. He was directed by the Academy Award Winner Antoine Fuqua in a Disney Expedition Everest spot, and can currently be seen in a Feed America PSA & a back to school Wal-Mart commercial. When Malik is not acting, singing or dancing he enjoys playing video games and a little B-ball around the neighborhood.
Back to top.
Sarah Harary: Sarah is a 17 year old native of Winter Park, Florida. She is currently a senior at Trinity Prepatory School. Her academic accomplishments are numerous. She is a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program which recognizes the top twenty boys and girls in each state. She is a National Merit Scholarship finalist. She recently placed 10th in a ten week long Florida Stock Market Challenge in which more than 2700 students competed statewide. Since the conclusion of the challenge, Sarah’s investment portfolio has risen to the top spot in the state. Her varsity soccer team has won the district championships in each of the last two years. Sarah is the club treasurer for the Trinity Generation Green Energy Project. The goal of this project is to reduce energy usage on campus and to enforce recycling rules. Sarah participates in numerous community organizations. One of her passions is Habitat for Humanity. She works each week at the local building sites assisting the construction of homes for the homeless. Sarah recruits many students to this worthy cause and takes a leadership role on the jobsite. She also does various projects with the Boys and Girls Clubs.
Back to top.
Dana Harris: Dana Harris is currently a rising junior at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York with an anticipated BA in 2011. She is pursuing a double major in Media Studies and Political Science. She is the publicity director for an on campus, anti-poverty group called Operation Donation which raised approximately $50,000 worth of groceries for local shelters in the past academic year. In the summer of 2008, Dana was an intern at Human Rights Watch with the Creative and Multimedia Team and in the fall of 2008 she interned at Grace Smith House, a domestic violence shelter in Poughkeepsie. She is about to begin an internship for the summer of 2009 at PCI-Media Impact an organization whose goal is to use “creative media, the power of storytelling and the reach of broadcast media to mobilize individual, community and political action”. Dana’s interests include human rights, social change, the use of different media, and the role of ‘the’ media. She also loves traveling and photography.
Back to top.
Martin Hill: Martin Hill hails from a small town in Scotland called Kirkcaldy. From a young age he expressed a keen interest in music. When he was 13 I started playing bass and from there played in several bands throughout High School. After High School Martin spent three years studying Music production and Sound engineering at the Adam Smith College in Fife. In that time he was regularly working with bands running live sound and working in college recording studio, which was run on a Pro Tools HD system with (at the time) the brand new D-command control surface. Mr.Hill’s course taught him a number of things about audio engineering, acoustics, Live sound reinforcement, music business and the need for professionalism when dealing with
clients no matter the situation. He also developed excellent problem solving skills, which he believes can prove to be an audio engineer’s most important skill. After graduating college Martin then spent a year at Glasgow Caledonian University and received a Bachelors Degree in Audio Technology with Multimedia. This course allowed him to gain valuable skills in not just audio but also a grounding in video editing, web design and computer programming. Since receiving his degree, Martin Hill have been working as Assistant Manager at a paintball site in Edinburgh and teaching Karate. For the last two summers he has been running the Recording studio in the rock music departments at French Woods Festival For the Performing Arts in Hancock, NY. In this time he has been able to greatly improve and sharpen his recording and mixing skill. After his contract is over in September, Mr.Hill will have no other work commitments and would really like to remain in America and pursue a career as an audio engineer.
Nicole Johnson: Nicole Johnson (18) is a second year student at NYU studying creative directing and public administration. As founder and creative director of Javanna Productions, Nicole encourages her members to cultivate humanity and world citizenship through the arts. Javanna Productions is a non profit production company that raises funds and awareness for both domestic and international causes. Every year, Javanna Productions presents an effort entitled M.O.V.E. (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment). This year’s effort, M.O.V.E. For
Cambodia, requires the members to learn about East Asian culture post regime. With that knowledge they are encouraged to use their craft to raise funds to build a school in Cambodia via the Bernie Krisher Rural School Project Foundation. http://www.indiegogo.com/MOVE. After
relocating to New York from Miami Florida at age 15, Nicole launched her production company into full force raising funds and awareness for causes such as Autism, Diabetes, Celiac disease, Aids/HIV and recently, education in rural parts of the world. Nicole is also a loyal delegate of the United Nation International Year of Youth Program and has received the UN Allykatzz Leads Linking Youth award along with 3 National Youth Theater Awards for her performance in off broadway productions of A Chorus Line, Into The Woods and Bye Bye Birdie. In addition to her work in the theater, Nicole is head of Community Service at Broadway Dance Center (BDC) providing both local and international BDC students with community service opportunities through Javanna Productions M.O.V.E. jpmove.webs.co
Back to top.
Ana Maria Jomolca: Ana Maria is a Cuban-American writer, director and actress. Several of her plays have appeared Off Broadway. She has written and performed in theAtrainplays and The House of Bernarda Alba at Repertorio Español. Her one-woman show Just Another Spic was work-shopped at Manhattan Theatre Source. She wrote and produced the film, everygirl, which debuted at Tribeca Film Center and screened at “Women in the Director’s Chair International Film Festival” in Chicago, The New Festival in NYC, BAM Cinema and Pioneer Theatre’s New Filmmaker’s Forum. TV appearances include; 30 ROCK, Without a Trace, The Jury, directed by Barry Levinson, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Criminal Intent, and Rescue Me. She has been published in The Sun Magazine, The New York Press, ‘National Geographic’s ‘Glimpse Abroad’ and GLEE magazine. She received her MFA in Fiction Writing at Hunter College under the tutelage of Peter Carey and Colum McCann and her short story, Twin Bed, in Sisters: An Anthology is out now in bookstores. Her visual art, PINS, RODS & OTHER INTRUSIONS, a photo essay exploration of “the body as canvas” was on exhibit at The Estrogenius Festival. She currently performs the stage adaptation of Sandra Cisneros’s novel, The House on Mango Street (one woman show) as part of The American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life Program.
Back to top.
Lee Kasper: Lee Kasper is a New York City based director, actor, teaching and coach. Most recently, Lee assisted director Evan Cabnet on two Off-Broadway projects: All American (The Duke, LCT3) and Outside People (Vineyard Theater/Naked Angels). Since 2005, he has been directing and teaching theater at Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, New York, one of the nation’s top performing arts summer camps. Past productions include: Avenue Q! (2011), Spring Awakening (2011), The Memory of Water (2011), Hair (2009), Noises Off (2008), The Drowsy Chaperone (2008). Currently, Lee teaches classes in Monologue/Song performance and On-Camera Acting at Actors Technique NY, a New York City based acting studio for kids and teens.
Back to top.
Brett A. Kier: Brett was born and raised in a small South Jersey town in the suburbs of Philadelphia to two public school teachers who are now retired. He finished as the Salutatorian of his high school class, graduating in 2004. He attended Syracuse University in upstate New York and graduated in 2008 with a degree in political science. He has always had a very diverse academic background and felt especially proficient in writing and mathematics. Although he spent his first two years studying architecture, he became more intrigued by the theoretical and philosophical aspects of his classes and decided to switch majors. Nonetheless, after graduating from Syracuse, he worked for a geotechnical engineering firm for three years before deciding to attend law school. Brett is currently a student at the Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University.
Jake Lazarowitz: For almost a year, Jake Lazarowitz has been acclimating himself to a post-graduate lifestyle. Graduating from William Paterson University in the Spring of 2008 with a B.A. in English, Jake has been steadfast in his career pursuit having found freelance challenges in sports marketing and administrative positions. Jake’s background in public relations runs nearly three years and he continues an ambitious effort to find a rewarding opportunity in the field. Additionally, Jake looks forward to one day working at a top book publishing company as an editor. Coming from a creative family of musicians, Jake is an avid reader and writer; and while not seeking his place in society, enjoys working on a number of creative projects in film, music and graphic novels. Currently a rambling man, Jake lives and travels between his mother’s home in Springfield, New Jersey and father’s home in Warwick, New York.
Back to top.
Kim Lockett: Kim Lockett is an actress/entertainer. Originally from Springfield, MA, Kim worked for Big Y Foods, Inc. for a little over six years as a Learning Services Support and Media Support person. She recorded over 70 voice-overs for many of Big Y’s computer based trainings and was also one of two news broadcasters for Big Y News—internal news broadcast highlighting Big Y’s events and company culture. Kim graduated in 2006 from Springfield Technical Community College with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts. Her theater performances there include Marshael Foster in The Wake of Jamey Foster and Cora in Tom Walker. She transferred to Rutgers University in 2009 to pursue a Journalism and Media Studies Degree but recently put her degree on hold to pursue an acting career. She will play Delilah in the original piece Imperfect Women of the Bible, written and directed by Marsha Trice.
Back to top.
Jillian Markowitz: Jillian Markowitz is a 2007 graduate of the prestigious Gallatin School of Independent Studies at New York University. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Ms. Markowitz created an interdisciplinary major combining business and film studies. This unique focus lead her to accept a full scholarship to Hofstra Law School where she is currently in her third and final year. Her professional resume includes credit as a producer for the unreleased film, Elise. She plans to use her education and skills as a lawyer producer.
Back to top.
Matthew McGlade: Matthew McGlade is a Pomona College graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematical Economics, as well as a minor in Spanish. He is interested in international relations, foreign languages, and international business. In addition to speaking fluent Spanish, Matthew speaks near-fluent French, has taken one year of Chinese while in college, and most recently has begun to learn Russian. Matthew is familiar with foreign cultures and able to relate to different types of people with ease, as he has spent time in various foreign countries ranging from El Salvador to Greece. Not only is Matthew comfortable interacting with individuals, he has shown his ability to be a team contributor through his work at the United Nations University and he is also skilled in public speaking. He is adept with technology and proficient in many programs used on computers today. Recently, he has spent time investigating economic policy and international finance.
Back to top.
Hillary-Marie Michael- Hillary-Marie, Founder and Director of Jersey Tap Fest, is most known for being a tap soloist, performer, choreographer and teacher, specializing in the American art form of Rhythm Tap Dance. Her other dance training includes Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Hip-Hop, Salsa, Swing, African and Modern. Having established herself as a reputable teacher, Hillary-Marie teaches weekly tap classes across the state of New Jersey.Hillary-Marie has been mentored by and assistant to Dr. Harold ‘Stumpy’ Cromer since 2007 and mentored by Karen Callaway Williams since 2004. A native to New Jersey, she has been a company member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble since April 2006, where she continues to be overseen by Founder and Artistic Director Deborah Mitchell and Maurice Chestnut. Outside of the ensemble, she has worked with The Russian Moscow Ballet, The American Tap Dance Foundation as well as award-winning composers Marvin Hamlisch, Leonard Oxley and Nikki Denner. Outside of teaching and performance, she is currently a writer for Terrence Taps’ Tap Dance Blog. Additionally, Hillary-Marie is a member of the International Tap Association and New Jersey Jazz Society, where she dedicates herself to keeping the art form of tap dance alive.
Back to top.
Ramfis Myrthil: As one of the Beasts at BOTEP, Ramfis has become one of East’s coast’s thriving triple threats, working as an actor, screenwriter, and producer. Besides being a man of numerous crafts, Ramfis brings a vast knowledge of insight and dedication to his team. After graduating from Queens College with a B.A in Interdisciplinary studies (Economics and Drama) Ramfis then trained at Jason Bennett’s Acting School in New York City and worked for AON’s lean Six Sigma division where he made and saved the corporation capital. With a strong background in marketing, Ramfis took on contractor positions to communicate on behalf of fortune 500 companies. At the age of 18, he took a dip into the world of Wall Street, where the combination of accuracy, passion, and perseverance heightened his ability to compete and succeed. Having achieved in academics as well as sports, his strengths now lie within the creative mind as well as business. Known as a team leader who takes initiative, Ramfis has a proven a track record of success throughout all avenues in his existence.
Back to top.
Michelle Ng: Michelle Ng is a juris doctorate candidate at the UCLA School of Law, class of 2012. She is interested in doing transactional work after graduation. Prior to entering law school, she received her Bachelor of Science degree from St. John’s University in Legal Studies, with a minor in Philosophy. During that time, Michelle Ng was a member of the Mock Trial Team at her university as well as a Ronald H. Brown Scholar. Michelle Ng is interested in international, criminal and labor law. Recently, for her substantive analytical writing, she conducted research and drafted a comment on the use of biotechnology on the production of food and the effects it has on the food market, both on national policies and international trade. In her free time, Michelle tutors youths in indigent neighborhoods in Los Angeles and serves as a mentor to incoming law students. In her free time, Michelle likes to run, practice yoga, and shop.
Back to top.
Phoebe Nir: is an Honors Graduate of Fieldston School in the Bronx. A winner of the 2010 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, she is an aspiring writer, and has had fiction and non-fiction published in a variety of publications. Phoebe regularly tutors literacy-challenged elementary school students in New York City, and is a strong advocate for empowerment through education, especially for young women. Phoebe is currently collaborating on a television pilot for Liz Alderman Productions and is at work on her first novel. She will be attending Brown University in the fall.
Back to top.
Glen Parker: Glen is a third year law student at Cardozo School of Law. His studies are concentrated in Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. He is a certified mediator with Safe Horizon and he lives in Brooklyn.
Back to top.
Cindy Peress: Born in Brooklyn, NYC, Cindy Peress grew up and learned how to play music on the beaches in Rockaway. Influenced by all the great music available to us in these far out and wonderful times, she has created her very own style of BluesyRockyJazzyThrashyFunkyFolkySoul. Her performance is electrifying and unforgettable.
Rachel Pincus: Rachel Pincus is a rising junior at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. An English and Science in Society major, her interests and areas of experience include creative writing, journalism, the social sciences, and the visual arts, including photography, for which she won a NFAA youngARTS Silver award in 2009. She interned and blogged at the news website Gothamist last summer. She is a New York native and attributes much of her inspiration to the fervent energy of the mean streets.
Nicholas Poulios: Nicholas is a senior at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in New Jersey. He is also a second year student studying jazz piano on scholarship at Manhattan School of Music Precollege. He has been singing in choirs since elementary school and is the choir president of his high school. Nick holds the position as Director of Music Ministries at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Berkley Heights, New Jersey; he is the choir director and organist. He also is the piano player of the Moonglowers, SPF High School’s jazz band. The Moonglowers won the state competition for the third time last year and Nick was awarded the Outstanding Soloist. In addition to school musical activities, Nick is a songwriter, constantly writing and playing with other musicians in the New York metropolitan area. He worked last summer as a music director at Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing arts, music directing many shows such as Next to Normal (the first amateur showing), Crazy for You, and Pirates of Penzance. His interest in musical theater is not only as a music director, he has played the lead in his high school musical as well as other principal roles at Frenchwoods. Nick is now a sub piano player for the off-broadway show, Silence! The Musical. Nick is also a part of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), an academic club and ranked first place in last year’s competition for retail management. Nick is passionate and loves to perform because of the unique opportunity and feeling of pulling everyone in the room into one shared mental state and force of energy.
Francine Prewitt: After obtaining a Masters degree in International Business Law from the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne in France, Francine Prewitt worked for a couple of years as an attorney in international law firms in Paris. A growing interest in human rights lead her to take a position with the Office of Prosecution of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) where she assisted in the conviction of some of the main perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In further pursuit of an international career, she decided to move to NYC to develop her legal knowledge by immersing herself in the one major aspect of law that she had not had the opportunity to study, the Common Law, and specifically American law. Presently, she is pursuing an international career as a corporate lawyer. Francine applied for and was accepted to the LLM (Masters of Law) Program of the University of Fordham as well as the Masters of Sciences in Global Affairs at New York University. She will be starting both programs in the fall.
Back to top.
Anne Radford: Anne, an attorney licensed to practice in New York and Connecticut, is currently spending time in Atlanta and excited about getting involved with the I Can Do That Foundation. A Georgia native, she has spent the past fifteen years in the northeast, attending Wellesley College in Massachusetts before moving to New York City. Following several years as a caseworker for children in foster care, she entered the accelerated law degree program at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law. During her school tenure, she interned with Federal Judge Harold Baer of the Second Circuit, aided in criminal defense cases with the Legal Aid Society, and worked in foster care and adoption law with The Law Office of James Abramson. Following law school, she worked in the Civil Courts of New York City as a trial lawyer with the Wall Street firm of Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP, focusing on insurance defense, and was involved in numerous cases that successfully broke-up fraud rings. More recently, Anne has volunteered with the Sunshine Kids Foundation and with the Fulton County CASA program, as an advocate for children in foster care. She is a 1994 graduate of Atlanta’s Paideia School, received a degree in Psychology from Wellesley College in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Cardozo School of Law in 2003.
Back to top.
Kyle Lamont Robinson: Kyle Lamont Robinson graduated from The University of Missouri- Columbia in 2007 with a degree in English. She was a four time recipient of The Gannett Scholarship for outstanding journalism. She spent her first two years at Mizzou on the the Big VII swim team fulfilling her scholarship obligations. She was a distance swimmer which gave her lots of time to think; which in turn, helped her realize that swimming was no longer her passion. She set her sights on Broadcast Journalism. After completing an internship with Fox 10 News in Phoenix, Arizona she caught the bug and immediately applied for another internship with the ABC affiliate in Columbia, Missouri. Out of all the applicants from the Broadcast Journalism School, she was accepted. She worked very hard while simultaneously holding down a job as an artist liaison for The Blue Note, a live music venue. Here, she found the power of music and the meaning of a shared experience. Her hard work at ABC paid off and she was offered a job as a morning show production assistant. After Kyle graduated she embarked on a solo road trip across the country searching for a road that would lead her to a career. The road led to NYC. No career in broadcasting yet, but lots of live music. Currently, Kyle is working to create her own web series as in Internet Journalist. The series will capture and showcase the intricacies of an artist or band and the hard work that’s needed in order to make a concert happen. Utilizing her unique reporting style and alluring panache, combined with her love and knowledge for live music, will make the series one of a kind. Please contact me if you know how to design a website, edit video or operate a camera. This is Grass Rootz baby!
Back to top.
Josh Ruben: Josh Ruben is a writer/director/actor/producer and voice-over artist. He is an on-staff director/cast-member at CollegeHumor, where his sketches have amassed views well into the hundreds of millions. In January, 2012, Josh and partner Vincent Peone founded production company, j+v films, which was recently added to the directing roster for Click3x, a New York-based creative/production agency.
Back to top.
Davi Santos: Davi Santos was born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and grew up in Astoria, Queens. He is a Senior at The Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Lehman where he pursues a dual concentration in Theatrical Arts and Cognitive Philosophy. He founded the Macaulay Theater Group to produce original work of developing playwrights with staged readings and festivals of short plays creating collaborations between both Emmy winning and Broadway professionals with current students. He is a producer at the emerging Musically Human Theater Company for musicals both new and original. Performing since he was 12, he graduated from The Professional Performing Arts School and LaGuardia Arts, and he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. He is in various commercials, and his recent projects include Tribeca Visionfest and Maryland Film Festivals’ “Bemvindo,” Samuel French Play Festival’s “Map of Our Country,” International Fringe NY’s “Afterlight,” “Neither Heaven Nor Earth,” on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. He is an active member at the New York State Youth Leadership Council, currently campaigning for the NY DREAM Act.
Back to top.
Max Schneider: Max Schneider, who was dubbed one of Broadway’s “future stars” by Playbill Magazine, appeared in the Broadway musical “13” and “Gypsy of the Year”. TV:” Law and Order SVU, LEAD (Justin)”, Other NYC: “Cool Dip…”(Playwrights Horizons workshop), At This Performance, HiFive, Move for Autism, MCC/Uncensored, Regional: Christmas Carol/UPAC (Young Scrooge), Macbeth( Fleance), multiple roles in MCC Theater’s off-Broadway production “Uncensored” in 2008 and New Dramatists Readings in 2007 and starred as Leaf Coneybear in the first regional production of Spelling Bee. He began performing with Woodstock Youth Theater at 5, and performed with Saugerties Ballet, Bird-on-a-Cliff Shakespeare, Out of the Nest and African dance and drumming group. Sougei Kibola. He’s a senior at Professional Performing Arts High School in New York.
Back to top.
Taryn Schneider: Taryn Schneider is a third year dental student at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Barnard College in 2007 with a degree in Psychology. During college, she spent time interning at FEGS, an outpatient treatment facility for individuals suffering from mental illness and addiction, and DOROT, an organization which seeks to improve the lives of the elderly population in Manhattan. She also spent two summers as a counselor at Camp Hasc, a sleep-away camp for children and adults with various mental and physical handicaps and special needs. In addition, Taryn spent time as a volunteer at the Smile Train and participated in a week long outreach program in Haifa, Israel where she worked with orphaned children, senior citizens, and adolescents who had been affected by regional violence. Before beginning dental school she spent two years teaching nursery school in Manhattan. As a current dental student, Taryn recently established an online school newspaper in order to foster a greater sense of community at her school as well as provide students with opportunities for artistic and creative expression. In February, she will travel to Chile with a group of dentists and dental students to provide dental care and education to children of an underserved community. She hopes to combine her love for children with her interests in healthcare and dentistry to one day pursue a career in pediatric dentistry.
Back to top.
Becky Sellinger: Becky Sellinger is a Sculptor, Video and Performance Artist Currently working and living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated in May 2011 from The School of Art and Design at Purchase College, State University of New York, from where she received her Bachelors of Fine Arts and The Deans Award for Best Sculptor. Becky is the current artist in resident at Neighborhood Bike Works, an affiliate of Philadelphia’s beloved Magic Gardens and Arts on South. Becky has worn many hats as an artist, working as a set builder, puppet fabricator, performer, ceramics teacher, concert promoter, gallery curator, and fashion production. She enjoys being an artist for her ability to work in many different capacities.
Back to top.
Claudia Sigala: Claudia is currently a graduate student at Columbia University School of Social Work and is expected to graduate in May 2011. Her focus as a graduate student is doing clinical work in the World of Work. Claudia works around work-related issues with individuals to improve the well-being of workers in the workplace. Claudia’s current internship is at District Council 37, a major municipal labor union that serves 125,000 members and 50,000 retirees. Her work at their Personal Service Unit, as a graduate intern, includes providing short-term counseling to union members on issues such as work-stress, depression, bereavement, lay-offs, marital issues, anxiety and other personal stressors. In her past internship, she worked with young adults aging out of the foster-care system and families being reunited with their children through a NYC foster care agency. Research experience includes working at Fordham University as a data collector for a research study project to learn about healthy eating and physical activity behaviors of adults living in the Bronx. Her alma mater is St. John’s University in which she majored in Sociology and graduated in 2007. She is a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon International Sorority and a member of Alpha Kappa Delta: International Sociology Honor Society. In 2007, Claudia she joined the GO Project as a Development Assistant where she helped to plan the GO Project Annual Gala, the Annual Appeal and other fundraising projects.. The GO Project is a non-profit organization in lower Manhattan that shapes the futures of low-income New York City public school children by providing critical academic, social and emotional support starting in the early elementary years. Claudia stays active with the GO Project as a volunteer and worked in their Social Services Department in the Summer of 2010. Claudia is fluent in Spanish and learning Portuguese. In the future she sees herself as becoming as a therapist and a life coach.
Back to top.
Amanda Sileo: Amanda is a senior at Pace University in downtown Manhattan, she is a film and screen studies major. She recently finished up an internship at Mister-Lister films. There she helped them promote their film “Breaking Upwards” which was picked up and distributed by IFC. She set up screenings at colleges and film schools, contacted press, worked the New York premiere, and also performed personal assistant duties for lead actress Zoe Lister-Jones. It was a learning experience in how to promote your own independent film. Amanda has taken production classes and is interested in that aspect of film, however she did enjoy the publicity work as well. She is a hard working and driven 22 year old who is eager to learn.
Back to top.
Maria Sivori: Born into a family of Neapolitan restaurateurs, Maria developed a love for cooking as a child and as a teenager worked alongside her mother and grandmother at Icumani, the family restaurant. Coming to America in 2000, she quickly broke into the New York culinary world, establishing a reputation for creativity and quality which led to posts as Chef at Caffe Pompei, Cinema Paradiso (Astoria), and a brief return to Italy as Sous Chef at Milan?s Princi. Maria?s strong personality and passion for her art puts a unique stamp on her dishes. She currently has her own catering business and is exploring opening her own restaurant. She also has a weakness for Martinis and can drink any three Northern Italians under the table with one hand tied behind her back, blindfolded, and standing on her head.
Back to top.
Madeline Smith: is a Senior at the Professional Performing Arts School. She studies acting, but involves herself in the world of theatre in more ways then one. She has lighting designed and stage managed two showcases at PPAS. and also trains in Aerial Acrobatics at NY circus arts. Favorite roles include Little Sally in PPAS’s main stage production of Urinetown, Sal in PPAS’s black box production of The Moonlight Room, Rae in the off-broadway production
of Bellevue Sketches at the Player’s Theatre. She has recently made her TV debut on L&O SVU! Madeline is currently working for the nonprofit organization, Kids Meeting Kids. She is also president of the community service committee at PPAS. This year, she began the Feed The Hungry project at her school where every few weeks, a group of students put together 50
meals and hand them out to the homeless community of midtown, accompanied with hats, gloves, and scarves. Madeline’s next project will be a benefit for Haiti coming up in May.
Back to top.
Christopher Sokolowski: Christopher Sokolowski will be a Freshman this upcoming fall at Purchase School of Music, where he will be studying vocal performance as a Sopranist. He has been studying in this rare voice range for 5 years, and currently studies with world-renowned Counter-tenor Drew Minter, with whom he is currently working on many of the early baroque composers – Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, as well as preparing some operatic roles such as Le Feu (L’enfant et les Sortileges), and Idamante (Idomeneo). He has performed for years in musical theatre, oratorio, concert, as well as making his operatic debut with the Opera Company of the Highlands in the title role of Amahl and the Nightvisitors. He has appeared as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings Suite with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Britten’s St. Nicholas Cantata with the Westchester Choral Society and Orchestra. Some theatre credits include Fyedka (Fiddler on the Roof), the Minstrel (Once Upon a Mattress), Bud Frump (How to Succeed in Business), Drake (Honk, with the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Program), and Colin (The Secret Garden), among others. In addition to stage performance, he also frequently does local recitals and benefits for local organizations. Christopher is very excited by the career path he has chosen, and is always looking to grow as a musician.
Back to top.
Yohei Suzuki: Yohei Suzuki is a filmmaker who focuses on social issues, especially those that relate to the African American experience. He has produced & directed a lot of documentaries, promotional videos, and music videos.
In 2006, he produced an directed “Our Pride: The Spirits of Black Japanese in Georgia,” which was invited to the Asian American International Film Festival 2007 in New York, Washington DC Urban Film Series 2007, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2008, Mix Roots Film & Literacy Festival 2008 in Los Angeles, and the International Black Film Festival of Nashville 2009, etc. Through his films, he hopes to encourage people of all ethnicities to be proud of who they are. He believes that films are powerful tools to inspire, motivate, and raise social awareness. Yohei Suzuki is originally from Japan. He received a master’s degree in Visual and Media Arts from Emerson College and is now based in New York.
Back to top.
Nathalie Tedrick: Nathalie Tedrick is a professional actress, dancer, choreographer, and instructor. She has toured worldwide with the Bellydance Superstars produced by Miles Copeland from 2007 to the present. Nathalie is featured in several Bellydance Superstars DVD’s including Babelesque Live in Tokyo, The Art of Bellydance Live in Shanghai, Solos From LA, and Bombay Bellywood Live in Irvine. She began dancing at the age of five, studying Shakespeare at age seven in Northern California, and has a background in Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Ballet, and Belly Dance. Nathalie became a principal actor with the Avalon Players’ Shakespeare Company at age eighteen. Some of her favorite roles include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Bianca in Taming of the Shrew. She can be seen in several commercials including a national for AT&T Yellow Pages. Nathalie has studied at Brian Reise Acting Studios and plans on furthering her training at Warner Laughlin Studios in Hollywood. She is represented in San Francisco by SF Top Talent, and The Jerry Pace Agency in Los Angeles.
Back to top.
Logan Tracey: Logan Tracey is an actress and singer based in New York City. A graduate of Ithaca College and the National Theatre Institute, Ms. Tracey has been performing in film, television, and theatre since moving to NYC in 2003. Logan has performed in numerous new musicals, as Sheila in HAIR at the Gallery Players, completed a season of summer stock at the Saxtons River Playhouse playing Catherine in Pippin and Laurie in Oklahoma! With a focus on comedy and improv (and training from the Upright Citizens Brigade), Ms. Tracey has performed with CollegeHumor.com, NBC.com, in the NY Underground Comedy Festival, numerous NYCFringe Festivals, and on All My Children and Guiding Light. Ms. Tracey has a strong background in Musical Theare and teaches dance and directs at SophieDance in Hollywood, CA. Logan is great with kids and loves teaching and working with children. Check out her website for photos, music, and a performance reel: www.logantracey.com
Back to top.
Jacob Troy: is an actor and a filmmaker. He began writing and performing at an early age in his hometown of Woodstock, New York. By age sixteen, a play he co-authored was accepted into the New York International Fringe Festival and featured on CNN. At age eighteen he co-founded the Wayfinder Experience, Inc., a summer camp and an arts-in-education program teaching theater and storytelling to young people, a company which still thrives today. Jacob earned a Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, where he concentrated on Theater and Film. At the Universidad de Sevilla in southern Spain, he studied Art History. As a performer, Jacob has toured the United States with America’s longest-running classical touring company, National Players, bringing Shakespeare to cities around the country, and has performed with regional theater companies throughout the East Coast. In New York City, where he currently resides, Jacob has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway shows throughout Manhattan, and recently co-founded the Off-Off-Broadway ensemble, the American Bard Theater Company.
Back to top.
DJ Lady Verse: For DJ Lady Verse, simply being the premier female DJ in New York’s Hudson Valley doesn’t cut it. Her aim is much, much higher. Throughout her ten-year career the Woodstock-based spinstress has toiled tirelessly behind the decks, focusing hard on developing her impeccable song selection and airtight, seamless mixes; on honing her technique and use of sampling, scratching and effects to its current razor-edged perfection. Her objective? Just one. To be nothing less than the region’s best DJ—period. And it shows, night after night after night. For proof, just check the legions of orgasmically satiated dancers in the dozens of rooms that Lady Verse has rocked up and down the East Coast, from New York to L.A., Miami to the U.K. and beyond. “My main goal is to move the crowd,” says Verse “I like to mix it up. I spin anything from top 40, house, classic hip-hop, R&B, reggae, reggaeton, ’80s pop hits, whatever it takes to get the party going. I also like to play and perform my original tracks. It adds a live, organic element that you don’t get from most DJs.” Also an accomplished singer-songwriter (under the name Valen) with an innate understanding of music, Verse has a strong background in dance. She comes complete with DJ equipment and a sound system and is able to travel to gigs. So whether you’re talking clubs, parties, business events, or any other special happening you can dream up, DJ Lady Verse is ready and waiting to move your feet and blow your mind. Word.
Back to top.
Saundi Wilson: Saundi Wilson has been active in virtually every sector of the music industry. His work in film and television began at age 19, and he has since composed music for A&E, CBS, ABC, and Disney as well as numerous short films. Saundi has licensed music to more than fifteen different television shows, including MTV’s Jersey Shore. Shortly after completing the masters program at NYU’s Steinhardt School, Saundi scored his first feature film, Manito , which garnered honors at several film festivals, most notably Sundance and South by Southwest. Since it’s theatrical release (by Film Movement), it has been licensed to HBO, Showtime and the Independent Film Channel. Saundi then began to collaborate with Sebastian Bardin, a former classmate from his undergrad days(S.U.N.Y. Purchase), and they created The Brüknahm Project. Their first LP (self-titled) was released on Knitting Factory Records to critical acclaim and they went on to complete two European tours performing on some of Europe’s greatest stages (i.e. North Sea, Jazz a Vienne). After their tremendous success in Europe, the duo packed up and moved to Paris. Brüknahm was commissioned by Universal (France) to produce tracks for Algerian star Khaled, not to mention two remixes for the Japanese sensation AIR on the LP On My Way(EMI/Capitol). Saundi also laid down his eclectic groove as a DJ in various locales in Europe as well as his monthly Brooklyn Zoo parties in Paris. Shortly after recording the second Brüknahm album -The City of Light(distributed on Believe Digital), Saundi moved back to the U.S., bouncing between Los Angeles and Brooklyn. He remains quite active with The Brüknahm Project, performing with them as the featured artist at the Shanghai International Jazz Festival (China). Currently, Saundi is licensing songs from his catalog through Stephen Arnold Music, producing/writing for his new project- Red Claire, featuring country/bluegrass artist Claire Holley, and he recently co-produced Canadian singer Jessica Brooks’ debut album- Our Place Now (Bungalow 7).
Back to top.
Greg Zilboorg: Greg Zilboorg is a trumpeter/composer whose work ventures into many styles including of contemporary music. He currently leads the afrobeat orchestra The Sogo Takeover and the creative music group Shouting Dog. He also plays in the klezmer group Bubbeleh, the world music ensemble Mahadev and participates in many diverse performance and recording projects. He received his B.Mus in Jazz Studies from the Oberlin Conservatory in 2009 and his M.F.A. as a Performer/Composer from CalArts in 2011. When he isn’t playing music, Greg can usually be found with his face planted squarely into a book, or walking through nature, lost in thought.
Back to top.
Amanda Zwirn: Amanda Zwirn has been involved in stage productions at French Woods Camp since age nine. She is currently a senior at NYC’s Firorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, majoring in Technical Theatre, where she works on major productions in dance, musical theatre and drama. In her spare time she has volunteered her theatre skills to a local non-profit community theatre organization in her neighborhood of Rockaway Beach. In the coming years she looked forward to employing her theatre skills at the college level.
Back to top.