Staff

 

Administration

Christy Zepezauer (Director) joined the Woodlawn staff in February of 2008.  Previous to accepting her position she was the Arts/Dance Coordinator for the Elk Grove Park District.  Christy started her position in June of 1996 and was in charge of all visual, performing, applied programming, and events.  She was the Director of the Pavilion Dance Centre, which had over 1,000 participants and was home to the national winning Moving Force Dance Company.  Born and raised in Dixon, IL Christy began her love of the arts by attending the Eastman School of Dance for 13 years and went on to further her studies in dance at Northern Illinois University where she graduated with honors with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and a double minor in Dance Education and Theatre Arts.  She has studied with numerous master teachers through NIU and Regional and National Conventions.  She has competed nationally and is a regional and national champion.  She is a member of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters.  Christy is thrilled to be back home and to be sharing her love of the arts with the Sauk Valley Community.  Her favorite artists are Renoir, Balanchine and Fosse.

Dawn Weeks (Assistant Director) has a Master of Arts degree in Teaching and Leadership from St. Xavier University in Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Western Illinois University in Macomb.  She has taught both junior high language arts and high school English.  In addition, she has coached high school basketball and junior high/high school speech.  Dawn began working at Woodlawn Arts Academy in August 2008 as the Kindergarten Enrichment Supervisor and the Registrar.  She was also the Director of the Teen REACH After School Program at Challand Middle School during the 2008-2009 school year.

Molly Cunningham (Registrar) has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Colorado State University and an Associate of Arts degree in Fine Arts from Sauk Valley Community College. Her arts experience includes drawing, painting, jewelry making, and working with clay and fibers. Molly began working at Woodlawn Arts Academy in the summer of 2009. Her favorite artists are Alphonse Mucha, Gustav Klimt, Franklin Carmichael, Hieronymous Bosch, William Hogarth. Molly's favorite movements include The American Scene, Art Nouveau, The Group Seven, and Magic Realism. Molly will be teaching Arts for the Home Schooler Class this spring. Please check our brochure or website or call the office if you are interested in signing up for her home school class.

Office Staff

Marilyn Henry is a lifelong Sterling resident. She has been a licensed beautician for 30 years. She is married to Jim Henry and has two children, Weston 22 and Madison 19. Marilyn has volunteered in the Sterling Schools in almost every capacity possible. Her children were involved heavily in the arts and through them, Marilyn has learned to really appreciate the "Art World." After working backstage for over 30 theatre performances and enjoying numerous band/choir concerts, dance recitals, speech competitions etc., Marilyn loves to share her experiences and meet the "next generation" of artists at Woodlawn Arts Academy. She also hosts events and rentals at the Academy along with supervises the Challand Middle School Teen REACH After School Program.

Alyssa Oltmanns is currently attending the University of Illinois in Chicago and previously attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She has been acting since age four, writing since age six, and playing the viola since age nine. Alyssa was the Young Authors winner at age six and qualified at state at age nine. She has written two novels and has worked with published author/mentor Lauren Barnholdt. She was the second time state qualifying Contest Play member and was unanimously voted to receive the acting award at conference, sectionals, and state. Alyssa has been the All-State Orchestra member two times and has been an intern at Victory Records in 2007. She has ran the "Rock for Research" non-profit at UIUC in 2006-2007. Alyssa has studied Music Education and then later English/Creative Writing at UIUC. She is currently studing English Education and Theatre Education at UIC. Alyssa has acted in indie film "The Somnambulist" as well as local educational video by Mary Ellen Wilkinson tentativley entitled "On The Job."

Dance

Erika Matheney started dance when she was five years old. She trained at The Dance Academy learning ballet, tap, jazz, modern, pointe, and hip-hop. She was also a member of the poms squad and was captain her junior and senior year. Erika was chosen to be a member of the Universal Dance Association All-Star Dance Team and has been competing for six years. Erika has been teaching Ballet/Tap Level 1A, Ballet/Tap Level 2, Intermediate/Advanced Tap, Jazz 1A, Jazz 2, Triple Threat, Intermediate/Advanced Jazz, Hip Hop 3, Adult Tap, and Adult Jazz this past year at Woolawn Arts Academy.

Corinne Nye-bio coming soon-Corinne has been teaching Boogie Babies and Kiddy Dance this past year at Woodlawn Arts Academy. She also gives private music lessons for voice at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Corinne.

Shanae Sterba is currently a junior pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance Performance at Northern Illinois University.  She started working at Woodlawn Arts Academy teaching dance classes in the summer of 2008.  Her dance experience includes Art for Life, Le Corsaire, Student Choreographic Showcase, 2008 Spring Dance Concert, ballet, modern, character, tap, jazz, hip hop, Broadway, clogging and Irish.  In high school Shanae was a Thespian as well as a participant in the Sterling Summer Theater Academy performing in Grease, Footloose, Seven Brides fro Seven Brothers and Big. 

Gunter Schluter-picture and bio coming soon-Gunter has been teaching Ballroom Dancing and Swing/Lindy this past year at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you want to sign up for a dance class with Gunter.

Charissa Walsh started taking dance at ten years old.  Her dance experience includes ballet, jazz, hip hop, clogging, lyrical, and modern.  She was on the pom and cheerleading squads throughout high school and helped form the Sauk Valley Community College Dance Team in 2003. Charissa has been teaching Hip Hop 1, Hip Hop 2, and Adult Hip Hop this past year at Woodlawn Arts Academy.

Karyn Weidman danced with Platteville Dance School for 17 years and was a teaching assistant for two. She has a background in ballet, tap, jazz, and her favorite, pointe. Karyn has been living in the Sterling/Dixon area since 2002 and came to Woodlawn Arts Academy in 2008. She began teaching at Woodlawn in the fall of 2009 and is excited to be a part of the Academy. Karyn has been teaching Boogie Babies, Kiddy Dance, and Adult Ballet this past year at Woodlawn Arts Academy.

Literary Arts 

Dana Francis graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in Communications and Northern Arizona University with a Masters in Secondary English and currently teaches English at Sterling High School.  He was the facilitator of the Young Adult Writing Project for seven summers at Arizona State University and in the summer of 2008 started teaching literary classes at Woodlawn Arts Academy. 

Nichol Gillette is currently working on her Art Education degree at Augustana College. She has been teachingat Woodlawn Arts Academy since the summer of 2009. Nichol has been teaching and tutoring in Japanese for the past two years. Not only does Nichole teach literary classes, but she also enjoys writing fiction, painting, and taking photographs. Nichol has been offering Japanese Workshops the past few sessions at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you are interested in signing up for one of her Japanese Workshops.

Deb Jacobs graduated from Illinois State University with a B.A. in Education.  She has been teaching at Woodlawn Arts Academy since the fall of 2006.  Deb has been a teacher and tutor in the Sterling-Rock Falls area for over 25 years.  She is a bilingual parent educator for Parents As Teachers and an interpreter/translator for Early Intervention.  She has also worked with Sterling police as a translator and volunteered at the Hope Life Center as the bilingual counselor. Deb has been offering Conversational Spanish for Adults the past few sessions at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you are interested in signing up for one of her Spanish classes.

Carmello McNeill graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a B.A. in Literature. She started teaching for Woodlawn Arts Academy in the summer of 2008. She has taught high school American and Western literature, college prep, writing, newspaper, and speech. Carmello has not only edited college and high school literary magazines, but she has also published poetry and short stories.

Mary Ellen Wilkinson has her B.S. from Northern Illinois University and her M.S. from the University of Illinois.  She began teaching at Woodlawn Arts Academy during its first summer open in 2005.  She has always enjoyed the arts and one of her favorite places in Chicago is the Art Institute.  Mary Ellen has been holding an Adult Book Club for the past few sessions at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call the office if you are interested in joining/attending the Adult Book Club.

Music

Amy Boze graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where she was born and raised; she was also the 5-12 band director in Dunkerton, Iowa. Amy has been living in Sterling since 1996. She was then a 4-6 band director for Sterling Public Schools from 1996-2003. Amy has been teaching piano lessons for almost 20 years. She plays the keyboard/piano at her church and has accompanied for local instrumental contests and concerts. Amy is currently the Kindergarten Enrichment instructor for music at Jefferson Elementary School in Sterling. She has been with Woodlawn Arts Academy since Fall 2009. Amy teaches the Beginning Group Piano class at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call the office if you are interested in signing up for this class with Amy.

Tim Fischbach-bio coming soon-Tim gives private music lessons for voice to as young as 13 years old at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Tim.

 

Rhonda Hulteen has a B.A. and M.A. in Music from Northern Illinois University. She began teaching at Woodlawn Arts Academy in Fall 2009. Rhonda teaches General Music to PreK-8th grade and junior high band. At her church, she leads the adult and youth choir and hand bells. Rhonda helps out with high school musicals as well as gives class and individual piano instruction at a junior college. She gives individual piano instruction to ages 4-84 and also organ instruction. Rhonda additionally gives individual instrumental instruction in the following: flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone, baritone, violin, and voice. Rhonda is originally from Prophetstown, but she has lived in Sterling for the past 25 years. Rhonda gives private music lessons for piano to as young as age six at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Rhonda.

Ramiro Martinez has been teaching in the Midwest Area for over 25 years working with area high school percussion lines, drum and bugle corps as well as performing with NOYZ BOYZ, an area rock band. He currently teaches private lessons at Woodlawn Arts Academy and at his percussion studio. In addition, Ramiro instructs Band Together, a class that teaches students how to function in a working rock band. He also leads Woodlawn Percussion Ensemble, which performs in local parades and functions in the Sauk Valley Area. Ramiro currently works with Rock Fall High School, Geneseo High School, Prophetstown High School, and Tampico Middle School. Ramiro gives private music lessons for percussion at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Ramiro.

Brendon O'Donnell is currently majoring in Music Education at Northern Illinois University. His music experience includes clarinet, electric and acoustic guitar, electric bass, jazz bass, bassoon, saxophone, minimal piano, singing, some banjo, some percussion, and some brass training. Brendon has been teaching at Woodlawn Arts Academy since the fall of 2008. He gives private music lessons for piano, woodwinds, voice, and guitar to as young as age six at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Brendon.

Camilo Quintana is currently pursuing an associate's degree in the arts at Sauk Valley Community College.  He is passionate about drawing, painting, photography, graphic design, and music. Camilo plays the mandolin, violin, bass, guitar, percussion, cello, and viola. He gives private music lessons for strings at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Camilo.

Mary Rick was born and raised in the Champaign-Urbana area and started teaching violin lessons in the early 70's. She studied violin at the University of Illinois with the widely renowned string pedagogue Paul Rolland and was part of the University of Illinois String Research project. Her performance experience includes the Parkland College Orchestra, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, Knox-Galesburg Symphony, which included a tour of performances in Barcelona, Spain. She was th associate concertmaster of the Clinton Symphony, and the concertmaster of the SVCC Orchestra. Mary has performed with string quartets and various musical groups across the state. Mary gives private music lessons for violin at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Mary.

Dillon Schuneman-picture and bio coming soon

  

Patrick Sheehan has been an instructor at Woodlawn since its beginning in 2005. He studied music education at Northern Illinois University, with an emphasis in classical saxophone. During his time at NIU, he played baritone saxophone in the award winning 241 Saxophone Quartet and played woodwinds and piano in the NIU Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic, and Wind Symphony. He has written several arrangements for many mediums, including Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Saxophone Quartet, and Clarinet Choir, many of which were premiered by the ensembles at NIU. From 2000-2005, he was accompanist and music director for Sauk Valley Productions, which produced musicals on the stage at the Historic Dixon Theatre. From 2005 to the present, Patrick has performed or conducted over thirty musicals and now serves as accompanist and music director for Sterling High School's Centennial Auditorium summer musical productions. His arrangements and professional manuscript copy work have been ordered and played by band directors around the country and professional concertizing groups such as Piano 4, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and master flutist James Galway. At Woodlawn, Mr. Sheehan teaches the disciplines of piano, winds, and theatre arts. He is a band lesson instructor at Challand Middle School in Sterling and has served as accompanist for the Sterling High School choirs. When he is not teaching or writing, Patrick is out in DeKalb hosting his radion show "The Saturday Night Blues," which airs on 89.5 WNIJ (91.5 WNIQ in Sterling) on Saturday nights from 9-midnight. Patrick thoroughly enjoys working in the Sauk Valley community with the coworkers and students around him. Patrick gives private music lessons for piano and woodwinds to as young as third grade at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please call the office if you would like to sign up for private music lessons with Patrick.

 

Performing Arts

Anna Kurtz is currently pursuing a MFA in Theatre Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University where she is currently teaching, coaching, and directing. She has the end goal of becoming a University Professor of theatre. She graduated from Creighton University with a BFA in Theatre Performance and has acted professionally with the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, with the Post Playhouse and in Chicago, IL. Her favorite roles include Roxie Hart in Chicago, Tammy in The Ascension of Carlotta with the 16th Street Theatre, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Anna attended the Midsummer in Oxford program in England and is a past graduate of Sterling High School where she performed numerous times on the Centennial Auditorium stage.

Tim Schlegel brings over 20 years of directing experience to Woodlawn Arts Academy. He holds a BA in Vocal Performance and Technical Theatre from Augustana College. Tim is the Director of Theatre at the Sterling Public Schools, where he oversees all performances and competitive teams. He also directs the Fall Play, Musical, and Group Interpretation team at Sterling High School.

Lucas Schuneman is a graduate of Sauk Valley Community College and is currently attending Northern Illinois University. He has been teaching classes at Woodlawn Arts Academy since the August of 2007. He is currently a member of the Centennial Community Players and the Vince Carney Community Theatre. Lucas has also spent years entertaining and informing the Rock River Valley on WSDR AM-1240.

Visual Arts

Allyson Ansusinha-picture coming soon-Allyson is a senior at Sterling High School and plans on attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising after graduation. She has taken Fashion Design and Fashion Illustration courses at the school of The Art Institute of Chicago. Her visual arts experience includes drawing, painting, graphic design, sewing, pringmaking, and ceramics. Allyson is offering a Fashion Design class and a Fashion Illustration class at Woodlawn Arts Academy during the spring session. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you are interested in taking a class with Allyson.

Marcia Ashlock-picture coming soon-Marcia is a graduate of Sterling High School and Sauk Valley College School of Nursing. She has recently returned to the area after over 30 years of living away. She was an Emergency Room nurse at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford for 32 years. She is now the school nurse at Challand Middle School in Sterling. She has two children, Nathan and Lindsay. Her biggest joys are her two grandchildren, Camden and Brooklynn. Marcia has always loved arts and crafts, and she enjoys sharing her talents and interest with others at Woodlawn Arts Academy. She also helps supervise the Challand Middle School Teen REACH After School Program.

Carol Deibert graduated from Eastern Illinois University with her B.A. in Art Education.  She started teaching ceramic classes at Woodlawn Arts Academy in the winter of 2006.  Carol has taught Art at Rock Falls High School and now owns her own pottery business. Carol has offered Evening Ceramics for the past few sessions at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you are interested in taking a ceramics class.

Brandi Duchay-picture coming soon-Brandi is from Rock Falls and a graduate of Ashford University with a B.A. in Elementary Education. During the 2008-2009 school year, she worked as the Kindergarten Enrichment teacher for Creative Dramatics at Franklin Elementary School in Sterling. She was also an AmeriCorps member for the American Red Cross where she taught health and safety classes to more than 4,000 students in Whiteside County. Currently, Brandi is the second grade teacher at St. Andrew School in Rock Falls and a volunteer for the American Red Cross. She has been at Woodlawn Arts Academy since Fall of 2008. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you are intersted in signing up for the Art Exploration class with Brandi.

Heather Dunkel-picture coming soon-Heather is from Sterling and a graduate of the American Institute of Commerce. Heather has been working for Woodlawn Arts Academy for two years and has taught the Home Schooled Arts Class as well as summer book clubs. She has spent two years at Jefferson Elementary School in Sterling as the Kindergarten Enrichment Instructor teaching Creative Movement. In addition to being a Girl Scout Leader for three years, Heather spent a year working for Girl Scouts as the head instructor of a grant program dedicated to setting high risk junior high age girls on better paths through life. In this program, she taught the girls how to express themselves through healthy outlets of art and theatre. Heather has a variety of theatre experience including acting coach for junior high level students. Prior to working with children, Heather has spent five years in Human Resources in the suburbs of Chicago, three of which she was the HR Manager at a company in Elgin, IL.

Amy Fenwick-picture coming soon-Amy graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor's degree in Studio Art. Her arts experience includes drawing, ceramics, sculpture, painting, metal working, and printmaking focusing on mono-prints. Amy has been a part of the Woodlawn Arts Academy family since the Summer of 2008 and will be teaching Kreative Kids for ages 6-8 this spring session. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you are interested in signing up for the Kreative Kids class with Amy.

Gina Fiorini-Frank joined the Woodlawn staff in October of 2009. She lives in Sterling and graduated with an Associate's Degree in Visual Communications from the Colorado Institute of Art. Gina's arts experience includes watercolor and mixed media painting, drawing, sketching, doodling, pen and ink, calligraphy, illumination, logo and company design, metal engraving, headstone sandblasting and design, silkscreen and printing, b/w darkroom and photography. She also enjoys knitting, macrame, beading, and reading mysteries. Gina's graphics were utilized in Sauk Valley Newspapers where she worked in Editorial Graphics in special editions and on the front page weather logos and graphs. One of her designs can be seen on Whiteside County Health Department Home Care vehicles. Gina currently teaches at St. Andrew Elementary in Rock Falls.

Stasha Hayes has a B.A. in Art Education from Augustana College.  Her arts experience includes drawing, painting, airbrushing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, woodworking, jewelry, photography, graphic design, loom weaving and fabric design.  Stasha acted while in high hchool and still plays the clarinet. If you are interested in taking private art lessons with Stasha, please contact the office for Stasha's availability.  

Amanda McNinch graduated from Sauk Valley Community College with an Associates Degree in Art and from Western Illinois University with a Bachelors Degree in Education.  She started teaching for Woodlawn Arts Academy in August 2007.  Her arts experience includes the visual arts of drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, crafting, wood working, sewing, and design.   

Brenda Over is a graduate of Sauk Valley Community College.  She started teaching sewing classes at Woodlawn Arts Academy in the fall of 2007.  Brenda has been sewing since she was 12 years old and has worked in various fabric stores since high school. Brenda has been offering It's Sew Simple and Sewing Essentials for the past few years at Woodlawn Arts Academy. Please check our brochure or website or call our office if you would like to sign up for one of her sewing classes.

Gonzalo Reyes graduated from Sauk Valley Community College with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies, Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, University of Notre Dame with a Master of Fine Arts in Photography/Art, St. Mary College with a Certificate in Education, University of Notre Dame in Theology, Pacifica Graduate School in Depth Psychology, Bromenn Medical Center in Pastoral Psychology, and Ansel Adams Yosemite Workshop in Photography. His arts experience include teaching Art Fundamentals and Sculpture at Jefferson High School, Photography at Woodlawn Arts Academy, Humanities and the Arts at Sauk Valley Community College, Art Fundamentals and Sculpture at Morrison High School, Art Fundamentals at Newman Catholic Central High School, Seventh and Eighth Grade Art at St. Anthony Catholic Grade School, Fellow/Teaching Assistant and Photography at University of Notre Dame. Gonzalo was born and raised in Sterling, IL. He started teaching visual arts classes at Woodlawn Arts Academy in the summer of 2008. Gonzalo's favorite artists include Minor White and Ralph Gibson in Photography and Wassily Kandinsky and Abstract Expressionists in Painting. He will be teaching an Introduction to Photography class during the spring session, so please look for our spring brochure in February to find out more information about Gonzalo's class.

Jessica Robers graduated from Eastern Illinois University with her B.A. and M.A. in Art and is in the process of getting her teacher certification from Rockford College.  Jessica started working at Woodlawn Arts Academy in the fall of 2007 teaching art classes and working in administration.  Her visual arts experience includes life drawing, printmaking, painting, ceramics, and some wood working and metal working.   

Nancy Weber has a B.A. in English/Art from Franklin College, Indiana, a M.A. in Art History from Northern Illinois University, and a M.S. in Art Education from Northern Illinois University.  She has been an Art teacher for over 40 years and has been working for Woodlawn Arts Academy for three years. She taught at Rock Falls High School, East Coloma School, Sterling High School, Challand Middle School and Nelson School. 

Yoga

Trirong Khuntangta has a Master's Degree in Political Science with an emphasis on International Relations. He spent three and a half years working for the United Nations as the director of a camp for Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees. Following that, he came to the United States and began PreMed studies. Seeing a need for healthier eating choices, Trirong opened the Touch of Thai Restaurant in Dixon, IL. He wanted to share the knowledge of natural healing, so fourteen years ago he began teaching at Sauk Valley Community College. Trirong also opened the Traditional Wellness Center in Dixon, which is a community center where he teaches Yoga, Tai Chi, Meditation and Breathing Therapy, and Thai Foot Massage. In addition, Trirong takes his teachings on the road as part of an outreach to the community sharing with civic groups, employee programs, arts programs, etc., where he teaches individually and small/large group settings. Trirong is currently working towards his PhD in Alternative Medicine and is focusing his studies on Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. He was the first person certified by the Thai government to teach Thai Massage, Yoga, and Pressure Points outside of the country. He is also certified to train Yoga teachers. Besides the Healing Arts, Trirong also teaches Muay Thai (a form of kickboxing). He teaches at the Muay Thai Academy in Dixon as well as other facilities in the community. Trirong travels internationally as an ambassador of the sport performing demonstrations. He is one of twenty two certified by the World Muay Thai Council to teach the ancient art. His students compete locally, nationally, and internationally. Trirong currently teaches the Tai Chi class at Woodlawn Arts Academy and will also be teaching Meditation and Breathing, Yoga, and Safe and in Shape this spring. Please check out our brochure or website or call the office if you are interested in signing up for any of these classes with Trirong.

Marcy Mead graduated from Northern Colorado University with a B.A. in Psychology.  She has two years training in Massage Therapy from Bolder School of Massage Therapy and 13 years experience as a practicing Massage Therapist.  Marcy started working at Woodlawn Arts Academy as the Yoga instructor in the winter of 2008. Marcy currently teaches Yoga on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. If you are interested in trying yoga, please stop by or call the office for more information in attending a class.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Woodlawn Arts Academy
3807 Woodlawn Road
Sterling, IL 61081

Office: 815-626-4ART (4278)

Fax: 815-626-2491

Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday 9:00am-8:00pm
Friday 9:00am-6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-Noon