Instructors and Administrators
Administrators
Sheri M. Bestor, Founder and President
Scott Bestor, Vice President
Paula Christensen, Program Director
Angela Mack, Marketing Director
Debbie Knuth, Marketing for Stagekids Productions
Christena Austin, Registrar
Sue Cibulka, Office Manager, Bookeeping
Kathleen Fictum, Dance Department Director
Becky Jenkins, Grants and Fundraising
Instructors
Meet our highly qualified instructors. A complete list with more information is here (pdf).
Jennifer, a theatre graduate from UW-Milwaukee, garnered national attention for her acting by being nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan Award. She’s served in practically every capacity–from vocal coach to director–behind the scenes of NSAA productions.
Sheri Bestor
Sheri earned her BA in Elementary Education from UW-Madison. She has experience teaching in the Cedarburg School District, has earned her MA in Curriculum and Instruction and is an experienced consultant, drama instructor and theatre director. Sheri is the Founder and President of the organization.
Karen Bulgerin
Karen has a degree in art education from UW-Eau Claire. She has taught preschool for many years. This is her first year working at NSAA. She enjoys introducing children to all aspects of art.
Paula D. Christensen
Paula is a freelance artist with her own studio, Paula’s Palette. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and has taught at many locations including MIAD, the Milwaukee Art Museum and The Wustum Art Museum. Paula is the Program Director for NSAA.
Kathleen Fictum
KATHLEEN M. FICTUM Kathleen Fictum graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2008, earning her Bachelor of the Arts-Dance Degree with in the Peck School of the Arts. Since 2003 she has been instructing & choreographing dance for schools, studios and dance/cheer teams in the greater Milwaukee area. Her repertoire includes ballet, jazz, tap, modern, lyrical, hip hop, break dancing, dance team, partnering and aerobics. In 2004 UW-Milwaukee noted her talent and hired her to instruct aerobic dance as a freshman. Her passion to choreograph and teach has also expanded into musical theatre, having co-directed and choreographed High School Musical I & II, Bye Bye Birdie, Annie, Willy Wonka, and many others.
Currently Kathleen is the NSAA dance department director, head musical choreographer, and head coach of Ozaukee Elite. She also sits as president of 8 Count: Professional Dance Instruction & Choreography, expert instructor and dance competition judge for HYPE Cheer & Dance Inc, lead instructor for Performing Arts Spring Grove, IL, and as the head coach of the Nicolet High School Dance Team and the Illinois Velocity All-Stars.
Jenny Frontier
Jenny received a Masters of Science in Speech and Language Pathology from Marquette University in 1999. She worked for Milwaukee Public Schools for four years, providing therapy to children in Early Childhood through eighth grade. She has sold her work at local art shows and galleries in the Cedarburg area.
Lisa Golda, NSAA voice instructor, specializes in training that emphasizes vocal technique, dramatic preparation, and confidence building! Lisa has performed professionally as an opera singer with Portland Opera, Seattle Opera, and Chicago Opera Playhouse. She is looking forward to making her first appearance with Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee in fall of 2011, where she has already performed leading roles to critical acclaim/vocal directed in a variety of storefront theatres including Carte Blanche Studios, The Boulevard Ensemble Studio, Off the Wall, and Soulstice.
Lisa is also a Teaching Artist for Chicago Opera Theatre, a regular columnist for the national Classical Singer Magazine, music director at Unity Church-Sheboygan, and adjunct voice faculty at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She has a Milwaukee voice studio, the Vox Box, located at the Marian Center for Non-Profits, and also teaches in Sheboygan. Lisa earned an MM in vocal performance from Indiana University School of Music, repeatedly rated #1 music school in the nation along with Juilliard by US News and World Report. Her students’ accomplishments include scholarship acceptance to Interlochen Arts Academy and St. Norbert’s music programs, internships with First Stage Children’s Theatre in Milwaukee, professional work in movies, resort revues, and theatre including Ravinia Festival, Victorian Village (Elkhart Lake), and the Mill St. Singers (Plymouth), featured roles in area community theatres, and recognition in events such as the John Michael Kohler Arts Center Senior Honors Recital. Lisa enjoys working with teens and adults of all ages to maximize their artistic potential. To read reviews, see performance pics, or hear from parents and students regarding Lisa’s teaching, visit www.lisagolda.com .
Barb Gould
Barb graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Elementary Education and Area of Concentration in music. She is certified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade and has taught over 20 years with experience in all grade levels, including early childhood.
Anthony Gross
Anthony has studied under Jack Grassell and other well respected musicians from Southeast Wisconsin. His unique approach to guitar instruction helps students develop skills quickly, which gets them up and playing, while keeping it fun!
Kathryn Heling, Deborah Hembrook
Kathryn and Deborah have published ten books for children. When not writing, Kathryn works as a school psychologist and Deborah enjoys teaching Kindergarten. Learn more about Kathryn and Deborah by visiting their website, www.helinghembrook.com.
Sara Hernandez
Sara joined the Mad Hot Ballroom program at Danceworks, Inc. in their first season teaching five schools. Passionate about what the program stood for, she was invited into the studio on an administrative level. She will continue teaching the programs she’s currently involved with while running the Danceworks Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap Program as the new Project Manager.
Amelia Kamholz
Amelia graduated from Concordia University with a degree in Music and Theatre. She has performed in numerous plays, musicals and sang in the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus. She teaches classes in Theatre, Musical Theatre and gives private lessons in Piano, Voice and Oboe.
Susan Kamholz
Susan has trained at variety of schools including the Chicago Art Institute, The Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies of St. Peters College, Oxford University. She has found NSAA to be a perfect haven to not only perfect certain elements of her own craft but an opportunity to share her experiences through teaching.
Debbie Knuth
Debbie has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and is a state certified teacher for the elementary grades. She taught 4th and 5th grade in the Cedarburg School District for several years. She has been directing the NSAA Stagekid’s musicals for the past 9 years and has been the Associate Producer for NSAA’s musicals for 2 years.
Erik Knuth
Erik began his study of Yoga with Pandit Rajamani, a Master Yogi from India, at age 21 and has been practicing Raja Yoga for the past 13 years. A certified Massage Therapist specializing in Neuromuscular Therapy, Erik applies his knowledge of the body into his teaching.
Felice Leib
Felice is a director with a BA in Theater from California State University at Northridge. She has directed musicals with children ranging from grades K-4 through 8 for 10 years. She works as a performer in both the community and professional theater settings, creating a great combination of energy and creativity.
Angie Mack
Angie Girton Mack | Create Your Badge
Angie has 16+ years of experience in the performing arts industry. She is a performing arts instructor and the Marketing Director for NSAA. Angela is also a Blues Foundation Educator and an award-winning music historian on the topic of Paramount Records. She has worked with New Orleans-based playwright Kevin Ramsey on two musicals involving the “race records” created in this area in the 1920s and 30s: Grafton City Blues which premiered at the Milwauke Repertory Theater and Chasin’ Dem Blues at the Delaware Theatre Company. Last NSAA season, she was “Narrator” in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She recently starred as “Motormouth Maybelle” in Hairspray. Her local music history website is http://paramountshome.org
Kari is a talented craft sperson specializing in a variety of craft mediums including Stepping Stones. She has taught at NSAA for the past 6 years. She exhibits her art work at art fairs and boutiques throughout the state. She teaches privately and at NSAA.
Amelia Spierer
Amelia is currently on the voice faculty in the music department at Cardinal Stritch University. She teaches private voice lessons, as well as teaches the Ear Training and Sightsinging course sequence that is required for music majors at Stritch. She received her vocal training at UW-Madison and at Rutgers University.
Eric Swanson
Eric received his BS in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. He is a classically trained vocalist, guitarist and seasoned record producer. As a recording engineer and producer he has produced and mastered three albums has been a performer on many more.
Gretchen Will Mayo
Gretchen has published over seventy stories, biographies, and articles for children’s trade books, educational publishers, and magazine markets, appearing in Cricket and Highlights magazines and have been dramatized on Public Radio in the U.S. and Canada. She received a MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College.
Cindy Wellman
Cindy graduated from Hillsdale College, earning a degree in Education. She has been a classroom teacher teaching pre-school through high school. At a private school in Saukville, Cindy developed the Art program for K-8th grades. She is a student at Concordia University working on a Master’s Degree in Art Education.
Rob Wessel
Rob Wessel studied guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music for 9 years, in classes and lessons taught by the likes of David Hazeltine, Michael Sullivan, John Foshager, and Don Linke. At the National Guitar Workshop, Rob has studied guitar with Mike Keneally, Terry Syrek, Matt Smith, Harry Jacobson and other gifted teachers. Rob has been playing in local bands since the 80′s, as well as writing and recording music in his studio. Rob is an experienced guitar and bass instructor who has taught students in styles ranging from rock and metal to blues and folk as well as a recording and mix engineer for a number of local releases.
