2011

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President Ralph Opacic, Ed.D. (2011) Executive Director, Orange County High School of the Arts, Santa Ana, CA

1st Vice President Tim Wade (2011) Vice President of Student Affairs, Interlochen Center for the Arts,  Interlochen, MI

2nd Vice President Craig Collins, Ed.D. (2011) Principal, Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (Harrison School for the Arts), Lakeland, FL

Secretary Rory Pullens (2011) CEO, Head of School, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC

Treasurer Bill Barrett (2011) Executive Director, Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design, San Francisco, CA

Immediate Past President Denise Davis-Cotton, Ed.D. (2011) College of Education, Argosy University, Sarasota, FL, Founder Detroit School of Arts, MI

DIRECTORS

R. Scott Allen, Ed.D. (2012) Principal, Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, TX

Douglas Ashcraft, D.M.A. (2012) Dean of the Arts, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Idyllwild, CA

Kim Bruno (2012) Principal, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, New York, NY

Jackie Collins (2012) Principal, Idaho Arts Charter School, Nampa, ID

Jackie Cornelius (2011) Principal, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Executive Director of Fine Arts for the Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL

Patricia Decker (2011) Director of Recruitment, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY

Dorothy Marshall Englis (2011) Chair, Conservatory of Theatre Arts, Webster University, St. Louis, MO

David A. Flatley (2012) Executive Director, Center for Community Arts Partnerships, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL

Roy Fluhrer, Ph.D. (2011) Director, Fine Arts Center, Greenville, SC

Donn K. Harris (2011) Executive Director and Artistic Director Oakland School for the Arts, Oakland, CA

Suzy Highland, Ed.D. (2012) Academic Counselor, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts|Riverfront, New Orleans, LA

Pamela Jordan (2012) Head of School, Chicago Academy for the Arts, Chicago, IL

Carol Kim (2012) Vice President of International Relations CalArts, Valencia, CA

William Kohut (2012) Principal, Denver School of the Arts Denver, CO

Mary Martha Lappe (Founding Director) Executive Director, HSPVA Friends, The High School for Performing & Visual Arts, Houston, TX

Terri Milsap (2012) Principal, Chicago High School for the Arts, Chicago, IL

Scott Rudes, Ph.D. (2012) Principal, Orange Grove Middle Magnet School of the Arts, Tampa, FL

Tom Sherry (2011) Architect, AIA, LEED, AP, Design Principal, Hamilton Anderson Associates, Detroit, MI

Board Bios

Scott Allen, Ed.D., is the principal of Houston ISD's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Allen earned his BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Directing from Texas State University in San Marcos, and his master's in educational administration and doctorate in educational leadership from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. His dissertation title was Fine Arts and Student Academic Success in Texas: A Critical Examination. Allen's background includes theatre work in New York and community theatre throughout Texas. He has been a high school classroom teacher in speech, theatre, oral interpretation, radio/television/film, and English, and has served as an assistant principal and principal at the elementary level. He worked at the Region 4 Education Service Center, training aspiring principals for a year before coming to HSPVA.

Douglas Ashcraft, D.M.A., is Idyllwild Arts Academy's Dean of the Arts. A pianist, Ashcraft has performed to acclaim in recitals and concerts throughout the United Sates and in Europe. A winner of many competitions, he began his formal training as a student of Aldo Mancinelli. Master’s and doctoral degrees followed at the University of Southern California where he worked with pianist John Perry. During those summers he participated in classes at the Aspen Music Festival and the Holland Music Sessions in Alkmaar, Netherlands studying with pianists John O'Conor, Marie Francoise Bucquet, and Gyorgy Sandor. He was invited to perform in a recital at Amsterdam's famed Concertgebouw. Ashcraft is also an active chamber musician and has performed in recitals at Carnegie Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, London's Wigmore Hall, and Jacqueline Du Pre Hall at Oxford University in England. Ashcraft's performing career has included radio broadcasts on New York's WQXR and live chamber music recitals on KKGO, KMZT, and KUSC in Los Angeles, and BBC Radio 3 in London.

Bill Barrett has been the executive director of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design (AICAD) since 1994. Previously, Barrett was president of San Francisco Art Institute (1987-1994), dean at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC (1981-1987), and held administrative positions at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City (1970-1981), where he became the assistant dean. Bill earned a BFA in industrial design from Rhode Island School of Design and an MA in higher education from New York University. A past president and a life fellow of NASAD, the art and design accrediting body, he has chaired a dozen accreditation visiting teams, served on numerous NASAD and CAA conference panels, and been a consultant to a half dozen art schools. Over the past 39 years he has developed a keen interest in the history, structures, functioning, evolution, and well being of independent art schools. Barrett is a trustee of the Oxbow School in Napa, CA, Treasurer of the Arts Schools Network, and a representative to the Secretariat of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Washington.

Kim Bruno;  Since 2002, Kim Bruno has been the principal for the F. H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York, NY, where her accomplishments include partnerships with such organizations as American Ballet Theater, Carnegie Hall, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Joffrey Ballet, and Metropolitan Opera. The school, which serves 2,500 students, is recognized by US News and World Report as one of America's Best High Schools. Previously, Bruno was the assistant principal for performing arts (1997-2001) and the performing arts coordinator (1993-1997) for Professional Performing Arts School, New York, N.Y., where she developed and supervised a program that combined academic work with intensive arts instruction at professional New York City arts institutions. She also created the ABC Players (Artists Bringing Change), a touring theatre ensemble created to educate teens on social issues that appeared on networks including ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and MTV. Bruno earned a MA in educational theatre from New York University, a BA in theatre from Hunter College, and a professional diploma in administration/supervision from Fordham University.

Craig S. Collins, Ed.D., has served in education for twenty-nine years.  He has served as a principal for sixteen years, having both elementary and secondary experience, and is in his eleventh year at Harrison School for the Arts.  He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida (B.M.E.), where he also earned the Performer’s Certificate in Saxophone, was a member of Florida Blue Key Honor Fraternity, and drum major for the UF Marching Band. He obtained both his master’s degree and doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida. In 1987, he served as the Junior High Representative for the Florida Bandmaster’s Association.  While serving as a junior high band and choral director, his groups at Kathleen Junior High, Lakeland Highlands Junior High, and Lake Gibson Jr. High earned straight superior ratings.  Dr. Collins continues to adjudicate for FBA Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment and presides over the selection of the Arts Achieve! Model School awards through the Florida Alliance for Arts Education. Memberships include the Association of School Based Administrators, Florida Association of School Administrators, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Arts Schools Network, Florida Network of Arts Administrators (Past President), and the Florida Bandmasters Association.

Jackie Collins, is the executive director and principal of Idaho Arts Charter School. Collins received her undergraduate degree in speech and political science from the University of Idaho, an M.A. in special education from Boise State University and an Ed.S. in administration from the University of Idaho. She has been involved with public education for over 30 years. She has taught special education, and lead students to award winning speech and debate events, and was named Idaho's Teacher of the Year. When she started a new lottery based K-12 charter school, her solid background in teacher made her aware of the challenges, and was responsible for planning and integrating everything from student lunches, bussing, contracts and who would take out the trash. Idaho Arts Charter School (IACS) has met annual yearly goals, continues to grow in arts and academics despite its location in a low socio-economic area, and is the first exposure to the arts for many students. IACS gives their first exposure to the arts to many students. The school features arts integrated classes for the lower elementary and arts academies for the middle and high school. When Idaho Charter School started, it was housed in mobile units and an old church building. 2007-08 Jackie and her team were instrumental in putting together a plan to purchase an existing school and design an arts addition so the school could have a permanent facility. Her team was able to secure 7.5 million in bonds from investors and their dream school was complete. Collins has presented at schools and conferences techniques in arts integration, school management, and charter school start up plans. She and her staff have been the recipients of over $300,000 in grants from the Albertson Foundation to promote creativity and charter schools and was also a recipient of $500,000 from the Idaho State Department of Education and the Federal Government to support charter schools and disseminate best practices to charter and public schools.

Jackie Cornelius is the executive director of fine arts for the Duval County School District, which serves over 124,000 students in Jacksonville, FL. She is also the principal of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts (DA) and has served as a nationally recognized arts education advocate and presenter for decades. Her charge at DA is to provide intensive arts education to talented, passionate students and implement quality arts professional development for teachers district wide. Over the years, Cornelius has spearheaded numerous financial campaigns to underwrite critically needed arts funding; one such campaign successfully netted over 13 million in state funding for DA, while another secured a half million in private funding for the purchase of arts instruments, equipment and guest artist programs. She recently implemented a pilot collaboration program among the seven district specialized arts schools; last August the district was awarded a federal arts professional development grant of one million. Cornelius is an active community participant. She is currently a trustee for the Jacksonville Community Music School, a board member of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, and a member of Jacksonville's Public Arts Commission Board of Directors. She is a Downtown Jacksonville Rotary member and Leadership Jacksonville Alumni, '92. Cornelius has served on numerous arts and community boards: the Jacksonville Women's Network, the Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women, the Gateway Girl Scout Council, the Mayor's Insight Committee, the Jacksonville Symphony Education Committee, and Youth Leadership Jacksonville. She is a past president of Uptown Civitans, First Coast Business & Professional Women's Club, and the Arts Schools Network, and is a past director of the BPW Florida Education Foundation. Under Cornelius's leadership, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has received many national and state awards. It has been named a Grammy Gold Signature School, a Florida Distinguished School, a Best Academic High School by Newsweek, a 2009 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools in America Gold Medal School, and a 2008 Exemplary School by the Arts Schools Network. DA is a National Essentially Duke Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition winner and its theatre department has performed at the prestigious Edinburgh, Scotland Mini Fringe Arts Festival. Cornelius has been awarded the University of Florida's Distinguished Principal Award, the Florida Times Union News Eve Award, the Florida Alliance for Arts Education Leadership Award, the Florida Association of Administrators 2008 Arts Administrator of the Year Award, the Florida State Thespians 2009 Administrator of the Year Award for Outstanding Leadership, the Jacksonville Arts Assembly Outstanding Arts Educator Award; the Gateway Girl Scout Council Woman of Distinction Award, the Florida Association of Theatre Educators 2008 Outstanding Administrator of the Year, and the Duval Arts Teachers' Association Outstanding Principal of the Year Award.

Dr. Denise Davis Cotton, Ed.D., a Milken Foundation internationally recognized educator, made a historic contribution to Detroit's educational and cultural renaissance as the principal and founder of Detroit School of Arts (DSA). In June 2006, the Detroit News named her Michiganian of the Year. Her dream of teaching performing arts to inner-city school children evolved to the founding of what many believe will become an icon of cultural education throughout the country. Through Dr. Cotton's leadership, DSA provided an environment where academics and arts were not only recognized, but also revered. DSA gained AYP status and was recognized as a bronze medal school by Newsweek magazine. As a result of her vision and leadership, DSA was named a Blue Ribbon School and received the Kennedy Center Creative Ticket National School of Distinction Award. Although she is now retired from Detroit School of Arts, Davis-Cotton continues to be an advocate for arts integration and arts inclusion along the K-12 academic continuum. Her awards and citations are too numerous to list individually. Davis-Cotton earned a doctorate from Wayne State University, a master's from the University of Montevallo, and a bachelor's of science from Alabama State University.

Patricia Decker is the director of recruitment at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She started her career at Tisch in the department of undergraduate drama, first as the internship coordinator, then as the coordinator of the summer high school drama program. After that she served as the manager of admissions and applicant services for ten years.Decker is also a writer, performer, and producer who has worked in both Philadelphia and New York at venues including the Wilma Theatre, The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Big Mess Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, the Manhattan Theatre Club, Theatre Communications Group, Teleotheater, and SPF. She has performed her own work at Dixon Place, CB's Gallery and Cornelia Street Café and is on the board of directors of Rabbit Hole Ensemble. Decker, who is also an accomplished tarot card reader, earned her BA in theatre from Temple University.

Dorothy Marshall Englis is the chair of the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University, where she is a full professor and recipient of the Kemper Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Missouri Governor's Award for Excellent in Teaching. A member of United Scenic Artists, she has been associated with The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis since 1979, where she has designed costumes for over 30 productions in addition to scenery and costumes for many Imaginary Theatre Company touring shows. Englis has also designed costumes for Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis and Stages, St. Louis productions. She was previously the president of the Webster University Faculty Senate and the director of Webster University's campus in London, England. Dottie earned her BA in drama and English from Tufts University and her MFA in costume design from Carnegie-Mellon University.

David A. Flatley, the executive director of the Center for Community Arts Partnerships (CCAP) at Columbia College Chicago, has over 15 years experience in developing and implementing educational and intercultural initiatives to improve teacher practice and student achievement and affect whole-school change. His work supports both national and international groups, including the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Educational Authority as they work to replicate the arts integration model developed by Flatley and his team through the Chicago Teacher's Center in the 1990s. This relationship is now being transferred and formalized through Columbia. He was instrumental in advancing the work of arts integration in the city through his work with the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) and the Chicago Annenberg Challenge. Prior to delving into arts education, he worked in development and management with the Cincinnati Ballet, the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, and Pegasus Players Theatre in Chicago. He has an MA in arts administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BS in business administration from the University of Illinois-Champaign. Flatley received his practitioner's certification in intercultural communications through the Intercultural Communications Institute in Portland, OR in 2001. He currently serves on the Americans for the Arts' Arts Education Council, the Illinois Federation for Community Schools Board, the Arts Schools Network Board, and the CAPE Advisory Board. He is a jazz pianist and writer. He learned French while living in Brussels, Belgium for nearly four years, where he taught English, directed theatre, and played piano for the three American Embassies.

Roy S. Fluhrer, Ph.D., Director of Greenville County School District's Fine Arts Center since 1989, received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, and his master's and doctoral degrees from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He served as the managing and artistic director of The Toledo Repertoire Theatre from 1966 to 1978. From 1978 to 1988 he was on the faculty at the University of Idaho, serving as chair of the theatre department, president of the faculty senate, founder of the Idaho Repertoire Theatre and, from 1985 to 1988 as an assistant to the president of the University. In 1988 he was named the vice chancellor for arts and academics at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Fluhrer came to Greenville in 1989 as the director of The Fine Arts Center, South Carolina's first school for the gifted and talented in the literary, visual, and performing arts. He has served as president of the South Carolina Arts Alliance, where he remains on the board. He is currently serving as the immediate past president of Arts Schools Network. Fluhrer was awarded the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award in 2008, South Carolina's highest arts award, the Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts in 2006, the South Carolina Dance Association Dance Advocacy Award in 2006, the Metropolitan Arts Council Visionary Award in 2004, and the Arts Advocate of the Year by the South Carolina Art Education Association in 2000. He was the recipient of Arts Schools Network's Jeffrey Lawrence Award in 2008.

Donn K. Harris was appointed the executive director of the Oakland School for the Arts by former California governor Jerry Brown in November 2007. Prior to that, Harris had been the principal of the renowned San Francisco School of the Arts for seven years. He holds an MA in theater arts from California State University at Los Angeles, and teaching credentials in English, drama and special education with an emphasis on students with emotional disturbance. Harris has taught in diverse environments ranging from high performing schools to incarcerated youth in juvenile hall. He has also been part of many innovative educational initiatives, including outdoor education programs for at-risk youth and the development of a high school teaching academy. Harris first became a school administrator in 1994 when he was appointed dean of students at Galileo High School in San Francisco. He received his administrative credentials from San Francisco State University and through advanced training with the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). He has been a guest lecturer in the administrative training programs at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Harris also serves as the advisory board chair for the East Bay International Youth Film Festival. In 2006, he became the founding principal of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in San Francisco, an alternative arts-focused school that brings high-level arts programs to inner city youth. An Air Force veteran, passionate traveler and firm believer in the power of the arts to inspire creativity and innovation in all areas of life, Harris comes to the Arts School Network board with great enthusiasm for making an impact on the national dialogue around educational reform.

Suzy Highland, Ed.D., the academic counselor at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), has served as a certified school counselor and a licensed professional counselor in public and private schools her entire career. After earning her doctorate from Auburn University in 1988, she designed and implemented an alternative high school program in Montgomery, Alabama. The following year she became the first counselor at a magnet arts high school, the Carver Creative and Performing Arts Center and later facilitated change as CCPAC evolved into Booker T Washington Magnet High School, a comprehensive full day arts high school, which is still viable today. In 2000 she became the dean of student services at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, a regional arts center for talented students in Louisiana. At NOCCA, Dr. Highland has supervised the student services and instructional programs, helped fine tune the application/audition process and has guided the growth of after school, Saturday, and summer programs. As academic counselor, she serves the students from over 150 schools in 13 parishes during the school year and helps direct the summer arts day and residential programs for students statewide. She is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, and the Louisiana Association of School Executives and has been an active Network participant since 1990.

Pamela Jordan joined Chicago Academy for the Arts (CAA) in 1990. Over the years, she moved through the ranks from music department chair to principal. In 2002, Jordan was appointed to her current position, head of school. Jordan is establishing CAA as the premiere independent arts high school in the State of Illinois. CAA was the only school in Illinois to receive the 2005 Creative Ticket Award for Excellence from the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education. And in 2006, CAA became the only independent arts high school in the nation to be designated a National School of Distinction by the John F. Kennedy Center's Alliance for the Arts Education Network. Jordan holds a bachelor's of music from Phillips University and a master's of education from Northeastern Illinois University. Currently, she is a resource panelist for the School of the Arts, Singapore, an officer on the board of directors of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, and on the faculty of the Institute for New Heads of School with the National Association of Independent Schools. Additionally, Jordan is president of the Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools.

Carol Kim is the dean of enrollment management at CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) where she oversees the office of admissions, financial aid and registrar. Before joining the CalArts community, she was the director of recruitment at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Ms. Kim has over 14 years of experience in college admissions and financial aid at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and has presented at several national conferences about the college selection process. Kim comes from a dance background; she has performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, was a member of Antigravity (a gymnastics and dance performance company), and has competed nationally and internationally as a rhythmic gymnast. She was also invited to and trained at the US Olympic Training Center. Kim attended LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in NYC and received her bachelors and masters degrees from New York University. In 2008, she was selected to participate in Harvard School of Graduate Education's Institute for Management and Leadership in Education.

William Kohut was appointed the principal of the Denver School of the Arts in May of 2009. Denver School of the Arts is a 6-12 grade school that has been recognized as one of the top high schools in America by US News and World Report. Prior to that, Kohut had been the principal of South High School, a National AVID Demonstration School for 8 years. He holds a bachelor of music education degree from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, and a MA in school administration from the University of Phoenix. Kohut has taught in, and served as an administrator in environments ranging from a rural school to a magnet school for English language learners. Kohut's first position as a school administrator was as director of student activities at South High School in the Denver Public Schools. In addition to his service in the public schools, he was an adjunct instructor of music education at Metropolitan State College of Denver for eight years. His musical background includes serving as the music director of the Denver Community Concert Band and assistant conductor of the Colorado Youth Pops Orchestra. (He conducted this orchestra as the opening act for the Boston Pops Orchestra, led by Keith Lockhart in a 1996 National Holiday Tour.) His arts leadership experience includes serving on the Colorado Department of Education Fine Arts Advisory Council and the task force that authored the first version of the Colorado Model Content Standards for Music. He is an active member of the board of directors for the Colorado Music Educators Association. Kohut has given numerous presentations on music education at state and national conferences. Since 2005, Kohut has served on the Colorado High School Activities Association State Music Committee and served in the role of chair from 2002-04. In addition to his arts experience, Kohut has strong leadership experience as an administrator having actively worked as a partner with the College Board to implement a strong college readiness system at South High School and bringing South High to national recognition as a National AVID Demonstration school.

Mary Martha Lappe has over four decades experience in public education and the arts. She has chaired dance programs at James Madison University, Louisiana State University, and the University of Houston. In 1971, she left the faculty at University of Houston to help start Houston's School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She remained at HSPVA where she chaired the Department of Dance for 25 years. In 1997, she became the first Executive Director of HSPVA Friends, a private, nonprofit organization. In the past few years, under Mrs. Lappe's direction, HSPVA Friends has raised over $5 million in private support for young artists in the Greater Houston Area and special arts projects at HSPVA. Her accolades in the arts and education include: National Distinguished Teacher of the Arts, Coca-Cola Foundation Outstanding Teacher, Presidential Distinguished Teacher Award four times, Outstanding High School Teacher in Texas, HSPVA's Distinguished Artist, and Texas Woman's University's Distinguished Alumna. She is a founding director of the Arts Schools Network.

Terri Milsap, principal of ChiArts, the Chicago High School for the Arts, was a high school teacher for 11 years and a principal of a Chicago charter school for two years. She has an MA in school leadership from Concordia University, a BA in English education from Governors State University and a BA in speech communications from Illinois State University. She is currently working toward her EdD in the nationally recognized Urban School Leadership program at the University of Illinois-Chicago. In addition to school leadership and teaching, Milsap has experience in school reform, charter renewal, curriculum development, and entrepreneurship. Milsap is a member of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and serves on the Board of the Arts Schools Network.

Ralph S. Opacic, Ed.D., founder of the award winning Orange County High School of the Arts in 1987, currently serves as president and executive director. He is credited with assembling the finest artist-teachers and academic instructors in Southern California and creating an opportunity for young performing and visual artists to develop their talents to their greatest potential. Under Opacic's leadership, the Orange County High School of the Arts has received top honors and recognition for excellence in both arts and academic education. Most recently, the school has been named a 2009 California Distinguished School and a 2009 US News and World Report Best High Schools in America Silver Medal recipient. The school has also been recognized as a 2006 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education, and received the 2004-2005 Creative Ticket National School of Distinction Award from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education and the Arts Schools Network's 2006 Exemplary School Award. In 2007, Opacic was honored with the prestigious Artistic Visionary Cultural Legacy Award from Arts Orange County for his continued efforts in support of arts education. Students enrolled in the school's tuition free, donation dependent arts conservatory programs have had the opportunity to study with an inspiring caliber of guest artists and master teachers, including Francis Ford Coppola, Bebe Neuwirth, Steven Mercurio, Matt Morrison, and more. The school is renowned for its creative, challenging and nurturing environment, and currently serves more than 1,550 students in grades 7-12 from more than 100 cities throughout Southern California.

Rory Pullens is the head of school/chief executive officer at the nationally renowned Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Previously Pullens spent over a decade as an arts administrator, including serving as the arts principal and director of academic affairs at the Denver School of the Arts, assistant principal of the Los Angeles Arts Academy, and arts director of the Smith Renaissance School of the Arts in Denver, a school he designed as the first elementary arts school in Denver Public Schools. His entertainment credits span nearly two decades, including writer/producer of the award winning stage production The Choice is Yours starring Mabel King, and a series of original work stage productions he penned: Deadline, Taken!, Common Dust that toured primarily in west coast theatrical venues. Pullens has served in production and script editing for various Hollywood ventures, working with Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats), casting director Jaki Brown, Lou Diamond Phillips, James Edwards Olmos, (Stand and Deliver), Ron Glass, Desmond Wilson on HBO's The New Odd Couple and NBC's A Different World. He was the chief operating officer/executive producer of USGL Corporation, a national sports/entertainment corporation, whose work was featured in VIBE and Sports Illustrated magazines.

Scott Rudes, Ph.D., the principal at Orange Grove Middle Magnet School of the Arts in Tampa, Florida, was previously the assistant principal for magnet curriculum at Howard W. Blake High School of the Arts, where he was responsible for the entire fine arts magnet program. Under his leadership, the program expanded from 650 students to over 850 students, and the curricular program was redesigned to include expanded offerings in theatre and media production. Prior to becoming an administrator, Rudes served as the director of orchestral studies at Bloomingdale High School. During that time, the orchestra program expanded to almost 150 students in 4 separate orchestras. Under his direction, the orchestra program received Superior ratings at both the District and State Music Performance Assessments on numerous occasions.Rudes currently serves as the past-president of the Florida Orchestra Association (FOA) and is active as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the state of Florida. He is also the incoming President of the Florida Network of Arts Administrators (FNAA). He continues his involvement in music as a church music director, a certified judge with the FOA, and a passionate advocate for arts education.

Tom Sherry serves as Design Principal at Hamilton Anderson Associates, where he is responsible for directing architecture and urban design projects in education, hospitality, and the arts. Recent projects include the Detroit School of Arts, Wayne State University Welcome Center, and MGM Grand Detroit. Tom is also an instrumental resource to the University of Michigan's Detroit Studio HS, exposing high school students to careers in design.

Tim Wade is the vice president for student affairs, for Interlochen Center for the Arts where is responsible for student services, including residence life, student discipline, recreation, counseling, health, and wellness for both the Interlochen Arts Academy and Interlochen Arts Camp. Wade has been with Interlochen since 1979, beginning as a guidance counselor for the Arts Academy. He has served as director of the counselor-in-training program for the Arts Camp ('83-'86), assistant director of Interlochen Arts Academy ('89-'91), dean of student services ('92-'98), and dean of education ('98-'99) and vice president for education programs and services ('00-'07). Prior to joining Interlochen, Wade was a classroom teacher at Marshall Middle School in Marshall, Mich. for seven years served as a guidance counselor. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, where he earned a BA in elementary education/history/English and an MA in counseling and personnel. He has been a licensed professional counselor since 1993. For the past six years Wade has served on the board of directors for the Arts Schools Network as chair of the communications committee, treasurer and second vice president. He is also a board member for the Michigan Youth Arts Association and has served on the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. He has served on the boards of the Traverse City Kiwanis Club and Pathfinder School. Wade is married to Vicki, an elementary educator; they are the parents of two daughters, both educators.