Dr. Michael Newman

Dr. Newman graduated from Louisville Male High School and taught in Tennessee before starting his career with JCPS as a teacher at Western High School. He taught English for a year before becoming the assistant principal there in 2007. He  then served as the principal for seven years before transitioning to the State of Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet in February 2020. 

Bryan Crady, a trombonist and vocalist, has earned three degrees from the University of Louisville: a Bachelor of Music Education in 1993, Master of Education in Counseling in 2003, and an Educational Specialist Degree in 2008.  Having served as Assistant Principal at The Youth Performing Arts School since Fall 2008, he previously served as Guidance Counselor at DuPont Manual from 2003 -2008. He was the band director at Valley Traditional High School from 1997-2003, the band director at Iroquois High School from 1995-1997, and served as the interim band and choir director at Scottsburg High School in 1994. Mr. Crady has served as choir and music director in churches since 1990 and has performed in many musical productions during his career. He considers each day a privilege and joy to work with students and teachers who share his love for the arts and education. 

Cayce Crowder Abellard is a 2008 YPAS Alum,and has traveled in all 48 contiguous states to provide theatrical enrichment and education to youth ages 5-18 in communities both urban and rural. She earned a BA with Honors in Theatre and a Minor in Dance from Morehead State University, where she studied as a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship for accolades in Theater. During her 7 years in New York City, she worked not only as a Professional Actor, but with ‘The Leadership Program’ as a Teaching Artist, a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Federal Grant Site Coordinator, and ultimately as a Community School Director in several NYC Public Schools establishing arts enrichment for schools. Cayce is passionate about impacting staff, students, and families in a positive light, hoping to uplift and enable success for all. She has two boys, Beaux (2) and Xavier (1), who keep her and her husband Kharl very busy. We welcome her back to the YPAS/Manual family.

Jasmine Romans Joined us in 2022.  Previously Ms. Romans was the BAC at duPont Manual.  We are excited to have her input and guidance for our students.

 Gail Douglas began working for JCPS in July 2004 as a substitute processing applications for Nutritional Services. She then moved on to work for Western High School as a clerk for the Assistant Principal's Office. Gail joined the YPAS staff in August 2009 as a school clerk for the counselor's office. Prior to working for JCPS, Gail worked as a Administrative Assistant for a injection molding company, as well as helping her husband run a dump trucking business.

 Amanda Gissendaner

Kimberly Haddox

Savanna McFarlan
Savanna McFarlan is a 2014 YPAS Alum and has been with JCPS since 2020 as a technology lead. She is a college graduate from Jacksonville University. She obtained her Bachelors of the Fine Arts in Dance with Magna Cum Laude, Dean’s Honors, and as a member of Alpha Psi Omega Theater and Dance Honors Society Phi Iota Cast. APO helped her branch into the musical theater world choreographing/performing in multiple cabaret fund raisers, and musicals. Durning her freshman year she helped establish the Jacksonville Sirens Dance Team which now holds Division 1 Athlete titles. While attending JU she received academic and talent-based scholarships, along with a Florida Dance Intensive scholarship. Savanna performed at the High School Dance Festival for 2 years and the American College Dance Festival for 4 years. As a Louisville native, she graduated as Dance Major of the Year from YPAS and trained at the University of Louisville Dance Academy for 10 years. Savanna is currently performing, teaching, and choreographing many genres of dance, and has a passion for freelance modeling.

Joe Shrewsbury joined the YPAS staff in 2002. Prior to that, he spent seven years as head of maintenance at the Archdiocese of Louisville.  In his spare time, Joe enjoys making hand-crafted items. 

Mario Galenski
Aaron McCullogh
 

Jon Palmer

 Deris Cox

Dr. Kevin Callihan, Director of Bands

Jason Gregory is in is 19th year of teaching and 12th year at duPont Manual HS and the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, KY. Mr.Gregory currently serves as the Assistant Director of Bands and the Director of Percussion Studies for the Youth Performing Arts School. He also serves as the Director of Athletic Bands for duPont Manual High School which includes a competitive marching band, basketball pep band and a newly formed winter color guard training program. His teaching responsibilities at YPAS include or have included Percussion Ensemble, Chamber Ensemble, Intermediate Woodwinds, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Conductor of the Pit Orchestra and Music Theory I. Mr. Gregory oversees all aspects of the woodwind and percussion curriculum at YPAS. In addition, he has taught AP Music Theory and Jazz Ensemble at previous schools. Since taking over the YPAS Percussion Ensemble full time in 2013, the ensemble was selected to perform at the KMEA state music conference (2014) with guest artist Michael Burritt of the Eastman School of Music, won the large ensemble division of the Black Swamp HS Percussion Ensemble competition (2015), was a featured ensemble at the Music for All/Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival (2016) and was selected to perform at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic (2017). In addition the YPAS percussion program averages 4-6 percussionists in KY All-State Ensembles each year.

Mr. Gregory also serves as freelance percussionist, arranger and adjudicator throughout the state of Kentucky and Indiana. Over the years, he has performed with the Louisville Orchestra, the Owensboro Symphony and the Evansville Symphony.  While with the Louisville Orchestra, he performed with numerous artists including Luciano Pavarotti, Martina McBride, Frank Sinatra Jr, the Spinners and David Clayton Thomas of Blood Sweat & Tears. He is currently a member of the Chamber Winds of Louisville Concert Band, a community ensemble conducted by Dr. Frederick Speck, the Director of Bands at the University of Louisville.The ensemble recently performed at the 2013 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and at the KMEA Music Conference in 2012. Prior to becoming a band director, Mr. Gregory served as a clinician for Yamaha “Sounds of Summer” Camps, taught percussion for numerous high school percussion programs and served as a Percussion Caption Head for a Senior Drum & Bugle Corps. Currently, he serves as a music, visual and percussion adjudicator for various KMEA sanctioned marching band festivals, concert band festival and Solo and Ensemble adjudicator throughout the state of Kentucky and Southern Indiana. As a percussion arranger, he has written for two Senior Drum & Bugle Corps, the University of Louisville and for numerous high school programs in the surrounding area including his own band program.

Mr. Gregory is a graduate of the University of Louisville School of Music (BME 2001) where his principal percussion teachers were Chad Stoltenberg, James Rago, Greg Byrne and Michael Ferraracio.  He earned his Master Degree in Education from Indiana Wesleyan University (MED 2008).  His professional affiliations include the Kentucky Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, the Jefferson County Teachers Association and NAfME, the national association for music education.

Jason Gregory currently resides in Louisville, KY with his wife Nikki, 20 year old son Cole and 13 year old daughter Hope.

David Cesler is a native of Louisville, KY and a JCPS graduate. Mr. Cesler has over 30 years of professional performing experience. His career spans from ballet companies, Las Vegas production shows, cruise ship specialty act, and a finalist at the World Ballroom Championships in Blackpool, England. Mr. Cesler received his BA from WKU and earned his MFA from Hollins University. David enjoys sharing his experiences with the students in hope of inspiring our next generation of young dance artists.






Kimberly Mansilla









*Lora Ruttan began her dance training with the Laurel Ballet in Greensburg, PA, and went on to dance professionally with the Charleston Ballet Company in Charleston, WV. Ms. Ruttan graduated magna cum laude from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College (R-MWC) with a BA in dance.  She student taught at R-MWC while receiving her K-12 dance education licensure.  Ms. Ruttan received an MA in dance from American University where she also served as an adjunct faculty member and artist in residence.  Ms. Ruttan has studied at the Point Park Conservatory, the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Laban Dance Centre in London, England. She is happy to be teaching at YPAS.

Gyuli Kambarova, accompanist, is a classically trained pianist and composer who graduated from the prestigious Rostov State Rachmaninov Conservatory where she received a double Masters of Music, with honors, in Piano Performance and Music Composition.Her career began in Southern Russia where she composed, performed and taught. In 2010, she moved to Louisville, Kentucky. Her work in the United States includes performances at the University of Louisville School of Music, Youth Performing Arts School, Louisville Academy of Music, and other venues in Kentuckiana as a pianist and composer in collaboration with many of the gifted and talented musicians and dancers of the area. 

She has released three CDs: “Dreams” (2014), “My Way” (2016), and “Memories” (2018). These recordings include several different styles such as classical, romantic, jazz, contemporary, and cinematic. Mrs. Kambarova lives in Louisville and works at the University of Louisville School of Music, the Louisville Academy of Music, Youth Performing Arts School, and gives private piano and composition lessons at her own studio.

  *Amy Berry has been designing for YPAS since 2001.  After graduating from WKU with a BFA in Theatre, Amy worked as a Wardrobe Supervisor in several theaters from Buffalo to Daytona Beach.  After returning to Louisville, she received a MAT in Art from Spalding University and her Administration Certification from IUS.  As an YPAS alumnus (D&P), Amy has been a part of the YPAS family for many years and continues to be astounded at the abilities of our students and staff.  Some of her favorite designs have included Showboat, Seussical the Musical, Shrek, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Mary Stuart.





 Jen Groseth has been the lighting and sound designer at YPAS for the last six years and is privileged/honored to be working with such a talented group of students and faculty.  Jen received her BA in Theater from the University of Wisconsin, Eau-Claire and her MFAs in Lighting and Sound Design from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne. In her spare time Jen enjoys spending time with her furry family and working on odd projects.






 Alan Perez is a Louisville native, and very excited to be back home!  Before starting at YPAS, Alan worked as the Technical Director at Ball State University in Muncie, IN for 8 years.  Prior to that he worked as a Technical Rigger for Cirque du Soleil’s “O” in Las Vegas, and as Rigging Supervisor for MGM Resorts International.  He received a BA in Theatre and English from Hanover College in Hanover, IN, and his MFA in Technical Direction from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

Ascher Taylor-Schroeder

 Julie Evans has a BFA in Performing Arts/Dance from Western KY University and an MFA in Acting from the University of Louisville.  From 2013-2018, she was the dance teacher for Noe Middle School's Performing Arts Magnet, and Director/Choreographer of Noe's Fall Musicals.  She has been a resident dance teacher/choreographer for Stage One Family Theatre Summer Performance Camps (2013-2017.)  Performance credits include: Original cast "Orange Girl" (and cast recording) of Shout! the Mod Musical, Lola U/S (US Tour of Damn Yankees), Rizzo/Sandy (European Tour of Grease), Annie (Annie Get Your Gun), Victor/Victoria (Victor, Victoria!), Sonia (They're Playin' Our Song), Mother (Ragtime), Julie Jordan (Carousel), Nellie (South Pacific), Adelaide (Guys & Dolls), Irene (Crazy For You), Lily/Kate (Kiss Me, Kate), Judy Turner (A Chorus Line), Tzeitel (Fiddler on the Roof), Luisa (The Fantasticks), Kate (Taming of the Shrew), Iago (Othello - Women's Shakespeare Co., Brooklyn, NY), Maria (What You Will - Moonworks, Productions), and and many more. Other works include: Films: YERT- Your Environmental Road Trip (documentary), Second Serve and Voiceovers: Current 360.
 

Huadong Lu  grew up in Guangzhou, China. Upon graduation from the Guangzhou Conservatory of Music, he became a violinist of the Guangzhou Symphony and performed under many internationally acclaimed conductors. While attending Kent State University under full scholarship, he received a Masters of Music in violin performance and Masters of Arts in Teaching. He has performed with numerous orchestras around the world such as the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, and the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra. He started his teaching career in the US in the fall of 1993. Since then he has taught in public schools and youth symphonies in NE, NY, NC, SC, and colleges (Union College in Lincoln, NE; University of North Carolina at Pembroke). His public school orchestras consistently received top ratings at state performance assessments and were selected often to perform at state music conventions. He led his school orchestras and youth symphonies to perform in England and Scotland, Prague, in Europe; Soul, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Beijing, China. During each summer, he has been invited to guest conduct orchestra summer camps and to give master classes in Singapore, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and all over China.

Mr. Lu brings to the classroom 20+ years of professional experience and a passion for teaching young musicians

 *Dr. Matilda Ertz is a piano instructor at the Youth Performing Arts School and lecturer in music history at the University of Louisville School of Music where she also teaches piano and harpsichord. She has a PhD in Musicology from the University of Oregon with a supporting area in piano performance, as well as Master of Music Degrees in both Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She attended SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music for her undergraduate studies. Dr. Ertz has taught and performed on piano for over twenty years, and on harpsichord since 2004. As a harpsichordist, she has collaborated with William Carragan on recording and performing the keyboard works of Johann Mattheson, including a fringe concert at the Boston Early Music Festival in 2005. More recently, Dr. Ertz has performed in Louisville’s “Here and Now” concert series, featuring new music for the harpsichord by local composers at 21C Museum, and UofL's "Music eX" concert series, along with concerts of music new and old at variety of regional venues. She particularly enjoys playing continuo in Baroque ensemble music.

            As a musicologist also trained in dance, Dr. Ertz studies music and dance, particularly ballet music from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She has published research on George Balanchine, Schneitzhoeffer’s score to Filippo Taglioni’s La Sylphide, Nijinska’s and Stravinsky’s Les Noces, and Salvatore Viganò’s La Vestale. Recent research includes "Risorgimento Themes in Italian Ballets of the Nineteenth Century," and the 2016 article "Scoring the ballo fantastico: supernatural characters and their music in Italy’s ballets during the Risorgimento." Her dissertation, “Nineteenth-century Italian Ballet Music before National Unification: Sources, Style and Context,” covers largely uncharted territory in music and dance scholarship and draws on manuscripts from the Harvard Theatre Collection and the New York Public Library Research Collections. Ertz is the recipient of the 2011-2012 “John M. Ward Fellowship for Dance and Music for the Theatre” from the Houghton Library Visiting Fellowship Program at Harvard. Ertz is an active member of the American Musicological Society and its Music and Dance Study Group.

 *Katie Blackerby-Weible is in her 11th year on the theatre faculty at the Youth Performing Arts School.  Previously she was the Director of Education at Actors Theatre of Louisville.  As an instructor, she has been an adjunct faculty member at the University of Louisville and Jefferson Community College.  She has served on the musical theatre faculty with the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, as a voice and movement/musical theatre instructor at Walden Theatre, and as the drama specialist for the Kentucky Institute for Arts in Education. As an actor, she has performed extensively across the country.   Favorite Off-Broadway/regional credits include:

The Great Gilly Hopkins (New Victory Theater), Tom Sawyer (Promenade) HomeFires  (Jack Hiefner world premiere at Arkansas Repertory Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New York Renaissance Festival), The Imaginary Invalid (Idaho Repertory Theater), and Hello Dolly! (Galveston Island Musicals).  She has appeared at Actors Theatre of Louisville and STAGE ONE in several productions over the past twenty years. Favorite directing credits include Bang Bang You’re Dead, 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, 13 the Musical, Little Women, and Shrek the Musical at YPAS; A Year with Frog and Toad for Music Theatre of Louisville, and Bunnicula for Stage One. Katie received her BFA in Performing Arts at Western Kentucky University and her MFA in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin. 

 Brian Hinds is an eighth year teacher at YPAS where he teaches freshmen theater majors and playwriting.  Originally from Maine, Brian spent ten years with The Children’s Theatre of Maine where he served as an actor, instructor, and director. Since moving to Louisville Brian worked as an outreach artist with Kentucky Shakespeare and Walden Theatre. As an actor Brian has performed with Kentucky Shakespeare (MacDuff in Macbeth, Caesar in Julius Caesar, Richard in Richard III, Sir Toby in Twelfth Night), Stage One Family Theatre (The Odyssey, Tuck Everlasting, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever), The Bard’s Town (Ten-Tucky Festival, Rx, Seminar), and Savage Rose Classical Theatre (Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Prospero in The Tempest) . Recent directing credits include The Comedy of Errors, The Crucible, and Tom Jones at YPAS, and Love’s Labour’s Lost at Kentucky Shakespeare. Brian is also a member of Louisville Improvisors.
 

 Jane B. Jones is excited to start her first year on the theatre faculty at YPAS. Previously Jones was the Director of Education at Actors Theatre of Louisville, where she worked for nine years.  From Culpeper, Virginia, Jones has been a theatre educator in Virginia, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Scotland. Jones worked for the American High School Theatre Festival at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for ten years. At Actors, Jones has taught playwriting to middle and high school students, acted as Literary Manager of the New Voices Young Playwrights Contest, and headed the theatre’s lobby enrichment initiative. Jones has developed work with the Professional Training Company, directed in the New Voices Young Playwrights Festival, and directed A. Ray Pamatmat's Electric Harvest as part of the 2018 PTC Season. In 2012, Jones’s short play, Dress Up, was produced in the Tens at Actors and she was commissioned to write TMI: a sex-ed puppet show for Squallis Puppeteers. Jones is a former board member and contract artist for Squallis Puppeteers where she has developed several original puppet shows. Jones earned an MFA in Playwriting at Spalding University; she graduated cum laude from Smith College with a BA in Theatre.

 *Jacob Cook serves as the Director of Vocal Music Studies at the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, KY where he conducts four choral ensembles, teaches vocal development, and teaches electives in pedagogy and opera. Additionally, he coordinates mentor students for the YPAS/Western Middle School for the Arts Vocal Academy which partners high school singers from YPAS with 6th and 7th grade students at Western to enrich the learning and performance of all involved. Mr. Cook has conducted the YPAS Choirs in performance at the American Choral Director’s Association Southern Division Conference, the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference, the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Conference, and in international performance venues in Italy and Costa Rica. Prior to working with students at YPAS, Mr. Cook taught music and choir to students in grades K-12 in the greater Cincinnati area including positions with the Diocese of Covington, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and Mason City Schools. Mr. Cook also served as music director in church programs and as a conductor with the Fort Thomas Youth Choir on its tour of Spain and in the World Choir Games in Cincinnati. Mr. Cook studied at East Tennessee State University with Dr. Thomas Jenrette and Dr. Oliver Lo and earned a Bachelor’s of Music. While earning a Master’s of Music at the University of Kentucky, Mr. Cook studied voice with Gail Robinson, performed several opera roles, and sang with the UK Choirs under Dr. Jefferson Johnson.