Our Faculty & Staff
The below reflects Usdan's year-round staff. Faculty and staff working in Summer 2023 will be added closer to the camp season. Please enjoy getting to know us!


Kevin Neumann
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Maintenance
Javan Howard
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Director of Education
Administration

Javan joined Usdan’s full time staff in 2017. Year round hip hop and poetry are his modes of survival and inspiration. A Bronx born creative that hails from the same high school as James Baldwin, he spreads love one word at a time. He truly believes that the lived experience is the ultimate teaching tool and uses poetry as a social forum to foster discourse about love, culture, and identity. He was named a 2022 Aspen Words Emerging Writer Fellow. He also suffers from severe milk chocolate withdrawals and has been diagnosed with a case of the New York Knicks.
Johan Van den Berghe
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Controller
Administration

Johan joined the Usdan family in 2022. He brought with him over 15 years of experience working and volunteering in nonprofit organizations. His main responsibilities have revolved around bookkeeping, finance and strategic development. He graduated from Baruch College in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Finance. Soon after, he fell in love with the nonprofit world and has not looked back since. He then attended NYU for a course in accounting for nonprofits and followed it with a medical coding and billing certificate from Hunter College in 2016. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University. He resides in Chelsea, MA with his partner, two cats and a ball python. He has great appreciation for music, especially live concerts.
Emily Annesley
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Enrollment Coordinator
Administration

Emily (they/she) is an arts administrator and flute instructor based in Brooklyn, NY. Emily first joined Usdan’s seasonal staff in 2021, supporting the Marketing, Enrollment, and Transportation departments. They joined Usdan’s Education department in January of 2023 as Education Coordinator, and rejoined the Enrollment department as the Enrollment Coordinator in May of the same year. Emily brings with them eclectic administrative experience in from a variety of roles, including a summer as Chamber Coordinator for the Spoleto Festival, USA. Emily holds a BA and MA in Flute Performance from SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Purchase respectively, and in addition to their work at Usdan, teaches private flute lessons to flute lovers of all ages and skill levels. When not teaching, working, or fluting, Emily can be found knitting, listening to e-books, or learning how to play a new instrument.
Davon Howard
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Maintenance
Administration
Lauren Brandt Schloss
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Executive Director
Administration

Lauren Brandt Schloss joined Usdan in 2015. With her appointment, she became Usdan’s third leader in a half century and the first woman to hold the position. Bringing 20+ years experience in arts education, at the Queens Museum, MoMA, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Lauren is committed to ensuring that Usdan is at the forefront of educational and artistic practices.
Emma Scionti
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Safety Monitor
Administration
Victoria Ellerbe
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Director of Administration
Administration

Victoria joined Usdan in 2022 and has more than 10 years experience working in nonprofit organizations in HR, Finance, and Administration. She earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting from St John's University and since then has worked with NYC organizations such as Seeds of Peace, Harlem's World Famous Apollo Theater, and the Children's Museum of Manhattan. She currently resides in Brooklyn with her partner and maintains a great appreciation of arts and culture, as an avid cellist and a regular patron of live performances, art houses, and museums.
Lafiya Watson Ramirez
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Marketing and Communications, Consultant
Administration

Lafiya Watson Ramirez is a multidisciplinary artist, web and mixed reality developer, and graphic designer. She began working for Usdan in 2011. Formerly Usdan's Marketing and Communications Coordinator she now brings her talents to Usdan as a consultant. Her work has been used for Vandoren, BET, NPR.org, and countless other publications, websites, and album covers. She has recently begun to pivot to creating Augmented Reality experiences. At the beginning of 2020, she was accepted for the MIT Reality Hackathon and spend a week working with a team to build an AR experience using Nreal glasses. In October 2020, she was chosen for a Snapchat residency and created an AR game based on the game Simon Says. Lafiya continues to work in the realm of Immersive Design focusing on using AR for storytelling in her own work and beyond.
Cory Benson
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Manager of Buildings & Grounds
Administration

Kerry Barnhart
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Senior Director of Student Affairs
Administration

Kerry Barnhart is a proud alum of Usdan. Here is where she discovered her passion for music and theater as a child, going on to study vocal performance at The George Washington University. After several summers spent in the Usdan administrative office during college, she became part of the year round staff in 2005 as Registrar. Following her work as Registrar, Kerry oversaw student admissions as Director of Admissions, and has now added student affairs and operations as Senior Director of Student Affairs. She is happy to share the magic of Usdan with her son who attends as a student.
Alexa Ivanna Eagle
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Safety Monitor
Administration
Courtney Kassinger
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Associate Director of Student Affairs
Administration

Courtney Kassinger has spent her summers at Usdan since 2002 when she first attended as a student. On staff, she has served as a Discovery counselor, a member of the administration/transportation staff, Transportation Manager, and is now the Associate Director of Student Affairs. Courtney holds a B.M. in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia and a M.S. in Music Education from Queens College along with an Advanced Certificate in TESOL from Touro College. Courtney teaches elementary band in the Harborfields Central School District in the very elementary school she herself attended and is a member of both SCMEA and NAfME. She looks back fondly on her many summers at Usdan as a student that fostered her love for music and led her to pursue a career in music education. Courtney is eternally grateful for her Usdan family and the many lifelong friendships that have been created through her time spent at Usdan.
Sofia Notar-Francesco
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Front of House
Administration
Julio Garcia
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Senior Groundskeeper
Administration

Yvette Zavala
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Safety Monitor
Administration
Amanda Bocca
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Student Supervision Coordinator
Administration
Lauren Kinane
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Manager of Special Projects
Administration

Lauren Kinane is a clarinetist, educator, and currently serves as the Manager of Special Projects at Usdan. Prior to becoming the Manager of Special Projects, Lauren served as the Enrollment Coordinator and Student Supervision Coordinator, and she spent four summers as a camper at Usdan. Her summers at Usdan inspired her to pursue her passion for clarinet further. Throughout the year Lauren can be heard performing with the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra and the Atlantic Wind Symphony. She can also be heard on the Massachusetts Chamber Players' album Frank Martin: Music for Winds. Lauren is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University. She also received her Master of Music from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and her Bachelor of Music from SUNY Fredonia.
Alice Clancy
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Manager of Events & Guest Services
Administration

Alice first joined Usdan in 2019 as the Festival and Gala Stage Manager. As a child, Alice was a serious saxophone player, and jumped from the pit to the wings in the early years of high school. She continued her study of theater at SUNY Fredonia, graduating with a degree in scenic design. Her nearly 30-year career as a stage and production manager has taken her to Santa Fe, Utah, a million hole-in-the-wall theaters in Manhattan, NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, and Harlem's World Famous Apollo Theater. She is thrilled to return to her roots of music, playing with tools, and running around in the woods in her first official role in an Operations Department. Alice is the proud mother of three budding artists and engineers, lucky wife of a second career Social Studies teacher, and dedicated student (and newly minted certified teacher!) of yoga.
Kyra Leeds
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Community Relations Coordinator
Administration

Kyra Leeds is an actor and arts administrator from Queens, NY. Kyra was a student at Usdan for ten glorious summers, a Discovery Counselor for three summers, and has worked in Usdan’s administrative offices for the past five years. Kyra has also done some development and fundraising work for DCM, Inc. and, most recently, for the Off-Broadway MCC Theater in NYC. As an actor Kyra has been a part of Royal Caribbean’s CATS (Jennyanydots), Argyle Theatre’s FULL MONTY (Vicki), Hangar Theatre’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Christmas Past), and the REV Theatre Company’s PARADE (Ensemble/Dance Captain). Kyra holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College.
Matthew Mantione
Camp Faculty & Staff
Parent Support Staff
Administration

A New York native, Matthew has been involved with Usdan for the majority of his life. Starting in 2004 as a camper, Matthew attended Usdan as a student for 11 years studying music and the trombone. Concluding his tenure as a “Usdanite”, Matthew sought to pursue music performance professionally and now holds a B.M. from Purchase College Conservatory and an M.M. from The Mannes School of Music. Currently, Matthew is pursuing an advanced degree from Hunter College studying Music Education. When Usdan is not in session, Matthew balances a full-time schedule of school, performing, music administration and teaching. During his free time, Matthew enjoys the sport of Archery in which he holds a coaching certification. When he is not in the office, Matthew is frequently seen on Usdan’s Archery range. Matthew will also tell you how the New York Mets are doing this season as he is an avid baseball fan!
Danielle Parente
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Associate Dean
Administration
Zach Rifkind
Camp Faculty & Staff
Dean of Students
Administration

After attending Usdan as a student, Zach joined the staff in 2017 and has served in Administration, the Music Department, and now as Dean of Students. Zach is a multi-instrumentalist, primarily focusing on Saxophone and Clarinet. Zach's favorite styles to perform include Jazz, Rock, and Classical and he regularly performs with Jazz Ensembles and Pit Orchestras. During the school year, Zach is the director of bands at Lynbrook North Middle School in the Lynbrook School District. Zach holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Master of Arts in Education with Honors from the Hostra University Honors College. Zach is an avid distance runner.
Adam Cordero
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Attendance Assistant
Administration
Amie Harris Laino-Vine
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

This is Amie's first summer teaching at USDAN. She is a ceramic artist and has been working with clay for over 20 years. This year, she fulfilled her long time dream of building her own home studio! She also loves drawing, painting, jewelry making, candle making, reading, nature, bike riding, surfing, and taking care of her house plants. She is certified K-12 in art education and 5-12 in literacy education. She is a former NYC teacher and is currently substitute teaching on Long Island.
John T Harris
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Discovery Art
Art

J.T. Harris started his Usdan career in 2018 as an assistant ceramics teacher. In 2019, he was promoted to a lead teacher position as the Discovery Program’s art teacher. He is now returning for his fourth summer at Usdan as the Discovery Art lead teacher. Outside of Usdan, J.T. is a NYS Certified Teacher in art, general education, and special education. He is currently working as an elementary art teacher in the Central Islip School District on Long Island, where he has been for the last three years. J.T. is also a frequently commissioned illustrator based on the south shore of Long Island.
Krista Biedenbach
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Painting & Drawing
Art

This will be Krista's seventh year with Usdan, first serving as an assistant in the Art department in 2012, then returning as a lead teacher in 2016. Krista's current work involves large scale, mixed media paintings of abstracted, figurative imagery. In addition to spending summers at USDAN and creating work in her personal studio, Krista is currently a high school art teacher. Krista holds a MA in Art and Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and BA Degrees in Art History and Studio Art from Stony Brook University. Along with teaching, Krista is currently pursuing an Ed.D. degree in Art and Art Education back at Teachers College. Besides everything art, Krista enjoys relaxing with her two small dogs, Patrick and Lily.
Ayelet Book
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Assistant Teacher, Painting & Drawing
Art
Rebecca Vecchio
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Art Department Assistant
Art
Miracle Rose Daley Bennett
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

Miracle Bennett is a returning staff member for the summer of 2023 at USDAN. Last year she was one of two T.A’s for the fashion and sewing department and this year she will be a Lead painting and drawing teacher! A little background about her is that she attended USDAN as a child herself as a painting and drawing major for a few years and she is currently an upper elementary school art teacher on Long Island. Her favorite medium to use is paint and she is very excited to be a lead teacher this upcoming summer. USDAN is a place of expression and creative freedom and she can not wait to help campers unlock their abilities and express their interest throughout the summer!
Ourania Adani
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art
Ourania Adani attended a Visual Arts program at UNAM in Mexico and continued studying at the University for the Arts in Berlin, Germany. Here she graduated with a Masters in 2005 strongly influenced by J. Beuys and inspired by an exciting historical chapter in Berlin of the 90’s, when the wall between East and West Germany collapsed. In this melting pot of polarities and with a thriving contemporary art scene she worked and lived for the first 15 years of her professional artist career. She has been interested and involved in fashion ever since. Fused with interests and passion for cultural identity, social issues, ethnology and sustainability as core topics she aims to create visual solutions in mixed media, incorporating drawing, painting, printing and sewing. She is aiming to offer aesthetic solutions for livable, wearable and usable art as statements to current events while exploring how to connect art and everyday life. In 2012 she graduated from the Anthropological Seminary for Waldorf Pedagogy as a High School Art Teacher. She has been teaching art since then. Currently she is working as a teaching artist at a public school in NYC, while she also follows her own art practice when not teaching.
Jade Maracic
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Art
Garrett Weinstein
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Art
Noah Packard
Seasonal Faculty, Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

As excited to teach as he is to learn, Noah Packard has been teaching comic art at Usdan for 3 years. After earning his BFA from MICA in 2017, Noah has taught music and art at libraries all over Long Island to people of all ages. He also works in video production on music videos, short films, commercials and live events. He attended Usdan as a teenager where he took painting, drawing, and animation classes that helped build his portfolio and his deep love for the arts and story telling. Noah discovered he enjoyed video production because of his passion for story telling and comics and how they relate to story boards and planning for video.
Caryn Ronis
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Metalsmithing
Art

Caryn is thrilled to join the Usdan staff this summer. Caryn is a jewelry designer, part-time nanny, sometimes actress, and wanna-be world traveler. Caryn has an MFA in Speech and Theater Arts and studied for five years with jeweler, Mary Beth Rozkewicz. Fun fact: Caryn is in the February 9, 1987 issue of People Magazine.
Jodie Embleton
Year-Round Faculty & Staff, Camp Faculty & Staff
Department Chair, Art
Art

Jodie joined us at Usdan in 2008. Her role has evolved from assistant, to teacher, to art chair representing her dedication to Arts Education and her love of Usdan. She holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from SUNY Purchase College and a MSEd in Art Education from CUNY Queens College. Jodie’s personal work consists of paintings depicting abstract architectural designs with sculptural elements. On the off-season, Jodie is a visual arts teacher in a public school on Long Island. Her favorite experiences at Usdan include working with teachers and children as they reconnect with nature and funnel their creative energy into building a better community. A fun fact about Jodie is that she used to foster hurt wild animals.
Cheryl Frey
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Painting & Drawing
Art

Cheryl Frey is a painter, illustrator, designer and art teacher living and working on Long Island. She has guided and taught Visual Arts to all ages and abilities from toddlers to college portfolio students to artists with Alzheimer's. She ran her own art education business for over 15 years before moving full time into the studio and classroom . Cheryl has worked as a curriculum coordinator for Middle School and High School Art students and is currently the Art and STEAM teacher for a school in Queens.
Lysa Mullady
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Guidance Counselor
Art
Cristalina DeNicola
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

Christina started teaching in the Usdan Art Department in 2012. She recieved her BFA from Pratt Institute and MSED from Queens College. Christina's personal art form is mix media sculptures and ceramics. During the school year, Christina teaches high school Studio Art for BUFSD and Farmingdale Smart Scholars Intro to Graphic Design.
Marley Parmely
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Art
Elizabeth (Eli) Rus
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

I first began at Usdan as an Art Assistant teacher in 2013 and have worked every year since. Then, in 2021, I became a Lead Teacher. I attended Usdan for 7 years as a student. As a kid, I moved homes every year and Usdan was the one place that really felt like home to me.
My personal art form is primarily digital illustrations.
I hold a B.A in Education from SUNY Geneseo.
Jacklyn Breitfeller
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

Jacklyn started at USDAN in 2011 and this will be her 11th summer. Her personal art form is Mixed Media arts. She does have a passion for painting, photography, ceramics, drawing, and jewelry making. During the rest of the year, she is an art teacher here on Long Island. She has a BFA in Studio Art, a MFA, and a MS in Art Education. A fun fact about Jacklyn is that she have a cat named Jasper, who acts like a dog.
Jillian Neve Davis
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Photography
Art
Jillian Neve has been both teaching and creating art for as long as she can remember. Now out of college and a certified art teacher, they meshed both of their passions together for a fulfilling career.
Jill has moved up at Usdan from being an assistant photo teacher for summers 2018 & 2019, to being a lead in 2022. She is always excited to be a support system for her students. She aims to create a fun environment to learn about art, each other, and themselves!
When not at work, she enjoys bike riding, watching true crime videos, creating/viewing poetry & art, going to music venues and enjoying nature.
Chris Vivas
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Sculpture
Art

Chris Vivas joined Usdan’s Art Department in 2010. Lead Art Teacher, he brings his interest in art, culture, travel, literature, and ceramics to his teaching philosophies. His artwork, influenced by existential writers such as Nietzsche, Sartre, and Camus, explores the duality of strength and fragility found within human existence. Exploring how strength synthesizes to weakness and vice versa has led him to working in ceramic during his initial studies at Stony Brook University followed by receiving his MFA from SUNY New Paltz. Art residencies have also been an important aspect of his artistic development and growth as an educator. Residencies include; Shigaraki Ceramic Culture Park in Shigaraki, Japan, Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York, NY, AIR Vallauris in Vallauris, France, Babayan Culture House, Ibrahimpaşa, Cappadocia, Turkey. He currently teaches at Suffolk County Community College and St. Joseph’s College along with various workshops and lectures throughout Long Island.
Jason Keichline
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Art
Melanie Jackson
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Comic Art
Art

Melanie is the Comic Art Instructor for Seniors at Usdan. Known for introducing Usdan, Comic
Con, this is her 10 th year at Usdan. Melanie attended Usdan as a sculpture Major from 1999-2003.
Melanie is big into quantitative data! Her 2015 research study, B.A.T.M.A.N ( Benefits and Academics
through Making and Narrating Comics) saw the positive correlation between reading fluency/vocabulary
and reading graphic novels. A long time educator, Melanie holds New York State Teaching certification
in Visual Arts, Special Education pre-K-6 th , General Education pre-k-6 th , as well as certification in School
Building Leader and School District Leader. Melanie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Study and a
Master’s in Education Administration and Leadership. She’s currently in the St. John’s Education
Instructional Leadership Doctoral Program where she is researching the best practices of Social
Emotional Learning in order to effectively design and implement into the New York Public School
Curriculum. Melanie has an extensive background of work in education and social justice that includes:
Educational Curriculum Coordinator,Special Education Teacher and Art Instructor at the Nassau County
Juvenile Detention Center 2015-2019, Brentwood Special Education Teacher 2019-present, Mindful
meditation facilitator at Oak Park Elementary, Art Instructor at Usdan Art’s Camp, and Guidance
Counselor at Central Nassau Guidance. Through education her philosophy is “if the child’s is not socially
and emotionally present, than academic work can’t be done”. In 2018, her progressive research best
and effective practices effectively helped decrease the amount of juvenile detention violent outbreaks
as well as helped students retained attention in the classroom setting through instruction in: restorative
practices, mindfulness, and yoga. In 2019, Melanie joined the Brentwood School district where she
currently is a special education teacher for students with emotional disabilities. Melanie’s Social
Emotional Learning furthers with Project Presence and Kids at Hope. Her lifelong mission is to educate
the importance of putting the student’s mental health and well-being first. Her hobbies include:
collecting Comics, Art, Hiking, Yoga, and hanging with her dog Butter.
Jolie Greco
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant to Chair
Art
Taylor Cohen
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Art

Taylor joined USDAN in 2019 as an Assistant Painting and Drawing Teacher and evolved into a Lead Painting and Drawing Teacher in 2022, continuing into 2023. She earned a BFA in Art Education and a minor in Art History from UMass Amherst. In her free time, Taylor enjoys painting landscapes, exploring digital art and learning new mediums. She is currently a visual art teacher in a Middle School in Newton, Massachusetts. A fun fact about Taylor is that she enjoys making homemade guacamole and salsa!
Joel Salman
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Chess
Chess

Joel is a Professional Chess Master from Oceanside, New York. A FIDE Master and USCF National Master, Joel has been teaching Chess full-time since 1994, joining the faculty of Usdan in 2003, where he co-chairs the Chess Department. Joel also has a wealth of experience as a tournament director and organizer, including State, National and International competitions for all levels of players from young children to International Grandmasters. Joel has a BA in Mathematics from The Johns Hopkins University (1987).
Fun Fact: In addition to Long Island, Joel has played/taught Chess on the islands of Bermuda, Curacao and Hawaii.
Brian Karen
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Chess
Chess

Brian Karen is ranked within the top 3% of tournament chess players by the United States Chess Federation (USCF) and Federation Internationale Des Échecs (FIDE). Brian has been awarded the FIDE Candidate Master Title. Brian has been the co-director of the acclaimed USDAN Chess program since 1997. He founded and conducts chess programs in Classes across Long Island. Brian was elected by chess instructors from across the United States to the United States Chess Federation Scholastic Council. This is a five person body that manages National Scholastic events and regulations involving thousands of children across the United States. Brian was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Internet’s most established chess club (www.chessclub.com) and was hired by IBM to give web commentary during the famous Deeper Blue – Kasparov match. Brian received a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University and an undergraduate degree from Syracuse University.
Kelly Vaghenas
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Dance

This is Ms. Kelly’s second year teaching tap at USDAN and her first year teaching Broadway jazz. She teaches various styles of dance at studios around Long Island, and she has taught for brief periods of time in Greece, Jordan, and Kenya. Recent performance credits include a trip to Guatemala to perform Bollywood dance with ARYA Dance Academy. Ms. Kelly holds a BFA in dance and a BA in anthropology from Montclair State University. In May 2022, she earned an MA in cultural heritage management from Johns Hopkins University. Her cultural research work includes writing foreign culture training material for the U.S. Navy. In August-September 2022, she was a crew member on an archaeological excavation in Miami. Fun fact: She is an amateur painter!
Douglas Shankman
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Dance

Doug Shankman began working with USDAN in 2022 as a Lead Tap Dance Instructor. He is the Artistic Director of Contemporary Dance Arts and dedicated to creating new works for Theater, Film, Television and Web based series. Since 2000, Doug has been teaching the art of tap dancing at Broadway Dance Center and various Universities, performing arts schools and Dance Conventions. Doug is currently workshopping a new contemporary ballet with song and text inspired by the Tales of the Sovereign Plumed Serpent.
Wendy Ann Powell
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Dance

Wendy Ann Powell is pleased to be joining Usdan this summer as a new teacher. She is an African American dancer, choreographer, director, playwright, actress, cancer survivor and disability advocate. She studied and performed with Dance June Lewis & Company. She’s a 2016 Brooklyn Arts Council Grant recipient. She teaches Modern, Haitian, Ballet, Jazz dance and is a certified Zumba Instructor and a member of ZCO/DANCEPROJECT, an inclusive disability dance company. She is also a member of Agoci Inc., a contemporary modern and Haitian dance company. Her work was most recently performed at Westfest Dance Festival. As a Girl Scout leader, she enjoys mentoring young girls.
Jacqueline Selesky
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Dance

A proud native of Long Island, New York, Jacqueline was introduced to dance at the tender age of seven. She became well versed in all styles including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, latin, tap, and hip hop. She graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education. Jacqueline has performed elite choreographed pieces by Bill T. Jones, Martha Graham, Jose Limon, David Parsons, Larry Keigwin, and Frederick Earl Mosley. She was the lead soloist in Martha Graham's Daughters of the Night, performed at The Joyce Theatre, NYC and she performed in the musical Prime Time in Keywest, FL. Jacqueline spent three seasons with Asha Dance Company, and is currently on her fifth season with Dance Key West, and was the lead actress in The Truth Urban Theatre Group’s production of Viva Africa in Long Island, NY. Jacqueline appeared on Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It Netflix series as well as a dancer on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, and Live with Kelly and Ryan. Some of her commercial credits include performing with Cardi B, Demi Lovato, Rita Ora, and G-Eazy. She walked in Brooklyn Fashion Week and performed in New York Fashion Week. Being represented by Bloc Agency, has afforded her the opportunity to be casted in commercials such as Ultimate Ears Headphones and a Nutrafol Hair commercial. Jacqueline is grateful to be able to travel the world and share her expertise at dance competitions as an adjudicator. This is Jacqueline's fifth year teaching Hip Hop Dance at USDAN and is excited to have a fun-filled summer of dancing in the sun!
Theresa Ruggles
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Dance

Theresa Ruggles is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher and Children’s Yoga Teacher who has been teaching yoga classes for 13 years. She completed her adult yoga teacher training in Refined Flow Yoga under the tutelage of Leslie Luft and Elyce Neuhauser and her children’s yoga, teen’s yoga, and trauma-informed yoga certifications through Yoga Ed. She is also certified in restorative yoga. Theresa started teaching yoga at USDAN in the summer of 2019. Outside of teaching yoga, Theresa is a public school orchestra teacher and musician. Being a music teacher has positively informed her role as a yoga teacher and vice versa, as she’s seen the true value of mindfulness and self-care in both children and adults.
Rachel Weis-Stone
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Discovery Theater
Discovery

Rachel was a camper at Usdan for three incredible summers from 1999-2001, and then a counselor in the Discovery program from 2007-2009. She is thrilled to be returning to the Discovery program as a theater teacher! In addition to being a K-3 classroom teacher for the last 15 years (NYC and Great Neck Public Schools), she has worked with students of all ages to create, imagine, and explore on stage in theatrical productions, and in drama programs and classroom settings as well. Rachel holds a Master's degree in Educational Theatre from NYU Steinhardt, and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Bank Street College of Education. She is passionate about the value of arts experiences for young people, and can't wait to work with Usdan's youngest campers this summer. Rachel loves to write, act, sing, and dance, especially with her four year old son, who is also very musical...and dramatic :).
Bari Secondino
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Discovery
Discovery
Natalie Meyer
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Discovery
Discovery
Greta Schloss
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Discovery
Discovery
Sadie Friedman
Year-Round Faculty & Staff, Camp Faculty & Staff
Discovery, Department Chair
Discovery

Sadie started working at Usdan in 2008 as a Discovery Counselor and has loved the Discovery program ever since! She currently teachers Elementary School General Music in the Three Village School District. She also teaches Early Childhood family music classes. Her main instruments are voice and piano.
Tyler Schiavone
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Discovery Counselor
Discovery
Rose Noelle Recce
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Discovery Counselor
Discovery
Eve Castonguay
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Discovery Counselor
Discovery
Fernanda Madrigal
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Discovery Counselor
Discovery
Justin Shah
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Discovery Counselor
Discovery
Tatiana Birenbaum
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Discovery

Taty is very excited to be coming back to USDAN this summer to create some more magic with the Discovery campers! Taty is a half Brazilian half Argentinian performer who moved to NYC in 2013 to attend the American Musical and Dramatics Academy. Some theatre credits include Legally Blonde, Brigadoon and Into The Woods. She also produces, directs and performs a monthly Cabaret Series called "Let's Broadway". When not teaching or performing, you can find Taty training for, acro-pilates, eating ice cream or reading a book at the park.
Kageki Nagao
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Instrumental Ensemble
Music

Dr. Kageki Nagao has been working at Usdan as a double bass lead teacher and a chamber music coach since 2008. He has been a director of junior orchestras since 2014. During the school year, Kageki directs the string department of Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School. Graduated from Juilliard School and Stony Brook University, Kageki is active as a soloist, orchestra and chamber musician. Kageki was chosen by Leonard Bernstein to serve as principal bass for the Schleswig- Holstein Festival Orchestra. Recently, Kageki appeared as a member of the Strauss Symphony of America, which played in venues such as the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and David Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center, NYC. As a conductor, Kageki led the SCMEA Division III East Festival Orchestra in March 2018. Kageki lives with his wife Jeanine and 7 critters. He is also a fanatic Loch Ness Monster hunter.
Kate Stocker
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Music

Kate Stocker is delighted to return to USDAN to teach violin! USDAN has been a formative part of her music education, as she was a student at USDAN from 1999-2003. She worked as the Manager of the Orchestra Program from 2004-2015, and piloted the Beginning Strings program in 2019. Kate is the 6th and 7th grade Orchestra Director at Hommocks Middle School in Mamaroneck, NY, and has also taught in the Briarcliff School district in Westchester, and the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn. She has had the privilege to conduct many All-County Orchestras, as well as her own groups on the stage of Carnegie Hall. Kate also performs throughout the NY Metropolitan Area with the Meadowlark Quartet, and the band 8Track. She received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College in 2007, and her M.S. in Music Education at Western Connecticut State University in 2011. When not playing the violin, Kate is either practicing some yoga, spending time with her family and friends, or brushing up on trivia by watching 'Jeopardy!'.
Michelle LaPorte
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Instrumental Ensemble
Music

Michelle LaPorte happily joined Usdan as the Flute Lead Teacher in 2019 – her love of nature, animals, and the arts makes Usdan her perfect artistic home! She enjoys a global career as a performer, educator, and chamber music advocate. Michelle is a Miyazawa Flutes Performing Artist, Centaur Records Artist, and flutist of the international award-winning flute and guitar ensemble, Serenade Duo. She is passionate about sharing the beauty and diversity of flute and guitar music by composers from around the world.
In addition to maintaining an active private teaching studio, she is also an Assistant Adjunct Music Professor at Suffolk County Community College. Michelle earned a Master of Arts Degree in Music from Long Island University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Jason Black
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Accompanist/Jr. Vocals
Music

Jason's main instruments are piano and clarinet and he has been involved in music for over 20 years. During the school year, he is an Elementary Band Teacher for the Patchogue-Medford School District. Jason is also a private lesson instructor, NYSSMA Piano Adjudicator, All State Accompanist, and Church Music Director. While he enjoys performing and teaching my students, he also likes playing with his cats, watching anime, and cooking. He looks forward to working with his students over the summer!
Sam Dillon
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Jazz Ensemble
Music

Sam joined the USDAN faculty as Jazz Conductor in 2018. Previously Sam was a camper at USDAN in the late nineties while he was in high school. Sam’s soloist and sideman work includes over 20 studio recordings, performances on a global level and international critical acclaim garnering him recognition as one of the defining voices on the tenor saxophone today. In 2016, Sam received his Artist Diploma from the prestigious Juilliard School as the saxophonist in the A.D. Jazz Program. Now Sam enjoys bringing his experiences back to students at USDAN while creating a fun environment to learn and explore Jazz.
Sue Lehr
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Instrumental Ensemble
Music

Sue Lehr joined Usdan as the cello instructor in 2000. Cello ensemble is her passion and she loves working with her Usdan students. Sue retired as the orchestra teacher at the Waldorf School of Garden City in 2009. She continues to freelance, teach in her private studio and perform and teach in school residencies with the Classical Strings Ensemble and Orchestra Long Island during the school year. Sue has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in performance from the New England Conservatory. She is an enthusiastic participant in the Covid Cello Project. Check it out on YouTube for some wonderful cello ensemble performances!
Andrew Ranaudo
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Music

An award winning performer, composer and teacher, Andrew Ranaudo first started teaching at Usdan in 2017. As a recitalist and collaborative musician, he has a focus on eclectic artistic partnerships, and has played across the USA and Europe in different formats. He holds piano performance degrees from Hunter College, CUNY (MA) and New York University (BM). He works with musicians and artists across the spectrum, and his work can be found in numerous recordings, film soundtracks and art installations. With over 20 years teaching experience, Andrew maintains an active teaching studio in both Brooklyn and San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he currently resides and is working to create recordings of century old music from composers on the island. Andrew is excited to return to Usdan in 2022!
David F. Schecher
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Music

David started at USDAN in 1986 and is a practicing musician. He performs and teaches the rest of the year. Fun fact: He's been a vegetarian for 48 years!
Alex Della Ratta
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Band Assistant
Music
Mark Bligh
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Department Chair, Music
Music

Mark Bligh is the director of the Denton Ave Elementary Band (Herricks UFSD, New Hyde Park, NY) where he teaches winds, brass and percussion for grades 3-5. The Denton Ave Band regularly attends NYSSMA Majors and consistently earns Gold and Gold with Distinction honors.
Mark Bligh is a graduate of the Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University where he received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with Honors. He received a Master of Arts from Stony Brook University. Mr. Bligh was published in Scholastic for his contributions in an article entitled, “10 Best Musical Apps for Kids”. Mark has been honored to conduct the Winds, Brass and Percussion sectional for the NYSSMA All-State Symphonic Orchestra. Mark was privileged to conduct the 2018 SCMEA Division 1 Central All-County Band and the 2019 WCSMA All-County Elementary Band. Mr. Bligh has performed with the Long Island Wind Ensemble, Atlantic Wind Symphony, Northwinds Symphonic Band as well as various chamber ensembles. Mark is the current Music Department Chair at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts where he has worked since 2005.
Emily Kenyon
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Music

Emily Kenyon is thrilled to be joining the Usdan team as an Orchestra Lead Teacher for the summer of 2022. Ms. Kenyon is a high school orchestra director in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, where she teaches the 9-12 ensembles at Kennedy and Mepham High Schools. Previously, she has taught middle school orchestra and college-level music theory and aural skills courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Eastman School of Music. Ms. Kenyon also serves as a chair for the LISFA 11-12 Festival and the NMEA Division 3 Festival. As a violinist, Ms. Kenyon has performed in prestigious ensembles such as the Eastman Philharmonia, Eastman Opera Ensemble, the Brevard Festival Orchestra, and the National Orchestral Institute, where she performed on the album Ruggles, Stucky & Harbison: Orchestral Works, nominated for Best Orchestral Performance at the 2018 GRAMMY Awards. In her spare time, Ms. Kenyon enjoys baking, geeking out about Broadway shows, and performing as a violinist with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra. Kenyon holds a B.M. in Music Education from Ithaca College and an M.M. in Music Theory from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Gerry Saulter
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Guitar
Music

Gerry Saulter is glad to be a part of Usdan’s Music Department this summer! He is a distinguished Alhambra Guitars and RC Strings Performing Artist, Centaur Recording Artist, and guitarist of the award-winning flute and guitar ensemble, Serenade Duo. As a performer, educator, and chamber music advocate, Gerry has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. In addition to maintaining an active private teaching studio, he is also an Applied Instructor of Classical Guitar at Suffolk County Community College. When not playing guitar, Gerry enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and spending time with his family and his dog! Gerry earned a Master of Music Degree from Five Towns College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. www.serenadeduo.com
William Charles Brown
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Music

This is William's first year teaching Brass at USDAN, though he has many fond memories being a former Usdanite! Although from Long Island, he regularly resides in London and enjoys a busy and varied career performing on trombone with orchestras, opera and ballet companies and also examines for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. He has degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (BMUS) and Royal College of Music(MMUS), and most often works with The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Oxford & Brighton Philharmonics, Orpheus Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players amongst many others. Lately, Will has been obsessed with all things Italian this year, and when not working is often planning his next trip in Italy and learning the language.
Jessica Petersen
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Sr. Vocal Ensemble
Music

Jess is excited to return to USDAN in her new role as senior vocal director! Prior to starting her career as an educator, she had a career of 8 years at sea working for Carnival Cruise Line performing as a showband pianist, music director, piano bar entertainer, and finally, teaching the shows on board as a vocal supervisor. Jess also music directed and stage directed shows outside of Chicago and New York in between cruise ship contracts. Moving back to New York, she taught a large private studio with approximately 50-60 piano and voice students while completing her teaching certification and Master's Degree. She also had the opportunity to work as a piano accompanist for multiple school choral ensembles, sparking her desire to become a school music teacher. She is currently an elementary music/chorus teacher in Lindenhurst, NY. Fun Fact: When she's not creating music, she loves playing video games, especially the Legend of Zelda!
Cindy Rosin
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Nature, Ecology & Design
Nature & Sustainability

This is Cindy's second year at Usdan, and will be her first year as a Nature lead teacher. Cindy is an artist and environmental activist based in Rockaway, Queens, where she lives on a houseboat made from converted shipping containers. She has a BFA and a Certificate in Art Therapy from School of Visual Arts. A painter and printmaker, Cindy is five years into a daily drawing practice that has made her a firm believer in the power of making art every day. When she’s not teaching, Cindy spends portions of her year volunteering in the field for environmental organizations – from monitoring buffalo migrations to working on ocean-going conservation ships, Cindy believes that life is best lived outdoors.
Jillian Davis
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Nature & Sustainability
Jenna Cronin
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Recreational Arts
Marissa Scudlo
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Recreational Arts
Kathleen Mary Kelly
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Recreational Arts
Brian Sung
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Recreational Arts
Harrison LeBow
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Recreational Arts
Abby Dinstell
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Recreation Counselor
Recreational Camp
Abby Dinstell
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Recreation Counselor
Recreational Camp
David Lake
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Chair, Recreation
Recreational Camp
Dave began teaching at Usdan in 2005 as the Tennis Instructor and is pleased to begin a new role in 2022 as the Chair of Recreation. During the school year Dave is a 5th Grade Teacher in the East Islip School District. Fun fact: Dave juggled a soccer ball 12,600 times when he was 17.
Michele D'Ambrosio
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Swin Attendant
Recreational Camp
Jim Incorvaia
Year-Round Faculty & Staff
Department Chair, Theater
Theater

Jim began teaching at Usdan in the summer of 1991 and after more than thirty summers in the woods, he is still as excited as when he first started. Jim is an actor, director and producer who has overseen more than three hundred shows in Usdan’s three theaters. He began his professional work in the arts at the age of five as a commercial model. He was bitten by the acting bug for good in high school. Jim obtained his B. A. and his M.S. in Education at Hofstra Univeristy and studied for his M.F.A. at Columbia. He is the founder of the OnStage Strategies Group, a theater consulting firm assisting educational and local theater programs as they work to grow and re-imagine their student offerings. Jim believes that art has the power to break down the barriers that divide us.
Stephanie Martinez
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater

Stephanie Martinez (she/her) is a teaching artist, stage manager, and director from Long Island, New York. She holds a BFA in Stage Management from Hofstra University and a M.S.Ed in Educational Theatre at The City College of New York. Stephanie is the resident director of the West Hempstead Secondary School 9-12 Drama Club as well as a teaching artist for Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, Drama Club, Arts for All, Mainstages, Queens Theatre, and the Hofstra University Continuing Education Program. This is her second summer at Usdan and she's so excited to be back! A fun fact about Stephanie is that she has a weird obsession with fake fruit.
Jeffrey Hoffman
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Musical Director/Accompanist
Theater

Jeffrey Hoffman has been a member of the theater faculty at USDAN since the summer of 2011. A composer and conductor based in New York City, he works year-round as the organist and director of music at Christ Church, the Episcopal parish of Pelham, New York, where he leads a children’s choir, an adult volunteer parish choir and the parish’s professional choral artists; he also administers Concerts at Christ Church, a mostly classical concert series, as artistic director. Positions he previously held include founding artistic director of the acclaimed Music at Saint Alban’s concert series on Staten Island and organist for the Rossmoor Jewish Congregation in New Jersey. He is an alumnus of Manhattan School of Music and the BMI Lehman Engel theater workshop. In addition to his full time career as a liturgical musician and choral conductor, he has served as musical director for several musical theater productions in New York City and with Barrington Stage Company’s youth theater program, and for several high schools around suburban New York and New Jersey.
Jordan Hue
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater

Jordan Hue started as a lead teacher at USDAN in the summer of 2017. He is writer, actor, director, and teacher specializing in youth theatre and educational programs. While not at USDAN, Jordan is the theatre arts teacher at Long Beach High School and the artistic director of the Carriage House Players in Centerport, NY. He remains active and involved in local theatre projects across the island. Fun fact: Jordan also works as a designer for Top Dog Games, a tabletop gaming company. Education: Hofstra University (BA, MS Ed.), Adelphi University (MS).
Brian Sweeney
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Musical Director/Accompanist
Theater

Brian Sweeney is a Long Island-based pianist, composer, and musical director. Recent production credits include Mamma Mia, Forever Plaid, The Mad Ones, and A Chorus Line. He has had multiple original works presented as part of the New York Theater Festival, one of which received a nomination for Best Musical. Brian has also contributed music and lyrics to Turkeys Go On Strike, A Big Bad Wolf Story, and Butterfly: The Story of a Life Cycle. When he’s not writing or directing, Brian coaches aspiring musical theatre actors at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan. He also sings and arranges for an amateur a cappella group called Tacoppella.
Robert Gallagher
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater

Rob Gallagher started at Usdan in 2015 as a lead teacher in the theater department. He had a 20 year career as a professional actor and singer in New York City, starring on Broadway as Javert in Les Miserables, and appearing as Emile DeBecque in the Tony Award winning revival of Roger’s and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. Off-Broadway credits include Fiorello! with City Center Encores!, Forbidden Broadway and Reefer Madness (with Kristen Bell and choreographed by Paula Abdul). He has been teaching singing technique for 15 years, both privately and at the university level. He’s been a member of the voice faculty at LIU Post since 2014, teaching singing lessons to their musical theater majors. Other educational experience includes Adjunct Professor of Applied Music at Five Towns College in Dix Hills NY, Adjunct Professor for beginning acting at Stonybrook University and Suffolk County Community College.
Meghan O'Bierne
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Lead Costumer
Theater
Ben Boecker
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Musical Theater
Theater

Ben Boecker is a singer-songwriter, teaching artist, and voice teacher living and working in New York City. His full-length musical, “My True Love! A Perfect Musical Fairytale” (NMI Search For New Musicals Grand Prize Winner 2016, Disney/NMI New Voices Award 2016) has been developed at the BMI Workshop, Andrew Lippas’ Writers’ Bloc, and Ken Davenport's Writers' Group. Ben has worked as an NYC teaching artist for seven years with companies including TADA!, City Center, Usdan Arts Camp, Wingspan Arts, A Class Act, and the Open Hydrant Theater Company (The First Equity Theater Company in the Bronx.) Ben has performed multiple times at 54 Below, Birdland, and the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in NJ. He is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Calhoun School, a proud member of the BMI Advanced Musical Theater Writing Workshop and a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Joseph P. Janover
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Musical Director/Accompanist
Theater

Joseph P. Janover is primarily a music educator, multi-instrumentalist, theatre music director, and actor, statewide, with over 160 theatrical credits, including Off-Broadway. He graduated with both his B.M. and M.M in music education from the Crane School of Music. Since relocating from LI two years ago, he is now based in Rochester, NY, where he teaches high school music and performs as a freelance pit musician/accompanist. He looks forward to his debut at USDAN! Fun fact, he's a musical instrument collector -with 275 instruments (and counting)!
Chelsea Zak
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Musical Theater/Children's Theater
Theater

Chelsea Zak (she/her) is a New York-based music director, composer, orchestrator, musician and actor. She is a Usdan alum and "Lifer" having spent ten years as a camper (2006-16) studying musical theatre, choir, guitar, and creative writing. She also attended programs like Interlochen Arts Camp and Mannes Preparatory School, and is currently working toward B.A. in Music and Drama with a minor in Creative Writing at Vassar College (slated for 2023). Her most recent projects included playing "Mrs." and "Harriet Pawling” in Sunday in the Park with George, composing and music directing a klezmer-based dance piece entitled Troyern (choreographed by Nerissa Tunnessen ‘22), and music directing Ruthless!: the Musical. This summer, she is also a music production assistant for the new musicals From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation. When not performing or writing, she loves writing, reading, and traveling!
Olivia Button
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Assistant Teacher
Theater
Christina Pawl
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater
Eugene Rossi
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Scene Shop
Theater
Carl Ferrara
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Musical Theater
Theater

This is Carl J Ferrara's 6th summer at Usdan. He started in the Theatre Department in 2003. As a Director and/or Music Director, he has done Theatrical work at Cultural Arts Playhouse, Broadhollow Theatre, Airport Playhouse, Kids 4 Kids, South Shore Theatre Experience, Underscore Cabaret, and Pride Performing Arts. He also created, and directed Drama Programs in the Amityville School District. He has been a music educator for 30 years, currently in the Amityville School District. He has been conductor of the Silver Chords, a community chorus based in Smithtown, since 2014. He is also the Music Director for Setauket United Methodist Church; and has served as Associate Music Director for L.I. Voices. He is also a songwriter and composer having written two musicals as well as several songs and choral works, some of which have been premiered by the Silver Chords. His newest is a collection of Canons, Rounds, and Partner Songs, available in 2024. He is a member of the local rock band Rock Island Sound.
Gene Rossi
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Tech
Theater
Gene Rossi is a 22 year-old art teacher, graphic artist, photographer, sculpture major, and backstage director. He started at USDAN in 1999, and his personal art forms are sculpting and bronze casting. Gene is a full time, public middle school teacher. He is actively a landscape photographer and fishes year-round, and he's an avid surfer!
Carolyn Popadin
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Musical Theater/The Acting Group/Children's Theater
Theater

Carolyn began in Usdan’s Theater Department in the summer of 1997. She had a few gap years when her children were young and returned in 2013 making this her 16th summer. During the year she is a NY based teaching artist, director and performer. She brings her love of theater to students throughout Long Island and Brooklyn directing school musicals and incorporating theater arts into class curriculums. Carolyn began her theater education at Brooklyn College and then studied arts administration at NYU. This eventually led her to acceptance in the professional acting program with the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, UK. She has toured the US with the National Theatre for the Performing Arts and has appeared in numerous east coast, regional, and Off-Off Broadway productions. Carolyn is the proud mom of two teenage girls who loved taking classes in Usdan’s Dance Department.
Marie Danvers Gallagher
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater

Marie is best known for her star turn as Christine in the Broadway and National Touring production of The Phantom of the Opera, having worked with director Hal Prince. She has performed Christine in the Yeston/Kopit Phantom at Paper Mill Playhouse and appeared in the National and International Tour of The Fantasticks with Robert Goulet. She acted Off-Broadway with the Manhattan Theater Club and on Television on As The World Turns. Across the country she has played leading roles in A Chorus Line, Company, The Mikado, Brigadoon, Lend Me a Tenor, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Nunsense, Guys and Dolls and Cyrano de Bergerac to name a few. She holds an AAS in Acting, a BFA in Dance and an MFA in Dramaturgy from Stony Brook University. As a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association for over 30 years, she has performed with the Broadway by the Year Series at Town Hall, Broadway Pops International, and The City Center Encores in Manhattan. Marie is happy to be returning to USDAN this summer. During the school year she has been teaching at Momentum School of Music in West Islip, directing musicals at Suffolk County Community College and teaching private voice.
Kenneth Gilbert
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Tech
Theater

Kenneth has been at USDAN for 23 years as a stage technician in the theater dept and he is a retired teacher and a working musician.
Dennis Creighton
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater

Dennis Creighton is happy to join the USDAN staff for his first season. A graduate of the Crane School of Music, Mr. Creighton is a singer and actor who is becoming well known to Long Island audiences. Favorite roles include Bruce (Fun Home), Zoser (Aida) Mr. Hawkins (The Prom) and Bud (Bridges of..) When not onstage he teaches choir and directs dramatic productions at Shoreham-Wading River High, and is a sought after choral guest conductor. He is a resident of Miller Place where he lives with his wife, two kids, two cats, one dog and a very extensive (and expensive!) collection of LEGO.
Michael Schwendemann
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Lead Teacher
Theater

Michael Schwendemann is happy to be back at Usdan this summer. He has a BA in Drama, Theatre, Dance from Queens College/CUNY and an MFA in Acting from the University of Alabama. One day he will complete his ME if he can ever find the time. He has been a member of the Huntington High School English Department for 20 years – where he has directed 30 productions ranging from Beauty and the Beast to The Laramie Project. He has appeared on the stages of the Genesis Repertory Ensemble, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the American Globe Theatre and the NYC Opera. On film & television don’t blink or you might miss him, he’s been spotted lurking in the background of everything from B-movies to Academy Award winning films – most recent TV appearances include Gotham (FOX), A Crime to Remember (ID), Boardwalk Empire (HBO), The Deuce (HBO), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime), and The Gilded Age (HBO).
Dan Sussman
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Scene Shop
Theater

Dan has been at Usdan since the summer of 2003. During this time he dedicated his time to the Theater department building sets and props, running lighting and sound, working stage crew, and teaching students. Dan has been working as an Actor, Director, and Performer for the past 36 years. His philosophy in performing is based on a combination of Stanislavski and Meisner methods of approaching characters and performance. Dan holds A.A. in Acting from NCC and a B.F.A in Acting, Directing, and Technical theater from Binghamton University. During the school year Dan works as a teacher in the Sachem Central School District. His 3 biggest comic influences are Buster Keaton, Gene Wilder, and Andy Kaufman.
James Crichton
Camp Faculty & Staff
Faculty, Musical Theater/The Actor Sings/Children's Theater
Theater

James Crichton is an actor, singer, pianist, & theatre educator. His first summer as a student at Usdan was in 2002, and all together this will be his 18th summer! As an actor he most recently appeared in the New York premiere of Unknown Soldier at Playwrights Horizons. Other credits include Jasper in Deadland with Prospect Theater Company, the national tour of Peter and the Starcatcher, Botticelli in the Fire at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, The Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Last Ship at Pioneer Theatre Company, and Sweeney Todd at The Rev Theater Company. Additionally, he is the host and creator of the podcast Actors: On Process, and an adjunct (associate professor) for the musical theatre program at LIU Post. He holds a BFA in Acting from Hofstra University, is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association, & his favorite color is purple.
Victoria Garbarino
Seasonal Faculty
Faculty, Musical Theater
Theater

As a former USDAN student, Victoria Garbarino is thrilled to be returning for her second Summer at USDAN as a teacher! She is an accomplished vocalist and accompanist. During the school year, she is the Choral Director at Huntington High School on Long Island. She has been teaching there since the Fall of 2016. Victoria holds both an Undergraduate and Masters degree in Music Education. She is scheduled to complete her Doctoral degree in Music Education in the Spring of 2024. A fun fact about Victoria is that she loves the color pink and she plays the French Horn!