MARIA GIARRIZZO-BARTZ | Founding Artistic Director
Maria is a theatre educator, professional actor, and director with over ten years of experience in educational theatre. She holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard and a BFA from the University of Montana, where she was a Presidential Scholar. From 2008 to 2016, she ran the drama program at The East Harlem School; there she created and directed an interdisciplinary drama curriculum for grades 4–8. She has directed children’s theatre productions for companies and schools across the nation.
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CAROLINE GOLSCHNEIDER | Founding Education Director
Caroline is an arts educator and policy consultant for the State of Connecticut. She recently served a term as Teacher Leader in Residence for the Connecticut Department of Education. She is in her ninth year of teaching music at Windsor Locks Public Schools, where she is part of the Leadership Team. She also creates and leads professional development sessions for arts educators around the country. Caroline graduated magna cum laude from Yale with a BA in Music and a Certificate in Teacher Preparation. She received her Master’s in Education at Harvard.
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BILLY O'SHEA l STEM Director
Billy holds a BS in Biology from Columbia University and a First Professional from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Over the last 13 years, he has taught in a variety of progressive education settings, in public and independent schools, and from grades preschool through high school. A lifelong learner, Billy has also worked as an ironworker, as a researcher in an oncology genetics laboratory, and as a counselor to adolescents. An avid maker and builder, he is a passionate advocate for experiential learning.
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DERON BEASLEY l  Movement Instructor
Deron, a Movement Instructor at ATLAS, is a dance educator, dancer, and choreographer with over 20yrs of experience. Born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, Deron started his dance training in middle school. During Deron’s high school years he attended E.C.A.,1994-1996 and graduated from Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School in 1998. In 1998 Deron was awarded the Julliard Experience Scholarship only awarded to 50 US students every year. Deron attended The Ailey School, in NYC from 1999-2001. In 2002 Deron started his dance relationship with the Board of Education as a dance teacher. In 2005 Deron studied Pedagogy at the Hartford Conservatory for a short time. Deron is currently working creatively for the New Haven Board of Education, supporting academic studies through his movement curriculum.
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ANGHARAD DAVIES l  Movement Instructor 
Angharad Davies (BA with Honors in English, The George Washington University; MFA in Dance, NYU) is an award-winning dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Her choreography for dance, theater, and opera has been presented by Danspace Project and the West End Theatre (NYC); ODC (San Francisco), Radialsystem (Berlin); Walker Art Center, Ted Mann Concert Hall, and Mixed Blood Theater (Minneapolis); and Yale Repertory Theatre, among other venues. She has collaborated with dance companies, directors, and choreographers across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and performed as a company member with Ivy Baldwin Dance (NYC), Drastic Action (NYC), Gibney Dance (NYC), and Hanna Hegenscheidt (Berlin). Read Angharad's full bio here.
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NATALIA XIOMARA l Spanish Instructor
Natalia, born in Panamá City, Panamá, is bilingual, Spanish and English. She is Director & Founder of Spanish on the Green™ a language school dedicated to teaching Spanish language and culture to young people and adults. In her consulting practice, Employment Resource Team LLC, she consults companies and individuals on HR and employment matters. Read Natalia's full bio here.
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SARAH REED l Voice Instructor
Sarah Reed is a soprano, chorus director and voice teacher in the New Haven area. At Neighborhood Music School, she directs the Audubon Voices Children’s Chorus, NMS Chorus for adults, teaches singing for ASAA and has a private voice studio. She is also the Chorus Director at Albertus Magnus College. Sarah sings with the Choir of Men and Girls at Trinity Episcopal Church on the Green, the Yale Camerata and Composer’s Choir, among other professional ensembles in the area. Sarah lives in North Haven with her husband and kids Emma (grade 8) and Henry (grade 3), 2 dogs and 2 guinea pigs.
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ADVISORY COUNCIL

NOAH BLOOM | Executive Director @ Neighborhood Music School

Sara Armstrong | Interim Director of Programs, Cold Spring School
Mary Bloom | Head of Music Education, Neighborhood Music School
Jackie Coleman | Education Investments Officer, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Stephen Dest | Drama Dept. @ NMS, Film Studies @ UConn, Acting Teacher @ ECA
Amity Doolittle | Research Scientist & Lecturer, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies 
Thomas Easley | Assistant Dean for Community & Inclusion, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Elizabeth Gleason | Evans-Rood History Department Chair / Community Service, Hopkins School
Josh Gleason | Instructional Technology Specialist, Yale School of Nursing 
Bernadette Huang | Associate Financial Planner, Kreitler Financial
Madelyn Newman | Director of Education, Long Wharf Theatre
Arati Pandit | Head of School, Cold Spring School
Sydney Perry | CEO Emeritus, Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven
Mariah Sage  |  Actor, Acting Coach, Founder of Present and Perform