Dawn Blattel is an art educator who has taught locally for the last 15 years. She received both her B.A & M.A. in Art Education from Kent State University including studying ceramics under Kirk Mangus and Eva Kwong. Creative problem solving and unearthing new ways to make things are what keeps her passionate about the artistic process as a whole.

Rachelle lives in Wooster with her husband, 2 children and her beloved pets. She has always been passionate about the arts and earned her associate’s degree in visual communications at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. In 2022, Rachelle joined a beginning wheel class at the Wayne Center for the Arts and it completely changed her life! Since then, she has become enamored with making pottery and learning more about the craft. Rachelle is very excited for the opportunity to impart the skills she has learned and share the joy of working with clay with others!

After visiting an open house at the Wayne Center in 2015, Yvonne began teaching Ballroom dance at the WCA and signed up for her first wheel class in January 2016. Quickly she discovered that hand building is a technique she truly enjoys. As a student of Carli Moorefield, Beth Negro, and Adam McVicker, Yvonne is constantly looking for new ideas and techniques by taking ceramics workshops in the US and Germany. She also incorporates other techniques such as screen printing, 3D printing, and laser engraving to make tools, textures, and designs for her projects. Yvonne loves to share her passions, weather ballroom dance or pottery, working with adult students. Her unique workshops combine traditional hand building techniques with new and popular twists. She is currently supervising one open studio session for adult pottery students at the WCA. Her organic and one-of-a-kind creations are inspired by nature and are available in several shops in the Wooster area.

Adam McVicker grew up in rural Wooster. His upbringing in the country instilled an admiration for craftsmanship, creativity and a love for the beauty of nature.
In 2002, McVicker apprenticed under the artist Sarah McFarlan for mentorship in drawing. McFarlan helped guide his art towards nature and his personal relationship with it. From 2004-2005, McVicker apprenticed under local Wooster Artist, Beth Negro, as her studio assistant at the Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster, where she instructed.
McVicker pursued his love for Fine Arts at Kent State University, where he received classical training in Fine Arts and Crafts, as both a full and part time student at the various campuses while he continued to work full time as a production welder and steel fabricator. In 2012, he returned to school fulltime to finish his degree, focusing in ceramics and studied under the two artists who have, subsequently, been the most influential on his work, Eva Kwong and the late Kirk Mangus.
Upon confirmation of his degree in December 2014, Adam McVicker is looking forward to starting his professional career as a member of the Visual Arts Teaching Faculty at the same facility where he first learned to use a potter’s wheel, Wayne Center for the Arts in his native Wooster, Ohio.

Carli Moorefield, pottery instructor, has been with the Wayne Center for the Arts since 1974. She is known and loved by many, and has taught many current and former teachers of ceramics. Her specialties are adults and ages 6-9; she is currently the instructor of Potter’s Medley, Mudlarks, and several of our pottery workshops.Carli studied at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA, under the instruction of the Richard Lafean. She and her daughter, Emily, ran Moorefield Pottery in downtown Wooster for 12 years. Carli exhibits her work frequently in local venues, most recently the Yankee Peddler Festival in Canal Fulton, OH. Adam, our pottery coordinator, was a student of Beth Negro – who herself was a student of Carli Moorefield. 

Roberta Myers graduated from The Ohio State University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. While studying English, she took a sculpture class and fell in love with ceramics. Roberta’s background in case management allowed her to explore the therapeutic benefits of making art; she believes that playing with clay facilitates self-expression, creative exploration and tactile grounding. Alongside ceramics, she also enjoys writing, reading, collaging, watercoloring, hiking with her dog and gardening.

Lydia Havener began dancing at the age of 4 with training including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, tap and hip-hop. She studied at Cleveland City Dance under the training of Courtney Laves-Mearini, Mark Otloski, Andrea Blankstein-Otloski and Shannon Sterne. She was a member of the pre-professional company, City Ballet of Cleveland, where she performed in soloist and corps roles in productions such as Swan Lake, Paquita, the Nutcracker, Coppelia, Les Sylphides and Sleeping Beauty. After graduating from high school, Lydia trained with and graduated from AMTC (Actors, Models and Talent for Christ) in dancing, acting and modeling. She attended summer school at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts for film and acting and has also worked for Disney Cruise Line (DCL) as a performer on the Disney Magic. Lydia continues to teach at several local ballet schools and currently performs as a guest artist while also furthering her career in acting and modeling. She is passionate about instilling a healthy view of dancing both physically and emotionally and loves to educate on whole body wellness and essential oils. When not performing or teaching, she loves adventuring with her husband and spending quiet moments in the garden or finding new ways to bring beauty into her home and life.

Brittany is from Wooster and a graduate of the BFA Musical Theatre program at Kent State University and has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from The University of Texas. Most recently, she worked as the Dean of Student Experience for a middle school in Brooklyn, NY and has been teaching K-12 performing arts in the public, charter, and non-profit arts communities for 14 years. She looks forward to bringing her passion for arts education to the young dancers in her community.

Ashley Schroer began dancing at the age of 3 training at Wayne Center for the Arts and Dance Arts by Regina, studying ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, and jazz. She has attended summer intensives at Cincinnati Ballet and Ohio University with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and she has performed with the Cleveland Ballet in their 2017 production of the Nutcracker Suite. Ashley is currently a student at Slippery Rock University, working towards a B.F.A in Dance with a concentration in Dance Entrepreneurship and a B.S in English with a concentration in Creative Writing

Justice Swint is a dancer and choreographer from Atlanta, Georgia. She’s currently a student at the College of Wooster, majoring in Theatre & Dance with a minor in Education. Justice has been dancing for over eight years and has experience in styles like Hip-hop, Majorette, Modern dance, and Ballet Fusion. This summer, she will be a dance intern at the Wayne Center for the Arts, where she’s excited to gain more teaching experience and continue sharing her passion for movement. Justice looks forward to growing as both a performer and educator and hopes to inspire others through her work.

I’ve been reading and writing fantasy before I could read or write! One of my earliest memories is listening to my dad read “The Hobbit” at bedtime, and I started dictating stories to my mom to write down as soon as I could talk. I spent my childhood walking in the woods, looking for fairies and elves, and always wanted to be a writer when I grew up. My earliest favorite books were the Chronicles of Narnia and everything by Madeline L’Engle. I went to school for journalism but fell into the publishing industry and never looked back. I’ve worked in marketing, design, and editing, and now I have a private publishing consultation business helping authors find their voices and their stories and guiding them through the book publication process. When I’m not reading I love to draw and paint and to explore the woods with my two young boys.

Dennis grew up with a fertile imagination pretending to be all manner of characters — some real, such as Daniel Boone and Willie Mays; some created by others such as Huckleberry Finn and Snaggelpuss and others he created and which resembled pirates, gorillas, cowboys, explorers, cheetahs and even elephants. To this day he can’t bypass a cable show about elephants — even if he’s already seen it six times. These characters and others came to life in his backyard, his bedroom and at Hardesty Park, where he roamed with his sister, brothers and neighborhood cronies. Together they played games and invented their own, such as the now-famous Grey Wolf (well, famous to about 12 kids in two square blocks). All that playing led to places where he became more and more immersed in playing – plays at school, plays at local theatres and plays in college. Eventually, his path led him to plays on the road that actually paid him to perform and finally, to Magical Theatre Company, where he has played the last 30 years. Here he has all sorts of wonderful playmates — some kids, some adults — and of course, the best one of all, his wife, Holly.

Henry Walter-Wilde is passionate about improvisation and has a taste for variety. Henry is a student at the College of Wooster, where he is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Theater & Dance. He co-leads the college improv troupe, plays trombone in multiple bands, and has dabbled in a capella and dance. He also loves to film and edit videos and has worked on several video projects with family and friends. Henry is working to bring improv workshops to the Wayne Center for the Arts and is excited to grow his skills as a performer and teacher.

Carrie is a local naturalist and blacksmith. She is the owner of Darwin’s Dream LLC, dedicated to fostering connections between nature and art. When she is not swinging a hammer in the forge or teaching nature classes, she serves as the Community Engagement Specialist at the United Titanium Bug Zoo on the OSU Wooster campus. Carrie loves the way art and science collide in the natural world.

Alivia Maxwell is an Enamelist and Multimedia artist based in Kent, Ohio. Her work draws from whimsical and medieval imagery, focusing on using symbolism and narrative to explore personal identity through handcrafted jewelry and objects.

Maxwell earned her BFA in 2025 from Kent State University, where she studied a variety of artistic mediums and concentrated in enameling and metalsmithing, as well as exhibiting her thesis work. In the following spring, she furthered her study of enameling at the John C. Campbell Folk School under artist Karen Cohen. She went on to lead the enameling studio for the summer of 2025 at Camp Med-O-Lark, a fine arts summer camp where she discovered her love for arts education and creative experimentation. Alivia has since shown in exhibitions, such as the 86th Area Artist Annual Exhibition hosted by the Butler Institute of American Art, and the Groundhog Show, a yearly exhibition based in Akron. Maxwell continues her studio practice while sharing her knowledge of enameling and 3D arts through teaching and community-based arts education.

Halie is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a bachelor’s degree in Flute Performance. During her time at BGSU, Halie was a member of the philharmonia, wind symphony, and several chamber ensembles, where she developed a passion for performing and collaborating with fellow musicians. She has been selected as the winner of the 2022 PANdemonium4 Virtual Ohio Flute Competition and a performer in the 2023 Oklahoma Flute Society Collegiate Masterclass Competition. Her flute, clarinet, and piano trio,Trio Carminis,was awarded first prize in the 2023 BGSU Wayland Chamber Competition and were featured on WGTE radio. Halie has been teaching flute and piccolo for over four years and enjoys watching her students grow their love for music.

Mary-Marie grew up in Hammond, Indiana and began piano lessons at age 5. During high school she formed a music club and started a group called “The Village Singers” that performed at Friday night dances and special events. She studied at Valparaiso University and graduated from The American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, majoring in pipe organ. On a visit to California, Mary-Marie fell in love with the Pacific Ocean… and remained on the west coast for 40 years, working in the high-tech industry. She continued with music projects, directing, teaching and pursuing jazz studies at a community college, followed by intensive masterclasses and studies at California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley. In 2021 Mary-Marie moved to Wooster to be near her family. She is the coordinator for St. James Pet Pantry, enjoys quilting, stamp collecting, thrifting, and spending time with friends and family. She delights in creating fun learning experiences, sharing her knowledge and passion for music in its many expressions with people of all ages.

Mike teaches private string lessons at WCA.

Sharon Grimes has been playing piano most of her life, and enjoys sharing her love of music with students of all ages. She is currently on staff at the College of Wooster and Ashland University, and plays with area high school and middle school choirs.

Randy Kaserman has been teaching instrumental music for 29 years, having served as Band Director at Canton Central Catholic for 3 years and the past 26 years as Band Director of the Dalton Local Schools. He earned his Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from Mount Union College and has spent his career teaching brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments to students grades 5-12. He looks forward to helping students of all ability levels to further their instrumental abilities and enjoyment of playing musical instruments and making music.

Alexis Kelbley (they/them) is a licensed and credentialed music therapist. Alexis has played the clarinet for 13 years and has participated in many ensembles since learning to play at 10 years old. They graduated from the College of Wooster where they had the opportunity to participate in the Scot Symphonic Band, the Wooster Symphony Orchestra, and the Ohio Private College Instrumental Conductors Association Honors Band. Alexis has a passion for playing music by a variety of composers and across a variety of styles and genres. Recently, Alexis has decided to spread their love of music to the community through teaching woodwind lessons at Wayne Center for the Arts.

Allison is a 2024 graduate of Ashland University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. She is currently in her second year at Norwayne Elementary, where she teaches K-5 General Music. Allison is primarily a vocalist, but also plays the clarinet. When teaching, she loves exploring diverse music with her students, focusing on active music making and social-emotional learning.

Thor McDonald is a graduate of Ashland University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. He is in his first year of teaching K-6 general music in the Wadsworth City School District.

Beth Negro developed her love for the arts at a young age, inspired by her grandmother who loved to paint and draw. Negro discovered the arts center in 1998 as a student of Carli Moorefield and began teaching for the ceramics department in 2000.  Beth enjoys and specializes in working with students with special needs. Between teaching at WCA, Beth worked with Carli at Moorefield Pottery and also established her own arts studio. She currently exhibits her work at the Yankee Peddler Festival. Beth also teaches color-guard for Northwestern High School, and is furthering her artistic education by taking classes in stained glass.

Kathy Odenkirk is a nationally board-certified and state licensed music therapist and owner of Imagine the Possibilities Music Therapy and Piano Studio. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree, an Equivalency (Bachelor) Degree in Music Therapy, and a Master of Arts Degree in Music Therapy. Kathy has over 30 years experience working with children as a therapist as well as over 45 years of experience teaching piano. She created the preschool music program at Wayne Center for the Arts, an Outreach music program for Head Start (Wayne Center for the Arts), a Head Start music therapy program (Community Action Wayne/Medina), a music therapy program for a mother and child program (Community Action Wayne/Medina), and the music therapy program for the Early Head Start program (CommunityAction Wayne/Medina). Kathy has also supervised practicum music therapy students and interns and has given trainings for preschool teachers on the effectiveness of music therapy.

Derek teaches private guitar lessons at WCA.

Tommy Starr (b. 1995) is a current freelance composer and percussionist, now residing in Wooster, Ohio. A graduate of Youngstown State University in 2018, he received his Bachelor of Music in Composition with Honors. In addition to studying Music Composition, Tommy received training in classical percussion and jazz studies. In Youngstown, he also served as a bass chorister in the St. John’s Episcopal Chancel Choir, under the direction of Dr. Richard Konzen. Currently, Tommy works as a private percussion and drum set instructor at the Wayne County Center for the Arts, where he instructs K-12 and adultstudents in percussion techniques, sound production, and music reading. He also continues to serve as an out-of-state Education and Sales Representative with Volkwein’s Music, based in Pittsburgh.

Pat Anderson is a fiber artist who works with tie-dye, batik and silk painting. She has experience with many other media in her years as a visual art teacher with Triway Local Schools (preschool-6th grade & 9-12th grade). She received her Bachelor of Fine Art at KSU and Masters of Education from Marygrove College, MI. She would love to share her fiber art with others at WCA!

Mishi is a 2026 graduate of the College of Wooster. Mishi teaches teen visual art classes at WCA.

Dr. Janice Gallagher holds a Ph.D. in Education and a Master’s in Supervision. She is a mixed media artist who has exhibited and taught across the region, receiving the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Ohio Art Education Association in 2017. “My work is ever evolving,” says Jann. “I am drawn to textures and found objects that I enjoy incorporating into my art. My work focuses on my experience in the world and my pieces are deeply personal.”

Jason Holmes is a Cleveland native, who has spent the majority of his life surrounded by music, art and the building trades. He specifically enjoys writing and recording music, drawing with mixed media and doing custom stone and tile work. He loves spending time with his wife and 4 children. Pushing his boundaries and expanding his creativity is always at the forefront of his mind, and he is very excited about his latest opportunity being a drawing instructor at the WCA.

Lacey Huffman, a native of Circleville, Ohio, is a 2009 graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in landscape oil painting and drawing. Her love and appreciation of nature’s vibrant beauty began as a child. She enjoys teaching art lessons to adolescents, teenagers and adults of all ages. In addition to this, she has hosted and taught youth summer camps, private art lessons and group paint parties. Lacey and her husband have recently moved to Wooster, OH with their two dogs and a cat.

Jenny graduated from The College of Wooster and Kent State University with degrees in Speech Pathology. She enjoyed working with preschool and elementary students with disabilities for 15 years. All along, art has been a hobby. Jenny switched her focus these past 4 years to pursue art. She has been a long-term substitute elementary art teacher, taken numerous art courses at TriC, enrolled in watercolor workshops, and been mentored by a local ceramic artist. Jenny has had artwork on display at the student art show at TriC as well as photography accepted in the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve NewNow Exhibit. Jenny is excited to share her passion for art with students and their families.