Yocum Institute for Arts Education

Ann Burkot

Ann has her degree in Dance Production and Management from Kutztown University. She has been teaching for 12 years.

Kelly McDonough

Kelly has been teaching dance at AOM for 8 years. She has taught lyrical, jazz and tap and currently teaches all tap classes. Kelly danced all styles growing up and

Bria Walton

Bria Walton is a central Jersey native where she started dancing at a young age. Bria began her training with hip hop classes and quickly added many other styles of

Kristina Dennis

Kristina graduated from Cedar Crest College earning a B.A. in Dance, where she performed in the Cedar Crest College Dance Company. She was President of the CCC chapter of Nu

Jennifer Vernon

I have been dancing my whole life and have been trained in various styles. I am the President of my college dance team for the past two days and I

Ethan Blakeney

Mr. Ethan Blakeney is our newest junior instructor! We are so excited to share his talents with our students! While he is our youngest instructor, Mr. Ethan has had

Holly James

Holly (Allwein) James (former Dance Director 2000 – 2011) has been teaching since the age of sixteen and here at the Yocum Institute since 1999 where she began her dance

Jenn Caputo, Director Academy of Movement Dance Dept.

Jennifer Caputo is a graduate of West Chester University where she earned a BS in Kinesiology and a Minor in Dance Education. While attending WCU she was a Member, Captain

Mrs. Karen Logue, Program Coordinator, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mrs. Logue has been involved in the Martial Arts since 2006 when her son began his martial arts journey at the age of 9. She became a student herself in

Mr. George Stettler, 2nd Dan Black Belt

Mr. Stettler began his karate training at the age of 24 in 1974. He earned his brown belt. In 1983 he left that school and began training with Sensei John

Mr. Jerry Buffa, 2nd Dan Black Belt

Mr. Lee Barto, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mr. Lee D. Barto has been a practitioner of martial arts for over 35 years. He has black belts in Okinawa Kenpo Karate and Kobudo, Ryukyu Hon Kenpo Kobujutsu, and

Sensei Mr. Randy Fromm, 4th Dan Black Belt

I began my studies in the martial arts many years ago while in high school. Interestingly, I have come full circle….My first exposure was during a 10 week judo course

Mr. Dale “Trail” Trythall, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mr. Trythall started his martial arts karate career at the young age of eleven in 1981 at HKA. He likes to be called by his nickname “Trail”. His Sensei, John

Mr. Jim Taylor, 1st Dan Black Belt

James Taylor is a family man with an Engineering degree from Penn State. He works as a machine designer for an industrial equipment manufacturer. When he is not spending time

Mr. Dalton Bachert, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mr. Dalton began his martial arts journey in the year 2000 at the age of 4. He balanced his martial arts training with multiple sports throughout his youth including basketball,

Nadia Pochan

Nadia is an artist of many trades including painter, printer, mixed media artist, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. She graduated from The School of Visual Arts in NYC with a BFA. Since

Lisa Speece

Lisa Speece holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Susquehanna University and a Master of Science Educational Leadership from Duquesne University. She has taught public school music for grades K-12

Massimo Brutto

Vocalist Massimo Brutto is a young man with an “old soul” and has been performing with bands and vocal ensembles for the past six years. He graduated from Philadelphia’s University

James Neher

James Neher teaches piano, theory, and composition, and is the director of our Piano Ensemble program. He is a former student at Manhattan School of Music, and has a BA

Tom Bisbano

Thank you for taking a minute to read a little about me. I have over 35 years experience and offer lessons at any level. I have extensive experience teaching styles

Mary Grace Harris

Andrea Hart, Theater Department Chair

Andrea Hart is a director, dramaturg, playwright, stage manager, and teaching artist who has worked with community, collegiate, youth, and professional theaters in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. She received an MFA

Beverly Houck

Beverly Houck, since 2005 she has produced and directed for Yocum Institute for Arts Education’s Primary Stages Productions. In 2012, Houck was asked by the Berks County Parks & Recreation

Joel Gori

Joel Gori earned his BFA in Theater from Daemon College and his Masters in Theater from Penn State University. He is the instructor in the Neighborhood Bridges Program, a play

Debbi Silas

Debbi Silas was the director of our Broadway Junior program until 2019, the Without Limits Dance instructor, and teacher of various theatre classes. She attended West Chester University to receive

Jennifer M. Harding

Jennifer M. Harding is a freelance artist specializing in multimedia art. Based in Shillington, Pennsylvania, she attended Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts for Graphic Design. She creates all of

Nadia Pochan

Nadia is an artist of many trades including painter, printer, mixed media artist, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. She graduated from The School of Visual Arts in NYC with a BFA. Since

Erin Oliver

Erin Oliver received her MFA from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. She also holds an Art Education degree, Magna Cum Laude, from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art. Oliver

Kim Monjoy

Mixed Media Artist, new to PA formerly NYC/NJ. I love inspiring others to imagine!

Amanda Condict

Amanda Lee Condict has studied at Kutztown University, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Empire State College. An illustrator and designer, she has always worked in graphic arts and publishing,

Phylis Moser

Phylis Moser, Exhibits Coordinator and Teacher, is a visual artist (specializing in acrylics and mixed media), calligrapher, and designer. She holds a BS in Art Education from Kutztown University. Her

Helen Reinhold-Gordon

Helen Reinhold is an award winning artist whose painting method employs the use of both brush and palette knife in the mediums of oil and acrylic paints. At an early

Shawna Hansberry

Shawna Hansberry graduated with a teaching degree from Kutztown University in 1992, and teaches Elementary Art at Northern Lebanon School District. She is currently working on her Masters of Art

Rebecca Kline

Rebecca Kline graduated Kutztown University in May 2017, with the major Bachelors of Science in Art Education and a concentration in Painting. She has a range of experience working with

Tammy Updegrove

Tammy Updegrove is an accomplished artist in multiple mediums including, but not limited, to charcoals, collage, and acrylics. She has painted hundreds of murals in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. She

Danielle Wynen- Past Faculty

Danielle Wynen recently returned to the city of Reading after a 15 year period in the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California. While in CA, she started a family, pursued an

Faculty

Academy of Movement - Dance

Ann Burkot

Kelly McDonough

Bria Walton

Kristina Dennis

Jennifer Vernon

Ethan Blakeney

Holly James

Jenn Caputo, Director Academy of Movement Dance Dept.

East Coast Karate

Mrs. Karen Logue, Program Coordinator, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mr. George Stettler, 2nd Dan Black Belt

Mr. Jerry Buffa, 2nd Dan Black Belt

Mr. Lee Barto, 1st Dan Black Belt

Sensei Mr. Randy Fromm, 4th Dan Black Belt

Mr. Dale “Trail” Trythall, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mr. Jim Taylor, 1st Dan Black Belt

Mr. Dalton Bachert, 1st Dan Black Belt

Music

Nadia Pochan

Lisa Speece

Massimo Brutto

James Neher

Tom Bisbano

Mary Grace Harris

Theater

Andrea Hart, Theater Department Chair

Beverly Houck

Joel Gori

Debbi Silas

Visual Arts

Jennifer M. Harding

Nadia Pochan

Erin Oliver

Kim Monjoy

Amanda Condict

Phylis Moser

Helen Reinhold-Gordon

Shawna Hansberry

Rebecca Kline

Tammy Updegrove

Danielle Wynen- Past Faculty

Stories

Takiah and Tia McKenzie