Learning Can Be Fun

Meet the 2010 Instructors

Bryan Bailey has a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, with a focus in machine design and a minor in business management. Since his childhood he has been rebuilding motorcycles and building custom motorcycles, as well as restoring automobiles. While working on his ME degree, he worked for Newport News Shipbuilding working with naval aircraft carriers. Since high school he has been working with CAD systems doing design work for his employer and currently works at Cadence Incorporated as an engineer. Bryan also teaches auto mechanics at Grace Christian High School in Staunton.

Donna Barber has a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and a master's degree in Parent Education. She has 23 years teaching experience, with 18 of those spent at John Wayland Elementary School. While there she has been a team leader, science point of contact person, Merck science camp teacher, and environmental coordinator for the school. She has taken a graduate engineering class and enjoys integrating Children's Engineering with other content areas.

Sandi Belcher has an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Organizational Development. She has over 30 years of experience in Community Theatre as an actress and director and has also worked in theatre in many other capacities such as set builder, stage hand, dresser, costumer, and make up artist. She has served on the Board of the Waynesboro Players for the past 8 years and, in addition to theatre work with that company, has also worked with Oak Grove and ShenanArts.
Sandra Carter currently works for the Staunton Department of Parks and Recreation teaching art and sewing classes to grades K-12. She also instructs for the Staunton-Augusta Fine Arts Association. When she is not teaching art, she designs and constructs costumes for area schools, churches, and theatre groups.

Kathy Clancey has been the co-owner of Kathy’s Scuba in Harrisonburg since 1983. She has a B.S. in Education and is a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Master Instructor. Kathy is also an Emergency First Responder Instructor and a PADI Development Course Staff Instructor. She has thirteen specialty ratings. Kathy is married, has three children and four granddaughters, and resides in Harrisonburg.

John Dull received his Master of Music degree from East Carolina University in music theory and composition, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bridgewater College in music, focusing on guitar. Over the past 6 years, John has taught dozens of private guitar students in North Carolina and Virginia, teaching a variety of styles from classical to folk to rock and beyond. John is currently the Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Staunton.

Susan Eckenrode has a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood and a Master's Degree in At Risk Education K-12. She has 16 years of elementary teaching experience. She has taught 2nd grade at John Wayland Elementary School for 14 of those years. She has been the Science Point of Contact and Science Leader for her school, as well as team leader, and a member of the faculty council. She has taught MEREK sponsored science camp for 10 years. She has taken the Children's Engineering Graduate class at JMU and has presented at several Design and Technology Conferences.

Julie Foster, a teacher for Harrisonburg City Public Schools, enjoys literature, music, drama, laughing, and learning. She also teaches American Sign Language for local colleges and community groups. She believes learning should be filled with music, drama, dance, and imagination. Stories come alive in her classes.

Jennifer Gutshall teaches K-12 art in the Dominican Republic although she grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and received a B.A. in Art Education from EMU. Prior to graduation, she was a Senior Camp Counselor and Craft Coordinator at Highland Retreat in Bergton. Jennifer has traveled to Mexico, Belize, Ethiopia (where she taught English to high school students), Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. She is fluent in Spanish and greatly loves the Caribbean culture where she now has her residency. Each summer she returns to the US to be with her family in Mount Sidney. She loves sharing her cultural experiences and artistic creativity with the children.

John Hancock has 31 years of experience working with teens, college students, and adults. Besides teaching college full time, he directed the art program for the North Carolina Governor’s School East for 9 years. He is currently the senior art judge for both of the NC Governor’s Schools and also serves as a judge for the national review of AP studio art portfolios. As an artist he regularly exhibits and has done so locally, regionally, nationally, and in England. In addition to teaching college art courses, he regularly conducts painting, watercolor, drawing, and mixed media workshops. He also makes presentations to, and judges art shows for professional and community art groups and schools.

Shawn Hassler became Scuba certified in 1985. Since then, he has become a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Scuba instructor and a PADI Master Scuba Diver trainer. He is certified to teach numerous PADI specialty ratings. Shawn was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley and currently lives in Harrisonburg with his wife and two daughters.

Jarrett Hatcher teaches government and US history at Robert E. Lee High School where he is also the head golf coach and the Varsity Assistant Basketball coach. In 2004 and 2005, R.E. Lee won back-to-back State Championships. Jarrett coached the Lee tennis team for 5 years. He is a graduate of Bridgewater College with a major in history and political science. Jarrett is also host of “THE SHOW” every Monday night on ESPN1240 radio. During the summer, he spends all of his spare time playing golf.

Nilda Jolloff is a working visual artist who enjoys teaching children the value of art and education. She has taught Children's Art Workshops through the Shenandoah Art Center and the Staunton/Augusta Art Center. Nilda has earned an Associates Degree in Arts and Science from BRCC and a BA in Studio Arts from Mary Baldwin College. She has taught exploratory art classes at Shelburne Middle School and studio art classes at Guardian Angel Regional Catholic School. She was the visiting art teacher during the winter/spring term at Riverheads Elementary. Nilda is a member of the Virginia Art Education Association and was inducted in the Who's Who of American Women 2006-2007.

Kris Keane currently has an Associate’s Degree, and is completing a Bachelor’s Degree, in Veterinary Technology. She has over 30 years experience in veterinary medicine as a licensed veterinary technician, manager, and instructional assistant. She is an active member of the state and national veterinary technology professional associations, having held multiple offices over the years. She was the recipient of the 2004 Lifetime Service Award from the Virginia Association of Licensed Veterinary Technicians. In her spare time she enjoys kayaking and rubber stamping, including card making, scrapbooking and other paper crafts.

Barbara Spilman Lawson is a professional storyteller, singer and writer who presents her programs "Stories with a Twist!" up and down the East Coast. With 22 years of teaching experience and 8 years of storytelling adventures, she is excited to be part of the LCBF program this summer. Barb received the 2007 Dawbarn Award for excellence in educating, motivating and inspiring young children in her community. She has been in over 45 musical productions for Waynesboro Players, ShenanArts, and Oak Grove Theater and acted in the PBS Parents' Choice Award-winning musical, RHYMES AND REASONS. She most recently appeared as the “Old Timer” in the musical history of Augusta County, “The Spirit of Augusta.”

Joe Malcolm teaches in the Veterinary Technology Program at BRCC. Dr. Malcolm came to Blue Ridge after 20 years in mixed animal practice in Highland County, where he still lives. Spare time is spent on the family farm with his wife Koressa, his two children Roy and Rachel, and a host of livestock and pets. Dr. Malcolm is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

Jessica Martinkosky is Assistant Professor of Fine Arts/Ceramics at Blue Ridge Community College. She earned her BFA from JMU and her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Before she came to BRCC, she was the Educator at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News, where she was in charge of the Hands on for Kids gallery, taught children’s and adult classes and oversaw the outreach programs. She has also been a resident artist at the Cub Creek Foundation for Ceramic Arts in Appomattox, VA and taught ceramics to middle and high school students at the Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp in New Milford, CT.

Kali Meadows has over 10 years of soccer experience. She has played in several travel soccer leagues in Virginia including the Old Dominion Soccer League, the Virginia Club Champions League, the Skyline Club Soccer League, and the Blue Ridge Classic League. Kali has played varsity soccer at Fort Defiance High School for 4 years, has received district honors as forward and been voted Most Valuable Offensive Player. Kali enjoys working with and training young soccer players.

Korey Miller is working on a BFA degree in Studio Art: Ceramics at Old Dominion University. He found his love for ceramics in the summer of 2007 and has been taking ceramics courses at BRCC for the past 2 years. Though better known for his work in sculptures, he also has a hidden pottery side! Korey was a volunteer in the summer of '09 with Nilda Jolloff in her LCBF ceramics classes.

Anne Perdue has over 35 years of teaching experience in Augusta County Schools. She has taught kindergarten and first grade and is currently a reading resource teacher at Riverheads Elementary. In addition, she taught the pre-kindergarten summer school class at RES for over ten years. Anne serves on the Board of Directors for Virginia State Reading Association and is a member of several other professional organizations. In her spare time she enjoys reading and traveling.

Matt Powers is a creative web designer and graphic artist by trade and a musician, traveler, photographer, writer, and student in his “spare” time. He loves graphic design, but also has a passion for sustainable farming and spends as much time as he can traveling worldwide to teach those in need.

Cara Cline Price is both a flutist and pianist, residing in Hagerstown, Maryland. She received her formal education from Shenandoah Conservatory, where she also earned a Certificate in Performance in flute and qualified herself for instrumental, choral and general music teaching. She has fond memories of two summers spent as a coordinator for Learning Can Be Fun. Cara teaches piano and other music classes at Barbara Ingram School For The Arts, a public arts magnet high school in Hagerstown, Maryland, maintains a private flute and piano studio in Hagerstown, and serves as Assistant Music Director/Director of Children's Music for Shenandoah Farms Baptist Church in Front Royal, Virginia. She also spends a lot of time playing for weddings and events, locally both to Weyers Cave and Hagerstown. She loves making and teaching music in any form, with any age group and no matter the ability level!

Larry Ressin is a seventeen year Police Veteran in the Shenandoah Valley and has attended and completed many training sessions and seminars dealing with the collection of evidence and Crime Scene Investigation/management. He is also an alumnus of the Virginia Forensic Science Academy, a member of the International Association for Identification, and a certified instructor for the Department of Criminal Justice Services in the State of Virginia.

Jim Richerson is a full-time Associate Professor of Computer & Electronics at BRCC. Jim’s classes are always fun, challenging, and well attended. All students are given hands-on experiences in the robotic and computer classes that he teaches at the college. Jim’s Undergraduate and Masters Degrees are from Southern Illinois University and he has many electronic, computer & networking certifications. He has been teaching at BRCC for 20 years.

Benjamin Rodes graduated with a BS in computer science and a minor in music from James Madison University in December 2008 and is currently pursuing an MS in secure software engineering, also from James Madison University. As an undergraduate, he pursued a bachelor's in trumpet performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. before transferring to JMU for computer science. As a JMU undergraduate, he was on a full scholarship and assisted in the research of auditory phenomena. With two JMU faculty members, he is currently researching the creation of a new programming language. Ben is an active gamer and is privately researching three dimensional gaming with the Java programming language.

Kathi Scruggs began her martial arts training in 1986 and specializes in martial arts instruction for younger children. She coaches soccer and basketball and is co-owner of the Endless Path School of Martial Arts in Harrisonburg. She and her husband Rick teach Self Defense for Women and Teenage Girls at BRCC and have conducted self defense seminars for the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, Virginia Center for Health Outreach, and for many other local businesses and schools. She is a former fitness instructor and is currently employed by JMU.

Rick Scruggs began martial arts training at the age of 8 and has studied a variety of martial arts for over 30 years. Rick specializes in martial arts for younger children, coaches soccer and basketball, and is co-owner of the Endless Path School of Martial Arts in Harrisonburg. He and his wife Kathi teach Self Defense for Women and Teenage Girls at BRCC and have conducted self defense seminars for the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, Virginia Center for Health Outreach, and for many other local organizations. He continues his martial arts training, teaches stretch and flexibility classes, and is employed by Eddie Edwards Signs in Harrisonburg.

Kristy Squires holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and is a Virginia State certified EMT-B. She volunteers at two local EMS agencies and teaches pre-school part-time. When she is not volunteering or working she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, cooking, and traveling.

Anna Stewart has been involved in theater since she was in Kindergarten, working both on and off stage. She taught basic theater to 6-12 year olds for a theater company in Fredericksburg for one year before re-locating to Harrisonburg. She is currently a student at Blue Ridge Community College and hopes to make teaching theater and stage managing her career.

Cherie Taylor is a journalism-education graduate of Arizona State University, with a masters in secondary education from JMU. She is a former high school English and journalism teacher and an LCBF Shutterbugs instructor.

Shirley Thomas has a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Nursing. She has over 15 years of experience in teaching first-year nursing students at Blue Ridge Community College, as well as experience in medical-surgical nursing and intensive care nursing.
Martha Tillen is a graduate of William and Mary with a degree in anthropology and a minor in government. She completed her teacher licensure program at Mary Baldwin College. She has worked for many years with programs for children and adults at the Frontier Culture Museum and the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace. She now teaches pre-kindergarten at Covenant Developmental Pre-School. Martha is mom to two young children and enjoys reading, crafts and traveling.

Lindsey Walters is an alumnus of James Madison University where she graduated, Cum Laude, with a degree in Film Studies through their School of Media Arts and Design, as an Honors Scholar. She has trained in dance for the past fifteen years and has performed with various troupes up and down the East coast. She attended the Virginia Summer Governor's School in Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley Regional Governor's School for theater. She has worked as a choreographer for multiple theaters in the area for the past five years. Her love of photography began when she studied film in college and has developed into a working passion. She currently works as a dance instructor for The Presbury Theatrical Training Program and a freelance photographer.

Matthew Warner is the author of four published books and more than 40 short stories, mainly in the horror and science fiction genres. The Wayne Theatre Alliance featured his radio serial, How the Martians Stole Christmas, in fall 2008. Publishers Weekly reviewed his second novel, Eyes Everywhere, calling it “compelling and insightful.” His screenplay adaptation of Eyes Everywhere was a finalist in the Virginia Governor’s Screenplay Writing Competition. He is frequently a guest speaker at high schools about writing and genre theory. He lives in Staunton, where he helps run a design business catering to the publishing industry.

Anne Wick has a Master's Degree in vocal performance from the University of Michigan. She has 25 years experience in performing everything from Music Theater to Opera and Vaudeville in style. She has started pilot programs at several area schools and churches, served as music director, director and drama teacher as well. She is currently teaching private voice lessons, provides master classes and clinics while working on her DMA degree at James Madison University.

Derek Young is president and program director for Outdoor Adventure Experiences Inc. and provides adventure experience programs for children through adults. Derek has always been active in the outdoors and for the past 25 years he has been active in adventure sports participation and leadership. He has worked with youth programs for Rockingham County Recreation Department and has been the youth director at First Church of the Brethren in Harrisonburg for the last 19 years.