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1700 N 7th Avenue . Suite 100 . Phoenix AZ 85007

Copyright © 2010 Metropolitan Arts Institute

ADMINISTRATION
Matt Baker Head of School Matt Baker was raised in Concord, MA and then travelled to Carlisle, PA where he received his BA, Cum Laude, in International Relations with a minor in Creative Writing from Dickinson College in 1991. He lived in Bologna, Italy for a year studying international relations and has traveled extensively in Europe. He received an MFA in Creative Writing from ASU in 1996 and a Masters in Counseling and Psychology from Prescott College in 1999. He is the Co-Founder and Head of School of the Metropolitan Arts Institute. Matt has taught creative writing, composition and literature courses in both high school and college. He teaches creative writing at Metro Arts. Clarion Call Press published his novel, The Art of Confession in 2002. He is married to jewelry artist and the Metro-Arts Finance Director, Betsy Rosenmiller, with whom he has two sons. They live in Tempe, Arizona.
Lisa Starry Associate Head of School Lisa is a founding member of Metro-Arts and the Dance Department. She has a B.F.A from California Institute for the Arts and is Artistic Director of resident professional company, Scorpius Dance Theater.
FACULTY
Brian Bentson 7 & 8 Teacher Assistant USAF  Defense Meteorological Satellite Program ‘88-92 | AA  College of the Siskiyous, Weed, Ca ‘94 | BA Communications, San Francisco State Univ  ‘96 | MA Elementary Education, University of Phx  2004. Mr. Bentson first joined Metro in 2010
Dana Buhl Visual Arts -- PHOTO Dana Buhl graduated with her BFA in Photography from Arizona State University. She began teaching photography at Metro-Arts in the Fall of 2009. In 2011, Dana led a group of students on an Art and Museum-based tour of London, England.
Sue Chenowith Visual Arts -- DRAWING, MIXED MEDIA Sue Chenoweth graduated from The Katherine K. Herberger College of Fine Arts at ASU with a MFA in Painting. Her paintings and installations have been shown in New York and Arizona. She has received numerous grants and awards. She has taught studio art and art history since 1996. At Metro Arts she teaches Advanced Drawing, Mixed Media, and Life Drawing.
Jennifer Frerichs Front Office, Director of Student Services Jenny has a B.A. in psychology from Texas Tech University. Jenny joined the Metro Staff in 2008 to teach freshman humanities, sophomore humanities, as well as psychology. In 2011, she moved to the front office to head up our RTI program and oversee all student services.
J.W. Gaberdiel Academics -- MATHEMATICS J.W. Gaberdiel has earned degrees in Mathematics and Communications at the U of A, a Masters in Secondary Education at ASU, and is a Certified Teacher in the state of Arizona. J.W. comes from a family of teachers and is ecstatic to be helping right-brained art students appreciate and master the left-brained skills of mathematics. J.W. has been teaching at Metro since 2009 and is currently responsible for teaching Algebra I, Geometry, and Precalculus. He also works with administration to host lunch detention, provide after-school tutoring, and coordinate annual standardized testing.
Vanessa Johnson 7 & 8 -- HUMANITIES Vanessa Johnson graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a degree in American Literature.  She then received her teaching credential from California State University at Northridge.  She taught both junior high and high school for eleven years in California and recently moved to Arizona in order to be close to family.  She has been teaching Humanities in seventh and eighth grade at Metro since Fall of 2009.
Stephanie Lucas Performing Arts -- FILM Stephanie has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Arizona, and received her M.A. in interdisciplinary studies from New York University, which focused on documentary film, art, and social change. She is one of the founding members of Limitrophe Films. She joined Metro in 2007.
Sarah Martinez Academics -- BIOLOGY, ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY, PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, SCIENCE DEPT. HEAD Sarah Martinez graduated from the University of Calgary, in Calgary, Canada, where she earned a B.S. in Biological Science, a B.S. in Anthropology, and a M.S. in Primatology. Sarah teaches Biology and Anatomy, and is Metro's Science Department Head as well as Metro's Student Leadership Group Coordinator. Sarah has been teaching at Metro since August 2002.
Nicole Olson Performing Arts -- DANCE Ms. Olson teaches Modern, Ballet, and Physical Express.  She received her BFA in Dance (Ballet and Modern emphasis) from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  Currently, Nicole is the assistant director of Scorpius Dance Theatre, and has been performing with the company for nine years.  She has been teaching at Metro Arts since 2002. 
Ariel Roller 7 & 8 -- MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, JR. HIGH STUDENT SERVICES Ariel graduated Cum Laude in 2008 with a degree in Elementary Education from ASU. She teaches 7th and 8th grade mathematics and science. She is currently working on her Masters in Natural Science. In the summer of 2011, she was selected to study in the middle school Science, Technology, Engineering and math program (MNS) at ASU. Ariel began working at Metro in the fall of 2009.
Fernando Teson Performing Arts -- THEATER, PERFORMING ARTS DEPT. HEAD Fernando holds a B.A. in Spanish Literature and Art History from Arizona State University. He is Dept. Head of performing arts and teaches Beginning and Advanced Theater. He also currently works as an actor/director with Teatro Bravo and has been with Metro Arts since 2004.
Koryn Woodward Wasson Visual Arts -- PAINTING, DRAWING, 2D/3D, VISUAL ARTS DEPART. HEAD Koryn Woodward Wasson graduated from the Arizona State University with her B.F.A. in Art Education and an emphasis in Printmaking. She teaches Drawing 1-2, 2D-3D Design, and all levels of Painting at Metro. After school she heads up the popular Printmaking Club and Comic Book Club. She has been with us since 2007.

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BOB POWERS Performing Arts Originally from Catskill, NY, Robert (guitarist/trumpeter) has worked extensively in the rock, funk and jazz idioms. Robert holds a Jazz Performance Degree from Arizona State University, where he received the Bob Ravenscroft Jazz Bird Scholarship.  Robert is currently teaching all guitar classes at Metropolitan Arts Institute, as well as working as a freelance trumpeter/guitarist/bandleader and composer and working with his own band -The Energy Trio  -a funk, rock, jazz, experimental B3 organ trio.
ALLISON STANFORD Performing Arts -- MUSIC, VOCALS Soprano Allison Stanford hails from Conway, Arkansas, and is active as a performer and teacher in the Valley of the Sun.  She earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Mississippi, and a Master of Music in Opera Performance from ASU and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at ASU.  She has performed professionally with the Phoenix Symphony, Ballet Arizona, Arizona Opera as well as others across the US. She joined Metro in 2010.
REBECCA MESTEK Academics Rebecca Mestek graduated with a B.S. in Biology from ASU in 2009, along with a minor in Bassoon Performance and Music History. During her time at university, she was an active scientist in a plankton ecology laboratory. Rebecca joined the Metro Faculty in the fall of 2010. Rebecca was chosen to participate in a NASA-sponsored internship in July 2011, based out of Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. She will be using her NASA experience to enhance classroom lessons and activities throughout the year.

PLEASE NOTE: All staff resumes are available upon request in the Metro-Arts Administration Office.

DANELL LYNN Director of Special Education Danell holds B.S. Pyschology, M. Ed. Cross-Cat. Special Education from Northern Arizona University, as well as Fashion Design degree from Miami International University of Art and Design. She is an accomplished designer through dl-couture, and a humanitarian ambassador with Threading Hope and Highwire. Danell became a part of the Metro team in the fall of 2010.
Betsy rosenmiller Finance Director Betsy graduated from Dickinson College with a BA in Policy & Management Studies. After discovering a passion for the arts she went on to receive an MFA in Ceramics from Arizona State University. For 10 years she exhibited her ceramics in galleries both nationally and internationally. In 2008 she switched her arts focus to the medium of jewelry. She was the director of a local art gallery for 11 years before coming to Metro in 2009 to run the business office. She is the proud mother of two sons and is married to Matt Baker, Metro-Arts’ Co-Founder and Head of School. 
randi kent Director of Admissions Randi graduated from Mesa State College with an AS in Nursing. She practiced as an OR/RR nurse for almost 10 years before returning to Mesa State to complete a BFA in Arts Administration. She then earned an MA in Art History from U of A with additional course work in museum studies.  She completed an MA in Counseling and Psychology at Prescott College and practiced counseling for 5 years. Randi returned  to U of A as an Academic Advisor with the College of Pharmacy. She has spent the last 4 years as Coordinator of the Pre-Health Professions Advising Center. This is her first exciting year with Metro Arts!
RYAN BREEN Performing Arts -- MUSIC An Arizona Native, Ryan Breen has had his hands in music and art since day one. Growing up in a family of actors and musicians he quickly realized that music was his passion. Graduating from Metro Arts in 1999, Ryan began his career as a producer and performer. Ryan has worked diligently to develop Phoenix based musicians.  Some of his collaborators and clients include Imogen Heap, Oh Land, Sony Music, Interscope Records, Adam Lambert and The Maine. His original work has been featured on hit television shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Abduction" as well as EA Sports  video games. Ryan strives to further develop and improve upon the already thriving Arizona Art's and Music communities. 
EIrik Pontious Academics -- HUMANITIES Eirik has a B.A. in Social Studies Education and is currently working on his M.A. in Science Education.  He worked in both the recording and banking industries in multiple capacities before joining the Metro family in January of 2011.  Eirik currently teaches junior/senior humanities as well as the college/career prep class.

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MIRTHA GARCIA Academics -- SPANISH Mirtha holds a B.A. in Spanish Literature and B.A. in Anthropology with a minor in political science. She also has a certificate in Latin American Studies and a certificate in International Studies, with honors, from Arizona State University. She has been a tutor in reading comprehension in elementary schools around the valley for two years. She joined the Metro-Arts family in 2011.

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KAYCEE MITCHELL Academics -- HUMANITIES [Bio not yet available]