Faculty & Staff

Charna Lopez

Charna Lopez

Director, Integrated Arts Conservatory

charna.lopez@ocsarts.net

Ms. Charna Lopez was born and raised in Southern California and attended Chapman University, where she graduated magna cum laude and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television broadcast journalism. She went on to earn her master’s degree in cross cultural education from National University. A dedicated member of the Orange County School of the Arts team since 2006, Ms. Lopez has focused much of her professional career on the arts and enjoys sharing her passion with the next generation of artists. 

Ms. Lopez has extensive experience teaching dance, theatre, voice, and broadcast journalism, among other art forms. Ms. Lopez is the artistic director for Yorba Linda Spotlight Theater Company and has choreographed and directed more than 50 productions at various performing arts companies throughout Orange County. A few of her recent shows include Side Show, The Addams Family, Legally Blonde, School of Rock, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Little Shop of Horrors, and more. She is also an award-winning performing artist who has appeared throughout Southern California at theatres including Moonlight Amphitheater, Performance Riverside, Candlelight Pavilion, and Saddleback Civic Light Opera. Among her favorite roles are the title role in Peter Pan, Rizzo in Grease, The Witch in Into The Woods, DeLee in Smokey Joes Café (Theater League Award, Patte Award nomination), The Waitress in Working, Joan in Dames at Sea, and Patsy in Crazy For You.

Read More
Angela Ryan

Angela Ryan

Manager, Integrated Arts Conservatory

Teaches: 7th grade Beginning Acting, 9th grade Musical Theatre

angela.ryan@ocsarts.net

Ms. Angela Ryan graduated with honors from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre. She also earned a master’s degree from Pepperdine University in educational psychology with an emphasis on artistic adolescents. Ms. Ryan has served as the music director for Long Beach Playhouse's Summer Youth Musical Theatre Conservatory, as well as a vocal adjudicator for organizations such as the South Coast Symphony. With extensive New York and California musical theatre credits, Ms. Ryan is also a private voice instructor and audition coach.

Elizabeth Bagnol

Elizabeth Bagnol

Instructor

elizabeth.bagnol@ocsarts.net

Ms. Elizabeth Bagnol is a San Francisco native and graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a master’s degree in social welfare. She later pursued children writing and drama therapy at SoCal Drama Therapy Centre. Ms. Bagnol has a counseling practice in Southern California and works on-call at Orange County Foster Youth Services as an Educational Case Manager. She does playback theatre, co-directed and wrote a backyard play with her daughter, Zabby, benefiting villages ravaged by war in Uganda. Ms. Bagnol also participates in projects like Homeward LA, supporting the homeless and vulnerable populations. She found her heart in community at Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic, San Francisco Women Against Rape, Skid Row/Los Angeles homeless shelters, and House of Peace Eternal, a domestic violence housing corporation. Ms. Bagnol’s life passion is hunting for gold nuggets of purpose and treasure found in each person she encounters through Expressive Arts with Drama.

Mike Bradecich

Mike Bradecich

Instructor

mike.bradecich@ocsarts.net

Mr. Mike Bradecich (he/him) started teaching On-Camera Acting at OCSA in the Spring of 2020 and was immediately hooked. Since then, he has also started teaching Sketch Comedy and TV Pilot Writing. Mr. Bradecich got his start as an actor and writer doing improv in Chicago, which led to some television show roles and a ton of commercials. He has two kids at OCSA, and in his free time he mostly likes to hang out with them, their youngest sibling, and his partner. Mr. Bradecich also works as a freelance animator, and you can see some of his work on Instagram @badradishmotion.

Shannon Brady

Shannon Brady

Instructor

Teaches: Creative Writing

shannon.brady@ocsarts.net

Ms. Shannon Brady has a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Columbia University and has written about dance for The Village Voice, book reviews for The New York Times Book Review, reporting for Vanity Fair and various other freelance writing projects and poetry publications. Ms. Brady once joined a dance troupe in order to write a profile about the choreographer. She has taught high school and college writing in New York and California.

Kimberly Cantley

Kimberly Cantley

Instructor

Teaches: 9th Grade 3D Design, 10th Grade Photo Realism

kim.cantley@ocsarts.net

Ms. Kim Cantley holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting from California State University, Fullerton. Mrs. Cantley is a visual artist, working primarily in drawing and painting; her work has been on exhibit in several galleries in Orange County, Los Angeles, and New York. In addition to her own art practice and teaching in the Integrated Arts Conservatory, she is also a Trader Joe’s sign artist.

Christine Choi

Christine Choi

Instructor

Teaches: Art and Design

christine.choi@ocsarts.net

Ms. Christine Choi has been a staff member at OCSA since 2008 and currently teaches AP Art and Design, Ceramics, Visual Arts Exploration, Visual Arts 3D Design for grade 7, and Integrated Arts Art and Design for grade 9. Ms. Choi is an OCSA alumna (VA, '02) and has earned the Second Annual Michael Steven Olvera Jr. Memorial Scholarship award. After graduating from OCSA, she pursued her passion for the arts at Otis College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She won the Saul & Sally Fifer Bernstein/Friends of Joe Mugnaini Award during her senior graduation show. Ms. Choi also holds a Secondary Teaching Credential through California State University, Fullerton and a Career Technical Education Credential (CTE) from the Orange County Department of Education. Currently, Ms. Choi teaches CTE courses through OCDE for conservatory and elective teachers at OCSA and CSArts-SGV who are working towards a CTE credential.

Cassie Foster

Cassie Foster

Instructor

Teaches: Musical Theatre

cassie.foster@ocsarts.net

Ms. Cassie Foster has been dancing for over 20 years and has always loved supporting the arts. Born and raised in the Central Valley, she started her dance training at Deenie's Dance Workshop when she was seven years old. Her dance training consists of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, and musical theater. Ms. Foster earned her bachelor’s degree in Dance from California State University, Fullerton in 2010 and performed at the Grand Central Arts Center with her own choreography.

While wrapping up at California State University, Fullerton, Ms. Foster started working at the “Happiest Place on Earth” where she hosts and coordinates groups from all walks of Performing Arts and gets to support their events. On top of working at the Disneyland Resort for the past nine years, she also teaches at Yorba Linda Spotlight, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing performing arts education and performance opportunities to the aspiring artists of Orange County and surrounding areas.

Read More
Annie Gregory

Annie Gregory

Instructor

Teaches: Video Production, Screenwriting

annie.gregory@ocsarts.net

Ms. Annie Gregory holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film production from Chapman University and a master’s degree in film studies from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She has directed award-winning documentaries and short films. Ms. Gregory’s work lead her throughout the United States and Mexico, taking her to incarceration facilities, courtrooms, and orphanages. In addition to her production work, she has been a guest speaker and a guest judge for renowned film festivals. Ms. Gregory’s essay “Majid Majidi and New Iranian Cinema” is published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Religion and Film.

Shanon Habelow

Shanon Habelow

Instructor

Ms. Shanon Habelow is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater. Since then, she has been performing professionally with theater companies across the country including Sacramento Music Circus, McCoy Rigby Entertainment, and various civic light operas. Ms. Habelow was a member of the closing company of the first national tour of Wicked, where she understudied the role of Glinda, and toured with Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, performing as Curly, and understudying Cathy as Peter. She re-discovered her love of teaching when she began working with McCoy Rigby Arts (MRA), where she is currently studio director and director of theater arts. She has produced, directed, and choreographed various productions with MRA including, Oklahoma, A Year with Frog and Toad, Peter Pan, Oliver! and Matilda. Ms. Habelow believes every student is a natural-born storyteller. She encourages each of her students to reach outside of their comfort zone to discover who they are as performers.

Will Hare, Jr.

Will Hare, Jr.

Instructor

Teaches: Digital Photography

will.hare@ocsarts.net

Mr. Will Hare, Jr. earned a bachelor's degree in photography from Art Center College of Design. He brings eight years of experience teaching at the college level to the Integrated Arts Conservatory students. Professionally, Mr. Hare is a well respected architectural, landscape, and editorial photographer.

Mr. Hare’s photography has been featured at the Hibbleton Gallery in Fullerton and the Cypress Photography Department Gallery. His work has been published in Sunset Magazine, Orange Coast Magazine, and Builder and Developer Magazine. His clients include Apple Inc., American Institute of Architects, Southern California Gas Company, Discovery Science Center, WAT&G Architects, and Fairfield Timeshares. His honors include local, regional, and national awards.

Read More
Cynthia Karim

Cynthia Karim

Instructor

Teaches: Production & Design Overview, Theatre Makeup

cynthia.karim@ocsarts.net

Ms. Cynthia Karim has worked as a professional makeup artist and licensed aesthetician since 1975 and began her tenure at the Orange County School of the Arts as a designer and teacher in Special Effects Makeup, Hair, and Wig Design in 2001. She also works at the university level and in the industry including SNL and MadTV. Ms. Karim also earned her special effects makeup certification from Paramount Studios, Hollywood.

Natalie Knox

Natalie Knox

Instructor

Teaches: Intro to Creative Writing

natalie.knox@ocsarts.net

Ms. Natalie Knox is graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara, earning a double major in theatre arts/playwriting and English with a focus in creative writing. She also has a single subject teaching credential in English from California State University, Fullerton, as well as a GATE certification from the University of California, Irvine. Previously, she was an intern at Paramount Studios for Entertainment Tonight and served as a script analyst. Her works have been published in Catalyst Poetry.

Ms. Knox enjoys writing creatively in all genres; an advocate of less is more, she believes in writing in shorter, deeper increments to help adolescents form strong connections to the voice inside. Although writing is her passion, she finds it equally interesting to bring performance into class, in an effort to help the words on the page take life.

Read More
Jamond McCoy

Jamond McCoy

Instructor

Teaches: Voice

jamond.mccoy@ocsarts.net

Mr. Jamond McCoy is an improvisational jazz and gospel influenced vocalist, pianist, composer, arranger, session singer, and accompanist creating music for various venues and other fellow musicians. He is dedicated and committed to giving each musical endeavor the passion, energy and respect it deserves.

His current endeavors include teaching at studios, and working as an assistant director at the Monterey Jazz Summer Camp, and giving back to the church communities that helped shape him as a music director. Mr. McCoy is looking forward to pushing the limits and carrying on the legacy of m-pact music group for which he now sings baritone. Outside of music, he absolutely loves all things food and puts as much passion into eating and making food as he does music.

Read More
Cameron Shim

Cameron Shim

Instructor

Teaches: 9th Grade Dance

cameron.shim@ocsarts.net

Mr. Cameron Shim received his Bachelor of Science in kinesiology dance from California State University, Northridge and is currently working towards his master’s in the same field. He has worked in the entertainment department for various theme parks, including Six Flags Magic Mountain and the Disneyland Resort, since 2006. Some of his credits include being a featured performer and choreographer for RAWartists Hollywood, COSMIC Dance Crew, Dance Spot LA, LA Unbound, and QueenV Entertainment. In 2014, he received his certification as a trainer in Conditioning with Imagery for Dancers (CI-Training), which was created by his former dance instructor Dr. Donna Krasnow.

Mr. Shim teaches various forms of dance, including jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, modern, disco, and swing, among others. With each dance form, students not only learn about technique, but also the history of each dance. Other areas he focuses on include auditioning, choreography, conditioning, and health. Outside of teaching for the Integrated Arts Conservatory, he continues to work in the Parade Department at the Disneyland Resort, as a dance instructor for Active Learning in Santa Ana, and as a dance fitness instructor at Equinox Gyms in Irvine and Huntington Beach.

Read More
Cristen Skoglund

Cristen Skoglund

Instructor

Teaches: Tap/MT Dance

cristen.skoglund@ocsarts.net

Bio coming soon!

Brenda Smith

Brenda Smith

Instructor

Teaches: Acting, Plays and Playwrights

brenda.smith@ocsarts.net

Ms. Brenda Smith holds a Bachelor of Art in dance/theater and a Master of Fine Arts in acting from California State University, Fullerton. She also attended the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. As an actor, Ms. Smith has appeared in numerous shows in the Los Angeles area. She created the Met Theater workshop in Los Angeles, which included Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Alfre Woodard, and Amy Madigan. This group developed new plays by playwrights like Beth Henley and nurtured now critically acclaimed actors, including Angelina Jolie and Lucy Liu. 

Ms. Smith spent ten years in Taos, New Mexico producing, performing, and directing at the Taos Center for the Arts and the Metta Theater. She has also taught classes at Taos Filmmakers Initiative, Goldenwest College, and California State University, Fullerton, among others.

Read More
Dawn Spranger

Dawn Spranger

Instructor

dawn.spranger@ocsarts.net

Ms. Dawn Spranger holds a bachelor’s degree in Film and TV from Chapman University. During her last year at Chapman, she was offered a position at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California in their post-production department. She worked there for several years before she went back to school in 2008 to earn her teaching credential at Azusa Pacific University. Since 2010, she has taught Middle School Language Arts and Social Studies. Mrs. Spranger joined Orange County School of the Arts in 2016 and serves as an instructor in the Integrated Arts and Film & Television Conservatories.

William Vetrovec

William Vetrovec

Instructor

Teaches: Intro to Improv, Improv, Advanced Improv

william.vetrovec@ocsarts.net

Mr. William Vetrovec has been teaching Improvisation for the Integrated Arts Conservatory since 2014. He has been a theatre and film actor for more than 25 years, performing in numerous theatrical performances throughout southern California, as well as film, commercials, and television. He has been performing comedy improv in various groups since 1989. As an improvisation actor with InterActors since 2004, he travels internationally for psychiatric training conferences.

He was assistant director for Innoventions Dream Home at Disneyland, and he was also featured in an interactive video Healthy U, which ran for seven years. Mr. Vetrovec studied improv at the South Coast Repertory with writer and director Greg Atkins, The Groundlings, and Held2gether Improv. He has also teaches improv at the South Coast Repertory.

Read More
Travis Wade

Travis Wade

Instructor

Teaches: 12th Grade Documentary Film Production

travis.wade@ocarts.net

Mr. Travis Wade graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in film production. He founded his company Revelation Films in 1999 as a non-profit organization providing high quality production services to other non-profit organizations. Since then, he has traveled the world, producing award-winning documentaries, docu-promos, industrials, music videos, and short films work for high profile and small local clients alike. Mr. Wade is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and runs a successful community theatre in Long Beach called the Act Out Theatre Company.

Scott Westmoreland

Scott Westmoreland

Instructor

scott.westmoreland@ocsarts.net

Mr. Scott Westmoreland received a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton in 1991, and immediately served as an illustrator/designer for the entertainment industry, creating multi-use images for professional theater, television, and motion pictures. After working for Hollywood advertisers and MCA Universal theme park development, he worked as a staff Disney artist for nearly a decade, designing and illustrating countless marketing, merchandising, and collector edition pieces, as well as conceptual and development campaigns. In 2001, Scott concentrated his efforts in the fine art arena as a published and licensed artist with Sagebrush Fine Art and Greg Young Publishing. His beach, surf, and tropical art became international best sellers – sold as prints in galleries, and as retail products, worldwide. His 30-year career has included teaching, performing as both an AEA, and SAG/AFTRA member, and most recently as a published novelist.

Rebecca Wong Burdett

Rebecca Wong Burdett

Teacher and Accompanist

Teaches: Voice, Theory, Musical Director for Productions

rebecca.wong-burdett@ocsarts.net

Mrs. Rebecca Wong-Burdett received a master’s degree with an interdisciplinary study in piano performance and ballet music literature from Claremont Graduate University. With more than 20 years of accompaniment experience, she has worked in all genres of the performing arts and is a sought after ballet pianist throughout Southern California. Over the years, Mrs. Wong-Burdett has worked with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, LINES Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, National Choreographers Initiative, and the Trey McIntyre Project.

Her performance of Franz Schubert's Moment Musicals Opus 94, No. 2 and 6 can be heard in filmmaker William Lu's award-winning dance film, STILL; the film screened at film festivals in The United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Spain, The Netherlands, South Korea, Nepal, and Australia.

Read More
Shannon Zimmerman

Shannon Zimmerman

Instructor

Teaches: Hip Hop

shannon.zimmerman@ocsarts.net

Ms. Shannon Zimmerman graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County receiving a dual degree in dance and adolescent psychology. For nine years, Ms. Zimmerman was the director of the children’s program at Pacific Dance Center and taught dance at Marymount University.

Professionally, she co-produced and performed in By:CoAstal, a production of contemporary dance pieces that opened in various venues in Los Angeles and New York. Ms. Zimmerman was a guest artist for The Federation in London, and recently appeared in Dance for Camera work shown in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was hired by LinkedIn to co-choreograph a large company flash mob for their 10th anniversary. In 2012 Ms. Zimmerman co-founded the LA Follies, a dance company inspired by classic Hollywood films and musicals, which she continues to choreograph for and co-direct. Throughout the past year, the LA Follies have performed at the Dorothy Chandler, the US Grand Prix, the Carpenter Center, and Fox Studios, among others.

Read More