Administration

Meet our team of dedicated leaders, extraordinary educators and lovers of the arts.

Staff

PAUL ASHLEY
Executive Director

EMILY GNAGEY
Director of Finance & Operations

NICOLE SCANDIFFIO
Assistant Director of Conservatory

Summer Conservatory Staff

Julie Johnson – Director, Wingspan Players

Billy Blair – Music Director, Wingspan Players

Allison Hunt – Choreographer/Dance TA, Wingspan Players

Nick Cartusciello – Director, Wingspan Ensemble

Mitch Raftery – Music Director, Wingspan Ensemble

Claire Wampler – Choreographer, Wingspan Ensemble

Ricardo Vazquez – Director with The New Group, Wingspan Ensemble

Robert Head – Voice/Singing, Wingspan Players & Ensemble

Zac Kline – Playwriting, Wingspan Ensemble

Lexie Plath – Dance, Wingspan Ensemble

Matt Rini – Voiceover/Stage Combat, Wingspan Ensemble

Kate Villanova – Acting, Wingspan Players & Ensemble

Luke Weyand – Improv, Wingspan Players

Board of Directors

Gary Bernstein, Chair

Georgette Jasen

Lynda Kennedy

Cheryl Vollweiler

Gary Bernstein, Chair

Georgette Jasen

Lynda Kennedy

Cheryl Vollweiler

Advisory Board

Gregory Arata

Rebecca Ashley

Jessica Bashline

Meghan Blakeman

Seth Duerr

Pamela Frost

Stephen Girasuolo

Kim Grogg Marin

Jerry Korman

Michael Kushner

Amy Lehman

Gavin Lodge

David Marx

Donna Murphy

Brooke Rogers

Vern Thiessen

Inna White

Scott Wilcox

Dawn Williams

Gregory Arata

Rebecca Ashley

Jessica Bashline

Meghan Blakeman

Seth Duerr

Pamela Frost

Stephen Girasuolo

Kim Grogg Marin

Jerry Korman

Michael Kushner

Amy Lehman

Gavin Lodge

David Marx

Donna Murphy

Brooke Rogers

Vern Thiessen

Inna White

Scott Wilcox

Dawn Williams

Photo Credit to Vanessa Rosas Photography

PAUL ASHLEY
Executive Director

Paul Ashley has been a key member of Wingspan Arts’ growth as an arts education provider in the New York region since 2004. In his time with Wingspan, he has been involved as a Teaching Artist, Site Director, Director of Afterschool Programs and Education Director. Paul holds a B.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. Stage credits include Crazy For You (National Tour), Forever Plaid, The Donkey Show and Fringe Festival award-winning a cappella musical, Minimum Wage: Blue Code Ringo! He has attended Columbia’s Institute for Not-For-Profit Management and Harvard’s Executive Education course in Performance Measurement.

“Art isn’t easy.” - Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George

PAUL ASHLEY
Executive Director

Paul Ashley has been a key member of Wingspan Arts’ growth as an arts education provider in the New York region since 2004. In his time with Wingspan, he has been involved as a Teaching Artist, Site Director, Director of Afterschool Programs and Education Director. Paul holds a B.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. Stage credits include Crazy For You (National Tour), Forever Plaid, The Donkey Show and Fringe Festival award-winning a cappella musical, Minimum Wage: Blue Code Ringo! He has attended Columbia’s Institute for Not-For-Profit Management and Harvard’s Executive Education course in Performance Measurement.

“Art isn’t easy.” - Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George

EMILY GNAGEY
Director of Finance & Operations

Emily oversees our financial and operational management. Since joining the Wingspan team in 2009, Emily’s experience in developing and implementing business management strategies has proven instrumental for our growth. Before joining Wingspan, Emily founded Ever After Productions, a youth theater company in southeastern Michigan that has been making integrated arts education available to the community since 2003. Emily holds a B.A. in Arts Management from Eastern Michigan University and graduated from the Americans for the Arts Arts Leadership Institute in 2012.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” - Pablo Picasso

EMILY GNAGEY
Director of Finance & Operations

Emily oversees our financial and operational management. Since joining the Wingspan team in 2009, Emily’s experience in developing and implementing business management strategies has proven instrumental for our growth. Before joining Wingspan, Emily founded Ever After Productions, a youth theater company in southeastern Michigan that has been making integrated arts education available to the community since 2003. Emily holds a B.A. in Arts Management from Eastern Michigan University and graduated from the Americans for the Arts Arts Leadership Institute in 2012.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” - Pablo Picasso

NICOLE SCANDIFFIO
Associate Education Director, Afterschool Programs

Nicole joined the Wingspan Family in 2009 and has since worked as a Teaching Artist, Site Director, and is currently the Associate Education Director for Afterschool Programs. She also works with Wingspan Arts as the Assistant Director of the Summer Conservatory program. Before her time with Wingspan Arts, Nicole graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in Theatre Studies, was a Stage Manager and Pre-school teacher. Outside of Wingspan Arts, Nicole is an avid Disney and Harry Potter nerd, and spends her time crafting, cosplaying and hanging out with her cat.

"Think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings." - Peter Pan

NICOLE SCANDIFFIO
Associate Education Director, Afterschool Programs

Nicole joined the Wingspan Family in 2009 and has since worked as a Teaching Artist, Site Director, and is currently the Associate Education Director for Afterschool Programs. She also works with Wingspan Arts as the Assistant Director of the Summer Conservatory program. Before her time with Wingspan Arts, Nicole graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in Theatre Studies, was a Stage Manager and Pre-school teacher. Outside of Wingspan Arts, Nicole is an avid Disney and Harry Potter nerd, and spends her time crafting, cosplaying and hanging out with her cat.

"Think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings." - Peter Pan