Calling all FALA alumni. We’re looking for you. If you went to FALA, send us an email, tell us what you are doing, share a memory or two. We’d like to hear how FALA has influenced your life as you’ve moved through the wider world.
- All Alumni
- Class of 1997
- Class of 1999
- Class of 2000
- Class of 2001
- Class of 2002
- Class of 2003
- Class of 2004
- Class of 2005
- Class of 2006
- Class of 2007
- Class of 2008
- Class of 2009
- Class of 2010
- Class of 2011
- Class of 2012
- Class of 2013
- Class of 2014
- Class of 2015
- Class of 2016
- Class of 2017
- Class of 2018
- Class of 2019
- Class of 2020
- Class of 2021
- Exchange Student
Kevin Murphy
Hello I graduated in 2014:Since I graduated in 2014 I volunteered for AmeriCorps. I have taken classes at CCC. Then I moved to Phoenix where I work for whole foods. I get together here and there with friends to play music. That keeps me busy along with raising my German Shepard.
Mariah Alexander
Mariah attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR, graduating with a degree in International Affairs and a minor in Art in 2012. Mariah wrote her thesis on the Military Coup in Thailand in 2006 and graduated on the dean’s list. She moved back to Flagstaff because she wanted to go to graduate school in Arizona. She works with Saint Mary’s Food Bank. What Mariah remembers most about FALA is the sense of community that FALA fosters. “I loved working hard on all our dances, plays and art shows and seeing what amazing things we were capable of with the support of our teachers! I’ll always remember lying out on the old FALA decks in the sunshine and doing homework or working on a class project.”
Alexander Anderson
Alexander attends NAU; his focus is on Hospitality Management in the School of Hotel Restaurant Management and Photography in the School of Communication. With help from his photography mentors, he has launched his photography business, which has given him additional opportunities. Alexander is also working as a freelance photographer for NAU Athletics and a staff photographer for the Lumberjack, the student paper.
Lily Anderson
I’m Lily Anderson! I’ve been living in Tempe going to the architecture school at ASU!
Lauren Ayrey
Lauren moved to Olympia, WA, after graduation. She attended Le Cordon Bleu for Baking and Pastry Arts in Portland and now owns a wholesale bakery in Olympia. Lauren is currently pursuing a degree in education.
Bella Bais
I’ve moved to Tempe and am currently enrolled in the Aveda Institute. Working on becoming an aesthetician.
Ramsie Bartlett
I am a published author. I have I one book out and am working on the second. It is a trilogy. The first book can be found on Amazon ; I write under the pen name Raven Gregory and my first book is call An Angel’s Heart
Kari Barton
After graduating from FALA, Kari attended NAU. Her sophomore year at NAU, she studied abroad in Limerick, Ireland. She returned to NAU and then transferred to Columbia College Chicago to complete her undergraduate studies in Performing Arts Management in 2004. Kari returned to Flagstaff and NAU in fall of 2004 to pursue her Master of Music in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy. She graduated in 2006 and has remained in Flagstaff, teaching a studio of 40 violin and viola students. She performs with the Flagstaff Symphony and is a member of The Knockabouts. She also runs two companies, Living Traditions Presentations (founded in 2004), which promotes concerts of Celtic music, and the Grand Canyon Celtic Arts Academy (founded in 2009), which brings in instructors of Celtic arts to Flagstaff each summer.
Rachel Beck
Rachel attends Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA. Her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts amounts to a double major in philosophy and theology and a double minor in math and science. After she graduates, she hopes to spend at least a summer engaged in missionary work, and then to proceed into a career centered on international education.
Collin Bliss
After graduating from FALA, I spent almost two years studying language in Germany before moving to Croatia to get a degree in Information Technology, which I am currently working towards. My post-degree goal is to find a job in the tech industry in either Germany or New Zealand, the latter of which is offering substantial bonuses to IT-savvy workers.
Valerie Brewster
Since graduation; Valerie studied dance and received her Bachelors’ Degree in Idaho and is about to receive a second degree in dance. She currently resides in sunny Southern California and is thankful every day that she doesn’t have to see or deal with any snow. She is a professional dancer in Los Angeles and Orange County and has worked closely with some of the dance industry’s top artists; and choreographers like Ryan Heffington; Akram Kahn and Mike Esperanza. She has danced with The Assembly Dance Company; Carpool Dance Collective; Fuse Dance Company; Body Traffic; Szalt Dance Company and The Bastette Group in Los Angeles. She is currently with The Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group as a dancer with The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride and Delusion productions. She has performed in a community art installation on the beach and at a music video release party for the band X.X.T. Her latest accomplishment is scaring Jeff Goldblum as a monster in an episode of The World According to Jeff Goldblum on Disney+ Valerie is also a dance teacher and choreographer and finds tremendous joy in setting a positive example for the rising generation. Valerie is very proud of the fact that she celebrates Halloween every day of the year and is happy to live in the spooky capital of the west coast. Valerie has a very fun job being a tour guide for Haunted Orange County year round. Valerie has been dancing since she could walk and dance was her focus all through high school. With hard work and dedication; she has been living her dream ever since.
Talia Brienza
Talia studies in Florence, Italy. She’s studying photography, the history of the European Union and Italy, and of course, Italian. She also has an internship as a teacher’s assistant in an English class at a high school in Florence. When she gets back to Sarah Lawrence College in New York, she plans to find an internship in fashion and advertising.
Laura Brittain
I moved back to Flagstaff in 2018; became a Staffing Coordinator and did that for a couple of years before being promoted to my current role as branch manager for OnCall Staffing. My partner and I have an almost one year old daughter named Ava Noel and a doggo named Stella who is our other baby. I also have my own side business where I take thrifted items and redesign/restore them and sell those on my Etsy page.
Aaron Burr
Aaron attends Northern Arizona University as a secondary music education major with an emphasis in instrumental music. He’s the public representative for NAU’s chapter of the National Association for Music Education or NAFME. Aaron plays tenor in a saxophone quartet that is always looking for gigs in Flagstaff. After college, Aaron is considering getting his master’s in saxophone performance, then ultimately a D.M.A. in saxophone performance as he’d like to teach at a university. Aaron says, “If there are students coming to NAU for music it is a fantastic program and they should definitely check out NAFME, and there are also several other organizations that promote music education but they are focused on choir and strings.”
Cassidy Christiansen
Since graduating from FALA in 2014; I traveled around the world for 2 years before deciding to attend Grinnell College in central Iowa. I graduated in May 2020 having double majored in Studio Art and Gender; Women’s; and Sexuality Studies. I currently am living with my partner and her mother on a small farm just south of Portland; OR where we grow food; flowers; and medicinal plants; and raise chickens; LaMancha dairy goats and Icelandic sheep. I also work at a nearby grocery store and take art commissions through my website.
Natalie Kaia Christiansen
Since graduating I’ve gotten some of my writing published in magazines/journals and self-published. I also worked for the USPS for a short while before going to CCC to get my certification as a medical assistant; and I’ve been working as an RMA since graduating the program in 2021; while continuing to write.
Laurel Clohessy
Laurel received her B.A. in Theatre Performance from NAU in 2002, and also attended Hunter College CUNY and Stella Adler Theatre Conservatory in New York City. Laurel’s worked as a Program Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff. and spent four years running a college-access program for low-income high school students called GEAR UP. At FALA, she volunteered as a Big Sister, and continued to mentor for three years. Another part of her life is teaching yoga at Northern Arizona Yoga Center. Her husband, Johnny Swoope, and she are part of the team that puts on Firefly, an annual arts and consciousness festival.
Beth Cook
Beth received her BA with a focus in writing from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. She’s been putting down roots in Portland, OR and working in administration at Oregon Health & Science University. Since her first National Novel Writing Month in 2009, Beth has been pursuing a career in writing for children. Never losing the weirdness that helped her thrive at FALA, she has recently joined the contributing writers at the long-running Muppet fan site ToughPigs.
Whitney Couture
Whitney graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in English and Art History and is working as a Congressional Aide for U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio in his Eugene district office, focusing on Veteran/Military issues. Whitney has lived in Oregon for more than10 years and has a young son named Jude. She worked as a bartender on a train in Alaska for a couple of summers, along with a few other FALA graduates as well as travelling abroad and living with FALA friends over the year.
Sarah Daniels
Recent performance credits: soprano soloist in The Jason Cady Ensemble (performing contemporary works including some world premieres by composer Jason Cady; NYC); Monica in “The Medium” (Chelsea Opera; Syracuse; NY); Quinn in “Sidewalk Serenade (world premiere)” (Chelsea Opera; Syracuse; NY); Monica in “The Medium” (City Lyric Opera; NYC); Chunky in “Chunky in Heat (world premiere)” (Experiments in Opera; NYC). Upcoming performances and projects: Songs of Summers Past (concert; Chelsea Opera; NYC); soprano soloist & poet of new song cycle “Eight Plus One” with composer Matthew Welch (San Francisco; CA); and ensemble in “(S)he: A Bequest (world premiere)” (What’s Left Theatre Co; NYC).
Cosmo Diskan
Cosmo graduated with a Bachelor’s in Technology Management with Honors from Northern Arizona University, and an Associate’s of Applied Science in Computer Network Engineering with Honors from Coconino Community College. He currently works as the Lead I.T. Technician for Grand Canyon National Park and provides technical support, server management, network design, and IT project management for an 850,000 square mile service area. He is also active in a Computer Technical Specialist position on a Southwest U.S. Forest Service Type 2 Incident Management Team during the wildfire season. Cosmo thanks FALA for providing a safe and supporting learning environment during difficult points in his life.
Emily Dove
After graduating from Hobart and William Smith colleges in May 2014, Emily is living in Geneva, NY, and enjoying the life of a nonstudent for the first time. Emily is working at FF Thompson hospital and loves her work as a critical care tech there. She is also dancing with an African dance group called Bush Mango, which is located in Rochester, NY. She is continuing to enjoy emergency medicine, working on completing her Care certification, and is greatly enjoying post college life despite the increase in expenses.
Caleb Eckert
Caleb attends Haverford College. Caleb took an environmental anthropology class last semester, which piqued his interest and he’s now considering an anthropology major and an environmental studies minor. Along with a small group of other Haverford students, Caleb is organizing a campaign of fundraising and advocacy for the nonprofit Partners In Health, which works for equitable health care for the poor. Caleb works at Haverford’s library in the Digital Scholarship Program as the Design & Media Assistant, where he provides support/office hours for faculty and students seeking to integrate media into their academic endeavors. He’s also part of the Re: Humanities Working Group, which is a conference organized by and for undergrads doing academic work with new media. On the side, he’s the tech guy for a college news web journal called FreshPress. He has also been making video recordings for a few musician friends for auditions. Caleb interned as a photo assistant for John Burcham, a photographer who is part of the National Geographic Creatives team.
Clementine Ellis
After graduating from FALA in 2015; I attended Agnes Scott College in Atlanta; GA where I received my BA in Sociology & Anthropology. I am currently a doctoral student at the University of Florida where I also received my MA in Sociology. My research focuses on intimate partner violence; family violence; and Fat Studies.
Elizabeth Lee Fields
While in high school; Lee wanted to become many things! More specifically a physical trainer with focus on natural health and physical wellness (and she was also looking at getting her PhD in natural medicine). However due to various medical conditions she had to change her dream and instead put down roots; got married and had a child. Currently; she pursues her love of food and photography! She currently works at NAU for the food/ catering aspect. While doing photography on the side!
Julia Fiske
Julie is the Director of Performing Arts at the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Massachusetts.
Ethan Fox
Since graduating, I’ve focused on writing, directing, producing, and media design for the stage. My thesis was a three-part project combining mathematics and theatre: forestry in writing, vectors in directing, and analytic set theory in story structure. Since graduating ASU, I’ve been NYC-based, directing many plays digitally through the pandemic while being a leader in digital performance (I’ll be speaking on a panel at USITT in March 2022). I’m now at CBS and gearing to direct my first NYC, in-person show through Columbia University.
Nico Francis
I’m a product designer at Kahtoola in flagstaff and spend my free time climbing and working on personal projects to learn new skills such as building a river dory.
Zachary (Cross) Frenette
Since graduation Zach has attended three institutions: Glendale Community College, Coconino Community College and California State University East Bay. His focus is in liberal studies with a minor in psychology. He is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and due to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in June 2015 while maintaining a 3.75 grade point average. Zach has worked with Grassroots Campaigns, The Democratic Assembly and Alpha Innovation Through Education. He is also a published model and conceptual artist and has been featured in UK’s Feroce Magazine in April 2014, on the cover of Ion Arizona Magazine in October 2013, on the cover of Giueseppina magazine in January of 2012 and featured in Echo Magazine in 2011. Zach lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He says his goal after graduating is to go to Skidmore College to pursue a master’s degree in creative writing while acting, painting, and playing piano.
Alannah Gollubier
I did not get a college degree, however that did not stop me from starting 2 of my own businesses which are my main source of income today. I climbed my way out of retail and service work by working 2 jobs during the day and dedicating evenings to my ambitions. I now work as an independent social media marketer, representing small businesses in Portland, OR. I am also a Social Media Influencer with an audience of over 30 thousand fans @wickedazura_gamer. I found a niche in Gaming, Lifestyle blogging and livestreaming. With this leverage I independently advertise working closely with and on behalf of Facebook Gaming, Twitch, and other brands on the forefront of the gaming and entertainment industry.
My fondest moments at FALA were performing as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and reading Guns Germs and Steel, which shaped my perspective on politics and American History.
Rose Haag
Rose graduated from Whitman after completing a double major in Economics and Sociology. She’s now living in Washington, D.C. and work as a paralegal with the Department of Justice in the Antitrust Division. Rose also recently found a dance studio with African dance classes and will be volunteering and dancing there.
Karen (Feinsinger) Hackler
Karen graduated from Oberlin College where she created her own interdisciplinary major in Irish Studies. She also created a new study-away program in Ireland, and attended the National University of Ireland, Galway, for a year and a half. After graduating in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Irish Studies and a minor in English, she attended and graduated from the Denver University Institute of Publishing. She returned to Flagstaff to be the Marketing and Sales Director of Salina Bookshelf, Inc., a publishing company specializing in children’s books. While at Oberlin she had developed an interest in social work, education and sexual health, and so when an opportunity opened at Northland Family Help Center to be a community educator, she was excited to be offered the position. At Northland, she works within the broader Northern Arizona community to educate youth and youth-affiliated adults on the primary prevention of sexual assault. She is also the coordinator of The P.E.A.C.E. Project, a joint project between NFHC and Theatrikos Theatre Company that trains local high school students in the primary prevention of sexual assault.
Laurah Hagen
Laurah’s undergraduate degree is in psychology from Whitman College, and her master’s in experiential education is from Prescott College. Laurah currently works at NAU out of the Gateway Student Success Center and serves on the FALA Governing Board. At NAU Laurah’s work with a lean team focuses on career development, and her role is to develop learning objectives and workshops for the four-year career development progression.
Karli (Dumdei) Haviland
Karli attends NAU on a full-ride scholarship and will graduate with a B.A. in Secondary English Education and is excited to student teach in FALA’s middle school in the spring. Karli is a member of Canyon Movement Company and had the chance to perform in theaters in Flagstaff, Las Vegas, and Tucson. She also recently achieved her dream role of dancing the role of Sugar Plum Fairy this alongside husband and FALA sweetheart, Nathaniel. FALA re-inspired her love of reading and helped her hone her writing abilities, and as a result, she’ll be a certified English teacher in five months.
Thania Haviland
Thania Haviland received her BS in Biology and is now working in research! She has also been dancing with Canyon Movement Company for about 10 years. She recently started creating digital art and taking commissions for artwork. You can connect her on Instagram to see her work and to request a commission.
Sierra Hawkins
Sierra Hawkins (formally known as Sierra Heuermann) is an American actor, stunt woman, awarding musical artist, and songwriter. The multi-talented starlet started her journey starring in 2014’s #1 in box office “Ouija” to then go on to work in multiple films and tv projects such as “The Detective” co-starring Michael Madsen. “The Terminator”, “Annabelle Comes Home”, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do it ” and much more. Sierra’s musical sound thrives on emotional connection, catchy hooks, and unique melodies. Her music draws influence from artists like Sia and Radiohead. She has played venues including the Verizon Amphitheater with Alt-rock band MUSE, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), and more. With songs signed to Kobalt publishing her music and songwriting can be heard in movies such as “Bite”, “The Sound of Settling” and more. Sierra is also a proud alumnus of The Recording Academy’s Grammy Next program. Aside from preforming Sierra is an author and business owner of Magick by Sierra where she shares her intuitive gifts, manifestation techniques, and handmade items. Sierra’s mission is to expand the joy she feels while preforming, help others process their emotions through her music, help others heal, and love all parts of themselves through feeling and letting emotions be a guidance system through transformation and growth.
Ruby Heinonen
First place art award at Coconino Center for the arts: Frida Kahlo, High school Musical Theater Award
Leila Higgins-Fleishman
I received a BA from Hampshire college in Amherst, MA. I then taught English in Taiwan, and worked for a women’s rights organization in India. I went to law school in Washington, DC, and am now a junior partner at a law firm in Charlottesville, VA, practicing criminal and family law. The confidence I gained at FALA helped me go far and wide, and the critical thinking skills have been invaluable in my legal career.
Sunday Holland
Graduated from U of A with a Global Journalism Degree and a Photography minor and a Spanish minor this past August 2021!
Nina Hoover
After graduating from FALA in 2017; Nina Hoover received a full tuition scholarship to Northern Arizona University where she has been pursuing a degree in dental hygiene. Nina will graduate from the NAU Dental Hygiene Program in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. Following graduation; Nina plans to work as a dental hygienist while finishing a second degree in microbiology. Nina plans on applying to dental schools throughout the country with intentions of becoming either an orthodontist or periodontist. Her ultimate goal is to provide dental care for underserved populations all over the world. Nina currently spends her free time working at Lowell Observatory as a Public Program Educator; hiking local Flagstaff trails; and volunteering around town. While her focus is now primarily on scientific pursuits; Nina still utilizes the skills she learned at FALA; and participates as an actress in murder mystery dinners offered in Flagstaff; and in local television commercials. She is grateful for the skills she developed and the relationships she made while at FALA.
Riana Johnson
After graduating from FALA, Riana attended New York University for a degree in political science and studio art. She then attended U of Arizona for a Masters in Public Policy. She is now a data scientist in Tucson and still tries to dabble in fine art and dance.
Burrell Jones
Burrell attends Northern Arizona University, majoring in Applied Indigenous Studies and minoring in Political Science. He expects to graduate this year. He’s involved with Connecting Higher Education Indigenously (CHEI), a student group at NAU. Burrell continues to pursue photography and art on his own and is contemplating applying to law school.
Lindsey Jones
Lindsey attends Northern Arizona University and just recently declared a major in Interdisciplinary Studies of Speech-Language Science and Technology. She is a member of the NAU chapter of Sigma Alpha Lambda, a national leadership and honors organization. Lindsey works in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation. She plans to open her own Speech Pathology practice specializing in children’s speech after obtaining her master’s.
Erin Joyce
Erin moved to California, having returned from her studies at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London. She is the editor-in-chief of ULTRA:EXTRA, an online magazine for discursive conversations about art and visual culture, and she is as well an arts and culture writer for Art Wednesday, based in London and Hyperallergic, based in New York). Erin is an M.A. candidate at Johns Hopkins University in Museum Studies .In addition to her scholarly activity and her journalism/art criticism, she is an independent curator and organizes exhibitions with HENSE, Alice Anderson, Toby Christian, and Nicholas Galanin, and has projects in development in the the UK, US and UAE.
Tia Kauppila
After graduating in 2015, I studied mechanical engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Following college, I spent 9 months in Guinea teaching math with the Peace corps; then working for General Dynamics Electric Boat in CT. I’m currently a Systems Engineer for Boeing in Seattle, living on a sailboat with my partner and two cats.
Malcolm Key
About to become a certified Personal Trainer; Nutritionist; and Health Coach.
Katie King
Parent of 3; Katie King is the Wicked Director of the West for Leave No Trace Theatre Company. She is pursuing her MFA for Creative Writing (non fiction) at Wilkes University. Her music helioscope.bandcamp.com was performed in Arizona; Maine; and New York City from 2011-2013. She is now the Guest Teacher Coordinator and Alumni Coordinator at FALA. Her book Bread Poems is available almost everywhere books are sold.
Celeste Knoles
Celeste Knoles is working towards an animation degree and traveling the world.
Adam Lidberg
Adam Lidberg is currently the associate pastor at Coast City Church in Oceanside; CA.
Sarah Sumita Kosso
Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Psychology from the University of Nevada. Sarah has been involved in the field of Student Affairs and has been a Resident Assistant representing the Residential Life, Housing, and Food Services Department for two years. She has also enjoyed her part-time job as a Student Worker in the Office for Prospective Students, working with recruitment for the University. Finally, she has volunteered as a Student Ambassador for three years, giving prospective students and their families tours of the campus. Sarah is applying to graduate school to study Higher Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies. She intends to complete a PhD and travel as much as possible. She has many favorite FALA memories. A couple include helping FALA organize one of their largest canned food drives creating the “Grand CANyon,” as well as participating in the search to bring author Sherman Alexie to FALA after being inspired by Mr. Paul’s class.
Update from Sumita: In the last couple years I moved back to my hometown Flagstaff, AZ from San Francisco, CA where my partner, Darius Mahmoudi (also previous FALA llama), and I attended law school. I spent the last year working locally in behavioral health and am now studying for the AZ bar exam :) It’s wild being “an adult” in the town where I was raised! I love it and look forward to giving back to and being an advocate for my community.
Sean Loritz
Sean attends Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, majoring in Liberal Arts with focuses in Baroque Opera Performance and 16th Century English Literature. He has been active in theatre on campus, appearing in student-run productions of “Pippin” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” and has also been involved in some of the school’s LGBT groups. Sean will be studying opera, art history, and Italian language in Florence, Italy next year, and after his graduation in 2015 plans to attend graduate school in literature and music, going on to pursue a career as a professional opera singer. His favorite FALA memories include being approached by a very traditional-looking, elderly woman after the performance of the extremely avant-garde play Small Lives, Big Dreams raving about how much she enjoyed the show.
Joseph-Michael “Rocky” Mckay
Since graduating I attained my degrees from Northern Arizona University with a combine focus in psychology and anthropology. After working briefly in behavioral and medical health fields I decided to go to law school. I’m currently in my second year; with a busy schedule. Im a Teachers Aid for Civil Procedure; an associate editor for the Sports and Entertainment Law Journal; and the co-president and director of mentorship for the Disabled Law Students Association. Despite that I still make time to record a fun comedy podcast with two other Fala alums and have been known to make the occasional tiktok. Currently planning on going into entertainment law.
Beth Mennow
After FALA I attended NAU and graduated with a degree in Geology. When I completed my degree I worked at USGS for eight years mapping and managing a lab for the Geology group. It was during my time at USGS working with the outreach program that I decided that I wanted to teach science; so I am now a 7th grade science teacher in the Alpine Academy at Mount Elden Middle School.
Alexandria (Zander) Myers
Zander transferred from West Virginia University to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and is finishing her last year there. She’s worked with the previous head of the English department to copyedit an index for her upcoming book. In her final semester, Zander will be doing two independent studies: one in the History department looking at sexuality, criminal, and deviant practices in Europe throughout the 18th and 19th centuries as well as in the English department studying the sub-genre of Sensation fiction in 19th century British fiction. She’s also applying to be a Research Assistant to the Medieval scholar in the English department. Zander plans to take a year off before going to graduate school in the Toronto area.
Roxie Nebel
I run an Online Holistic cross training mentorship program for dancers called Yoga for Dance Academy (YDA for short); there’s way more information about it on my website; but I created this business to help dancers have successful and healthy careers through Mental; Physical and Spiritual Yoga mentorship!
Sofia Nicholson
I currently work for the National Park Service as the Outreach and Volunteers Assistant Coordinator for Arches and Canyonlands national parks.
Melissa Nowinski
Melissa graduated from NAU with a bachelor’s in Biomedical Science and from CCC with an associate’s in Criminal Justice. She has been certified in three states as a veterinarian technician and is now working on getting accepted to Vet School in Colorado. Melissa says this about FALA: “It was a wonderful place for me to grow and mature. I miss the arts, especially dancing and music. The teachers are just not the same in college, I wish they were more like the FALA group. I couldn’t believe how big the world really is and I thank my teachers at FALA for teaching me things I probably wouldn’t have learned anywhere else. The new campus is stunning. I wish the best of luck with the graduating classes to come. It can’t get any better at FALA.”
Michelle Olguin
Michelle graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Studio Art in the spring of 2014. She works for Canyon R.E.O. in Flagstaff as a river guide and head rigger while doing plein air painting on the river as much as possible. FALA introduced her to ideas of intersectionality between the arts and science. At the time she did not realize how critical this is, however in retrospect she says she feels blessed to have had early exposure to a concept she would later return to in her artwork.
Dakota Palmer
Currently I’m just a single mom working on starting her own business either in pottery or some other form of art. My family is starting an RV park called sundown ranch RV park and campsites.
Zeke Peverell
I’ve been working on a fantasy podcast and a separate webcomic with my fiancé. I’m currently moving to Sweden with them so we can start our lives together abroad.
Carrie Pray
Carrie Pray studied vocal performance at NAU for 3 years but then changed majors and finished out her degree in fine art at Loyola University Chicago; where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Her career has focused mainly on consumer product development and design. She is now the Creative Director at Sophistiplate; a small but growing company that creates products for entertaining.
Rebecca Prizznick
Rebecca studies piano performance and private voice at the NAU School of Music. She’s working as an accompanist and also as a private piano teacher through the music and dance academy for kids. Rebecca is the treasurer for the local collegiate chapter of MTNA (Music Teacher’s National Association) and also a member of ACDA (American Choral Director’s Association).
Kristin Robyn
Kristin graduated from NAU in May 2010, and is a member of the Peace Corps. She served in Mali, working in education, health education, and wteaching English to French-speaking students.
Tal Rozenberg
After receiving a BA in Communications and Political Science from Bar Ilan University in Israel, Tal went on to receive a BA in Archeology. She specializes in Bronze and Iron Age Israel and is a licensed archeologist. She enjoys experimental archeology, where she recreates ancient processes, such as beer making, weaving, and dyeing.
Summer (Long) Rush
Summer graduated from the University of Arizona in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Spanish.She lives in Utah with her husband, who is stationed at Hill AFB. She is a social worker at an in-patient psychiatric facility for mental health patients. She plans to return to school in the next year to work on a degree in nursing.
Bailey Schneider
Bailey attends Arizona State University majoring in Creative Writing with a minor in Music. She has been active as a member of several reading and writing related clubs on campus and uses her spare time to make YouTube videos. This summer she plans to attend Vidcon (a conference for people who make online videos) to learn to get better at producing them. After graduation this year she hopes to continue to write as an author. Her favorite FALA memories include Mr. Anderson’s morning discussions of “What’s Going On in the World” and all the craziness that was Mike Levin’s The End of the River.
Danae Schulz
Following high school, Danae enrolled in a dual degree program, earning a BA in Biology from Tufts University and a BM in Violin Performance from the New England Conservatory. She then attended UC Berkeley for graduate
school, earning a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology, and completed her postdoctoral studies at The Rockefeller University in New York City. Danae is now an assistant professor of biology at Harvey Mudd College.
Sharilyn Scott
Sharilyn graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale in May 2012 and has been working at New Frontiers Natural Market in Sedona as Bakery Supervisor.
Thomas Scott
Thomas graduated from Middlebury College. Thomas performed tthe part of Marius, the revolutionary and Cosette’s love interest, in Les Miserables. He also continues to dance in, and choreograph for, Middlebury’s own hip hop group Riddim.
Manon Silvant
Manon Silvant (from France) – Attended FALA in 2003. I was blessed to attend FALA for one year as a French Exchange Student in 2003/2004. I kept many wonderful memories of my time in this wonderful high school which was so different from what I’ve seen previously on movies and TV Shows. Experiencing so much arts : choir with Mr. Shay; theater with Mr. Levin (what a challenge to play theater in a second language !); piano (during the talent show); creative writing; English with Mr. Paul; economy and American history with Mr Anderson… !! I also loved experiencing the voluntary work with F.I.R.E. (Flagstaff International Relief Efforts). I graduated in the field of multimedia educational engineering. And today; my main job is to be an environmental activist in order to protect the local landscapes and rivers here in the east of France (near Switzerland). I hope one day; my teenagers will be able to attend FALA and maybe be hosted by one of you?
Chiara Skabelund
I have started my own business selling arts and crafts. And one of my art pop-ups was featured in the Flag-Live.
David Smith
David is the School of Art Representative at Arizona State University, working with incoming freshman orientation and retention at the Herberger Institute for Arts and Design.
Marta (Sol) Soledad Serpas-Guardado
Sol is a philosophy major at NAU and is part of their Philosophy Mentoring Program. Through this mentoring program, Sol and her colleagues give between 10-15 presentations per semester to local high school students. She was recently back on FALA’s campus to mentor our students and guide them through the thinking required to grasp abstract and complicated ideas and concepts.
Elizabeth (Markle) Solinga
Elizabeth moved to Boston following her graduation from NAU in 2004 with degrees in Anthropology and Humanities. She received her Master’s degree from Harvard Extension School in May 2013 with a focus in Museum Studies. She works as a Research Administrator for the Stem Cell Program at Boston Children’s Hospital since 2010 and is actively involved with the Creative Arts Program at the hospital.
Paul Stevens
I graduated from the U of A with a major in computer science and minors in communications and philosophy. I’ve been a professional video game maker for over 15 years, after co-founding a company with my brother.
Cypress Suess
With a passion for film production sparked by FALA film classes and a field trip to Hollywood, I attended the Colorado Film School in Denver, graduating with a degree in Film/Video Post- Production in 2020. I then moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and landed a job with a TV production company contracted by Court TV. I am credited as an Assistant Editor on the true crime docuseries Judgment with Ashleigh Banfield, and follow up series Someone They Knew With Tamron Hall, as well as a police brutality documentary special Protect or Neglect. I plan to continue my career in the Film/TV world but am looking to pivot into the independent documentary scene with hopes to produce my own documentary in the coming years.
Chloe Tengan
Graduated from Boston University. Currently working at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix; AZ.
Katherine Tesch
Katherine received her B.A. in English, Spanish and Portuguese from the U of A. While in college she joined the touring group Flam Chen Pyrotechnic Theater as an aerial acrobat, acrobatic stilter, fire spinner and dancer. She has traveled with the troupe for more than six years and also helps to run their educational branch, Tucson Circus Arts, teaching aerial and circus arts to kids (and adults) of all ages. In addition, she writes and performs her own dance and aerial works. Highlights include working with Tim Burton at the Scream Awards, performing with and directing groups for the All Soul’s Procession and doing aerial acts hanging from helium balloons.
Adamah VanArsdale
After graduating from FALA in ‘03, Adamah went on to get a degree in Animation from the University of Hawai’i. Now based in Hollywood, Adamah works as an illustrator, animator, graphic designer and manages a bar. The epitome of “LA Hustle”, in the last few years Adamah has worked on business branding, restaurant menus, political campaigns, music videos, and video games. As an exclusive bartender he works high-profile events like The Super Bowl, award ceremonies and film premieres. Some of his recent clients include Jeff Bezos, William Shatner and Jerry Jones. Pursuing more creative aspirations, Adamah recently published his first children’s book which is available online through Target, Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Meanwhile he continues to chase his long-time dream of becoming a Pixar Animator.
Marja van der Loo
With no desire to leave FALA, Marja bid farewell to Flagstaff and attended Smith College. It was too cold in Massachusetts, so for her junior year Marja studied abroad in Brazil. She majored in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies and Art History. For two years she worked in museums in the States and in The Netherlands, but the Flagstaff vortex pulled her back.
Frances (King) Vance
Frances briefly attended ASU on the Regents Scholarship in dance before leaving for Chile to travel and immerse herself in the language, history, and culture. Upon her return, she earned a degree in Anthropology from NAU and one in Spanish from ASU. She continued to travel and continued dancing. Frances married a Cowboy and lives with him and her two sons in central Arizona where she is working on an inaugural event celebrating women in ranching called Home on the Ranch.
Dylan LaRay Welker
Dylan LaRay graduated from FALA in 2015. Since then; he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts & Italian Studies from the University of Arizona and has traveled all over the country working in theatre; film and television. While in Chicago; he played the lead role in his debut feature film; Fang” (2022); an indie body horror drama featuring cult film star; Lynn Lowry. He also co-devised and performed in “The Camino Project;” a 6 hour theatre pilgrimage through Chicago’s parks; with Theatre Y. He was also a featured protestor in Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar-nominated film; “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” He’s booked 20+ short films in various cities including Los Angeles; Denver; San Diego; Philadelphia; Ithaca NY; and more. In 2021; he returned to Flagstaff to perform in the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival’s summer repertory season. He played Demetrius in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Rosencrantz in “Hamlet.” After that; he made his television debut with a supporting role in the true crime series; “Evil Lives Here” on Investigation Discovery and is now based in New York City where lives with his spouse and their dog.”
Ellie Whiteman
I have been studying Sustainability; Business; and Socially Engaged Art and Design Practices at ASU. I am so excited to travel to Toronto next semester with a Killam Fulbright Fellowship to study Urban Sustainability and Socially Engaged Art for Environmental Activism at York University. Down the road; I hope to own and operate a sustainable arts and performance venue.
Lindsay Williams
After graduating from FALA, Lindsay moved to New Orleans, LA three days before Hurricane Katrina. While waiting for the city to open back up, she spent a semester at Milwaukee’s Marquette University before returning to New Orleans to study at Tulane University. At Tulane, Lindsay was able to foster her creativity while traveling the world and pursuing her academic and performance dreams and continued to do so even after moving to Hattiesburg, MS in 2011. Among the many delights of her stage career, she has had the opportunity to dance with the Newcomb Dance Company, Oklahoma Festival Ballet, and Alvin Ailey II. Also an actress, Lindsay has appeared in numerous plays and musicals, including: Oliver! (“Nancy”), The Rocky Horror Show (“Magenta”), Evita (“Eva Peron”), Macbeth (“Lady Macbeth”), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (“Yitzhak”), Cabaret (“Sally Bowles”), The Wizard of Oz (“Professor Marvel/Wizard of Oz”), Into the Woods (“Lucinda”), Jesus Christ Superstar, and others.
Lindsay and her husband, Miles Doleac, run a Mississippi-based production company, Historia Films, that has successfully produced and received international distribution for six feature films since its inception in 2012. Something of a jack-of-all-trades, Lindsay has served in many capacities, primarily as Costume Designer and Producer, on each of Historia Films’ feature films: The Historian (2014), The Hollow (2016), Demons (2017), Hallowed Ground (2019), The Dinner Party (2020), and Demigod (2021), and their many short films. She has also appeared in every Historia Films project: The Historian (“Dawne”), The Hollow (“Dinah”), Two Birds (short) (“Clara”), Demons (“Kayleigh”), Light & Shadow (short)(“Alice”), Handsome (short) (“Escort”), Ahura (short) (“The Woman”), Hallowed Ground (“Alice”), The Dinner Party (“Sadie”), and Demigod (“Hettica”). Lindsay designs wedding gowns and costuming for film and theatre and was also president of Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera, one of the longest continuously operating community theatre organizations in Mississippi before moving back to New Orleans in 2019. Lindsay continues to write, act, and produce while pursuing her many other interests. Beginning in the Fall of 2022, Lindsay will be teaching Production Design courses for the digital Filmmaking Department at Loyola University. Lindsay earned a Bachelor’s degree in Classics and Anthropology from Tulane University and a Master’s degree in Ancient History from USM.
Zach Woods
Zack attends Pima Community College for a science degree to transfer to the University of Arizona and pursue a double major in mathematics and sociology. Zack has maintained a 3.5 GPA as he works his way through college.
Atira Zeoli
Atira moved to Maryland soon after graduating from FALA. While studying at Montgomery College she won multiple awards for both her academic and creative writing, and interned with the literary journal, Potomac Review. Atira is the Executive Director of Embark at Cabin John, an intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization clinic for teens. She is also a minister at Kunzang Palyul Choling, a Vajrayana Buddhist temple outside of Washington, D.C., and leads semi-annual poetry workshops at a local elementary school.