2106 North Hamilton Street Richmond, Virginia 23230

Meet Our Staff & Board

SPARC’s faculty — teaching artists, directors, designers, special educators, and technicians — represents some of the most acclaimed and sought-after professionals in the region. Specializing in a wide range of artistic disciplines, SPARC’s faculty lead programs from early childhood through pre-professional performance, and everything in between.

Programs & Faculty:

Liz Earnest

Liz Earnest

Director of Programs

Amy Almond

Amy Almond

Associate Director of Programs

Courtney Thompson

Courtney Thompson

Programs Coordinator

Megan Rudman

Megan Rudman

Programs ASsistant

Paul Major

Paul Major

Senior Faculty

Heather Falks

Heather Falks

Senior Faculty

Josh Polk

Josh Polk

Associate Faculty

Katrinah Carol Lewis

Katrinah Carol Lewis

Associate Faculty

Laine Wagner

Laine Wagner

Associate Faculty

Development:

Amanda Covington Mullins

Amanda Covington Mullins

INTERIM Director of Development

Administration:

John Tong

John Tong

Executive Director

Aaron Roland

Aaron Roland

FINANCE MANAGER

Bonnie Grow

Bonnie Grow

PAYROLL MANAGER

Board of Directors:

President

Marc Greenberg

Imm. Past President

Pam Belleman

Secretary

Matt Reynolds

Treasurer

Terrence F. Wilson

Directors

Christie-Jo Carter Adams

Brad Armstrong

Diane Carnohan

Lynn Greer

Jason Hatcher

Ellen Palen

Susan Craven Johnson

Shawn Moore

Clara Pettus

Ann Ramage

Lisa Sims

Kate Stark

Sam Warren

Cindy Williams

Committees:

Finance Committee

Terrence F, Wilson, Chair

Marc A. Greenberg

Jason Hatcher

Linda M. Warren

Ann Ramage

Cindy Williams

Equity, Diversity,
and INCLUSION COMMITTEE

Christie-Jo Carter Adams, Co-Chair

Diane Carnohan, Co-Chair

Ellen Palen

Breezy Potter

Wanda Ramsey

Aaron Roland

Governance Committee

Clara Pettus, Chair

Susan Craven Johnson

Lynn Greer

Lisa Sims

Development Committee

Matt Reynolds, Chair

Sakina Paige, Vice Chair

Pamela S. Belleman

Susan Hudgins

Brian Kirkpatrick

Jerry Samford

Beth Sinnenberg

Kate Stark

Sam Warren

Are you ready to discover your inner shine with SPARC?

We are always accepting new students for upcoming classes, camps, and programs!

If you have any questions about SPARC or any of our offerings, please reach out to us by filling out our contact form on this page or by giving us a call at our office at (804) 353-3393.

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SPARC is supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

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SPARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1981 and is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, community-based youth performing arts education organizations.

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SPARC - Paul Major

Meet Paul Major!

Paul has had the pleasure of teaching with SPARC for over a decade and has been a teaching artist and youth worker for even longer. With a degree in Music Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory, Paul performed all over the United States before deciding that youth work and teaching were his calling. While performing, he had the pleasure of working at Dollywood and received the I.A.A.P.A. award, the highest honor bestowed upon any theme park performer worldwide, and performed alongside Dolly herself.

In Richmond, he has performed in countless shows with local and regional theaters and has designed hair and makeup for many others. In his time at SPARC, Paul has served as the Program Director for Spectrum, SPARC's theatre program for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies, and the Program Director for Seasonal Camps. For many years he has lead and created other programs and classes at SPARC. The work that he has done with youth throughout his career has helped to shape the lives of many youth in the Richmond area and beyond.

SPARC - Heather Falks

Meet Heather Falks!

Heather Falks is a civic-minded theatre artist and educator. She has worked in the Richmond community as a director, actor, and teaching artist for fifteen years. Originally from Texas, Heather came to Richmond to pursue her MFA in theatre pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University. It wasn't long before she immersed herself into the Richmond theatre scene and began her journey with SPARC.

Over the last fifteen years Heather has been involved in a multitude of programs that SPARC offers and is thrilled to take the role of Senior Faculty member. Heather also manages SPARC’s youth playwriting program, New Voices for the Theater. In addition to her many responsibilities at SPARC, Heather has performed and directed for companies such as The Conciliation Project, TheatreLAB, Cadence Theatre Company, Richmond Triangle Players, and Firehouse.

SPARC - Katrinah Headshot (Tall)

Meet Katrinah Carol Lewis!

Katrinah Carol Lewis is a multifaceted theatre artist with varied experience including work as an artistic director, actor, singer, director, playwright, historical interpreter, teaching artist, and educator. Katrinah has contributed to the artistic landscape of Richmond for Virginia Repertory Theatre, The New Theatre, Firehouse Theatre, TheatreLAB, Cadence Theatre, Yes, And! Theatrical Company, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, and more.

Her body of work is diverse and consistently recognized as excellent, earning 14 nominations for acting and directing awards from the Richmond Theatre Community Circle and winning 3. Katrinah worked for over a decade at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and served as Associate Artistic Director for TheatreLAB and Interim Co-Artistic Director for Virginia Repertory Theatre, is a certified yoga instructor and featured vocalist at Unity of Richmond. Katrinah also currently serves as Associate Artistic Director for Firehouse Theatre.

SPARC - Josh Polk

Meet Josh Polk!

Josh is a theatre artist, educator, and performer born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Music and storytelling have always been a significant part of his life, which led him to pursue a BA in musical theatre from James Madison University.

Most recently, Josh served as the Assistant Director of Education at Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke, VA where he gained valuable experience as a teacher, director, choreographer, administrator, and community builder.

SPARC - Laine Wagner

Meet Laine Wagner!

Laine Wagner hails from southern Rhode Island and completed her BFA in theatre with concentrations in Acting & Design and Tech at the University of Rhode Island.

She toured as an Actor/Director for Missoula Children’s Theatre at 45 residencies across the United States and Canada. She then moved to Portland, OR where she acted, produced, wrote, scenic painted, costume designed, and worked as a teaching artist at Northwest Children’s Theatre.

In 2019, she moved to Richmond to attend VCU to get her MFA in performance pedagogy. Wagner received her MFA in May of 2021. She began working at SPARC as a Teaching Artist and Scenic Painter in August 2022 before assuming the role of Associate Faculty Member in August 2023.