Matt Sircely is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in Port Townsend. He has provided adjunct mandolin instruction at Cornish also teaching annually at workshops and classes over the years in places like Washington, Idaho, British Colombia and Louisiana, and the Mandolin Symposium in California. Over the years, Matt has introduced hundreds of mandolin students to their first swing tunes on mandolin. A founding member of the string swing ensemble Hot Club Sandwich, Matt appears on the most recent Hot Club Sandwich album alongside mandolin master David Grisman on half of the tracks.

As an instrumentalist, Matt Sircely has performed extensively in a breadth of stylistic contexts such as folk, blues, Tejano roots music, klezmer and other Jewish music, country bands and bluegrass outfits, everything from the old-time square dance community to the Seattle jazz scene. His musical interests extend to the many folk styles from around the world. Most recently, he has been cultivating a deep passion for fiddle tunes related to his ancestral roots in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

In 2008, Sircely co-founded a roots fusion band with a Cornish student at the time, the late great Joseph Mascorella on drums and vocals. Together, they worked for years striving to reach new heights in composition and improvisation. Matt has also performed in duo format with many artists, including songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Danny Barnes, who also produced his first album of all original songs. Sircely and Barnes also released an album recorded live in California which included several of Matt’s own songs.

As a music writer on assignment for the Fretboard Journal and other music magazines, Sircely has researched and written articles about legendary artists including Andy Statman, Wade Mainer, Juan Reynoso, Radim Zenkl, Hamilton de Holanda, Lee Stripling, Calvin Vollrath, Buell Neidlinger, Danny Barnes, and the founding of the David Grisman Quintet.

At his home on the Olympic Peninsula, Matt Sircely is always writing songs and producing new recordings. He enjoys spending time in his vegetable garden and programming the music lineups at his local farmers markets.

Sarah Comer grew up learning from generations of old time fiddlers here in the Pacific Northwest, and for 22 years has delighted in passing that unique flavor of Northwest fiddling —where southern style hoedowns are played beside Canadian reels, Irish jigs, and Scandinavian waltzes—on to her students. This melting pot music and its connection to traditional folk dancing inspired her to start a community dance band class in 2014, where folks could experience the music in its natural habitat. 11 years later, the class is still going strong and has grown to include a second band (The Raccoon Carnival) known around the Seattle contra dance circuit for their wild arrangements and multipart harmonies.  Outside of teaching, Sarah has performed music of the 1800s for living history museums (including the Job Carr Cabin and Fort Nisqually), serves on the board of the Seattle Folklore Society, and is the Fiddle Community Coordinator for Northwest Folklife.

Winifred Westergard is a Seattle based fine art and commercial photographer with degrees from the University of Washington and Cornish College of the Arts in Creative Writing, Journalism and Art. Her art making foundation is rooted in the early processes of photography, fully embracing the slow processes of 19th century photography. She is a visual creator with a strong base on human emotion and storytelling. She has managed the photography studio at Cornish College of the Arts since 1999 and has taught Photography and Portfolio Development through Summer@Cornish since 2003.

Meg McLynn is an actor, vocalist, and teaching artist who has been seen on stages and screens throughout North America. Meg loves to share her passion for performance with students of all ages, and it is her belief that the work we do in “the studio” is applicable to all aspects of our everyday lives. 

Having studied for 7 years under renowned voice teacher, Kristin Linklater, Meg now works with students to help them take ownership of their wonderfully unique voices. She teaches Voice and Speech at Cornish College of the Arts, and she serves as a vocal coach with Jack Straw Studios. She has assisted with voice training at Columbia Business School and World Leaders Forum in New York City. Meg also teaches Voice and Acting classes at Freehold Theatre Lab and Mighty Tripod Studios in Seattle. 

Meg is a member of the Seattle-based vocal trio, Blue Plate Special, and has been an Anthem Singer for the Seattle Seahawks. As a concert soloist, she performed the songbooks of Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, and Carly Simon with Purple Phoenix Productions. Local acting credits include roles with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Rep, Seattle Symphony, ArtsWest, Seattle Opera, Seattle Public Theatre, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Theatre22, Harlequin Productions, and 14/48: TWQTF, as well as the feature films “Different Drummers”, “7 Minutes”, and “Colton”. You can see her in the series, “The Girl in the Woods” streaming on NBC/Peacock.

Meg McLynn is an actor, vocalist, and teaching artist who has been seen on stages and screens throughout North America. Meg loves to share her passion for performance with students of all ages, and it is her belief that the work we do in “the studio” is applicable to all aspects of our everyday lives. 

Having studied for 7 years under renowned voice teacher, Kristin Linklater, Meg now works with students to help them take ownership of their wonderfully unique voices. She teaches Voice and Speech at Cornish College of the Arts, and she serves as a vocal coach with Jack Straw Studios. She has assisted with voice training at Columbia Business School and World Leaders Forum in New York City. Meg also teaches Voice and Acting classes at Freehold Theatre Lab and Mighty Tripod Studios in Seattle. 

Meg is a member of the Seattle-based vocal trio, Blue Plate Special, and has been an Anthem Singer for the Seattle Seahawks. As a concert soloist, she performed the songbooks of Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, and Carly Simon with Purple Phoenix Productions. Local acting credits include roles with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Rep, Seattle Symphony, ArtsWest, Seattle Opera, Seattle Public Theatre, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Theatre22, Harlequin Productions, and 14/48: TWQTF, as well as the feature films “Different Drummers”, “7 Minutes”, and “Colton”. You can see her in the series, “The Girl in the Woods” streaming on NBC/Peacock.

Dan D. Shafer is a graphic designer, artist, and educator living and working in Seattle. He owns Dandy Co., a graphic design studio specializing in book design, installation, and environmental design (as well as event promotion and branding). The studio's clients include Kronos Quartet, American Cancer Society, Salish Lodge, Herman Miller, and Pratt Fine Arts Center.

Shafer is also the creative director at Chin Music Press. His self-initiated social practice installations explore the nebulous territory that exists between traditional definitions of "art" and "design," and investigate how people interact with objects in their everyday lives.

J. Gordon brings over two decades of experience as an artist, educator, and curator, to his classrooms.  Gordon earned his BFA and MFA in painting from the University of Kansas and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts respectively. While his current professional practice centers primarily around the medium of drawing, he incorporates aspects of traditional and contemporary painterly practices in both his teaching methods and mixed media art works.

Gordon is a recipient of multiple scholarships and awards, as well an artist fellowship from the state of Delaware.  He has taught drawing at many colleges, art centers, and museums including the Tacoma Art Museum and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He is currently represented by Gallery Strega, where he also plays a supporting role in exhibition design and curation.

Ellen Forney is the author of the bestselling graphic memoir, Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me, and its companion book, Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life. Marbles has been translated into six foreign languages and was the selection for common book programs at the University of Washington Health Sciences schools and UC Davis. She curated an exhibition for the National Library of Medicine on Graphic Medicine, comics about health, and has given talks and lectures internationally at universities, conferences, and institutions, including a recent TED talk. As a visual artist, she created two large-scale murals for Seattle’s Capitol Hill light rail station. She has taught comics at Cornish College of the Arts since 2002 and is currently working on a middle-grade book on making autobiographical comics.

A freelance flutist, artist, improviser, and composer in the Seattle area, Leanna Keith delights in creating sound experiences that make audiences laugh, cry, and say: “I didn’t know the flute could do that!”  She also teaches as the flute professor at Cornish College of the Arts. Her performance artworks have focused on cultural connection and the breaking of audience/performer boundaries. In 2021 she released her first solo album, TAROT Album, which she composed, performed, recorded, and mixed. The album release show premiered online, featuring collaborations between choreographers, digital media artists, stop motion artists, puppetry, and more.

Leanna is currently a co-director of the chamber music ensemble Kin of the Moon, with violist/improviser Heather Bentley and composer/vocalist Kaley Lane Eaton. Kin of the Moon is an improvisation-centric, technology-friendly chamber music series incubated in Seattle's rich musical scene. The series explores sonic rituals, promotes cross-pollination of genres, emphasizes the communicative power of specific performance locales, and celebrates the creativity that multiplies itself through the collaboration of performers and composers.

Jenna was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a child she was a competitive swimmer, equestrian, and soccer player. At age eight, she began dancing in her elementary school lunchtime hip hop club. The following year she enrolled in Dexter School of Dance Music & The Performing Arts. There she trained in jazz, ballet, tap, modern, musical theater, lyrical and was part of the competition company. In her teens, she began training at Studio 1 in Ann Arbor and joined the Dance Ensemble of Michigan, under the direction of TeDee A. Theofil. She also danced for the Pioneer High School Varsity Dance Team for four years and was captain for two.

Jenna attended the University of Michigan and received a Movement Science BS from the School of Kinesiology. She was a member of Cornrows Dance Company at the university and danced for companies off campus including Movement Artists’ Guild, People Dancing and AuxWerks Dance. She began teaching dance technique classes and coaching the Pioneer High School JV Dance Team. She also competed with the Dance UL Intervarsity Team while studying abroad at the University of Limerick. After returning from Ireland, Jenna became interested in the circus arts and trained on a variety of aerial apparatuses.

Following graduation, Jenna attended Goldsmiths, University of London, where she received a Dance Movement Psychotherapy MA. Her first year of clinical placement was in a primary school and the second was in a community mental health charity. In addition to academic movement investigation, Jenna studied with numerous movement artists around London, and continued her aerial training at The National Centre For Circus Arts. Afterward, she relocated for two years to Doolin, Ireland, where she taught full time for Broadway Dance and choreographed for the competition team.

Jenna returned to Michigan for two years, where she continued teaching dance technique classes and coached the Skyline High School Varsity Dance Team. She was a teaching artist for the University of Michigan Musical Society and a teaching associate for the University of Michigan Medical School. Jenna joined Youth Arts Alliance and began offering dance workshops and curating performance opportunities for youth in the justice system. She collaborated with the Wayne State University Stress, Trauma and Anxiety Research Clinic to study somatic interventions for addressing trauma in Syrian refugee youth. During this time, she received in depth Humphrey Technique training from Jillian Hopper and performed with Jillian Hopper Dance. She also met her creative collaborator and husband, Brett Campione. Their first performance together was at the Shape//Matter Movement Showcase.

Brett and Jenna moved to Seattle, where they are happily located today. Jenna began dance technique instruction in the area for the Cornish Preparatory Dance Program. She then transitioned to Bellevue College in 2021, where she is an adjunct professor of dance and choreographs for the drama department. She directed the Bellevue College Dance Company through 2024. In 2020, Jenna enrolled in the Seattle Level 1 Franklin Method® Educator Training and became dedicated to the practice. Currently, she is a licensed Level 3 Franklin Method® Educator and a Registered Somatic Movement Educator and Therapist (RSME/T) through the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association (ISMETA). Jenna is an avid somatics researcher. Her interest in anatomy has led her to participate in multiple Dissection and Embodiment Experiences with EmbodyU at the Institute for Anatomical Research. Her personal movement practices include gyrokinesis, authentic movement and yoga. She loves traveling, cooking and comedy.

Sage is a multi-disciplined designer and educator based in the Greater Seattle Area. Throughout her career Sage has worked in a variety of roles including as an independent contractor and an in-house designer. Her projects span print and web for a wide range of clientele; from locally owned clinics to internationally recognized audio dealers. No matter what the project is, Sage’s work is guided by principles of user-centered design, a commitment to accessibility, and a passion for creating. She considers herself a lifelong student and continually strives to learn new skills and refine her craft. 

Diana Trotter (she/her) is a Seattle-based actor, director, educator and coach. Locally she has performed with Taproot Theatre Co, Annex Theatre, Center Stage, Second Story Rep, Thalia’s Umbrella, UW Theatre, and Fern Shakespeare. She has also been seen on stages in Texas, Illinois, Montana, California, Oregon and Idaho. Favorite roles include Mrs. Bennett in Pride & Prejudice, Roz in 9 to 5, Mae Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie, Vivian Bearing in Wit, and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing (twice!). Recent directing projects include Into the Woods (Icicle Creek Center for the Arts), Camelot, and Christopher Durang’s Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike (Contra Costa Theatre) and Steven Dietz’s Last of the Boys (The Modern, Spokane). Diana specializes in audition preparation and has taught auditioning master classes for the University of Washington, Seattle Youth Opera, and Viva Vocalists where she is also the acting coach for their musical theatre training program. Diana holds a PhD from UC Berkeley and is the former head of the acting program at Whitworth University in Spokane.

Charles Sheaffer is a researcher and producer interested in the ever-changing relationship between globalization and cinematic storytelling. Sheaffer's creative activities include narrative filmmaking and video essay production. Sheaffer's scholarly writing has appeared in Postmodern Culture, and his current research explores classical tragedy and comedy as a means of mapping emergent developments in screen-based narrative. Sheaffer has taught at the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington and teaches courses in film history and production in the Cornish Film department. He lives in Seattle with his wife.

Geoffrey Alm has been teaching Stage Fighting at Cornish since 2008. A Certified Teacher with The Society of American Fight Directors since 1987, he is also a Certified Fight Director and Fight Master. Professionally he has been choreographing fights since 1988, locally and Nationally. He’s a proud member of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Actors Equity, and SAG-AFTRA.

Born and raised in Seattle, Nikki moved to California to attend college, receiving a BFA in Film Production in 2002 from Chapman University. For the next 6 years she worked various office jobs in the film industry while also earning a Masters Degree in Secondary Education. In 2006 Nikki decided to shift her career to Special Effects Make-Up working at Creature FX studios and from there segueing into the stop motion world, beginning in 2008 with Shadow Machine on the Adult Swim hit show, Robot Chicken: Season 3. Nikki has worked as a puppet fabricator, lead fabricator and department head on numbers stop motion television shows, commercials and films, helping create iconic stop motion characters for such shows/films as Happy Honda Days (Socal regional commercial campaign for the last 12 years), Ask the Story Bots, Buddy Thunderstruck, Anomolisa and Ted Lasso to name a few. In 2022, the next adventure brought Nikki back home to Seattle to be closer to family and to hang out her own shingle as Puppets Northwest, offering a one stop shop for puppets of all kinds, SFX, 3D modeling/printing and educational outreach of all of the above.