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Staff

Administrative Staff

Rebekah Kellaway
Executive Director
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Rebekah Kellaway has been directing youth theatre productions for fifteen years and has directed over twenty musicals. She received a B.A. in Elementary Education and a teaching credential from Biola University. In 2008, Rebekah combined her love for education and the performing arts and established Haven Academy of the Arts. She believes strongly in applying educational theory and child development to the directing process. Favorite directing projects include Beauty and the Beast, South Pacific and The Sound of Music. Her work as co-director for Sustaining Sound's Little Women received a five star review in Broadway World and earned an Eddon Award for Best Production. She is consistently blessed by the amazing opportunities God has given her to work with these talented young people. When she's not wrangling young performers, Rebekah enjoys singing on her church's worship team and trying out new Paleo recipes in her attempt to make gluten-free delicious.

Rachel Schiller-Geis
Director of Operations​ 
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Rachel Schiller-Geis, born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, knew she loved theater ever since the first time she went onstage dressed as Annie’s dog, Sandy. Favorite performing credits include Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Honk! (Ida), The Odd Couple (Cecily), La Casa de Bernarda Alba (Adela), Into the Woods (Rapunzle), and Little Women (Jo). Rachel studied vocal performance at Biola University Conservatory of Music with Dr. Susannah Murray and Vangie Gunn. Choreography credits include South Pacific, Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, Beauty and the Beast, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Emily Barish
Urban Outreach Director
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Barish was trained by our previous Pico Union Director, Maynard, and spent a year in HPU program as a contracted staff member. Her time spent working and building relationships in the community gave her the foundation needed to successfully take over the program. Prior to working at our urban branches, Barish worked as South Bay Summer Camp Director. She recently moved to our Pico Union neighborhood in order to be more involved in the community.

Claire Griswold
Office Manager
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 Griswold  came on staff to fill our Admin position in 2019, and recently shifted to an Office Manager position. Her experience growing up in youth theatre, as well as her performance education makes her an excellent fit for our team. Griswold's previous performing experience with Haven nearly a decade ago instilled a deep understanding of the company's mission, and her knowledge of the youth theatre world allows her to communicate with our students and their parents with clarity and efficiency. She holds an AA in Theater Arts from El Camino College.

Erin Fields
Finance Associate​
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Fields was born and raised in Colorado and has since lived in Niceville, FL and now Southern California. She holds a BS in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University, and was brought on to the Haven team as an Administrative Assistant. Fields quickly moved to Financial Assistant by using her background in QB, and has since spearheaded multiple platform transitions both financial and administrative. When Erin isn’t working, she is taking care of her daughter Nora, going on an adventure with her husband, daughter, and dog, teaching yoga, or grabbing a coffee with a friend. ​​

Instructors

Kate Bode
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Courtney Cash
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Esther Cash
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Margy Emmons
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Matthew Kellaway
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Bode graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelors of Music in piano performance. She has performed nationally as a solo concert pianist in venues such as the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and Carnegie Hall in New York City. An active collaborative pianist and repetiteur, she has worked with Lyric Opera of Orange County, Biola Music Conservatory, Biola Youth Theater, Haven Academy of the Arts, and currently with Santa Ana College Music Department as staff pianist. She has served on many productions as rehearsal pianist, including Die Fledermaus, Le Pauvre Matelot, L'ile de Tulipatan, Romeo and Juliet, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Annie Get Your Gun, Guys and Dolls, Wizard of Oz, Frankenstein, and the Music Man. She was Music Director for Hansel and Gretel with Lyric Opera of Orange County, and looks forward to reprising that role for their production of Pauline Viardot's Cinderella this February, and for Musical Theatre Village’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat this summer. Kate has also worked as an accompanist with Biola chorale, Biola men's chorus, Kenneth Lee Clarinet studio of music, Sarratt studio of music, and Haven Academy of the Arts Choir. Kate teaches a private piano studio in Buena Park, CA.

Courtney Cash has been around Haven Academy since its birth.She is no stranger to the stage, singing in church and school choirs as well as performing in many plays and musicals throughout her life. Her Liberal Studies degree from Long Beach State includes a Concentration in Visual and Performing Arts, which she gets to put into practice with her Pretend and Play class. Courtney has participated with Haven onstage and as a parent, with her own kids being involved in many of its programs. She has watched her children grow in many ways, with Haven gently pushing and stretching them to be better people as well as performers. She’s confidant you’ll feel good about getting involved in Haven Academy of the Arts.

 Esther Cash has been passionate about arts education since she was young enough to be on the receiving end of Haven’s instruction. She is currently studying at Biola University for her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. Esther has been serving as both a director and choreographer for Haven at their South Bay and Pico Union branches since 2018, and was also a Zoom instructor for multiple virtual programs. Esther’s favorite part of teaching is the space it offers for relationship-building with her students, especially in this creative context. Haven offers such a unique, fruitful experience to all of its students, and Esther feels blessed every chance she gets to serve as an instructor.

Margy Emmons is the Director of Worship at OCF. Her Bachelor's degree was in Piano Performance with a voice minor and she earned her Master's degree in Accompanying at USC. Ever since the 7th Grade, Margy has been an accompanist for soloists and ensembles, performing a full range of vocal and instrumental styles from rock to Broadway to classical to opera to musical theatre. During college she added vocal coaching, composing and arranging while traveling to various countries with touring groups. At OCF, and with Haven Academy, Margy has found that all this experience has paid off in truly rewarding ways.

Matthew Kellaway – Community Chorale Artistic Director 
Matthew Kellaway received his M.M. in Choral Conducting for California State University Fullerton.  He is the Director of Men’s Chorus at Biola University where he has also provided individual voice instruction, taught conducting classes and served as assistant director for the Biola Conservatory of Music opera program.  Matthew has studied conducting with Robert Istad, Christopher Peterson, John Tebay, Shawna Stewart, and has worked with John Alexander, David Hayes, and Lucinda Carver.
 
Matthew Kellaway is also an established professional baritone vocal performer in the Southern California area currently singing with the Pacific Chorale. Matthew has performed as a featured soloist in Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy in conjunction with international choral and solo vocal competitions, and he continues to be a featured soloist with the Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony at Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts. He has also sung with many other prestigious vocal ensembles including Disney’s Voices of Liberty, The John Alexander Singers, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
 
As a baritone known for his versatility of style, Matthew has sung many operatic and musical theater roles including Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Marquis de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Betto in Gianni Schicchi, Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods, Friedrich Bhaer in Little Women, Captain Corcoran in HMS Pinafore and Germont in La Traviata.
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Ashley Krouse
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Ashley Krouse started dancing with the DanceMotion competitive performing company when she was 2 years old. She continued with that company for 12 years while also continuing to dance with Ballet Arizona, West Coast Dance Explosion, Tremaine, Dupree, Millennium studios, The Edge Studios, as well as others, through her early 20’s. Through her school years, Ashley was also a part of Step on Stage show choir as well as 4 years in the 1st chair alto position in the Arizona All State show choir. For Ashley, it is a privilege to be able to help grow young performers, and loves being a part of the Haven Academy Family.

Carly Linehan
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Carly Linehan is proud to be one of the original Haven students- an experience that fueled her passion for the arts and inspired her to obtain a degree in Theatre Studies from UC Santa Barbara. Since then, Carly has been directing and teaching for local youth theatre programs while performing in the local theatre scene herself. Carly is extremely passionate about using the arts to help students gain the life skills necessary to become successful and extraordinary adults. In addition to working as a staff member, Carly volunteers her time to organize fundraising and donor events for Haven, as she truly believes that this a program that changes students' lives for the better.

Angelica Roqué
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Roqué is a Los Angeles native who has been music directing for youth theater programs since 2006. Growing up in a music-filled home, Roqué cultivated a love for a variety of musical genres and storytelling through song. After touring the US and UK with the educational performing arts nonprofit The Young Americans, she continued teaching and performing throughout southern California. Roqué has taught for educational theater programs at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Palos Verdes Performing Arts Conservatory, several public and private schools, and is elated to include Haven Academy in that list. Her goal is for students to make genuine connections with characters, stories, and fellow performers as they develop their instruments.

Gianna Summers
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Gianna Andrea Summers director and performer, graduated with Honors from Arizona State University in Choral Education and Voice Performance in 2003 and graduated with Honors with her Masters in 2005 in Multicultural Education from National University. She has taught choral music in El Segundo for the last 12 years with her choir receiving many awards. They have performed at many venues across America and Europe. Gianna spent time in Costa Rica singing with the Costa Rican Opera and teaching music. Gianna teaches private voice and piano as well as singing professionally in California.  Gianna married the love of her life, Bobby Summers, in 2008, their daughter, Kate is 6 years old and loves HAVEN and softball! The Summers have attended OCF for 12 years and love our community. They currently reside in El Segundo, CA with their two dogs Griffey and Daisy.