Burn
Brae Staff 2009
(Partial Listing)
Art Instructor: Marcia Jones teaches watercolor, color and design and painting classes at the Abington Art Center. She has also taught design and illustration at the Tyler School of Art as well as design, painting and drawing at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Marcia has had her own work exhibited in many Philadelphia galleries as well as the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill. She has her B.F.A. in painting from Indiana University and her M.F.A. in painting from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and Rome, Italy.
Head of Ceramics: Emily Paulmier is a ceramics teacher at Temple University and Tyler School of Art. She is a very accomplished artist and potter and has many commissioned works throughout the Philadelphia area. Emily has been at Burn Brae for the past five summers.
Musical Theater Director: Katherine Robinson received her B.A. in Music Theater Performance from Plymouth State University. She is the founder, producer and director of the Maple Street Theater Group since 1996 as well as a private voice, acting and piano teacher. Katherine has been a featured performer with the American Family Theater in Philadelphia (affiliated with the Kimmel Center), theWalnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, as well as numerous theater companies throughout the New England area.
Musical Theater Co-Director & Vocal Instructor: Samuel Frenkel received a B.A. from American University and is a trained vocalist and pianist as well as an actor and opera singer. In the off-season, Sam is an elementary school teacher.
Non-Musical Theater Director: Heather Krauss received her B.A. in Theater and is a teaching Artist-in-Residence at the famed McCarter Theater in Princeton, NJ. She has been on the faculty at the Walnut Street Theater since 2004.
Brass & Woodwinds Instructor/Camp Band Director: Mitch Beck has been a music instructor at Burn Brae for 26 years. After 35 years, he retired as music teacher and director for the Bensalem Township School District. Mitch is a professional bassoonist for the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra and has been a private music teacher for the past 37 years.
Piano Instructor: Samuel Heifetz was born and educated in Riga, Latvia. He earned degrees in piano and oboe from the Emil Darsin School of Music and Latvian National Conservatory. He began a successful career as the assistant principal at the Latvian National Opera and as the music director of the Latvian Philharmonic Society Ensemble. In 1990, Samuel immigrated to the United States, where he continues his career as a performer, composer and educator. He has performed in major U.S. concert venues, including Carnegie Hall. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor of music at Arcadia University in Glenside, PA. Samuel has been a piano instructor at Burn Brae for the past seven years.
Strings Instructor: George Atanasiu has been a music instructor at Burn Brae for 13 years. George is a graduate of the Bucharest Music Academy in his native Romania. He completed his musical education in Germany. Outside of camp, George directs numerous orchestras and musical ensembles, including the Orvieto Festival of Strings, a group of international musicians who perform in Italy. George is currently a cello and chamber music professor at Rowan University of New Jersey.
Dance Instructor: Danielle Boland received her B.S. in Elementary Education with a specialty in Dance. She has been a dance instructor and choreographer since 1998. Danielle has won numerous dance competitions throughout the tri-state area and has performed at the Borgota Hotel in Atlantic City.
TV/Video Instructor: Craig DoVidio is returning for his fifth summer teaching our campers television and video production including use of cameras, editing, writing, directing and producing their very own videos! He owns Premium Studios and is also a videography instructor at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. He will be at Burn Brae with his three children.
DJ Instructor: Howie Ginsburg will be teaching our kids how to be professional DJ's using his equipment and sharing his skills. He is an elementary school teacher and a professional disc jockey with All Around Entertainment.
Sports Director: Mike Blum will be returning for his sixth year as Sports Director at Burn Brae. He is a basketball and baseball coach and is a player himself. During the school year, Mike works as School Psychologist at the Upper Moreland Middle School. Mike received his B.A. from Penn State University and earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Boston University. In 1994, Mike attained his Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University. Mike looks forward to returning to Burn Brae with his two children.
Tennis Instructor: Roger Mallery is a graduate of Germantown Friends High School and Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been a tennis pro since 1982. Roger played on the U.S.T.A. Pro Tennis Circuit for three years, coached high school tennis (girls and boys) as well as women’s tennis at Chestnut Hill College. Roger has taught tennis at Burn Brae for 18 years and has taught fitness classes for the past 12 years.
Aquatics Instructor: Dave Vengels has been swimming for over 20 years and a member of our swim staff for the past nine years. Before joining the Burn Brae staff, Dave worked as a lifeguard at the Somerton Springs Swim Club. Dave received his Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and his Master's Degree in Education from Holy Family University. In the camp off-season, he is a teacher; he has taught first, sixth and eighth grades.
Swim & Yoga Instructor: Jamie Kuttner has been teaching yoga for the past seven years and is a yoga and water aerobics instructor at LA Fitness. She was an aquatics director at a local area high school swim program and has also performed on Broadway in the musical Rent.
