FL Arts Education Directory Profile
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Founded in 1984, the Community Foundation of Broward partners with families, individuals and organizations to create personalized charitable funds that deliver game-changing philanthropic impact. 532 charitable funds represent more than $260 million in assets, distributing $175 million in grants over the past 40 years. The Community Foundation transforms our community through focused leadership that fosters collaboration, builds endowment, advances equity and connects people who care to causes that matter. The Foundation empowers visionaries, innovators and doers to create the change they want to see in the community – and to BE BOLD. www.cfbroward.org
Tom Tompkins has been a long-time supporter of the Arts as both a spectator and as a patron.
As a photographer, his photos have been exhibited across the world as well as in magazines. He has traveled to 166 countries across all 7 continents photographing the different cultures, wildlife, and landscapes and has published over a dozen books of his work. He has even donated many pieces of his work to local groups to help raise funds.
As a philanthropist, the Tompkins Family Foundation is a Benefactor for Osceola Art Center, Osceola ACE Coalition and the Arts Alive Performing Arts Showcase that has awarded more than $275,000 in scholarships to deserving arts students in Osceola County. Tom Tompkins has been a long-time supporter of the Arts as both a spectator and as a patron.
Marcia Tompkins, (Tom’s wife) is also engaged and supports the arts in our community. Marcia has served on the Osceola Arts Board for many years. The Arts Board has dedicated part of the facility to Marcia with her name on part of the complex.
Tom also founded the Osceola Education Foundation in 1985 that helps support the arts community in Osceola County through the VPK Strings program; awarding scholarships for students to attend stART, which is a 2-week Summer Arts Intensive; and Going Darc programs, to name a few. The foundation has awarded over $10 million in scholarships to local students.
Steve MacKinnon is a dynamic theatre artist dedicated to crafting uplifting and inclusive entertainment and educational experiences that have the power to inspire, challenge, and transform our world. Recognized as "Central Florida’s go-to guy for musical theatre" by the Orlando Sentinel, Steve has made impactful contributions to renowned Central Florida institutions such as Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, Orlando REP, Orlando Shakes.
On a national scale, Steve's versatile expertise spans roles as a theater director, teaching artist, music director, conductor, and vocal coach, with collaborations for Disney Theatrical, Radio City Entertainment, Telsey Casting, MTV, Virgin Voyages, Universal Creative, and more. For the past 16 years, he has served as a resident teaching artist for the Disney Imagination Campus: Broadway Magic workshops at Walt Disney World, collaborating with Disney Theatrical Group, Disney on Broadway, and Disney Cruise Line. These workshops, reaching students locally and globally, have touched lives in countries including South Korea, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and Kenya.
Additionally, Steve passionately fulfills the role of Artistic Director for with St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Here, he pioneers community arts initiatives centered around intergenerational and accessible arts programming, career mentoring, and arts education for Central Florida's children and families. Steve envisions Theatre at St. Luke’s as an artistic haven, uniting professionals, early career performers, students, volunteers, first-timers, and retirees to grow, connect, serve, and forge meaningful relationships and networks in the culturally rich hub of Central Florida.
Joe G. Tedder, CFC, Tax Collector for Polk County
Joe has served as a community leader in Polk County since 1992 when he was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He further established himself in our community as our Tax Collector starting in 1997 and subsequently being re-elected to the position in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
His impact has not only been as an elected officer, but in many other ways in Polk County and across the state. Joe has served as:
Joe has had the privilege to be recognized by several organizations for his accomplishments including:
Joe received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting at Florida Southern College and is a Certified Florida Tax Collector issued by the State of Florida. He is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XIII and Leadership Polk Class I.
Joe is a proud husband of Dr. Tracey Tedder, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Florida Southern College.
Michelle Matthews’ career in education began 19 years ago with DCPS when she was hired by her childhood principal to work alongside inspirational teachers who also taught Michelle as a young student. She shared her passion for teaching and learning with her students as a classroom teacher and her colleagues as a learning coach. As a lifelong student herself, she pursued National Board Certification in 2010, a Masters in Reading in 2012, and an Educational Leadership certificate in 2013, leading to roles as district Literacy Specialist and eventually Assistant Principal. In July 2018, Michelle found her home at Pine Forest School of the Arts as Principal. She can’t imagine being anywhere else. As a lover of the arts and a dancer since age seven, being Principal of an arts school is the perfect match. An education in the arts enhances academic learning by promoting critical thinking and problem solving; it enhances communication, builds flexibility, and encourages working collaboratively through shared novel experiences; it teaches an appreciation of the work of others by prioritizing creativity. Most of all, Michelle is thankful to be part of a school with such a strong family environment, full of long-standing traditions, which provide students with a nurturing atmosphere to experience the visual and performing arts. Ever the student, Michelle continues to immerse herself in the creative and performing arts by enrolling in courses and workshops to learn new skills and techniques to share with her teachers and students.
Joseph D’Ambrosi is an award-winning theatre historian, educator, and practitioner. He holds a Ph.D. in Theatre and Drama from Indiana University, an M.A. in Theatre Studies from UCF, and a B.A. in Theatre from Messiah University. During the day, Joe serves the School District of Osceola County as the K-12 Fine and Performing Arts Resource Specialist, overseeing 190 teachers in all arts disciplines across 50+ schools. His scholarship is published in a number of peer-reviewed journals and edited collections, including Theatre Survey, Theatre History Studies, and Ecumenica. On stage, Joe recently performed as Georg in Spring Awakening for New Generation Theatrical and as Mr. Bumble in Theatre at St. Luke’s production of OLIVER!, which earned him a Critic’s Pick nomination from the Orlando Sentinel. He leads worship at St. Luke’s UMC in Dr. Phillips. He lives in Winter Garden with his husband, Harris, and their daughter, Horatio, who is a cat.
Dr. Christopher Burns, with a deep commitment to music education, has a diverse academic and professional journey. Holding a PhD in Music Education from the University of South Florida, he emphasizes Learner-Centered Education, Popular Music, and Technology Integration. His work includes various teaching roles, from elementary to university levels, and a notable position as the District Fine and Performing Arts Resource Specialist in Osceola County since 2019. Dr. Burns actively contributes to the music education community, sharing insights on innovative teaching and music administration, while remaining engaged in continuous learning and development in his field.
Michelle J. Ottley-Fisher, a native of the US Virgin Islands, is in her 32nd year of public education. Mrs. Fisher began her career teaching dance and earth-space science at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and later served as the director of dance at the Landon School for the Arts and Academics, all in Jacksonville Florida. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance and Secondary Education at Jacksonville University and recently became the recipient of Jacksonville University’s School of Fine Arts’, “Distinguished Alumni in Theatre and Dance” award. Michelle also holds the “Florida Arts Model Program” designation for her department at the LaVilla School of the Arts and was honored to serve as the 2010 Teacher-of the Year at her current school.
During her 33 years in Jacksonville, Michelle has been lucky enough to have built lasting relationships in schools, churches, and in community dance and theatre organizations in and around the state of Florida and more recently, the nation. Her love of dance has also afforded Michelle the opportunity to serve as faculty for the Florida Dance Masters convention, the Orlando Ballet School summer intensive, and the National Modern Dance competition. Ms. Ottley proudly adds the re-staging of choreography for over 150 musical productions to her repertoire.
Affectionately known and Mama O, Mrs. Ottley-Fisher is in her 23rd year as director of the dance department at the LaVilla School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Florida; a program for which she has designed and built the curriculum in one of the most sought-after performing arts schools in the state. She was lucky enough to have been among the founding instructors at LaVilla and is amazingly proud of the impact that she gets to be a part of every day. However, Mrs. Fisher’s most rewarding roles have been as a wife and mother to three incredible young women.