Teaching Success
through the Performing Arts
Summer Stars Teaching Artists
The Summer Stars Teaching Artists bring their first-hand professional experience to camp for our students to learn.
Donna Milani Luther - Founding Director
Donna has been an arts and creativity educator for over thirty five years. She is currently Head of Inly School, an all gender independent day school in Massachusetts for students ages 2 – 14. A member of the Leadership Development faculty for the Creative Education Foundation, she teaches educators and business professionals courses like Creativity in the 21st Century Classroom, Advanced Strategies for Educators, Facilitation through the Arts, Integrating Creativity and Leadership and Team Building. Donna recently completed a research project at Dartmouth College on the effects of Creative Thinking on Middle School students. She is an adjunct faculty member at Lesley College's national and international M.Ed. program for Creative Arts in Learning. She has presented at conferences throughout the United States and in Brazil, China, South Africa and Israel.
Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga - Dance
Shaumba is the founder and artistic director of OrigiNation in Jamaica Plain, MA, a non-profit that produces innovative and dynamic performing arts programs to motivate, challenge, and inspire youth. Shaumba has been teaching Hip Hop and African dance at Summer Stars for more than a decade.
Zanyah Dorfeuille - Dance
Zanyah is from Boston Massachusetts, a college graduate who attended the illustrious Howard University . With a Bachelor's Degree from the school of Fine Arts as a Dance major. During her time at Howard, her love for the art has done nothing but grown. Zanyah is an aspiring choreographer and performer who is based in Los Angeles, California.
She has partnered and instructed with non profit organizations such as Soca Fusion, Soca Lion Entertainment, OrigiNations Cultural Arts Center, Princess Mhoon Dance Institute, Jackson Summer Program, and more amongst the East and West coast. All these organizations focus on the youth and culture of the Minorities to uplift our young people. As she continues her journey hopes to spread and share her passion for dance with everyone, because dance is her primary language to the people.
Shuwanda Gardner - Acting
Shuwanda is a graduate from Brandeis University’s MFA Program where she earned her Master’s Degree in Acting and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Alabama State University. She has studied dance for over 20 years and has choreographed for Horace Mann’s Middle Division theater program, Alabama State University’s musical theater productions, The Funnibone Comedy Club and TAPS (Theatre Arts Performing School), and to undergraduates at Brandeis University. In addition to performing in numerous professional theater productions such as Permanent Collections, The Exonerated, North Star, La Dispute, In The Blood, West Side Story, Big River, and To Kill A Mockingbird to name a few, Mrs. Gardner has also toured and performed professionally throughout Europe and has been a main stage featured singer with Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Mrs. Gardner has also had the pleasure of studying theater in Greece with the University of Athens and in France with the Roy Hart Theatre. In addition to her numerous stage credits she also has done voice-overs, commercials, and independent films. Currently Mrs. Gardner teaches reader’s theater at Horace Mann school in the Bronx section of New York City. She works and is a member of Actor’s Equity Association under the stage name, Donei Hall.
Rob Goldman - Musical Director
Rob has been a professional musician for over 30 years and is an extremely active performer, educator, composer/arranger, and musical director with over three hundred productions to his credit. He holds a bachelor of music degree in bass performance and music education from the Berklee College of Music as well as a master’s degree in music education from Bridgewater State University.
As a performer, Rob has performed in almost all styles of music throughout the New England area as well as other parts of the country on bass, piano, vocals and guitar. He has performed with many of the area’s top bands as well as his own solo work.
As an educator, Rob has taught and directed music and theater at all levels and to people of all ages from preschoolers through adults. He is currently the vocal director at Westwood High School in Westwood Massachusetts, where he has served as a faculty member since 2011.
Rob has been the music director and vocal arranger for Summer Stars, since its origination in the summer of 2000. It is hands down the most rewarding artistic experience he has ever been a part of and is so fortunate that he gets to be a part of it with his own family as well as his Summer Stars family.
Caitlin Goldman - Music, Chorus
Caitlin is a professional singer and music educator. A graduate of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, she holds a double Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Music Education and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University’s Creative Arts in Learning Division. Caitlin has sung professionally throughout the Boston area and has performed with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Longwood Opera, Operatunity and has recorded vocals for Nintendo games through Vox Futura recording studios.
Caitlin has taught music, chorus and drama in the Westwood Public Schools since 2000. She is passionate about finding joy in life while making music with young people and is especially drawn to teaching students who simply need music in their lives to make human connections with others. Caitlin has had the pleasure of being a Teaching Artist with Summer Stars Camp for the Performing Arts since its origination. It is the highlight of each year.
Allie Scherich - Broadway
Allie has been a professional actor and teaching artist for over 20 years. She is a current Teaching Artist for Disney on Broadway and has worked on Broadway and National Tours with young performers in shows such as School of Rock, Annie, and Billy Elliot. She has also taught at various arts organizations all over the country including KJK Productions, Florida Studio Theater, Sheridan Opera House, Tarrytown Music Hall, and Childsplay. As a performer, her favorite unique experience was performing on the high seas with Disney Cruise Line. Allie is honored to have been a part of the Summer Stars family since its beginnings in 2000. This organization and its exceptional people, both staff and campers, have shaped her as an educator and a human. Summer Stars Camp is the thing she most looks forward to each year.
Nathan Scherich - Broadway, Director of Evening Performances
Nathan is a 10-year veteran of Jersey Boys, having performed with both the 1st national tour and Broadway companies of the show. He also spent a few years with Beautiful, the Carole King Musical both on the 1st national tour and Broadway. Nathan has been seen as various law enforcement officers on such shows as Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, and Law and Order:SVU. He lives with his family in spooky Sleepy Hollow, NY, where he is a highschool soccer coach and a volunteer ambulance driver with EMS. www.nathanscherich.com
Steve Stockman - Music Video Production
Steve is President of the Board of Trustees of the Summer Stars Foundation. He is a working writer, director and producer, and president of Los Angeles-based Custom Productions, Inc. He wrote and directed MGM's Two Weeks starting Sally Field & Ben Chaplin. He's produced, show--run and directed network television shows and over 200 commercials and music videos. Steve is the author of the world's best-selling cinematography book, How to Shoot Video that Doesn't Suck, based in part on what he learned teaching music video classes at Summer Stars. He's past President of the Board of the Westside Waldorf School in Pacific Palisades, CA, a graduate of Brown University, and a life member of the Creative Education Foundation, where he taught many courses with Donna Luther.
Kyle Wrentz - Improv
Kyle is the Co-Founder/Director of Break a Leg Theater Works (breakalegtheater.com). At BAL Kyle has co-directed over 40 student and community productions and worked with guest artists from Broadway, Hollywood, and beyond.
Kyle has a BFA in Theater from The University of Hartford, The Hartt School. Credits include Broadway and touring versions of "THE LION KING,” where he understudied the roles of Simba & Scar. Kyle’s long Disney affiliation also includes cast at Epcot in the a cappella group American Vybe, and opening cast at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Regionally, his favorite roles include Jim from “BIG RIVER” and 2nd Officer Lightoller in TITANIC, The Beast in BEAUTY & THE BEAST and Ladahlord in JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH. TV credits include The Tony Awards, The Daytime Emmys, and Dancing With The Stars.
Taalib "TJ" Dibinga-Robinson
Taalib "TJ" Dibinga-Robinson is a local Boston actor and choreographer, and a Summer Stars alum and past counselor. TJ is also an alumnus of Boston Arts Academy ('20) and Origination Cultural Arts Center's professional dance division's senior company. He now serves as one of the division's head choreographers. His credits include: "Pledge: Change is Good" (Limited Series), "Exception To The Rule" (Front Porch Arts Collective), and America's Test Kitchen Kids.
Malik Mitchell
Malik Mitchell is an actor, singer/songwriter, dancer, and choreographer from Boston, MA. Being involved in Summer Stars since arriving as a camper in 2013 has allowed him to explore different avenues of the arts to express himself. A 2019 graduate of the Boston Arts Academy, He’s worked with professional theater companies throughout Massachusetts including SpeakEasy Stage Company, Wheelock Family Theatre, and The Actor’s Shakespeare Project. In 2019 he received the Thomas Derrah Emerging Artist Award from SpeakEasy Stage Company and has been a part of a multiple shows nominated for Elliot Norton Awards. Malik is also an alumn of OrigiNation Cultural Center (NIA Dance Troupe) where he serves as a dance instructor for the professional dance division.
Lisa Pimentel
Lisa Pimentel is a music Teacher/Director, Musician/Songwriter, and Music Producer/Engineer. She has been working as an Educator for over twenty-five years in Los Angeles and Massachusetts. Lisa’s professional music credits are vast and range from NPR to Ghostbusters, from Santa Clarita Diet to Rock Band, and from Billboard to Muppet Puppeteers.
Lisa serves as a co-chair for The Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition, where she works with the community to “lay the groundwork to eradicate racism.” She works with Summer Stars for The Performing Arts where she collaborates with 12-17 year olds. Lisa won The John Lennon Songwriting Competition in 2013 and continues to collaborate with young songwriters across the country with her project, LP Collective. Lisa is the founder and director of The Exploratorium, (Oakwood Summer Programs) and can often be seen playing in one of her bands, No Small Children or Drama Dolls.