Teaching Artists/Specialists

Susie Wall is a professional St. Louis actress who has performed locally at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Historyonics Theatre Company, and the Shakespeare Festival, among others. She has also performed throughout the United States, Mexico, and with a theatre company in Italy. Susie’s voice can be heard on many commercials for radio and television. She loves changing her voice with dialects, cartoon, and character voices. Entertaining young adults and children – making them laugh, cry and wonder during her performances – is her greatest thrill. Susie has a bachelor of fine arts in theatre from Stephens College and an master’s from the University of Michigan. She teaches with Webster University and COCA.

Ginny Weiss is a professional puppeteer with more than 30 years of experience spreading the joys of puppetry to children and educators. She has a degree in drama and a secondary life certificate from Washington University. Ginny received her master of arts in teaching from Webster University.

Jeanie Wells holds a master of arts in teaching mathematics from Webster College. She has been an adjunct professor of Math at Southeast Missouri State University through the KSAM Project. Jeanie has served as a mathematics coach, a facilitator in the Family Math and Science Program, a math specialist, and a classroom teacher in her 36–year career with the St. Louis Public Schools. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of Math (NCTM), the Missouri Council of Teachers of Math (MCTM), and of the Math Educators of Greater St. Louis.

Sandy Weltman has been a professional musician and educator for more than 25 years. He is established as one of the leading pioneers on harmonica. Sandy’s musical skills allow him to cover an unusually wide range of musical genres including Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic and Middle Eastern. He has been recognized for his musical excellence, was featured on three CDs and appears on dozens of other national recordings.

Alicia Williams began her dance studies at the Katherine Dunham Center in East St. Louis, IL . Upon graduation from high school, she furthered her dance studies at Illinois State University. Her specialties include Jazz, West African, and Hip Hop. The lists of Alicia’s credits are extensive and include NOIR Dance Ensemble, ISU Dance Theater, Lupe Fiasco, The Slaughter Project, and Afriky Lolo. Alicia strongly believes in the place of art in a child’s education. She has been involved in many programs but one her biggest projects involves the development of “Flight of the Youth”. As both a dancer and a teacher of dance, Alicia wants her students to know how important dance can be to their lives.

James D. Williams grew up in Hayneville, Alabama and received a bachelor’s degree from Athens State College and a master’s degree in international relations from Webster University. In 1985, he worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa. James worked with a forestry group there, starting nurseries and distributing trees in the northern part of the country. While on the continent, he had the opportunity to visit Niger, Togo, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast.

Glenn “Papa” Wright taught percussion since 1978 at the St. Louis Conservatory and Schools for the Arts in St. Louis, Missouri. “Papa” and his wife, Jackie, have performed as the storytelling duo Tales Told The “Wright” Way at the By Word of Mouth Storytelling Festival, the Missouri River Storytelling Festival, the Mid– Missouri Storytelling Festival, the St. Louis Storytelling Festival, and the Southern Illinois Storytelling Festival. Additionally, “Papa’s” jazz percussion ensemble, “Rhythms in Motion,” has recorded his original compositions on their album, which he co–produced for the Black Music Society of Missouri. In January 1998, “Papa” was featured in an All–Star Percussion Concert sponsored by The New Music Circle of St. Louis. He appeared on the Higher Education Channel (HEC) in 1997 discussing his career as a professional musician. As a board member and president of the Puppet Guild of Greater St. Louis, “Papa” promotes the arts of puppetry. “‘Papa’s’” Story Time Puppets” have appeared several times on the local television program “Show Me St. Louis.”