Our Students
Emily Baker, MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Emily Baker (she/her) is an arts administrator and performing artist from Schenectady, NY with a B.A. in Arts Management from MCLA and an A.S. in Music Performance from SUNY Schenectady. During her time as an undergraduate, Emily served as a grant writer, production assistant, and founder of the Schenectady Dramatic Players, offering high-quality performance opportunities to other undergraduate students of all backgrounds.
Beginning as a general music teacher for primary students in 2021, Emily took her passion for arts education beyond the classroom, acquiring grant funding to teach a series of applied improv theatre and music workshops to both students and young professionals. She has since worked in various positions across theatre and art administration at organizations like the Mopco Improv Theatre, Proctors Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Art Night Schenectady, and SciFi Schenectady Film Fest. Emily is passionate about providing a robust and inclusive arts environment in the spaces that she lives and works, advocating that the arts are for everyone.
Emily currently serves as the Marketing and Audience Development Specialist for the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts, where she works to amplify the creations and accomplishments of current students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
Brian Bush, MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Brian Bush (he/him) is a theatre artist and arts administrator born and raised in Blacksburg, Virginia. As a graduate of Western Carolina University, Brian holds a B.F.A. in Theatre with a Musical Theatre Concentration and a Minor in Dance. During his time at Western Carolina University, he developed a love for arts administration through his work on the Musical Theatre Student Advisory Council, Season Selection Committee, and as a Management intern at Haywood Arts Regional Theatre. Since graduating, Brian has worked in many different aspects of the performing arts industry, including performance, theatre education, music direction, choreography, and sound/projection design. Currently, his work is focused on administration with the Center for the Arts on campus, working as a member of both the Patron Services and Programming teams.
Throughout all these experiences, Brian has approached each opportunity with a sense of creativity and steadfast curiosity. He is passionate about approaching the arts as a holistic entity, with each department supporting one another to ensure the longevity of the industry itself. With such a varied background, Brian aims to move forward in both his graduate studies and in the industry as an advocate for growth and interdepartmental action, ensuring that creative spaces continue to succeed in the communities that they serve.
As a Blacksburg local, Brian is elated to officially join the Hokie community as a student. He is looking forward to joining the School of Performing Arts for the next few years!
Sophia Ferolito , MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Sophia Ferolito (she/her) is a theatre artist and arts administrator from Bristol, Rhode Island. She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from George Mason University, where her passion for promoting arts accessibility and community outreach grew alongside her love for performance.
As an undergraduate, Sophia spent a semester interning at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., working alongside the volunteer management team overseeing more than 600 volunteers and collaborating on major events like the 47th annual Kennedy Center Honors. She conducted research to document the volunteer program’s rich history through an archival social media series and designed a number of promotional materials to continue expanding the program’s reach. Following her internship, she continued as a volunteer with the Friends of the Kennedy Center and has since taken on volunteer roles with other organizations including the Newport Festivals Foundation.
Upon graduation from George Mason University, Sophia was recognized with the Rising Arts Leader Award, marking her achievements in the university’s Arts Management Minor program. She now looks forward to further developing her skills in Virginia Tech’s M.F.A. Arts Leadership program, learning from those around her to become a successful arts advocate and leader.
María Camila Velandia Gélvez, MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
María Camila Velandia Gélvez (she/her) is a music educator and researcher whose work bridges music, science communication, and community-centered creative practice. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music from the Universidad Industrial de Santander (Colombia) where she served as Coordinator of MUSILAB, the university’s phonographic and audiovisual production laboratory, supporting artistic, educational, and research initiatives. She also completed a research internship at the Universität de València in Spain, where she collaborated on music education and interdisciplinary projects.
Over the past decade María Camila has led interdisciplinary research and extension initiatives that integrate phonographic and audiovisual production with pedagogical and community objectives. She has founded and coordinated MUSILAB, a laboratory focused on transmedia narratives and socially engaged projects. She has also produced and disseminated research-creation outputs and editorial projects, contributed to publications on music pedagogy and audio production, and presented her work at national and international forums in Spain, Peru, Argentina and Colombia.
Now pursuing her M.F.A. in Arts Leadership at Virginia Tech, María Camila is excited to contribute to projects with broader impact and scale.
Corinne Taylor, MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Corinne Taylor (she/her) is a performing artist from Marietta, Georgia. She earned her B.F.A .in Musical Theatre from Western Carolina University, where she performed in numerous musicals, plays, and films. During her final years as an undergraduate, she expanded her interests to include teaching and producing. After graduation, she moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in film and television before discovering a passion for arts administration and leadership.
Corinne has worked as both a dance educator and classroom teacher for four years. She is committed to fostering curiosity, collaboration, and accessibility in arts education for learners of all ages. Drawing on her background as both an educator and performer, she strives to strengthen local arts communities by creating meaningful opportunities for artistic engagement and connection.
She currently works with the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech, where she helps develop and support programs that empower scientists, scholars, health professionals, and other experts to communicate more effectively with diverse audiences. As a lifelong student of the arts, Corinne hopes to build vibrant, inclusive arts communities through leadership, education, and creative collaboration.
Laine Goerner, MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Over the past twenty years, Laine Goerner (she/her) has been involved in bringing theatrical works to life - serving as stage and production manager for a wide variety of events. She currently serves as the Production and Rentals Manager at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech, where she has been working over ten years, providing high level production and administrative support for all events at the Center.
Her early career was centered in New York City, where she served as the Production Stage Manager for the Vocal Arts Department at the Juilliard School, Assistant Stage Manager for New York City Ballet, as well as freelance stage and production management including works with New York Philharmonic, Giants are Small, Manhattan School of Music, Dicapo Opera, Knoxville Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre Center, Castleton Opera, and The Talking Band. In addition to traditional theatre, opera, and dance work, Laine also has served as an exhibition manager for Architects of Air, a company that builds large inflatable sculptures that are installed all over the world and provide a unique experience for guests to walk through and experience color and light in a new way.
Laine is looking forward to this opportunity to expand her knowledge in arts leadership with the great team of faculty and students here at Virginia Tech.
Madysen Moreno, 2028 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Madysen Moreno (she/her) is a composer, musician, and graduate of Santa Clara University, where she earned a B.A. in Music and Philosophy. Her interdisciplinary artistic practice centers on social justice and community building, using music to amplify underrepresented voices and foster collective dialogue.
As an undergraduate, Madysen composed for and led the SCU New Music Ensemble, deepening both her compositional voice and her commitment to collaborative music-making. She was a Fellow at the Center for the Arts and Humanities, where she focused on gender equity in music, and she served as a teaching assistant in music theory courses across multiple levels. Beyond academia, she engaged with the broader Bay Area music scene as a performer in her band and as a curator of charity music compilations.
Her original works include “The Wait Out,” an extended technique piece for bowed piano ensemble, and “This Animal/What Is,” a chamber work for flute, violin, and cello. In recognition of her artistic growth and dedication, she received the Arrigo and Caterina Descalzi Prize, awarded to the graduating senior who best exemplifies excellence in musical artistry.
Now pursuing an MFA in Arts Leadership at Virginia Tech, Madysen continues to explore the intersections of sound, storytelling, and community engagement. Whether scoring for theater or advancing new music initiatives, she strives to cultivate inclusive and expressive creative spaces for all.
Kendall Seibel, 2028 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Kendall Seibel (she/her) is a theatre artist from Great Falls, Montana. She holds a BFA from the University of Montana where she fostered a love for Epic Theatre, Theatre for Social Justice, and post-modernism. While gaining bountiful experience in performance over her four years, she also developed a passion for artistic direction, leadership, and directing that has continued to blossom through her professional career.
During her time at the University of Montana, she received high honors for her research in the titular role of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children In the University of Montana Conference of Undergraduate Research (UMCUR). She also co-presented at the graduate student conference as an undergraduate student for two consecutive years, receiving the highest honor in 2021. After graduating from the University of Montana, Kendall taught, directed, produced, designed, and house managed for the Great Falls High School theatre department, where she aided students through their first auditions, performances, and festivals, securing state championships in 2023 and 2024.
After spending the summer working on the Blacksburg Summer Arts Festival as an Associate Producer and planning outdoor concerts, stage managing the theatre production, and working front of house among other tasks, she is thrilled to return to the Virginia Tech community for her second year in the Arts Leadership program!
Chris Thomas, 2028 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Chris Thomas (he/him) is a musician and arts administrator from Newport News, Virginia. He holds an undergraduate degree in music performance from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree and performance certificate from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and the College Band Directors National Association Conference with the Virginia Tech Wind Ensemble and at the Georgia Music Educators Association conference with the Schwob Philharmonic.
As an administrator Chris has occupied a variety of production-oriented positions at both the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and the River Center at Columbus State University. Notably, Chris managed many of the Schwob School’s offsite events, collaborating with faculty and performers to present concerts in distinctive venues such as planetariums and historic homes.
Chris is excited to return to Blacksburg as a graduate student in the MFA Arts Leadership Program. He looks forward to taking advantage of the rich artistic community in Blacksburg and working with the university’s excellent faculty to shape the next steps in his career.
Caili Harris 2027 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Caili Harris (she/her) is an arts administrator from Lexington, Kentucky, with a B.A. in Theatre and French Language Studies from Centre College. Passionate about the intersection of language, culture, and the performing arts, Caili has pursued these interests both in the United States and abroad. In Summer 2024, she completed a public relations observership with Exchange Theatre in London, England, where she collaborated with local francophone organizations to expand the theatre’s community network.
With an artistic background that spans performance, directing, producing, writing, and academic inquiry, Caili brings a multidisciplinary perspective to arts administration. She draws on this wide-ranging experience to cultivate connection through empathy, creativity, and curiosity. As she continues her graduate studies, Caili is committed to fostering inclusive, growth-oriented environments that encourage the next generation of artists and arts patrons to explore, question, create with confidence, and value the power of language and communication.
Bria Weisz, 2027 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Bria Weisz is an arts administrator and Rice University graduate with a BA in Computer Science in the Arts and a minor in Museum Studies and Cultural Heritage. Prior to beginning their graduate studies, they held curatorial positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the University of Minnesota's Weisman Art Museum. Within the theatre world, Bria has served as an assistant director, dramaturg, and community engagement specialist at Theatre in the Round Players in Minneapolis.
Having experienced a wide range of leadership styles in academic, community, and professional visual and performing arts organizations, Bria is passionate about fostering sustainable and accessible creative spaces for artists and audiences alike. Their computer science background informs their interest in technology as a projection and assessment tool. With technology as a grounding force, they aspire to bolster community-mobilizing artistic endeavors.