About our Director Dr. Deborah Stark:
Dr. Deborah Stark received her B.M.M. from Ozark Christian College, her M.M. from Pittsburg State and her D.A. from Ball State in vocal performance. In addition to being the director of Emmanuel Arts Academy, she teaches full time in the EC music department, stays active as a soprano soloist and member of the Lamplight Trio, and is the part-time Minister of Music for Royston Baptist Church. A member of NATS, CMS, MENC, and Phi Kappa Phi, she feels her purpose is to mentor, and train musicians into a life of service and excellence. In the Arts Academy, she teaches, voice, musical theatre, and sacred dance as well as teaching and leading in the annual summer fine arts camp.
Faculty Instructors:
Tim Stark has gratefully served as an Emmanuel College English department instructor since 2004. An ordained minister in the Christian “Restoration Movement,” he holds degrees in biblical literature and Christian education from Ozark Christian College, an M.A. in English from IUPUI and memberships in Sigma Tau Delta, the Conference on Christianity & Literature, and the Academy of American Poets. Active as a professional writer, editor, and manuscript consultant, Mr. Stark develops and facilitates online composition courses for Florida Christian College, is partner/co-owner/managing editor of ministryvault.com, co-hosts "The Vault" podcast, and runs seeds4sermons.com. Related interests include film, photography, graphics, poetry, memoir, journalism, multimedia art, literary theory, and biblical-cultural apologetics. He and his wife, Dr. Deborah Stark (an EC music professor), live happily on a little chunk of Sandy Cross, Georgia—sharing it gladly with family, friends and “nature’s screechers.”
Dr. Leslie Boucher earned the Bachelor of Music Education from Indiana University, the Master of Arts (Ethnomusicology) from Long Island University in New York, and the Ph. D. in Music History and Theory from the University of Georgia. Dr. Boucher has performed with various oratorio, opera, and symphonic organizations in Charlotte, Indianapolis, New York, Sioux City, and Spoleto. She has also performed as a soloist in the National Composers Conference, and has published a CD of twentieth-century art music while at the University of Georgia. Boucher taught public school music and performed as a freelance musician before coming to Emmanuel College in 1998. She is currently Chair of the Music Department and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Her areas of teaching are music history, theory, world music, art/music appreciation, and applied violin. Boucher is Music Director of Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Belton, South Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Walter. The Bouchers have one grown daughter, Andrea, who is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in counseling and working at Anderson County Mental Health Department as a counselor for troubled youth. Dr. Boucher is currently working on a composition project of contemporary Christian music. She also teaches various courses in the Emmanuel College Academy.
Dr. Mark Goodwin earned his B.S.Ed. and M.Ed. from the University of Missouri and Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction (music education) from the University of South Florida. Dr. Goodwin has taught at Evangel College and Central Missouri State University and was Music Department chair at Southeastern College. He came to EC in 1996 as chair of the Department of Fine Arts and serves as coordinator of music education and tennis coach, also teaching in the Emmanuel Arts Academy. He has performed on bassoon and oboe in faculty recitals at EC and is bassist for the Lamplight Trio, an EC faculty jazz ensemble. He has been a member of the Athens Master Chorale and is active in the Grace Episcopal Church choir. His wife, Barbara, chairs the English Department at EC. They have two adult sons, Scott and Tim.
Dr. Rihana Mason teaches courses in human growth and development, biological basis of behavior, social psychology, cognitive psychology, psychological statistics, research design, psychological testing, and psychology seminar, and honors freshman seminar. She received her B.A. from Spelman College and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Florida Center for Reading Research in Tallahassee, FL. Dr. Masons’ scholarship is published in several journals. She has made numerous research presentations at national and international venues. Dr. Mason is a faculty mentor for the PSYC Club, BASA, and REVIVE (dance team) at EC and teaches sacred dance to children and adults in the Arts Academy.
Beth Chitwood is an instructor of music and accompanist in the music department. She teaches class piano for music majors and non-majors, and accompanies vocal and instrumental students. Beth received her M.M. in Piano Pedagogy in 2008 from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, and B.A. in Music in 2006 from Emmanuel College. Beth has operated a private piano studio for the past 11 years in Hull, GA. From 2006-2008, Beth was a member of the piano faculty at the Community Music School at the University of Georgia, where she taught applied piano and group piano for beginning students. She is also a piano instructor with the Emmanuel Fine Arts Academy, a position she has held since 2007. Beth is currently the pianist at Joy Baptist Church in Hull, GA. Beth is an active member of three music teacher associations: the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), the Georgia Music Teachers Association (GMTA), and the Athens Music Teachers Association (AMTA). In 2008, Beth was chosen by the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music faculty to receive the STAR award from MTNA and the Directors Award from the School of Music. Beth lives in Hull, GA with her family.
Student Instructors:
Josh Bryan is an instructor of guitar, drum set, and trumpet. He is currently earning his Bachelors in Music Education at Emmanuel College. Mr. Bryan has been teaching private lessons for five years. He currently leads worship at the Taylor Memorial PH Church in Anderson, South Carolina.
Rachel Fenters has been trained in dance for 16 years in all various forms of dance including jazz, tap, ballet, and modern. She has been featured in Royal Caribbean’s Cruise line, Disney’s Magic Days, and Universal Studios Stage Production. She holds local, state, and national titles including, IDC’s Callback Winner and Dance Troupe’s Super Soloist. Two years ago, she founded Revive Dance Ministry at Emmanuel College where she travels throughout the United States to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ through the art of dance. She recently became certified with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America as a primary group instructor. She enjoys teaching Zumba and promoting healthy living through dancing and eating healthy.
Carly Hauntsman is a junior presently earning a BA in Music Education. She has been a pianist since she was eleven and a church pianist since she was thirteen years old. Carly has taught privately in the past and currently teaches the beginner to intermediate pianist through the Emmanuel College Fine Arts Academy.
Louise Gast graduated from Emmanuel College in 2009 with a B.A. in vocal performance. She teaches private voice lessons, group voice classes, and Kindermusik through the Emmanuel College Arts Academy. Louise has experience singing musical theatre, classical, sacred, and popular music genres. Louise enjoys helping students of all ages and abilities to improve their singing technique and expand their knowledge and love of music.
Benet Berrymanis an elementary art teacher in Franklin County. She teaches K-5 art education at Royston Elementary and Central Franklin Elementary. She is the art instructor with the Emmanuel Fine Arts Academy; she has held this position since 2008. Benet is a graduate of Franklin County High School and received her BS in Art Education in 1982 from NGCSU. She began teaching in Franklin County in 1986. Benet has taught private art lessons from elementary age students to adult age. She also holds certification with a MED in Early Childhood from Piedmont College and an EDS in Leadership and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University. She is a member of the National Arts Association and the Georgia Art Education Association. Mrs. Berryman and her husband Kane live in Canon, Georgia. They have a son, daughter and son-in-law. They attend Royston Baptist Church.
