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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NANCY BORTOSKY

Nancy Bortosky (previously Schaaf) received her formal education from Webster University, with a BM Ed. in Music Education and a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. Since 1992 she has worked as Executive Director of DaySpring School of the Arts, having been a founder of the school. She continues to perform and teach piano & musical theater, having been involved in the STL piano teaching community for many years.  She has also been a founding member of the Maryland Hgts. Arts Commission, and has served as chairperson. She has 3 awesome adult children and lives happily in St. Louis with her new Hubby, Gary, along with 3 cats and a happy dog. 

DaySpring Staff

DIRECTORS &  DEPARTMENT HEADS

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James Stull

Academy Director

James Stull is an educator and administrator with more than 27 years experience in St. Louis independent schools, public schools, and in the home school community. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from UMSL and a Master's degree in Educational Processes from Maryville University. James has served on the boards of various non-profit organizations including President of The Family Vision, President of When the Saints, and Vice President of Chapter Development for The Ambassadors of Harmony. He has also served in various ministry roles in his church. James is passionate about education and has spent most of his career teaching middle school history and language arts. He has also served as Principal and division chair for Chesterfield Day School. In 2001, James was honored with the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award and the ISSL Teacher of Distinction Award. Perhaps his greatest impact has come while leading students in service and philanthropic projects, teaching them the value of giving back to their community. James is a life-long learner and desires to instill passion and scholarship in all of his students.

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Kristy Schmittling

Finance Director/HR

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Sukanya Mani

Fine Arts Department Head

Sukanya Mani is an interdisciplinary artist with a passion in science, gender studies and philosophy. She takes complex ideas from those fields, builds stories around them and presents them in a visual art form. While her brain enjoys reading and gathering information, her heart weaves them into visual stories which she then presents to the viewer. She is constantly learning- her process involves creating with intent, intellectual thought and placing context into her work. Her studio practice involves the art of cutting and sculpting paper. Creating these pieces is a meditative experience. In 2021, Mani was a TedX STL speaker and she spoke about her art making and journey. Mani has worked as a teaching artist and arts administrator with various arts organizations including the St. Louis Art Museum, COCA, Contemporary Museum and MO History museum. Her artwork is part of numerous collections like the CIty of Poplar Bluff, City of Ballwin, and Chesterfield, MO. Mani’s is the recipient of multiple grants from the Regional Arts Commision. Born in India, Mani lives and works in St. Louis.

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Betsey Karako

Music Department Head/ Music Instructor

Elizabeth Karako is an active performer and teacher in the St. Louis area. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree with high honors from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a Master of Music in Violin Performance with an emphasis in Suzuki Pedagogy from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. During the summers of 2014-2018, she served as a Unit Director and Associate Staff Director at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan. Elizabeth currently plays with the Salem-St. Louis Chamber Orchestra and is registered through the Suzuki Association of the Americas for Volumes 1-10 of the Violin School.

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Kaetlin Lamberson Davis

Arts Director
Performing Arts Department Head

Kaetlin Lamberson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and minor in Political Science. At SEMO she served as President of University Dancers United and Senior Senator for the Holland College of Arts and Media. Here she was awarded the President’s Spirit of Southeast award and Outstanding Senior for Conservatory of Theatre and Dance. After graduation, Kaetlin worked with COCAedu for a summer internship, and began teaching dance in Columbia, Illinois. Because of a passion for Arts Advocacy, she currently serves as a board member with Missouri Citizens for the Arts and has for two years. In this time, she has attended many advocacy events at the local, state and national levels to advocate on behalf of the Missouri Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

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Julie Swaney

Operations Director

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Anjuli Kroon

Dance Department Head

Anjuli Kroon began dancing as a child at Twin Cities School of Dance in Bloomington, IL. There she studied ballet, tap, and jazz with Janet Heyslip-Streenz. During her teen years, she danced and choreographed with Orchesis Intercity Dance Company, studying ballet, jazz, modern, improvisation, and Graham technique with Laurie Merriman and Kim Neal Nofsinger. After high school Anjuli traveled and studied dance all over the country, in cities including Raleigh, Anchorage, Seattle, and Phoenix. She has studied dance at Meredith College, Anchorage Classical Ballet, Cornish College of the Arts, Ballet Etudes, and Arizona State University. Some of the teachers and choreographers she worked with along her journey include Carol Finely, Peter DiMuro, Mary Lou Edwards, Michelangelo Canale, Mary Fitzgerald, Karen Schupp, Carly Conder, Gregory Nuber, Elizabeth Johnson, Cynthia Roses-Thema, and others. Anjuli graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from Arizona State University. After college, she danced with H.Lab performance company, under the direction of Harper Piver, creating and performing collaborative modern dance works with integrated technology. Anjuli co-founded C3 Dance, a Phoenix based group providing dance education and experiences for youth, and partnering with Dance and the Child International. After moving to St. Louis, Anjuli danced and choreographed with Leverage Dance Theater, and has taught dance classes throughout the region. She is excited to join the Dayspring community!

STAFF

Allen Moore

Building Manager

LaDonna Wagner

Academy Administrator

Pam MacDonald

Front Desk Administrator

Alle Head

Theatrical Producer

Emily Evans

Front Desk Administrator

Emma Kopecky

Front Desk Administrator

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