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Amanda Beagle

Vocalist & Actor
Warren, Ohio

​Amanda Beagle is a Warren, Ohio based singer/actor who has spent the greater part of her professional life invested in the development of young people through the arts. She has maintained a private vocal studio since 2001, both in the Warren/Youngstown area and New York City. She has been on faculty with music schools in New York City and South Orange, New Jersey serving a diverse body of students. An experienced theatre teaching artist, she has also trained extensively with Lincoln Center Education, The Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department and The City College of New York in educational theatre and teaching artistry.  Ms. Beagle currently serves on the Musical Theatre voice faculty at Youngstown State University. 
 
Amanda's history with SMARTS dates back to 2001 when she was a sophomore vocal performance major at Youngstown State University. During that time, she worked on a SMARTS team that facilitated the Metropolitan Opera Guild's education program called Creating an Original Opera in which students wrote, produced and performed their own works of musical theatre. SMARTS was also Amanda's community service platform as she competed for the job of Miss Ohio.

​​In 2004, Amanda took home the crown and represented Ohio at Miss America, championing the SMARTS mission along the way. After spending many years living in NYC, Amanda has found a teaching home once again at SMARTS, serving as a theatre and vocal music teaching artist for students in the classroom and after-school. Amanda continues to be passionate about the SMARTS mission and is thrilled to be part of an organization that fosters creativity, curiosity and reflection through quality arts education.

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Natalie Wright

Creative Writer
Youngstown, Ohio

Natalie Wright is a Writer of Adult and Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction, as well as the Staff Administrator at SMARTS. She is in the process of writing her first novel, a passion project that has fueled her creativity for more than a decade. Before joining the SMARTS team, Natalie spent seven years as the editor of The Vindicator's Neighbors publications.

"Being a working artist at SMARTS is so inspiring! I love watching our students get excited about their classes and know that I am talking to the next generation of great artists."

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Daniel Rauschenbach

Visual Artist
​Youngstown, Ohio

Daniel Rauschenbach is a Painter/Ceramicist and owner/curator of the Soap Gallery in Downtown Youngstown. His artwork has been shown nationally and owned in private collections worldwide. Graduate of Youngstown State University, Daniel spends time between Youngstown and New England actively painting and exhibiting.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to work for SMARTS. I love the amount of talent in our community and what a gift it is to teach my passion to our communities youth.”

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​Kara Zone

Visual Artist
Youngstown, Ohio
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I like to make words and pictures. As a writer and an artist, I enjoy spilling my emotions out on a page or a canvas just to see what they look like. Sometimes they are a chaotic mess, and sometimes they are a beautiful mess, but it's always great because they get out of my head and heart, and I can examine them closer.

​I enjoy digital art as much as physical art. Digital art gives you the freedom to try something in a hundred ways if need be, and then you get to print it out or save it forever.

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Weslie Detwiler

Visual Artist
​Columbiana, Ohio

I am a watercolor painter and a ceramicist.  I love working with clay because it is such a tangible art form, and even personable in many ways. Making mugs is my favorite thing, because you don't just hang them on your wall - you get to hold and drink from each little piece of artwork! I find it so rewarding to see my pieces in others' homes, interacting with them in their daily lives.

Making artwork that makes other people smile is usually my goal. :) I so enjoy teaching workshops - especially outdoors! - where people can feel free to get their hands dirty and dive in, without fear of "mistakes."

​Teaching at SMARTS is similar - we get to enjoy the process of creating together, in community, which I absolutely adore.

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