Meet Our Instructors
MUSIC * ART * DRAMA
INCLUSIVE ARTS * YOUNG CHILDREN
DeNeil Hartley,
Administrative Director
Private Instructor,
Piano & Piano Lab
DeNeil Hartley has served as Administrative Director of Aspire! Conservatory of Fine & Performing Arts since it’s conception in 2015. This new chapter in life and re-direction of her career from public music education is a fresh and welcome change. She feels like she’s living a dream helping others find their passion and watching them grow in the arts . DeNeil prays that this program will be a blessing to the community, provide a void in arts related experiences, and will inspire talented artists throughout the Tri-State to dream, believe and achieve their individual greatness.
DeNeil holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Ohio University and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from Marshall University. In her twenty-three years of teaching in the public schools of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, DeNeil has taught both middle school and high school band and choir, and elementary general music. In addition to her service in the public schools, DeNeil served as Musical Director for the ACTC Theatre Department for eight years conducting more than 20 musicals, and has played with the Brass Band of the Tri-State, The Huntington Symphony Orchestra and the Huntington Pops Orchestra. DeNeil has also maintained a private music studio for more than 20 years, and has served in church music ministry.
DeNeil is a member of Music Teachers National Association and currently serves as co-chairperson of WVMTA District V in Huntington, WV. Her private students participate in performance and testing events with WVMTA regularly.
FUN FACT: DeNeil enjoys cycling and swimming. In 2013, she was part of a relay team which swam a race around the island of Key West. Her favorite color is HOT PINK and her bike’s name is The Pink Princess (because it has pink on it, of course). She is also a certified scuba diver.
Vocal Music
Ruth Crowe
Private Instructor, Voice
Ruth Crowe is a professional educator with over 30 years of experience in public school music education, elementary education, and gifted education. She has a BME from Morehead State University, specializing in voice (1979), a Master’s in elementary education from Marshall University (1985), and a Kentucky Rank 1 Certification in K-12 gifted education from Marshall University (1991). She taught in the Fairview Independent Schools in Ashland from 1979 until her retirement in 2017. During her time there, she served as an elementary music teacher, high school/middle school choral director, an elementary/middle school regular education teacher, Title 1 resource teacher for arts and humanities, and gifted resource teacher/coordinator for the entire district. She has experience teaching students from preschool through grade 12. She has also taught private piano and voice.
Ruth currently sings in the Marshall University Choral Union and is a part of the sanctuary choir and Praise Team at First Baptist Church, Russell, KY where she co-directs the Children’s Choirs and co-teaches an adult ladies Sunday school class. Over the years she has had many opportunities to perform and serve in both the community and church as a soloist, pianist, organist, and music director.
She is a past member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA), American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Association for Gifted Education (NAGC), Kentucky Association for Gifted Education (KAGE), and Northeastern KY Association for Gifted Education (NEKAGE).
Originally from Williamsburg (Whitley County),KY, Ruth lives in Ironton, with her husband, Tony, who is a drummer. They have four children: Micah, Joe, Kelsey and Abbie; one daughter-in-law, Ally; and one son-in-law Ryan. In her spare time, Ruth loves cooking and reading.
Fun Fact: Ruth loves to beach and going to Jazzercise 5 times per week.
Larissa Boggs
Private Instructor, Voice
Apprentice
Larissa Boggs is an upperclassman at Marshall University, majoring in Music Education with a minor in psychology. Her primary instrument is voice and her secondary is piano. Music has always been a God given love in her life, from singing in church to traveling with Marshall University’s chamber choir to France in 2024. Some of her earliest memories are singing songs to her family that she made up on the spot. Marshall University’s Choral Union was the start of her musical career; she has been with them since 7th grade. Studying voice has expanded her love of music even further and she can’t wait to share what she has learned!
Fun fact: Larissa dreams to have a homestead someday so she and her husband started gardening every year. Additionally, her 45 houseplants, 30 of which are orchids, keep her busy on the weekends!
Mark “Bugs” Reinhardt
Private Instructor, Voice & Piano
Mark “Bugs” Reinhardt is a native of Minford, OH who received his Bachelors of Music Education from Morehead State University in the Spring of 2020. Alongside his work at Aspire, Bugs is currently serving as the choir and theatre director at Raceland-Worthington Middle and High School, where he also serves as the Coordinator of the John P. Stephens Cultural Arts Center. With a rich background in instrumental music, Bugs entered the vocal music scene during his senior year of high school and fell in love with all things choir and theatre from then on. During his time at MSU, Bugs had the pleasure of performing in numerous operas, musicals, and plays, as well as music directing a few shows along the way. Some of his favorite projects have included Little Shop of Horrors, Die Fledermaus, Hamlet, The Pirates of Penzance, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Seussical! The Musical, and Hansel und Gretel.
While his primary experience lies within the realm of vocal music and theatre, Bugs has found himself at the keys to accompany many vocal and instrumental performers, his own choirs, and various churches from Ohio to Florida. He is ecstatic to have this opportunity to hone his own skills while helping others cultivate their own love and skill in the pursuit of musical performance!
FUN FACT: Bugs traveled to Spain with the MSU Concert Choir and Chamber Singers in the Summer of 2018 and still has a rock that he commandeered from Granada!
Instrumental Music – Piano
DeNeil Hartley,
Private Instructor, Piano
click here to see bio
Karen Hopkins
Private Instructor, Piano
Karen Hopkins is a professional musician and music educator with a wide range of experience. She has both Bachelor and Master Degrees in music education from Marshall University, majoring in piano and also studying voice and choral music. Karen has taught K-12 music in private and public schools, taught Kindermusik, and has managed a large private piano and voice studio. Her experiences also include church music (pianist, singer, choral director, handbells, worship leader) and community accompanying/performing/directing theatre. She is currently the choral/vocal music teacher at Ashland Blazer High School and Ashland Middle School, teaching choirs, piano, and AP Music Theory, and is also pianist at Rose Hill Baptist Church. Karen is super excited to now be a part of Aspire!
Karen’s professional memberships include National Association for Music Education, Kentucky Music Educators’ Association, American Choral Directors’ Association, Music Teachers’ National Association, Ashland Area Music Teachers’ Association, and West Virginia Music Teachers’ Association.
Fun Facts: Karen’s hobbies include growing a backyard vegetable garden in the summer and home canning and preserving. She has a husband who is a singer and drummer, and two daughters who are also music educators and performers, one in Nashville, TN and one in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Karen is also a Kentucky Colonel and has a black cat named Schoenberg…after the influential 20th Century composer.
Christina Dowell
Private Instructor, Piano
Christina Dowell is a music educator and church musician. She graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in music from Trinity Baptist College. She has over 20 years teaching experience in private and group music lessons for piano, voice and flute. Christina served in music ministry as a soloist, cantor, keyboard player, choir director and worship leader. Christina is excited for the next professional chapter in serving as a music teacher for Aspire! Conservatory students.
Fun Facts: Christina has two hardheaded dogs that like to play at inconvenient times, steal food, lick the wrong places, and make a mess, but thankfully on the cold days they snuggled up close to keep her (and them) warm.
Mark “Bugs” Reinhardt
Private Instructor, Voice & Piano
Click HERE to see Bio
Reena Ralston
Private Instructor, Piano
S. Reena Ralston grew up in the Summit area of Ashland and graduated from Boyd County High School. She took piano lessons from Ramona Scaggs, a well known piano teacher in the area. She then attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio and received an AAS degree in Health Sciences, and a BME degree in Music Education. She later received a degree in Elementary Education from Ohio University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Marygrove College. Reena has taught music and elementary classrooms in public and private schools for over thirty-three years. She has been married to her husband, Ted Ralston, for 38 years. They have five children and so far, six grandchildren. Reena enjoys working one-on-one with students and helping them develop a love of music in the process.
Fun Fact: Reena loves motorcycles and has her motorcycle license!
Instrumental Music – Winds & Percussion
MacKenzie Collins
Private Instructor, Instrumental
MacKenzie Collins is a passionate music educator born and raised in South Shore, Kentucky. She graduated from Morehead State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, where she studied clarinet under Dr. Lori Baruth, French horn with Dr. Briana Childers, and voice with Dr. Roosevelt Escalante. A proud alumna of Greenup County High School, she graduated as co-valedictorian.
While at MSU, she gained valuable teaching experience by offering private lessons in clarinet, French horn, and ukulele. Her student teaching placements included Campbell County High School and Crossroads Elementary in Alexandria, Kentucky, where she further developed her skills in both instrumental and general music instruction.
Currently, she teaches K–5 General Music and K–8 Adaptive Music at Poage Elementary and Ashland Middle School, where she is committed to fostering a love of music in every student and making music education accessible to all.
Shonté Revely
Private Instructor, Percussion
Shonté Revely is a native of Ashland, KY and a graduate of Paul G. Blazer High School. He received his BA in Music Performance from Morehead State University in 2004. Although he plays multiple instruments, his primary focuses are drum set and percussion.
While a student at MSU, Shonté was a member of the marching band, percussion ensemble, jazz bands, and various concert bands and ensembles. He traveled with the percussion ensemble to China and Brazil during his time at the University, and was a member of the Overall Champion of the 2002 PASIC indoor marching percussion ensemble.
Shonté has taught many different drumlines and percussion ensembles throughout the years in Kentucky and Tennessee. He also enjoys playing with various ensembles and praise bands throughout the tri-state when he has the opportunity.
Fun Fact: Shonté thinks chalk and stickers are gross.
Logan Skidmore
Private Instructor, Percussion
Logan Skidmore has been dabbling with music ever since his mother started him on piano lessons at age seven. Having developed a love of music in junior high, Mr. Skidmore decided to give this music teaching thing a try.
While attending Marshall University, he studied piano and percussion from Dr. Leslie Petteys and Dr. Ben Miller. Since 2004 he has been band director at East Carter Middle and High School where he teaches band grades 6-12 band and high school general music. He has also taught private lessons at Kentucky Christian University and general music through Ashland Community and Technical College. When not teaching music or performing, he gives as much attention as he can to three beautiful and perfect cats and his wife, though not always in that order.
Fun Fact: Will Smith was best man at Mr. Skidmore’s wedding!
Instrumental Music – Strings
Nathan Fields
Private Instructor, Guitar
Nathan Fields is an upperclassman at Marshall University, where he is pursuing a double major in Classical Guitar Performance and Jazz Studies. A dedicated musician with a passion for both tradition and innovation. Outside of his studies, he is actively involved in arts education and community music initiatives. He is dedicated to the growth of all of his students and shares his passion for the art with everyone around him.
Phil Osborne
Private Instructor, Guitar
Born and raised in Ashland, Kentucky, Phil Osborne started learning to play the guitar at the age of eight, had his first public appearance at the age of thirteen, and from then knew that music would be his dream in life. Phil’s early music influences were the Beatles, Kiss, Elvis and Chuck Berry, leading him to a love for rhythm & blues, funk, and soul.
Phil attended Morehead State University where he studied music performance, music theory, and classical and jazz guitar. Spanning more than three decades, Phil’s musical career of playing and performing has taken him to many cities and countries. He has played with everyone from country legends (Billy Ray Cyrus, Jeannie Sealey, Jack Greene, Jan Howard, Jean Shephard, Bobby Cyrus, Seth Bunting. Also, Craig Morgan and Stella Parton. Phil currently plays with groups such as Woodstock Nation, The Chase, and the Joe Freeman Bluegrass Band, as well as the Praise Team an Salt & Light Church.), well-known artists to the not-so-well-know. His proficiencies lie in lead and rhythm guitar, bass guitar, classical guitar, jazz guitar, and drums.
In addition to teaching privately, Phil continues to perform regularly with various groups, individuals, and as a soloist. His goal is to enrich lives by nurturing and developing individuals who desire to play and perform.
Fun Fact: Phil is a pizza-holic, a chocolate-lover, and yes…that IS his real hair color.
Michael Sexton
Visual Art Instructor
I’m an Ashland native and a 1991 graduate from Russell High School. I have studied art most of my life, and was a teacher in the Boyd County Public Schools. I studied Painting at Marshall University (BFA) and Art Education (MAT) at Eastern Kentucky University. I maintain a professional painting studio at home, which allows me to grow my portfolio through commission work. My beautiful wife Bianca and three kids have inspired and encourage me in my painting.
My goal is for students is to first connect with the light and the feel of nature, and then experience that connection with various art mediums. I want my students to enjoy their artwork, but also feel challenged and enriched with new perceptions.
Fun Fact: When I’m not painting, I enjoy gardening with my wife and cultivating my koi pond.
Jessica George
Digital Art Instructor
Jessica George is a native of Boyd County, KY, who holds multiple degrees in Art, Education, and Communication from Morehead State University as well as Grand Canyon University. She has served as the Art instructor for middle and high school students in the Raceland Worthington Independent School District for the last 8 years, having taught in the Boyd County School District prior. Jessica is well rounded in traditional art as well as digital art forms with a special interest in animation. She holds a strong belief that art has the power to help every person express themselves, connect with others, and transform their lives and communities.
Jessica’s professional memberships include the National Art Education Association and the Kentucky Art Education Association.
FUN FACT: Outside of teaching Jessica works with her fiancé to create custom guitars, commissioned artworks, and to provide other luthier services through their small business Foxfire and Ditchwater. They can be seen around the tri-state during festival season at makers markets and music festivals showing off their wares.
Auretta Hensley
TheatreWorks Instructor
Auretta Hensley is looking forward to using her Theatre training once again in a classroom setting. She believes that her training in acting has helped her in all practical areas of her life from teaching in front of large audiences to homeschooling her three children. She is excited to teach young minds how to utilize the voice, body, and the imagination that God has given them in creative ways.
Auretta earned a Bachelor of Arts in both Theatre (with an emphasis of Shakespearean performance) and English from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. She was an acting apprentice during her Junior and Senior years in which she was cast in major roles in all Jelkyl Drama performances. Her training found her performing on all types of spaces including Proscenium, Thrust, and Theatre in the Round. She also studied stage movement in the Master’s program for Theatre at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro before returning to Kentucky to further her education by earning her Secondary Teaching Certification from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond and her Master of Arts at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky. She taught English, Theatre, and Humanities at East Carter High School in Grayson, Kentucky for eight years as well as English courses at both Ashland Community and Technical College in Ashland, Kentucky and Ohio University Southern in Ironton, Ohio. She has worked with students of all ages from pre-school to adult in various venues. Currently, she homeschools her three children: Seth (17), Noah (15), and Annah (11).
Fun Fact: Experiencing other cultures is a goal of Auretta’s. She manages this goal by hosting international students in her family’s home. She and her family have hosted eight international students mostly from Asian countries. She also loves to experience culture through travel. She has made a goal of traveling with her husband and children to all fifty of the United States before their childrens’ high school graduation. They have managed to travel to forty of the states so far and they plan on adding another eight this next summer. Auretta has also traveled to six foreign countries to explore their cultures and plans to travel more extensively upon retirement.
Mark “Bugs” Reinhardt
Musical Director for TheatreWorks
Click here to see bio
Candice Bunch
Choreographer for TheatreWorks
Director of StageWorks
Candice is a dancer, teacher, actor, and choreographer from the Ashland area. She has been immersed in the arts; namely dance, since she was two years old. She danced locally in the Ashland and Huntington area throughout her school age years. She also spent over 20 years on the stage in various roles, performing and choreographing, music theatre productions. She has over 20 years of experience teaching ballet, contemporary, and music theatre in Lexington, KY as well as in the Ashland/Huntington areas. She has also spent 9 years in the public and Montessori schools teaching art, music and general studies in elementary grades K-6.