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!
Robin Brian,
Group Piano, Preschool Music,
StageWorks & Inclusive Arts
Robin Brian is a music educator, pianist, vocalist, musical director, and world drumming facilitator whose career has taken her—and her music classroom—around the world. She has taught students from preschool through high school in the United States and at international schools in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, China, and Sudan.
Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and a Kentucky Professional Teaching Certificate in Vocal and Instrumental Music. Her teaching draws from Orff-Schulwerk, movement, world music and drumming, and lots of hands-on music-making. She has directed choirs, instrumental ensembles, musical theatre productions, and community drumming experiences. Before heading overseas, she spent seven years as General Music Director at St. Dominic School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where she taught K–8 music, founded a world drumming touring ensemble, and produced and directed the school’s long-running annual musical variety show.
At Aspire!, Robin is excited to share music with learners of all ages—from introducing young children to the joy of making music and helping beginning pianists discover the keyboard, to creating musical theatre with young performers and leading music and drumming experiences for adults with special needs. She believes music should be joyful, welcoming, creative, and something everyone can experience.
Fun Facts: Robin collects unusual instruments, including goat-hoof rattles and a dulcimer made from a cardboard box. She’s ridden a camel through the Sudanese desert to visit ancient pyramids, waded in the Nile, navigated Beijing traffic on her electric scooter—and remains completely unapologetic about her love of disco.
Instrumental Music – Winds & Percussion
Kaley Fetty
Private Instructor, Woodwinds
Kaley Fetty is a young music educator and clarinetist from Ironton, OH. Since receiving her high school diploma from Rock Hill Senior High School, Kaley attended Morehead State University, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education (P-12) in 2026. There, she studied clarinet under Dr. Lori Baruth and briefly studied trumpet under Dr. Tony Sanders. Kaley also performed alongside the MSU Concert Band, Symphonic Winds, the MSU Marching Band, and the Clarinet Ensemble.
Across the Ohio River, Kaley has worked alongside the Ironton Million Dollar Marching Band as their clarinet/upper-woodwind instructor and assisted with marching fundamentals.
Kaley currently teaches in the Ashland Independent School District, serving as the general and adaptive music teacher at Poage Elementary. You can also find her teaching adaptive or general music at Ashland Middle School, Paul G. Blazer High School, and Head Start preschool. She looks forward to being your private woodwind instructor!
Alec Yeaste
Private Instructor, Brass
Alec Yeaste is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio and is a current freelance educator based out of South Shore, KY. Alec achieved his bachelors degree in Music Education from Morehead State University and his masters degree in music performance from The University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Alec was drum major for The Morehead State University Marching Band for 3 years and marched with the Canton Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps for 2 years. Alec has performed abroad twice, once in Hong Kong with the Canton Bluecoats as a celebration for the 2019 Chinese New Years Parade representing all of North America, and once in the Czech Republic, as part of an orchestra performing for 30 days in the city of Prague. Even with Trombone being Alec’s primary instrument, that hasn’t stopped him to perform on many other instruments. Early in his music career Alec performed on trumpet briefly, followed by tenor trombone, bass trombone, euphonium and even tuba! Being well versed in multiple instruments was something Alec wanted to make sure he had under his belt to be able to teach fellow students looking for a teacher to lead them in the right direction. Alec says that teaching students the tips and tricks of brass has been the most rewarding accomplishment of all.
Fun Fact: Alec is an avid gamer in his free time when he isn’t spending it practicing. Gaming accomplishments include Global Elite in Counter Strike Global Offensive, multiple Cutting Edge achievements in World of Warcraft, Diamond rank in League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics and Valorant, and masterball rank in Pokemon Unite!
Austin Wood
Private Instructor, Percussion
Mr. Austin Wood is coming to us this year from Russell Primary School and has been teaching for 7 years. He holds a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from Morehead State University and a Master’s in Music Education degree from Anderson University in Indiana. He has had training in the Orff, Dalcroze, and First Steps in Music approach and a Bloomboard certification for a Rank one.
As a Music Educator he has studied the benefits of kinesthetics in the music class room and inclusivity strategies in the music room. His research has culminated in receiving an invitation to present at Posters At the Capital in Frankfort, Kentucky. He has been helping with the Russell High School band for the last 3 years.
Mr. Wood has been involved in several ensembles as a professional musician. He was recently chosen to be an inaugural member of the Rockin’ Redlegs Marching Band for the Cincinnati Reds. He regularly performs as a percussionist at the Paramount Arts Center with the Paramount Players and also with Shawnee University in Portsmouth OH. He also marched ConneXus in the WGI circuit.
Mr. Wood spends his free time raising his wonderful 2 beautiful girls with his wife Kaitlyn Wood.
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
Tom Stephens
Private Instructor, Guitar
Tom Stephens is a lifetime resident of Greenup, Kentucky. He earned his A. B. degree in Music Education (1988) and M. A. degree (1999) from Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky. He is currently retired after thirty years as director of Choral Music, Elementary Music and Guitar at Raceland- Worthington Schools in Raceland, Kentucky. Tom conducted the award-winning Raceland -Worthington High School Chamber Singers, Concert Choir and Middle School Chorus in over 150 performances in his tenure at Raceland. Most notably in 2011 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. A longtime member of KMEA Tom has seen hundreds of his students selected to the KMEA All-State Choruses, has served as District 8 Choral Chair and District 8 President. In 2018 he received the KMEA State Citation for Service Award. Tom has been active as a professional performing and recording musician on guitar and piano for over forty years and has written, performed, and recorded with many nationally known artists from a wide variety of musical styles. With his wife of 36 years, Mrs. Anne Stephens, they currently perform as Roscoe and Tilly Mae Riverton at Sal’s Italian Eatery and Speakeasy in Ashland, Kentucky. He is the owner of his own recording company, First Promise Productions in Greenup, Kentucky where spends his time composing, engineering and producing.
Fun Fact: Tom has two cats, Tommie and Geraldine and a dog named Minnow.
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.
Kenny Riffe, Director
StageWorks & Improv Team
Kenny Riffe, known professionally as ‘Kenny the Bearded’, is a professional actor and comedian who raises livestock on his farm in Greenup County and works out of Chicago through Talent X Alexander. Kenny’s on-screen credits include the films “Green & Gold”, “Christmas is Cancelled” and “Every 21 Seconds”, as well as NBC’s Chicago Fire (Episode 100), and multiple voiceovers and commercials including Dude Wipes, Sears, GoRVing and George Foreman Grills.
Kenny got his start at ACTC Theatre, under direction of Mr. Edward Figgins and Mrs. DeNeil Hartley. He went on to earn his BA in Theatre from Morehead State University and then trained in improv, music improv and stand-up comedy at The Second City and iO in Chicago.
Kenny loves live theatre and performance arts and truly enjoys helping these students follow their hearts. Being a young artist himself once, Kenny understands the need for encouragement and positive direction to help them reach their full potential.
Fun Fact: I’ve arm wrestled Dermot Mulroney and been called out for missing a line by Coach himself, Craig T. Nelson. One of them is more enjoyable than the other.
Robin Brian,
Musical Director
StageWorks
See Bio Above
Staci Slaughter,
Assistant Director
Improv Team
Bio coming soon
Inclusive Arts & Preschool Classes
Robin Brian,
Inclusive Arts Music
See Bio Above
DeNeil Hartley,
Inclusive Arts
Art/Music
See Bio Above