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Meet Our Faculty and Staff
Dr. Michele Pagen
Artisitic Director
Voice & Audition Prep
Michele recently retired after 31 years as a theatre professor in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at PennWest University. A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, Michele knew that if given the opportunity, she would build a place where area youth could study theatre and musical theatre in an environment that was safe and nurturing, yet challenging and professional. The Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy is just that place. She received her B.A. in Theatre from California University of Pennsylvania and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Directing and Staging Pedagogy from Bowling Green State University. Michele plans MVPAA programming, directs the Summer Experience shows, and teaches a variety of topics at the Academy. She is an Estill Master Trainer with Estill Voice International.
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Destiny Cumberland
Administrative Assistant
Destiny (she/her) has served as the Administrative Assistant for MVPAA for the past 4 years. Prior to this role, she served for 2 years as the Acting Teacher for Upper Elementary, Middle School, and High School. Destiny holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from PennWest California, and currently works in Higher Education enrollment for Carnegie. Destiny also completed an Arts Administration internship in London, England, during the summer of 2021 with The Space Theatre. An avid stage manager, event planner, and lover of all things type-A and dramatic, she finds passion in assisting the MVPAA in new endeavors year after year.
Christina Bordini
Acting
Christina (she/her) is thrilled to be teaching at MVPPA for another year! She is a proud CalU Theatre alumna with a BA in Theatre/Musical Theatre '11 and a M.Ed. PreK-4 Education '21. She has produced and directed MVPAA's Summer Experience Jr. and co-directed Summer Experience the past six years. Christina currently teaches Kindergarten at Canon-McMillan SD, where she incorporates the arts into her lessons as much as possible. She also collaborates with Canon-Mac Fine Arts as a director, actor, and mentor to high school theatre students. Christina hopes your kids of all ages want to come learn, grow, & play at MVPAA!
Kayla Brill
Dance
Kayla Brill (She/Her) is a current Senior at Pennsylvania Western University: California, and is from West Mifflin, PA. She is a dual major in English and Theatre, with a concentration in Musical Theatre and a minor in honors interdisciplinary studies. Some of her favorite theatre credits are Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), Sweeney Todd(Mrs. Lovett), Bright Star(Ensemble), The Prom (Ensemble), and Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer (Rudolph). When not on stage, Kayla is the Vice President of the Vulcan Dance Team, Vice President for University Players, and has been dancing her whole entire life. Fun Fact about Kayla is she works at Kennywood as a Food and Beverage Manager over the summer!
Delaney Harvey
Dance
Delaney (they/them) is a 2024 PennWest graduate with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Delaney started dancing at age 3, studied competitive dance at Lanzi Academy of Dance from 2010-2020, and taught competitive dance at Studio K Dance Center from 2020-2022. They have served as Dance Captain under John Wagner for ELF the Musical (Fall 2021), The Drowsy Chaperone (Spring 2022), A Christmas Carol., and more.
Shyla Molish
Dance
Shyla Molish is a Pittsburgh-based dancer and choreographer who recently graduated from Point Park University with a BFA in Dance. She has experience teaching dancers of all ages and in various styles. Shyla has had the opportunity to be the associate choreographer for Summer Experience in both 2025 and 2026. In addition to her teaching and choreography experience, Shyla has performed with Dublin Worldwide Entertainment, FireWall Dance Theatre, Main Street Theatre Company, and Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy. She has also worked with renowned choreographers including Al Blackstone and Danelle Morgan. Shyla is thrilled to join the MVPAA staff this season and looks forward to sharing her passion for dance with her students
Elijah Gilbert
Improv
Elijah Gilbert is a teacher at Hempfield Area Senior High School for English Language Arts. He is a proud graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, and was heavily involved with the theatre program. While in school, he created an improv group called The Chuckle Club for college students to work on the craft of improvisation, as well as perform in improv nights a few nights a month. Since graduating, he has taught classes with MVPAA, directed Hempfield Area’s Spring Musical for the past 5 years, and performed in community theatre. Eli is very excited to be back at MVPAA and ready to spark something within each of his students!