PATAsphere Instructors
Cari Tellis
Director and Voice Coach
Cari Tellis, Ph.D., is a director and performer with specialization in voice and acting. Coach Cari is a certified speech-language pathologist and a professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA. Her ground-breaking research in voice has changed thinking in how voice instruction is approached.
Coach Cari uses these innovative methods at PATA. She completed her training as a voice specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Voice Center in Pittsburgh, PA. She has professional certification as a Master Teacher and Course Instructor in the Estill Voice Training TM System, and has co-authored the book, “Your Voice Is Your Business: The Science and Art of Communication” now in its second edition (2016). Coach Cari has worked with both professional and novice speakers and singers for over 20 years, and currently serves as a voice consultant for several professional voice groups. Her workshops on motor learning and voice instruction have been conducted nationally as well as in Italy and the United Kingdom.
Founder of PATAsphere, Coach Cari has discovered her love for working with young individuals in the performing arts. PATA is a program in which school-age and adolescent performers receive training in all aspects of the performing arts, including the mechanics, care, and health of the voice. Coach Cari has been integrally involved in the creation of eight full length scripts, including six original full length musicals, as well as over 100 original songs. A complete soundtrack of the album from, A Musing Tale, can be heard on Spotify, Amazon music, and other music outlets. She has directed many productions (musicals and plays) and has been on the creative team to design sets, costumes, make-up, lights, and sound. She even choreographed much of the Summer PATA 2022 musical, “Nomad’s Mountain.” Coach Cari directed PATAsphere performers in four original Performing Arts Training Academy musicals at the 2018 (Just a Penny), 2019 (North Star Alley), 2022 (In Search of Marjee), and 2023 (Nomad’s Mountain) Scranton Fringe Festivals. She was proud and humbled to perform in the 2023 Scranton Fringe Festival alongside many of the performers she has coached for years.
Coach Cari believes that everyone deserves to have a voice. She strives to make PATAsphere the place where young people can come and learn in a safe, inclusive, supportive, and caring environment.
Orlando R. Barone
Acting Coach and Leadership Coach
PATA Acting and Leadership Coach Lonnie Barone is an executive coach and lead coach at The Wharton School of Business, where he has also instructed undergraduates in executive presence and leadership. He is a graduate MBA instructor in business communication skills at the Fox School of Temple University. He presents on use of voice and gesture in public settings and is on the adjunct faculty at the Harvard School of Public Health, where he instructs on credibility, negotiation and conflict resolution.
Lonnie co-wrote the best-selling textbook on the effective use of voice and gesture, Your Voice Is Your Business, now in its 2nd edition (2016). His college text, Counseling and Interviewing in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: A Therapy Resource, was released to critical praise from Jones and Bartlett in 2016. Lonnie’s op-ed pieces appeared regularly in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Coach Lonnie wrote the scripts for all the Performing Arts Training Academy musicals performed by PATAsphere at Summer PATA. He has written scripts and lyrics for the full-length original musicals, A Musing Tale, Just a Penny, North Star Alley, In Search of Marjee, and Nomad’s Mountain. Three of these musicals were adjudicated and accepted into the 2018 (Just a Penny), 2019 (North Star Alley), and 2022 (In Search of Marjee) Scranton Fringe Festivals. Coach Lonnie is an accomplished poet and the lyricist of over 100 original songs. He has written the music for a few songs as well. Coach Lonnie infuses his knowledge of communication effectiveness, human interaction, and artistry into his method for teaching acting to the young performers.
Patty Als
Lead Chorographer and Dance Coach
Hailing from New York City, Patty, an award-winning dancer and choreographer, currently teaches dance to middle and high school students at an all-girls school in Brooklyn through a nonprofit organization called, "Broadway for the Arts Education." This organization is committed to "creating a bridge between the Broadway community and underserved youth to open doors through which tomorrow’s leaders can emerge.” Patty recently worked with George Faison (the first black choreographer to win a Tony award) at his theater in Harlem. She and other artists shared their stories through a number Patty choreographed for a show organized by Faison. Patty also has her own business, “Style Your Motion,” where she teaches individuals of all ages and all dance levels how to dance. Patty states, “Anyone can dance, it’s all about looking deep inside yourself and putting in the time to find your own style.” This year will be Patty’s 3rd year at Summer PATA.
Erin Roberts
Training Staff, Residential Director at Summer PATA, Team Leader
Erin Roberts, MS, CCC-SLP, an award-winning researcher and clinician. She is an assistant professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Program at Misericordia University, and is currently completing her doctorate in Mind, Brain, and Teaching at Johns Hopkins University. She is interested in researching and studying the way that people learn, especially people with neurodiverse brains. Erin has conducted numerous neuroimaging studies over the past eight years. At PATAsphere, Erin works as the Summer PATA Residential Director and as training staff in several classes throughout the year. Erin is an avid baker and loves making Sunday brunches for the performers in the Sleep-Away camp at Summer PATA. Erin has been at PATA since the very first summer (Summer PATA 2014) and there’s no place she’d rather be.
Katharine McElroy Manasco
Music Director, Composer, Guitar Instructor
Katharine McElroy Manasco, MS, CCC-SLP is an accomplished musician and songwriter whose bands Snow Machine, 1945, and Three Finger Cowboy produced a total of five albums. Born and raised in Birmingham, AL, Manasco toured with Grammy Award-winning folk rock music legends, Indigo Girls. She also toured with Amy Ray and the Volunteers, and was featured on Amy Ray’s solo albums. Katharine has written many of the Performing Arts Training Academy’s-original hits like “Places Where Music is Born” and “I Love This Moment,” as well as, “I Run,” “In Search of Marjee,” and “Maybe It Doesn’t End.” She has created and produced many of the music tracks used for the PATAsphere performances. Katharine plays many instruments, including guitar, bass, drums, and piano, and has taught guitar for PATAsphere since 2016.
PATAsphere Guest Instructors
Summer PATA 2026 Guest Instructors will be added soon.
PATAsphere Staff Team
Maida Barone
PATA Mom
Maida Barone, in addition to being Coach Cari’s mom, is the resident PATA mom! Always quick with the first aid kit and ready to chat, she helps take care of all of the PATA performers throughout the day, and makes sure everything runs smoothly. Maida has also, perhaps unwittingly, become an integral part of our daily photography and food prep teams over the past few years. PATA performers love Maida!
Kelly Stuessy
Residential and Camp Staff Member
Kelly Stuessy is a fourth-year Team Leader at Summer PATA. Nothing makes her happier than being a part of an inclusive, supportive environment- which is why she has found a home within PATA. In her free time, she’s a pediatric speech-language pathologist with a passion for neurodiversity.
Sadie Moyer
Residential and Camp Staffer, Dance Assistant
Sadie is a newly licensed Cosmetologist from Reading, Pennsylvania and is currently working as a Salon Assistant. She has been a performer with PATAsphere for the past 6 years and is currently transitioning into staff position. Sadie has also recently began helping with choreography and dance instruction, including the 2022 Summer PATA production of "Nomad's Mountain" and most recently the Scranton Fringe Festival production of "In Search of Marjee". She also uses her Cosmetology background to help behind the scenes with hair and makeup.
Ally Long
Residential and Camp Staff Member
Ally grew up in the musical theater world. Her love for performing began at age 8 when she performed in her first show. From there she took years of voice lessons, dance classes with a focus on tap, served her highschool’s performing arts society as president, spent 11 summers performing and volunteering at a summer theater camp, and performed in over 20 musicals. Ally is a graduate Speech-Language Pathology student at Misericordia University. Ally is grateful for the safe and welcoming environment PATA has given her and looks forward to the many memories to come.
Michaela Raub
Residential and Camp Staff Member
Michaela Raub is a graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Misericordia University. Michaela began her musical involvement at the age of five and hasn't stopped since. In 2015, 2016, and 2020, she was recognized as a nominee for her work in the performing arts by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance, and she received the Best Teen Actress award from this alliance in 2018. Along with the performing arts, Michaela has had the opportunity to perform as a percussionist with several known jazz musicians, including Bob Dorough, Dave Liebman, and Sherrie Miracle. She has previously performed in two original PATAsphere productions, 17 of Diamonds (Marge) and Nomad’s Mountain (Han/Traveler). This is Michaela’s second summer with PATA, and she couldn’t be more excited to return!
Sydney Tellis
Residential and Camp Staff Member
PATAsphere Song Writing Team
PATAsphere’s Song writing team is proudly lead by Katharine McElroy
Ryan Burdick
Composer, Training Staff, Pianist
Noah Sunday-Lefkowitz
Composer, Training Staff, Pianist
Noah Sunday-Lefkowitz is thrilled to be returning to PATA as a composer, acting coach, and pianist. He is currently a senior double-major in Music and Theatre at Muhlenberg College where he performed as Frederic in Pirates of Penzance, as well as wrote, produced, and performed a full-length original musical of his own. He also is the co-founder and music director of To Be Determined, a musical improv ensemble. While at Wyoming Seminary he performed as Pippin in Pippin and Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In the spring of 2017 Noah participated in the Disney College Program, performing the role of Parade Audience Control. He was also a finalist in Walt Disney Imagineering’s 2018 Imaginations Competition in January.
PATAsphere Interns
Nyla Curry
Dance Intern
Hi! My name is Nyla Curry and I’ve been dancing since I was about 8 years old. I’ve done ballet, hip hop, salsa, reggae, afro beats, majorette and a few more and I’m always excited to learn more! I’ve been dancing because it has always been a way for me to express myself and have fun. I am always having a blast on the dance floor and that feeling has been present in dance for me since I’ve been dancing, it is my therapy. I’ve done competitions, ballet shows , school performances, one musical and I’ve also danced with Patty! I’ve been captain of my highschool dance team and I am already in line to be captain of my dance team in college :)