Meet Our Coaches
Katie O'Grady
Director / Owner
Katie O’Grady is an Emmy-Winning Director with a dynamic career spanning commercial, narrative, and branded content. Her work blends sharp instinct with emotional authenticity, shaped by her two decades as a professional actor (Portlandia, Grimm, Everything Sucks!).
Recognized in SHOOT Magazine’s New Director Showcase, Katie’s commercial campaigns include work for Nike, LAIKA Studios, and major sports talent including Mike Trout, Damian Lillard, and Ndamukong Suh. Her Emmy-winning spot Growing Up Blazers celebrated 50 years of Portland Trail Blazers history and became a viral fan favorite. Most recently, her Shibumi campaign was named one of Ad Age’s “Top Ten Creative Campaigns To Know About.”
Vin Shambry
Coach
Vin Shambry brings a wealth of experience and artistic excellence to Acting for Kids & Teens. Having spent seven years on Broadway as Tom Collins in “Rent,” Vin is not only an accomplished actor but also an executive producer, artistic director, published writer, and painter. His storytelling prowess has earned him acclaim both locally and internationally.
Vin has performed globally, including touring Egypt as part of the US State Department’s Arts Envoy program. His dedication to community building is evident in his commitment to creating safe, empowering spaces for Black artists in Portland.
Erin Lehn
Coach
Erin Lehn is a seasoned voice actor with over 20 years of experience. Known for her roles in Bendy and the Dark Revival, Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Taichi Panda. Her voice has brought life to commercial campaigns, video games, narrations, educational materials, and animated series worldwide, including being the voice of Burgerville and Ruby Receptionists in radio spots.
In addition to voice acting, Erin has extensive on-camera experience. She spent six years as talent, producer, director, and editor for The Haunting of Sunshine Girl YouTube channel, where she co-wrote, directed, and produced popular series like Zombie Ridge and Stalked, which garnered millions of views. Erin has also worked on Disney’s Misfits and other projects.
Danielle Valentine
Coach
A native Oregonian, Danielle has been involved in drama since a very young age. She has enjoyed performing in theater and in front of the camera as well. Danielle earned a degree in Music Performance which carries over both on-stage and in her passion for working with youth in music and theater.
One of her newer passions is directing. When not involved in the dramatic arts, Danielle enjoys hiking and backpacking with her husband and dog, traveling as much as possible, and as a self-proclaimed “foodie”, eating delicious food with her friends and family.
Katie Prentiss
Coach
Katie’s natural passion for people and stories throughout her life is the bridge she took into a robust acting career. She has received multiple awards recognizing her acting and has added writer, director, and producer to her growing creative resumé with the creation of award-winning films.
Acting has been a life-changing occupation for Katie, allowing her to dive more deeply into the stories of others with empathy and understanding. When she’s not acting, you’ll find Katie practicing yoga, refilling her coffee, shooting portraits, taking tap class, or hiking with family and friends.
Eric Martin Reid
Coach
Eric Martin Reid has been acting professionally for over 15 years. He is a graduate of the Professional Actor’s Training Program at the Dell’Arte International School for Physical Theatre and has studied Advanced Meisner with Actor’s Avenue Studio.
Eric has taught many acting and storytelling workshops as well as with Playwrite Inc, Eric has worked on stage with Sojourn and Coho Theatres and in televison as a Guest Star on Grimm, Leverage, and a couple turns in Portlandia. Some of his commercial credits include Discover Card, Suzuki, Coors Light, Kroger and Oregon Lottery. As a writer/director Eric’s first short film Kidz won Best Comedy at the NW Short Film Festival.
Nick Medina
Coach
Coach & Improv Extraordinaire Nick Medina is a performer, director, and educator with two decades of experience onstage.
Serena Audrey
Coach
Serena has been part of our community since 2019, starting in the AFKT Masters Program and advancing her training at The Studio NW. With experience in theater, film, print, and commercials, she has showcased her talents across diverse entertainment platforms.
Serving as the Social Media Coordinator for AFKT & TSNW since July 2022, Serena has now added the role of one of our Acting Coaches. Her journey from student to coach reflects her deep passion and commitment to the craft of acting. She is an incredible addition to both the TSNW team and our acting community!
Steph Ayako
Coach
Steph Ayako is a Japanese-American actor, model and dancer, with an extensive dance and theatre background, though her biggest passion is in Film & TV acting. Steph is a working actor, represented in Portland, Seattle, and LA. Her credits include Surplus Terminal, which screened at the LA Sci-Fi Film Festival, and Blackberry, a festival favorite that received awards at screenings throughout the U.S. She’s worked on multiple productions with immersive horror theatre company, Witch Hunt Theatre. She was also a member of Fresh Vibe Dance Crew in 2023. Steph is passionate about mentorship and helping young actors grow and feel confident in their craft, and most importantly, making acting fun!
Chynna Rae Shurts
Coach
Chynna is a dedicated educator and multifaceted theatre artist based in Portland, OR. With a BFA in Acting from Western Oregon University, she brings a rich background in performance, choreography, and production to the classroom. She has worked as an actor, assistant director, and producer, and has been choreographing since 2018.
Career highlights include co-writing the upcoming feature film Late Bloomer, a film selected and presented at the Cannes Film Festival, and earning Broadway World's Portland Award for Best Choreography in 2023 for her work on Newsies. Her teaching is fueled by a love for storytelling—whether on stage or screen—and a commitment to helping students discover and develop their own artistic voices.
Hallie Beatty
Program Manager
Hallie does it all and then some. She keeps the the Studio up and running and can manage all your questions and needs for you and your childs acting journey.
With a degree in Communications: Cinema and Television Arts from Cal. State University – Fullerton, Hallie is major TV & Film buff.