STEPHANIE LESH

With over 16 years experience in the business, Stephanie brings that experience and love of the craft to her students. She provides actors with a comfortable environment where they can take risks and make the choices that will help them book the job! She has served as a producer and director of various Improv groups as well as two years on the artistic staff of the Road Theatre; she has received both directing and acting awards for her work in Los Angeles.Stephanie studied with The Groundling's Jim Jackman. She currently teaches improvisation, on-camera technique and is a private coach who's clients can be scene on Dexter, Cold Case and various commercials and film. She has a unique perspective;not only is she a working actor but so is her daughter! Stephanie's own recent bookings include a pilot for Fox: Beyond, Verizon, Getty Works, Doritos and a First 5PSA.

"I watched the video they made in class last week. Stephanie had the kids slating and doing profiles.  I could see how far Aaron came from her first shot of him to the last. She successfully kept on Aaron till he looked comfortable and crisp in that one task. It is funny because it seems like such an easy thing to do, but it is not. You have to look like it is second nature and put forth personality into it as well. The camera does not lie. I applaud Stephanie for the way she handled that lesson. I know Aaron will benefit greatly from the whole class."
-- Meryl, mom of young actor

FRANCENE SELKIRK-ACKERMAN

Francene Selkirk-Ackerman has been a Commercial Casting Director for 20 years. Currently, along with many commercials, she is casting a show for Comedy Central called The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show, a very funny comed airing in February 2007. In the last 5 years she has been casting half hour Television Improvisational Comedies for Bravo, Fox, Oxygen and NBC while also casting a bazillion commercials.

Francene has cast FOX’s unscripted improv comedy, Free Ride, and the sleeper hit, Significant Others, on Bravo.

Always on the cutting edge, Francene has lent her talents to a variety of different projects from dramatic music videos to hard-hitting PSAs to interactive internet games.