PERFORMING ARTS DIRECTOR & EDUCATOR

Allison McIvor leads San Marin High School’s Performing Arts programs and oversees all aspects of the program, including its educational offerings, performances, productions, student opportunities, and continued growth. Since joining San Marin in 2012, she has helped build a collaborative and inclusive performing arts community where students can grow as musicians, performers, and leaders.

Allison teaches two jazz bands, concert band, and string orchestra, conducts the Musical Theater Pit Orchestra, and oversees the Rock Band program. Through these roles, she connects a wide range of musical styles and brings together students, educators, families, and community partners across the Performing Arts program.

Under her direction, San Marin’s instrumental ensembles have consistently excelled at competitions and festivals, earning unanimous superior ratings and command performance recognition. Students have also traveled and performed in influential music communities, including Cuba, New York, and New Orleans.

In recognition of her contributions to music education, Allison was named a 2023 Marin Symphony Teacher of the Year.

A Novato native and graduate of Novato High School, Allison earned her bachelor’s degree with honors from California State University, East Bay. She later earned a master’s degree in Trombone Performance and her Massachusetts teaching credential from the New England Conservatory in Boston. She has served students within the Novato Unified School District for more than 20 years and is the proud mother of two San Marin graduates.

PERFORMING ARTS & VOCAL EDUCATOR

For more than 40 years, Emily Gates has dedicated her life to helping students grow through music and the performing arts. Working with students across grades K–12, she taught choir, band, classroom music, musical theater, jazz choir, and jazz band, inspiring generations of young performers to build confidence, form lasting friendships, and experience the power of the arts.

During her career, Emily’s ensembles participated in numerous festivals and traveled to New York City, Canada, and Australia. Her contributions to education and the arts have been recognized with Teacher of the Year honors in both Novato and Marin County, a Golden Bell Award, and induction into the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame.

Although retired from the classroom, Emily remains an active and deeply valued leader within San Marin Performing Arts. She continues to volunteer with the choir and musical theater programs, supports students and faculty, and serves on the Music Boosters board. The Emily Gates Performing Arts Center was named in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to San Marin and the generations of students she has inspired since 1980.

Her hopes for students remain as clear today as they were throughout her years in the classroom: “My goal for our choir students: Read, sing, and perform music in many styles and genres. Make great friends and become more self confident. Make many happy memories with other music department students.”

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Kris Starn is a driving force behind San Marin’s Visual and Performing Arts programs, providing the organization, coordination, and day-to-day support that help students, teachers, performances, and productions succeed. As the VAPA Program Specialist, she supports seven teachers and more than 600 students across art, drama, multimedia, and music.

Kris is also a dedicated leader and advocate for San Marin Performing Arts. She has served as president of the Music Boosters for more than six years and continues her work as the organization’s administrator and a member of its board. From coordinating programs and supporting faculty to helping solve the countless details behind events and productions, Kris plays an essential role in bringing the Performing Arts community together.

Her commitment extends well beyond her official responsibilities. Each year, Kris participates in the Tour of Novato to raise funds and awareness for the program, helping expand opportunities for students and ensuring the arts remain a visible and valued part of the San Marin community.

A Marin native, Kris graduated from Redwood High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Italian, from San Diego State University. As the mother of three daughters—including two who have been deeply involved in the music program—she brings both a professional and personal passion to her work. Her youngest daughter now has the opportunity to perform in the Emily Gates Performing Arts Center, continuing a meaningful family connection to the program Kris works so tirelessly to support.

TECHNICAL ARTS INSTRUCTOR

Steven Hess is the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Facilities Manager for the Novato Unified School District, where he oversees operations and community rentals for the district’s premier performance venues, including the Novato High School Theater and San Marin’s Emily Gates Performing Arts Center. Bringing extensive technical expertise to the role, he ensures that these spaces remain state-of-the-art hubs for both school productions and regional community events.

In addition to his administrative leadership, Steven is deeply invested in cultivating the next generation of backstage professionals as the Technical Arts Instructor at San Marin High School. Through hands-on courses in stage lighting, sound engineering, set design, and production management, he guides students through the practical skills required for careers in live entertainment. His dual role bridges the gap between professional facility management and high-quality arts education, fostering a vibrant, creative environment for students and artists across Novato.

MUSICAL THEATER DIRECTOR

Kele started directing the musicals at San Marin in 2015. Long before that, she had the joy of watching all four of her children grow, flourish, and discover their love of the arts and music through the guidance of the incomparable Emily Gates and the incredible San Marin musical theater program.

After 40 years of teaching voice, directing musicals, and mentoring performers of all ages, Kele still believes there is nothing like the magic of musical theater. She believes the arts are an essential part of every school’s educational mission, helping students develop creativity, confidence, empathy, collaboration, and resilience—all qualities that enrich every aspect of their lives.

“It is a privilege to give back to this community, and I always look forward to helping the next generation of San Marin performers discover what they are capable of, both on and off the stage.” - Kele Gasparini

MUSICAL THEATER DIRECTOR

Bio coming soon!

MUSICAL THEATER CHOREOGRAPHER

Bio coming soon!

MUSICAL THEATER ASSISTANT

Elena assists with San Marin’s fall musicals, bringing her experience as a vocalist, educator, and performer back to the program that helped shape her own path in music.

A San Marin graduate, Elena earned her degree in music from San Francisco State University with a specialization in classical vocal performance. She now teaches elementary music in the Novato Unified School District and remains an active performer throughout the Bay Area, singing with Swifty, the Marin Symphony Chorus and Chamber Chorus, and local theater and opera companies.

DRAMA DIRECTOR

Brad Smith leads San Marin’s drama productions, guiding students through the collaborative process of bringing a show from rehearsal to performance. His work with the program gives students opportunities to build confidence, develop their craft, and experience every part of creating live theater.

San Marin’s drama program includes acting, character development, directing, producing, and play production, giving students hands-on experience both on stage and behind the scenes.

DRAMA INSTRUCTOR & PRODUCTION CONSULTANT

Linda Kislingbury spent 19 years teaching drama and technical theater at San Marin, creating opportunities for students to perform, direct, compete, travel, and take on leadership roles both on stage and behind the scenes. Under her leadership, San Marin Drama participated in festivals and competitions throughout California, earned Gold and Silver honors at the Lenaea Drama Festival, traveled to England for a theater tour, and was selected to represent the U.S. at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.

Linda and her students also partnered with the Marin County District Attorney’s Office to act in and help create three cautionary films addressing alcoholism, cyberbullying, and the risks of posting inappropriate images online. The films have been shown to more than 15,000 students throughout California.

Linda also made student leadership an important part of the program, giving advanced drama students opportunities to serve as student directors and learn the production process from a new perspective. Since retiring in 2019, she has remained closely involved with San Marin as a production consultant, helping with costumes, offering guidance, and serving as a valued resource for the current drama program. In recognition of her longtime dedication to San Marin Performing Arts, the lobby of the Emily Gates Performing Arts Center was named in her honor in 2021.

ROCK BAND INSTRUCTOR

Born in San Francisco, guitarist James M. Harman has built a wide-ranging career performing in settings from solo shows to big band engagements throughout California, Texas, Mexico, Germany, and England. He has served as musical director for several musical theater productions and contributed to numerous studio recordings, including albums and soundtracks for the Pokémon television series and films. His collaborators include Ed Goldfarb, Karl Derfler, Carl Wheeler, Pete Magadini, and German artist Christoph Pagel.

James released his debut album, Wanderlust, with the James M. Harman Band in 2014. His latest release, the self-titled James M. Harman (2019), features a new lineup that includes Grammy Award-winning drummer and co-producer Kevin Hayes (Robert Cray, John Lee Hooker), bassist John Main (Carlene Carter, Doug Sahm, Rick James), and keyboardist Mike Emerson (Tommy Castro, Carlene Carter, Percy Sledge).

ROCK BAND INSTRUCTOR

Guillermo has a degree in Architecture and has been building design software at Autodesk for the last 20 years, including Tinkercad, Fusion and AutoCAD. 

He’s been playing bass for the last 35 years, recording and touring in Latin America (including collaboration and sharing stage with two Latin Grammy winners and two Oscar winners). Guillermo helps coaching Rock Band and the rhythm section in Jazz Bands, and still plays around Bay Area with his 9 piece funk band Bay Bridge Beat.

He has two kids, a son playing bass in Jazz and Rock Band and a daughter playing several instruments in middle school. 

CLINICIAN & INSTRUCTOR - BRASS

Chris Lege is a longtime brass musician and educator with more than 45 years of performance experience and decades of teaching experience. He studied Music Performance and Theory at Metropolitan State University of Denver and has performed across a wide range of styles, including jazz, salsa, reggae, and big band. His recent performance work includes Avance, Johnny Vegas and the High Rollers, and The Blues Brothers Cover Band.

As an instructor, Chris works with students of all levels on tone, articulation, music reading, pitch, range, and flexibility, with a strong focus on building confidence as a performer. He enjoys helping young musicians strengthen their technique, understand the fundamentals of brass playing, and develop the skills they need to succeed in school ensembles and beyond.

CLINICIAN & INSTRUCTOR

Scott Eberhart is a retired firefighter/paramedic captain, published author, and longtime semi-professional musician. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in English and is the author of My Other Car Is an Ambulance. Throughout his career, Scott has continued performing with a variety of bands, with a primary focus on saxophone and vocals.

Scott began playing flute at a young age and can also support students on piano and clarinet. He enjoys passing on the language of music and believes strongly in its cognitive and healing benefits—as well as the simple joy of making music.

CLINICIAN & INSTRUCTOR - STRINGS & PIANO

Jean brings a rich background in music education and performance to her coaching role. She holds dual master's degrees in viola performance and composition from Ohio University and a doctorate in music from the University of Arizona. Her experience includes serving as a university teaching assistant, teaching artist for K–12 programs, and maintaining a private studio for violin/viola and piano students. Alongside her work as an educator and performer, Jean currently serves as the Financial Controller for the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.

CLINICIAN & INSTRUCTOR - STRINGS

Roman Wowk received a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Arizona in 2006, where he performed in the cello section of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra during his studies. He also holds an undergraduate degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of New Mexico and a graduate degree in Acoustics from Pennsylvania State University.

Roman currently works in building design and construction as an acoustics and vibration consultant. Whenever possible, he continues to perform music and help educate the next generation of musicians.

CLINICIAN & INSTRUCTOR

Neil Cormia grew up in the Bay Area, working in tech since the dawn of time (1980), writing music and sound software for many platforms, including the early Macintosh computers. His musical interests began at age 2, when he started on piano. In 4th grade, he took up saxophone and, by high school, flute and clarinet. He also learned oboe and bassoon and planned to become a professional musician. The personal computer era was too much fun, though, and Neil ended up in more than a few start-ups.

Neil performs regularly with a Big Band at the Big Easy in Petaluma and with various groups around the Bay Area on woodwinds and piano. His “retirement” gig is passing on his love of music.