Our Team
Coach Kristy and Coach Christina
Kristy and Christina are the proud co-owners of ShiningStars Charlotte. Kristy and Christina bring a powerful combination of 7+ years of in classroom teaching and theater including Kristy Carr being named a Teacher of the Year.
Our Coaches
The ShiningStars team is incredibly fortunate to have a team full of amazing talent, character, and skills. With backgrounds in musical theater, production, live performances, early childhood education, coaching, and more, our ShiningStars staff are the perfect group to help us connect to our mission of developing Brave, Creative, Leaders for Life!
Coach Tanzley
ShiningStars Director!
Coach Tanzley is passionate about inspiring creativity and sparking imagination in students of all ages! A performer from youth, she has worn many hats as an actress, dancer, vocalist, and animal handler. Coach Tanzley believes that the principles learned in acting classes, such as eye contact, confident stage voice, and body language, help children thrive in any environment (on, or off stage)! She is overjoyed to help the next generation develop these skills with ShiningStars.
Coach Laura
Coach Laura is an enthusiastic educator whose roots are based in the Theatre Arts. She graduated from UNC- Wilmington with a degree in Theatre before going on to complete Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s prestigious Fellowship Program in Stage Management. She went on to attend Moreland University and specialized in Early Education. Her over 6 years of experience working in education, both internationally and locally, have allowed for her to work with students from preschool to upper elementary. She currently holds her licenses in Early Education and Elementary Education. Shy and introverted in childhood, Coach Laura grew to become a confident individual through her extensive training and experiences in the Theatre Arts. She is driven to provide students with these same opportunities that allow for them to foster creativity, self-expression, and confidence.
Coach Haven
As a mother, Coach Haven understands the importance of child development and the critical role teachers have. She is a graduate of Western State Colorado University with a bachelors in Theatre & Communications. After graduation, she interned with Partners, a non-profit organization mentoring at risk youth and also served as a summer camp counselor for under privileged kids. She is passionate about helping children find their voice, be confident in who they are and be able to express themselves. She believes children are the tomorrow of the world —ShiningStars gives them the tools to shape their self esteem into confident brave leaders!
Coach Stefania
Coach Stefania has a background and the arts, completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston. She is passionate about fostering creative expression in children. "My goal is to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for children to be able to come into their own unique expression. I love coaching for Shining Stars because I get to watch my students transform and gain confidence week to week all while having so much fun!"
Coach Ally
Coach Ally, as a child, had the need for expression which came in many forms - dance, acting, singing and piano. Luckily, her parents encouraged and nurtured her innate abilities and later she received her BFA in Theater Arts/Film. After college, her immense determination took her from NYC to Los Angeles, where she continued to follow her dreams on stage and in Film and Television. Now, with ShiningStars, Ally has come full circle! She gets the opportunity to help young children find their voice, express through sound and movement and build a sense of self that will do wonders for whatever their future holds!