Our Clinicians

Meet your team!

Margaret Valenta-Davis

Holds a BFA in Drama Education from UT Austin, where she worked under Ruth Denney, and an MEd from Sam Houston State University. She taught high school for 17 years and has made four appearances at the UIL State OAP contest. She has served as a contestant, director, contest manager, and adjudicator. Her work has been featured in The Creative Experience on Houston’s PBS channel. Her students include: Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Mireille Enos (The Catch, The Killing, Hannah), Charlie Pollock (Urine Town, 9 to 5, Violet, Elmer Gantry).

Alison Frost

Currently serves as Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi. She’s directed over 200 plays and musicals at the professional, collegiate, and high school level--including 4 one-acts that competed at the UIL State 5A Division. She holds an MFA in Directing from Florida State University, an M.Ed from Sam Houston State University, and a BFA in Directing/Design from Baylor University. In 2016, she was awarded Outstanding University Educator from the Texas Educational Theatre Association.

 Kelly Russell

Kelly Russell heads the Theatre Education Program at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi and is the Director of TAMUCC’s Summer Theatre Workshop: Camp on the Coast. Kelly has been honored with four A&M Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence and is a past-president of the Texas Educational Theatre Association. He was named the TETA University Educator of the Year in 2012 and recently received the TAMUCC School of Arts, Media, and Communication Award for Creative Activity. Prior to arriving at TAMUCC, Kelly taught in various Texas high schools and directed 4 one-act plays which placed 1st or 2nd at the UIL State Meet.

A Ray Newburg

Prior to coming home where he now teaches Theatre Arts, primarily production design,  at Amarillo College, Ray spent 10 years in Dallas/Fort Worth and New Orleans.  After completing his B.A. at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth and his M.F.A. at Tulane University in New Orleans, Ray taught for the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Wesleyan University, and Tarrant County College in Arlington.

In addition, he has freelanced for the Fort Worth Theatre, Hip Pocket Theatre, Granbury Opera House, Water Tower Theatre, and Dallas Theatre Center. Ray has also had the pleasure of working with the New Orleans Opera Association as a scenic artist and Irene Corey Design Associates (makers of the Barney® character).  Currently, he freelances in Amarillo and the surrounding area as a designer and consultant for Lone Star Ballet and Parie Designs, a wedding and events company. 

In addition to teaching at AC, he serves as faculty sponsor for Delta Psi Omega at Amarillo College and as a critic, judge, and contest manager for UIL. He has previously served as the Region 6 Texas Chair for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and as the University/College Vice President and Scholars Coordinator for the Texas Educational Theatre Association. In 2004, Ray received the Teacher of the Year Award for Community Colleges from the TxETA.