Joshua Adkins; Executive Director
Prior to coming to Gaston School of the Arts, Joshua served as worship pastor at First Baptist Church of Belmont for twelve years. During that time, he organized and later served as Executive Director of the Fine Arts Academy of Belmont. Joshua earned a degree in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Appalachian State University. As part of his studies, he studied music and ballet in Graz, Austria. Joshua has performed in sacred and secular venues throughout the eastern United States, Europe and Syria. He has been a lifetime student of the visual, musical, and dramatic arts.
Rachel Bryant; Administrative Assistant
Rachel Bryant is our newly appointed Administrative Assistant here at GSOA. Rachel recently earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with additional concentrations in Art Therapy and Sociology. She firmly holds the belief that the arts promote well-being. Excited to be working at GSOA, Rachel hopes to watch students grow through music, performance art, and visual art.
Claire Depaoli; Summer Camp Director
Claire Depaoli is from Charlotte, NC. She is a current Arts Administration major with a dance minor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Claire has extensive experience in the arts, including over 15 years of dance. She has trained at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Abby Lee Dance Company, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, among others. She is also involved in the theatre and has appeared in musicals such as GSOA Playhouse’s West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof.
Second to Claire’s love for the arts is her heart for working with children. She enjoys sharing her passion for dance and the performing arts with kids of all ages, She has been teaching and choreographing for several years and has been involved with GSOA’s summer camps since 2016.
Megan Pearson; Publicist
Gaston School of the Arts is very special to Megan – she started taking art lessons here in elementary school and over the years ended up studying piano, drama, and voice. She earned her B.A. in English from Duke University, and she loves sharing her passion for writing with others. She is looking forward to keeping our community updated on the exciting events at GSOA!