Meet the Team: How JDS Coaches Build Confidence and Creativity

Creativity is more than an art form—it’s a path to confidence, connection, and opportunity. At JDS Creative Academy, our mission is to equip students of all ages and abilities with the tools to discover their voice, grow their skills, and embrace their potential. This transformation happens every day through the guidance and mentorship of a dedicated coaching team who bring experience, passion, and heart to everything they do.

The Humans Behind the Magic

Every student’s journey at JDS Creative Academy is shaped by people who believe in them. Our team of instructors, coordinators, designers, editors, and support staff brings expertise, energy, and heart to every program.

Diane Strand, founder of JDS Creative Academy, has spent decades championing the arts as a means to empower, inspire, and create opportunity. Diane’s vision combines inclusive arts education, workforce development, and creative career building, offering students not only artistic instruction but also real-world skills and confidence.

Scott Strand, co-founder of JDS Studio, is an accomplished actor and director who brings years of professional experience into the classroom. He teaches students not just how to act, but how to perform with authenticity, courage, and storytelling that resonates, helping them grow into confident communicators both on and off stage.

Johanna Lack, program manager, head writer, and board member, ensures that JDS programs run smoothly while supporting students’ creative growth through mentoring and writing guidance.

Lynn Cohen, program Coordinator, event chair and board member, brings leadership and vision to JDSCA programs, ensuring that every event and opportunity supports student growth and community connection.

Jessie Price, graphic designer and web coordinator, even while working remotely, plays a critical role as an instructor and mentor for Arts Across America, guiding students in creative media, digital branding, and visual communication.

Alex Suarez, lead program instructor and IT technician, is the face of in-studio digital media learning. He teaches hands-on skills, helping students bring their creative ideas to life.

Beatrice Galvan, production specialist and program instructor, guiding students in hands-on creative projects and helping bring programs to life.

Kaite McColm, backstage coordinator, ensuring every performance, rehearsal, and production runs smoothly while mentoring students behind the scenes.

Sherelle Moore, day program instructor, providing direct mentorship and creative support to students in a variety of arts programs.

Other essential team members include Maria Smith event coordinator, Giselle Morales staff writer, Michael Cards, editor and post production specialist, Chris McEachran editor, and Vincent Figueras production & writing coordinator. From production to writing, coordination to editing, this team works together to make every class, program, and event a seamless learning experience.

Together, this dedicated team ensures that JDS Creative Academy is not just a place to learn arts—it is a place where creativity, confidence, and collaboration thrive. Every staff member, whether in-studio or remote, plays a vital role in helping students discover their voice, grow their skills, and embrace their potential.

What Makes JDS Coaching Unique

JDS Creative Academy is more than teaching arts—it is about empowering students to grow as individuals. Hands-on experiences, like acting classes, video production projects, and DigiFest Temecula, the academy’s digital media festival, allow students to apply what they learn in meaningful ways. Here, creativity becomes both a life skill and a pathway to opportunity.

Through these programs, students gain confidence, teamwork, and professional skills that go beyond the classroom. By combining creative mentorship, inclusive education, and workforce development through the arts, the JDS coaching team ensures students are prepared for success, whether in the arts or any future career path.

Supporting All Abilities

JDS Creative Academy is committed to serving learners of all abilities. Programs like the Title 17 job training program give adults with developmental disabilities practical experience in media production, storytelling, and professional collaboration. These opportunities help participants gain independence, confidence, and creative skills that can be applied in work, life, and community engagement.

When students are seen, heard, and encouraged, they gain more than artistic skills—they discover their own voice and the courage to share it.

Creativity That Builds Futures

The coaching team at JDS believes creativity transforms lives. By nurturing each student’s talents and fostering an environment of support and collaboration, they help learners grow into confident, capable, and inspired individuals. Every class, project, and mentorship moment is an investment in a student’s future.

Because when creativity meets opportunity, remarkable things happen. Students gain confidence, communities grow stronger, and the arts flourish as a tool for empowerment and connection.

Call to Action

Curious to see how creativity can transform your life or support others in discovering their voice? Explore JDS Creative Academy’s programs and classes. Join a community where creativity, confidence, and opportunity come together because everyone deserves the chance to shine.