To thine own self be true—Camilla Ross’s resourceful, versatile life is a testament to this ideal. Passionate, loving and giving, she’s led and gathered a host of loyal students, colleagues and champions throughout her life to achieve great works, and empower the spirits and well-being of others. “To be a catalyst for social change is really where it’s at for me,” Camilla said. “I believe theater should always be a venue for social change. I love the art of live theater and love what it does to the human soul and spirit. It moves us to look at life differently. To leave off the rose-colored glasses and really see the human condition.” ETC is a shining example. Founded in 2008 to give voice to actors’ innate talent for character development, Camilla has since produced more than 20 inspired, original performances. Emerging and professional cast and crew have blossomed under her guidance. And together they’ve created profound, can’t-ever-forget shows that illuminate social issues.

Melinda is a Central New York native, settled in Sedona, AZ in June 2020 with her boyfriend, Chris Roder, and their 95 lb. Golden Retriever, Turk; after four years traveling the U.S. in an RV. Melinda is an attorney and has strong accounting skills from her years as an FDIC Bank Examiner. She brings her many years’ experience in choral singing, as well as exposure to stage productions in the past, with her to Sedona Arts Academy. She is Stage Manager for this production of “Every Christmas Story” and is thrilled to be working with the director, producer, actors, costumer, prop master, and all of the “hands on deck” as part of her effort to give back to and wholeheartedly join in the arts in her new community.

Noah's interests run from music history to astrophysics to hilarious cat behavior. Born in Louisiana and raised in Northern Arizona, Noah is a global citizen who has lived and traveled in exotic places around the world including the Amazon Rainforest, the Andes of Peru, and the wild bush of Africa. Noah recently discovered his passion for theater, acting in Theater Baton Rouge’s Mary Poppins, Jr. He’s thrilled to be a part of ETC and looks to forward to a future full of thespianism.

Jason has dedicated his life to the pursuit of the highest quality audio for live music and television broadcasts, having won 2 EMMY’s (and 10 nominations) for his work with NBC at the 2012 Olympic games in London and with ESPN at the 2018 US Open tennis championships. He brings his 30 plus years of experience to Sedona having started the video production company, Sedona UAS, offering live broadcast productions and aerial cinematography.

Being part of ETC’s Board allows Jack to witness a production from start to finish and capture it all on film. Jack loves to build a photo books to tell these stories - kids from the summer program enjoy these keepsakes as do the adults involved. A former navy carrier pilot (USN retired) and retired pilot, Jack enjoys motorcycling and outdoor activities. He is involved with the Sedona Marine Corp League and is a Trustee at SUMC.

Karen, oracle and founder of No Moss Brands, is no stranger to entreprenuerialship. She owned an education and speaking business in the fitness industry which took her across the U.S. presenting and speaking at large conferences, seminars and workshops. In the late 90’s Karen made a major career shift into the world of advertising and marketing. With a two-year stint at a small advertising agency, Karen moved to Phoenix and spent 10 years turning an ugly duckling brand worth a cool $500 M into a swan valued at $1.5 B, as the Creative Director of a retail company headquartered here in Phoenix with 115 stores in the U.S. In 2012, Karen redirected her professional expertise from big business into small business with the formation of No Moss Brands. Karen’s vision for her clients is to create a world in which small business can compete on equal ground with large business even without the large budgets.

Larry began shooting professionally at 15 and won many awards during high school. He is the retired Chairman, CEO and founder of Alternative Resources Corporation, a leading IT company. Larry continues to make and display award-winning images. His photo of daybreak in the Sahara Desert won second place in the United Airlines annual photographic contest. He also has a permanent display at the Aloha Theater in Kona, Hawaii of cast member portraits from productions spanning 17 years.

Sedona International City of Peace, a 501c3 is one of over 300 International Cities of Peace. Our mission is to nurture, inspire and empower the community of Sedona to thrive and flourish while fostering a culture of peace through uplifting, engaging and transformative community programs. Visit https://www.sedonainternationalcityofpeace.org to see our signature programs: Human Library, Courageous Conversations, International Day of Peace, Meditation Monthly and now Arts for Peace.