Top row, from left: Diego Barbosa-Vásquez, Jess Carr, Benjamin Hopkins, Marcus Allen Jordan, Joanna Hyunji Kim. Bottom row, from left: Dougie Robbins, Kevin Salem, Dan Sato, Amber Rane Sibley, Natalie Smith.
Ten new full-time faculty members have joined the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) for the 2026-27 academic year.
- Diego Barbosa-Vásquez is an assistant teaching professor of conducting, orchestra conductor, and director of orchestral activities in the Setnor School of Music. Previously he was general director of the Performing Arts Laboratory in Bloomington, Indiana, and music director of The Americas Chamber Orchestra in Bloomington.
- Jess Carr will join the Department of Drama in the Spring 2027 semester as a professor of practice in theater management. She previously served as executive artistic producer at Indy Convergence in Indianapolis and spent over a decade at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- Benjamin Hopkins is a visiting assistant professor of applied music and performance (piano) in the Setnor School of Music. He has performed across Europe and North America, including debuts at Festival de Luis Vega in Spain, New York City’s Merkin Hall and Mexico’s Festival del Lago.
- Marcus Allen Jordan is an assistant teaching professor of musical theater in the Department of Drama. Jordan recently directed productions of “Detroit ’67,” “Godspell,” “Guys and Dolls,” “I and You,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Once on This Island,” “Rent” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
- Joanna Hyunji Kim is an assistant teaching professor of applied music and performance (voice) in the Setnor School of Music. She has performed internationally with orchestras and concert pianos, including in the United States, South Korea and numerous European countries, such as Italy, Germany, France, the Czech Republic and Graz, Austria.
- Dougie Robbins is a professor of practice of musical theater in the Department of Drama. A director and choreographer, their favorite experiences include assisting Broadway veteran Chet Walker on the 40th anniversary concert of “They’re Playing Our Song” at the Music Box Theater, as well as assisting him on the revival and preservation of Jack Cole technique.
- Kevin Salem is a professor of practice in sound recording technology in the Setnor School of Music. An active songwriter, recording artist, producer and collaborator, he has released critically acclaimed recordings, toured internationally and contributed to projects spanning a wide range of contemporary popular music genres.
- Dan Sato is a visiting assistant teaching professor of applied music and performance (piano) in the Setnor School of Music. He has been heard internationally through BBC, WQXR, CBC, KHPR and major streaming media platforms and featured at music festivals across the U.S.
- Amber Rane Sibley is a visiting assistant teaching professor of studio arts (ceramics) in the School of Art. Her studio practice focuses on figurative ceramic sculpture and explores narrative identity, empathy and the social dynamics of victimhood and culpability.
- Natalie Smith is a visiting assistant teaching professor of music education and conducting and assistant director of athletic bands in the Setnor School of Music. In addition to her position at Syracuse, Smith is an instructor for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, the flagship band of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and is a frequent guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator across many states.