Faculty Biographies

Training Director
JOAN FROST, Director of Teacher Certification, has been involved in the movement field for over 30 years, earning her B.A. degree in Theater Arts: Dance from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1975, and her teaching certification from ACAT in 1983. She joined the ACAT faculty in 1984, and has been Director of Teacher Certification since 2001. Joan has taught the Alexander Technique at The Juilliard School, the Diller Quaille School of Music, Sarah Lawrence College and The New School. Joan maintains a private practice in Stratford, CT, Tappan, NY, and in Manhattan. Joan co-taught with Barbara Kent at the 2004 Oxford International Congress, "The Uncommitted Hand"; taught at AmSAT AGMs in Massachusetts and Illinois, workshops in non-doing in the use of the hands and bringing dance influence into AT teaching. She has been a speaker with The Arthritis Foundation since 2001 in hospitals in the Greater New York area. Joan pursued post graduate studies with Walter Carrington in New York and at his summer course in London; worked with Marjorie Barstow in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and in Lincoln, NE at residential workshops. Joan had a lesson with Patrick MacDonald; has worked extensively with Rika Cohen, Nelly Benor, and Misha Magidov;and has had numerous lessons with Elizabeth Walker and John Nichols.

Senior Faculty
MARTA CURBELO was certified by ACAT in 1987 and immediately joined the faculty, becoming a Senior Faculty Member in 1995. She has served on the ACAT Board of Directors. Marta has incorporated her additional ACAT certification in "The Art of Breathing" into her varied practice with opera singers, musicians and other students. She has taught workshops in Italy and Switzerland. Marta gave a series of workshops with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Connecticut and has continued teaching persons with MS and other neurological problems in her practice in NYC and in Norwalk, CT. She has studied with Dilys and Walter Carrington, Peggy Williams, Marj Barstow and Marjorie Barlow; has done post-certification work with Barbara Kent, Jessica Wolf; and a workshop exploring the Dart Procedures with Joan and Alex Murray and continuing Dart study with Marie Stroud.

KIM JESSOR received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College in 1976, where she dancedand choreographed under Bessie Schoenberg. She received her ACAT certification in 1981 and has taught since then on ACAT’s faculty, serving as Director of the Teacher Certification Program from 1991-1994. Kim has taught at the Juilliard School, Mannes College of Music, the Michael Howard Acting Studio, the New York Open Center, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, the Chautautqua summer music program, Penland School of Crafts, and the Miller Healthcare Institute for Performing Arts Medicine, among others. Kim has written articles on applying the Technique to marathon running and on her work with survivors of 9/11. She has also presented at several national meetings. Currently she is on the faculty at NYU’s Graduate Acting Program/Tisch School of the Arts, while maintaining a private practice in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Kim has done post certification work with Barbara Kent, Pearl Ausubel, Ann Mathews and Rika Cohen. She is also certified in Body-Mind Centering from Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen.

BARBARA KENT earned her B.A. in Music at California State University in 1959, studied voice at the Juilliard School from 1960-61, and received her MA in Music from Brooklyn College in 1971. Her singing led her to the Alexander Technique in the early 60's, and she was certified by ACAT in 1971. Barbara has been a faculty member of ACAT since 1972, and served as ACAT’s TCP Director from 1982-87, and 1996-2001. A long time faculty of the Sweet Briar Residential Course, Barbara has presented at a number of International Congresses; and for the New York Singing Teachers' Association and the Rubenfeld Synergy International Association. Barbara offers the Post Certification Program. "Progress, Not Perfection" through ACAT. She studied with Carl Stough and integrates the principles of Breathing Coordination into her work; and is also certified in the Rubenfeld Synergy Method. Barbara maintains a private practice in NYC and Sag Harbor, NY.

N. BROOKE LIEB received her certification from ACAT in 1989, joined the faculty in 1992, and was appointed Associate Director of Training at ACAT in 2006. Brooke has been Guest Faculty at Vivien and Neil Schapera's Teacher Certification Program in Cincinatti. She has taught at St. Rose College, Kutztown University, Pace University, The Actors Institute, The National Theatre Conservatory at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Dennison University, and Wagner College; and has made presentations for the the Hospital for Special Surgery, the Scoliosis Foundation, and the Arthritis Foundation; Mercy College and Touro College, Departments of Physical Therapy; and Northern Westchester Hospital . She trained under Judith Leibowitz, Deborah Caplan and Barbara Kent, and has done Post Graduate Studies with Barbara Kent, Vivien Schapera, Walter and Dilys Carrington, Glynn MacDonald, Ruth Brown, Elizabeth and Lucia Walker, Missy Vineyard, Tommy Thompson, Pedro de Alcantara and John Nicholls, among others. Brooke maintains a teaching practice in NYC, specializing in working with people dealing with pain, back injuries and scoliosis; and performing artists.

HOPE MARTIN has been studying the Alexander Technique since 1980 and teaching it since 1987, when she graduated from ACAT. She is the founder of Hope Martin Studio, an Alexander Technique Learning Center in New York City. Hope maintains a lively practice in New York City, teaching private and group classes. She has taught at various music schools around NYC, at Sarah Lawrence College and Internationally. She is on the faculty of the New York Open Center and the American Center for the Alexander Technique where she also serves as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors. Hope is a trained meditation instructor and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. Her particular passion is in assisting her students to discover how easeful, upright posture is an expression of their human dignity, confidence, and innate wakefulness.

DANIEL SINGER is a senior educator of Alexander Teachers on the staff of the American Center for the Alexander Technique Teacher Certification Program. After graduating from the State University of New York at Buffalo, he worked as a hospital respiratory technician, a craftsmanin glassblowing, a poet, a musician and an artist. He trained and certified to teach the Alexander Technique under the direction of Judith Leibowitz and Deborah Kaplan, both of who knew and studied with F.M. Alexander, graduating from ACAT in 1981. He helped found the national professional organization, the American Society for the Alexander Technique. In addition to his initial training at ACAT,Daniel did extensive post-graduate work with Patrick MacDonald who had studied with F.M. Alexander from the age 10. Daniel studied with others trained by F.M. Alexander and his brother A.R., including Goddard Binkley, Walter Carrington, Elizabeth Walker, Marj Barlow and Marjory Barstow.With Richard (Buzz) Gummere (trained by the Alexander brothers), Daniel presented the Alexander Technique to the Education Seminar at Columbia University. Daniel teaches at the Circle-in-the-Square Professional Theater School, the Michael Howard Studio Acting Conservatory, and has served on faculty at The Actors Studio Drama School MFA program, and Stella Adler Studio Conservatory. In private practice in New York City, he has taught at the Amercian Academy for Dramatic Arts, been a guest lecturer at Long Island University, and been guest faculty at other AT training programs. He has presented Alexander Technique at the Zen Center of New York City, the Penland School for Crafts and has taught in Sao Paulo,Brazil. Daniel Singer is an author of the book The Sacred Portable Now (Prima Publishing, 1996) and co-produced a CD “The Back Alive Advantage” based on principles of Alexander Technique self-lesson work.

JUDITH STERN was certified by ACAT in 1987. She joined the facultyteaching the anatomy courselater that year andbecame a senior teacher at ACAT in 1995. Judith received her BS. degree and Post-graduate Certificate in Physical Therapy from Simmons College in 1968, and her MA. in Health Education from the University of Florida in 1979. She has served as Vice-President of AmSAT,Chairperson of ACAT, and is a 10 year member of the faculty of the Sweet Briar Residential Course. Shehas presented the Technique at Columbia University Medical School, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NYU,the Aspen Music Festival conference on Medical Problems of Performing Artists,the Verbier Music Festival, and the 5th and 7thInternational Congress' of the FMAlexander Technique. Judith is a licensed physical therapist and has a private practice teaching the Alexander Technique in Westchester County, NY. Judy is one of 4 directors of The 8th International Congress of the F.M. Alexander Technique held in Lugano Switzerland in August 2008.

DIANE YOUNG SUSSMAN graduated from ACAT in 1987, having trained with renowned teachers Judith Leibowitz, Deborah Caplan, Pearl Ausubel, and Barbara Kent.  She joined the Faculty of ACAT as an Associate Teacher in 1989. Diane works with pianists, violinists and woodwind players, having taught in the music department at Stony Brook, NY from 1989-2000, at Rutgers University, NJ as a guest teacher 2005-2007, and in private practice. Also trained in Modern Dance with Erick Hawkins (1978-1984) Diane was the Artistic Director of Playworks Dance Company from 1991-2000, and performed her own choreography throughout the NY/NJ area. Now a Pilates Mat Instructor, Diane has been teaching Pilates with an Alexander Technique approach since 1999. Diane has pursued post graduate studies with Barbara Kent, Post Graduate workshop "Process not Perfection", and Vivien Shappera; attended AmSAT annual meetings; and is a teaching member of ACAT. She initiated the monthly lecture demonstrations for the public at ACAT, which have been ongoing since 1996, and is an active participant in the annual Alexander Awareness Week. Diane has recently written for the National Parkinson's Foundation Newsletter, and is very committed to bringing Alexander Technique awareness to more specifically targeted populations, especially those who suffer from neurological problems affecting balance and gait.

Associate Faculty
PATRICIA MCGINNIS certified in 1993, has been teaching at ACAT 14 years: five as a volunteer and nine as associate faculty.  She also taught at the Dimon Institute’s teacher training program during its two-years in NYC.  For six years, she taught classes in the Technique at Manhattanville College.  She conducted an Alexander Technique clinic at the University of South Florida and taught workshops in the Technique at Columbia University, NYU’s Musical Theatre Program at CAP 21 and the 92nd Street Y.  She taught voice in the Junior Division at the Neighborhood Playhouse and at Beginnings.  A professional singer/actor, she’s appeared in plays and musicals, sung on jingles, toured with the DeCormier Singers and performed at the Eugene O’Neill and Lincoln Center.  She studied acting with Sanford Meisner at the Playhouse and vocal music with Paul Gemignani at Manhattan School of Music’s Professional Musical Theatre Workshop.  She has a B.A. in Music from Manhattanville and teaches privately in NYC and in New Jersey.

CYNTHIA REYNOLDS received her certificate from ACAT in 1987, for the last ten years she has been teaching Alexander courses for graduate acting students at the New School for Drama (formerly the Actors Studio Drama School).  She also teaches Alexander to singers, instrumentalists and dancers at NYU Steinhardt School of Education. For 18 years she was a principal dancer with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company.  Her teaching was the subject of a feature article in Dance Teacher Magazine September 2001 issue. Her teaching is also featured in the video documentary, Erick Hawkins Modern Dance Technique. She and her husband, Glenn Kenreich, who is also an Alexander teacher, offer summer workshops at the Tripotamos Art Center on the beautiful Greek island of Tinos. 

CONSTANCE SERCHUK (Connie) graduated from ACAT in December, 1989, training under Judith Leibowitz, Deborah Kaplan and Barbara Kent, and joined the ACAT faculty as a volunteer teacher. In October, 1998 she was admitted to the faculty as an Associate Teacher. While training ACAT, Connie worked with Carl Stough. In addition to faculty membership, Connie has maintained a private practice at two locations in New York City. Connie also volunteered with Healing Works until that organization closed, and with children suffering from cranial abnormalities (cleft palate, etc.). Connie has done extensive post-graduate work with Jessica Wolf, John Nicholls, Barbara Kent and Marie Stroud.