JLSF Recipients

Igniting the Spark Award

Zenzi Williams

Zenzi Williams is a New York based actor she received her MFA from the Yale School of Drama, has a BA in theater from Temple University and studied at British American Dramatic Academy. Her first introduction to Alexander Technique was in graduate school under Jessica Wolf…

Congratulations to Zenzi Williams for being the first ever recipient of our JLSF Igniting the Spark award. This award is given to a trainee whose work and interests exemplify the values of our community.

Zenzi is dedicated to better understanding the affects of oppression on the body, especially in the ways that black people navigate space in America. She is also interested in finding ways that Alexander Technique can help to undo, unlearn, empathize, and fight within oppressive systems. Even though Zenzi has a thriving acting career, she has made time all throughout to continue training and deepening her relationship with AT.

“In order for diversity within this work to thrive I do believe that black and brown communities need to know that they are wanted within this work and that this work is indeed for them and that it is safe. It is our birthright to breathe freely, to experience the forces that are working with us all day everyday to support us. I am confident that I can do this work in a way that gives us all a space to find balance, ease, and safety.”

Thank you Zenzi for being a role model in our community. We are excited for your work to come.

Judith Leibowitz Scholarship Recipients

2025

Eric Liu

Eric Liu (he/him) is a movement educator, Pilates teacher, and former professional dancer originally from Taiwan and currently based in New York City. Eric began his career in classical ballet and contemporary dance, performing with institutions such as the Joffrey Ballet School and Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Academy…

Heather Jencks

Heather L. Jencks is an actor, director, and independent organizational development consultant specializing in organizational change management and learning design. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Grinnell College and an M.S. in Organization Development & Workplace Learning from Northwestern University…

Jae Guzman

Jae (She/They) is a New York City based performance artist and writer, trained in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She first began her training for the Alexander Technique in Philadelphia under Martha Fertman, and is currently a third-year trainee at the Balance Arts Center. At the moment she is working on developing…

Chelsea Russell

Chelsea Bria Russell is a Chicago-based actor, movement educator, and teaching artist. She is a 2025 MFA Acting graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University and an incoming trainee at Alexander Technique Training in Chicago (ATTiC), under the direction of Daria Okugawa. With a background in Laban Movement Analysis…

Hanfei Tu

Hanfei is a pianist, photographer, and currently a third-year trainee at the Riverside Initiative for the Alexander Technique. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Xinghai Conservatory in China, then earned both her Master’s degree and a Professional Studies Diploma from the Mannes School of Music in New York City…

2024

Ty Lewis

Ty Lewis is a movement artist, choreographer, teacher, scholar, and activist, born and raised in Houston, TX, and currently resides in Urbana, Illinois. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Dance from Sam Houston State University and a Master's Degree in Dance with a concentration in performance, choreography, somatic, and interdisciplinary practices from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Christian Cepeda

Christian(he/him) is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist known for his expertise in guitar performance and music education. He studied classical guitar at SUNY Purchase and trained in the Meisner Technique at the Esper Studio. In pursuit of expanding his artistry, performance, and teaching practices he has dedicated the past three years to studying the Alexander Technique.

2023

Emily Rodriguez

Emily Rodriguez is an actress and currently a third-year trainee at the Riverside Initiative for the Alexander Technique in NYC. She graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2019. Emily is a co-founder of The Collective, a BIPOC-run organization dedicated to creating resources, accessibility, and community support for BIPOC practitioners and students.

Aldo Ruiz-Alonso

Aldo (they/them) is a violist, composer, music teacher, and an Alexander Technique teacher from Tijuana, Mexico. As a violist, they’ve toured extensively around Mexico and California with prominent professional ensembles, including the Orquesta de Baja California.

Adam Sadberry

Flutist and educator Adam W. Sadberry is paving a distinctive career with his citizenry, creativity, and vibrancy both on and off stage. As a winner of Concert Artists Guild’s 2021 Victor Elmaleh Competition, he is performing nationwide, and he is tremendously excited to make his debut at Merkin Hall in NYC during March 2023 where he will premiere a composition by Dameun Strange that is inspired by Adam’s late grandfather and unsung hero of the Civil Rights Movement, L. Alex Wilson.

Gabrielle Scott

Gabrielle Scott is a Trinidadian theater-maker, performance artist, teaching artist and writer. Under her company Sapphire Productions, she has produced and directed her original work, works of Shakespeare, as well as curated spaces for artists to perform and explore various experimental art forms for both performance and healing.

2020

Ryanne & Rosa.jpg

Ryanne Davis

I have been an equestrienne since I was young, and have always had an intrinsic fascination for riding horses. I took every opportunity I could to ride, but soon lost the joy that came with riding when I began to have to force horses to be obedient.

Erin 2.jpeg

Erin Nicole Washington

Erin Nicole Washington is an actress, teaching artist and somatic abolitionist. She is a professor in the practice of Acting, Voice and Speech at Columbia College Hollywood, was on faculty at SUNY Purchase, her Alma Mater, and works freelance in production…

Stephen Mclean

I received a bachelor’s degree in music performance and history from SUNY Buffalo State College. I went on to serve as the graduate teaching assistant at the Pennsylvania State University where I earned both a Masters of Music in Orchestral Performance and…

Monet Felton copy.jpeg

Monet Felton

Monet is a Director, Playwright, Producer, and Teaching Artist. Monet earned their BFA in Acting at the University of Illinois at Chicago. They are a company member at Jackalope Theatre. They teach with ChiArts, Steppenwolf, Adventure Stage Chicago, and Raven Theatre.