SOFA Faculty
the music ministry of the church. “It is exciting to see how God is using the school to help students realize their potential and discover their talents. I pray they will always do everything they do to the best of their ability to display God’s glory and grace.”
Chasity Smith – Piano Instructor
Miss Smith is a Piano Performance graduate from Southeastern University. She is classically trained in piano and has been playing for 16 years. She has accompanied her fellow students and played for several events both in and out of college. She has been teaching for several years, and her main goal is to spark and grow a love for music in her students as well as provide a space where students feel free to express themselves leading them to a higher and ore well-rounded understanding of music.
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Heather Woodham, Violin Instructor
Miss Woodham is a student at Southeastern University, where she studies Violin Performance. From the age of 10, she played with the Pinellas Youth Symphony enjoying being in orchestras and ensembles. She teaches traditional style and enjoys fiddling. Heather knows that everyone learns differently. She has the student’s best interest in mind, and wants to see them succeed.
Miss Woodham understands that being a teacher means inspiring kids to do their best in what is taught to them. Her main goal is to teach her students in an environment where they feel welcomed and safe to be themselves.
Cassie DeJulia, Voice and Piano Instructor
Cassie DeJulia is a Music Education major at Southeastern University. She became fully immersed in music from a young age through piano lessons, voice lessons, and numerous choirs. She began playing the piano and singing at the age of 5, and took up her own private studio when she was in high school. Throughout her musical career, Cassie has been able to perform at Carnegie Hall with her choir multiple times, complete the Piano Guild, been a worship intern at her local church, and been apart of SEU Worship. She is currently involved in Southeastern University’s Chamber Singers, and serves as NAfME Collegiate’s Community Service Chair. Cassie’s love of the Lord inspires everything that she does, and she is so grateful that she has the opportunity to show students the beauty of music that God has created.
Mrs. McGaffigan started ballet at an early age and has always enjoyed using her dance to praise the Lord. She is experienced in Ballet, Point, Tap, and Sign Language. “Our bodies can be used to glorify and praise God in many ways. Dancing is one exciting and healthy way to do that, but also it provides a way to share our hope in a moving, captivating way with those who are watching.” Teaching young girls to praise the Lord through movement is one of her greatest pleasures. She is trained in the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet.
LaNelle received her training in Jackson, MS. She is married to Drew McGaffigan, and they have three little girls. She is a graduate of Warner University in Lake Wales.
Mireille Johnson, Dance Instructor
Miss Johnson has been dancing from a young age. She began with SOFA as an assistant teacher for 5 years and another school for 2 years. She brings experience in many genres of dance (tap, modern, jazz, pointe, hip hop) as well as being trained in the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet.
It is her desire to bring glory to Jesus in all that she does and to teach others to do the same.