Julie Novak has been teaching and directing theater in a school and community setting for over 20 years. While teaching at the renowned Valley Christian Conservatory, in San Jose, California, she developed her own theater arts curriculum for students 6-8 grades and a curriculum for students 6-12 grade while teaching and directing at Summit Christian Academy in Austin, Texas. Julie has directed plays, musicals, one acts, musical reviews, competition scenes, concerts and benefit shows too numerous to count! She has been trained in a multitude of acting techniques, such as the Wheeler Recording Method, On Camera Acting, Improvisational Acting, various vocal genres and public speaking. Outside of her teaching career she has worked as an acting coach, speaker, ghostwriter, vocalist and done voice over studio work. Her greatest love is working with young people in the arts and helping them develop confidence and belief in their personal gift set. Julie began CYT Austin In January of 2015 after she felt called to take her passion to speak life and encouragement into young people through the arts, outside the walls of a school and into her community.

Cecilia Proeger grew up in the border town of Laredo, Tx and focused on ballet (thanks mom!), sprinkled with any other activity and dance she could get into. She spent her teenage summers training at Boston Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet, and later spent a summer at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School. Although she did not study dance at UT, Ceci spent all of her time in that department. Upon graduating she danced professionally with Andrea Ariel Dance Theater, Spank Dance Company, Sharir+Bustamante Dance Works, and Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Co. After a 10 year hiatus, including having 3 kids and moving to South Africa for 4 years, she returned to perform in Andrea Ariel’s 30th anniversary show, along with some house concerts here and there. Ceci is thrilled to work with CYT in building up the next generation of performers! Many thanks to the Novaks' investment in Austin theater!