Meet Our Staff & Instructors
Barby Wunsch
Barby Wunsch – Executive Director
Started at PRYA in 2023
Barby is a long-time resident of Templeton where she lives on a ranch with her husband, Bob, and raises alpacas. She graduated from University of Oregon in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts – Fibers. She received her Master’s degree in Education in 2003. Barby has worked in Fund Development for the past 12 years for GRID Alternatives (Oakland) and Hartnell College (Salinas) raising millions of dollars through grants and donations. Prior to entering a career in Development, Barby worked as a teacher across all grade levels in public and private school settings. Barby has held the position of Board President for the Templeton Education Foundation where she raised substantial funding to support Templeton schools for 7 years. She was also VP for the Central Coast Weavers Guild in San Luis Obispo County and is currently participating in the Must! Charities Leadership Alliance. Barby has 2 adult children, Tommy and Izzy, 2 Labrador retrievers, Huckleberry and Goose, and several fun felines.
Teresa Young
Teresa Young – Advancement & Communications Officer
Started at PRYA in 2026
Teresa moved to Paso Robles from Orange County in 2025 after falling in love with the community. A 5th-generation Californian with BAs in Broadcast Journalism and Philosophy from Oberlin College, she brings decades of expertise as an entrepreneur, consultant, author, and educator in visual communications.
“I am absolutely thrilled to join the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center! Nothing is more fulfilling than supporting PRYA, one of the most critical non-profits around today.”
Since 1986, Teresa has advised retail and B2B businesses. In 1991, she founded the world’s largest non-franchise chain of sign companies—a network of over 200 locations—securing more than $18 million in SBA funding for start-ups. She made history as the first female chairwoman of the International Sign Association in its 60-year history, earned a U.S. Capitol flag honor in 2008, and later chaired the California Sign Association. An active supporter of non-profits like EconAlliance and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Teresa is thrilled to bring her leadership and passion to the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center.
Natalia Esquivel
Natalia Esquivel – Office Administrator
Started at PRYA in 2025
Natalia supports daily operations and helps ensure a welcoming, inclusive environment for youth and families. She brings a strong passion for working with young people and supporting communities, particularly through bridging language barriers as a bilingual English and Spanish speaker.
Natalia previously worked with the Boys & Girls Club as a Youth Development Professional, where she was recognized as Youth Development Professional of the Yearduring her first year and later advanced to the role of Assistant Director.
She is excited to be part of the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center team and is dedicated to helping youth build confidence, discover their talents, and shine through the arts
Shelby Steiner
Shelby Steiner – Programs Coordinator
Started at PRYA in 2026
Shelby brings over six years of experience working with children through creative and youth-focused programs. Her background includes work as a face painter, balloon artist, and children’s party entertainer, as well as her previous role as Youth Development Professional at the Boys & Girls Club.
A lifelong local, Shelby has a strong passion for arts education and youth engagement. She is dedicated to creating inclusive, supportive environments where young artists can build confidence, explore creativity, and express themselves through the arts.
Instructors
Sarah Blick
Sarah Blick – Violin Instructor
Started at PRYA in 2024
Sarah is a classically-trained violinist with a fiddler’s heart with over 15 years of professional experience. After graduating from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, she pursued music full-time as a studio musician, songwriter, and performer in genres ranging from Classical to Blues to Bluegrass to Rock before undertaking a three year national tour with her Americana duo Sugar Still. Once the duo toured through the Central Coast, she was hooked and has been living in Paso since 2021. As a teacher, Sarah believes in a strong technical foundation as well as having fun, as evidenced by her willingness to play just about anything. Her current projects include wedding performances, studio recordings, and rocking out with the local bluegrass/Americana group Bremen Town and “y’allternative” Nashville band The Cancellations.
Elise Coatney
Elise Coatney – Art Instructor
Started at PRYA in 2025
Elise is a graphic designer and artist with a curiosity for creativity. She experiments with a wide range of mediums to analyze and adorn the world around her. Currently, Elise works as a freelance graphic designer while nurturing her artistic practice in painting and sculpture. She recently graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a BFA in both Graphic Design and Studio Art.
Maddison Daniels
Maddison Daniels – Art Instructor (Craft & Create)
Started at PRYA in 2026
Maddison is a Paso Robles local with a love for creativity, nature, and hands-on learning. She enjoys sewing, arts and crafts, beading, and finding inspiration in the world around her. Whether she’s working on an art project or spending time in her garden, Maddison believes creativity grows through curiosity, exploration, and making things with your own hands.
Outside the classroom, Maddison loves gardening and spending time outdoors, where she finds inspiration for many of her artistic projects.
She is excited to share her passion for art with young creators and strives to create a welcoming, encouraging environment where students can express themselves, build confidence, and discover the joy of making something uniquely their own.
Sarah Gastelo
Sarah Gastelo – Culinary Arts
Started at PRYA in 2026
Sarah Gastelo is a nutrition educator and culinary instructor with certificates in Nutrition Education & Coaching and Plant‑Based Nutrition from Cuesta College. She has hands-on experience working in school kitchens across Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, where she supported healthy, scratch‑forward meal programs for local students. In addition to her kitchen work, Sarah taught after‑school cooking classes through the school district, helping kids build confidence, creativity, and real‑world skills in the kitchen. Her work blends nutrition, education, and community connection to inspire healthier habits for families throughout the Central Coast.
Zaira Gomez
Zaira Gomez – Dance
Started at PRYA in 2026
Hola a la comunidad de Paso Robles y a los pueblos cercanos. Me llamo Zaira Gomez y soy nacida en California con mis raíces en Oaxaca, México. Greci en el pueblo pequeño pero hermoso, Shandon, CA, y regreso a PRYA como maestra de baile para compartir mi historia y mis conocimientos con los niños y jóvenes de nuestra comunidad.
Desde chiquita veía cómo mi abuelito estaba lleno de vida gracias a la música, el arte, el canto y los cuentos. Él les enseñó a toda mi familia a tocar instrumentos, y hasta la fecha seguimos llenos de músicos. A mí también intentaron enseñarme a leer música y cantar para que tuviera un camino como ellos, pero yo les dije: “¡Quiero bailar!” Mi camino es el amor y la pasión para crear arte con mis propias manos, pies y mente, donde bailar para mí es como respirar al aire libre.
Fui estudiante de Bauer Speck, Flamson y Paso High, y entré a PRYA a los 9 años, tomando clases de piano, ballet, jazz, break dance, contemporáneo, arte y cocina. Esa pasión me llevó hasta la Universidad de California, Santa Cruz, donde obtuve una Licenciatura en Estudios de Medio Ambiente con concentración en Educación (Clase de 2026), y donde también competí en el escenario de World of Dance Bay Area con mi equipo, CRUZ CTRL.
Quiero presentar mis clases de baile como algo que les hace falta a las comunidades del área, donde estamos llenos de ritmo, música y siempre bailando.
Para las familias de PRYA, espero ser una persona con quien puedan sentirse seguras, cómodas, y con la confianza de que sus hijos tendrán una maestra que reconoce que todas las oportunidades para el futuro de nuestra juventud es cualquier paso adelante, otro conocimiento más, y un camino lleno de puertas que se convierten en un pasillo de ventanas abiertas para poder sentir el aire libre – como cuando una niña como yo se dio cuenta de que tenía un don, y solo necesitaba a alguien y en donde poder ser animada para que nunca se rinda y siempre le ‘eche ganas para su futuro. Ahora yo puedo ser una buena influencia para los niños que me hacen recordar mi infancia para poder apoyar a todos.
Amanda Gonzalez
Amanda Gonzalez – Dance Department Lead
Started at PRYA in 2001
In 2002, Amanda moved to New York City and enrolled in the Joffrey Ballet School, while also dancing in other studios in New York, including Broadway Dance Center, Ballet Academy East, and Steps on Broadway. Amanda has taught ballet and jazz classes since the Youth Arts opened and hopes to teach as long as possible.
She says that children are her favorite part of the Youth Arts program because of the joy they bring to the arts, with their creativity and passion for what they do.
Kristina Hayes
Kristina Hayes – Theatre Instructor
Kristina Hayes is an actress, improviser, and acting/improv teacher with over 25 years of professional experience in TV, film, and live performance. Her credits include Disney’s “Bunk’d,” “Wizards of Waverly Place”, Nickelodeon’s “Instant Mom,”and dramas such as “Castle,” “Bones,”and HBO’s “The Morning Show.” A former MainStage performer at Improv Olympic West, Kristina also appeared on the acclaimed improvised series “Reno 911” on Comedy Central. Now living in Paso Robles, Kristina teaches acting and improv to children and adults, focusing on confidence, creativity, and connection. She is also the founder of Waltz Through Life specializing in social ballroom dance instruction.
To learn more about this teacher visit her website at: KristinaHayesWaltzthroughlife.com
Helena Higuera
Helena Higuera – Hip Hop Dance
Started at PRYA in 2026
Hi! My name is Helena Higuera, and I am very excited to be teaching hip hop this session. Dance has always been a big part of my life, as has the Youth Arts, and I love sharing my passion for movement with others. Before becoming an instructor, I was a student here for about 13 years, so the Youth Arts has always felt like a second home to me.
My goal is to create a fun, positive, and encouraging environment where dancers can build confidence, learn new skills, and express themselves through dance. I believe that every student can grow and succeed when they feel supported and are having fun in class.
I can’t wait to dance with you and make this a great session!
Simon Salcedo
Simon Salcedo – Guitar Instructor
Started at PRYA in 2023
Simon has been involved in music his entire life. Starting with playing classical violin in grade school, and eventually with the SLO youth symphony orchestra in 2010. Entering his freshman year of high school at Atascadero High in 2012, Simon took an “Intro to Guitar Class.” From there, inspiration struck. He went from learning basic first position chords, chord progressions, and even reading tablature, most of the time being away from the class itself. By the next year, he became a Teacher’s Aid for the class, assisting fellow students with the curriculum he learned the year prior. He continued a self taught approach from then up to now, and is well versed in musical genres ranging from classical and blues, to hard rock and modern metal.
Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas – Art Instructor
Started at PRYA in 2015
Joe Thomas is a big city teacher who moved to Paso Robles and became a farmer. The farm he shares with his wife, Leslie, is home to a vineyard, fruit and nut trees and an extensive family of rescued animals. Leslie’s passion is horses while Joe’s is Siberian Huskies. The name of his farm is Fat Goat Farm and the name of their non-profit is From the Heart Rescue. Whether it is Tintoretto the Alpaca or Grahammy the Goat, they provide him constant inspiration for his paintings and drawings. Joe continues to teach drawing, graphic design, and painting to children at Paso Robles Youth Arts Center.
Caleb Wheeler
Caleb Wheeler – Music Instructor
Started at PRYA in 2025
Hi, I’m Caleb and I have been playing the drums for over 9 years. I have experience playing gigs with the Paso Robles Youth Arts band, playing on the worship team at Paso Robles Bible Church, and teaching lessons for the last few years. I’m excited to share my knowledge and experience with soon-to-be drum enthusiasts!
