Josh Bickford - Senior Teaching Artist

Although he only began working with AFYP last spring, Josh Bickford has over 35 years of directing and teaching experience. Josh began his directing journey when he was only 16 years-old while working at Adventure Theatre Summer Workshops. Josh is the Co-Director of the AFYP Aventures Cast for the Saturday morning program. In addition to his work with AFYP, Josh is a retired FCPS Theatre Arts teacher. Josh is a former teacher with Fairfax County Public School’s Institute for the Arts and the Director of Performer’s Corner. Josh is currently a Director with Arena Stage’s Voices of Now Program where he works with teen artists to create devised theatre performances based on the artists’ personal experiences. This year, Josh also began working with the International Schools Theatre Association where he gets to teach Theatre Arts in different countries. On a personal note, Josh is the proud father of two sons, Lucas and Graham, who have been involved with AFYP for many years and are now Red Shirts.

Ahmad Maaty - Senior Teaching Artist

Ahmad is an Egyptian-American actor, dancer, choreographer, and singer.  He was born in Washington DC, grew up in northern Virginia, and graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Theatre and a minor in Dance. He is a resident actor, teaches after school classes, and is the musical theatre director and choreographer at summer camp and for all showcase programs with AFYP. Ahmad is also an adjunct faculty member of the School of Theater at George Mason University. He regularly performs as a guest artist for Silk Road Dance Company in DC, with whom he has performed in Doha, Qatar at the Asia Cup Games in January 2011 and New Orleans, LA in October 2015. Ahmad has danced and choreographed for the DC Metro area based modern dance company, Mayzsoul, Inc. and acted as Artistic Director for two of their concerts, Fresh and Le Monde Secret. He is a Helen Hayes-nominated choreographer for his work in Pippin with Monumental Theatre Company. Most Recently in NYC he has performed with Mayzsoul, Inc. in Sticky, and as part of the NYC10 Dance Week initiative. He has also taught at the Academy of Russian Ballet since 2007, and has performed with their resident ballet company since 2012.  In 2012, Ahmad received a Masters of Fine Arts in acting from the acclaimed Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. Most recently, Ahmad has appeared in Aida with Constellation Theatre Company and in Prince William Little Theatre's productions of Annie, Tommy, and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and in Fauquier Community Theatre's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. (ahmadmaaty.com)

Tylor Goshorn - Senior Teaching Artist

Ty Goshorn is a Teaching Artist, saleswoman and entrepreneur with a love for improvisation and stand-up comedy. Combining her passions of art and science she has developed exercises that help students gain an organic understanding of the course material through participation. After graduating in 2021 from George Mason University with a performance degree, Ty learned quickly how important humor is in any scenario. The past 3 years Ty has been performing stand-up comedy around DC and Baltimore under a stage name. This year she started her own production company working with small businesses to host comedy events

Kendal Huheey - Senior Teaching Artist

Kendall attends George Mason University as a senior Theater major. A former AFYP student, Kendall has been teaching with AFYP since 2014 in our summer camp, showcase, and after school programs. Kendall choreographs for our Musical and Advanced Actors’ Showcases and teaches musical theater in our summer programs. She is very involved with the Mason Players and Mason Cabaret, and is president of Mason’s chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the theater honor fraternity. She was most recently seen in The Road to the End (Young Diana), Head Over Heels (Pamela), as well as in The Boy Detective Fails, Footloose, and Rags.

Alana Lyons - Mini Actors’ Showcase Director

Alana Lyons has been teaching with AFYP since 2019.  In addition to Leading our Mini Actors Showcases and teaching for our Summer Camps, she frequently teaches our After School classes and One Day Workshops. When not teaching, Alana works as a professional stage and film actress in the DMV area.  Recent credits include Footloose and Come My Beloved with the Mason Players; Nice to Meet You and Exiles of Targarta with the D.C. 48-Hour Film Project; and projects at the Workhouse Arts Center.  She graduated from George Mason University with a BFA in Theater. 

Jacqueline (Jackie) Salvador - Senior Teaching Artist

Jackie is an actor in New York City, originally from Stafford, Virginia. She made her Off-Broadway debut with Atlantic Theatre in their production of James and the Giant Peach, where she played “Spider.” She is currently expected to provide the voice of “Dorothy Hess” in the upcoming fictional podcast The 8th Light. She has played an assortment of musical theater characters; “Bonnie” in Anything Goes, “Carla” in In The Heights and “The Stepmother” in Cinderella: The New Musical in Virginia. She is a graduate of George Mason University’s School of Music. Jackie has worked with AFYP since 2017, as the Music Director of our showcases as well as a Teaching Artist for our Musical Theater classes in our AFYP @ Home, showcase, and summer camp programs.

Zachary Wilcox - Senior Teaching Artist, Playwriting Coach

Zachary (he/they) is a playwright, dramaturg, director, and yoga teacher based in London. Their recent credits include Writing and Directing I just like you to a sold out run at Edinburgh Fringe 2022 and Assistant Directing That Is Not Who I Am (Rapture) by Dave Davidson (Lucy Kirkwood) at The Royal Court Theatre. They have an MFA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a BA in Theatre (Performance and Playwriting/Dramaturgy) from George Mason University. At AFYP, Zachary taught After School classes from 2013-2019 and was Assistant Director of Outreach and Programs from 2017-2019. They have been a mentor for AFYP's Student Playwright Festival since its conception in 20118.