Our Mission: 

The mission of Bolden Fields Arts Academy is to inform, educate and foster engaging arts education by providing high quality online arts instruction and cultivation of creative minds of children and adults that encourage artistic development and expression within the diverse community we serve.

 

Our Team

Trena Bolden Fields

Founder, CEO

Trena Bolden Fields is an Actor’s Equity and SAG-AFTRA member with a 20+ year acting career. Trena also provides career and life coaching to artists and is a photographer, writer and international speaker. She utilizes her creative abilities to help her students develop their acting skills and create personal success.

 Trena has performed and taught drama/acting in different countries including the United States, South Africa and Mexico. 

Trena Bolden Fields received her undergraduate degree in theatre arts and mass communication from Augsburg College and a master's degree in educational psychology, counseling and student personnel psychology from the University of Minnesota.

She received her life coaching certification from the Adler Graduate School and completed a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Augsburg College. During her spare time, Trena loves reading and collecting books, watching her favorite TV show and spending time with her family.

Kristin Young

Operations Manager

Kristin M. Young is a wife, mother, student, teacher, speaker, actress and Operations Manager for Bolden Fields Arts Academy.

Kristin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies from Morgan State University, a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State University and is a Certified Relationship Coach and an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP) through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. As a middle school graduate, Kristin chose to go to Baltimore School for the Arts to escape private school, only to find that it was truly destiny. As much as she enjoyed her BSA family and experience, she was turned off by the idea of 4 more years of rigorous theatre training, so she chose TV production to learn more behind the scenes. Kristin spent her college years working and going to school. She took a semester off to explore NY while knocking on doors for a living (literally), then realized it was too expensive so she came back to Baltimore to finish college. From there she was still completely lost and confused about her purpose in life and next steps. This led to a journey of self discovery that led her to her husband that gave her 5 children and 6 grandchildren, which eventually led her back to acting. She’s now doing what she loves as an actress with whom she loves and it's all divine.

When she’s not spending time with her family, you can find Kristin acting and dancing on local stages and moonlighting on Saturday nights as a radio host on the Audio Infusion on WEAA 88.9FM. Kristin and her husband, James, currently reside in Baltimore, Maryland.

At Bolden Fields Arts Academy we value the arts, education, relationships, trust, respect and self-actualization. As we work to aid learners in their growth and development, we provide well-practiced arts-based educational experiences online. 

Read More about our Community Values

Our Artist Mentors

Heidi Jeub, Lead Artist Mentor & Curriculum Specialist

Heidi Jeub is a multi-disciplinary visual artist from Little Falls, Minnesota. She received a B.A. in Studio Art (1999) and a Masters of Professional Studios in Arts & Cultural Leadership(2017), both at the University of Minnesota. She has shared her art form with schools and communities as a teaching artist since 2003, and has been selected to be on teaching rosters with Compas, Inc., VSA-Minnesota, and Lifetime Arts. She has received several grants for her professional growth, as well as the Emerging Artist Award (CMAB) and the Outstanding Contributor to the Arts of Morrison County with FWAC. With over 12 years experience in nonprofit administration, she has run several juried exhibits, designed new art programs, and facilitated community conversations around the arts. In 2019, she was awarded with the opportunity to build the Tiny School of Art & Design to build community through the foundations of art, and serve as a value-added option for her already solid teaching artist engagements.

Ashawnti Sakina Ford

Ashawnti Sakina Ford is an actress, teaching artist, improviser, director, playwright and poet in the Twin Cities. She heads two theatre companies as the co-founder/co artistic-director  of the Black Ensemble Players and the producing director of theater 45°. She is the child of artists and grew up in a highly artistic family consisting of poets, authors, rappers, photographers, painters and singers. She has traveled the world teaching and performing and seeks work that uplifts and empowers the youth voice. 

Megan Martineau

I’m Megan, and I’m so excited to be here! I’m an Air Force spouse, married to Jim, who is set to retire next year. We have a 22 year old son named Noah, and five cats.
I’ve been working in the portrait photography industry since 1989. I started Honey Bee Photography out of necessity in 2005, when we knew that our next set of orders would take us to Anchorage, Alaska. Since then, I’ve restarted my business three times successfully. My favorite thing about my work is getting to know my clients and providing them with photographs that make a difference for the family.
Currently, I’m taking classes for a marketing degree, and I work in leadership for a local networking association. Education in all forms is important to me, and I love when it’s fun and hands-on.
I’m looking forward to working with tweens and teaching them the basics of photography, lighting, and composing photographs!

Emily Hendriksen

The arts are an integral part of my life.  In my early college years, I majored in music education and liberal arts with a focus on clarinet performance.  After college, I met and married the love of my life and we’ve been happily married for 18 years.  We’ve lived in Utah, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Yaounde, Cameroon; Helsinki, Finland; Amman, Jordan; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and we currently reside in La Paz, Bolivia. We have four children whom I’ve homeschooled for the past 10 years as we’ve trotted about the globe.  During those homeschooling years I’ve taught music lessons and Spanish, headed co-ops, lead story times and literature groups, and facilitated learning of all kinds.  Teaching, learning, and the arts are my passion.  I am currently finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in Marriage & Family science with an emphasis in Human Services and Family Counseling, with plans to begin my Master’s studies in clinical and arts therapy.

Pamela H. Vines

Filmmaker Pamela H. Vines recently wrote, produced and directed a short film called, Nothing But Love. The film explores a woman’s struggle to seek counseling in order to heal from a controlling relationship. Pamela is also a published fiction author. Her novel, Born of Sin, is an Amazon #1 best seller. Pamela earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communications from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Arts degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University. She studied Videography and Photography at the Prince George’s County Community College, Maryland. As a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, Pamela culminated her decorated military career as a U.S. Army Spokesperson and Team Chief at the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, the Pentagon. Pamela is also the owner of Vines Film, the film division of Troop Public Relations, LLC, a creative communications firm located in Prince George’s County, Maryland. At Vines Film, she creates compelling video and short film for business owners who want to take their customers on a cinematic and informative journey.

Sean D. Johnson

Sean D Johnson, an Academy of Art University alumni, has always had a passion for storytelling through video and photography. Starting at a young age in Minneapolis when his dad gave him his first camera, Sean gained new meaning on discovering the world from a different perspective - behind the lens.

16 years and counting, Sean continues to hone his craft behind the camera. He has worked as Director of Photography, producer and lead photographer across many industries ranging from agriculture and industrial services to technology. Clients have included tech start-ups, venture capitalists, consumer product goods, lifestyle brands, retail and fine arts.

Throughout his career, Sean has focused on connecting with people and sharing their stories. His collaborative nature, resourcefulness, heightened sense of empathy and keen artistic eye enables him to capture magic. The magic in stories that can change attitudes, perspectives and win hearts. He believes every story is worth telling. He aims to be the vessel by which to share that story.

Sean currently resides in Oakland, California. He spends his time traveling for work and continuously growing at the intersection of new technology, content creation and humanity.