NYFA
Faculty Directory

Faculty Directory

Jessica Peter Assistant Director

Jessica Hemanth Peter is an accomplished filmmaker, makeup artist, and visual storyteller with over a decade of experience in photography, media arts, and film. Her expertise spans art direction, special effects makeup, and conceptual photography, with her work published in international magazines and recognized for its distinctive aesthetic and narrative depth. Rooted in her Indian heritage and enriched through her professional journey in the U.S., Jessica brings a unique cultural and artistic perspective to every project. She has taught film and media arts at the New York Film Academy, mentoring students in set design, cinematic storytelling, and screen makeup. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director of the Teens Summer Program in New York City, where she oversees creative education initiatives and fosters a collaborative environment for aspiring young filmmakers. With a strong academic background in English literature and theological studies, Jessica’s work is driven by both visual excellence and meaningful storytelling.

Christopher Pettoni Director of Youth & Special Programs

Christopher Pettoni is the Director of Youth & Special Programs at New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus, where he also teaches Screenwriting. He earned a BFA in Film and Television from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a Minor in Producing as well as an MFA in Screenwriting from California State University Northridge. Chris also studied directing at the prestigious FAMU academy in Prague and acting at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting & Theatre in Los Angeles. As a writer and filmmaker, his work has been recognized in contests and exhibited at film festivals as well as on major television networks. He’s been a member of the NYFA community since 2016 and enjoys helping artists of all ages discover and refine their creative voices.

Francis J. Pezza

Francis J. Pezza has more than 40 years experience in Film, Television and Theater as a designer. Mr. Pezza is an MFA Degree graduate from the New York University School of the Arts (currently known as The NYU Tisch School of The Arts). He has been a Production Design Instructor for the last three years, teaching in the New York Film Academy MFA and BFA programs.
Among his many Television Credits as Production Designer are Miami Vice, The Flash, The Young Riders, Viper, Murder She Wrote. Mr. Pezza’s Major Motion Picture Credits include Outbreak, Dante’s Peak, Baby Geniuses, Born To Ride.

Christopher Piccione

With 16 years of acting experience, honed at esteemed New York City institutions like HB Studio, Kimball Studio, and The Barrow Group, Christopher Piccione brings a wealth of on- screen knowledge to the New York Film Academy. A veteran of television, some of his credits include The Blacklist, Manifest, Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, FBI: Most Wanted, and many more. His extensive work also spans into short films and independent features, where he’s earned several “Best Actor” awards at film festivals worldwide. Beyond his acclaimed performances, Christopher is also an accomplished filmmaker, having written, directed, and overseen post-production on his own short films and in collaboration with
other filmmakers globally. This will be his third year sharing his diverse expertise with students at NYFA.

Ben Mehl Acting for Film Instructor

Ben Mehl is best known for his role as Dante on Netflix’s YOU. He has taught Movement and Shakespeare’s Clowns at the NYU Graduate Acting Program, where he also received his MFA and completed a teaching mentorship in Movement under Jim Calder and Voice under Scott Miller. He teaches at the New York Film Academy, HB Studio, and has also taught at The Public Theater, Red Bull Theater, Vim Vigor, Clown Gym, the Refugee Youth Summer Academy, the New School and as a private coach. He is a member of The Actors Center and a volunteer at the 52nd Street Project. Acting credits include: TV: YOU, THE GOOD WIFE, SUPERNATURAL INVESTIGATOR. Film: VIRAL BEAUTY, THE FLY ROOM, OFF-DUTY.Off-Broadway: THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL; (Red Bull Theater); PERICLES, COMEDY OF ERRORS (Public Theater). Regional: THE CRUCIBLE, YENTL (Cleveland Playhouse); TROUBLEMAKER (Berkeley Repertory Theatre); SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION (Williamstown Theatre Festival); HENRY V (Two River Theater); LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST (Chautauqua Theater Company). Other New York: DANNYKRISDONNAVERONICA, JULIUS CAESAR (Wheelhouse Theater); AT THE TABLE (Fault Line Theatre); HABIT (P.S. 122)

Patricia Phillips

American actress and singer Patricia Phillips has altered the history of American Broadway theatre, twice. Known for her power-house soprano, Patricia’s is the first woman of color to portray the Tony Award winning role of Carlotta in the longest running show in Broadway history, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. She is also the only woman of color to appear in KINKY BOOTS on Broadway. Classically trained at Carnegie Mellon University, Patricia has a wide range of stage and film credits including the Emmy Award winning Live at Lincoln Center production of SWEENEY TODD starring EMMA THOMPSON, the US premier of JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA at Carnegie Hall starring Harvey Keitel, the Tony Award winning productions of BAZ LUHRMANN’S LA BOHÈME (OBC), THE SECRET GARDEN (OBC) and THE SOUND OF MUSIC (OBC Revival). She can be heard on three original cast recordings on DreamWorks, Columbia and RCA.

Some of Patricia’s television credits include BILLY ON THE STREET, SHADES OF BLUE, THE TONY AWARDS and THE SOPRANOS. Her film credits include EVERYBODY’S FINE where she performed alongside Robert De Niro. Patricia has appeared as the guest soloist with many symphony orchestras including The Pittsburgh Symphony, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Minnesota Orchestra, The Indianapolis Symphony, The Bay Area Symphony, The Harrisburg Symphony, The Sioux City Symphony, and The Virginia Symphony.

Patricia currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at The New York Film Academy and New Jersey City University. She taught previously at Carnegie Mellon University, NYU Tisch New Studio on Broadway and at The Hun School in Princeton.

Patricia Lives in the greater New York City area where she savors dual citizenship between the United States and Italy and she will always consider her son, DIF, her finest production of all time.

Robert Pietri

BFA, Carnegie Mellon University; MFA, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Dean’s Fellow. Robert has worked in several mediums and genres, from live-action narrative to animation and documentary. His films have been in competition at festivals around the world, including AFI/DOCs, Animafest Zagreb, Annecy, BFI London Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival. Pietri served in the United States Marines Corps and worked for years as an art director before committing himself to filmmaking. His first feature, Semper Fidel, was shot in Havana, Cuba. Robert continues to work and develop projects internationally.

Johanna Pinzler

Johanna directs at regional theaters and college theater programs in New York City. She teaches acting, directing and comedy at Marymount Manhattan College and NYFA’s Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre. She serves as an Artistic Associate at Summer Rep Theatre in Santa Rosa, CA.

Huch Platt

Avid Pro Tools HD Certified Instructor, Owner Majestic Sound Studios, Foley Mixer, Dialog Editor Flags for Our Fathers, Dialog Editor Black Dawn and Stranger by Me. Huch has dedicated his life to teaching the art and craft of Film Sound and helping new filmmakers achieve amazing Sound Design.

Mike Poole

Mike Poole is a writer, comedian, and improvisor whose credits include The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Amber
Ruffin Show, Improv Everywhere, and The Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater. He teaches improv and acting at AMDA and UCB Theater, and is excited to be returning to NYFA for their summer program.

Jacquelyn Portillo TA Coordinator

Jacquelyn Portillo is the 2025 TA Coordinator for the New York Film Academy’s Teen Summer Campus in New York City. She has been involved with NYFA since 2018 and brings a strong background in media production, video editing, photography, and graphic design. During the academic year, Jacquelyn works as a high school multimedia teacher and continues to pursue her passion for visual storytelling as a freelance photographer. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys exploring the arts and visiting museums throughout the city.

Michelle Potterf

Michelle Potterf’s Bio-
Michelle came to NYFA from a 9-year run in the Musical CHICAGO on Broadway where she played Go-to-Hell Kitty and the understudy for the lead, Roxie Hart. She was also chosen to work side by side with Ms. Ann Reinking as the Dance Captain for Chicago the Musical on Broadway. Michelle has also had the privilege of constructing and overseeing a special one night performance by the incredible Chita Rivera at the Hotel Pierre. Michelle has danced professionally in such productions as Crazy For You (International tour), The Will Rogers Follies (National Tour), Beauty and the Beast (Walt Disney World.) She has been a featured dancer in the remake of the Stepford Wives movie and as a featured Dancer in a National Ebay commercial directed by Sam Mendes, as well as many other TV appearances. She has also taught dance in the NYC Public school system through The National Dance Institute under the direction of the legendary Jacques d’Amboise. Michelle earned a BFA in Dance from Missouri State University. Currently she is head of the dance department within the Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre at the New York Film Academy.

Jenni Powell

Jenni Powell is the Emmy Award-winning producer of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Welcome to Sanditon, lonelygirl15, Emma Approved, and The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy. For two years she was Director of Content and Social Media for VidCon and was a producer at Felicia Day’s YouTube Premium Channel Geek & Sundry, where she produced the Geekie Award-Winning Talkin’ Comics Weekly. She was Head of Production for NewMediaRockstars (rebranded to NewRockstars after her tenure) and is now tapping into her deep love of role-playing games, which she has been playing for over 20 years, by creating strategies for translating them from the game table to a consumable and entertaining visual medium. She is also a Faculty member of the New York Film Academy where she teaches Story Generation, New Media, and Transmedia (tabletop games, role-playing games, web series, and more).

Ray Preziosi

Primarily a feature film director of photography, Ray Preziosi’s film credits include: “Topsy and Bunker” with Kathy Najimi; “Italian Movie” with James Gandolfini; “Frog and Wombat” featuring Ronny Cox and Lindsay Wagner; “Big Packages”; and the Victorian era period film “Family Secrets.” Working with Saul and Elaine Bass, Ray Preziosi shot title sequences for “A River Runs Through It,” directed by Robert Redford, and “Casino,” directed by Martin Scorsese. Besides feature film experience, Ray Preziosi has also photographed many short films.

Ray’s documentary credits include “NY TV by the People Who Made It,” for which he received an Emmy nomination. A few of Ray’s nationally airing documentaries include “The Music of Ireland” series; History Channel’s Mega-Movers “Intrepid: On the Move”; “Francis Scott Key and the Song that Built America”; and “FS Key, After the Song,” among others.

Jen Prince

Jen Prince is a producer/director/editor with an MFA in Film Production from USC and a BFA in Acting and BA in Plan II Liberal Arts from UT Austin (Phi Beta Kappa). Her recent feature credits include 7000 Miles, Miles Underwater, Quality Problems, and And Then There Was Eve. She has worked in reality post-production television as well on shows such as The Amazing Race and The Contender (Mark Burnett Productions). Jen also recently produced Virtual Reality content for the Beijing Olympic Games (NBC), which was nominated for a Sports Emmy in Digital Innovation. Jen is a member of the PGA and Alliance of Women Directors.

Robert Pucci Academic Advisor

BA with honors in Economics, Gettysburg College; JD, Washington College of Law at American University; Licensed Attorney, NY and NJ; Writer The Corruptor New Line Cinema; Writer The Spider & The Fly Paramount Television, Writer of the fiction novel, In Harlem’s Way.

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