Emory Law School Website

Janet Metzger is an adjunct professor here at Emory, teaching Courtroom Persuasion Drama where students learn performance KEPTT communications skills. She has served as a communications consultant for NITA programs at Baker Botts, Jones Day and the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy. She has presented CLE programs at Alston & Bird, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and Georgia Association of Women Lawyers. In addition, she consults with leading expert witnesses on becoming a first class witness and teacher.  Metzger’s acting credits span over three decades in the Atlanta area.  Most recently she appeared in Lettice and Lovage at the Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern and multiple characters in the internationally acclaimed Anne Frank: Within and Without at the Center For Puppetry Arts. She has appeared in two episodes of Blue Collar TV and can be seen as Jeff Foxworthy’s mom on the DVD Jeff Foxworthy’s Big Night Out. She is also a vocalist with two solo jazz recordings. www.janetmetzger.com

Richard Herren left a career as a construction engineer to pursue a career in theater. Herren has been a professional actor in Atlanta since 1994 where he has worked with Seven Stages, The Atlanta Shakespeare Company, Jewish Theatre of the South and Dad’s Garage. He has also worked with the Nashville Shakespeare Company, Raleigh’s Theater in the Park and Vito Montone’s production of In Translation in Augusta. You may hear his voice in TV and radio voice overs. Herren has been a drama coach for this program for many years, and has worked with Janet Metzger consulting with expert witnesses.

A born performer, Debra Nelson began her corporate career as a trainer with IBM.  But after working in sales & marketing with Bellsouth and AT&T, her desire to be more creative remained.  Starting with a role as an extra in a Mrs. Winner’s commercial, she went on to appear in hundreds of industrial films, dozens of  commercials, stage, radio, TV (Karen Brock, Assistant D.A. on In The Heat of The Night, Head Nurse on October Road, an ABC drama, and Emily, the very snobby lady from church, this season on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) and film (Assistant to the Dean in Stomp The Yard and a soon to be released comedy starring Ben Stiller).

A multi-talented actor, James Donadio has appeared on stage, screen, and television, most recently appearing as Col. Wiley Johnson in Pure Confidence at Theatrical Outfit and is currently in a national commercial for Coke Zero. In addition to performing, he has a background in directing, teaching, fight choreography, screenwriting, and film and television production. 

The first Director of the Masters of Fine Arts Program for the Univ. of Alabama at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, James created the curriculum and all aspects of that professional actor training program.  His teaching resume also includes Guest Artist/Artist in Residency at The American Academy, the University of Southern California, San Francisco State University, the University of Wisconsin, Tulane, and Emory University.

This is James’ second term with KEPTT.

Nevaina Rhodes, a graduate of the School of Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has helped actors, teachers and lawyers to tap into their creative power, natural instincts and emotional arsenals to be more effective, compelling and articulate communicators. As a dynamic motivational speaker, Rhodes has helped audiences of young people and women tap into the wealth of worth, identity, and self empowerment.

An accomplished actor, Rhodes has appeared on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, One Tree Hill, and Lifetime’s new hit series, Army Wives. She recently completed the feature film The New Daughter, working along side Kevin Costner.

New to the KEPTT program, John Atwood has spent the last 30 years performing in, writing, and directing corporate training and marketing productions. Along the way, he has also taken the occasional turn in various commercials, network TV and features.

Theresa O’Shea has been a delivery skills instructor, or “Drama Coach,” for Emory’s KEPTT since the mid-80s (before it was called KEPTT).  She spent 18 years as an adjunct professor in public speaking, and has taught at Georgia State University, Tulane University and the University of Georgia.  She currently serves as an editor and writer for the Southern Center for International Studies, a nonprofit based in Atlanta. 

Marcus Durham has acted, directed, taught and choreographed with such companies as Theatrical Outfit, The Atlanta Stage Combat Studio, The Atlanta Ballet, Mercer University and Clayton State University. As an actor his work has included various recorded and live industrial projects as well as performances with the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Theatre in the Square and The Atlanta Opera. His most recent appearance was in the critically acclaimed production, Of Mice & Men, at the New American Shakespeare Theatre. This is his first year with KEPTT.

Helen Ingebritsen currently trains attorneys with the NITA program “Developing Deposition Skills.”  Role playing includes standardized patients for chiropractic training and "job applicants" for human resource departments.  She performed in and facilitated interactive educational theatre productions with Stop Gap Theatre. 

You may have seen her in the film Walk the Line and Georgia Lottery commercials.