THE ADVISORY BOARD

  • Bianca Bocconi earned her master’s degree in School Counseling from Brooklyn College, where she developed a commitment to integrating social-emotional learning into the classroom. Since 2019, she has partnered with Only Make Believe, supporting its mission to bring the magic of live theater to children facing medical and developmental challenges.

    Her background in special education includes work as an ABA instructor, special education teacher, and school administrator, specializing in supporting students on the autism spectrum from 18 months to 21 years old. As an administrator at an independent ABA school, Bianca guided families through admissions, built community partnerships and vocational programs, and created extracurricular opportunities that fostered holistic growth. She also helped families access OPWDD services for continued support.

    Bianca is passionate about the transformative impact of Only Make Believe, believing in the power of creativity and performance to inspire confidence, joy, and connection in every child.

  • Nadia Rose was introduced to Only Make Believe by D.C. Regional Board Chair and National Board Member, Sarah Rosand. Nadia Rose started volunteering with Only Make Believe when it first came to D.C. in 2012 as a photographer at donor and volunteer events. The more she learned about Only Make Believe, the more she fell in love with the organization. She continued as a volunteer and later became an intern, where she worked behind the scenes in the office, attended live shows, and facilitated corporate events. Nadia Rose was born and raised in Washington, D.C. She attended Lehigh University and received her B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development, Child Language, and Social Inequality. She is a recent graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Education where she received her M.S. in Elementary Education and Special Education.

  • Megan has been a DC educator since 2016.She teaches students receiving full-time special education services at Garfield Elementary School and received her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and Urban Teachers in 2018. In 2020, she returned to Johns Hopkins and Urban Teachers as an adjunct professor for special education. Megan has seen the impact Only Make Believe has on her student’s joy and imagination and is excited to be on the DC Junior Board. Megan lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband.

  • Ryan hails from the D.C./NoVa area and worked as an actor with OMB in NYC for 7 years. He has a degree in Foreign Languages from George Mason University and La Universidad de Salamanca. 

    Ryan is an actor and writer who has performed on Broadway in Gettin’ the Band Back Together and Shrek and many shows Off-Broadway including Joy, Titanique, Altar Boyz (Drama League nom), Nassim, Liberty, Soul Doctor among others. He has performed regionally in such theaters as Ford’s Theatre (D.C.), Signature Theatre (VA), Good Theatre (ME), Studio Theatre (D.C.), Goodspeed (CT), Long Wharf (CT), 5th Avenue Theatre (WA), Lyric Theatre (OK), Temple Theatre (NC), and got his start in the dinner theatre circuit of the D.C. area. In film and tv he has been seen in “Blue Bloods”, “He’s With Me”, In Stereo, I Don’t Believe in That, Obits, and others. 

    Ryan has also worked with student playwrights for over 19 years with the Theatre Development Fund, has been a teaching artist and performance workshop instructor and volunteered with organizations such as NY Cares, the African Services Committee, ASTEP, the IRC, and others. He also currently works as an online Simulation Specialist for Mursion and live Simulation Specialist with Neil Cerbone Associates. During his time as an OMB actor, Ryan worked with colleagues to translate a few of the show into Spanish for a vulnerable population. 

  • A profoundly Deaf theatre artist and filmmaker equally fluent in English and American Sign Language, Garrett Zuercher (he/him) holds an MFA in playwriting, summa cum laude, from Hunter College, the first and only profoundly Deaf person to ever earn this degree. As the founding artistic director of Deaf Broadway, Garrett directed an acclaimed all-Deaf, all-ASL staging of Jonathan Larson’s RENT in the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center in April of 2024 as part of their American Songbook series. In July of 2025, he produced a smash all-Deaf, all-ASL staging of WAITRESS THE MUSICAL as part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City festival, Deaf Broadway’s fifth year in a row presenting a musical on the Damrosch Stage and sixth production overall at Lincoln Center during the same period. As a writer, Garrett’s plays have been performed at such prestigious institutions as the Kennedy Center and The Shed and garnered many notable awards and honors. Most recently, Garrett was the first profoundly Deaf person selected to attend BMI’s legendary Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop where he currently studies bookwriting. As a filmmaker, his latest short, Flirting (With Possibilities) continues to rack up awards and honors at festivals around the globe, including a triple crown of nominations for Garrett – Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor – at the international Clin d’Oeil Festival in Reims, France. A previous short film, The Witnesses, won the Seattle Deaf Film Festival competition in 2020. He has also made many other shorts honored by the Easter Seals Disability Film Competition, including The Chase in 2021 and The Box in 2019. Dedicated to bringing authentic Deaf voices to the mainstream, he is a staunch advocate for awareness and representation within the theater and film industries. For more, please visit garrettzuercher.com. He is incredibly honored and grateful to be involved with an institution as vitally impactful as Only Make Believe.

  • Kristala Pouncy Smart is extremely excited be a member of the OMB Advisory Board. She joined Only Make Believe as an actor in D.C. When she moved away in 2018, Kristala always hoped there would be a way to reconnect with OMB. She is currently a Theatre Teacher at Darby Vassal Upper School and Amigos in Cambridge, MA. Recently, she worked as a teaching artist with the Young Company at American Repertory Theater, The Boch Center, and Central Square Theater. Kristala holds a Master of Fine Arts from Eastern Michigan University in the Drama and Theatre for the Young program, a Master of Arts in Theatre from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Kalamazoo College. Kristala is currently in the Boston area but spent time living, performing, and teaching throughout Michigan, Chicago, Los Angeles, Alabama, Maine and the DC/Maryland/Virginia area.

  • Ian Anthony Coleman (him) is a Black, Queer director, choreographer, and educator from Washington, DC. A bold storyteller specializing in world-building and reimagining classics, he is a versatile director whose range extends from intimate new works to large-scale musicals. He was a member of the Acting Company of Only Make Believe (OMB) from 2015–2021 and is thrilled to re-engage with the organization as a member of its Advisory Board.

    Ian is currently pursuing his MFA in Directing at the University of California, San Diego. Prior to beginning his graduate studies, he was an active artist and advocate within the DC theatre scene for over a decade. He recently served as the Performing Arts Director at the Barrie School, where he directed and choreographed over twenty productions, and was a Lead Teaching Artist at Round House Theatre. His directing work has been seen at institutions including The Catholic University of America, Montgomery College, and Creative Cauldron. As an actor, he has performed nationally and internationally with companies such as Signature Theatre, Arena Stage, Olney Theatre Center, and The Kennedy Center.

    Ian graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in International Relations & Politics and a minor in French & Francophone Studies. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association.

  • As a proud native of Washington, D.C., I have an unwavering passion for all our sports teams! For over seven years, I have volunteered with Only Make Believe, a wonderful organization where I can immerse myself in the creative world of costume design. I particularly love crafting costumes that dazzle and shine, glitter and bling that bring joy to children’s faces. I also engage with several other nonprofit organizations throughout the city, contributing to causes close to my heart. To honor my brother, I also manage a foundation/non-profit (For John) that reflects his spirit and passion for helping others. I am honored to join the advisory board; I am filled with excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead!

  • Yetta Myrick is the mother of a young adult son diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability. She is the Founder and President of DC Autism Parents (DCAP), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the District of Columbia.  Ms. Myrick leads the DC Autism Collaborative’s Developmental Monitoring, Screening, and Evaluation Subgroup and Family Advisory Group, as well as co-leads the Outreach and Education Subgroup, and the Community Resources and Support Subgroup.  She served as the Parent Educator/Advocate on the ECHO Autism HUB Team at Children’s National Hospital from 2021-2025.  She was appointed to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee by Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, J.D., and served as a Public Member from 2021-2025.  Additionally, Ms. Myrick is a member of the DC Developmental Disabilities Council and was awarded the 2024 Advocate in Equity Award by the DC Developmental Disability Awareness Month Planning Committee.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies from The Catholic University of America.