Adam Lavinsky
Owner / General Manager
School of Rock East Cobb is owned and operated by Adam Lavinsky, who discovered his love for music when he started playing a drum set at the age of six. Adam graduated from Berklee College of Music where he studied Music Business and was the original drummer for Columbia recording artist Passion Pit. He currently plays drums for the Atlanta-based band, Waller and Asheville, NC-based rock group Ryan Sheffield and The Highhills.
Shannon McNairy
General Manager
Shannon McNairy has been performing on stage since she was a kid. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Shannon joined the School of Rock East Cobb family in June 2021. She plays drums, bass, guitar, and sings around town when she isn’t playing dolls with her daughter, Cora. Shannon has worked at several different School of Rock locations across the country over the past ten years, and loves to make people laugh with her incredible sense of humor. ;) Her favorite rock drummers are John Bonham, Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, and Neal Peart, but she is a Swiftie at heart.
James Deveau
Vocal Teacher, Keyboard Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher, Co-Music Director
James DeVeau is a Yankee turned Georgia boy. Born in Syracuse, NY, he moved to Georgia as a kid and has been here ever since! James can play anything with strings. James plays all around town with JERB, The Fixins, and also writes and plays his original music. Influences include, but are not limited to, Pink Floyd, Fleet Foxes, Vulfpeck, and Tears for Fears. James also does work in audio production, plays a mean game of tennis, and loves dogs. Fun fact: he is colorblind!
Ashton May
Vocal Teacher, Bass Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Co-Music Director.
Ashton May is primarily a vocalist who just so happens to be great at several instruments, including bass, guitar, keyboards, and vibraslap. Ashton plays in several bands across the Atlanta area, including The Hearsay (check their new album out on your favorite streaming platform) and Arcside, and also performs solo multiple times a month at venues around town. You won’t find a bigger Taylor Swift fan than Ashton, but she also enjoys listening to Metric, Third Eye Blind, David Bowie, and Paramore.
Radley Fricker
Rookies Director and Drum Teacher
Radley Fricker grew up in Marietta, GA where he spent his formative years studying drums and percussion privately and participating in school and community ensembles. While enrolled as a Jazz Studies major at Georgia State University, Radley joined the funk band Newberry Jam as a founding member while participating in numerous live and studio productions as a sideman. Currently Radley occupies the drum chair for Atlanta bands The Difference Machine and Heavy Chevy and performs on percussion with The Ruination and Batuque Brasil. In addition to performing, he maintains a passion for teaching drum students of all ages and backgrounds. Radley's teaching philosophy emphasizes that YOU are the instrument - whether you play drum set, sleigh bells or slide whistle - and that "grooving" is an essentially human concept. Just make sure you bring enough for the rest of the class!
Chayse "Dusty" Pannell
Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Piano Teacher
Chayse Pannell is an Atlanta actor and musician. He has been playing guitar and piano since age 11 and has always had a passion for sharing his knowledge and talent with others. Chayse has a knack for playing songs by ear and learning new instruments easily. He has worked with children as an acting coach, mentor and music teacher for the past three years. Former students of his have gone on to study musical theatre in college and won awards for their craft.
Timothy Kohler
Keyboard Teacher, Singing Teacher, Guitar Teacher, Bass Guitar Teacher, Drum Teacher
Justin Cerasiello
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Justin is a Marietta, Georgia native guitarist and musician. Being raised on Rock, Jazz, Funk, and R&B, he has a wide range of musical influences. Over the years, Justin has studied with several A-list musicians in the Atlanta area, including Barry Richman, Sam Skelton, Trey Wright, and Jimmy Cypher. He has also studied with guitar greats, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, Andy Timmons, Doug Doppler, and Frank Zappa’s guitarist Mike Keneally. Justin has toured around the country playing hundreds of shows over the last 5 years. He has played all types of live musical events ranging from festivals to weddings, private corporate events, and parties of all kinds.
Judson Gann
Guitar Teacher, Bass Teacher
Judson is a fun-loving guy who also happens to be an incredible guitarist. A former student of School of Rock East Cobb, Judson was a member of the House Band for 2 years. He writes, composes, and produces his own music in his free time, along with dabbling in underwater basket weaving. Judson was a professional motocross racer, and can run real fast too. Another neat fact about Judson is that he fosters cats, and loves all animals
Saoirse Russell
Vocal Teacher
Saoirse (pronounced seer-shuh) plays around town with Velvet Willow and works on her personal music in her spare time. A fun fact about Saoirse is that she was a student at School of Rock several years ago, and a member of our House Band. Her favorite color is purple and she has a kitten named Beef. A couple of her vocal influences are Stevie Nicks and Ann Wilson. Saoirse's creativity and energetic personality bring so much joy to the school!
Emma Knight
Studio Coordinator
Emma is the bright, shining face you’ll see when you walk in the front door of School of Rock East Cobb! Her hobbies include cooking, making jewelry, and creating all of the cute signage you see around the school. One of Emma’s favorite artists is Dolly Parton, and she comes from a super musical family. Emma made an awesome Pumpkin Spice Latte costume for Halloween this year, and her favorite color is pink!