Leadership Bios
Debi Janea
Academy Director
Debi Janea was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She spent her earliest years in London, England, and moved to Pensacola when she was 7 years old. Debi grew up on the Pensacola stage and in theaters throughout town. She trained from age 7 to 18 at the Ballet Pensacola Academy under the instruction of Rio Barlow, Bobby Ball, Nannette Grimm, Richard Steinert, and Christine Duhon.
At the age of 18, she was offered a soloist contract with the professional company. Janea became a principal dancer with the company at age 24 and has performed countless roles for the Pensacola community, including The Sugar Plum Fairy, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and Katrina in The Headless Horseman. Debi has also performed on stages in North Carolina, Biloxi and Jackson Mississippi, and Atlanta, Georgia. At age 17, Janea began her training in proper student development and ballet instruction while also beginning her career in choreography with the Pensacola Little Theatre.
She is heavily trained in the Cecchetti method and is well-versed in many other styles of ballet, including Vaganova, Bournonville, and Balanchine. Over the past 10 years of being a teacher and choreographer, Mrs. Debi has worked with several ballet schools and high schools in the community. She choreographs/teaches annually with the Pensacola Opera children’s summer program and is also the choreographer for Navarre High School’s drama department. Debi began teaching dance at Navarre High School in 2018 and has directed/choreographed several musicals with them, such as Little Shop of Horrors, Newsies, Grease, Footloose, and Rock of Ages.
In 2020, Debi Janea was appointed Academy Director and Interim Artistic Director of Ballet Pensacola. She directed her own original production of Ballet Pensacola’s Snow White to conclude their 2020-2021 Season. Janea is now focused on the Ballet Pensacola Academy and its steadily growing enrollment numbers. Her curriculum for the academy includes the influence of her base training in the Cecchetti method while pulling valuable lessons from other styles and teachings. Debi implements her knowledge of student learning to develop young dancers into well-versed professionals ready for the ballet world. Mrs. Debi was recently nominated and selected as one of InWeekly’s Pensacola Rising Stars of 2023 and also won “Best Rising Leader” for Pensacola’s annual Best of the Coast awards. Under her direction, the Ballet Pensacola Academy has also been awarded Best Dance Studio of Pensacola for the past three seasons.
Debi Janea is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary Through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She recently also received a certification in Progressing Ballet Technique: Junior, Senior, and Advanced programs.
Sara Williamson
Director of Operations
Sara Williamson was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida. Her early years were marked by a passion for hockey—playing for the Jr. Pensacola Ice Pilots before continuing in the sport through the Blues Angel Hockey League, which her father founded. After hanging up her skates, she remained connected to the game by becoming a certified referee.
Sara earned her Associate of Arts degree from Pensacola State College, followed by a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of West Florida.
In 2020, Sara joined Ballet Pensacola as Office Manager. Her dedication, organizational strengths, and commitment to the company’s mission led to her promotion to Executive Assistant in 2023, and then to Director of Operations in 2025. In her current role, Sara supports the artistic and administrative teams, contributing to the continued growth and success of the organization.
Through her work, Sara has developed a deep appreciation for what Ballet Pensacola brings to both its students and the greater Pensacola community. She is proud to be part of a team that fosters creativity, discipline, and artistic excellence.
Veronica Ramirez Casanova
Company Director
Veronica Ramirez Casanova was born in Cali, Colombia, where she began her dance training at the age of 10 at the Colombian Institute for Classical Ballet (INCOLBALLET) under the artistic direction of Gloria Castro Martinez. In 2007, she graduated as a professional ballet dancer and launched her career with the Compañía Colombiana de Ballet (CCB), where she danced as a soloist for a decade.
Throughout her career, Veronica has performed a variety of principal roles in ballets such as Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Paquita, Carmina Burana, and many others. Her versatility extends to modern and contemporary works, collaborating with renowned choreographers like Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Jorge Amarante.
In addition, Veronica has toured internationally, performing in Mexico, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Honduras. She has also danced at international festivals in Cali and Bogotá (Colombia) as well as Tabasco and Campeche (Mexico), sharing the stage with internationally recognized dancers such as Viengsay Valdés.
In 2017, Veronica transitioned into a teaching role at the Compañía Colombiana de Danza Contemporánea, where she began mentoring the next generation of dancers. Her journey led her to Orlando, Florida, in 2018, where she joined Emotions Dance Company for two seasons.
Veronica became part of Ballet Pensacola in 2020, when she was promoted to principal dancer of the professional company, performing leading roles. She also participated in Pensacola Opera’s musical theater production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel. Since 2023, Veronica has been an integral part of Ballet Pensacola’s artistic staff, serving as Assistant to the Artistic Director and Rehearsal Assistant for the Professional Company for two seasons.
In 2025, she was appointed Company Director of the Professional Company and staged Don Quixote for the spring production to conclude the 2024/2025 season. Alongside her leadership responsibilities, Veronica is a dedicated teacher for advanced students at the Ballet Pensacola Academy and manages the Pre-Professional Program division.
Veronica complements her experience with certifications in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and Cuban Ballet School methodology. She also attended the CPYB teachers’ workshops at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet during the summers of 2023 and 2024.
Dominic Krippes
Production & Technical Manager
Dominic Krippes has an extensive background in performance and production. His current commitments include technical direction for the Pensacola Children’s Chorus and graduate studies with the FSU School of Theatre in their technical production MFA program. He has also provided service to Pensacola Opera, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, and the Saenger Theatre. Dominic has utilized a BA in theatre design & technology from UWF to build a career in his hometown while branching out to venues across the country.
“Theatre captured my heart as a child and I never wanted to leave.”
Place of Birth: Pensacola, FL
One word to describe why you do your artform: “LOVE”
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite production you have worked on: Hairspray Broadway Tour
Dream Role in the future: Seymour - Little Shop of Horrors
Favorite Choreographer: Darren McIntyre
Favorite Traditional Ballet: The Nutcracker
Favorite Cuisine/Dish: Thai Green Curry
Favorite Hobby: Podcasts
Fun Fact About Me: I take voice lessons
What would you like your audience/community to gain from your performances/productions: An appreciation for the collective experience.
Travis S. Roth, M.D.
Orthopedic Sports Medicine Consultant
Travis Roth, M.D., is an orthopaedic and sports medicine physician with Baptist Health Care and Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, an affiliate of Baptist Health Care. He completed medical school at the University of South Alabama, a residency at Orlando Health, and his sports medicine fellowship at the American Sports Medicine Institute/Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. A native of the Pensacola community, Dr. Roth proudly returned home to establish his sports medicine practice with Andrews Institute, following in the footsteps of his father, Charles Roth, M.D. He carries on the family legacy of caring for the community as well as the dancers of Ballet Pensacola, as his father had for over a decade. In addition to his practice where he sees patients of many ages and orthopaedic concerns, Dr. Roth is also the Andrews Institute team physician for West Florida High School.
Andrews Institute Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is proud to be the official sports medicine provider for Ballet Pensacola. The Andrews Institute is an organizational member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS). Feel free to reach out to Matt or Kathleen via email at SportsMedicineOutreach@TheAndrewsInstitute.com with any questions or sports medicine appointment needs. Ballet Pensacola administrators can also connect you with the Sports Medicine Outreach team upon request.
Matt McGraw
Certified Athletic Trainer
Matt McGraw, M.S., ATC, PES, CES, has been a certified athletic trainer for over 15 years and has worked in a variety of settings. Some of his previous work includes two years of collegiate athletic training experience as a graduate assistant for University of West Florida Athletics and three years at Sewanee: The University of the South. He has been with Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, an affiliate of Baptist Health Care, for more than 11 years. His experience with Andrews Institute has included one year as the athletic trainer at Northview High School, five years working with Andrews Institute Rehabilitation, and five years with the Sports Medicine Outreach department as the regional athletic training liaison. Matt has concurrently been working with the Ballet Pensacola company dancers for over 11 seasons.
Matt has a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from the University of West Alabama and a Master of Science degree in exercise science from the University of West Florida. He also holds certifications as a performance enhancement specialist and corrective exercise specialist. Matt has earned national certification as an athletic trainer and has a state of Florida athletic trainer license. He enjoys taking in the local arts and has enjoyed learning more about ballet after years of working with the talented and athletic professionals at Ballet Pensacola.
Kathleen McGraw
Certified Athletic Trainer
Kathleen Martin McGraw, M.S., ATC, has been a certified athletic trainer for over 15 years, including two years of collegiate-level experience as a graduate assistant with Oklahoma State University Athletics. She has been with Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, an affiliate of Baptist Health Care, for more than 13 years. Her experience with Baptist Health Care has included a combined five years as the Andrews Institute athletic trainer at Northview High School, Tate High School, and Central School, two years working with an Andrews Institute non-surgical sports medicine physician practice, and over five years working with the leadership and administration of the Sports Medicine Outreach department, including her current role as the sports medicine manager.
Kathleen has concurrently worked with the Ballet Pensacola company dancers for over 11 seasons. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from the University of Georgia, a Master of Science degree in health education and promotion from Oklahoma State University, and is nationally certified and licensed in the state of Florida as an athletic trainer. Kathleen studied ballet for a decade while growing up and developed a lifelong love for ballet and the arts. She is grateful for the opportunity to combine her passions for athletic training and ballet to help keep the dancers of Ballet Pensacola healthy and doing what they love.