Specialists Bios

Lou Veramessa

Kodály Vocal Instructor - Toddler and Preschool

Lou Veramessa is a music educator, vocalist, composer, pianist, ukuleleist, director, songwriter, performer, and poet hailing from the Virginias. She believes that singing is a catalyst for human expression, emotional healing, creativity, and is passionate about helping others discover their inner artist through their voice.

As an educator, Lou has been a community organizer for inclusive music spaces, including facilitating ukulele jam sessions at music festivals, leading drum circles, and co-directing collegiate musicals. She has served as an arranger, choreographer, soloist, and album curator for an award-winning a cappella group Unaccompanied. She recently wrote and produced choral parts for Bay Area indie-folk band Westerly's upcoming studio album, and has directed numerous professional, community, and church choirs.

Lou received her BM in Vocal Music Education in 2019 from James Madison University in VA, soloing in over eight languages and singing jazz improvisation. Currently, she directs two community choirs: VOENA, a nonprofit community childrens' choir, and Expressions, a choir she co-founded in February 2023 in Berkeley. She performs in a jazz pop band Muwa, hikes, and spends time outdoors with her tuxedo cat Jupiter.

Laney McClain Armstrong

Kodály Vocal Instructor - Elementary

Laney is a lifelong singer and Oakland native. She is a music educator and musician who has worked with children’s choirs throughout her career. Laney has a BA from Harvard University in Afro-American Studies, and degrees in Choral Conducting from the University of Oregon and the University of Washington. In the past, she has taught middle and high school, and worked at the Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Girls Chorus. In her spare time, she wrangles her four daughters, reads, cooks, and runs (slowly). She began working at TRIS in 2017.

Natalia LaRoche

Art Instructor - Primary

Natalia studied Russian Language and Literature at the Teacher Training Institute, and Art Theory and Art Instruction at the Mari State University. Natalia worked for ten years teaching art to elementary aged children in Russia before coming to the United States. Natalia also has an Early Childhood Education background and 19 years of art teaching experience. Over the years, she has developed her own, unique teaching method and has developed the current art programs at TRIS for primary-aged students. Natalia started teaching at the Toddler and Preschool levels at TRIS in 2000.