Executive Director - David W. Griffin is the founder of the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy and brings multiple years of experience in education and special event coordinating in arts initiatives. David received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1991 with an emphasis in Piano Performance and K-12 Choral Music. He received his Masters Degree in Secondary Educational Administration from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002. He spent the first 5 years of his teaching career at Waverly Shell-Rock Jr. High School and is currently in his twelfth year of teaching middle school choral music in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He currently teaches choral music at Harding Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

David’s creative and innovative teaching style has earned him many awards and special recognitions in and around the state of Iowa, including; the Alternative Services Child Advocate Volunteer Award, the Golden Apple Award, "Teacher of the Day" award by the Iowa House of Representatives, "Teacher of the Week" in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, director of the 1996 Boys Opus Honor Choir, and has been featured in numerous newspaper articles and publications around Iowa. He has written a middle school general music curriculum called, "Junk Rhythm", and is completing the process of publishing the "Junk Rhythm" method book. He founded and directed the Cedar Rapids Young Artists Festival from 2000-2004, and, played a key role in the development and implementation of McKinley Middle School of the Arts in 1999. David is currently working on one of his biggest projects, "The Eastern Iowa Arts Academy".

Administrative Director - Janet Oja brings 25 years of Community Volunteering experience to our organization. While Janet has volunteered in this community for 25 years she has also been able to work in the private sector in the Health field, Education field and Marketing arena.

She volunteered in the Cedar Rapids school district for 12 years, serving as PTA Treasurer, many committee chairs, and worked for five years organizing and designing the high school men’s soccer program at Washington High School. She was recognized as Outstanding Volunteer during her tenure. Janet has volunteered for the American Red Cross for the past nine years responding to local and national disasters; she also is a committee member for the Big B*A*S*H fundraiser. In 2008 she was recognized for Outstanding Humanitarian Leadership for the Grant Wood Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.

I am very fortunate and honored to be a part of the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy “After School Program.”

Arts Director - Julia Kottal is a professional artist. She has studied painting both on the East Coast and California and completed her B.A. at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She has been awarded the Susan Bauman Prized in painting consecutively and has artwork in the permanent collection of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Her work is in galleries and collections throughout the region. She is a member of the Cedar River Artisan's and is listed in the Iowa Arts Council's, Artist Directory. Julia exhibits regionally in solo and group shows. Julia is passionate about art and art history and enjoys sharing her knowledge with the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy.