About Us
MKS Studio began as a private music lessons studio founded by homeschool mom and musician Monica Koffi, where she offered private instruction for piano, voice, guitar, ukulele, and choirs. 5 years later, the studio grew beyond capacity and MKS was birthed. Established in 2021, our goal is to offer the best classes to youth in the metro area and beyond. We foster a love of learning, and love of music, and a love of the arts from a Christian perspective.
Our Staff
Monica Koffi -
Owner and Operator
Hi, my name is Monica Koffi, and I am a Christian, a wife and mother, and a musician. After deciding to homeschool full time in 2012, my entire understanding of education changed. As my family and I traveled through this learning process, I fell in love with learning. In 2015, I was inspired to start a private music lesson studio to share this love of learning with others through private instruction, teaching classes, and conducting choirs. Since then, I’ve had the honor of meeting and sharing my teaching with adults and kids all across the country. On a normal week, you will find me serving on my church worship team on piano, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, or voice, or leading worship for women’s events and bible studies. I love to push others and pour into them my knowledge and passion for Christ, music, and education. As my studio has grown, I wanted to give the chance for more people to come along on this journey with us, and MKS studio was birthed! With it’s launch, I’ve teamed up with some amazing teachers to offer the best opportunities for others to grow in their education process, so that they can also fall in love with learning!
Every lesson is passed down from her family to yours!
Kristen Culver - Operations Manager and Accountant
Hi, my name is Kristen Culver and I’m the new Content Strategist for MKS studio. As a Christian homeschooling mom with 2 kids, I have spent a lot of time planning and organizing the learning process to nurture integrity, morality, and character in my children. Our family loves to travel, and I run a blog about our adventures on the road called, "The Local Travelers". I am also owner and operator of DKC Local Designs, which designs and sells personalized marketing materials. My daughter, Rylee, has taken piano lessons with Miss Monica, and has blossomed! Seeing how this studio has helped her grow, I jumped at the invitation to come on board and bring fresh ideas and marketing tactics to the team, as well as manage the back-end details of the business. My goal is to help expand the company, in a way that allows for more students to come on board and fall in love with music. I'm looking forward to meeting you all personally and can't wait to see all that the coming year has for this studio!
Candace Gould -
Conductor & Teacher
Candace Gould is an Omaha based Private Vocal Coach, Actress, and Performer. Over the past 10 years she has devoted most of her time teaching students of all ages how to find their voice through classes and private voice lessons. She has actively served in the Music Ministry at her local church her whole life as well, where she currently leads as the Minister of Music. On a sunday, you can find her leading the Praise and Worship team, Choir, working with the musicians, and heading up the Praise Dance team. Church ministry is a family affair, and her local church is pastored by her dad, with her mother and brother involved in music as well.
Even though she keeps very busy with work and various projects, she has never lost her love for performance.
In 2022 she made her debut back into theater when she starred in Giraffes Can’t Dance and The SpongeBob Musical as Sandy Cheeks, both at the Rose Theater. Her most prominent role theatrical was as Lorrell Robinson in the Omaha Community Playhouse's production of "Dreamgirls". In September of 2023, she performed on stage with Kim Burrell, and is very active as a vocalist in her church body and various outside music events. Her featured solo for the song "Operator" at our 2024 MKS Spring Concert blew us all away! Candace is thankful for the opportunity to conduct our BRIO Homeschool show choir.
Christa Shepherd -
Director, Conductor, Instructor
Christa Shepherd currently teaches voice and piano at St. Paul’s Conservatory of Music in Council Bluffs, IA. She completed her Master of Music in Vocal Performance degree in May of 2021 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Christa has studied with doctorate-level musicians in the Omaha metro area for over ten years. Prompted by her love of performing, Christa appeared in several operas at UNO in recent years. Some of her favorite roles include “Papagena” in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” in 2019 and “Gretel” in UNO’s production of “Hansel and Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck in 2021. Christa also participates in musical competitions and was the recent winner of the Heartland Concerto Aria Competition in 2020. Because of her musical upbringing, she has a keen love for music, a gift for teaching children, and an abiding love for the Lord. She is especially passionate about serving the homeschool community because she is a homeschool graduate herself. Outside of teaching and performing, Christa enjoys tutoring French, home decorating, and playing tennis with her husband Josh.
Christine Courie -
Director, Teacher, Choreographer
Christina Courie is a Christian, a wife to a Pastor, and a Homeschooling mother of two. She has homeschooled her children from the beginning, and has now been homeschooling for 10 years. She has been married for 17 years. She is originally from California, and has lived in Iowa, Indiana (where her husband attended Seminary) and has called Nebraska home since her family moved here for her husband’s Pastoral call in 2019.
She loves to encourage and support others to continually learn and grow, and loves working with children of all ages, helping to show them the love of Christ, and pointing them to their identity in Christ, as they use the gifts God has given them for His glory.
She has years of experience in teaching dance and was the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships for dance in her younger years. Originally a dance major at California State University, Fullerton, she changed majors several times, and put school on pause after getting married and having children, before finally going back to school full time in 2020, as an adult homeschooling mom, to complete her undergrad degree. She graduated with honors in 2021, from the University of Nebraska, Omaha with a Bachelors of Multidisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Theatre, Business, and Psychology.
She was blessed while living in Indiana to be the choreographer for a large Christian, homeschool, theatre academy. She has had the privilege to work with amazingly talented directors, and hundreds of homeschool children from elementary through high school ages, and has choreographed Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, 100 Dresses, The Three Musketeers, Oliver Twist, Seussical the Musical, Jr. and 42nd Street.
Lexi Mills -
Teacher
Lexi is a homeschool mom of 4, with years of education and private music instruction under her belt. She has produced theater productions for homeschoolers for years, among many accomplishments. You can currently find her playing in the Papillion Area Community Band as she shares her music with the world, and offers area theater experiences to kids through the summer.
Chris Scheufele-
Teacher
For over 25 years, Chris has been involved in music. He holds a degree in K-12 Music Education with a guitar concentration and a vocal minor. Yes, he actually went to school to be a rock star. Pretty cool, huh?
He is skilled in several styles including classical, jazz, and of course, rock. He has performed in several bands, theatre pit orchestras, worship teams, and studio projects.
Chris was a public and private school music teacher for over 10 years including elementary music (yes...that included everyone's favorite - recorders), choir, band, jazz band, orchestra, handbells, classroom guitar, and private guitar instruction.
Currently, Chris leads the worship team at Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church in Omaha, travels the country as an author/speaker/comedian, and records music in his home studio. He is married and has 3 kids. Chris and his wife homeschool their children. (Ok...his wife does 99% of it.) His kids are involved in various MKS classes because the programs are awesome and, let's face it, even Super Mom needs a break sometimes.
Oh yeah...Chris and his family all love Jesus, too.
Ryan and Darcy Witt -
Choir Conductor
Ryan Witt is married to Darcy and homeschool dad of four children. They have been homeschooling for over 16 years. Ryan has been a Pastor for over 18 years, pastoring in Iowa and Illinois before accepting a call to pastor a church here in Omaha where he currently serves. His ministry has included over 15 years of working with children, teens, and college and career students.
From a young age, Ryan has had a rich musical upbringing. He has played violin in orchestra and currently plays guitar through worship at his church and various ministry events. However, vocal performance and participation in choirs has been his greatest enjoyment that began in Junior High. By his High School years he was involved in choir, select ensembles, musicals, vocal performance, and many years of voice lessons. By college, he participated in a 50 voice chorus for several years and traveled the country for 30 weeks on a small ensemble of 8 voices for three consecutive summers. Since college he has utilized his abilities in the church through solo, groups, and directing adult and kid’s choirs and musicals.
Ryan’s wife, Darcy, also has a love for music and a heart for young people. Darcy has a passion for Christ, has been homeschooling for more than 16 years, and married for 19 years. She has always enjoyed working with teenagers and has a bachelors degree in secondary education with an emphasis on English. She loves working with young people, especially teen girls, and encouraging them in their walks with the Lord and pursuing God through all of their interests. She has been involved in music, choir, band, and drama throughout high school and college. she has continue to be involved in music throughout their different ministries as well.
Ryan & Darcy are so thankful that God continues to bless and bring opportunities in the area of music. Music is a powerful tool and its greatest climax is when we can utilize it to exalt our Lord and Savior and share truth through its message.
Luann Scheufele -
Teacher
Meet Luann Scheufele, AKA "Wife of Chris." She has been involved, in some capacity, with music all her life, mainly singing, but also instruments, acting and musicals. She majored in Middle School Education with emphasis in Math and History, with a Religion certification. During this time, she performed in an elite traveling Choir. She formally taught two years, and "helped" Chris teach Choir and had her own Middle School Handbell Choir. Since then she has homeschooled her 3 children. This is now her calling in life. She loves being able to stay-at-home and teach her children the values she holds dear as a Christian. She also volunteers and/or teaches at a local Homeschool co-op, Volleyball association, and her Church's Confirmation program.
Autumn Skaalen -
Teacher
Autumn Skaalen currently is a communications associate at her home church, Good News Church. She is consistently taking pictures, working on video projects, and helping manage social media content. Along with her main job, she has a personal photography business that she established this past year, Stav Creative.
She’s excited to be coming along side with MKS, as it’s similar to co-ops, the community, and hands on experience she was familiar with while she was homeschooled kindergarten through senior year.
Autumn is passionate about photography, videography, and other creative medias, as well as bringing alongside others to explore, disciple, and empower them in their skills that God has given them.
Isaac Herrington -
Teacher
Isaac is a 17-year-old senior in high school. He has been homeschooled his entire life. Isaac's acting experience started in 2019 with "As You Like It" at the Learning Center. Since then, he has performed in many shows, with the majority being at the Homeschool Learning Center. Some of his favorite roles include Prospero in "The Tempest," Oberon in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and Sherlock Holmes in "The Enchanted Bookshop." He has also greatly enjoyed working with kids in VBS programs at his church, where he helps with skits and performs in plays with Kids Trek Iowa. However, the accomplishment he is most proud of is what he did this past summer with his friends. He co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in a parody of "Murder on the Orient Express" called "Murder on the Transcontinental Railroad." Isaac is excited to use the love for theater that God has given him to share it with his students.
Rachel Liekhus -
Head of Costumes
Rachel is a Christian, a wife to Robert, and a mother of five. She has homeschooled her children for the past 9 years. She is an organizer of events and field trips in the Lincoln area for other homeschool families.
In 2019, she began her journey as a seamstress, with the goal of learning to sew in 2020. When the pandemic hit, she began sewing masks, and grew from there.
Currently, she works as a seamstress testing clothing patterns for six different pattern companies. In her spare time, you can find her in the garden, on a stand-up paddle board, and embroidery.
Emily Perina -
Vivace’ Choir Co-Conductor
Emily Perina has grown up in choir, participating in 4 different choirs throughout middle and high school. She has a deep love of singing, music, and serving others. Emily is a Vivace alumnus, having participated for 3 consecutive seasons before graduating from the program. She then served as a Student Conductor for the 2021-2022 season. As a homeschool graduate, she loves helping others grow in music and growing her own knowledge too, and being involved in choir is the perfect opportunity for that!
Outside of MKS, Emily also serves on her church worship team through piano and vocals on Sunday mornings. You can also finder her performing with her local band called Turnbridge Collective, where she plays as the band’s keyboardist and a vocalist.
When she isn’t involved in music, Emily enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family.
Sue McDonald -
Piano Accompanist
Sue loves kids and she loves music, so she is glad to be joining the MKS studio family.
Sue is enjoying retirement in Omaha, after serving with her husband for 45 years with the Evangelical Free Church. She has taught piano lessons in her home all these years, served in various church music positions and served as a Music Educator in the Public Schools for 24 years in Virginia. The McDonalds have 3 married children and 11 grandchildren.
Jeanie Williams -
Piano Accompanist
Jeanie Williams has enjoyed playing the piano and accompanying soloists and ensembles most of her life, having begun piano lessons at age 6. She has accompanied congregational singing since her teens. She attended a Christian High School and graduated from Grace Bible Institute (which became Grace University in Omaha) where one highlight was accompanying the chorus sections of the Elijah oratorio performance. In the recent past, Jeanie enjoyed accompanying the Veritas Homeschool Choir.
In 1963 Jeanie married Don Williams, and they have 2 daughters, 8 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren with whom they love to spend time.
“A creative education has the power to catapult anyone into a new journey of expression and growth.”
— Monica Koffi, Founder of MKS Studio
