Meet Our Team
Our Team
Our wonderful team deliver fun and exciting singing lessons for children and adults of all ages and all abilities. Sharing their love for music and performance, they believe in giving their absolute best to help you find your true voice.
Gemma Mills
Principal, SEN Specialist, Academy Teacher
Gemma Mills has over 20 years’ experience in the music industry. Her performance and teaching knowledge is invaluable to the students she teaches. Before she became a teacher, Gemma performed regularly throughout the West Midlands and has experience working with a live band, in the studio environment, and writing her own songs.
She has been teaching in Early Years through to Secondary Schools for over 15 years and has extensive training with SEN. Gemma has studied for years gaining qualifications in Performing Arts, Mental Health and gained a PGCert qualification in Sounds of Intent at the University of Roehampton. This has enhanced her teaching and enabled her to work with students with complex learning difficulties. Gemma has an excellent understanding of ASD, ADHD, Mental Health, and many other Special Needs and Disabilities, and this is transferred into her teaching, enabling her to support any students.
Gemma believes music is incredibly important for everyone, especially in terms of our mental wellbeing due to the amount of positive benefits. Gemma continues to enhance her skills and understanding of inclusivity to support all needs as she believes everyone has a voice and should be given the opportunity to find it.
Gemma approaches every student with a friendly, fun, and caring nature, allowing all her students to develop their musical abilities in the most relaxed environment possible.
Gemma Higgins
Online Teacher
Gemma Higgins is a professional singer, having been a solo vocalist on the entertainment circuit for several years. Plus, she has been the lead singer for many bands.
Gemma studied at Solihull College passing her Diploma in Performing Arts. She has also worked with the producer of UB40’s first album on her own original album, performed in Professional Panto in Sutton Coldfield, and performed with the band Thirsty Work among others. Gemma has a natural ability to encourage all her students to find their voices. She has a calm, gentle approach and uses her musical knowledge and experience to achieve the best results from anyone she works with.
Hannah O'Connell
Private Teacher, Online Teacher
Hannah has had a passion for music and theatre from a very young age after growing up around a very musical family. She has a first-class honour degree in Popular Music Practice and has also studied musical theatre at a top drama school (MAMT) where she covered singing, acting, and dancing. She also has grade 8 LCM distinction vocal certificate.
Hannah has been singing professionally for 10 years and has performed at many prestigious venues such as The Genting Arena, even performing before Olly Murs and Will.I.Am! She has also been in shows such as 9 to 5 and Blood Brothers where she played Mrs J.
Hannah has been teaching singing and acting to all ages for 5 years and loves to inspire learning and creativity in students. She favours singing Pop Music and Musical Theatre, but also has experience with Jazz and Rock.
Colin Mills
Academy Teacher
Colin has over 30 years of performance experience, starting his career in a boy band signed by Pete Waterman. He has performed at many arenas including the NEC and has supported artists such as SWV. Colin also performed as the legendary Billy Ocean on Stars in Their Eyes. He now performs throughout the UK with live bands, tribute acts, and as a solo artist, giving high energy shows each week.
Colin has been working with children for many years. He currently works as a vocal coach in Secondary Schools, Special Schools, and PRUs working with children who have been excluded from education. Colin has an infectious personality which is something that all children are drawn to. He is a charismatic, friendly, and very talented teacher that we are extremely proud to have as part of Born2Sing.
Becky Webb
Academy Teacher
Becky has always had a passion for music and performing arts. Dancing from an early age, with qualifications in a number of dance genres, she now teaches dance at a dance school and for young people with additional needs.
Becky studied performing arts for three years at college, covering singing, dance, drama, and production and now takes part in amateur dramatic societies, performing in musical productions at the Core Theatre.
She teaches drama clubs in the school holidays and was a student of Gemma Mills for multiple years.
Becky’s love to teach was fuelled by the need for inclusive classes and groups for those with additional needs, disabilities, and low confidence.
Allie Owen
Private Teacher
Allie has been passionate about music and the arts since she was very young. After passing her Performing Arts course at Solihull College, she went on to complete a BA (hons) degree in Musical Theatre. Alongside this, Allie writes her own songs and accompanies herself with the guitar or piano. She is currently working on an album and has experience in the recording studio. She has performed with bands, in musicals such as Sister Act where she played Sister Mary Robert, and she performed in a professional pantomime, The Borrowers, at the Cheltenham Playhouse Theatre. Allie loves working with children.
After delivering drama workshops in primary schools, she found her love of teaching children and went on to complete a PGCE degree in Primary Teaching and has been teaching for 5 years. Allie is the music lead and is passionate about teaching singing. She leads whole school singing assemblies as well as the school choir. Above all else, Allie is passionate about making children feel happy by improving children’s wellbeing through music and helping them to thrive and reach the potential she knows they have inside.
Administration
Sarah Screaton has over 20 years of secretarial and administration experience working for multi-disciplinary and large industries throughout the West Midlands and Worcestershire.
Sarah will be an amazing attribute to Born2Sing. Helping us with the management of our growing business and taking control of all areas of our administration. With her fantastic communication and organisational skills we will benefit massively from having Sarah as apart of the Born2Sing team!!
Sarah has a 13 year old daughter with complex special needs and is her full time carer. Sarah has an amazing understanding of SEN and has experience working in an SEN school which is perfect for supporting Born2Sing's parents, children and adult students.
Sarah is also a qualified nail technician working from home and enjoys all kinds of music. She enjoys taking her beautiful dog Sadie for walks and having family time.
