Ventia hails from the snowy state of Minnesota, USA where she played in school bands throughout middle school and high school. As a Year 12 student in high school, she auditioned and participated in All-state band and received the John Philip Sousa award. Her mono- cultural upbringing gave her an appetite for diversity and pushed her far from the nest to attend college in the state of Georgia where she experienced her first cultural transition. Since then, Ventia has earned an MM in Conducting and a BS in Music Education. She has taught music and conducted concert bands on three different continents fulfilling her 7th grade dream to “be a band director overseas.” Ventia joined WASWE in 2016. She is currently juggling teaching part-time at Trinity College in East Perth and being a mum to three beautiful children.