Faculty & Staff

Katy Benko-Miner

Theatre, Voice

In a world where hype can often overshadow substance, Katy Benko Miner is a refreshing example of real talent attracting attention. A two-time World Champion Vocalist at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Hollywood, Katy gained notoriety as a country singer in the Washington D.C. Metro Area at the age of 16, opening for acts such as Kenny Rogers, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, and Alan Jackson. Also at the age of 16, she was signed by the William Morris Agency and Glen Campbell’s management company in Nashville. She has been featured on NPR, CNN International, NBC, ABC, CBS, and ESPN Sports Center. She has performed at George Mason’s Eagle Bank Arena, Jiffy Lube Live, The Birchmere, Jammin’ Java, and has sung the National Anthem for every professional sports team in the Washington, DC area (including the Redskins.) She has performed numerous times for crowds over 100,000.

Katy began taking private vocal lessons when she was 9 years old with a reputable local vocal trainer. While still in high school she auditioned for the graduate professor at George Mason University, Patricia Miller. Ms. Miller rarely took students who were not in her graduate program, but she took Katy under her wings. Between Ms. Miller and one of her top graduate students, Katy began studying Classical voice.

In 2000, Katy appeared to be on her way as she began to receive national attention. In addition to her performing career, Katy began teaching voice lessons in the spring of 2001. In 2002, she released her debut album, “Float,” recorded in Nashville with Anthony Von Dollen and Mike Clute. The album featured songs written by many of Nashville’s top songwriters, including Jim Weatherly (“Midnight Train to Georgia”.) Though “Float” received great reviews and secondary radio play across the U.S. (and two Washington Area Music Association Awards for Debut Recording and New Artist), Katy was forced to stop distribution of the album after injuries sustained in an auto accident pushed her to the sidelines.

Doctors told Katy that nerve and muscle damage to her left ear would most likely be career-ending. She kept her injuries private and began the slow process of relearning how to sing while severely restricting her performances. By mid 2006 Katy felt she had completely overcome the effects of her injuries, but performing took second stage as in August of that year she married Ryan, her long-time sweetheart. After graduating college and commissioning as a Lieutenant in the US Army, Ryan became a member of the Virginia National Guard. Two months after Katy and Ryan were married Ryan was activated, sent to Fort Dix for training, and then sent to Iraq. Shortly after Ryan’s departure Katy poured her feelings into the lyrics and melody of A Soldier’s Wife, a song that she herself composed. A Soldier’s Wife garnered considerable attention amongst country music fans, military spouses, and even the political world. In 2007, Katy was invited to sing in Charleston, South Carolina at the personal request of Senator John McCain. Senator McCain then offered Katy a ride back to DC on his private plane so she could accept an invitation to be a personal guest at The White House the next morning, where she was honored to meet and sing for President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.

After slowing down to become a mom, Katy poured her time and efforts into her vocal training studio, which opened in Herndon in 2001. Within just a few years of opening, she was running on a waiting list. Since her studio opened, Katy has worked with hundreds of students, watching their vocal and acting talents grow and blossom. Because of her background, Katy can sing any style of music, and she loves being able to help each individual student with the goals they have so they can be the best singer and performer they can be. One of her students, Julia Downes, recently directed an original play by Stan Zimmerman (Glimore Girls) called Right Before I Go at the Virginia Thespian Festival. Another one of her students, Amita Rao, is a professional comedic actress who will be starring in the new FX Series Adults which is set to premier at the end of May 2025.

After moving to Fauquier County in 2012, Katy also reignited her passion for Theatre. In 2014, she auditioned for her first show since she was in high school and played ‘Doris Day’ in Fauquier Community Theatre’s original production Far From Home: A USO Show. Since then Katy has won six Lofty Awards at FCT including Lead Actress twice (Ida in Honk!, Patsy Cline in Always, Patsy Cline), Best Music Direction twice (Always, Patsy Cline and Jesus Christ Superstar), and Best Producer (Rabbit Hole.) Katy has also played Martha in The Secret Garden (FCT), Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins (FCT and Allegro Community Players), Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast (Hope Theater), and The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Triune Entertainment). Professionally, she reprised her role of Patsy Cline in Always, Patsy Cline with Creative Cauldron in 2021.

Katy has spent the last three years as the lead Theater teacher at Wakefield School in The Plains, elevating and growing their theater program to new levels. In her three years there, Katy directed and music directed six shows including The Wizard of Oz, The Addams Family, Mary Poppins Jr., The Little Mermaid, Seussical Jr., and Once Upon a Mattress. In addition to her work with the theater program at Wakefield, Katy also elevated their choral program, taking the Middle School Choir to competition in May 2024 where they won first place in their division and the Overall Award for the highest score of the day.

One of Katy’s favorite roles, though, is Mom to her four children; Presley (14), twins Bradley & Kassidy (12), and Joely (7).