Susan Piontek

My voice over capabilities include French,Italian, Russian, British, Cockney and Irish accents. I can also perform regional American accents such as Southern, Midwestern and various areas of the northeast including New York and Boston. My ability to morph into a believable child; a smooth and sophisticated woman; an annoying, "whatever" teenager; a serious, concerned senior or a spit and vinegar, over-the-hill battle-axe are all apart of my repertoire. My character impersonations include such notables as the legendary Olive Oil, Betty Boop, Popeye, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Jackie O, Julia Childs and news commentator Carol Simpson. My voice can provide reads that run the gamut. I can offer voices that reflect the deliciously cute and funny; the pessimist, the cautiously optimistic; the sanguine, the serious or the serene. Measure for measure I pace myself accordingly and deliver the desired results.

My journey as a voice over talent began at an early age. As a child I acted in plays at Washington University in St. Louis. In high school I performed extensively in plays and Talent Shows as an actress, singer and dancer and was given the accolade of “Most Talented Female”. I embarked on my college career at Carnegie Mellon University, my alma- mater, to pursue my love of theatre, music and foreign languages. I was fortunate to be under the tutelage of the late Earl Gister, Chairman of the Drama Department and to perform as Ted Danson’s daughter in the comedy, “I Can’t Hear You When the Water’s Running". Subsequent to college, I returned to St. Louis to do graduate work and pursue my voice over career. I began by doing local and regional voice overs,did an internship at a Cable News network and taught French and other subjects. I joined AFTRA and had agent representation. Over the years my voice over portfolio grew and my credits include – Merck, Callaway Golf, Sigma Ardich, The Siteman Cancer Center, St. Vincent Health Care, Simon’s Jewelers, Young President’s Organization, Colombia College, Parkway School District and Stanley Steemer to name a few. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and studied for a year at the Sorbonne in Paris pursuing studies in Drama, Foreign Language and Music. As a classically trained musician I pursued vocal and piano studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Carnegie Mellon University, the San Francisco Conservatory and the Conservatory and School of the Arts now the Webster University School of Music. I received my M.A. in Education from Washington University. I have performed professionally as a chanteuse in a big band orchestra and a four piece combo. The genres of music I perform are the standards, pop and rock. I have also performed as a classical singer in the Bach Society Chorus. I have been privileged to study voice over technique in L.A. with the brilliantly talented likes of Bob Bergen aka "Porky's Voice", Mark McIntyre of MMVO and Chuck Duran of “Demos that Rock”. monitor headphones, microphone, laptop I have traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. These experiences have heightened my knowledge and appreciation of other languages and cultures. It has also fine tuned my ability to mimic the sounds and languages of another region. Several years ago I had the privilege of attending the Conference on Global Warming in Denmark. This experience planted the seed for me to create, produce and be the interviewer for my own radio talk show, "The Global Voice" which can be heard regularly on Blog Talk Radio. The theme of the show is individuals and organizations that are making a positive difference in the world. To date I have created and produced over fifty live shows dealing with topics such as the ALS Association,the Siteman Cancer Center, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Camp in Vail,CO., the Kabbalah Center in L.A.and the Holocaust Museum in Washington,D.C. My show has been rated in the top 5 percent in the Culture Category. In addition to working as a professional Voice Over Talent, I have been recognized as an excellent public speaker,writer and interviewer in the not-for-profit arena. As a trainend Life and Wellness Coach, I gave a workshop at Webster University last year to aspiring musicians in the college preparatory program. The talk was entitled "The Mindful Musician" and it was given excellent reviews by faculty and students alike. As the Executive Director of two not-for-profit organizations in the St. Louis area, I have garnered a great deal of experience in these areas and have mastered the art of meeting deadlines in a timely manner. I have spoken at Conventions and United Way Campaigns, at various fundraisers as a Chairwoman and as a Board Member. As a parent to three great kids and as a teacher, I believe my sensitivities to their needs has enhanced my ability to give children a voice both literally and figuratively.