The Wilton School Faculty

Sandra Folsom - Director

Sandra Folsom has been teaching professional cake decorating classes for over 30 years, 20 of which have been for Wilton Industries. Sandra has promoted the easy and fun techniques of decorating to the general public through her many television appearances including ABC, NBC, FOX news and The Food Network. Sandra's vast knowledge and expertise in decorating has allowed her to participate as a judge in various contests throughtout the years. As Director of The Wilton School, she has introduced more that 150 new classes and helped to attract many of the world's most highly-regarded decorators as instructors. Routinely, culinary experts from around the world come to Woodridge to learn the art and intricacies of cake decorating from Ms. Folsom. She has also been an active member of the International Cake Exploration Society (ICES) since 1981. Internationally, she has shared her expertise with well-known professionals and traveled to Curitiba and Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Bogota, Colombia, Guadalajara, Chihuahua and Mexico City, Mexico and Taipei, Taiwan.
Folsom's education has been from Gum Paste Classes taught by Amy Rohr and Nick Lodge, instructor from England and author of many cake artistry books. Rolled fondant was learned from American cake stylist and author of five books, Colette Peters of New York. Her candy-making and chocolate expertise was gained from attending Elaine Gonzales, author of "Chocolate Artistry" and "The Art of Chocolate" classes. Sandra has also worked with Rose Levy Berenbaum, author of "The Cake Bible".
For ten years she had the opportunity to work side by side with Wesley Wilton, the youngest son of Dewey McKinley Wilton, founder of Wilton Industries. Additionally, classes taken at the American Institute of Baking, College of DuPage and American International Academy of Floral Design have provided baking, candy and floral knowledge plus the curriculum and educational concepts to become a good school director. Sandy's student's describe her as "patient, fun and a great instructor". Owning a bakery, specializing in bread, rolls and of course, decorated cakes with her husband provided much practical experience.
Her creative flair comes from a natural ability and working in Wilton's Creative Dept. on the annual yearbook. Her stint in the Wilton Test Kitchen adds to her problem solving skills to be able to answer any questions that a student may have.

Debbie Friedman - Instructor

Ms. Friedman started her cake decorating career teaching the Wilton Method Cake Decorating Classes in 1983. She has taught at Sears, JCPenney, Wards, Party City, Park Districts, School Districts, Byerly's and employees of Wilton at the Corporate Office. Having taught over 1,000 students, Debbie was installed into the Wilton Hall of Fame in 1997.
Her training started in the Educational Marketing Department with three training seminars as well as holding class certificates in cake decorating by well-known instructors such as, Roland and Marsha Winbeckler and Earlene Moore. She also holds certificates from Colette Peters for fondant and gum paste, and Elaine Gonzalez and Pam Vieau for confections classes.
She has been an International Cake Exploration Societe (ICES) member since the late 1980's and has attended at least 12 annual conventions where she takes up to ten classes each time with specialty and internationally acclaimed instructors. She continues to participate in ICES Days of Sharing, which includes instruction of and learning with other decorating experts in a variety of mediums.
Currently she works in Wilton's Creative Department as a designer/decorator/artist. Her responsibilities include creating photography-ready cakes, cookies, candy and pastry projects for new packaging and labels, as well as the annual Yearbook and other publications.
In addition, Debbie works with Sandra Folsom teaching the Master Course at the Wilton School and teaches Chocolate Confections and Intro to Rolled Fondant classes also held at the Wilton School.

Mary Gavenda - Instructor

In March of 1976, Mary Gavenda started a cake decorating career as one of the first Wilton Method teachers inthe Chicago ares.
To improve her decorating skills and teaching techniques, she attended the Master Course class at The Wilton School in Chicago in January 1977.
She continued teaching the Wilton Method Program, both basic and advanced course, for approximately 12 years at various Sears, Wards and JC Penney stores in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago. During that time, Mary was added to the Wilton Hall of Fame. In the fall of 1985, she was asked to assist in the Wilton Test Kitchen.
In early June of 1986, Mary was summoned to work in the Cake Decorating Room at Wilton. As a Cake Decorator, and her current position as a Senior Cake Decorator, she creates the cakes for Photography to be used on new labels and packaging, and in all Wilton publications. She is also a Food Stylist, creating special food designs.
Gavenda holds certificates from Wilton's Master Course with Wesley Wilton, Mary Jane Wilton and Connie Riehardt. Elaine Gonzalez - Chocolate Artistry class, Nicholas Lodge - Advanced Gum Paste class, Wesley Wilton - Pulled Sugar class, Connie Riehardt (1977) and Susan Matusiak (1996) Intro to Gum Paste class, and the Colette Peters Gum Paste and Fondant class.
Mary is a member of ICES (The International Cake Exploration Societe) and organization to promote the art of food and cake decorating throughout the world, with an international membership of approximately 4,000. She has served as an alternate representative, Illinois State Representative, ICES Board Member and Vice President, as well as, a Demonstrator at many conventions.

Susan Matusiak - Instructor

Susan Matusiak started cake decorating as a Wilton Method Instructor for several years teaching at local department stores and a junior college. In 1982 Susan started her career at Wilton as a cake decorator, food stylist and designer working on all Yearbooks, Wedding Books, candy, rolled fondant, gum paste and cupcake books.
She has also worked on all Wilton videos, infomercials, the Bake, Decorate, Celebrate! PBS program, demonstrated at trade shows and at Wilton Instructor meetings. Susan also was Supervisor of the Decorating Room for 13 years and is currently a Senior Decorator.
Susan has taken numerous classes including the Master Course, Intro to Gum Paste, Wesley Wilton's Pulled Sugar class, the Lambeth Class, Advanced Gum Paste with Nicholas Lodge and the Australian Gum Paste class with Marie Grainger.
Susan teaches Intro to Rolled Fondant and the Lambeth and Australian Method Class.
Susan is also a member of The International Exploration Societe (ICES), attending annual conventions since 1982. She is the Alternate Representative for Illinois, and is on the Show Committe for the annual 2009 ICES Convention to be held in St. Charles, Illinois.

Mark Seaman - Instructor

Mark Seaman is the founder and cake stylist of Marked for Dessert, Chicago's most distinctive cake boutique. Marked for Dessert specializes in wedding cakes with elegant handcrafted sugar flowers of life-like gum paste and beautiful glass-like pulled sugar. Mark developed his expertise in cake design and sugar craft through intensive training at The Wilton School and with leading decorators including Colette Peters and Nicholas Lodge. As an educator, Mark teaches the art of gum paste flowers at the Wilton School. He also conducts live, interactive demonstrations at Chicagoland museums.

Laurie Bradach - Guest Instructor

Learn cake design from a "think outside the medium" point of view! "Wacky Cake" stylist Laurie Bradach, is a former partner in a cake design business with famed British comedian John Cleese. She has created incredible one-of-a-kind masterpieces for Steve Martin, Angelica Huston and Kevin Smith. Laurie has a PhD in Art History.

Nicholas Lodge - Guest Instructor

Nicholas is one of the premier sugar-craft artists of his generation. He was commissioned to do work for England's Royal Family and other celebrities, including one of the official wedding cakes for Princess Diana and Prince Charles. He has also created cakes for London's leading hotels, including Claridges, The Ritz and The Savoy. His teaching tours have taken him around the world to India, China and Fiji. Mr. Lodge has authored and co-authored more than a dozen books. In addition, he and Margaret Ford have written an instructional module collection, "Sugar Facts", and have been featured in six teaching videos. Nicholas Lodge was approved for "Who's Who in America" in 1994.

Maisie Parrish - Guest Instructor

Maisie Parrish is a self-taught international tutor, demonstrator and artist. The food characters she creates have a charming individuality that has earned her worldwide acclaim. Shortly after she began salt dough modeling in 1990, her creations sold worldwide, with early clients including Walt Disney World in Florida. Two books followed:A Doughcraft Workstation and A Doughcraft Funstation. In 1998, Ms. Parrish turned to sugar craft and a whole new career started. In 2002, her third book, Sugar Dough Magic, illustrated her success in this new medium, with its amazing collection of storybook character cakes. A fourth book in 2003, Marzipan Magic, gave new life to marzipan modeling with simple text and adorable characters. Currently, Ms. Parrish is developing a TV cooking program for children, combining live action with animation. She has taught extensively in America, Sweden and Denmark.

Colette Peters - Guest Instructor

Colette Peters, owner of Colette's Cakes in NYC and former Tiffany's designer, is the author of Colette's Cakes: The Art of Cake Decorating; Colette's Christmas; Colette's Wedding Cakes; Colette's Birthday Cakes and Cakes To Dream On.. She has created many unique cakes for celebrities, including Bette Midler, Donald Trump, Al Pacino, Joan Rivers, Sam Donaldson and the wedding cake of Prince Pavlos of Greece. 2004 winner of the Food Network 1st Annual Wedding Cake Challenge.

Pam Vieau - Guest Instructor

Pam Vieau is the resident chocolatier and owner of Chocolate Inspirations, Inc. Her company features unique chocolate designs and confections, focusing on custom-made chocolate creations. Her company has designed pieces for British Petroleum, Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, Motorola, CPC Diversified, AMB Ambro, Trammel Crow and FTD.com. Pam's toffee was nationally recognized when Chocolate Inspirations was named one of four finalists in the confectionery competition for NASFT in 1999.