Ivana Barnes

Ivana Barnes was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL on the northside of town. She always knew she was different and was very introverted amongst her peers. She began her interest in acting and singing at the age of 12 years old. During the years when big acting conventions would come in town, she would enlist her dad to take her and her best friends to auditions. Her dad would network on her behalf and get Ivana and her friends in local commercials. She formed a singing group with her friends during that time. They wrote multiple songs together, but never got a chance to record them. They had one performance at a local teen club called Magic City, singing their single "Hot Fo' Ya" acapella. In high school, she received a call from a local acting school informing her that someone recommended her to them. Ivana's dad took her to the school to audition for them. They wanted to accept her into the school, but Ivana was unaware of the tuition fees. She only had $250 saved from her birthday and informed her dad of this. After her dad spoke with the director privately, informing her that He was unable to pay for school. Once the director heard Ivana's story, she accepted the $250 and offered her full scholarship to the school. Ivana trained throughout high school and the beginning of college. During her second year of college, she attended the illustrious Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University and majored in theatre with a minor in social work. After having a long conversation with her mom, she decided to come back home to Jacksonville, FL and start nursing school. Her mindset was that she would use her nursing money to fund her acting career. While in nursing school, she gave birth to her daughter, Chloe, and thought that her acting dreams was over. When Chloe was five years old, she told her mom that she wanted to be on commercials. A friend of Ivana informed her of an acting coach, Cindy Hogan, to assist with training Chloe. Upon the first meeting Cindy, she encouraged Ivana to act with Chloe and begin training with her. Ivana and Chloe were then signed to a local talent agency that Cindy referred her too. Ivana booked the first commercial that her agent sent her on. She has been booking jobs ever since. She has booked independent films, short films, commercials, industrials, and print jobs. She is now embarking on film producing, writing short films, cookbooks, and music, and now singing. Ivana has written three cookbooks and has a tea line under her business called Electric Vegan Treats. She also continues to train with Cindy Hogan and Deborah Lemen based in Los Angeles. Ivana recently decided to write a jingle for her business, which turned into a full song. Now Ivana has begun vocal coaching with Lorna Greenwood. She will be releasing her first single "Mood Booster" to the world soon. Ivana is filled with so many different gifts and talents and excited to see what her future holds.