Carla Novinger, known professionally as Carla Howey, is an American acting teacher, studio manager, and publisher. She is also the mother of actor Steve Howey. She and her husband, Bill Howey, have taught acting since 1980 in Los Angeles, Denver, and Arizona.If you found her while searching for the woman behind Van Montgomery and Kevin Ball, you’re not alone.
The online answers are messy, though. Some sites call her a homemaker. Others split her name two different ways.This guide sticks to what primary sources confirm, mainly the family’s own acting studio website, Wikipedia, and major interviews. Where the public record stops, I’ll tell you straight.
Carla Novinger Profile Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
| Full name | Carla Novinger (professional name: Carla Howey) |
| Known for | Acting teacher, acting coach, studio manager, publisher |
| Spouse | Bill Howey, acting coach and filmmaker |
| Son | Steve Howey, actor (born July 12, 1977, San Antonio, Texas) |
| Other children | Bret and Tammy Howey are listed as Steve’s siblings on profile sites, but parentage isn’t confirmed by primary sources |
| Family background | Military family; her father, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, retired in Denver, Colorado |
| Teaching career | Since 1980 in Los Angeles, Denver, and Arizona |
| Publishing | Founded Compass Publishing; published The Actor’s Menu |
| Current base | Arizona since July 2016 (Howey Acting Studio, Mesa) |
| Grandchildren | Three, through Steve Howey |
| Birth date, birthplace, education | Not publicly confirmed |
10 Verified Facts About Carla Novinger at a Glance
Here’s the short version before we go deeper:
- Profiles list her as Carla Novinger, while her studio uses the name Carla Howey.
- She comes from a military family.
- She and Bill Howey have taught acting since 1980.
- They started at the Beverly Hills Playhouse under Milton Katselas.
- After five years, they opened their own studio in Culver City, California.
- They spent almost a year sailing the coast of Mexico on a sailboat.
- The family moved to Denver, Colorado, when her mother became ill.
- She and Bill taught in Denver for 12 years and made three independent films.
- She started Compass Publishing and published The Actor’s Menu.
- She stepped in to lead classes when Bill needed time off.
Early Life and Childhood Foundations of Carla Novinger
The public record on her childhood is thin. What we do know comes from her studio’s biography page. Carla grew up in a military family, and her father, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force, retired in Denver.
Her birth date and birthplace aren’t published by any reliable source. So I won’t guess her age, and you should be careful with sites that do.
Denver matters later in her story. Years after her father retired there, she moved back to the city with her family to be near her ill mother.
Education and Discovering a Passion for Performance
No verified school, degree, or graduation year exists for Carla Novinger. Her training shows up through her work instead. She and Bill began teaching in 1980 and worked at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, a well-known Los Angeles acting school led by Milton Katselas.
That’s a strong clue about her path. She learned the craft inside a working acting community, then built her own teaching style from it.
Steve was about three when the teaching career began. So performance wasn’t a hobby in that house. It was the family trade.
Marriage to Bill Howey and Building a Creative Partnership
Carla and Bill Howey are partners in life and work. Their wedding date isn’t public. Their shared output is, and it’s impressive.
Together they:
- Taught at the Beverly Hills Playhouse
- Opened studios in Culver City, Burbank, Los Angeles, and Arizona
- Wrote and produced three independent films in Denver
- Published an acting handbook
Bill’s reputation is easier to trace. Backstage once featured actress Sarah Shahi, Steve’s former wife, calling him her “best-kept secret” as an acting coach. Carla’s influence runs through the same studio, often in the background.
Professional Career as an Acting Teacher and Coach
Carla’s teaching career spans more than four decades. The timeline, based on the studio’s own account, looks like this:
- 1980: Starts teaching with Bill in Los Angeles.
- Mid 1980s: Opens a studio in Culver City after five years at the Playhouse.
- After the sailing trip: Opens a small Burbank studio.
- Denver years: Teaches for 12 years.
- After Reba: Opens a new Los Angeles studio and teaches scene study for 10 years.
- July 2016: Moves to Chandler, Arizona, and opens a studio in Mesa.
Backstage lists her as the manager of Howey Acting Studio. Students also describe her as a coach who gives honest, direct notes. One student says she stepped in to lead classes when Bill took time off, and she kept pushing serious actors.
Raising a Family: Children Bret, Tammy, and Steve Howey
Steve Howey is her confirmed son. The studio site calls him “their son,” and he’s the only child it names.
Bret and Tammy Howey appear as his brother and sister on many celebrity profile sites. I couldn’t confirm from a primary source that they are Carla’s children rather than half siblings. Treat that detail as likely but unverified.
One more caution. A single profile site lists an extra sibling. No other source backs that up, so I left it out.
Steve Howey’s Early Life and Motherly Influence
Steve was born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1977. He spent much of his childhood on a 67-foot yacht named Valkyrien, then a smaller schooner, sailing the Pacific Coast. In one interview he explained that his parents chose a boat instead of a house.
Later, the family settled in Colorado. Steve graduated from Green Mountain High School in Lakewood and played basketball at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling on a scholarship.
Carla rarely speaks to the press, so direct quotes about her parenting are scarce. Still, the big family choices, like boat life and the Denver move, came from her and Bill together.
Steve Howey’s Rise to Fame on Reba and Shameless
Steve’s big break came in 2001 when he joined Reba as Van Montgomery. He stayed through 2007 and appeared in 125 episodes.
In 2011 he became Kevin Ball on Shameless, a role he played for 134 episodes through 2021. His film work includes Bride Wars (2009) and Something Borrowed (2011).
His recent work keeps him busy:
- True Lies (2023)
- High Potential as Captain Nick Wagner (2025 to 2026)
- Off Campus (2026)
- Ransom Canyon season 2 (2026)
The Role of Carla Novinger in Steve Howey’s Career Success
Her role was practical and mostly behind the scenes. Steve starred in and produced Class (1998), an independent film from his parents’ Denver years. Their studio site credits both Bill and Carla with writing and producing the family’s films.
Steve has said he didn’t plan to act as a kid, even with an acting teacher father. He later joined his dad’s workshop and decided to pursue it. That path ran through the studio Carla helped run.
I can’t claim she coached him day to day. No source says so. What the record shows is a household where acting was a real career, and she helped build it.
Life in Denver and Personal Achievements
Denver was a high point for her work. The family moved there for her mother’s health, and Carla and Bill taught for 12 years.
Their first film, Class, was shown at the Denver International Film Festival. She also built her own publishing company, Compass Publishing. It released The Actor’s Menu: A Character Preparation Handbook, which Bill wrote.
Carla handled the book’s layout with Adobe InDesign. That’s a rare mix of creative and technical skill for an acting teacher.
Her Impact on Acting Coaching Methodologies
Her approach, as the studio describes it, centers on truth. The goal is believable, vulnerable, and personal characters. The teachers say they address bad acting before it turns into a habit.
New students can perform a short monologue, about one to three minutes, and get a critique before joining. That’s a practical, low-pressure way to test a teaching style.
Keep one thing in mind. These details come from the studio’s own website, so they’re promotional. Student testimonials back them up, but they’re still not independent reviews.
Media Presence and Private Life
Carla isn’t a tabloid figure. Her public footprint is mostly professional: the studio website, a Backstage listing, and a few photos from a farewell party for the couple. I haven’t found a verified social media account for her.
Her private life stays private. There’s no reliable reporting on her health, finances, or daily routine. I’d skip any site that claims otherwise.
If you want to reach the studio, use its official channels rather than third-party pages.
Relationship with Her Grandchildren and Extended Family
Through Steve and Sarah Shahi, Carla has three grandchildren. William Wolf was born in July 2009, and twins Violet Moon and Knox Blue arrived in March 2015. Steve and Sarah divorced, with the split finalized in 2021.
No source describes her role as a grandmother, so I won’t invent one. The family stayed professionally close, though. Bill coached Sarah Shahi for years.
Extended family details, such as her parents’ names, show up on some profile sites. I couldn’t verify them, so they’re not included here.
Key Achievements and Milestones of Carla Novinger
Here are her documented milestones:
- Teaching acting for more than four decades
- Working at the Beverly Hills Playhouse
- Opening studios in Culver City, Burbank, Los Angeles, and Mesa
- Co-writing and producing three independent films
- Founding Compass Publishing
- Publishing The Actor’s Menu
- Leading classes at the Howey Acting Studio
- Raising Steve Howey
What Makes Carla Novinger a Respected Figure in the Arts
Longevity is the first reason. Few coaches teach across three states for over 40 years. She also adapted, moving from big-city studios to a smaller Arizona operation.
Second, her students keep returning to the same word: honesty. Several describe her notes as direct and caring at once.
Third, she built things beyond the classroom. A publishing company and independent films show real range.
Lessons from the Life and Legacy of Carla Novinger
Her story offers a few useful takeaways:
- Stay close to the craft. She kept teaching through every move.
- Build with a partner. Her work with Bill multiplied what each could do.
- Be honest. Her students value truthful feedback over flattery.
- Adapt. Los Angeles, Denver, and Arizona each needed a new setup.
- Protect your privacy. You can have impact without chasing headlines.
Fact Check: Why Sources Disagree About Carla Novinger
If you’ve seen conflicting claims, here’s why. Many sites copy each other without checking.
- Homemaker claim: One profile calls her a homemaker. Her studio’s own record shows decades of teaching and publishing.
- Name mix-ups: Some pages use Carla Howey, others use Carla Novinger. Both refer to the same person in the sources I checked.
- Vague claims: Phrases like “involved in the entertainment industry” are true but too thin to be useful.
- Unverified relatives: Parent names and extra siblings lack primary sources.
Conclusion
Carla Novinger is more than “Steve Howey’s mom.” She’s a working acting coach, a publisher, and a creative partner who helped build a family studio across Los Angeles, Denver, and Arizona.Her private details, like birth date and education, aren’t public. That’s fine.
What the record does show is a long, steady career that shaped an actor’s path.If this guide helped, share it with a fellow Reba or Shameless fan. And if you spot a reliable source with new facts, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
FAQs
Who is Carla Novinger?
She’s an American acting teacher and publisher, also known as Carla Howey, and the mother of actor Steve Howey.
When was Carla Novinger born?
Her birth date isn’t confirmed by any reliable public source, so her exact age is unknown.
Who is Carla Novinger married to?
She’s married to Bill Howey, an acting coach and filmmaker. They’ve taught together since 1980.
How many children does Carla Novinger have?
Steve Howey is her confirmed son. Profile sites list Bret and Tammy as his siblings, but primary sources don’t confirm it.
What is her connection to actor Steve Howey?
She’s his mother. She and Bill raised him on boats, in Denver, and around the family acting studio.
What is Carla Novinger’s primary profession?
She’s an acting teacher and coach, with additional work as a studio manager and publisher.
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