TYA/USA: Board Members

Board

Board Officers
Kim Peter Kovac PRESIDENT Director, Theatre for Young Audiences, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts PO Box 101510, Arlington, VA 22210 W: 202-416-8837 F: 202-416-8297 kpkovac@kennedy-center.org	Kim Peter Kovac is Director of Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences in Washington, DC, which commissions, produces, tours and presents performances for children, young people and families. He’s helped develop nearly seventy-five new plays, operas and dances for young audiences and is a major architect of New Visions/New Voices, the Center’s program to help develop new TYA plays.
Lenora Inez Brown, VICE PRESIDENT Theatre School-Depaul Univ. 2130 N. Kenmore, Chicago, IL 60614 W: 773-325-7549 F: 773-325-7920 Lbrown23@depaul.edu	Lenora Inez Brown is currently an Asst. Professor of Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticsm at DePaul University. She has worked as the dramaturg and director of new play development at Syracuse Stage, Crossroads Theatre Company and Madison Repertory Theatre. She has worked at numerous new-play workshops, including Sundance Theatre Lab, Pacific Playwright’s Festival, New Vision/New Voices and The Bonderman. She has an MFA in Dramaturgy from the Yale School of Drama and a BA from Dartmouth College.
Joette Pelster, VICE PRESIDENT Executive Director, The Coterie Theatre 2450 Grand Blvd., Suite 144, Kansas City, MO 64108 W: 816-474-6785, ext. 229 F: 816-474-7122 jpelster@coterietheatre.org	Joette Pelster is the Executive Director at the Coterie Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. She was one of the primary creators of the Dramatic AIDS Education Project. She assisted in bringing the Gem Theatre for Cultural and Performing Arts, a new theatre in the 18th and Vine Historic District, into operation. From 1986-1993, she was the Executive Director of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey. While there, she spear-headed the creation of AileyCamp, a nationally replicated program in six cities. Her background is in arts administration and includes extensive community arts coalition experience. Joette has also been the Marketing Director for Kansas City's Folly Theatre and was a founding member of the Nebraska Director's Theatre.
David Kilpatrick, TREASURER Manager, Theater for Young Audiences Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts PO Box 101510, Arlington, VA 22210 W: 202-416-8834 F: 202-416-8876 dwkilpatrick@gmail.com, dwkilpatrick@kennedy-center.org	David Kilpatrick is Manager of Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences in Washington, DC, responsible for national touring. Before coming to DC, he was Education Outreach Coordinator at Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, PA and an Education Associate for The New Victory Theater in New York City. David received his Masters in Educational Theatre at New York University and has taught and worked with The Jim Henson Legacy, Sonnet Repertory Company, NYU and many others.
Susan Hyatt, SECRETARY Director of Education, Florida Stage 262 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, FL 33462 W: 561-585-3404 F: 561-588-4708 susan@floridastage.org	Susan Hyatt has been the Education Director at Florida Stage since 2002. She received her MFA in Acting from Florida Atlantic University and is a member of Actor’s Equity. While working as a professional actress, Ms. Hyatt served six years as an artist-in-residence with Project LEAP, an organization dedicated to integrating arts into public school curriculum. She has taught theatre and drama as an adjunct faculty member at both Lynn University and Florida Atlantic University.
Heather Spicuzza, MEMBER-AT-LARGE Vice President, Education and Community Engagement, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts W: 651-282-3005 hspicuzz@ordway.org	Heather Spicuzza is Vice President of Education and Community Engagement for Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she is responsible for producing the Performing Arts Classroom and planet Ordway series, as well as the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival. Prior to her current position, Ms. Spicuzza was Director of Education at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, president of consulting firm ArtsGal, General Manager for Western and Southern Arts Associates and National Touring Director for Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis. In addition to her work in arts management, she has a broad background in direction and teaching.
Board Members
Dolores Apollonia Chávez MEMBER-AT-LARGE Executive Director, Common Ground 4878 Granada Street, Los Angeles, CA 90042 W: 302-258-8676 commonground05@sbcglobal.net	Dolores Apollonia Chávez is the Founder of Common Ground and Executive Director of Company of Angels. As Producer for P.L.AY./CTG she produced numerous productions that toured throughout Los Angeles, the Mark Taper Forum, the Kennedy Center and Scotland. She has also served as a consultant with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the NEA.
Megan Alrutz Assistant Professor of Theatre, University of Central Florida 1001 East Princeton Street Orlando, FL 32803 W: 407-896-7365 ext 235 F: 407-897-3284 malrutz@mail.ucf.edu	Megan Alrutz is an assistant professor of theatre and the coordinator of the MFA program in Theatre for Young Audiences at the University of Central Florida. She earned a Ph.D. in Theatre (with an emphasis in Theatre for Youth) from Arizona State University, and a B.A. in Theatre from Rutgers University. Her creative and scholarly interests focus on using drama to teach across the curriculum, directing theatre and digital storytelling to explore issues of voice and identity, and investigating drama-based pedagogy for the university classroom. Megan's recent directing credits include Wiley and the Hairy Man, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Salt & Pepper for The Orlando Rep.
Chris Anthony Associate Artistic Director, Shakespeare Festival/LA 1238 W. 1st Street Los Angeles, CA 90026 W: 213-481-2273 x 16 F: 213 975-9833 Chris@Shakespearefestivalla.org	Chris Anthony is a director, teacher, actor and administrator specializing in community-based art making. Holding an MFA from CalArts, she has taught in venues ranging from Elementary Schools to Adult Correctional Facilities. Chris began her career with The Black Rep in St. Louis where she recently directed Othello. She has worked with the award-winning Will Power to Youth program for over a decade. In addition to producing Will Power and other programs for youth, Chris also designs a professional development programs for classroom teachers and teaching artists. Her other professional affiliations have included Plaza de la Raza, Cornerstone Theater, and Young Native Voices.
Roger Bedard Arizona State University, 4219 E Bannock, Phoenix, AZ 85044 W: 480-965-2032 F: 480-965-5351 roger.bedard@asu.edu	Roger L. Bedard holds the Evelyn Smith Family Professorship at Arizona State University where he heads the Theatre for Youth MFA and Ph.D. Programs and directs ARTSWORK: The Kax Herberger Center for Children and the Arts. He teaches graduate level courses in theatre for young audiences and dramatic theory and criticism.
Allison Dillon Managing Director, Nashville Children’s Theatre 724 Second Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37210 W: 615-254-9103 F: 615-254-3255 adillon@nashvillechildrenstheatre.org	Allison Dillon is the Managing Director of Nashville Children’s Theatre, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary season this year. Prior to joining NCT in 1999, she served as Associate Director of Development for The New 42nd Street/New Victory Theatre. Past affiliations include the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Arizona International Youth Arts Festival and Palo Alto Children’s Theatre. She holds an MFA in theatre for youth from Arizona State University and a BA in drama from Stanford University.
Hallie Gordon 758 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60610/font> W: 312-654-5607 F: 312-335-0808 hgordon@steppenwolf.org	Hallie Gordon serves as Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults. She graduated with a BA from the New School. She served as Managing Director for the Atrium Theater and as Artistic Director for the Pillar Studio in Chicago. As Program Specialist with the Chicago Park District, she served as Managing Director of Theater on the Lake. As a theatre artist with Curious Theatre Branch, she has co-directed and directed several critically acclaimed productions. Her recent directing credits include the world premiere of World Set Free by Bryn Magnus, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye by Lydia Diamond, which transferred to The Duke Theatre in New York City, both for Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults and The Sparrow Project by Melanie Marnich for The First Look Repertory at Steppenwolf Theatre. She is also currently serving as Artistic Director for Theater on the Lake.
Barry Kornhauser TYA Director/Playwright-In-Residence, Fulton Opera House P.O. Box 1865, Lancaster, PA 17608 W: 717-394-7133, ext. 105 bkornhauser@thefulton.org	Barry Kornhauser. Fulton Opera House Playwright-In-Residence/TYA Director. Honors include AATE Distinguished Play Award, IUPUI/Bonderman Award, Helen Hayes Best Play Award, Ivey Playwriting Award, “Best Practices” prize, ASSITEJ Observership and “Best Plays of Decade” Commendation, fellowships and grants from NEA, TCG, Mid-Atlantic Arts, PCA; invitations to New Visions/New Voices, One Theatre World. Max, Sam, Ariel’s dad.
Joan Lazarus Associate Professor of Theatre, Head, Theatre Studies Program, Executive Dir., UT Connections Youth Theatre, Department of Theatre and Dance 1.162 Winship Building D3900, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 W: 512-232-5326 F: 512-471-0824 j.lazarus.td@mail.utexas.edu	Joan Lazarus has served as a teaching artist, consultant, K-12 arts educator, member of numerous national boards and advisory committees and past President of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. She is currently a professor at The University of Texas at Austin and is author of Signs of Change: New Directions in Secondary Theatre Education.
Steve Martin Managing Director, Childsplay P.O. Box 517, Tempe, AZ 85280 W: 480-350-8109 F: 480-350-8584 smartin@childsplayaz.org	Steve Martin is in his sixth season as Managing Director of Childsplay. He is a graduate of the University of Toledo. Prior to joining Childsplay, he was Assistant Managing Director of the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Managing Director of Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, Virginia. Martin previously served on the Executive Committee of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the Board of Director for Leadership Hampton Roads and the Board of Directors of the Downtown Norfolk Council. He has also served as a grants panelist for the Virginia Commission on the Arts, Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. He is currently on the board of the Papago Salado Association.
Tim McDonald iTheatrics 628 West 52nd Street, Suite 1F, New York, NY 10019 W: 646-467-8090 timm@iTheatrics.com	Timothy A. McDonald is the Executive Director for iTheatrics.com. He developed the educational catalogue at MTI, including the Broadway Junior Collection, School Edition (including Les Miserables School Edition) Kids Collection and TYA Collection. With Disney Theatricals, Tim developed eight musicals from existing films, including Disney’s Aladdin. Tim adapted Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka in association with the Kennedy Center, and has developed musical theatre curriculum for McGraw Hill Spotlight on Music textbook.
Ruth C. Mercado Associate Director of Education, Suskind Young At Arts, The Wang Center for the Performing Arts 270 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116 W: 617-532-1259 F: 617-532-1340 ruthcmercado@gmail.com	Ruth C. Mercado is the Associate Director of Education at The Wang Center for the Performing Arts in Boston, MA. She previously worked with The People's Light and Theatre Company in Malvern, PA. Ruth received her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University and is a graduate from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
David A. Miller Director of Education Roundabout Theatre Company 111 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036-8502 Email\|Website	David A. Miller is the Director of Education at Roundabout Theatre Company in New York, NY. David has also served as Artistic Director of CityKids Repertory Theater, New York, NY and as the director of outreach at Seattle Children's Theatre. David has worked as a director, teaching artist and actor at theaters such as The Kennedy Center, Seattle Shakespeare Festival and is a company member of Amphibian Productions, Ft. Worth, TX & New York, NY. MFA Directing, Rutgers University. More
Ernie Nolan Director of Performance Studies and Assistant Professor of Theatre Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts Northside 101 1700 Mishawaka Ave. South Bend, IN 46634-7111 W: 574-520-4268 F: 574-520-4317 Email\|Photo	Ernie Nolan is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program (BFA Musical Theatre) and The Theatre School at DePaul University (MFA Directing). An Artistic Associate of Emerald City Theatre in Chicago, his ECT credits include directing and choreographing the Chicago profession al premiere of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, SEUSSICAL, THE JUNGLE BOOK and adapting and directing SNOW WHITE: AS PERFORMED BY TJ BARKER AND HIS TROUPE OF THEATRICALS. As a Resident Artist at The Coterie Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, recently named by TIME magazine as one of the top theatres for young audiences in the country, his credits include directing and choreographing.
Megan Ann Rasmussen Producing Artistic Director, Firehouse Theatre for Youth 105 N. Country Way, Fruit Heights, UT 84037 W: 801-543-2574 F: 801-543-2547 meganannrasmussen@msn.com	Megan Ann Rasmussen is Producing Artistic Director of the Firehouse Theatre for Youth that she founded outside of Salt Lake City, Utah in 2003. Megan Ann’s articles and photography have been published in TYA Today, AATE’s Stage of the Art, NEXT and on the TYA/USA web-site. Recently she was appointed editor of the ASSITEJ International newsletter that is published three times a year to ASSITEJ centers in 85 countries. Megan Ann and her husband, David, live outside Salt Lake City with their three children.
Randy Reinholz San Diego State University, School of Theatre, Television & Film 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182 W: 619-594-7601 F: 619-594-7431 reinholz@mail.sdsu.edu	Randy Reinholz, an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Okalahoma, is co-creator and artistic director of Native Voices. He has directed close to fifty plays across the US and Canada. Reinholz has co-sponsored showcases and Native American diversity workshops for ABC and NBC and is an annual guest artist for the FOX American Indian Summer Institute. A tenured professor of Theatre, Television and Film at San Diego State University, he received his MFA from Cornell University. Reinholz was recently named one of the "Faces to Watch in 2006" by the Los Angeles Times.
Daniel Renner Director of Education, Denver Center Theatre Academy 1050 13th Street, Denver, CO 80204 W: 303-446-4854 F: 303-825-2117 renner@dcpa.org	Daniel Renner is the Dean of the National Theatre Conservatory and Director of Education for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Renner’s career has spanned acting, directing, producing, teaching and arts administration in theatres around the country. He is a consultant for arts organizations, has chaired NEA panels and serves on the boards of TCG and TYA/USA, and the editorial boards of The Teaching Artist Journal and TYA Today.
Karen Sharp Education Director, Seattle Children’s Theatre 201 Thomas Street Seattle, WA 98109 W: (206) 443-0807 x 1126 F: 206-443-0442 Karens@sct.org	Karen Sharp is a 1982 graduate of the Goodman School of Drama. She has taught and coordinated arts education programs throughout the Puget Sound region for over twelve years. Ms. Sharp began teaching for SCT in 1998 and has taught numerous classes for students ages 3½ through eighteen years old. In 1999 Ms. Sharp joined the SCT staff and has worked as Education Outreach Coordinator, Drama School Director and, since 2005, as SCT Education Director where she oversees both the Drama School and Outreach programs. She has taught and developed curricula for classes at local universities and for classroom teachers in which participants learn how to integrate drama into classroom curriculum.
Danny Tamez Director of Education, George Street Playhouse	Danny Tamez has been with George Street Playhouse since 2002. Along with reaching over 75,000 annually touring, Danny has created GSP Academy reaching over 2000 students annually, commissioned 3 new issue-oriented plays for schools, and established an apprentice program and senior programming. Prior to GSP, Danny served as the Community Programs Manager for the Denver Center Theatre Company, Education and Outreach Manager for Dallas Theatre Center, and Managing/Artistic Director for The Actor's Theatre of Dallas. He chairs the City of New Brunswick Community Arts Council and is on the Advisory Board for Rutgers’s Media Literary Center. He has juried the Presidents Committee on the Arts and Humanities Coming Up Taller Awards, sat as peer review panels for NJ Hudson and Monmouth Cultural Commissions, New Jersey State Council for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. He holds a BFA in theatre from Texas Christian University and a MA in arts administration from Goucher College.
Kenton Yeager University of Tennessee, Clarence Brown Theatre 206 McClung Tower, Knoxville, TN 37996-0420 W: 865-974-2207 F: 865-974-4867 kyeager2@utk.edu	Kenton Yeager has designed, produced or directed more than 500 productions for Theatre, Dance, Music, Industrials, Festivals, Youth Audiences and National Tours. Kenton served as the Chair/Artistic Director of the Interlochen Arts Camps’ Department of Theater and as Associate Artistic Director of the Virginia Stage Company creating their educational programs and Theatre for Youth tour, and is now the Artistic Director of Creative Event Horizons. As an educator, he has taught master classes at over 50 universities, served on the faculty at Penn State, Burlington Technical Institute, Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts and is currently on the faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, heading the lighting design program.
Honorary Members
Ann Shaw FOUNDING PRESIDENT, Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ/USA) VICE PRESIDENT and MEMBER OF HONOR, ASSITEJ International 1810 Calle de Sebastian D-1, Santa Fe, NM 87505 H: 505-986-1699 F: 505-986-1699 annmimishaw@aol.com
Nat Eek PRESIDENT, Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ/USA) PRESIDENT and HONORARY PRESIDENT, ASSITEJ International 800 West Imhoff Road, Norman, OK 73072 H: 405-329-0705, 505-983-5689 nateek@telepath.com
Harold Oaks PRESIDENT, Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ/USA) TREASURER and PRESIDENT, ASSITEJ International 923 West 20 North Orem, UT 84057 hrijoaks@yahoo.com
Scot Copeland PRESIDENT, Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ/USA) Nashville Children's Theatre 724 Second Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37210 W: 615-254-9103 F: 615-254-3255 scopeland@nashvillechildrenstheatre.org

About the Board
The TYA/USA Board is a volunteer board. If you are interested in more information about the TYA/USA board, please contact TYA/USA.