Executive Artistic Leader | Visionary Arts Strategist | Community Connector

Professional Summary

Visionary, equity-driven arts leader with 30+ years of experience guiding nonprofit theaters, developing new works, curating seasons, and fostering community connections. Proven record of co-executive leadership, fiscal stewardship, fundraising, and building thriving, inclusive artistic organizations. Acclaimed director and producer with deep national and international networks, recognized for transforming organizations, growing audiences, and advancing equity and belonging through the arts.

Executive & Artistic Leadership Experience

Artistic Associate | ACT/Union Arts Center – Seattle, WA (2022 – Present)

·       Lead curation, literary direction, new works production, education initiatives, and community partnerships.

·       Produce, curate, and direct New Works Northwest Festival, elevating diverse PNW artists and developing original commissions.

·       Collaborate on season selection and artistic management with the Artistic Director.

·       Launched Young Core Company, Rising Leadership Cohort, and Community Day programming to develop new artists and audiences, new work, and deepen community connection.

·       Reimagined education programs and expanded community partnerships, increasing reach and impact.

·       Secured new revenue-generating programs and grew departmental budget.

Producing Artistic & Executive Director | Penguin Productions – Seattle, WA (2017 – Present)

·       Founded and lead nonprofit youth and community arts organization overseeing programming, budget, fundraising, and partnerships.

·       Produce 4–6 productions annually, commissioning and staging new works in partnership with BIPOC theaters and environmental organizations.

·       Facilitate cross-sector partnerships with arts, education, and leadership organizations to expand youth arts access.

·       Created and lead Youth Artist Leadership Program, mentoring diverse youth cohorts in equity-based leadership.

Artistic & Education Director | Seattle Public Theater – Seattle, WA (2001 – 2017)

·       Transformed community theater into a nationally recognized nonprofit with 2500% audience growth and 4000% budget growth.

·       Led 16 seasons of programming including season selection, commissioning new plays, and directing professional and youth productions.

·       Balanced annual budgets and maintained a debt-free organization.

·       Spearheaded equity and inclusion initiatives such as no-audition youth productions, BIPOC playwright commissioning, and apprenticeships.

·       Cultivated donors and secured grants to expand programming and budget.

National & International Work

·       Fulbright Specialist (2021–2025) – Developed global arts programs integrating climate justice, theater, and education.

·       Visiting Scholar/Artist (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic) – Directed Climate Change Theater Action Festivals, designed curricula, and created international collaborations.

·       Guest Speaker & Facilitator – Presenter at international conferences including Prague Visitors Program 2025, AATE 2023, Arts Leadership Symposium 2024.

Selected Directing & Producing Highlights

• Directed 60+ plays across 17 seasons, including world premieres, commissions, and reinvigorated classics.

• Produced premieres by Keiko Green. Steven Dietz, Anna Ziegler, Heidi Schreck, Julia Cho, Nathan Louis Jackson, Martyna Majok, Alan Ayckbourn, Theresa Rebeck, Richard Greenberg, A. Rey Pamantat, Rebecca Gilman, and more.

• Commissioned and mounted over 30 works from local playwrights

• Founded Emerald Prize for New Plays, establishing a national pipeline for playwright development.

• Recipient of multiple Gregory Award nominations and Seattle Times Footlight Awards

Community Engagement & Consulting

• Consultant: Amazon, Microsoft, Seattle University, Bastyr University, and others (executive leadership and arts training).
• Panelist & Reviewer: Intiman Theatre, Freehold Theatre, Seattle Times, 4Culture.
• Guest Contributor: Parent Map, Edutopia, Encore Magazine.
• Consultant: The Shattered Glass Project, Evergrey Leadership Lab.

Education & Training

BA, History, University of Chicago – Merit Scholarship; Kinahan Prize for Theater Contributions
Leadership Tomorrow, Class of 2021
Leadership for Social Change, ArtEquity (2016)