EDI Mentorship Program

2025 LORT Mentorship Program - Announcement

The LORT Mentorship Subcommittee is thrilled to announce the 2025 Mentorship Program cohort.

The intention of the LORT Mentorship Program is to address the barriers that have inhibited greater racial and gender diversity in LORT managing and executive leadership. This year, the mentorship program focused on pairing Mentors with BIPOC LORT Mentees interested in administrative leadership including aspiring Executive Directors, Managing Directors, General Managers and Senior Department Managers including but not limited to Marketing, Production, Development and Human Resources.

We were thrilled with this year’s applicants, who ranged in all manner of career points and concentrations. The Mentorship Subcommittee selected and matched the following pairs of participants. Please see all participant bios on the pages that follow.

LORT Mentorship Program 2025 Cohort

  • Briana Butler, Education Manager at Two River Theater will be mentored by Karen Ann Daniels, Director of Programming and Artistic Director at Folger Theatre;
  • Emily Nola Kelly, General Manager at PlayMakers Repertory Company will be mentored by Mike Schleifer, Managing Director at Alliance Theatre;
  • Erica Martin, Associate General Manager at La Jolla Playhouse will be mentored by Alma Malabanan-McGrath, Interim General Manager at Ars Nova;
  • Katie Peña-Van Zile, Line Producer at Actors Theatre of Louisville will be mentored by Lydia Garcia, dramaturg and arts leader;
  • Dan Pyuen, Marketing Manager at Shakespeare Theatre Company will be mentored by Maisie Chan, Production Manager at South Coast Repertory;
  • Charlique C. Rolle, Producer at Baltimore Center Stage will be mentored by Shaunda McDill, Managing Director at Pittsburgh Public Theater;
  • Patrice N. Trower, Costume Shop Manager at Indiana Repertory Theatre will be mentored by Diana A. Brown, General Manager at the Guthrie Theater; and
  • Brandy (Yijin) Zhang, Marketing & Engagement Associate and BOLD Programs Associate will be mentored by Courtney Ozaki Durgin, Creative Producer at Off-Center at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

MENTEES

Briana Butler. My name is Briana Butler and I am a funny, hard working individual looking for an opportunity to be the change that many seek. After getting my Bachelor’s degree in Theater & Comedy and Africana World Studies from William Paterson University, I completed my Master’s degree at Rowan University in Arts Administration with the end goal of becoming an advocate and safe space for any and all artists of color. I am the first in my family to obtain a Master’s degree and feel the weight of that knowledge every day. My story began as a student: a student who was initially not interested in theater. That is, until I saw my first theatrical production as a sophomore in high school; and I fell in love with the arts in a whole new way. With a newly instilled love, I was able to intern, participate in education programs as a student, and became an employee of Two River Theater. After almost a decade of hard work, dedication, and commitment, I moved to my full-time role as the Education Manager.

Emily Nola Kelly serves as the General Manager of PlayMakers Repertory Company, where she draws on a diverse background in arts administration, nonprofit leadership, and strategic planning. Her journey began with an early love of dance, which eventually grew into a commitment to theater as a powerful force for connection and social impact. Emily is passionate about making theater accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for all communities, and she believes in the power of storytelling to inspire empathy and drive change. She holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Culture with a minor in Theater Arts Administration from Howard University. Looking toward the future, Emily aspires to lead a theater organization that is deeply rooted in its community, creating spaces where diverse voices are celebrated and where the arts can serve as a catalyst for dialogue and understanding.

Erica Martin (she/her) is currently the Associate General Manager at La Jolla Playhouse. She joined the Playhouse in 2016 working in a variety of roles in the Company Management/General Management department. During her time at the Playhouse, she has provided care for and created community with hundreds of artists in numerous Playhouse-born premieres including REDWOOD, THE OUTSIDERS, and LEMPICKA. She is a graduate of Penn State University with a B.S. in Management Information Systems. Erica is a San Diego native and an avid foodie, moviegoer, and dog lover.

Katie Peña-Van Zile (she/they) is a disabled, neuroqueer, Latina-Lachian theatre professional and arts administrator focused on creating accessible, inclusive spaces for marginalized voices. Known to friends as KVZ, Katie brings a unique perspective as an Army brat and third-culture kid who has adapted to various environments in their adolescence. Finding theatre later in life helped her heal her relationship with impermanence, and she is passionate about ensuring no one is ever excluded from the arts for not fitting into a box.

Katie began her career writing educational puppet shows until her advocacy for queer, disabled, and marginalized communities was labeled as “indoctrination.” Now, as a Line Producer at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Katie champions unheard voices, partnering with artists and administrators to create transformative, inclusive productions. She is proudly community college and state school educated, a Dramatist Guild Catalyst Fellowship Semi-Finalist, and a fierce advocate for accessible theatre that welcomes all. | katiepenavanzile.com

Leo Sun / Sag Moon / Cancer Rising, if you were wondering.

Her parents insist they are not disappointed in her.

Dan Pyuen is an arts administrator, currently the Marketing Manager for the Shakespeare Theatre Company. They have previously worked with Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Imagination Stage, Folger Shakespeare Library, and the American Shakespeare Center. They have also appeared as a performer locally with Imagination Stage, Rorschach Theatre, Solas Nua (as part of 2018 Helen Hayes Outstanding Ensemble for The Frederick Douglass Project), and Flying V Theatre. Currently, they also work on organizing and presenting panels for addressing diversity and Asian inclusion for the Tabletop Role Play/Actual Play Performance spaces (including for PAX Unplugged and PAX East), and just started work towards their Masters in Arts Management at George Mason University's College for the Visual and Performing Arts.

Charlique C. Rolle is a community and cultural design specialist, visionary multi-disciplinary creator, producer, and storyteller who seamlessly navigates the intersections of faith, arts, justice, and community development, amplifying Black and marginalized voices. As the former Executive Director of Congo Square Theatre and President of the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago, her impact resonates in innovative narratives and continues to resound in her role as Producer at Baltimore Center Stage. Recognized in Newcity's Players (2022, 2024), Charlique is a catalyst for change, driving transformative works that catalyze collective liberation and transformation. A Bahamas native, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Missouri Valley College, holds an MA in Ministry Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary and an MBA from Concordia University Chicago. Charlique's commitment extends beyond artistic expression; she leverages the arts for societal change, forging partnerships committed to creative freedom, sustainability, and longevity. She is not just a storyteller but a changemaker, utilizing diverse artistic modalities to deepen stories and propel them into action, actively elevating Black voices in the cultural landscape with unwavering dedication.

Patrice N. Trower, an east coast native, has worked in theatre and entertainment costumes for over a decade. She found her passion for theatre production while attending Valdosta State University, where she obtained a BFA in Theatre Production, with an emphasis in Costumes. Throughout her carrier she has meandered into various types of entertainment including cruise ships, television productions, Broadway costume shops, and New York tourism entertainment. Ms. Trower is currently the Costume Shop Manager at Indiana Repertory Theatre. In her off season she costume designs at various theatres, productions include The Play That Goes Wrong; Alice Childress One Acts: Florence and Mojo. Her hobbies include traveling, puzzles, reading, and spending time with family.

Brandy (Yijin) Zhang is a diasporic Chinese arts administrator, producer, and artist who currently holds the titles of BOLD Programs Associate and Marketing & Engagement Associate at Northern Stage, VT. She is committed to fostering human-centered artistic content that promotes intercultural understanding and uplifts communities. For the past two seasons, she has served as the line producer and marketing liaison of the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award for Playwriting and its workshops–a collaboration between the Neukom Institute for Computational Science at Dartmouth, Dartmouth’s Department of Theater, and Northern Stage. Brandy is taking on her first main stage line producing credit for Northern Stage’s upcoming production of King James by Rajiv Joseph, and continues to spearhead institutional community engagement and regional nonprofit partnership efforts. A proud member of the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle, Brandy has led administrative and marketing efforts for the BOLD Circle under co-founder Carol Dunne’s mentorship, and is beyond grateful for the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation for underwriting this amazing pipeline that propels women+ leaders in American theater.

MENTORS

Diana A. Brown (Dade), a native New Yorker, has worked in the entertainment business for the past 30 years. Ms. Brown currently works in service to the Guthrie Theater as a member of their Senior Team and General Manager. Some of her legit theatre production working credits include TITANIC the Musical; FOOTLOOSE; THE KING & I; SAVION GLOVER with N.Y.O.T.S as part of the Dodger Management Group. Ms. Brown then ventured out on her own to General Manage ECHO PARK and KEEP BANGIN’. During which time she formed the multi-hyphenated production/management group D2 Entertainment Partners. Ms. Brown transitioned to the broader entertainment landscape of television. She has worked in production for Home Box Office, Turner Broadcasting, Inc sequin to becoming the Director of Production of the Walton Arts Center and Walmart Amphitheater. Additionally, she served as the Managing Editor of Lipgloss Magazine (www.lipglossmagazine.com) which is targeted to minority teen girls. Ms. Brown holds a MFA in Arts Administration and Theatre Management from the University of Alabama/Alabama Shakespeare Festival and BA in Communications from Ursinus College. She has a passion for the performing arts, travel (particularly Aruba) and working with animal rescue groups.

Maisie Chan is the Production Manager and part of the executive staff at South Coast Repertory. She joined SCR in September 2021 as Associate Production Manager after spending 7 years in various positions for The Walt Disney Company ranging from licensing and marketing the Marvel brand to managing talent auditions. Maisie also coordinated parades and shows for Walt Disney Imagineering in their entertainment department, including supervising crew and performers for the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland. Maisie has two bachelor degrees in Theatre Arts Technology and Business Administration Management from Chapman University. She also earned a Masters in Collaborative Theatre Production & Design from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Karen Ann Daniels is the Director of Programming and Performance at Folger Shakespeare Library. Known for creating authentic engagement between theater and community, Karen Ann leads the charge to expand and deepen Folger’s relationship with surrounding communities and to build and increase audiences to new and diverse peoples. Since joining Folger she has designed and launched new programs and initiatives such as The Reading Room Festival, bringing audiences into conversation with new works by contemporary artists and practice-based scholarly research through adaptations of Shakespeare; Searching for Shakespeare, a city-wide festival celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s First-Folio in partnership with the DC Public Library; and DC Amplified, built a new Engagement department to focus on building the internal capacity to operationalize and sustain this mission-oriented work as a core part of the Library at-large.

Prior to joining the Folger, Daniels was Director of the Mobile Unit at The Public Theater in New York City, and also launched Mobile Unit In Corrections. At The Old Globe, she managed community partnerships and piloted and implemented key programs including producing Globe for All, coLAB, Community Voices, Behind the Curtain, and Reflecting Shakespeare.

Karen Ann is also a multi-hyphenate artist who works as a singer/songwriter, actor, director and playwright. Karen Ann served as chair of the Cultural Arts Commission of the City of Chula Vista, California, held a seat on the New California Arts Fund Leadership committee, through The James Irvine Foundation; co-producer of the Biannual Shakespeare in Prisons Conference and Network. She holds a BA in Art History from UCLA, an MFA in Musical Theater from San Diego State University and a certificate in Shakespeare from the British American Drama Academy. She has been a Global Atlantic Fellow on Racial Equity through the Atlantic Foundation since 2021, a network of leaders from the US and South Africa working to deepen their personal leadership and build expansive new futures in which Black people, and all people of color, are seen, valued and respected.

Lydia Garcia (She/Her/Ella) is a seasoned dramaturg and arts leader who recently made her mark as the first Executive Director of Equity and Organizational Culture at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). A Denver, CO transplant, Lydia has brought deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion into the heart of the city's arts community. With a background in Dramaturgy and artistic leadership, she is passionate about reshaping organization culture to foster equity and accessibility in the performing arts. Additionally, Lydia served as the Chief Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where she combined her expertise in dramaturgy with a commitment to creating inclusive spaces for both artists and audiences.

Though she has transitioned from the DCPA, Lydia continues to inspire and advocate for meaningful cultural change in the arts, utilizing her vast experience to elevate storytelling and champion underrepresented voices.

Alma Malabanan-McGrath Alma Malabanan-McGrath (she/her/hers) is a second-generation New Jersey-based Filipina American who proudly grew up in New York’s Hudson Valley. She has spent more than twenty-nine years administratively and operationally supporting the tri-state performing arts community in a number of arts administrative and arts education roles, from teaching artist to theater operations specialist. Alma is currently the interim general manager at Ars Nova and just prior to this, the general manager at Vineyard Theatre. Before returning to the NYC theatre community, Alma was the first-ever general manager at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in Garrison, NY wherein she developed the position’s role in the producing team to support their future growth; established rehearsal infrastructure at their new home to support the creative processes in their inaugural season, and beyond; and stewarded ongoing workplace practices and Board training to support their anti-racism journey to being an institution of inclusion. Prior to HVSF, Alma was the general manager at Two River Theater in Red Bank, NJ for five years under John Dias and Michael Hurst and for fourteen years, the director of operations at the New 42nd Street, where she oversaw the operations and capital improvements of the company’s 84,000 square foot premier performing arts facility in the heart of Times Square. Over the span of her career, she has been committed to establishing consistent administrative practices to maintain stable and supported operational infrastructure, while actively working to create workplace practices that promote dignity and belonging. At one time, she made a living as a professional pastry chef.

Shaunda McDill Shaunda McDill joined Pittsburgh Public Theater as Managing Director in February 2023. The Public is a 50-year-old organization with an $8 million-dollar annual operating budget. Previously, she was a program officer at The Heinz Endowments, supporting a suite of Pittsburgh-based artists and arts organizations. Shaunda has over two decades of non-profit executive and arts management experience, working for theater companies across the country, including The Goodman Theatre of Chicago, Pasadena Playhouse, and Cornerstone Theater Company. In 2006, she also founded DEMASKUS Theater Collective. The Collective inspires transformation that leads to personal fulfillment, professional purpose, and spiritual upliftment through artistic and authentic voice. In Pittsburgh, Shaunda served as vice president of programming and cultivation at the (then) August Wilson Center for African American Culture, where she managed all artistic and educational programs and produced the organization's first Black Dance Festival. As the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s director of public relations, she headed both national and local public relations campaigns including the memorable North American premiere of the Rubber Duck Project. Shaunda is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Yale University. Shaunda is an adjunct faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and serves on Pittsburgh's Public Art & Civic Design Commission as well as Governor Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs. She serves on the Boards of Jada House International and Shiftworks and has been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated since the Spring of 1998. She is married to Pittsburgh native Sager McDill and the proud bonus mom to four children.

Courtney Ozaki Durgin (She/Her) is a creative producer, experience designer, cultural consultant, and artist from Colorado, with a deep commitment to celebrating and elevating Japanese arts and culture in America. A third and fourth generation Japanese American, she founded the Japanese Arts Network (JA-NE), a national resource designed to connect and support Japanese artists and culture across disciplines fostering collaboration and cultural exchange. Courtney's career spans across opera, dance, music, and theatre working primarily out of New York City and Denver. A professional Taiko drummer for over 30 years, she has performed internationally including in Dubai, UAE. She currently serves as Creative Producer for DCPA's immersive theatre line, Off-Center, where has worked to premiere work for its first national tours in the U.S. and also produces original theatrical work that centers the audience in the story.

Mike Schleifer has been the Managing Director at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta since 2015 where he oversees all operational, marketing, financial, fundraising and shared services activities. Mike has been the lead producer on over 100 productions including moving four shows to Broadway. He led a $36mm renovation of one venue and is currently leading the $26mm renovation of the Goizueta Stage for Youth and Family which will be shared between the Alliance and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Mike started the EDI Committee at the Alliance and he has served on the League of Resident Theaters (LORT) EDI Committee since its inception in 2014. He is a board member of LORT and True Colors Theatre Company. Prior to Atlanta, he spent 20 years as a stage manager and production manager. Mike is married to theater director, intimacy director, sensitivity specialist and educator Laura Hackman and the proud father of two boys, Jack and Ben.

LORT EDI Mentorship Subcommittee

Lawrence Bennett, Director of Production, Alliance Theater

Caitlin Crombleholme, Associate General Manager, Alley Theatre

Amy Dalba, General Manager, American Conservatory Theater

Jessica Eckenrod, Artistic Associate, Denver Center Theatre

Samantha De La Riva, General Manager, Two River Theater Company

Jeff Rodgers, Member at Large & Chief Financial Officer, Showing Up for Racial Justice

Erin Sheffield, General Manager, People’s Light