Our People
Washington Performing Arts has engaged for more than half a century with artists, audiences, students, and civic life. The city is truly our stage: for decades, in venues ranging from concert halls and clubs to public parks, we have presented a tremendous range of artists and art forms, from the most distinguished symphony orchestras to both renowned and emerging artists in classical music, jazz, international genres, and more. Meet the team that makes it all possible.
Washington Performing Arts Staff
Executive Staff
Jenny Bilfield, President & CEO (she/her/hers) Download Contact Details
Douglas H. Wheeler, President Emeritus Download Contact Details
Audrey Witmore, Executive Assistant
Advancement
Meiyu Tsung, Director of Advancement (she/her/hers) Download Contact Details
Sara Trautman-Yeğenoğlu, Assistant Director of Advancement Resources (she/her/hers)
Rachel Luehrs, Manager of Individual Giving (she/her/hers)
Sarah Frances Williams, Manager of Special Events (she/her/hers)
Natalie Groom, Manager of Advancement Operations & Analytics (she/her/hers)
Scott Hounsou, Advancement Assistant (he/him/his)
Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media
Lauren Beyea, Director of Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media (she/her/hers) Download Contact Details
Scott Thureen, Creative Media & Analytics Manager (he/him/his)
Cassandra Gibson, Marketing & Communications Manager (she/her/hers)
Tina David, Digital Content Manager
Amanda Sweet, Bucklesweet, Press & Media Relations (she/her/hers)
Daniele Oliveira, Graphic Designer
Arts Education & Partnerships
Amber Pannocchia, Director of Arts Education & Partnerships Download Contact Details
Penelope Musto, Education Partnerships Manager (she/her/hers)
Kristen Missy Harts, Arts Education Program Manager
Gospel Music Programs
David Powell, Director of Gospel Music Programs Download Contact Details
Kathy Brewington, Senior Manager of Choir Operations (she/her/hers)
Tevin Price, Recruitment & Production Coordinator for Gospel Music Programs (he/him/his)
Finance & Administration
Paul Leider, Chief Financial Officer Download Contact Details
Bridgette Cooper, Assistant Director of HR & Operations Download Contact Details
Patron Services (Ticket Office)
Chad Dexter Kinsman, Patron Services Manager
Mbissane Diagne, Patron Services Associate
Programming & Production
Samantha Pollack, Director of Programming (she/her/hers) Download Contact Details
Anna Rudnitsky, Programming Operations Manager (she/they)
Special Productions & Initiatives
Eric E. Richardson, Supervising Producer (he/him/his) Download Contact Details
DeAnte Haggerty-Willis, Manager of Mars Arts D.C.
Resident Artists
Michele Fowlin, Artistic Director, Children of the Gospel Choir
Theodore Thorpe III, Artistic Director, Men & Women of the Gospel Choir
Anthony “Tony” Walker, Music Director, Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs
Karon Johnson, Choreographer, Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs
Stanley J. Thurston, Artistic Director Emeritus, Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs (he/him/his)
Washington Performing Arts Board of Directors
Washington Performing Arts has a dynamic and deeply engaged Board of Directors, Junior Board, and Women’s Committee, comprised of members from varied backgrounds, generations, professional expertise, and life experience.
Rudy Burwell, Chair*
Gary Yacoubian, Vice Chair*
Tom Gallagher, Treasurer*
Joseph May, Secretary*
Burton J. Fishman, Esq., General Counsel*
Her Excellency Shaikha Aisha AlKhalifa
Dina Al Sabah
Sunny Alsup*
Jeffrey Bauman*
Jenny Bilfield, President & CEO*
Nici Bush
Christina Co Mather
Michele Cober
Trista L. P. Colbert*
Debbie Driesman
Robert S. Feinberg*
Brad Figel*
Ellen Stark Gold
Luanne S. Gutermuth*
Ana R. Harvey
Lucia Hill
Albert Hunt (Friday Morning Music Club)
Deidra L. Jackson
Vinetta C. Jones
Dina Lassow (Women’s Committee)*
André O. Lewis
Gigi Maniyatte
Benjamin Martin (Junior Board)*
Lynn Parseghian*
W. Stephen Piper*
Olwen Thorpe Pongrace
Tafaya Ransom
Gordon Rush*
Marc Schlosberg
Kerrien Suarez
Ebony D. Thomas
Douglas H. Wheeler, President Emeritus*
Zaminah D. Williams
Honorary Directors
Nancy G. Barnum
Arturo Brillembourg
Hans Bruland
Charlotte Cameron
Josephine Cooper
The Honorable Debbie Dingell
Roselyn Payne Epps, M.D.†
Sophie P. Fleming†
Eric R. Fox
Norma Lee Funger†
Peter Ladd Gilsey†
Barbara W. Gordon†
France K. Graage
Felecia Love Greer, Esq.
James M. Harkless, Esq.
Susan B. Hepner
ViCurtis G. Hinton†
Jake Jones
Steven Kaplan, Esq.
Sherman E. Katz, Esq.
Marvin C. Korengold, M.D.†
Peter L. Kreeger
Robert G. Liberatore
Jerome B. Libin, Esq.†
Dennis G. Lyons†
Dr. Gary D. Mather†
Gilbert D. Mead†
Gerson Nordlinger†
John F. Olson
Susan Porter†
Frank H. Rich†
James J. Sandman
Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and
Veronica Valencia Sarukhan
Charlotte Schlosberg†
Samuel A. Schreiber
Jon Sedmak
Albert H. Small†
Shirley Small
The Honorable James W. Symington
Stefan F. Tucker, Esq.
Mary Jo Veverka
Philip R. West
Carol Wilner
Paul Martin Wolff
Past Chairs, Board of Directors
Todd Duncan† , Past Chairman Laureate
William N. Cafritz†
Aldus H. Chapin†
Kenneth M. Crosby†
Jean Head Sisco†
Kent T. Cushenberry†
Harry M. Linowes†
Edward A. Fox
Hugh H. Smith
Alexine Clement Jackson†
Lydia Micheaux Marshall
The Honorable Stephen W. Porter†
Elliott S. Hall
Lena Ingegerd Scott
James F. Lafond
Bruce E. Rosenblum
Daniel L. Korengold
Susan B. Hepner
Jay M. Hammer
Reginald Van Lee
Tom Gallagher
† deceased
* Executive Committee
Junior Board
Comprised of young professionals and performing arts enthusiasts, the Washington Performing Arts Junior Board makes an impact in D.C. and beyond through its commitment to philanthropy, leadership, and advocacy.
The Junior Board builds an artistic community of their peers, develops their leadership network and skills, and adopts philanthropic projects with meaningful impact. From enjoying roof-top cocktail hours to advocating in Junior Board meetings to supporting education initiatives, the work of the Junior Board is as varied as its members!
Email JuniorBoard@WashingtonPerformingArts.org for more information.
Benjamin Martin
Chair, Junior Board
Simon Patmore-Zarcone
Chair, Audience Engagement
Kayla Payne
Vice Chair, Philanthropy
Olivia Stam
Chair, Governance, Secretary
Alyssa O’Connor
Member-at-Large*
Katherine Barry
Christopher Bird
Antony Daley
Shirley Diaz
Omar B. Farid
Linda Foinding
Ersian François
Anne Friend
Hannah Gross
Cassidy Grunninger
Charles L. Holloway
Angela C.Y. King
William Korengold
Hali Larkins
Andrew Lee
John McCann
Camden Miller*
J.K. Phenix
Erica Royal
Kyle Shernuk
Catherine Snyderwine
Olivia Stam
Kristen Taylor
Michaela Tummings
Raleigh Wheeler
Macaya Yao
Kevin Yen
Join the Junior Board
Love the performing arts? Looking for professional development? Want to make an impact through nonprofit service? All the above are possible through the Washington Performing Arts Junior Board.
Comprised of young professionals and performing arts enthusiasts ages 21-40, the Junior Board transforms passion into purpose, making an impact in D.C. and beyond through its commitment to philanthropy, audience engagement, and leadership.
The 2024-25 season application has closed. Applications for the 2025-26 season will open in spring 2025.
Want to be notified about the Junior Board and Young Patrons events? Sign up for our email list!
Membership Benefits:
- Networking and making friends with young professionals in the DMV and our Board of Directors
- Selecting which programs and performances the Junior Board sponsors and supports
- Access to exclusive events like private embassy concert previews, educational programs, rehearsal sneak peeks, and more
- Priority seating, flexible ticket exchanges, and Kennedy Center lounge passes
Membership Commitments:
- Complete a two-year term
- Pay annual dues ($1,000/fiscal year, “Give or Get”)
- Attend at least 3 performances per season
- Contribute to and/or attend our annual gala
- Attend and participate in quarterly Junior Board meetings
- Participate in one or more of our change-making committees: Audience Engagement, Philanthropy & Gala, or Nominating & Governance
“I lived overseas as a diplomat for 23 years and I always felt that my family missed so much of the American cultural scene. When I returned to Washington, a close friend introduced me to the Washington Performing Arts Women’s Committee. … Our commitment is to help Washington Performing Arts promote the performing arts among youth, seniors, and a wide range of audiences. I am honored to be a part of this organization.”
—Denise Rollins, longtime member of the Washington Performing Arts Women’s Committee and Washington Performing Arts supporter and subscriber.
Women’s Committee
The Women’s Committee of Washington Performing Arts was organized in 1969 in response to a need for community outreach. We are one of the earliest-formed volunteer organizations for women in the nation’s capital that focuses on community service through the performing arts and support for high quality performances.