Meet the Staff
Raymond Bobgan creates new performances that are bold, multilayered, and highly physical through an ever-evolving ensemble process. Raymond’s work has been seen in Romania, Brazil, Denmark, Serbia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and has been featured in American Theatre magazine, Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Journal, and in Lisa Wolford’s book Grotowski’s Objective Drama Research.
Raymond has created many works for CPT including Dream Rust Workshop for CPT and Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America; Frankenstein’s Wake with Holly Holsinger; and Blue Sky Transmission: A Tibetan Book of the Dead, co-produced by CPT and La MaMa ETC (Off-Broadway). Raymond’s ongoing experimentations and creations are produced as The Cleveland CORE Ensemble. His most recent major work includes the two immersive performances: Candlelight Hypothesis and Reverie Oracle. Last season Raymond directed the US professional premiere production of Hanoch Levin’s Requiem, the longest running play in the Israeli canon.
Raymond initiated the formation of Teatro Público de Cleveland, CPT’s resident Latinx/a/o theatre company, Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi, a group dedicated to creating and performing theatre from Arabic-speaking communities, and Station Hope, a community arts festival exploring contemporary issues of social justice. Raymond founded the Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP), a job-training theatre program for teens, and co-created the Y-Haven Theatre Project with James Levin, which engages formerly homeless men in writing and performing theatre.
Raymond was the first recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize in the discipline of theatre. He is a two-time winner of the Creative Workforce Fellowship for theatre and music, and he was a recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Fellowship. He is an alumnus of the National Theatre Artist Residency Program (Pew Charitable Trust and TCG).
In 2018, Raymond was honored with the Cleveland Foundation’s Homer C. Wadsworth Award and in 2017, his administrative leadership was recognized with The Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio. Raymond has received the Cleveland’s Transgender Day of Remembrance Cisgender Ally Award and Equality Ohio’s Ally Award. In 2020 he was awarded the Father Frascati Neighborhood Champion Award by Northwest Neighborhoods.
Raymond was the president of the board of directors for the National New Play Network from 2018-2020. He has recently returned to the NNPN board and is cochairing their Strategic Plan. Raymond served the maximum four terms of service on the board of Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for professional theatres and the publisher of American Theatre magazine. Raymond also serves on the governing boards of Gordon Square Arts District Cleveland Improvement Corporation and North American Cultural Laboratory, and the Community Advisory Board for Ideastream.
This is Raymond Bobgan’s 19th season leading Cleveland Public Theatre as executive artistic director.
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Diwe Augustin-Glave is an actor, poet, educator, and life-long learner. They joined Cleveland Public Theater’s full-time staff in September of 2022 after being attracted to their investment in antiracism and developing new work. Diwe received their BA in Theater from Oberlin College with a concentration in performing and a minor in Africana Studies in June of 2022. They are a Cleveland native and consider Cleveland Heights to be their home and heart. Diwe’s experience as a teacher began in high school as a Beaumont student and alum of The Aspire Program at Hathaway Brown where they served as a Junior Teacher for three summers and spent their fourth summer as an 8th grade social studies teacher. Their self-directed curriculum focused on U.S. History through a Black Feminist lens. In addition, they led a Performance 101 workshop that was offered to students from grades 6-8 which culminated in two devised skits that centered on themes of desirability, cancel culture, and accountability. Diwe is a graduate of the Trinity/La MaMa Performing Arts Program, here they were immersed in the arts and culture of the city by seeing shows every night, producing their own work, and taking master classes with professionals from a wide variety of artistic fields. While in NY they interned with Black Revolutionary Theater Workshop under Heather Harvey. As a Teaching Artist and Site Coordinator with CPT’s CMHA CAN program, Diwe intends to bring compassion, flexibility, and fun to the forefront of theater education.
Paige is a director, AEA stage manager, and theatre educator from Flint, Michigan. She holds a BFA in Theatre, with a focus in Directing from Michigan State University. With over 12 years of experience as a competitive gymnast, it’s no surprise she found her niche in physical theatre, and is passionate about the physical, mental, and emotional accessibility and safety it offers in a theatrical process. During the pandemic, she began training as an intimacy choreographer through TIE (Theatrical Intimacy Education). Paige is also occasionally a playwright. In 2021 her play Tag received a virtual development process with Drafted; A New Play Workshop. She’s so glad to be with CPT and excited to be working with this wonderful community of artists. Some favorite credits include: Lungs (director, Kickshaw Theatre); Wrong River (stage manager, Flint Repertory Theatre); Dreamscape – the Collaboratory (director/devisor, Young People’s’ Theater); She Kills Monsters (producer/director, CHS Theatre Guild); Songs For a New World (stage manager; Flint Repertory Theatre); These Mortal Hosts (director, Williamston Theatre); Dr. Fox and the Impossible Cure for Death (stage manager, imaGEN Project – Wharton Center for Performing Arts); Milvotchkee, Visconsin (stage manager, Kickshaw Theatre); The Wolves (stage manager, Flint Repertory Theatre); The Wonderful, Wacky Witches Podcast (director/audio editor, CHS Theatre Guild).
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Melissa Crum is a Cleveland-based director, writer, performer, educator, and meaning maker. Focused on humor, heart, and vulnerable truth-telling, she creates with a messy sort of whimsy that explores the crevices, complexities, and contradictions of our shared human-ness. Melissa received the 2016/2017 Nord Family Foundation Playwright Fellowship through Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT), where she and co-writer & composer Caitlin Lewins developed Everything is Okay (and other helpful lies), a dark musical comedy. Everything is Okay (and other helpful lies) received a reading at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in the summer of 2019. Through this work, Crum and Lewins were finalists for the 2019 Mitten Lab. Melissa completed the 2013/2014 Joan Yellen Horvitz Director Fellowship at Cleveland Public Theatre, where she directed The Drowning Girls. Melissa has directed locally at Dobama Theatre, Talespinner Children’s Theatre, and Cleveland Public Theatre. Melissa served as a Staff Teaching Artist with Playhouse Square, worked as an Actor-Teacher with Great Lakes Theater, and has been a Teaching Artist with The Cleveland Play House, The Musical Theater Project, Dobama Theatre, and is a member of the National Teaching Artist Guild. Melissa studied Directing Devised Theatre and Theatre Creation under the tutelage of Raymond Bobgan, and holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Cleveland State University.
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Tara Dougherty is the Associate Technical Director for CPT. She graduated from Seton Hill University with a BA in Theatre Design and Technology with a concentration in Technical Direction and Carpentry (2024). She also gained experience on the administration side as the Student Theatre Activities Council President (2024), where she organized events and directed Firebringer, the year-end show. Tara worked as Seton Hill's Assistant and then Associate Technical Director during her academic years (2021-2024) and also worked for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (2023) as their Lead Carpenter. Tara was drawn to CPT through a statement she made just before graduating, the desire to work on new projects and help bring new art to life on the stage. Tara has also been known to act, has a love for stage combat, and has been in a few productions, including Julius Caesar, She Kills Monsters, The Skin of Our Teeth, and Pride and Prejudice.
Kelly Dunn is a theatre artist and administrator from Cleveland, OH who is passionate about using theatre has as a tool for exploring, challenging, and changing the world around us. As an arts administrator, she hopes to create spaces where audiences can meaningfully connect with each other, actively engage with theatre, and understand themselves more truthfully. As an artist, she is most drawn to work that challenges audiences to explore their shared humanity and personal identity with compassion and humor. Some of her favorite credits include Mother Courage (Ensemble Theatre) The Cake (Barrington Stage Company), You Got Older, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, The Threepenny Opera, and Twelfth Night (Bowling Green State University).
Kelly is excited and honored to continue to connect with patrons, community members, and artists at CPT this season! See you at the theatre!”
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Kim Furganson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and grew up in the Cleveland area. She began her career in marketing at Cleveland Play House where she sold subscriptions and raised funds through their telemarketing campaigns, and eventually, worked her way up to Group Sales Manager. She recently returned home to the Cleveland area from Chicago, where she worked as Group Sales Manager; and, eventually, Director of Audience Development for Goodman Theatre. Kim was also a member of Goodman’s Staff Evaluation Team for Future Labs, a program geared towards developing works by BIPOC writers. An indie film lover, she served on Gene Siskel Film Center’s Black Harvest Film Festival Community Council for seven years. She is also a producer, songwriter, and playwright whose plays have been produced at Chicago Dramatists, Victory Gardens, The Den Theatre, Twenty Percent Theatre Company Chicago, and Karamu. She was also a member of Cleveland Play House’s Playwrights Unit and is a graduate of Second City Training Center’s Writing Program. She has a BA from Ursuline College in Fashion Merchandising with a concentration in Public Relations. When she’s not focused on theater, she can be found trying new recipes, rooting for and/or agonizing over Cleveland sports teams, and traveling. Some of her favorite cities to visit are Melbourne, Rio, Salvador, London, Barcelona, San Antonio, and New Orleans.
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Denis has served as General Manager since 2007 but has worked in a variety of artistic and managerial positions at CPT since the fall of 2001. As General Manager, Denis acts as the financial manager for the theatre and is responsible for day-to-day operations and the facility. Denis was Director of the Y-Haven Theatre Project, one of CPT’s adult outreach programs from 2006 to 2009. Other notable artistic roles include Associate Producer for CPT’s original production, Blue Sky Transmission: A Tibetan Book of the Dead. Denis brings 15 years of theatre management and project management consulting to his role at CPT. A graduate of the Northwestern University School of Speech Theatre Program, Denis was Production Manager and then Associate Producer for San Francisco’s acclaimed Pickle Family Circus. He later worked as Production Coordinator on feature films by Cleveland screenwriter Joe Eszterhaus including Telling Lies in America and Burn, Hollywood, Burn. Denis has served on the board of Network of Ensemble Theaters and Greater Cleveland Community Shares. Denis is also the creator of the ongoing performance investigation, The Poetry Psychic Project, which has appeared at CPT’s Pandemonium. The Poetry Psychic Project is an intimate interactive performance which asks, “Can you find your fortune in a random poem?” Learn more at www.poetrypsychicproject.com.
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Marguerite Hannah’s adventures in theatre include her work as a director, dramaturg, actor, and administrator. A seasoned actor, Marguerite has had the pleasure of performing on the stages of several regional theatres across the country. From 2006 to 2024, Marguerite was a member of Horizon Theatre’s (Atlanta, GA) administration as Business Manager and Associate Producer. As part of Atlanta’s National Black Arts Festival, she was excited to have served as part of the production team for its first three years. In 2020, she created and produced The New Georgia Woman Project: Black Women Speak, a playwright’s lab and vehicle for community engagement for Black women in the Atlanta metro area. In 2022, Marguerite was the co-recipient of the Atlanta Suzi Award for direction of The Light. She was recently Vice President of the National New Play Network Board, a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre board of directors and Chair Emerita of the 2023 NAMT Festival of New Musicals. Marguerite is also a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
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Jabri is a theatre artist and Cleveland native, having grown up primarily in the west suburbs. He graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2018, and while there was heavily involved in live performances as an actor and director. He also gained experience as an arts administrator leading the Musical Theatre Students organization (MuTS) as its Treasurer and President for three consecutive years. During and after his undergraduate career, Jabri completed an acting internship with The Barn Theatre School in Augusta, Michigan (2017), and partially completed an acting/teaching internship at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, Florida (2018). After that, he developed his administrative and leadership skills outside of the theatre world, working with Starbucks, Marriott International, and the Cleveland Clinic. In 2022 he decided to return to the theatre world and became immediately drawn to CPT’s mission and how it so directly serves the greater Cleveland community, especially in its youth outreach and education programs. He joined the CPT staff in July of 2022. When he’s not welcoming patrons to CPT, you can catch him creating magic in and around Cleveland with Spectacular Performances & Events (@spectacularteam). Outside of theatre, Jabri is an avid lover of gaming, trying new food, discovering new music, and traveling. He’s lived in Michigan, Florida, and Colorado and visited the United Kingdom. He hopes to visit Japan someday and explore the country for an extended period.
Selected acting credits include: Rent at Cain Park (Mr. Jefferson, Caroler #1, Pastor, Collin u/s); The Spongebob Musical at Blank Canvas Theatre (Sheldon J. Plankton); The Fantasticks at Near West Theatre (Hucklebee); Legally Blonde at The Brecksville Theatre (Nikos Argitakos); Reel Music at Florida Studio Theatre (Lead); The Threepenny Opera at BGSU (Tiger Brown); Newsies at The Barn Theatre (Specs); The Lion in Winter at The Barn Theatre (Geoffrey); Assassins at Near West Theatre (The Balladeer); and The Drowsy Chaperone at BGSU (Gangster #1).
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Mya Loparo is an illustrator, graphic designer, and fine artist from the east side of Cleveland, OH. She received her BFA in Illustration from the Cleveland Institute of Art in May 2022. She has experience doing freelance work for various local Cleveland companies and establishments including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Coventry Village, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Cleveland Magazine, the Grog Shop, Little Italy’s Murray Hill Market and others.
Mya joined the CPT team shortly after graduating college in September 2022. Since she grew up in and attended college here, Cleveland has become a special place full of memories and experiences. Being able to contribute to a company that cares about and impacts the community of Cleveland with their creative work made CPT a natural next step in her career. In her free time, Mya enjoys growing plants, experimenting with art media in her personal work, listening to music, and being outdoors.
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Dave Maher comes to Cleveland from Chicago. He trained in improv and sketch comedy at The Second City, iO, and The Annoyance, and he studied Meisner technique at The Artistic Home. He performed with improv teams K.C. Redheart, Computer, and Sports Team, and he found a comedy home at the fiercely independent Upstairs Gallery. Dave started stand-up in 2013, and in 2014, he fell into a monthlong coma, during which the Chicago comedy scene eulogized him on Facebook. From this experience, he created Dave Maher Coma Show, which he performed at Steppenwolf, The Annoyance, and Cincy Fringe Festival, plus bars, black boxes, and punk houses across the U.S. In 2018, he took that show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and studied with legendary experimental theatre ensemble The Neo-Futurists. Both encounters opened his eyes to the spectrum of possibilities in solo theatre. His one-man shows blend stand-up, storytelling, improvisation, and performance art to tackle topics like death, disability, grief, and apocalypse with candor and mischief. He brought Feed Wolf Ice Cream: A Comedy Show in the Afterlife to Edinburgh in 2019, and in 2023 at The Neo-Futurist Theater, he debuted Here to Make Friends, a show inspired by watching 40 seasons of Survivor in four months during the quarantine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dave acted on Season One of FX’s The Bear, and he told the story of his coma on This American Life. He has a passion for audio, which includes producing and hosting the death-and-transformation interview podcast This Is Your Afterlife and the movie podcast Genre Reveal Party! Dave is excited to live in the city that birthed Albert Ayler, where he can apply his DIY ethic to work that honors his values: community, experimentation, liberation. He loves CD shopping and finding the perfect chili movie.
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Obed Medina was born in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Southern California. He worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for six seasons in Audience Development and Audience Services. He has been involved in all aspects of theatre for more than 20 years, mostly working as a producer and director with an emphasis on new play development. With his partner, Obed co-founded Askew Theatre Company in Los Angeles to highlight new and emerging playwrights of color. He was a member of the Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights and the Los Angeles Stage Alliance as a member of the Ovation Award voting committee, a Southern California award for excellence in theatre. He has also served as a film and theatre reviewer for Edge Media Network, a national LGBTQ publication, and for Latino Review, a Los Angeles-based Latinx entertainment publication. Writing credits include collaboration with Finnish artist Tellervo Kalleinen on her project In the Middle of a Movie (2004) and Kingdom of Rain, a full-length play he wrote, produced, and directed for his undergraduate thesis.
Obed is an art Equity 2015 National Facilitator Training cohort with a purpose to create and sustain a culture of equity, inclusion, and justice through arts and culture. He served on the board of the Jackson County Cultural Coalition board and the Ashland New Plays Festival. For several seasons, he was a script reader for Sundance Institute Theatre Lab Program and is currently a script reader for the Ashland New Plays Festival. A graduate of the University of California, Riverside, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing with Honors.
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Cassandra is a theatre artist, educator, and birth worker based in Cleveland Ohio. Although raised in Florida, the Cleveland community has played a huge part in nurturing her into the creative she is. Graduating from Cleveland State University with a BA in theatre and a minor in dance, Cassandra also holds a certificate in arts management. Cassandra founded The Black Leading Arts Cultural Club while on the CSU campus. Through the student organization, she produced Take the Stage, an artist showcase for three consecutive semesters. Cassandra is a three-year company member of Blakk Jakk Dance Collective and also does costuming for the dance company. As an actress, Cassandra is an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship (Lincoln Center) nominee and finalist for her work as Vera in By the Way, Meet Vera Stark. She has performed regionally with Karamu House, Mamaí Theatre, Cain Park, and in Playhouse Square's Allen, Helen, and Outcalt theatres. Cassandra has worked in the early childhood capacity for over seven years, aiding in the development of babies and youth from birth to age 14. As a teaching artist, Cassandra has choreographed Jungle Book Kids and Frozen Jr. at Near West Theatre. Cassandra has also helped develop a variety of devised performances during the '22 and '23 summers at CPT before joining full-time. Cassandra is a birth and postpartum doula and a board member of The Black Birth Collective. Cassandra is immensely grateful to be a part of such a nurturing community that supports all her passions
Zyrece Montgomery is a performer and educator. She joined CPT full-time staff as the Education Associate in June 2020 after having taught with CPT education programs Cleveland Act Now (formerly Brick City Theatre) and CAN Academy since 2017. Zyrece has had a leadership role with CAN Academy since its founding in 2018, leading program pedagogical practices, implementation, and visioning. Committed to creating compassionate learning spaces that center equity, empathy, and the celebration of one’s authentic self, Zyrece has been creating uplifting educational experiences since graduating from Ohio University with her BFA in Theatre Performance. She taught fourth grade full-time with Druid Hills Elementary School in Charlotte, NC, through Teach For America before returning to Cleveland in 2016. Upon her return, she served as Actor-Teacher with Great Lakes Theater for three consecutive seasons, performing, coaching, directing, and facilitating discussions with students in grades K-12 on English curriculum classical plays, including Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Lorraine Hansberry, Arthur Miller, Dr. Seuss, and many more.
Zyrece has participated in “Responding to Racism in a Clinical Setting” workshops with HCOM Cleveland Campus, acting out real-life scenarios of racism and sexism in a clinical setting, engaging in conversations with medical students on how to address issues in the moment and identify racism. A Cleveland native, she is a proud graduate of Cleveland School of the Arts. As a performer, Zyrece has performed with Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Talespinner Children’s Theatre, Seat of the Pants, Dobama Theatre’s Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwrighting Festival, Ensemble Theatre, and most recently with Cleveland Public Theatre when she portrayed Elaine Brown in excerpts from India Nicole Burton’s original devised play, Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation. Notable roles in scripted work include Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Friar Laurencia in Romeo and Juliet, Telemachus in The Penelopaid, Normal Jean in The Colored Museum, Mayme in Intimate Apparel, and Millie Davis in Trouble in Mind. Zyrece is trained in rapier and dagger as well as hand-to-hand combat.
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Hannah Joan joined the CPT team in October of 2021, bringing with her several years of experience supporting Cleveland area non-profits and creative arts events. She received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Art from Canton’s Malone University in 2015, where she was also deeply involved in the Film and Theatre programs. In the following years, she served non-profit development in Cleveland’s east side suburbs at Bellefaire JCB and at FutureHeights; she stayed connected with her love for the arts through her work at the Cleveland International Film Festival and the Cleveland Flea. As community needs changed in light of COVID-19, Hannah Joan joined with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health to help with administrative organization of vital Environmental Public Health Programs. She is thrilled to now be redirecting her energy to local art communities and non-profit initiatives at CPT, as it is a chance to honor both her love for theatre and her love for her city.
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Brooke Myers is a performer and theatre educator. She attended Cleveland State University, where she graduated in 2020 with her B.A. in Theatre Arts, specializing in Acting and minoring in Sociology. Brooke has worked in theatre education for nearly three years, most recently as the Drama Teaching Artist for the STAGES program at Rainey Institute. During her time at CSU, Brooke developed a passion for impactful work that provides, not only a platform that puts a spotlight on historically untold stories, but a magnifying glass to allow audiences the opportunity to more clearly understand perspectives that may be unlike their own. She respects and values art at all its levels and from all backgrounds, and her hope is that this is reflected in her own artistic work.
As an actor, Brooke keeps an open mind, welcoming opportunities that align with her artistic values. A few recent credits include: To My White Friends Who Know Me at Cleveland School of the Arts (Young Debbie/Gayle), Stonewallin' at Oberlin College (Marsha Lyons), Showin' Up Black at Cleveland Public Theatre's Test Flight (Evvie Hopegoode), and Candlelight Hypothesis at Cleveland Public Theatre (Asha).
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Born in Oberlin and raised in Youngstown, Greg Owen is very excited to land in Cleveland and practice his stagecraft in the splendid crucible of collaboration that is CPT. With a BFA in Technical Theatre from Otterbein University and an MFA in Theatre Design from THE Ohio State University, Greg has had the privilege of working in a variety of places, from the Santa Fe Opera to the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina (the oldest theatre in America), as well as the Ohio Theatre, the Southern Theatre, and the Palace Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. With a few movies and some television under his belt and many seasons of lighting for live music, Greg has had the joy to light a variety of artists, from Aimee Mann, John Prine, Dweezil Zappa, and Los Lobos to Keb' Mo', Yo Yo Ma, and the legendary Sharkbites.
Greg comes into his TD Jedi ways through academia, where he's had the opportunity to teach and practice his craft in OSU Lima as well as Santa Fe University of Art and Design in Santa Fe, New Mexico and, more recently, the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Internationally, Greg has had the privilege to collaborate with artists in the Czech Republic and the Prague Quadrennial as well as the Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology in Kunming, China.
It is with gratitude and joy that Greg brings his practice of artistic collaboration to CPT, and he looks to practice his craft in the light of progressive social justice.
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Jen joined Cleveland Public Theatre in December 2021. Following a non-traditional path to theatre work, Jen received a BS in Environmental Science and spent time volunteering for Americorps in Seattle, Washington and supervising watershed research at a university lab in rural West Virginia, eventually landing back home in Cleveland in the corporate consulting world. Following years of working on various environmental projects in the Greater Cleveland area, Jen began to yearn for the non-profit experience she had with Americorps early in her career and was lucky enough to connect with CPT. Jen was immediately moved by CPT’s mission and is thrilled to be able to support that mission through her position with the Development team. Having previously been solely a patron of the theatre, Jen is so excited to be learning the ins and outs of behind-the-scenes theatre life. When she’s not working, Jen enjoys pencil and ink sketching, watercolor painting, hiking, swimming, and generally enjoying lakefront life in Cleveland.
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Nicole Sumlin is an actor, singer, director, writer, producer, and educator. She served as Vocal Music Director for choral ensembles, Musical Director and Assistant Director for theatre productions, and ELA educator for thirteen years in Wheaton, IL, Mansfield, Ohio, and South Euclid, Ohio. In 2014, she was named Educator of the Year by the Ohio PTA Board’s 11th District. In 2016, she shifted her focus to performing arts instruction and clinician work with area choruses and theatre ensembles (including the Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square, Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s All-City Musical, and Shining Star CLE) while continuing to perform in Cleveland and New York City. She served as Academy and Curriculum Manager at Cleveland Play House, where her responsibilities included managing its Theatre Academy and Summer Academy, as well as crafting and implementing professional development and audience engagement programs.
In 2019, Nicole was awarded Best Actress in a Musical by the Cleveland Critics Circle for her performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grille at Beck Center for the Performing Arts. New York City performances include: Medusa (Medusa), Zu (Project Tiresias), Judge Jill Joyce (How to Be a Winner), and Columbiner (ReB+VoDkA+Me). Additional regional work includes performances at Bop Stop, Cain Park, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Dobama Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, The Fine Arts Association, French Creek Theatre, Karamu House, Lakeland Civic Theatre, Maltz Performing Arts Center, The Maltz Museum, Mercury Theatre Company, MOCA, The Music Theatre Project, Near West Theatre, Nighttown, Orchard Arts Project, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Playhouse Square, Tantrum Theatre and Severance Hall. She is a graduate of Wheaton College (IL) and studied voice at Wheaton College Conservatory of Music. She currently serves as Director of Education at Cleveland Public Theatre and has served as an adjunct faculty member of Baldwin Wallace University’s Department of Theatre and Dance. She is trained in intimacy direction, DEI, and anti-racist practices. She is a member of the Actor’s Equity Association
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Anastasía was born in Russia, now living in Cleveland, and performing with CPT since art installation When the She’ll Broke in 2018. Her credits include Cuerpo de Mujer, Alma de Diosa (Teatro Público de Cleveland), performing in/associate line producing Candlelight Hypothesis, assistant directing/line producing Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi performance, The Outstretched Hand يد الوصال and line producing the US Premiere of Requiem. In the past, Anastasía had been a part of CPT education programs. Most recently she co-created/directed an interactive performance art installation for Pandemonium, called The Mermaid Within, and was part of Cleveland CORE Ensemble’s works including Reverie Oracle (2023), and Have You Ever Dreamt of Flight? (2024) wandering outdoor/park performance; this fall 2024, she is continuing the work on The Outstretched Hand as the production’s associate director, while also continuing to pursue her ongoing interest in interactive-installation-art storytelling and experimental filmmaking as local crew, producer and multidisciplinary/performance artist.
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Melissa Waddell joined Cleveland Public Theatre as Associate Development Director in January 2023 and has been the organization’s Director of Development since December 2023. She is a Pittsburgh native (but don’t hold it against her!) who has called Cleveland home for the last five years. Melissa earned a bachelor’s degree in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship from Baldwin Wallace University, where she spent her senior year working alongside the Director of Academic Grants to craft compelling proposals in support of academic programming. Upon graduating, Melissa joined the staff of the Cleveland Foundation, where she provided administrative support to the Philanthropic Services team and oversaw several projects related to their online Donor Portal. She earned her Master of Nonprofit Management from Regis University in the summer of 2022 and is thrilled to put her experience and education to work at an organization that has amazed and inspired her since her freshman year of college.
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Olivia Wolfram (Wardrobe Supervisor, Supporting Teaching Artist)
Olivia Wolfram is a performer, educator, and costume aficionado born and raised in Akron, Ohio. They attended the University of Mount Union, where they graduated with a BA in Theatre specializing in performance and minoring in Communication and Japanese. While in college, they interned with Shakespeare at the Castle for three seasons, both acting and creating sets/costumes. After graduating in 2022, Olivia moved to Cleveland, working with Cleveland Playhouse as a wardrobe associate for American Mariachi and wig technician for The Great Leap. They joined the CPT staff in March of 2023 as a Supporting Teaching Artist for CAN Academy, which has allowed them to grow exponentially as an educator and artist. Additionally, Olivia was appointed the role of Wardrobe Supervisor in February 2024, with recent credits including Alter; Requiem; Funny, Like an Abortion; and not-for-profit: or the equity, diversity and inclusion play. Outside of their work at CPT, they also work with Cleveland Clinic as a standardized patient, helping medical students develop essential communication skills. In their free time, Olivia loves watching movies, reading a good book, and collecting cute tiny things. They strongly believe theatre is essential for human understanding and connecting with one another and are thrilled to be able to share their love of the art with the community.
Board of Directors
*serves on the Executive Committee
PHILIP M. OLISS (PRESIDENT)*
Phil Oliss has served on CPT’s Board of Directors since 2008 and is currently serving his second term as Board President. Phil is a partner in the Business and Tort Litigation group at global law firm Jones Day, where he represents the firm’s clients in complex litigation. Phil received his Bachelor’s Degree from the Ohio State University and his law degree from the University of Cincinnati. Phil is married to Rachel McQuade Oliss, also a lawyer, and has three sons; Gabriel, Brendan, and Aidan.
KEVYN R. SHAW (VICE PRESIDENT)*
Kevyn R. Shaw is Manager of Policy & Corporate Affairs for the Cleveland Airport System. In this role he manages the local, state, and federal legislative agendas for the department. Prior to joining the Airport System, Kevyn worked in the City of Cleveland’s Department of Finance as a project coordinator where he successfully oversaw the City’s Management & Efficiency Study, which assessed how the City could more effectively deliver services. Kevyn graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in political science. In his free time, he enjoys reading, politics, and sports; is an outspoken advocate for the city of Cleveland; and was a member of the African American Cultural Garden Task Force, which was given the honor of helping to build the garden.
ANDREW WATTERSON (Vice President, Development Chair)*
Andrew is President and Founder of Blue CSR Strategies, a corporate responsibility consulting firm located in Cleveland, Ohio. Andrew is an experienced sustainability and corporate responsibility practitioner who leverages his expertise in corporate responsibility and organizational development to guide organizations toward creating a positive impact on society, people, and the planet, while creating positive financial returns. Previously Andrew served as Sustainable Value VP at GOJO Industries, Senior Vice President and Head of Sustainability for KeyBank, Senior Consultant at BrownFlynn, and the First Chief of Sustainability for the City of Cleveland.
TIFFANY R. WRIGHT (Vice President)*
Tiffany is a native of the Cleveland area. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and African American Studies from the University of Virginia where she developed her passion for working as an advocate for families, especially children. She received her law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University. After several years in private practice as a solo practitioner, she accepted a position at Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority where she currently serves as Assistant General Counsel. Tiffany is licensed to practice law in Ohio and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Her most important and exciting position is that of mother to two sons, Trey and Kayden. In addition to CPT, Tiffany serves on the Board of Directors of Global Ambassadors Language Academy, an exciting dual language immersion school on Cleveland’s West Side with both Spanish and Mandarin language programs. She also serves on the Board of Spirit of Excellence, Inc., which supports individuals with developmental disabilities. Tiffany loves traveling with her family as well as exploring all of the wonderful local things that Northeast Ohio has to offer.
KEN GREANEY (Treasurer)*
Ken Greaney is a Vice President and Banker with the J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, Mr. Greaney and his team provide individuals, families, public and private foundations and endowments in the region with comprehensive wealth management strategies, ongoing guidance and customized plans to address their balance sheet needs. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Mr. Greaney served as a Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Key Private Bank, Key Bank’s trust company and fiduciary wealth management group. He worked with a team of advisors who delivered customized financial advice to high-net-worth clients and their families. Prior to this, he was a Regional Vice President with Fisher Investments in their Private Client Group. Early in his career, Mr. Greaney worked in the Private Asset Management Group of Bank One when it merged with J.P. Morgan. Mr. Greaney earned his Bachelor of Science from Miami University School of Business Administration.
NATOYA J. WALKER MINOR (Secretary, Nominating Chair)*
Natoya J. Walker Minor serves as Deputy General Manager of Administration and External Affairs for the Greater Cleveland Regional Authority (RTA). She brings 30 years’ experience working in external affairs and public administration in positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as the Chief of Public Affairs for the City of Cleveland. She has provided strategic leadership, policy, and operational direction for multiple departments within the City of Cleveland since 2006, where she first served as Special Assistant to the Mayor, Public Affairs until 2008. She then became Deputy Chief, Operations & Interim Director in the Office of Equal Opportunity from 2009 to 2010 before being appointed Chief of Public Affairs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Toledo and earned a Master of Public Administration as a National Urban Fellow from City University of New York. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Executive Leadership from the University of Charleston, WV.
CINDY MARX*
Cindy is a lifelong patron of the arts and has been on the Board of CPT since 2014. She is the Practice Manager and Patient Coordinator at Raj Plastic Surgery. Cindy is a Vice-Chair to Shontel Brown of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, sits as an ally on the Board of Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, and is a Board member of the Lakewood Arts Festival. She lives in Lakewood with her husband, Jake. Cindy was integral in introducing and passing Lakewood’s Human Rights Ordinance when she served as a Lakewood City Council member. She has been a staunch advocate for progressive causes throughout her life and finds CPT’s mission to “raise consciousness and nurture compassion” while creating social change aptly fits her personal beliefs.
JOANNE MONTAGNER-HULL *
Joanne has over 30 years of extensive experience improving the profitability and effectiveness of organizations large and small through business process improvement. Having worked with various types of organizations, from Fortune 500 high-tech firms to the creative staffs of entertainment firms such as Motown Records and Disney, she has established a track record of success through staff and team development, combined with cost control and process effectiveness. Joanne is a CPA/Consultant who has owned and operated a firm here in Ohio since 1996. She also had a similar firm in Southern California. Previously, she spent six years as a corporate tax specialist, and then branched into private industry as a controller and chief financial officer. Joanne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Cleveland State University.
LINDSIE EVERETT
Lindsie Everett is the Director and Assistant General Counsel of Intellectual Property at Signet Jewelers. She has significant experience with managing domestic and international trademark portfolios, finding creative solutions to address social media enforcement, FTC compliance, and copyright protection. She has held previous positions at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, McDonald Hopkins LLC, and Roetzel & Andress. Lindsie holds a B.A. in Pre-Law/Psychology from the University of Dayton, a Certificate in Entertainment Law from the Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, and a J.D. and Intellectual Property Certificate from the University of Akron School of Law. In addition to her service with Cleveland Public Theatre, Lindsie serves as a board member of the Ohio chapter of the Filipino Lawyers Association, and previously served on the associate board of Pathway Caring for Children and the board of trustees of the YMCA of Greater Akron.
Nancy Kelsey
Nancy Kelsey is the Social Media Manager for the Nia Tero Foundation, which works with Indigenous Peoples who sustain thriving territories and cultures to strengthen guardianship of Earth and all beings. Nancy is also a community columnist for Cleveland.com and communications consultant. She is the former Communications & Community Relations Director for the Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board of Lorain County. Previously, she was the Assistant Director of Communications for Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson's office. Nancy also worked in communications at Cleveland State University and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Prior to her communications work, Nancy was a journalist with nearly 10 years of experience as a reporter and editor in print, public radio, and digital media around the country. She previously served as a Native American Journalists Association board member and has taught journalism at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, S.D. as an AmeriCorps volunteer. She takes great pride in her multicultural heritage as a half-Indigenous (Anishinaabe) and half-Salvadoran woman. Nancy is a born and raised Clevelander who lives in West Park with her husband and loveable dogs.
Alma Khoury Korkor
Alma Khoury Korkor is an activist, writer, and thinker from a family of academics who have had a major impact on the Arab world. She studied in Syria, France, and America, and is a teacher of Arabic who has written and translated numerous pieces, including a publication discussing the treatment of children during times of disaster.
In addition to her role at Togetherness US, Alma Khoury Korkor serves on the board of the National Arab American‘s Association (NAAWA), the Arab American Institute's (AAI) Leadership Council, and the board of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
In her impressive and diverse career, Alma has worked in real estate, owned a Middle Eastern restaurant, served as a radio host for an Arab American program, and was the President of the City International Festival. She has been a guest speaker at schools and civic events on Arab American issues, and for the last four years, she also served on the advisory board of Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi here at CPT.
ROBERT ADDISON LAMPLEY
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, attained a Bachelor of Arts in Communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Juris Doctor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. He is currently a Staff Attorney in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. Previously, he served as the Assistant Director of the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity at Central Michigan University. He began my career as an Assistant State Public Defender for the Office of the Wisconsin State Public Defender. In the community, he is deacon and member of the Board of Trustees at Mt. Zion Congregational Church UCC and member of the Cleveland Heights Racial Justice Task Force.
PATRICIA HARUSAME LEEBOVE
Patricia has been on the CPT board since 2006 and serves on the Governance Committee. She is Director of Enterprise Business Systems (EBS) in the Outdoor Products Group (OPG), a division of Stanley Black and Decker headquartered in Cleveland. In her role, she plans and executes large-scale, cross-functional process and technology transformation. With an MA in English and MBA in Supply Chain and Operations Management, she happily serves on the ‘Kitchen Table’ advisory committee to Career Services at Cleveland State University and is a mentor with College Now. On the board of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF), she leads the Outreach Committee for the Western Reserve Rowing Association (WRRA) focusing on community rowing with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), Visually Impaired, and Veterans’ rowing teams.
CHRISTOPHER PANEK
Chris Panek claims Cleveland as his adopted hometown, and he is a proud Case Western Reserve alum. He began his career as a CPA with Deloitte, and after law school he worked with Squire Sanders (now Squire Patton Boggs) and brought consumer protection cases as part of the Federal Trade Commission. He is currently Tax Counsel at Eaton Corporation, and he lives in Battery Park with his partner.
DANIEL PETRICIG
Daniel Petricig has nearly 40 years of experience as a business analyst and programmer in Cleveland. After receiving his BS from Case Western Reserve University, he began working with KeyBank (then Ameritrust) as a programmer and is now a technical analyst working in the commercial payments area. Dan is CPT’s longest-serving Board member and lives in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood with his wife, Greta.
MICHAEL VARVARO
Michael Varvaro is passionate about connecting people with the KeyBank brand. An over two-decade veteran of Marketing at KeyBank, Michael’s career included a hiatus to study at Parsons School of Design. He returned to continue his career at Key and help drive value for the company through Marketing. As SVP, Director of Creative & Media, he works to give clients the opportunity to engage with Key in ways that are meaningful, personal, and authentic. Proud to call the Gordon Square neighborhood of Cleveland home, Michael supports various local organizations including the Cleveland International Film Festival and G2H2, an LGBTQ+ networking group that he has led for over a decade. He has also served on the board and co-chaired the Marketing Committee of Gay Games Cleveland + Akron, and currently leads KeyBank’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group. In his free time, Michael enjoys travel, food, and the arts.
MARCIA W. LEVINE (EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER)
Marcia dedicated over a decade to CPT’s Board, including 4 years as President. She spent her professional social work career at Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland. Before her retirement, she served as Associate Executive Director following assignments as director of staff education, capital campaign coordinator, staff supervisor, and therapist. A graduate of Northwestern University and Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Science, Marcia has been active with a multitude of organizations in Greater Cleveland. Past Board service includes Divorce Equity, Women’s Community Foundation of Cleveland, WCPN-FM, ACLU Cleveland Chapter, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, Through the Flower, and The Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation. Today she serves on the visiting committee for CWRU-MSASS, is on the Board of Directors of Corporate Accountability International, and maintains volunteer leadership roles with Social Venture Partners, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and Greater Cleveland Congregations.