USITT Gains New Officers, Directors

An impressive group of performing arts experts start new roles in USITT leadership on July 1.

Mark Shanda (pictured left), Dean of Arts and Humanities at The Ohio State University, takes office as USITT's President-Elect. He is a technical theatre professor and textbook author who has been tech director for 200-plus theatre and opera productions. He will serve as President-Elect for a year before becoming president for a three-year term.

Jack Feivou, general manager at Disney's Epcot, Downtown Disney, and Disney Water Parks in Orlando, Florida, becomes USITT's new Vice President for Conferences. He'll lead planning for USITT's Annual Conference & Stage Expo and other USITT events.

Carolyn Satter, Production and Facilities Manager for San Diego Theatres, is USITT's new Vice President for Commissions. She will oversee USITT's 10 Commissions, in the areas of Architecture, Costume Design, Education, Engineering, Lighting, Sound, Scenic, Safety & Health, Technical Production, and Management.

The new officers were elected by USITT members in late 2013, and take office at the start of the new fiscal year July 1. Markèta Fantová, a scenic, costume, and lighting designer and educator, was re-elected as USITT's Vice President of International Activities. USITT VPs serve three-year terms.

USITT members also elected six directors to three-year terms on USITT's 30-member board beginning July 1. They are:

Brent "Mickey" Henry, Field Service Engineer and Rigging Specialist at Electronic Theatre Controls (and a former summer stock tech director).

Rafael Jean, costume designer, author, and assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts-Boston (recently named to the Boston Globe's list of Most Stylish Bostonians).

Shane Kelly, Associate Professor, Head of the Theatre Technology Program, and Chair of the Design and Technical Programs at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago.

Karen Manness, Charge Scenic Artist for Texas Performing Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, and principal painting instructor for the UT Department of Theatre & Dance.

Michael McNamara, an award-winning lighting designer who teaches at Purdue University and co-author of Designing with Light: An Introduction to Stage Lighting.

Vickie Scott, a lighting designer who chairs USITT's Lighting Design & Technology Commission, is Director of Design for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

USITT is the national non-profit serving the backstage industry. USITT membership offers access to its network of performing arts designers and technicians, with year-round networking, continuing education, research, safety training, and creative collaboration to promote entertainment design and technology.

For more info, visit www.usitt.org.