Berkeley Rep Appoints New Associate Managing Director

Berkeley Rep announced today that it has named Sunshine Deffner as its new Associate Managing Director. Deffner previously worked as the Senior Director of Operations and Education for The California Symphony in Walnut Creek, where she served as an organizational leader for concert operations, artistic administration, program development, strategic partnerships, education programming, and general operations.

At Berkeley Rep, Deffner will oversee new program initiatives that support the Rep's commitment to relevance and diversity. She will also work closely with the Theatre's Managing Director Susie Medak on the advancement of key priorities across the organization.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sunshine Deffner to the Berkeley Rep family," says Medak. "Her leadership experience, combined with her commitment to the arts and her ideas to advance the organization through our new program In-Dialogue, all made her our top choice. I know she will be an asset to the organization."

"I am truly honored to join the remarkable team at Berkeley Rep," says Deffner. "Berkeley Rep is a leader in the theatre world by programming and developing storytelling that reflects not just the Berkeley community, but moreover the human spirit, and has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion on a variety of levels. As a fervent believer in the arts as a human right, I plan to carry on that tradition in my new role by working closely with Susie and Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer to further this important work."

Deffner replaces Sarah Williams, Berkeley Rep's former Associate Managing Director, who now works as the Managing Director at California Shakespeare Theater.