SYRACUSE, NY – USITT noted that three new officers — Mark Shanda, Jack Feivou and Carolyn Satter, who were elected by USITT members in late 2013, will officially begin their new three-year terms starting July 1. They join Markèta Fantová, who was re-elected as USITT’s Vice President of International Activities. USITT also added six directors to its 30-member board, who will also have three year terms beginning July 1. The newcomers include Brent “Mickey” Henry, Rafael Jean, Shane Kelly, Karen Manness, Michael McNamara and Vickie Scott.
More details from USITT (www.usitt.org)
Mark Shanda, Dean of Arts and Humanities at The Ohio State University (pictured right) 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 (pictured right), 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 (pictured below, left), 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.
