Board Candidates 2020

South Bay Musical Theatre is holding their annual election for Board members, in July, 2020. Members elected during this period will serve for two years, from July, 2020 through June, 2022. Eligible voting members will receive an electronic ballot the week of July 12 (see About Board Elections below for more details).

The following sections introduce each candidate running for the Board for 2020-2022, and provide an overview about elections. Each SBMT Board candidate provides a bio so that SBMT voting members may review it when choosing candidates.

Nique Eagen

Nique EagenWhy would you like to serve on the board?
To be honest, most theatre companies don’t have many Board members of color on their board. You guys are awesome and you do have people of color, but the Black community isn’t represented yet.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
I’m great at working with and talking to people, I love working on projects with others, and I’m not afraid to speak my opinion on important things.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving?
I have plenty of free time, although I do still work from home.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for-profit organizations?
I was a manager for one of the major Pittsburgh theater communities (Pgh. Cultural Trust) in ticketing and customer service. I also volunteered for other non-profits.

Please share your skills, experience and interests.
Theater production – Stage managing, running lights, stage crew, assistant directing and choreographing
Public relations, communications – Worked in PR for the 92nd St. Y in New York City
Special events – Planning events for UCLA engineering and other companies
Fundraising – Helped process special gifts and letters for UCLA engineering
Other – Did administrative work for almost 20 years

Roberta (Bobbie) Howe

Bobbie Howe Why would you like to serve on the board?
The musicians need an advocate — where they sit, how they are presented, amplified. What is the stipend for musicians to ensure quality but also committed players? (money isn’t everything).

How would your service benefit SBMT? 
I would advocate for the best possible conditions for the musicians and conductors, while still understanding that the audience needs a wonderful experience when they see a SBMT show.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving? 
I have a flexible schedule, so no, not a lot of time concerns.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for‐profit organizations?
I have served as President of the Country Woman’s Club of Campbell twice (2002-2004 and 2018-2020).

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production: I have been doing shows with SBMT (SDG) since I was 16.
Finance, accounting: Treasurer, CWCC 2020-present
Public relations, communications: I ran the Campbell Express newspaper for 2 years
Special events: Coordinator of the Kiwanis of Cambrian Park’s Summer Music Camp for 17 years
Technical skills: Word, Excel, QuickBooks

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I am one of the oldest still-participating members of SBMT (joined in 1973). I think that I can provide perspective on the history of the organization, and advocate for the musicians while still understanding the challenges of the Saratoga Civic Theater (space and sound).

Edward Hunter

Why would you like to serve on the board?
I’ve been a supporter of theater on the technical side for many years. I’ve worked with several different groups in the Bay to help shape their futures with an eye towards supporting the technical side of their productions. I would like to spend some of that energy helping SBMT as it navigates the next couple of years.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
I think I would bring an additional technical focus to the board. I’m interested in continuing to improve the behind-the-scenes environment for the group to help present even more ambitious productions in the future.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving? 
My main conflicts would be tech for other shows but since more people are canceling their seasons or severely limiting them, I don’t foresee a lot of conflicts in the next year or so.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for‐profit organizations?
On the leadership side it’s mostly my day job as a director of software. On the theater side it would be a lot of master electrician and lighting designer work. Many years ago, I was on the board of the Menlo Players Guild.

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Construction skills
Technical skills

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I have designed lights for multiple groups in the Bay Area and I think that will allow me to bring in new perspectives to SBMT since a lot of organizations will be facing similar challenges but finding different ways to solve them.

Dave Leon

Dave LeonWhy would you like to serve on the board? 
I have been a part of SBMT in various capacities since 2009, and this is my way of giving back to the organization, in addition to hopefully bringing about some changes within the group relating to diversity and inclusion.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
My experience over the years with SBMT has included some great experiences and a couple that weren’t as great. My hope is that my service will help shore up some of the deficiencies I saw so other participants in SBMT productions have the best experience possible every time they are on our stage or behind the table.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving?
With all theater in the area on hold for the time being, my calendar is mostly open, barring work emergencies. This will allow me to devote the necessary time to serving on the Board. I anticipate no challenges relating to time management.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for-profit
organizations?
I served as a Board member for the San Francisco Renegades Drum and Bugle Corps (a non-profit music organization) in 2004 and 2005.

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Public relations, communications
Special events

Raiña Parks

Raina Parks

Why would you like to serve on the board?
I firmly believe in the mission of SBMT and have enjoyed working with everyone on the production that I was part of as well as during the eStudio sessions that I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in. I’d like to bring my unique perspective as an artist in both theater and opera as well as my business experience to the Board and how it runs SBMT.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
Initially, I would work to learn as much as possible about how the board works, and where I can be of service. I find that I tend to be someone who fills the gaps of team efforts, helping to make certain that we’ve given due consideration to extenuating issues and fairly examining all possible courses of actions or problem solutions in front of us.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving?
With two elementary aged children, this is the one area in which I am concerned about my ability to support. I have partnered with my husband to discuss how we can manage the time commitment, with him sharing the load on meeting nights. I also have a babysitter who I’ve worked with in the past. All of that being said, my work commitments can be fairly taxing as well, and I would keep the board aware of any constraints on my time that might cause issue with my continued support at the level required.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for‐profit organizations? 
While working toward my MA in Vocal Performance, I worked to help with both the costuming and publications arms of BASOTI (Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute). I was the leader for the costume crew and was responsible for ensuring that all students who were part of that group, filled their hours appropriately to meet their commitments with the program.

In the commercial arena, I have served as a manager for various manufacturing and engineering departments for the last 15 years.

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Public relations, communications
Special events
Construction skills

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Serving on the board of SBMT would be an amazing opportunity to work with an amazing group of people that I’ve grown to care about deeply. As this would be my first time serving in such a capacity, I expect that I will have a lot to learn and look forward to the challenge.

Sharon Peng

Sharon PengWhy would you like to serve on the board? How would your service benefit SBMT?
I’ve always been impressed with the immense sense of community at SBMT, which seems to be foundational to its core. For better or worse, I have more time now to be able to actively engage in theatre from yet another perspective. Having been a performer, now working as a designer, and being heavily involved in many different types of productions and venues, I believe I have multiple facets to bring to the table. Additionally, I bring perspective as an Asian with an extended family background in the performing arts.

How do you anticipate managing your time and do you see any challenges?
As long as I get meetings and deadlines on a calendar, I can plan for it! I freelance full time and am extremely goal-oriented, so I’m very flexible and do my best to communicate consistently. Obviously the largest challenge right now is COVID, but I think that’ll make for quite interesting innovations in live performance art in the coming season.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with organizations?
I grew up as a Girl Scout, going through the full ranks, so I have many unique volunteer experiences, such as building houses in Missouri for Hurricane Katrina victims, and earning the Silver Award, for organizing the recording of Chicken Soup for the Soul audiobooks for the Blind, on behalf of the San Jose Library. I have also volunteered for the drama program held at a local Buddhist temple, mostly as a writer and general youth mentorship. I also have extreme organization skills and used to maintain the wig/makeup stock for Peninsula Youth Theatre, as well as help with maintaining their costume stock.
I have worked and volunteered for many productions and organizations, in film, print, theatre, in both union and non-union settings, and have experienced production meetings and executive decision-making both as crew and department leadership.

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Public relations, communications
Special events
Technical skills
In addition, I’m interested for knowledge but don’t have special skills in Finance/accounting and Construction

Dan Singletary

Dan SingletaryWhy would you like to serve on the board?
I’ve been consistently involved with SBMT/SDG since 2003. The group has been the single consistent defining experience of my adult life, and my most treasured experiences and friendships have come through being a part of SBMT. I’ve contributed to the organization in numerous ways, and I’m interested in using my knowledge and experience to help the organization and its membership continue to grow and thrive.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
I think that I have several key traits that would make me a good Board Member. Having held a variety of leadership roles in the past, including being on the Board, I have a lot of historical knowledge about how the organization operates, as well as how the organization has changed over time (and what changes have worked, and what haven’t). This type of past knowledge is important in making decisions as SBMT continues to grow and evolve. Additionally, I have a unique set of technical skills that I put towards the benefit of SBMT, creating extensions of our ticketing system that allow us to run our season subscription drive each year, as well as creating and maintaining custom ticket and donation revenue dashboarding which the group uses to make budgeting decisions.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving? 
I already spend between 20 and 40 hours per month volunteering for SBMT doing various things (Sound Design, Musical Direction, Special Effects, Box office administration and database maintenance, etc). I do not currently work for or volunteer my time for any other theatrical organizations. I do not anticipate any challenges to serving on the Board.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for-profit organizations? 
I have 17 years of experience with SBMT as a musician, Musical Director, Technical Director, Sound Designer, Producer, Box Office Manager, and Special Effects Designer. I have spent 8 of those years as an SBMT Board Member (2009-14, 2016-18).

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Special events
Construction skills
Technical skills

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I think that SBMT is facing some tough challenges right now due to the pandemic. The decisions made by the Board over the next year will determine if and how SBMT emerges on the other side. I’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people who have contributed to the organization in this time of need. I want to do my part to help ensure that SBMT continues to be a place where we can make great theatre together.

Gary Stanford, Jr.

Why would you like to serve on the board?
SBMT is a company that I have had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to work with a number of times in the past as an actor and choreographer. Some of the most successful shows I have ever worked on were with this company

How would your service benefit SBMT?
My extensive experience with bringing diversity and inclusion standards to various theater companies in the Bay Area (especially the peninsula/South Bay) will be a skill set that I will bring to SBMT. I want to bring new shows, opportunities and talent and audiences to this space.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving?
As a consulting professional currently working/juggling multiple projects per-day all over the Bay Area, I have experience with managing my time to be flexible enough to handle a director position and contribute effectively.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for-profit organizations?
25 years experience with P.S. Performing company (family business)
12 years experience volunteering with various high tech company outreach/recruiting

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Public relations, communications
Special events
Construction skills
Fundraising

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Looking forward to the endless possibilities if we are all able to work together as a team.

Jay Steele

Jay SteeleWhy would you like to serve on the board?
South Bay Musical Theatre has been an important part of my life since 2004, when I plunged headlong into the group by performing in all three of that season’s shows (and went on to perform in all three of the next season’s shows as well). Since then, I’ve primarily been an off-stage contributor. I’m involved in nearly every production in some capacity (and often multiple capacities), and find great satisfaction working with SBMT’s many talented members, with whom I have forged some deep and lasting friendships. I’m immensely proud to have been part of the leadership team over the past 15 years as SBMT has thrived, developed, and grown in stature. I feel my work with this group is one of the truly significant community contributions I’ve made in my life, and I very much wish to continue that work.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
I have extensive experience working in the management consensus environment, both as a board director and a project manager in my professional life. I’ve produced nine shows for SBMT, which gives me a solid understanding of what it takes to mount a large-scale musical, and how our financial model functions. In addition to performing, I’ve worked hundreds of hours in set construction, did SBMT’s graphic design for ten years, been the marketing manager for several seasons, designed and managed props, and worked many shifts in the box office. As an SBMT board member for 14 years, I’ve been part of the leadership and decision-making team, but also a hands-on contributor swinging a broom at the set shop or taking down decorations at midnight after an SBMT fundraiser. My educational background in executive management includes an MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving?
I am retired from a high tech management career, so I can commit as many hours as needed. As a board member over the past 15 years, I have a good idea of what’s required and have successfully balanced the demands of SBMT with other priorities in my life.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for‐profit organizations?
I’ve served on the SBMT board 14 of the past 16 years (2005-11, 2013-17, and 2018-20), and acted as chairperson during most of that tenure. I’m a strong proponent of management by consensus who believes that everyone’s thoughts and inputs are important. Unlike the for-profit world where people can be motivated by a paycheck, the nonprofit environment requires a broader leadership skillset for keeping people engaged, energized, and happy. Although I have learned an enormous amount from my years at SBMT, I continue to see my board service as a learning opportunity to develop new skills and gain from diverse perspectives.

In my professional life as a project manager, I managed cross-functional teams, often located around the world (before there was Zoom!). I have formal training in meeting facilitation and group techniques.

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production, Construction skills

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
SBMT is facing big challenges in an environment that includes operational changes because of the AB-5 labor law, theatrical cancellations from COVID-19, and some fundamental re-assessment in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. While these are daunting for us, I’m actually more confident than ever about our future. That’s because I’m seeing how SBMT’s members have risen to the challenges. I am continually reminded that it’s our amazing PEOPLE who make the difference, and who make SBMT an organization I’m so proud and happy to serve.

Braden Taylor

Braden TaylorWhy would you like to serve on the board?
I was treasurer/CFO for 10 years. I had to take a year off due to term limits and I am ready to come back and help.

How would your service benefit SBMT?
As a senior global financial analyst, I can bring a wealth of finance skills to the board. I have been a part of the group for 12 years, and served on the board for 10.

How do you anticipate managing your time in order to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the director position? Do you anticipate any challenges to serving?
I did it for 10 years and don’t anticipate any future problems.

Do you have any volunteer or leadership experience with nonprofit or for‐profit organizations? 
Yes, 10 years with SBMT.

Please share your skills, experience and interests
Theater production
Finance, accounting
Special events
Other: Helping Sara Dean!

About Board Elections

Each SBMT Board member holds their Board position for two years, from July to June, and then must run again if they wish to serve. Members serve overlapping terms, with six of the 12 members ending their terms each June. A member can only serve on the Board for six consecutive years, and then must step down for a minimum of one year. Members may also choose to retire from the Board for other reasons.

In 2020, five Board members are retiring: Steve Allhoff, Barbara Heninger (term limit), Kimberly Kay, Jennifer H. Petersen, and Jordan Selburn (term limit). A sixth member, Denise Reynolds, stepped down in February. We thank them all for their service! In addition, Jay Steele has completed a two-year term and is running for re-election. This means there are seven open positions on the Board this year.

Board members continuing on the Board: Kevin Brownstein, Dallas Carter, Jennifer Maggio, Michael Paul Hirsch, and Steve Sammonds.

How Board Members are Chosen

According to the SBMT Bylaws, three Board members are voted on by the membership, and three Board members are nominated by the Board, for a total of six. Because there are seven open positions at this time, eligible SBMT voting members will vote for four candidates, and the Board will select their three choices from those candidates remaining.

Eligibility for Voting

Any person who has contributed 20 hours (or more) in activities supporting SBMT in the past 12 months as described in the 2015 Participation Guidelines is eligible to vote in the election. Such activities include any work as a staff, crew, cast, or orchestra member; or other activities such as front-of-house work; fundraising; marketing and advertising; costume, wig, prop, set, or other construction and maintenance; Board committee work; and more. Please contact board@southbaymt.com if you have any questions about voting eligibility.