Board of Trustees

S. DECKER ANSTROM

Trustee Since 2016

Decker Anstrom serves on the Board of Directors of Discovery Communications, as well as on the boards of national nonprofit groups (Island Press; Climate Central; and Planet Forward).

Anstrom, who lives in Washington, D.C., served as U.S. Ambassador and Head of the U.S. Delegation to the 2011 and 2015 World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC 12 and 15), held under the auspices of the International Telecommunications Union. WRC’s, which convene every three to four years, are treaty level conferences involving more than 150 countries that consider international and regional spectrum allocation and regulatory issues that support satellite, mobile, aviation and other wireless services.

He retired as President of Landmark Communications and Chairman of The Weather Channel Companies in late 2008, following Landmark’s sale of The Weather Channel to NBC. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Comcast Corporation from 2001-2011.

Prior to his positions at Landmark (headquartered in Norfolk, VA), Anstrom had a long career in public service and in the communications industry. During the Carter Administration, he was a senior staff member in the White House Office of Management and Budget, working on the creation of the U.S. Department of Education, and then served in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. He subsequently joined and later became President of Public Strategies, a Washington-based public policy consulting firm.

In 1987 he joined the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) as Executive Vice President; he became President and CEO in 1994. During his tenure he led the cable industry’s efforts that helped result in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In 1999, Anstrom joined The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC — which included The Weather Channel cable network, weather.com, and WSI, the leading business-to-business weather provider) in Atlanta, GA as President and CEO. In 2002, he became President of Landmark Communications, a privately held, diversified media company that owned newspapers, local television stations, database centers and print and classified advertising businesses, as well as The Weather Channel Companies. In that position he also served as Chairman of TWCC.

In addition, Anstrom has served on numerous cable industry boards (including NCTA, which he chaired for two years), two nonprofit boards in the Hampton Roads area (the Chrysler Museum and public television and radio broadcaster WHRO), and on the Boards of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Institute for Educational Leadership, and the National Environmental Education Foundation.

Anstrom received a BA degree from Macalester College (St. Paul, MN) and attended the Woodrow Wilson Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University for one year.

JUDITH N. BATTY

Trustee Since 2010

Ms. Batty is an executive with a breadth of experience in structuring and negotiating complex international acquisitions, divestitures, financings and market entry. She is comfortable navigating countries and challenges, maintaining a keen focus on success and delivering bottom line results. With a proven track record of working at the top executive levels within a top fortune 500 company, Ms. Batty also brings expertise in legal, public and government affairs, and business operations.

Through her current board service and membership on the executive committees of two major not-for-profits, she understands the need of capital allocation and fiscal management to achieve maximum financial results. Ms. Batty also brings deep expertise in corporate governance with companies in regulated industries

Ms. Batty served as an executive and senior attorney at Exxon Mobil Corporation for over 28 years. She was the first female, and first African American, General Counsel of ExxonMobil’s 3000 employee, publicly traded, Japanese affiliate. She has deep expertise in all areas of the oil industry, including Upstream, Downstream and Chemicals. Her credentials include serving as the Assistant Chief Attorney for the Refining and Supply Company, leading the legal team that successfully completed the $3.6 billion restructuring of ExxonMobil’s holdings in Japan, and being lead counsel for Mobil Corporation in the initial groundbreaking financing of the Ras Laffan LNG plant. In addition to her legal positions, Ms. Batty served as Senior Director, Federal Relations, Government and Public Affairs for Exxon Mobil Corporation, where she worked on policy issues, including trade sanctions, patent reform, STEM education, and issues around the economic empowerment of women and girls.

Prior to her tenure with ExxonMobil, Ms. Batty was a corporate attorney in private practice. Upon graduation from law school, she joined the United States Department of Justice, through its Honors Program, and was assigned to the Trial Section of the Antitrust Division, where she participated in civil and criminal investigations and trials, including grand jury investigations and merger reviews.

Ms. Batty is active in several professional and charitable organizations and has held numerous committee and Board officer positions on not-for-profit Boards. She currently serves as Chair of the Governing Board of Trustees of Arena Stage, a major arts and cultural center in the nation’s capital. Ms. Batty also serves as a member of the executive committee of National Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of the USA and serves as the International Commissioner; she served as a member of The Links Foundation, Incorporated Board of Directors, a service organization, and was recently a member of the Board of Trustees of Levine Music, an accredited multi-campus music center. She is also actively involved with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. Ms. Batty is a past president of ExxonMobil’s company sanctioned employee affinity group, Black Employee Success Team (BEST), and has served on the Board of Trustees of The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.

Ms. Batty, a native New Yorker, currently lives in Washington, DC. She has also lived in Dallas, London, and Tokyo. Ms. Batty received her Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University College of Arts and Sciences and her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

MICHELE G. BERMAN

Trustee Since 1994

A Washington resident for over 50 years, Michele is a native of Newark, New Jersey. She holds a B.S. degree from Russell Sage College and has done graduate work at George Washington University and the International Institute of Interior Design.

When first arriving in the D.C. area, Michele taught school in Arlington County, Virginia. In the early 70s she became a founding partner in White-Berman Interior Design and then FWB & Co. Both of these firms specialized in commercial and residential design, space planning, model home design and art acquisition. FWB was chosen as one of the city’s top interior design firms by Washingtonian Magazine.

At Arena Stage, Michele currently serves as co-chair of Nominating for 2019/20. She has chaired the Development Committee, the Nominating Committee and served as chair for several Living Stage and Community Engagement benefits. The Spring 2016 “Evening with Ana Gasteyer,” the Arena Wine Auctions, 50th Anniversary Gala, Sophisticated Ladies Gala and Camelot Gala were all chaired or co-chaired by Michele. She is most proud of co-chairing the Gala celebrating the opening of the Mead Center with Beth Newburger Schwartz.

In the larger community, Michele is a member of the board of The Washington DCJCC. She was a co-founder of the Council for Theater J and today sits on their honorary board. Other area non-profit involvement include: The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, Women’s National Democratic Club, DC Hotline, and Leadership Board of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

Michele is married to Allan J. Berman, a real estate investor. They have two sons and six grandchildren.

SANDER M. BIEBER

Trustee Since 2016

Sandy Bieber is a retired partner of the Dechert LLP law firm, where he spent 34 of his 39 years of legal practice. A member of Dechert’s Financial Services Group, he advised boards of directors of publicly offered mutual funds and independent directors of mutual funds. He also advised independent directors and a special committee of a board of a public company, with respect to transactions involving controlling shareholder-sponsored buyouts, financings, and related party transactions involving conflicts of interest and affiliated parties. A significant part of Sandy’s practice concerned advising US-based and international clients on international asset management and fund matters, including serving as US legal advisor to the European Fund and Asset Management Association. For several years, Sandy also served as Managing Partner of Dechert’s Washington office.

Sandy was recognized for his long involvement in matters pertaining to Mexico when he received the Award of Special Recognition from the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. For his work with independent directors, Fund Industry Intelligence and Fund Director Intelligence, two publications of Institutional Investor, named Sandy Independent Counsel of the Year. For many years, Sandy was listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in mutual fund law.

Sandy has deep roots in the Washington community. Sandy is a proud graduate of Lafayette Elementary, Alice Deal Junior High, and Woodrow Wilson High Schools. Sandy is a fourth generation member of the Adas Israel Congregation, where he serves as a member of the Board of Directors. Sandy has also had a long involvement with Arena, attending performances with his parents beginning in the early 1960s, and together with his wife, Linda Rosenzweig, since the mid-1970s. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Sandy enjoyed watching his father perform as a member of ensembles in a number of Arena productions. Sandy also served from 2010 – 2016 as a member of the Washington Wizards Basketball Advisory Board. Sandy and Linda also have a home in Rehoboth Beach, DE, where Sandy serves as Vice Chair of the City’s Law Oversight Committee, an advisory committee to the City’s Board of Commissioners.

Sandy is a graduate of Princeton University, where he received an A.B. and a Certificate in Public and International Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Sandy received a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he was Associate Editor of the Law Review.

ERIC BRAVERMAN

Trustee Since 2009

Eric Braverman is CEO of Schmidt Futures, a venture facility for public benefit founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that advances the most promising ideas in technology, scientific breakthroughs, and paths to shared prosperity in society. (See schmidtfutures.com.) Prior to creating Schmidt Futures, Braverman oversaw all philanthropic and non-investment efforts for the Schmidts and directed the family office.

From 1997 to 2013, Braverman was a partner and consultant at McKinsey & Company. Named by Fortune magazine in 2010 as one of the “40 Most Influential Leaders in Business” worldwide under 40 years old, he co-founded the firm’s public sector practice and counseled leaders of government, philanthropy, and media/technology companies around the world. In 2013 he became Chief Executive Officer of the Clinton Foundation and led the Foundation’s worldwide operations from 2013 to 2015.

Braverman also served as an advisor on performance management and technology for President Obama’s transition team in 2008.

Braverman serves on various boards, including not only Arena Stage, but also the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, the Mory’s Association, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the Yale President’s Council on International Activities. He earned his B.A. summa cum laude from Yale and his J.D. from the Yale Law School. He and his husband Neil Brown live on Amtrak.

EDGAR DOBIE

Trustee Since 2009

Born in Vernon, British Columbia, a village next to the Rocky Mountains (three years before Arena had its first performance in 1950), Edgar Dobie is one of five brothers raised by his Dad Edgar, a mechanic and small businessman, and Mom Connie, a telephone operator and union organizer. Edgar is the only Dobie to make a career in theater. Luckily for him, drama was an arts elective that he was offered at the tender age of 12, so he hung up his hockey skates and joined the drama class, led by teacher Paddy Malcolm and her fledgling Powerhouse Community Theater after school. By the time he graduated from high school, Edgar and fellow volunteers had built themselves a 200 seat fully equipped theater on its own piece of land in the center of town and found a sell-out audience for the full season of plays they had on offer. That experience taught him so many lessons about the power of theater to foster collaboration and share meaningful stories, as well as the public values that attach themselves to building a safe place where everyone is welcome. All those lessons served Edgar well as a managing leader and producer both sides of the border and both sides of the commercial and non-profit theater divide. Arriving at Arena Stage in 2009 makes him feel like he is well-equipped for the best job in the world.

RICHARD A. FEINSTEIN

Trustee Since 2014

Richard Feinstein is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Boies, Schiller & Flexner, LLP. He has practiced antitrust law—in both the government and private practice—in Washington since 1977. He returned to his current firm in December of 2013 following four years as the Director of the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission.

Rich has been a subscriber to and supporter of Arena Stage since moving to Washington in 1977. His lifelong fondness for theatre and film may stem in part from his father’s work in the movie theatre business. Over the years, his other outside activities and interests have included: the Yale Alumni Schools Committee, the Yale Alumni Fund, the All Saints All Day Child Care Center (now known as Wonders, where he served as both a Director and President of the Board), A Wider Circle (volunteer and advisor), the Howard University School of Law Moot Court Team (advisor) and coaching youth sports. He is also an avid long distance runner and a passionate fan of Pittsburgh sports.

Rich graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in American Studies in 1974, and received a J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1977. He lives in Chevy Chase with his wife Pam (a volunteer and board member at A Wider Circle) and a Dalmatian puppy named Bucco (see Pittsburgh sports above). Their sons, Paul and David—also theatre, movie and Pittsburgh sports fans—live and work in Washington.

RICK FROEHLICH

Trustee Since 2018

Rick was born in Rochester, NY and moved to Atlanta, GA as a teenager. He attended the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. He received a BBA in Accounting and became a CPA.

Rick moved to Northern VA in 1990. He became the CEO and CFO of Toll Road Investors Partnership II, LP, owners of the Dulles Greenway and retired after 19 years with the Greenway.

Rick currently volunteers around the area, mainly with Britepaths where he teaches financial literacy classes and mentors individuals who need financial guidance. He is also currently on the Kennedy Center Circles Board.

Rick is proud parent of two daughters, Rachel, living in Carlsbad, CA, and Jennifer, living in Arlington. Jennifer is a graphic designer that owns her own company, JMB Design Center, LLC. Rick works for free as her CFO. He has two grandchildren, Connor (7½) and Liam (2½ months).

Rick and his wife Carol have had season tickets to theaters since they married in 1975.

CATHERINE GUTTMAN-McCABE

Trustee Since 2018

Catherine Guttman-McCabe is a partner at Potomac Law Group and has spent her career advising educational institutions, with a particular focus on higher education and employment matters. She serves a variety of clients in the education sector, including colleges and universities, associations, and service providers. She provides advice and counsel related to federal and state education regulations, accreditation, distance education, governance, faculty tenure, employment, student matters, Title IX, campus security, disabilities, privacy, and consumer protection. In addition to providing advice and counseling, Guttman-McCabe conducts internal investigations, compliance reviews, and training. Guttman-McCabe founded the Education practice group at Clearspire Law Co. in 2011 and joined Potomac Law Group in 2014. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Strayer University; Associate University Counsel for Georgetown University; Counsel for Cortiva Institute; and Associate at Hogan & Hartson, LLP (now Hogan Lovells). She has been an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys for many years. Guttman-McCabe has served on the board of the 110 Foundation and engaged in many community service projects with her children through an organization they founded, Kids and Teens in Action. Guttman-McCabe is originally from New York and is a life-long supporter of the arts. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Swarthmore College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

SUE J. HENRY

Trustee Since 2018

Sue was born and raised in Columbus, Indiana, a small town in southern Indiana widely known as the “Athens of the Prairie” due to its collection of buildings designed by highly regarded and globally famous architects.

She graduated from Miami University with honors. She graduated from Northwestern University School of Law where she was an editor on the Law Review. She also holds an L.L.M. from Georgetown University Law Center and received its Thomas Bradbury Chetwood Award for academic excellence.

Sue practiced labor and employment law for 25 years in Chicago and Washington with the law firms of Vedder, Price, Kaufman and & Kammholz and Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart representing mostly Fortune 500 companies. She also taught labor law for two years at the University of Illinois Law School.

Sue has continuously stayed involved with her undergraduate alma mater serving in various capacities. She sat on the University’s Board of Trustees for two full terms and currently chairs the Governance Committee of the University Foundation Board. She also has served on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Arts & Sciences and is on the Steering Committee for the M.I.A.M.I. Women program. Sue also established the Miami University pre-law center, named for her, and she served on its inaugural advisory board.
She also has been a long time member of the Dean’s Advisory Board at the Northwestern University School of Law. Additionally, she serves on the National Advisory Board of the National Museum of Women in the Arts located in Washington, D.C.

Sue has been a long-time member and Ruling Elder, currently serving on the Session, of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in McLean, Virginia. Sue also serves on the Planned Giving Committee, the Congregational Care Committee and the Community Service and Action Committee. She also plays in the church hand bell choir.

Sue and her husband, Carter Phillips, lived in McLean, Virginia for 27 years. They now live in Arlington where their son, daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren all live within a 10 minute radius. She loves traveling, reading, swimming, art and, of course, theater.

VICKI J. HICKS

Trustee Since 2009

Vicki serves as AgriBank’s Vice President, Government Affairs, where she represents AgriBank before Congress and the Federal agencies. In this role she directs AgriBank’s legislative, public affairs and regulatory policy efforts, including issues management and priority setting. She also serves on AgriBank’s Operating Committee with other key executives of AgriBank.

As the head of the Washington, D.C. office, Vicki represents AgriBank before the Congress and Federal agencies. In this role she plans and implements strategies to achieve a successful outcome on key issues, through direct lobbying and activating the large grassroots network within the AgriBank territory, which is comprised of fifteen states.

Vicki advises the AgriBank board and senior leadership on proposed legislation or regulations that may affect AgriBank, communicating the implications of these proposed changes on the bank’s business. She also leads AgriBank’s government affairs activities in concert the major trade associations to which it belongs.

In addition to leading the government affairs activities of AgriBank, Vicki is responsible for integrating AgriBank’s public relations into its advocacy activities to promote and protect its public policy interests. This includes directing the communications efforts that feed into AgriBank’s activities on Capitol Hill and across the executive branch.

Vicki has extensive experience in general public policy analysis and planning, and strategic counseling.

Prior to joining AgriBank, Vicki engaged in a government relations practice focused on counseling clients with matters on behalf of a wide array of agribusiness and commodity interests, technology companies, and food and drug companies. Vicki also has represented clients successfully that sought appropriations requests, such as large state universities.
Before joining the private sector, Vicki previously served as a political appointee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the Clinton Administration, where she directed a staff of 400 employees and managed a multibillion-dollar operation as the Farm Service Agency’s Deputy Administrator, Commodity Operations. While in this role, Vicki was responsible for the procurement of all commodities for foreign food assistance programs provided by the U.S. government, as well as procurement of grain, dairy and oilseed products for the domestic food assistance programs. She also was responsible for administration of the dairy price support program, the Step 2 cotton program, and the United States Warehouse Act. Before her appointment to USDA, Vicki was legislative assistant for agriculture, foreign affairs and international trade for Senator Quentin Burdick (D-N.D.), who served as Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and as Chairman of the Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee.

Vicki is a member of the Business-Government Relations Council, membership of which is comprised of the top ranking executive that is responsible for overall government relations activities for major corporations. In addition, Vicki serves on the board of the Public Affairs Council and is AgriBank’s senior representative to the Council. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of Arena Stage, a Tony Award winning regional theater in Washington, DC, where she holds the position of vice chair for governance.

DANIEL L. KORENGOLD

Trustee Since 2015

Daniel L. Korengold currently serves as President of Ourisman Automotive of Virginia in Alexandria. He is a graduate of Trinity College and has lived in the DMV community for over 60 years.

He is currently involved with various charities in the area including Mt. Vernon, Winterthur, the Decorative Arts Society, Blair House, Holton Arms School, Washington Antiques, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Nantucket Historical Association. Danny is past Chairman of Norwood School, the Washington Performing Arts Society and Washington Automobile Dealers Association. He also served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, the Chevy Chase Club, Landon School, Travelers Aid, National Child Research Center and Trinity College. He currently serves on the boards of the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the Sconset Trust.

He enjoys golf, decorative arts, antiques, travel, and fitness and has raised four children with his wife, Martha.

JOYCE ANNE HANKS MOOREHEAD

Trustee Since 2015

Joyce Anne Hanks Moorehead is the epitome of a successful African American woman. Born in Buffalo, NY but reared in Crescent City, a small northeastern Florida community approximately 55 miles south of Jacksonville, she has risen to a level of prominence and stature in two distinct careers.

Joyce matriculated at Bethune Cookman University in nearby Daytona Beach. During her junior year, she was a participant in a program sponsored by the American University of Washington [DC] that enabled her to study abroad, and to visit 12 African countries. Upon returning to her alma mater, she earned a BS degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology in 1967.

Her outstanding performance at Bethune Cookman earned Joyce an Epworth Fellowship from the United Methodist Church to Boston University. At Boston University, she pursued a curriculum that focused upon the African family. Joyce returned to her native Florida and enrolled at the University of Miami Law School in 1973. She transferred to the University of Arkansas and earned a JD degree in 1976.

After working for a year as an Assistant City Prosecutor in Fayetteville [AR], she returned to Miami to accept a position as Assistant Director of a public interest law firm. In 1978, she became the Senior Attorney at the Legal Services of Greater Miami, a 501[c][3] charity supported by the Florida Bar Foundation and Miami-Dade County. The firm provided free services to individuals with household income below 125% of the federal poverty levels who were litigants in housing, public benefits and employment discrimination cases in the city of Miami, and the counties of Dade and Monroe.

In 1978, she entered the political arena and was elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board – the management entity for the fourth largest school district in the nation. Despite immersing herself in several Board committees, Joyce was also active in the local Miami community. She was a two-term president of the Dade County [FL] Black Lawyers Association, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the board of directors of the Urban League of Greater Miami, and a board member of WPBT-TV, Miami’s public television station.

In 1984, she relocated to Baltimore [MD] to become General Counsel of Chicken George Inc., a food franchise headquartered in Baltimore. In 1986, she moved to the NAACP as Associate General Counsel. At the NAACP, she was a critical part of the team responsible for developing civil rights litigation and handling cases in the federal system involving employment and labor issues, education, and voting rights. She was also the principal liaison to the several attorneys affiliated with the various NAACP regions and with outside attorneys.

In 1991, Joyce accepted a senior associate position at Hollis & Associates, a Baltimore law firm that specialized in employment and family law. She left the firm in 1993 to open her own office and continued specializing in employment, labor, and family issues.

Within the Baltimore community, Joyce has been a board member of the Maryland Legal Services Corporation, a trustee of the Family League of Baltimore, a member of the Monument City Bar Association, a member of the Baltimore City Bar Association, and a member of the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys.

She is a former member of the Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, a past president of the board of directors of the Citizens Planning and Housing Authority of Baltimore, a past president of the board of directors of the Sexual Assault Recovery Center, a past president of the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, and a past member of the Executive Council of the Baltimore City Bar Association. She is a member of the Florida and Maryland Bars, and licensed to practice in both jurisdictions.

Besides operating a successful law practice, and involvement in several professional organizations, Joyce with her husband – Thomas A. Moorehead are owners of BMW of Sterling & MINI of Sterling, the largest African American owned BMW franchise in the nation. She helped form the Sterling Automotive Group Foundation, a 501[c][3] private foundation, in 2004, and later the Joyce and Thomas Moorehead Foundation whose target constituents are economically disadvantaged high school graduates who need financial assistance to pursue higher education. She and her husband have also been annual significant contributors to at least three historically black institutions of higher learning – Bethune Cookman University, Howard University, and Grambling State University.

Joyce is Vice President of the Board of Trustees of Bethune Cookman University, a member of the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, a member of The Links, Incorporated, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, a member of Girl Friends, a former member of the Board of Trustees of Saint Paul’s College, and a member of Heritage Fellowship Church, in Reston, VA.

Joyce recently received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Bethune Cookman University. She has received numerous other awards and recognitions.

Throughout her life, Joyce Anne Hanks Moorehead has remained true to a value system instilled in her as a child growing up in a small northeastern Florida community. Her professional career validates her commitment to the tenants critical to success and her community involvements are a practical implementation of her commitment to utilize her experiences, talents and professional involvements for the disadvantaged.

RICHARD A. NEWMAN

Trustee Since 2009

Richard Newman is a partner at Arent Fox, LLP in Washington, DC and is Co-Chair of its Public Finance Group. Previously, he was a partner at Linowes and Blocher and an associate at Dunnells, Duvall, Bennett & Porter. He represents clients in the areas of real estate and finance, with a particular emphasis on the representation of not-for-profits, and has been an advocate for developing and maintaining housing for low income families.

He is a lecturer at the Community Associations Institute, George Washington University School of Law, Washington Board of Realtors, District of Columbia Bar and Georgetown University Law School Continuing Legal Education Programs, as well as American University Business School. Richard has served as the General Counsel for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Discovery Creek Children’s Museum, and Cornerstone. He is also on the Board of Washington Hebrew Congregation. Richard is also a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

Richard graduated in 1977 from New York University as a University Honors Scholar, and in 1980 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Law and Housing Journal, as well as on the Editorial Board.

He is the author of many publications that have appeared in journals and magazines such as Legal Times and The Urban Lawyer. He has also been selected as one of DC’s Top 100 Lawyers (Washington Post) as well as “Washington DC Super Lawyers.”

Richard lives in Bethesda with his wife, Janice. He enjoys theater, the beach, and collecting contemporary art and African masks.

R. LUCIA RIDDLE

Trustee Since 2014

R. Lucia Riddle is the Owner of Sister Strength, LLC a fitness company devoted to the wellness, cardio/strength training and physical conditioning needs of women 50 years of age and older. Ms. Riddle is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and holds NASM’s Weight Loss Specialist (WLS) and Special Populations Specialist (SPS) certifications.

Until March 31, 2012 she served as Vice President – Federal Government Relations with the Principal Financial Group®. In that capacity she directed the federal legislative and regulatory strategy for issues affecting the company, ranging from health care to tax policy to financial services. Ms. Riddle holds an MBA from Drake University, is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute {FLMI}, and holds designations from America’s Health Insurance Plans and the International Claims Association.

Ms. Riddle serves on the Board of Directors and as Audit Chair of TD&P Consulting Inc., a privately held firm based in Silver Spring, MD. In addition, she serves on the boards of UnityPoint Hospital System (Des Moines, IA), Arena Stage, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (Emeritus), Friends of UNFPA and the National Coalition and Caucus for the Black Aged. She also is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Capital City Chapter of The Links, Inc.; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and Sigma Iota Epsilon, an honorary business fraternity.

In 2008 and 2012, Ms. Riddle was named by Savoy Professional magazine as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America.” The prestigious list showcases leaders with exemplary accomplishments, influence in their companies and communities and an ability to inspire others. In 2011, Ms. Riddle also received the President’s Award from the Washington Government Relations Group.

BETH NEWBURGER SCHWARTZ

Trustee Since 1993

Ms. Newburger is an entrepreneur who has started and sold several businesses. She is currently Executive Producer, Middle Finger Productions, President and CEO of Richlynd Federal and Epoch Communications. Ms. Newburger is also Chairman of the Board of Apollo Enterprise Imaging and member of the Board of Geico/BoatU.S.

Beth is known in preservation circles for her work as Director of Communications for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Prior to joining the National Trust, she was appointed by President Clinton to co-chair the Presidential Women’s History Commission and Vice Chair the bi-partisan Congressional Women’s Progress Commission. She also served in both Clinton Administrations as Associate Administrator of the General Services Administration and Outreach Coordinator for the White House Office of Women’s Initiatives and Outreach.

Before entering public service, Beth was the founder and CEO of Corabi International Telemetrics, Inc. She was also the Founder/President of Owlcat/Digital Research, Inc., the company that developed the first computer-based test preparation products for the SATs.

Ms. Newburger has also served as Publisher of the Washington Woman Magazine, Chairman/CEO of Health Street, Inc., Marketing Manager of The Washington Post, and the Director of Advertising for the New Republic Magazine.

In addition to her work on the Arena Stage Board, Beth’s philanthropic work includes President of the Newburger-Schwartz Family Foundation. She is a former Chairman and currently a trustee of the National Children’s Museum, and serves as a Trustee for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, the President’s Council of Cornell Women, and Link Generations.

The Cornell University Graduate shared her love of theater and the arts with her late husband, Richard Schwartz, Founder of BoatU.S. and extraordinary philanthropist.

ANDREW R. AMMERMAN

Trustee Since 2006

Andrew R. Ammerman attended Georgetown University and the University of Rochester, majoring in Asian-American Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in theology. After graduating, Mr. Ammerman taught with an agency located in Thailand. The Ammerman Partnerships are located in the Washington, DC, area. He is a co-patron of the Fund for the Future of our Children, a not-for-profit organization that promotes peace, education and multicultural understanding.

Mr. Ammerman is a former member of the Board of Regents of Georgetown University and is now acting in a community liaison capacity. The Ammerman’s Memorial Scholarship at Georgetown University has granted financial resources to over 500 students since 1975. Mr. Ammerman has continued the support of the partnership between Georgetown University and Arena Stage involving Georgetown students in all stages of the theatrical process and providing hands-on opportunities to work with Arena Stage staff and visiting artists.

He serves on the honorary board of the Foundation for Jewish Studies, and is on the board of the Washington Jewish Historical Society. Andrew is a former member of the Board of Governors for his alma mater, the Mercersburg Academy (Mercersburg, PA), and the Ammerman Family provides funds to allow over half the student body to attend plays and experience talkbacks during the academic year here at Arena Stage.

LINDA A. BAUMANN

Trustee Since 2014

Linda A. Baumann is a partner in the DC Office of Arent Fox LLP. She advises clients across the country on health law related issues, including False Claims Act investigations, the Stark Law, the anti-kickback statute, corporate compliance and Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement. In addition, Linda has helped clients conduct due diligence in connection with acquisitions and financing, return overpayments and submit voluntary disclosures. Linda has represented a wide range of companies from Fortune 50 corporations and national chains to community health care providers. Her clients include hospitals, nursing homes, drug and device manufacturers and distributors, therapy and diagnostic facilities, trade associations, and other types of organizations doing business in the health care industry.

Before joining Arent Fox, Linda practiced in the DC area with another nationally recognized law firm. Previously, Linda worked in the General Counsel’s Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Division, and in the Legal Advisor’s Office at the US Department of State. She also has been an adjunct professor at Princeton University.

Linda is the Editor in Chief of a well-known treatise, Health Care Fraud and Abuse: Practical Perspectives, is on the advisory board of several legal publications and is a frequent speaker before national audiences on various health law topics. She has been ranked AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell, as a Top Lawyer by The Washingtonian and as a leading lawyer by Chambers in health care. She also has been recognized by Super Lawyers, Legal 500 and numerous Who’s Who publications. In addition to chairing the American Bar Association (ABA) Health Law Section, she has served on various other Boards including the McCarter Theatre Associates Board, the Princeton University Friends of the International Center Board, the Appleseed/Public Interest Law Center of NJ Board and the HiTops Board (a not for profit organization providing sex education and health services to young adults). She also has served on the Princeton University Committee on the Status of Women, served as a liaison to the ABA Commission on the Status of Women, and chaired the ABA Breast Cancer Task Force.

DAVID BECKER

Trustee Since 2018

Senior Counsel at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

David Becker has practiced law in the public and private sectors for nearly 45 years, mostly focused on the federal securities laws and the securities markets.  His government work included two stints as the General Counsel of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as judicial clerkships.  David is currently Senior Counsel at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

Previously, Mr. Becker was a partner at CGSH and at another major law firm in the District of Columbia.   Before rejoining CGSH, Mr. Becker was Chief Legal Officer at Och-Ziff Capital Management, LLC.   Mr. Becker brings to Arena Stage a lifelong love of the theatre and Arena Stage.  He saw his first Arena Stage Production – The Great White Hope – in 1968 in New York City.

MARC BLAKEMAN

Trustee Since 2019

Marc Blakeman serves as AT&T President – Mid-Atlantic States. In that capacity, he leads the company’s government affairs, public policy, philanthropic and social engagement initiatives across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Prior to this position, his previous roles at AT&T have included serving as Vice President of External Affairs for AT&T California and as the Regional Vice President of External Affairs in Illinois. He joined AT&T’s predecessor, Ameritech, in 1997 after serving as Director of Chicago Operations for the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. He was appointed to his current position in 2018.

A graduate of Northwestern University with a B.A. in political science, Marc also received his certification in corporate community relations from the John Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College. An active member of the community, Marc serves on numerous non-profit boards including the Board of Directors of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and on the Board of Trustees of Arena Stage.

A native of downstate Illinois, Mr. Blakeman currently resides in Washington, D.C.

JOSEPH P. DiGANGI

Trustee Since 2017

Joseph P. DiGangi was born in 1941 in New Jersey and attended public schools there. I graduated from Lehigh University with a B.A. with Distinction in Government and from Columbia University with a Ph.D. in Public Law and Government. I taught in the Political Science Department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York from 1967-1997 as Instructor, Assistant, Associate and Full Professor, and retired as Professor Emeritus of Political Science in 1997. While at HWS, I served on virtually every important Standing and Ad Hoc committee, including Department Chair, Dean Selection Committee Chair and Presidential Selection Committee member. In addition, I was the Pre-Law Advisor. Also, in 1985 I co-founded HWS’s Public Policy Semester in Washington D.C. and continued to co-direct and teach in that program well into my retirement years. Apart from my work at HWS, I was a long-time member of the Geneva Historical Society Board of Trustees and chaired its Collections Committee, and a Board member of the Savings Bank of the Finger Lakes, serving as the Chair of its Governance Committee.

Upon retirement from HWS in 1997, I moved to Arlington, Virginia, where I currently reside. I am a member of the Supreme Court Historical Society, and a Circles and Tower Project member at the National Gallery of Art. In addition, I am a Circles member of the Phillips Collection, the Kennedy Center, and the Washington National Opera. Also, I was a member of the (now defunct) Summer Opera Theater Guild Board, and served on the Avant Bard Theater Board. I serve currently on the Federal Reserve Board’s Fine Arts Advisory Panel.

JOHN EDELMANN

Trustee Since 2016

John is the founding partner of the Edelmann Love Toregas Group and of Edelmann Love Properties Inc. He is a native New Yorker, born in Manhattan and moved to Washington, DC more than 25 years ago, proudly calling this area home. “We are one of the greatest metropolitan areas in the nation and certainly one of the nicest places to live in the world. We have a truly global population and environment, it is energizing.”

John is recognized within the elite top 1% status for sales and in the Top Ten for all Teams within Coldwell Banker in the Mid-Atlantic, and for good reason. He has established a reputation of listening to his clients and meeting their needs. He is quick to point out his love for selling property. His success is owed in part to his ability to listen and anticipate his client’s requirements and put them into action. John also recognizes the need to specialize in an area you know very well and with which you his clients are most comfortable. The Edelmann Love Group specializes inside the beltway; territory John and the firm knows well. “I truly believe if you give outstanding customer service, know your neighborhood, work hard and have the support from a stellar team, you can accomplish anything.”

John has been a supporter and donor to theater and the arts. He has and continues to enjoy a lifetime of theater. “Growing up in NYC my first theater experience was at LOOM, the Light Opera of Manhattan, my folks took me to see Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, what a great way to start!”

He truly believes in the theater and the arts to bring together all American voices, talents, stories, dramas and histories. To engage everyone in thought about where and how we live. “Our collective history is told through stories, the plays written for the stage. Arena and Molly Smith have been so successful in bringing back political discussion to the stage, so important in these times of tweets and intense polarization. Our need to connect to the community is of paramount importance.” Additionally, theater and all arts have an amazing economic and socially positive consequence on the region, the city and the neighborhood. Arena is a perfect example of a theater that with the support of the community helped launch the renaissance of the SW Waterfront. And Arena is an integral part of the society and citizenry, with long established programs for school children, summer camp programs, internships and the like. “Proudly, Arena was the first stage in DC to integrate, the first to bring shows to Broadway, the first to specialize in American Theater and now Arena is the largest regional or more correctly “national theater” in the country. I am so proud to be part of this amazing organization.”

John served two terms, one as president of the board at The Bromptons of Rosslyn Homeowners Association where he lives. He served two terms on the Board of the Belvedere Condominium Unit Owners Association in Arlington. And he served on the HCC Board as a director and president. John and his company support several charities in the Washington Area: Operation Paws, an animal rescue and adoption operation and help run two adoption events per year at their office in Georgetown, College Bound and The Humane Society. John was a producer for non-profit health television programming, producing more than 40 programs that aired locally.

John has been awarded the Coldwell Banker President’s Elite Award for Real Estate Sales Internationally, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors Lifetime Top Producer, Best of Washington, Washingtonian 2016 and 2017 for Real Estate, Washington Post Power Players Realtors 2014, 100 Most Influential Real Estate Agents in Washington DC 2016, by Real Estate Executive and the Mass Media Award for Television Production by the American Association of University Women.

John is in a 29-year relationship (and counting) with life partner and business partner Jeffrey Love. They reside in Arlington, VA and Milton, Delaware with their American Staffordshire terrier Rocky. John is honored to know so many very good and interesting people and to count many of them as friends. He loves to work, travel, cook and read history.

ELIOT J. FELDMAN

Trustee Since 2014

Elliot J. Feldman, Senior Partner and National Leader of BakerHostetler’s International Trade Practice for the last sixteen years, has been practicing international law in Washington since he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988. He is the former Director of the University Consortium for Research on North America at Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs, where he served on the Center’s Executive Committee.

Elliot served as Special Project Officer for the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Installations, Logistics) in the Reagan Administration, focused on the sustainability of the all-volunteer force and planning for conventional war. After graduating from M.I.T. (Ph.d., 1972), he taught political science, public policy, political theory, and strategic decision-making at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, the University of British Columbia (in the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration), Brandeis and Tufts Universities. He has lived at least a year or more in Boston, Chicago, London, Paris, Vancouver, Bologna, and Washington.

Elliot and his wife Lily (the Harry & Helen Gray Senior Fellow and Director, Society, Culture and Politics Program at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies of Johns Hopkins University) have endowed at the University of Chicago an undergraduate internship in Human Rights and the annual Theodore J. and Angèle Lowi Memorial Lecture at the University’s Paris Center, where Elliot  was the first Distinguished Alumni Lecturer. They are the proud parents of two daughters: Shira, an Associate at Pierce Bainbridge in New York, and Batya, who is studying for an M.B.A. at the Stern School of Business at NYU. Batya is an alumna volunteer of Arena Stage, where she spent many hours helping to organize Molly’s library. During the 2014/15 season, Elliot was the legal consultant for John Strand’s The Originalist and has been a post-performance speaker for the play in Chicago and New York.  Lily and Elliot, along with Baker & Hostetler LLP, commissioned Sovereignty for Arena’s 2017-2018 season.

MAGGIE FITZPATRICK

Trustee Since 2017

Maggie FitzPatrick joined Exelon as senior vice president, Corporate Affairs, Philanthropy and Customer Engagement, in 2016. She has oversight of communications, brand strategy, and customer engagement. She also oversees the distribution of nearly $40 million in annual giving from Exelon. FitzPatrick is responsible for the Exelon marketing communications infrastructure, and deepening trust and engagement with millions of customers in hundreds of communities served by the company.

FitzPatrick previously served as global chief communications officer and vice president of public affairs for Johnson & Johnson, the world’s largest and most broadly-based healthcare company. FitzPatrick led a global team of more than 425 communicators and oversaw the modernization and transformation of Johnson & Johnson’s global public affairs and communications infrastructure. She and her team implemented a customer-focused strategy to strengthen engagement initiatives across the company’s diverse businesses and brands.

Previously, FitzPatrick served as global chief communication officer and president of the foundation at Cigna, where she led a corporate re-branding program and directed communications for the company’s largest acquisition. Prior to that, FitzPatrick was executive vice president at APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs and strategic communications consultancy. She began her career working for a United States Senator and later advanced national community engagement programs for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

FitzPatrick serves on the boards of the National Partnership for Women and Families and Achilles International. In 2015 she was named one of the most powerful people in public relations by PR Week Magazine. She is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Arthur Page Society, and is a member of The Seminar, a leading global communications consortium.

FitzPatrick holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Policy Studies from Syracuse University, and an M.A. in Public Policy from The George Washington University.

STEPHENIE FOSTER

Trustee Since 2019

Stephenie Foster is a recognized voice in women’s leadership and empowerment. She is currently a Partner at Smash Strategies, a firm dedicated to advising businesses, foundations and non-profit organizations on how to achieve better results by focusing on women’s leadership and gender equality.

Before co-founding Smash Strategies, Stephenie served at the U.S. Department of State from 2012-2017. There, she was a Senior Advisor and Counselor to the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues and managed a wide range of key policies and programs, including the women, peace, and security initiative, women’s political participation, and women’s economic empowerment. As a senior official, Stephenie represented the U.S. in multilateral and bilateral forums. Stephenie also served at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she focused on women and civil society and traveled extensively to work with individuals and organizations advancing the role of women in Afghan society.

Stephenie has broad and deep experience in government, policy, and the law. She served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT); was General Counsel of the U.S. General Services Administration; founded her own consulting firm; and served in senior management positions in the non-profit sector. She began her career as an attorney, and was a litigation partner in San Francisco, California.

In addition to the Arena Stage board, Stephenie is on the boards of the Friends of the American University of Afghanistan, where she serves as Vice Chair and Foreign Policy for America.

NICHOLAS A. GOAD

Trustee Since 2014

Nicholas Goad is a Partner and Managing Director in the Washington, DC office of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) where he has been a management consultant for over fifteen years. Nicholas has also worked abroad in the London office and the Sydney office where he was the 2007 ambassador.

In recent years, Nicholas has focused his client practice at BCG on the Retail, Lodging, and Consumer industries including pricing, growth strategy, digital, go-to-market, consumer insights, and cost reduction topics. He has particular expertise leading pricing and assortment transformation efforts in multiple retail channels and is the Global Product Leader for Category Advantage and member of the Retail leadership team.

In the office, Nicholas leads the Local Marketing Committee. As an active member of the global leadership team for the firm’s Pride@BCG, he heads the People Development Initiative. This initiative received The Human Rights Campaign’s 2011 Award for Workplace Equality Innovation for BCG’s “holistic approach to career development and affiliation.”

In the community, Nicholas has served as a volunteer teacher at Byte Back, an organization that provides computer literacy training to improve employment readiness in underserved communities.

Nicholas holds a B.S. magna cum laude in Finance and Public Policy & Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with minors in Mathematics and French. He also studied at École de Management and Université de Lyon II in Lyon, France.

Nicholas’s interest in theater was piqued when he was ten years old and cast in the title role of Oliver in his local Vermont community theater production. He continued through high school with theater as his year-round “sport” acting, producing, and culminated as Steering Committee Chair for the 1997 Vermont State Drama Festival. He built life skills through theater as a young adult that contribute to his success in the business world today.

ANN O. HAMILTON

Trustee Since 2016

Ann O. Hamilton came to Washington for six months in 1961; she hasn’t left yet. After a long career in international development at the Peace Corps, the Budget Bureau, and the World Bank, she earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 1999. In between and since, she has served on the boards of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington (including two terms as Chair), the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the Imperial Sugar Company, the Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund, the Rosedale Conservancy, and the Cleveland Park Citizens Association. She earned a B.A. degree from Wellesley College and an M.Sc.(Econ.) from the London School of Economics.

ELLEN K. HARRISON

Trustee Since 1995

Ms. Harrison’s practice covers a broad range of tax issues, including estate planning and administration, tax controversies, and income, gift and estate tax planning for individuals, businesses and charitable organizations. Ms. Harrison has significant experience drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, prenuptial agreements, buy-sell agreements, a variety of corporate documents, and family partnership agreements. Her tax controversy and estate litigation experience includes Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits, IRS appeals, refund claims, and U.S. Tax Court litigation. She has been recognized in Chambers USA, and is recognized as one of the nation’s best lawyers in The Best Lawyers in America.

Ms. Harrison completed a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1971 and a B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1968 with highest honors. She admitted in the District of Columbia, State of Maryland, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Supreme Court.

Ms. Harrison’s affiliations include American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (fellow and past Regent), Washington Affairs Committee (member and past Chair), International Estate Planning committee (member and past Chair), Estate and Gift Tax Committee, FATF Task Force; The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (President); Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, University of Miami School of Law Advisory Committee; American Bar Association, Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section (Liaison to AICPA and Co-Chair Trust and Estate Committee on Governmental Submissions) and Georgetown Law Center (former adjunct professor).

ALETHIA JACKSON

Trustee Since 2018

Alethia Jackson has been a leading health care lobbyist in Washington, D.C. for over 10 years.  She is currently Senior Director of Federal Government Relations for Walgreen Co., where she serves as Head of Federal Advocacy.  During her tenure, Alethia has helped the company increase and maximize its advocacy presence in the Nation’s capital.  She oversees outreach initiatives to Members of Congress and stakeholders.  In this position, Alethia develops strategies and programs to advance the Company’s policy priorities.  In addition to managing the lobbying team, she oversees third party partnerships and corporate giving on the federal level.

Prior to joining Walgreens, Alethia was Vice President of Federal Affairs at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).  In that capacity, she provided substantive, strategic and political counsel to health insurance executives of Fortune 500 and not-for-profit companies and advocated on their behalf before Congress.  Alethia helped provide substantive expertise on various provisions of the health care reform law. Prior to joining AHIP, Alethia served as Assistant Counsel for Health Policy with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), where she served as liaison for state insurance regulators with Members of Congress, federal agencies, and consumer advocacy groups.  During her tenure at the NAIC, Alethia was responsible for monitoring and responding to federal legislative and regulatory proposals, as well as developing policy recommendations to address issues in state insurance markets.

A respected health care expert, Alethia is a frequently asked to speak at government relations and health care conferences.  Her speaking engagements have included: Climbing the Hill: How to Accelerate Your Federal Government Relations Strategy, Public Affairs Council (June 2013) and Improving Health Care Quality, 6th Annual National Leadership Summit on Health Disparities, National Minority Quality Forum and the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust

Alethia sits on the Corporate Advisory Council for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.  She is also a member of Calibr Global Leadership Network, a leadership and professional development group for mid-to-senior level corporate executives.  Additionally, she sits on the Board of Directors of Running Start.  Alethia also serves on the Board of Directors of the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee.

Alethia’s community involvement includes her work with the 12 Days of Christmas, Inc.  Her involvement in the 12 Days of Christmas, Inc., includes helping the organization raise over $40,000 annually to assist local families in need with the purchase of back to school supplies, children’s clothes and Christmas gifts.

Alethia holds a B.A. in English from the University at Albany and a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law.  She has studied comparative health law and policy abroad in England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.  Alethia is a member of the New York State and Washington, D.C. bar associations.

DR. DONALD WALLACE JONES

Trustee Since 2018

As an innovative educational leader, Dr. Jones has served on national committees and organizations to become a speaker on minority and women owned businesses. Additionally, he was the first African American Assistant to President of the University of Virginia. Dr. Jones was also the first African American to receive a PhD at Ohio University.

As a retired Full Professor, he established the Dr. Donald W. Jones Foundation: a foundation that promoted strategies and programs for small businesses.

Dr. Jones is the current President of the Board of Directors of Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center (PGAAMCC) at North Brentwood. He, Betty Jean, and their daughter, Tracey, sponsored the Museum’s 2015 exhibit “Transforming Anew: Perspectives of Black Men.” Betty Jean and Tracey are both members of the Prince George’s County Chapter the Links, Incorporated.

RICKI KANTER

Trustee Since 2018

Ricki Kanter graduated Sophie Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1978 with a double major in Psychology and Economics. Ricki is proud to continuing her service there by serving on the Newcomb College Institute Director’s Advisory Council. She earned her JD degree from Stetson University in 1981. She practiced law for a few years in the field of labor law but found greater happiness selling residential real estate that she continued until her second and third children (twins) were born. Ricki was a founding member of the Nomadic Kenyan Children’s Educational Fund (NKCEF) in 2001. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Board for Kenya Education Fund (KEF) following the NKCEF and KEF merger of 2009. She has served on the Board of the Washington DC Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Her interest in this work is to find a cure for the disease that affects her daughter. In addition, Mrs. Kanter served for many years on the Board of Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA. and on the Board of Wolf Trap Associates. She also serves currently on the Board of the Residences at CityCenter, her condominium board and many of its adjunct committees. Politically, Ricki has been active with the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and has participated in Voter Protection work in a legal capacity. She is married to Joel Kanter (Tulane, 1978) and has three grown children. In her spare time, Ricki enjoys her Havanese dog, playing bridge, reading, traveling and attending all sports, plays, and concerts.

ELISSA LEONARD

Trustee Since 2018

Elissa Leonard is a filmmaker. She is currently an executive producer on Bruce Beresford’s film Ladies In Black, a comedy based on the popular Australian novel The Women in Black by Madeleine St. John.  

Elissa produced directed and co-wrote the feature film Sally Pacholok, based on the true story of an ER nurse who takes on the medical establishment when she uncovers an epidemic of misdiagnosis. The film stars actress Annet Mahendru (from The Americans on FX) and it premiered at the 2015 DC Independent Film festival where it was voted Best Feature.

Elissa was previously a producer/writer at WNET-TV Channel Thirteen's Innovation series, the Senior Story Editor at National Geographic Television's Explorer series, and a producer at The Educational Film Center's Powerhouse and Give and Take series.

Elissa is the Chair of the Board of Managers of the Chevy Chase Village municipal government, a member of the Board of Trustees of Levine Music, on the Board of Directors of the Chevy Chase Historical Society, and on the Advisory Board of the DC Independent Film Festival.  She is married to Jay Powell and they have three adult children.

JOHN LYNHAM

Trustee Since 2014

John Lynham is a tax attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP, where he is a member of the firm’s Estates & Trusts practice group. He concentrates his practice on the areas of estate and trust planning and administration; estate, generation-skipping, gift, and income taxation; real estate sales, leasing and settlements; tax-exempt organizations, including the formation and operation of foundations; and litigation. Mr. Lynham represents clients before local courts with regard to will and trust defense, and estate and trust administration; and the IRS with regard to audit and compliance issues.

Prior to joining Foley, Mr. Lynham was a partner in the law firm of Ross, Marsh & Foster. While there, he had significant involvement with the preparation of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and estate, gift, income and inheritance tax returns; as well as the administration of probate and trust estates.

Mr. Lynham frequently lectures to both lawyer and non-lawyer groups on estate, trust, tax and asset protection matters. He has also counseled businesses on employment, bankruptcy, pension plans and other matters.

A graduate of George Washington University (J.D.), Mr. Lynham received his masters of law in taxation from Georgetown University (L.L.M.). He is also a graduate of the University of Maryland (M.B.A.) and Trinity College (CT)(B.S.).

Mr. Lynham is a member of the District of Columbia and Maryland bars and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. He currently serves on the D.C. Superior Court Advisory Committee on Probate and Fiduciary Rules. In the past, he has been a member of the D.C. Bar’s Estates, Trusts and Probate Steering Committee, Task Force on the Uniform Trust Act of 2003, and Task Force on the Omnibus Trusts and Estates Amendment Act of 2000.

Mr. Lynham has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system and has been listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” ® since 2006. He was designated a 2012 Five Star Wealth Manager for the Washington, D.C. area, in the estate planning field, selected as one of the top four Washington trusts and estates attorneys by the “Washington Business Journal,” and has been named as one of the best estate planners in the Washington metropolitan area by the “Washingtonian.” In addition, he has been selected since 2013 for inclusion in “Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers “® list for his work in estate planning & probate, estate & trust litigation, and real estate.

B. THOMAS MANSBACH

Trustee Since 1999

B. Thomas Mansbach practices law with Russin & Vecchi’s Washington office. His practice focuses on international financial transactions, with an emphasis on project finance, corporate transactions, international investment and political risk insurance. Mr. Mansbach has represented a variety of corporations and financial institutions, involving projects in over 100 countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa, Central/Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Mr. Mansbach began his US government career in 1967 and worked with the political risk insurance and project finance programs of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in a number of different capacities, including Managing Director for Latin America; Managing Director of Natural Resources and Financial Services; Managing Director for Europe, the former USSR and North Asia; and Managing Director for Major Markets. He joined the Washington office of Dewey Ballantine in 1993 and moved to Russin & Vecchi in 2000.

Mr. Mansbach was also the co-editor of Investment Incentive Programs in Western Europe, a compendium and description of more than 500 investment incentive programs. He has lectured at or for a number of organizations and universities including the American Bar Association, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the United States Chamber of Commerce, the American Life Underwriter’s Association, the American Management Association, Yale University’s School of Management, The Business School at the University of Michigan and the Law Schools at the University of South Carolina and George Washington University.

Mr. Mansbach has been a member of the Governing Board of Arena Stage since 1999. In addition, he is a trustee of the Philips Collection, The Children’s Research Institute at the Children’s National Medical Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation and the Salzburg Global Seminar. He is also a member of the Cosmos Club and the Arts Club of Washington.

Mr. Mansbach received his BA from Yale College, where he graduated cum laude, and his LLB from The Harvard Law School.

DAVID B.H. MARTIN

Trustee Since 2014

David Martin advises companies, directors, financial professionals, investors and other clients in corporate, corporate governance, securities regulation and transactional matters. His practice also includes enforcement cases before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, internal investigations and corporate compliance issues. David served seven years with the SEC, where he held a number of positions, including Director of the Division of Corporation Finance and special counsel to the Chairman. He currently is the chair of the American Bar Association’s Corporate Laws Committee. Previously, he was on the boards of the Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society, the Washington Chamber Symphony and the Washington Revels.

RONALD A. PAUL, M.D.

Trustee Since 2006

Ronald A. Paul is a doctor in the Washington, D.C. area and is currently a solo practitioner specializing in Gynecology. He completed his four- year residency at the Washington Hospital Center in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has also been an active staff member of the Georgetown University Hospital since 1981, and is a Clinical Instructor at Georgetown University Medical School. He was named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the best Doctors in Washington, D.C.

He graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, 1971, with B. S. Degree, and from George Washington University Medical School in 1976.

Currently, Ronald is in solo practice in Chevy Chase, MD as well as serving as a gynecological consultant to the Hirsh Health Center in Rockville, MD, and the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington.

In addition to serving on Arena Stage’s Board of Trustees, he is the past President of the United Jewish Endowment Fund. He is the current endowment fund chairman for the Jewish Agency for Israel, which is an international organization. He participates on the executive committees of several other organizations.

His son Alan is the Associate Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC.

ROBERT P. PINCUS

Trustee Since 2018

Mr. Pincus was born and raised in the Washington area receiving his B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1968 and his M.B.A. from American University in 1971.  As a Washingtonian, he viewed banks not only as financial institutions, but also as an integral part of the community. Through Mr. Pincus' efforts and those of his colleagues, over $25 million has been raised through various community activities and fundraisers to enhance educational activities for under-privileged youth in the underserved neighborhoods of the metropolitan Washington area. 

Mr. Pincus began his banking career at D.C. National Bank in 1971, and in 1982 was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of D.C. National Bank and D.C. National Bancorp, Inc.  In March of 1986, D.C. National was acquired by Sovran National Bank and shortly thereafter, it was merged into NationsBank.  He was Regional President of NationsBank from 1986 until 1991.  During his presidency at D.C. National Bank, assets grew from $180 million to $1.2 billion.  In May of 1991, he became President and Chief Executive Officer of Franklin National Bank of Washington, D.C.  At the time he joined Franklin, total assets were $45 million.  At the time of merger of Franklin Bank into BB&T in 1999, Franklin had grown to over $900 million in total assets.  Under his leadership, Franklin National Bank was named "Outstanding Business of the Year" by the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Pincus served as Regional Chairman of the Board of BB&T until 2005, DC Metro Region and was Regional President from 1999 to 2002.  When Mr. Pincus retired in 2005, the region had grown to over $3.0 billion in assets.  Mr. Pincus then served as a non-executive Chairman of Fidelity & Trust Bank from 2005 to 2008, until its acquisition by EagleBank.  Mr. Pincus also served as non-executive Chairman of Milestone Merchant Partners, a merchant bank, from 2002 to 2012, and was non-executive Chairman of Milestone Capital Partners/Blackstreet Capital Partners (Funds I and II), a private equity company, from 2005 to 2013. 

In 2008, Fidelity and Trust was merged into EagleBank Corporation, where Mr. Pincus served as the Vice Chairman and an independent Director of EagleBank and Eagle Bancorp, Inc.  At the time of the merger, EagleBank Corporation’s assets were $1.2 billion, and today, assets have grown to over $7 billion, making EagleBank the largest “community bank” headquartered in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area.  EagleBank has been recognized nationally, including by SNL and other agencies as an outstanding performer in the top five (5) percentile nationally of community banks.

During his career, Mr. Pincus served as the President of the Washington Area Bankers Association; Vice Chairman of WETA public television; and lead Director of the Mills Corporation, a NYSE company, until its merger in 2006 with the Simon Company.  He now serves as an independent Director of Comstock Homebuilding Company, a NASDAQ member corporation.  He was also a Trustee of American University; a member of the Young President’s Organization; a member of the Board of Trustees for The National Children’s Museum; Chairman of George Washington University Cancer Center; a member of The University of Maryland Foundation for and has served on the boards of numerous other non-profit organizations.

In June of 1997, Mr. Pincus was recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Ernst & Young/Washington Post Greater Washington Award Program.  Washingtonian Magazine honored Mr. Pincus as one of their “1998 Washingtonians of the Year” and The University of Maryland named Mr. Pincus as one of their “100 Outstanding Alumni.”  In November of 2004, he was elected to the “Washington Business Hall of Fame.”

In addition, Mr. Pincus has been the recipient of the Parren-Mitchell CEO-Community Reinvestment Award, the Anti-Defamation League’s Civic Commitment Award, the D.C. Government Public/Private Partnership Award, the Tree-of-Life Community Award, the American Jewish Committee’s Community Service Award, the American Heart Association Award, the United Way Campaign Award, the Washington Business Journal’s Outstanding Director Award, the Small Business Advocate of the Year Award, the “I Have A Dream” Philanthropist/Humanitarian Award, the Kogod School of Business Company Leadership Award and honored by the Muscular Dystrophy and Cystic Fibrosis Foundations.

Mr. Pincus retired as Vice Chairman of the Board and Director of EagleBank and Eagle Bancorp, Inc., effective December 31, 2016.

Mr. Pincus stated that after forty-five (45) years in commercial banking (working 12 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week), he was ready to retire.  He also indicated that he would pursue other interests on a part-time basis, including but not limited to corporate board seats and consulting.

ILENE ROSENTHAL

Trustee Since 2017

Ilene Rosenthal is a seasoned educator and executive who brings over 25 years experience designing, developing, and implementing innovative technology to accelerate learning. She was a co-founder of Lightspan, the first educational software company to connect school and home through videogame technology. She also served as President of Strategic Initiatives for Achieve3000, a company that developed groundbreaking technology to differentiate content based on each student’s individual Lexile reading level. Ilene currently serves as CEO of Footsteps2Brilliance®, a company designed to scale early learning by connecting school and home through mobile technology, and expanding strategies for parental involvement in order to help all children realize their full potential.

Ilene began her career as a teacher, during which time she designed curriculum and authored textbooks. In her capacity as a lawyer, she has served as General Counsel to the Government Operations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. She also served as General Counsel to the Software Publishers Association (now SIIA) and Special Assistant to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Ilene received her J.D. from Georgetown University and her B.A. from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.

DAVID BRUCE SMITH

Trustee Since 2011

David Bruce Smith is President of David Bruce Smith Publications, LLC. The firm specializes in the writing, editing and publishing of limited, fine edition books. During the last half decade Smith has written about Abraham Lincoln, John Marshall, Tennessee Williams, Charles E. Smith, and Clarice Smith.

In 2014, he founded The Grateful American™ Series, an interactive, multi-media program designed to restore enthusiasm about American history for kids—and adults.

The following year he co-founded The Grateful American™ Book Prize with Dr. Bruce Cole, the former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The annual award will honor a single 7th-9th grade level work culled from fiction, historical fiction, and non-fiction entries.

He is also a member of the boards of The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Hebrew University, Lincoln Cottage, Arena Stage, The Library Advisory Board at the Smithsonian, The History News Network, and President of National Institute of Psychobiology in Jerusalem.

MOLLY SMITH

Trustee Since 1998

Molly Smith has served as Artistic Director since 1998. Her more than 30 directing credits at Arena Stage include Carousel, Oliver!, The Originalist, Fiddler on the Roof, Camp David, Mother Courage and Her Children, Oklahoma!, A Moon for the Misbegotten, My Fair Lady, The Great White Hope, The Music Man, Orpheus Descending, Legacy of Light, The Women of Brewster Place, Cabaret, South Pacific, Agamemnon and His Daughters, All My Sons and How I Learned to Drive. She most recently directed Our Town at Canada’s Shaw Festival. Her directorial work has also been seen at The Old Globe, Asolo Repertory, Berkeley Repertory, Trinity Repertory, Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre, Montreal’s Centaur Theatre and Perseverance Theater in Juneau, Alaska, which she founded and ran from 1979-1998. Molly has been a leader in new play development for over 30 years. She is a great believer in first, second and third productions of new work and has championed projects including How I Learned to Drive; Passion Play, a cycle; Next to Normal; and Dear Evan Hansen. She has worked alongside playwrights Sarah Ruhl, Paula Vogel, Wendy Wasserstein, Lawrence Wright, Karen Zacarías, John Murrell, Eric Coble, Charles Randolph-Wright and many others. She led the re-invention of Arena Stage, focusing on the architecture and creation of the Mead Center for American Theater and positioning Arena Stage as a national center for American artists. During her time with the company, Arena Stage has workshopped more than 100 productions, produced 39 world premieres, staged numerous second and third productions and been an important part of nurturing nine projects that went on to have a life on Broadway. In 2014, Molly made her Broadway debut directing The Velocity of Autumn, following its critically acclaimed run at Arena Stage. She was awarded honorary doctorates from American University and Towson University.

SHEILA STAMPFLI

Trustee Since 2010

Sheila Stampfli is the former President of Courtesy Associates, a global meeting, conference and special event management firm. Courtesy Associates, celebrating its 71st anniversary, is a recognized leader in the full-service conference and event management industry.

As President, Sheila led a team of 40 best in class senior professionals including conference and event planners, association managers, support technicians and Courtesy Travel Service agents. She had overall responsibility for multi-year contracts totaling more than $90 million.

Under her leadership Sheila led the firm’s growth in the international market as well as across the United States. Her level of professionalism and client service resulted in Courtesy’s being named the #1 meeting and event management firm in the Greater Washington area by the Washington Business Journal 5 out of 6 years.

In 2013, Sheila was inducted into the Smithsonian Women’s Committee and is past Chair of the Strategic Marketing and Communications Committee. She is a member of the Board of Trustees at Arena Stage and served as Chair of Arena’s Community Engagement Committee. Sheila is past Chairman of Destination DC (DDC) the hospitality and tourism organization for the Nation’s Capital. In May of 2008 she was selected for the Board of the World Gastroenterology Organization Foundation, the first woman and only non-doctor named to the Board.

Stampfli has served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Washington Board of Trade where she co-founded the Cultural Task Force, the American Diabetes Association, Goodwill of Greater Washington, and is a member of the International Women’s Forum. Stampfli is past President of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Education Foundation and co-chaired the 2002, 2006 and 2007 PCMA Professional Achievement Dinners.

NNEKA UKPAI

Trustee Since 2017

Nneka Ukpai is an associate in the Complex Litigation and Trial Practice Group of Paul Hastings. Ms. Ukpai represents multinational corporations in investigations and enforcement matters, and the related dispute resolution, concerning allegations of complex financial fraud, sanctions violations, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She also advises clients on a wide array of economic competition issues in connection with federal compliance matters, potential joint ventures, and civil litigation. Ms. Ukpai has a broad range of experience representing clients’ interests in commercial disputes before federal agencies, Congress, and in both federal and state courts.

Ms. Ukpai recently received the 2017 Advocacy and Leadership Award from the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association, and was also a central member of the team honored with the National Center for Law and Economic Justice’s 2016 Pro Bono Leadership Award for her representation of two non-profit organizations in complex civil litigation. Additionally, Ms. Ukpai is very active in the legal community as a member of the National Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association, and American Bar Association where she serves as the Vice-Chair of the Legislation Committee in the Antitrust Section.

Ms. Ukpai received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she currently serves on the distinguished faculty of Harvard’s Trial Advocacy Workshop and where she was honored as the 2011 CLEA Outstanding Student in recognition of her trial practice successes and contributions to the clinical community. While in school, Ms. Ukpai won three not-guilty verdicts in a full jury trial before the Honorable Shannon Frison in Roxbury District Court, Roxbury, Massachusetts. In addition, she appeared before federal judges as a student attorney in many trial advocacy competitions and was a three-time National Trial Advocacy Champion and a three-time Regional Trial Advocacy Champion.

Ms. Ukpai is admitted to practice law in New York, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and before the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

SHAWNA WATLEY

Trustee Since 2013

Shawna Francis Watley is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. She attended Howard University and The Johns Hopkins University where she received her BA and MA respectively. She has resided in the greater Washington, DC area for over 24 years. She currently resides in Davidsonville, MD with her husband the Reverend Matthew L. Watley and their six year-old daughter Alexandra Elizabeth Watley.

As a Senior Policy Advisor for Holland & Knight LLP Government Section, Ms. Watley has over 18 years of public policy and political experience. Where she represents clients on a number of issues including transportation, financial services and health care. She was the founder and president of the Francis Group LLC, which specialized in government relations consulting and advocacy and prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Watley held the position of Director of Congressional Affairs for the Democratic Leadership Council. A former Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator J. Robert Kerrey, she has a keen understanding of the workings of Washington.

Ms. Watley also served as Managing Director of the US Conference of Mayor’s Partner America Program, formally chaired by Mayors Kay Barnes and now Governor Dan Malloy. Her transportation experience began in her role as the Manager of Federal Relations for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority. Due to her background, Ms. Watley has cultivated strong relationship on the Federal, State and Local level. She has solidified relationships in the White House; the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives Leadership, moderate Democrats, Republicans and the Congressional Black Caucus.

As well as serving as an active Board Member of Arena Stage, Shawna is also an advocate for children of color with Autism. She works pro bono for Colored My Mind to increase awareness on Capitol Hill and the Administration of the issues impacting families with autistic children. Through her efforts, she was successful in getting the Congressional Black Caucus and the Hispanic Caucus Members to co-sponsor the Reauthorization of the Combating Autism Act, which federally funds programs directed toward this issue. She was also successful in getting both caucus chairmen to hold a joint press conference to raise the issue.

A subject that is near to Shawna’s heart is infertility in the African American community and bringing light to an issue that has largely been kept in the dark. Her family was covered in an UPTOWN magazine feature story discussing this issue. She shares her story with women across the country to help them to understand they are not alone and to give them hope.

She has served as a guest lecturer at– Howard University; Fudan University – Shanghai, China; and the Pu Dong Institute – Shanghai, China.

Community Service

• The Lady Von Scholarship – Advisory Board Member – A scholarship fund that provides financial assistance to collegiate women attending Spelman College that are interested in international affairs. (Current)

• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture – Ambassador (Current)

• The ROSA PAC – Founding Board Member – A political action committee specifically designed to provide monetary campaign contributions to African American Women in the US Congress.

• Our Place – Former Board Member – Supporting women who are or have been in the criminal justice system by helping maintain connections with the community, resettle and reconcile with their families.

• The Rite’s of Passage Ministry – Reid Temple AME Church North Location – A ministry that works with young women. (Current)

• The Family Place – Former Board Member; Dallas, TX – A shelter for battered women and their children.

• The Prince George’s County Chapter – The Links, Inc. – Arts Facet Chair • Arena Stage – Washington, DC Regional Theatre – Board Member

• Member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated

• Board Member of the Maryland Center at Bowie State University