Board of Trustees

CATHERINE GUTTMAN-McCABE

Trustee Since 2018

Catherine Guttman-McCabe is a Partner with more than twenty years of experience in employment and education law.  Her unique practice focuses on educational institutions, including colleges and universities, public and independent schools, associations, courseware developers, and service providers.  In addition to employment matters, she provides advice and counseling related to federal and state education regulations, accreditation, distance education, governance, faculty tenure, student discipline, equal educational opportunity, campus security, privacy, student financial assistance, and consumer protection.  She has a deep understanding of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Jeanne Clery Act, the Higher Education Act, and other federal, state and local statues concerning education.

Ms. Guttman-McCabe regularly advises organizations on personnel policies and practices, employee handbooks, compensation, worker classification, leave issues, background checks, performance management, employment agreements, equal employment opportunity, internal investigations, termination of employment, dispute resolution, and training.  She helps clients comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and other federal, state and local statutes concerning employment.

In addition to providing advice and counseling, Ms. Guttman-McCabe conducts internal investigations, compliance reviews, and training.  She represents clients before administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights, and the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education.  She has authored public comments for state and federal agency rulemaking proceedings and represented clients in federal audits and reviews of educational institutions.

S. DECKER ANSTROM

Trustee Since 2016

Decker Anstrom serves on the Board of Directors of Discovery, Inc., 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 has a wealth 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, compliance, and business operations. Ms. Batty understands the need for capital allocation and fiscal management to achieve maximum results.

Currently, Ms. Batty serves as the co-chair of the governance committee on the Board of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). MWAA operates Dulles International and Reagan National airports, the Dulles toll road, and oversees the construction of the Silver metro line to Dulles. She is the immediate past Chair of the Governing Board of Trustees of Arena Stage, a major arts and cultural center in the nation’s capital. During her tenure, Arena was able to restructure its debt, while continuing its robust performance and community outreach programs. 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 its International Commissioner.

Ms. Batty was 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 issues, 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 has served as a member of The Links Foundation, Incorporated Board of Directors, the Board of Trustees of Levine Music, and the Board of Trustees of The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. She is active in Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.

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 BS 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 DC area, Michele taught school in Arlington County, Virginia. In the early 70’s 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 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 EDCJCC. 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, Leadership Board of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

Michele is married to Allan J. Berman, a real estate investor. They have 2 sons, and 6 grandchildren.

JEFFREY M. BUSCH

Trustee Since 2020

Jeffrey M. Busch is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Medical REIT, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange listed company, trading under the ticker symbol GMRE.  Founded by Mr. Busch in 2014, GMRE specializes in acquiring medical real estate in the United States and currently has over One Billion Dollars of Assets Under Management.  His work with GMRE is the latest of his ventures that combines healthcare, leadership and innovation.

Mr. Busch has had a distinguished career in public service, which included serving in senior positions in several Presidential Administrations, as well as serving as a Chief of Staff to a United States Congressman. As a government official, Mr. Busch oversaw hundreds of millions of dollars in economic development programs.  As part of the United States diplomatic corps, Mr. Busch represented the United States before the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

Mr. Busch also serves as the Chairman of Safe Blood International Foundation.  He founded Safe Blood for Africa Foundation in 1999 due to the lack of focus on blood safety in the fight against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.  Having served as a top advisor to several medical companies and having worked in the blood supply and management field, Mr. Busch used the combination of diplomatic skills, entrepreneurial expertise and management skills in blood services to support the establishment of blood services in more than 25 countries and attracted governmental, corporate and non-governmental funding in excess of One Billion Dollars for the purpose of improving the safety and availability of blood in the developing world.

Mr. Busch has had a successful career in the private sector.  He is the founder of a chain of FM Radio stations and founder of a successful real estate development firm.  He has served on the Board of Directors of several public companies, as well as an investment banking house.

Stemming from his successful career as an investment banker, Mr. Busch possesses substantial finance expertise.  He has built and underwritten companies from a wide array of sectors and is a skilled business developer and financier.

Mr. Busch has a Bachelors of Science in Business Management from New York University, an Masters of Public Administration from New York University, and a Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law.

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.

KRISTEN DONOGHUE

Trustee since 2021

Kristen Donoghue is senior advisor to Richard Cordray, Chief Operating Officer of the Federal Student Aid division of the Department of Education. She was recently a Managing Vice President at Capital One where she led Compliance for the Retail Bank, Enterprise Services, and Privacy across all of Capital One's businesses and operations. Kristen joined Capital One in 2019 after more than eight years at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). While at the CFPB, Kristen served as part of the implementation team that established and built the Office of Enforcement. She thereafter held a number of different roles in the office, including serving as the Bureau’s Enforcement Director where she led a team of more than 140 lawyers and staff charged with enforcing federal consumer financial law.

Before joining the Bureau, Kristen was a litigator at Hogan Lovells, a Practitioner-in-Residence at American University’s Washington College of Law, and a judicial clerk for Judge Fred Parker of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Kristen holds a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University.  She lives outside of Washington, D.C. with her husband and two children. In addition to loving the theater, Kristen loves to read fiction (and is a member of two book clubs), and enjoys hiking, skiing, biking, and cooking with friends.

 

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.

NICHOLAS A. GOAD

Trustee Since 2014

Nicholas Goad is Managing Director and Senior Partner in the Washington, DC office of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) where he has been a management consultant since 2003. 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 Topic Leader for Merchandising and member of the Retail leadership team.

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.

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.

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.

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, the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the National Association of Bond Lawyers. 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 its 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.

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.

DAVID E. SHIFFRIN

Trustee Since 1991

David Shiffrin is a former real estate attorney with over 30 years of experience in the commercial real estate field. He was a partner with the law firm of Linowes and Blocher until 1991 when he joined the Resolution Trust Corporation where he was Senior Counsel for Real Estate. He also served in that capacity at the FDIC when the RTC completed its work. After leaving the FDIC, Mr. Shiffrin was a Special Advisor to the FCC Auctions Division, assisting the Commission with its auction program of wireless telecommunications spectrum.

Mr. Shiffrin served from 1999-2000 as the Interim Executive Director of CulturalDC (fka Cultural Development Corporation), a private nonprofit organization in Washington, DC, that engages in real estate development for the arts.

Mr. Shiffrin serves on the Boards of several nonprofit associations, including Arena Stage, the Greater Washington Community Foundation and CulturalDC. He co-chaired the capital campaign for the Source Theater, a project of CulturalDC. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees of WETA, Facilitating Leadership in Youth (FLY) and the Clark University Board of Visitors, and served for many years at The Maret School as a senior advisor to the Scholarship Auction. Mr. Shiffrin served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Arena Stage from 2010 until 2013 and as President of the Board from 2013 until 2016.

Mr. Shiffrin has a B.A. from Clark University and a J.D. from the New England School of Law. Mr. Shiffrin is married to the former Peggy Kobacker. They have two children.

MICHELE TOTH

Trustee Since 2020

Michele Toth is a former executive with a Fortune 500 defense contractor, Northrop Grumman. She had over 35 years in the industry successfully leading organizations, domestically and internationally, in strategy, Human Resources, mergers & acquisitions, supply chain and program management.

She has a master’s degree in statistics and industrial psychology from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland. She also completed the Harvard University General Management Program.

She was honored with the Greater Washington Human Resources Professional Excellence Award for Leadership and was the recipient of Women Worth Watching in Business for multiple years.

She has served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, Columbia Festival of the Arts, and currently is on the Kennedy Center Circles Board.

She is passionate about all genres of art and enjoys traveling the world and being immersed in other cultures.

SHAWNA WATLEY

Trustee Since 2013

Shawna Watley is a senior policy professional and strategist in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office. Ms. Watley has more than 17 years of experience in public policy, strategy development, lobbying, legislative and regulatory counseling, and creative solutions to corporate, nonprofit and governmental issues at the federal level. She has cultivated working relationships on the federal, state and local levels of government. This includes professional relationships with the new Biden Administration, leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate, moderate Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus.

Ms. Watley forges and maintains working relationships with key elected political leaders, appointed officials and corporate executives. She has extensive experience representing public and private interests on various issues, including financial services, transportation, homeland security, healthcare, energy and education.

In addition, Ms. Watley has served as a guest lecturer at Howard University, as well as Fudan University and Pu Dong Institute, both in Shanghai, China.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Watley was the principal owner of the Francis Group LLC, where she was retained by clients to lead efforts in government relations and develop strategy, programming and implementation for federal policy initiatives. She also previously served as director of congressional affairs for the Democratic Leadership Council and the Public Policy Institute, where she was responsible for the development of strategy, programming and implementation for the Congressional Affairs Department. During her tenure, she designed the "Meet the Freshmen" series, the weekly congressional newsletter, the Global Economy Project and the organization's Congressional Agenda for the 21st Century, which included several major ideas and reform policies. As the primary point of contact with members of Congress, Ms. Watley has extensive working relationships with moderate Democratic senators and representatives, as well as senior staff. As a former legislative assistant to Sen. Robert Kerrey (D-Neb.), she gained a keen understanding of the workings of Congress.

JANICE "JAN" ADAMS

Trustee since 2020

Jan Adams held the rank of Chief Master Sergeant before retiring from the United States Air Force, after 24 years of outstanding service. She founded JMA Solutions in 2005 and has grown the company through hiring outstanding staff who assist the Federal Aviation Administration and other clients in the areas of acquisition planning, air traffic management, financial management, information technology, program and project management, professional and technical training and software engineering. She currently has 140 full time employees and over 40 percent of her workforce are prior military.

Ms. Adams is very active in the community. She serves as a board member for Washington Redskins Corner Back, Josh Norman’s Starz24 charity organization. She is a member of the Air Traffic Control Association and a corporate partner of the D.C. Adopt-a-School program. Ms. Adams was appointed by the Mayor of D.C. to be a trustee on the District of Columbia’s Retirement Board providing fiduciary responsibility toward the investment of retirement funds for D.C. teachers, firefighters and police. She is a board member of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Mamie Mallory Education and Scholarship Foundation.

Under her leadership, JMA Solutions has won numerous awards that include ATCA’s Small and Disadvantaged Business Award, INC. 5000’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America, the DC Chamber of Commerce’s Community Impact Award, The Washington Post’s Top Workplaces for the D.C. area, Washington Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader of the Year (2017), and the Disabled American Veterans’ Small Employer of the Year Award.

Ms. Adams was profiled in O, The Oprah Magazine (2018), Entrepreneur Magazine (2018), Forbes Magazine (2016) and is also an original corporate contributor to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. In 2018, her philanthropic efforts included supporting over 50 charitable foundations including the National Down Syndrome Foundation, USO, the Air Force Association, the Arena Stage and the Disabled American Veterans of America.

In April 2019, Ms. Adams was inducted into the Washington, DC Hall of Fame for her dedication and
outstanding contributions to the D.C. business community.

Ms. Adams is a graduate of the Community College of the Air Force. She is the mother of two, grandmother of seven and great grandmother of seven.

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 ofthe 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 BAUMANN

Trustee Since 2014

Linda 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.

CELANDRA DEANE-BESS

Trustee Since 2022

As a senior vice president and a market leader for the PNC Private BankSM, Celandra oversees a team of professionals striving to achieve the highest level of client satisfaction. Her top priority is that the team not only meets, but also exceeds the client's expectations. Through Celandra's leadership and commitment, she helps ensure that the client benefits from a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals.

Prior to joining PNC Wealth Management, Celandra served as a Senior Manager of Advice Services for a financial planning group within a large mutual fund company. She played a significant role in impacting the breadth of financial planning services delivered to high net worth clients. Celandra had also served in several client facing wealth management, leadership, and project management roles.

Celandra graduated with a Bachelor of Science in economics from University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and with a Master of Business Administration from The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. Celandra holds the Certified Financial PlannerTM designation. Celandra is an active member of the community through the Financial Planning Association and the National Black MBA Association. She is also a member of the Wharton Club of DC, Penn Alumni Club and the Chicago Booth Alumni Club of DC.

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.

JERI EPSTEIN

Trustee Since 2012

Jeri Epstein and her husband Gary moved to Washington DC in 1971. They have two children, three grandchildren and one large brown dog. After 15 years of teaching foreign language in high school, Jeri changed direction and became a VP of Business Development for several companies. Her background in helping businesses to define their markets, build solid well-funded foundations, and correctly assess their entry into the marketplace translates well to working on Arena’s business development and special events committees. Jeri retired from the position of Executive Director of a non-profit organization helping wounded veterans in March, 2017. Her next challenge is to serve as a member of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) representing the West End neighborhood in DC, a position for which she is unopposed on the 2018 November election ballot.
Jeri and Gary believe strongly in the revitalization of the city and both volunteer time and resources to make Washington a livable environment with arts programs that are inclusive for all of the residents and their children.

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 named Bucco (see Pittsburgh sports above). Their sons, Paul and David—also theatre, movie and Pittsburgh sports fans—live and work in Washington.

DAVID FISHER

Trustee Since 2023

David’s interest in the dramatic arts can be traced to his first theater experience as a youngster when he attended an unforgettable performance by Art Carney in Harvey at the Ivoryton Playhouse in Connecticut near David’s hometown of Essex. Honing his theatrical skills in the high school drama club, he performed lead roles in, among other plays, The Monkey’s Paw, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Devil and Daniel Webster, and The Diary of Anne Frank.

From his auspicious start as a thespian, however, David’s career path veered off-course to engineering school—Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute—from which he earned a degree in Management Engineering. David then received his J.D. degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Following a stint in the U.S. Army, David headed to Washington where he took a federal agency attorney position and made Arena’s southwest neighborhood his home, often enjoying Arena Stage productions. After a 30-year career with the Federal Government practicing environmental and tax law, David joined the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia where he currently serves as the Deputy Attorney General for the Commercial Division, putting his Master of Laws in Taxation degree from Georgetown University to good use in tax and real estate law.

Now, finally coming full circle, David is delighted to return to his first love, the theater, by joining Arena’s Board of Trustees. David and his wife, Patricia, a former arts administrator with the National Endowment for the Arts, live in the District.

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.

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. 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.

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 is the immediate past chair of the Corporate Laws Committee of the American Bar Association's Business Law Section. Previously, he was on the boards of the Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society, the Washington Chamber Symphony and the Washington Revels.

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.

JILL E. MCGOVERN, PH.D.

Trustee since 2023

Dr. Jill E. McGovern is a consultant to non-profit organizations.  She served as Chief Executive Officer of The Marrow Foundation in Washington, D.C. for fourteen years between 1993 and 2007.  Previously, she was Executive Director of the Baltimore International Festival and Senior Assistant to the President of Johns Hopkins University.  She also was Chairman of the Department of Education at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.  

Dr. McGovern is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the SAIS Europe Advisory Council in Bologna, and the Hopkins-Nanjing Center Council in Nanjing.  She also is on the Board of Trustees of the American-German Institute (AGI), a think tank affiliated with Johns Hopkins University that focuses on U.S.-German relations. 

In addition, Dr. McGovern chaired the University's Peabody Institute Advisory Board between 2019 and 2021 and continues to serve as a Board member. She is also a member of the Johns Hopkins Health Equity Board. 

In 2022, she received Germany's  highest honor for services to the nation, the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany).  That year, she was also awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa from Johns Hopkins University.

Between 1989 and 2021, Dr. McGovern was a member of the Board of Directors of Franklin Templeton Funds (formerly Legg Mason Funds).  She served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore, and she chaired the Board of the Lois Roth Endowment in Washington, D.C.  Since 2014, she has served as an Army Arlington Lady at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dr. McGovern earned a B.A. in English Literature from Northwestern University, an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of New Orleans.  She spent two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer on Mogmog, Ulithi in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Dr. McGovern was married to the late Dr. Steven Muller, who was President of Johns Hopkins University between 1972 and 1990.  She lives in Washington, D.C.

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 $8 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 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.

TIFFENY SANCHEZ

Trustee since 2021

Tiffeny Sanchez began her professional career as a social worker working in Texas and Florida. Tiffeny also worked in the administrations of President William J. Clinton and Governor Jeb Bush as an aide to General Barry McCaffrey, Director of the Federal Office of Drug Control Policy and James McDonough, Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control Policy.

Since moving permanently to the D.C. area, Tiffeny has served on the Alexandria Community Services Board which oversees the use of public funds to provide mental health, developmental disability and substance abuse services, and as Co-Chair of the Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center, a non-profit, that raises money to provide services to clients in recovery that are struggling to cover basic life needs—such as medicine, housing, transportation, and education.

Tiffeny is also a long-time generous patron of the arts in both DC and Virginia.  She resides in Alexandria with her husband Reginald Brown, a prominent Washington lawyer.

HANA S. SHARIF

Trustee Since 2023

Hana S. Sharif (Artistic Director) has enjoyed a multi-faceted theater career, including roles as an artistic leader, director, playwright, and producer with a specialty in strategic and cross-functional leadership. Hana began her professional career as an undergraduate student at Spelman College. From 1997 to 2003, Hana served as the co-founder and Artistic Director of Nasir Productions, a theater dedicated to underrepresented voices challenging traditional structure. Hana joined the Tony Award-winning regional theatre, Hartford Stage, in 2003. During her decade-long tenure at Hartford Stage, Hana served as the Associate Artistic Director, Director of New Play Development, and Artistic Producer. Hana launched the new play development program, expanded the community engagement and civic discourse initiatives, and developed and produced Tony, Grammy, Pulitzer, and Obie Award-winning shows. Starting in 2012, she served as Program Manager at ArtsEmerson, a leading world theater company based at Boston's Emerson College. During her tenure at ArtsEmerson, Hana launched an Artists in Residency program, led a research program assessing barriers to inclusion across the region, and leveraged her regional theater experience to freelance produce for smaller theater companies looking to expand and restructure their administrative teams. Hana was Baltimore Center Stage's Associate Artistic Director from 2014 to 2019 and was the architect of the innovative CS Digital program: a platform that pushes the boundaries of traditional theater and looks at the nexus point between art and technology. Her other achievements at Baltimore Center Stage included prototyping the Mobile Unit focused on historically underserved audiences, strengthening community engagement, producing multiple world and regional premieres, and helping to guide the theater through a multi-million dollar building renovation and rebranding effort. Hana became the first Black woman to lead a major regional theater in 2018 when she was named the Augustin Family Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. During her tenure at The Rep, Hana guided the organization through a strategic alignment, revolutionized the New Works program, expanding access to underserved communities, and centering equity and anti-racism as the organization's foundational values.Hana holds a BA from Spelman College and an MFA from the University of Houston. Hana is the recipient of USITT's 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award, Spelman's 2022 National Community Service Award, the 2009-10 Aetna New Voices Fellowship, EMC Arts Working Open Fellowship, and Theatre Communications Group (TCG) New Generations Fellowship. Hana is a founding member of The Black Theatre Commons (BTC). She serves on the board of directors for the TCG, BTC, and the Sprott Family Foundation.

MIGNON SMITH

Trustee Since 2021

Mignon Smith has a breadth of experience as an entrepreneur and senior instructional leader. She has supported systems of curriculum, instruction and assessment in secondary public and private schools across the country. For over a decade, she has led educators in successfully navigating complex environments and has achieved outstanding results for children. In addition to math programming and leadership, she has expertise in business operations, project management, strategic planning, and fundraising.

In 2019, Mignon and her husband decided to open a restaurant in her hometown to inspire social change in their local community, one meal at a time. Through conversations and events, guests build their understanding of cultural and social issues that impact their local community. Mignon oversees the growth strategy, product development, pricing, and operations. Also, she is managing the branding and marketing strategy to transform the historic restaurant, which denied African Americans entry for more than 40 years, into a modern gathering hub for all patrons to enjoy.  

During her years in education, she was a Founding Math Teacher for the successful KIPP Texas Public Schools – Houston from 2004 through 2007 and remained an advocate of school choice in underrepresented and underserved communities. Mignon was also a department chair, curriculum specialist and assistant principal.  Additionally, she worked with two charter schools in their startup years and has consulted numerous schools on school improvement and content development.

Before education, Mignon worked as an Analyst and Industrial Engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Marietta, Georgia. As an Analyst, she supported the cost and scheduling efforts during the closing of the P-3 Patrol program. As an engineer, she analyzed systems and processes to improve production performance on the C-130 and F-22 aircraft programs. During her employment at Lockheed Martin, Mignon frequently volunteered at the local elementary school, where she developed a passion for educating young people in STEM.

Mignon is an active member in several professional organizations and support philanthropic causes frequently. Mignon was a member of the founding cohort of the Young Patron Board at Arena Stage. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM).

Mignon is a graduate of Tuskegee University, was born and raised in Georgia and lives in the District of Columbia with her husband.

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.

MICHAEL S. STEELE

Trustee Since 2020

Michael S. Steele made history when he became the first African-American to be elected to statewide office in Maryland, where he served as lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2007, and when he was chosen to be the first African-American chairperson of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from 2009 to 2011.

As chairman of the RNC, Steele was charged with revitalizing the Republican Party. Under his leadership the RNC broke fundraising records, with more than $198 million raised during the 2010 congressional cycle; and Republicans won 63 House seats, the biggest pickup since 1938. Steele’s commitment to grassroots organizing and party-building at the state and local levels produced 12 governorships and the greatest share of state legislative seats since 1928, reflecting a pickup of more than 600 seats.

As lieutenant governor of Maryland, Steele’s priorities included improving the quality of Maryland’s public education system (he championed the state’s charter school law); expanding economic development in the state; reforming the state’s Minority Business Enterprise program; and fostering cooperation between government and faith-based organizations to help those in need.

Steele’s abilities as a communicator and commentator have been showcased through his current role as a political analyst for MSNBC. He has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, CBS’s Face the Nation, HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report and The Daily Show. In addition to his work in television, Steele can be heard each week on his radio program, Steele & Ungar, on the POTUS Channel on SiriusXM. Steele is a member of Bipartisan Policy Center’s Board of Directors

Steele’s writings on law, business and politics have appeared in The Grio.com, The Root.com, BET.com, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, Politico.com, Townhall.com, The Journal of International Security Affairs, and Catholic University Law Review, among others. He is the author of Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda, and a contributor to The Recovering Politician’s Twelve Step Program to Survive Crisis.

Born at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Steele was raised in Washington, D.C. Upon graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 1981, he entered the Order of St. Augustine, where studied for the priesthood. He is a 1991 graduate of Georgetown Law Center, an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership, and a fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.