Sally Jacobs Baker is an AEA stage manager, independent theater producer and TheaterWorksUSA alumnus with more than 20 Broadway, off-Broadway and regional credits. These include Meteor Shower, Bright Star, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Tony Award), Vanya, Sonya, Masha, and Spike (Tony Award), Cats, Master Harold and the Boys, A Streetcar Named Desire and A Doll’s House. Sally is a graduate of Vernon Court Jr. College and Boston Museum School of Fine Arts.
Cathy Bendall is a partner at WithumSmith+Brown located in Withum’s East Brunswick office and has over 25 years of professional accounting experience. She is a certified public accountant in the states of New Jersey and New York and is also a licensed public school accountant. Cathy is a member of the firm’s Not-for-Profit & Education Services Group, specializing in highly complex not-for-profit and governmental audits of many types. Performing a number of financial and compliance audits under OMB regulations, Cathy works with various agencies funded by federal, state and local sources. She is also familiar with the operations, accounting and reporting of not-for-profit organizations, as well as the fiscal policies and procedures surrounding those types of transactions. A graduate of Cook College, Rutgers University, Cathy earned her bachelor’s degree in business economics. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA). Very active in her community, Cathy serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Anderson House, which provides comprehensive, compassionate care to New Jersey women recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction. In addition, she was active with the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Council for 12 years.
Lisa Chanel joined the board of TheaterWorksUSA in 2014 and is a lifelong patron of and advocate for the arts. She has previously served on committees at her children’s multi-national, bilingual school in Paris, where she was Vice President of the Parents Association and worked closely with directors of the school to increase fundraising, improve communication and organize a host of other activities to support the school’s student body. Before moving abroad, Lisa worked in Equity waiver theater and publishing and advocated pro bono for children’s access to quality daycare.
Jennifer Doyle-Lennox is a learning consultant and founder/president of Transparent Learning NYC and has been an educator and learning specialist for the past 30 years. Based in Manhattan, she specializes in working with families to ensure academic success for all learners. Jennifer has a master’s degree from New York University in reading and learning disabilities. She is New York State certified in Elementary Education, Reading and Special Education. Before starting Transparent Learning NYC, she was Director of Learning Services for grades K through 12 at The Hewitt School in Manhattan. During her career, she has had experience working in a variety of educational settings, including public school, home and private tutoring, and literacy programs aimed at students with socioeconomic differences.
Andrew Fisher is the founder and CEO of Myriad Supply, a cybersecurity consultancy and integrator that delivers complete, secure IT infrastructure to mid-market and large enterprises. Myriad services hundreds of clients in financial services, healthcare, higher education and retail as a full-service one-stop resource. Myriad has been on the “Inc. 5000” list of fastest-growing private companies nine years in a row and has been recognized as a "Best Place to Work" by Crain's New York and Inc. Magazine. Prior to founding Myriad in 2003, Andrew worked at Monitor Group as a management consultant. Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree from Yale University.
Michael Harrington (Managing Director) led New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts as Executive Director from 2007 to 2015, building an identity for Skirball as a distinct venue in New York City and accepting the Drama Desk Award for presenting the Outstanding Unique Theatrical Experience in 2014. From 2015 to 2017, Michael was the University Director of Arts Advancement at Long Island University. Originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he studied as both an undergraduate and graduate at NYU. Professional affiliations include International Performing Arts for Youth, International Society of Performing Arts, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, and Autopistes Contemporary Circus Network. He has served on grant review panels for the Rockefeller Foundation's Multi-Arts Production Fund, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation and others.
Kim Isaacs Katz is a Principal and Senior Financial Advisor at Bernstein. Kim advises high-net-worth individuals, families and institutions, as well as their respective trusts, estates, foundations, endowments and pension plans. She works closely with her clients’ trusted tax advisors, legal advisors and business managers on a wide range of matters, including charitable giving, spending policy, tax and estate planning, retirement planning, concentrated stock positions and the sale of privately held businesses. Kim oversees Bernstein University, a program she designed to provide young adults with the skills needed to better navigate the markets and the business world. In addition, Kim’s practice offers specific investment strategy and planning support for performing artists, writers, producers and musicians. Over her career, she has also developed a unique understanding of the planning needs of women, providing tools, options and advice to empower them to make sound financial decisions that are fully consonant with their personal goals and comfort. Kim earned her master’s degree in finance and international business from New York University. She has a bachelor’s degree in drama from Vassar College.
David Lo Mastro David Lo Mastro is a financial services project management professional. He has worked at Credit Suisse since 2013 and is a Vice President, Strategic Change Program Manager, within the Risk Division, focusing on many regulatory initiatives. Prior to joining the team at Credit Suisse, he spent seven years with J.P. Morgan Chase & Company, where he was a Client Service Manager for their Top 20 Global Clients and later was a Product Manager, responsible for stability, production support and the strategic development of four global applications on a client self-service platform. David has a 15 year background in the service industry and was an opera singer in Philadelphia where he studied. He was on the roster of multiple regional opera companies for eight years.
ALYSSA MACK is an experienced research management professional with extensive background in sell- and buy-side equity and fixed income research. She was recently appointed Chief of Staff for the Office of the CEO at AllianceBernstein, where she was previously the U.S. Associate Director of Research. Alyssa is also committed to supporting her community through the Columbia Cares program and is a Sustainer at the New York Junior League.
Leslie Monsky is President of Decorative Things, a manufacturing company that she founded in 1988 to turn ordinary things into decorative things. Initially, Leslie sold home decorative accessories to retailers. Now, the business has become the retailer through online selling. Leslie spent her childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, where her mother Joan founded a company, similarly called Theaterworks, to bring live theater to the Jacksonville school system and beyond. Joan worked closely with TheaterWorksUSA. Leslie is thrilled to be carrying on her mother’s passion for children’s theater. Leslie is also passionate about preserving modern architecture and serves on the New York Tri-State Board of DOCOMOMO, an international modern architecture preservation group. Leslie is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia Business School.
Barbara Pasternack (Artistic Director) has optioned, commissioned and produced nearly 100 musicals and plays based on a variety of well-known literary properties including The Lightning Thief, Skippyjon Jones, Junie B. Jones, The Giver and Sarah, Plain and Tall, which was selected for the Eugene O’Neill Festival and presented at the National Alliance of Musical Theatres Conference. In 2001, Barbara accepted the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award "for TheaterWorksUSA’s artistic vision and commitment to the support and development of theater artists." She has sat on panels for ASCAP, NYU and TCG and has been a Lucille Lortel Award nominator since 2005. For the past four years, she has sat on the selection committee for The Rhinebeck Musical Theater Retreat. In 2010, Barbara accepted The Andrew Goodman Foundation Hidden Heroes Award for outstanding achievement in promoting human dignity and civil rights. Under her leadership, TWUSA’s productions have been recognized with nominations and wins by the Lucille Lortel Awards, Drama Desk Awards, and Drama League Awards.
Judy Prince (Chair) served as Chair for TheaterWorksUSA from 1980 to 1987 and was overjoyed to rejoin the organization in 2013. A lifelong supporter of the arts, she previously served on the Volunteer Council of the New York Philharmonic, for which she eventually became the President. As a Clinical Dietician in Ambulatory Care at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell, Judy cared for women and children from all over the world and was awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award for the Dietetic Interns and a Special Care Award for Outstanding Service. Now retired, she is on the Board of Directors of her co-op at Knolls Crescent; is as an active member of several committees at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, where she is also an ordained elder and deacon; and enjoys sharing TWUSA’s performances with her grandchildren.
John P. Rachwalski is a Partner of Oak Hill Capital Partners and has been part of the firm since 2008. He is responsible for originating, structuring and managing investments for the firm’s Industrials group. Prior to joining Oak Hill, he was at MidOcean Partners. John earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University.
Adam Richman is a serial entrepreneur in the intersecting space of media/tech and entertainment. His companies focus on creating product that contributes to the cultural conversation and landscape. Adam is a partner and co-founder of Double Nickel Entertainment. The company’s films include The Flock (Richard Gere and Claire Danes), The Book of Henry (Naomi Watts, Jacob Tremblay and Jaeden Lieberher), La Chispa de la Vida (Goya nominee, Salma Hayek and Jose Mota) and Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino. This is Mr. Eastwood’s second most successful film of his career both in the United States and internationally, grossing over $270,000,000 worldwide in its theatrical window. Upcoming projects include Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright’s The Burial to be produced theatrically for Amazon and directed by Alexander Payne, and Lonesome When You Go, set up at Sony. In television, Double Nickel recently signed a development deal with Sky Vision, a division of Sky Networks, in the UK. The company is also attached to executive produce the scripted series MAD at Warner Bros., about the madmen who created Mad Magazine. Richman also served as a consultant for various game and publishing entities, including The Onion and Strat-O-Matic Media, LLC, the North American leader in sports simulations. He graduated with honors from Tufts University with a double major in english and drama, and later received his master’s degree from Harvard Business School. He is married to Yadey Yawand-Wossen. The couple lives in New York City with their daughter, Tsega, and son, Eyasu. Adam grew up in Port Washington, New York.
Chuck Santoro draws upon his marketing and theater background to bring insight and creativity to meetings and events. Since forming Proscenium Events, he rolled out the 787 Dreamliner for Boeing in South Carolina. He traveled to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and brought gaming to life for Snapdragon by Qualcomm, and he has led the creative for Harley-Davidson’s Global Dealer Meeting for the past five years. Lowe’s Home Improvement and TD Ameritrade have trusted his leadership and creative vision on all of their events, big and small, for the past three years, and, for over a decade, he has produced events for T-Mobile, ranging in audiences from 50 to 5,000. In theater, Chuck directed and co-wrote Off-Broadway’s Finnegan’s Farewell, which was published by Samuel French, and was an assistant director at Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City. He is proud to say that he got his Equity card from TheaterWorksUSA back in the 1990s touring the country in Rapunzel. Chuck holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University.
Thomas Smith is the managing member of Smith Buss and Jacobs, LLP. His primary area of practice is commercial real estate, representing clients in connection with purchases, sales and financings of office; multifamily and shopping center properties; and commercial leasing of office and retail space. Thomas has represented sponsors and tenant associations in connection with the conversion of dozens of rental properties in New York City and Westchester to cooperative and condominium ownership. He and his firm represent over 250 community associations in New York City and Westchester. Thomas serves as the managing member of real estate companies that now or previously owned and operated office, retail and residential properties in Westchester and Fairfield counties. He is a founder of The Westchester Bank, a community bank based in Westchester County. Since the bank’s inception in 2008, Thomas has served as a member of the bank’s Board of Directors and Chair of the Loan Committee and was elected Chair of the Board of Directors in 2014. He serves on the Board of Directors for Yonkers Partners in Education, a foundation that partners with the Yonkers Public School District, business and philanthropic communities, and higher education institutions developing and funding programs to increase the number of students who complete a post-secondary program that prepares them for a successful career. He has served on the Mount Kisco Zoning Board of Appeals and as a member of the Bedford Central School District Construction Steering Committee, as well as various other municipal committees and boards.
Cara Talty’s interests and career trajectory span the performing arts to healthcare, science and corporate marketing. She began performing at the age of 9 and trained and performed as a singer/actor/dancer throughout her early 20s. She received a bachelor’s degree in musical theater and is a member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA. Cara toured in TheaterWorksUSA’s first tour of Jekyll and Hyde in the fall of 1990. She still occasionally performs with the Alliance Theater Group, a small professional theater group in New Jersey. Additionally, she sat on the board of the Red Oaks School in Morristown, NJ. Cara holds a doctorate degree in physical therapy. As a physical therapist, she was the lead PT on the Traumatic Brain Injury Unit at the Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation in West Orange, NJ. Her physical therapy interests include a specialty in vestibular and balance disorders. She worked as a medical device marketing consultant for Medtronic and traveled the country educating and training physicians, surgeons and other health care providers on the use of implantable devices to treat Parkinson's Disease and other neurological conditions. Cara is also the mother of three children: Declan; Maren, a professional actress herself; and Conor. She is married to Dr. Robert Heary, Professor of Neurosurgery at Rutgers University Medical School.
Tom Toce is a songwriter active in the musical theater and cabaret genres. A compilation of his work Hopelessly in Love: The Lyrics of Tom Toce enjoyed an extended run at the Metropolitan Room in New York City and featured the talents of cabaret stars Carole J. Bufford, Jack Donahue and Jennifer Sheehan. Tom’s song “Shalom, Santa,” with music by Douglas J. Cohen, won the 2014 MAC Award for Best Comedy Song. Other MAC nominations include one in 2016 for Male Debut for his show Songwriter in the House, which played at the Metropolitan Room and featured Tom performing his songs; Best Recording in 2014 for the cast album of Hopelessly in Love; and another Best Comedy Song in 2013 for “Bye-Bye, Aloha, Yo!,” with music by Jeff Lazarus. Tom has written a number of shows for children, including The Babe and I (book and lyrics) at the Hartwick College Summer Music Festival, Curious George (book and lyrics) for TheaterWorksUSA and two other TWUSA shows (lyrics) with music by Doug Cohen. His cabaret songs have been recorded by Tovah Feldshuh, Cynthia Crane and others. An earlier anthology of his songs, Can It Be Love?, was presented at the Eighty-Eights in Greenwich Village and starred Tovah Feldshuh. He creates a cryptic puzzle each month for Contingencies, the national magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries. He is a two-time Jeopardy champion and is in the Jeopardy Hall of Fame for highest score in a single game.
Suzanne Cohen is a New York City-based philanthropist and arts advocate. She currently sits on boards for Reid Hall (Columbia University, Paris), the Bibliothèque nationale de France (International Board, Paris), and the Center in Paris (University of Chicago, Visiting Committee). In the past, she has served on boards for the Jewish Theological Seminary, The Rosenbach, and the Jewish Women’s Association of Hong Kong.
Stephanie Beardsley is a former director and actor turned costume designer and homemaker. As a theater artist, she has several regional and local theater credits, including the Pixie Dust Players. She and her husband Darren have two children ages 13 and 14 and live in New Jersey.
