Students perform onstage in the Cincinnati JumpStart Theatre Showcase in 2022.

Theatre Matters.

When students experience quality theatre education, it becomes a catalyst for real transformation. They grow in confidence, learn to resolve conflicts, strengthen their literacy skills, and build emotional intelligence—all while forming deeper bonds with their school and community. The positive impact isn’t just immediate; it shapes who they become and resonates throughout their lives.

As the charitable arm of the Educational Theatre Association, which is home to the International Thespian Society, the Educational Theatre Foundation is dedicated to expanding access to theatre education nationwide. Through targeted grants, scholarships, and field research, the Foundation empowers students everywhere to experience the transformative power of theatre.

What We Do

Learn more about ETF’s work to achieve its mission.

Staff

Jay Gerlach
Interim President

Janie Slavens
Interim Executive Vice President

Cheyenne Asahina
Coordinator

The Educational Theatre Foundation is supported by the full staff of the Educational Theatre Association. View all EdTA Staff.

National Board of Trustees

ETF’s National Board of Trustees is a group of committed volunteers, patrons, and leaders. The mission of the board is to support ETF’s work by expanding its philanthropic potential, raising its profile, and connecting it to the entertainment industry and community nationally and internationally.

Matt Conover headshot

Matt Conover
Chair

Disney Parks Live Entertainment
Vice President, Disney Parks Live Entertainment
Anaheim, CA

Megan Tuloc-Phillips headshot

Megan Tulac Phillips
Vice Chair

McKinsey & Company
Head of Marketing and Communications, Enterprise Agility
San Francisco, CA

Abbie Van Nostrand
Treasurer

Concord Theatricals
Senior Vice President, Client Relations & Community Engagement
New York, NY

Nancy Aborn Duffy headshot

Nancy Aborn Duffy
Secretary

Educator, Former Broadway Licensing Company Owner
New York, NY

SJ Arnegger headshot

Sarah Jane Arnegger

AKA
Head of Partnerships and Community Engagement
New York, NY

Michael Barra, a man with short hair, a beard, and glasses, smiles at the camera.

Michael Barra

Lively McCabe Entertainment
Founder & CEO
Ridgewood, NJ

Alex Birsh headshot

Alex Birsh

Playbill
Vice President, Chief Digital Officer
New York, NY

Billie Davis headshot

Billie Davis

Concord Theatricals
VP, Amateur Licensing
New York, NY

Krista Carson-Elhai headshot

Krista Carson Elhai

EdTA Board of Directors
Past President
Claremont, CA

Richard Frazier-Sostillio

Richard Frazier-Sostillio

EdTA Board of Directors
President
Warner Robins, GA

Herrick Goldman headshot

Herrick Goldman

Evoke Collaborative
Founder
New York, NY

Dipika Guha

Playwright and Screenwriter
Los Angeles, CA

Elwood Hopkins

Emerging Markets, Inc.
President
Kresge Foundation
Presidential Scholar
Los Angeles, CA

Carly Hughes, a black woman with short, curly black hair, wears a red blouse and smiles at the camera.

Carly Hughes

Actor
Los Angeles, CA

Jennifer Isaacson

Broadway Licensing
Director of Amateur Play Licensing
New York, NY

Diana Kemppainen

Princess Grace Foundation-USA
President & CEO
New York, NY

Tim Kashani headshot

Tim Kashani

Apples and Oranges Arts and IT Mentors
Co-Founder
New York, NY

Timothy Allen McDonald

iTheatrics
Founder & CEO
New York, NY

Paolo Montalban

Actor
New York, NY

John Prignano headshot

John Prignano

Music Theatre International
COO, Director of Education & Development
New York, NY

Allison Rawlings

Senior Communications Executive
Los Angeles, CA

Quentin Sanford, a man with glasses and short, dark hair, smiles at the camera.

Quentin Sanford

Broadway Media
President & Founder
Sacramento, CA

David Redman Scott headshot

David Redman Scott

Disney Theatrical Group
Director of Theatrical Licensing
New York, NY

Cody Renard Richard

Production Stage Manager and Producer
New York, NY

Mark Weinstein

Hilton
Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Luxury Brands
McLean, VA

Jeff Whiting

Stage Write Software
Creator & Founder
Open Jar Studios
President
New York, NY

Honorary Board

Members of the Educational Theatre Foundation’s Honorary Board include luminaries in theatre, entertainment, business, and other professions who passionately support access to school theatre and support the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) financially or through endorsements and special events.

John Cariani

Award-winning actor and playwright

Viola Davis

EGOT award-winning actor and producer

Freddie Gershon

Music Theatre International
Co-Chairman

Robert Greenblatt headshot

Robert Greenblatt

Entertainment Executive

Neil Meron

Zadan/Meron Productions
Producer

Stephen Schwartz headshot

Stephen Schwartz

Award-winning composer and lyricist

Deborah Voigt headshot

Deborah Voigt

Award-winning operatic soprano

Our Donors

 

We are pleased to acknowledge the following donors for their generosity and support of the Educational Theatre Foundation in 2022 to date:

Stars

Visionary ($25,000 and up)

Benefactor ($15,000-$24,999)

Underwriter ($10,000-$14,999)

Nancy & Ken Duffy

Gai Laing Jones & Wendell Jones

Broadway Circle

Producer ($5,000-$9,999)

Director ($3,000-$4,999)

Designer ($2,000-$2,999)

Amy Bennett Foundation

Kaplan Family Foundation

Performer ($1,000-$1,999)

Marion Combs & Dr. Diana Combs

Ken Davenport

Danny StrongT

Friends of ETF

Advocate ($500-$999)

John Abodeely

The Allstate Foundation

Lydia Diamond

Fullerton Union High School

Dean Pitchford & Michael Mealiffe

Pleasant Valley High School

Lori Valentine

Hans Weichart

Elizabeth Young

Enthusiast ($250-$499)

Tony Adams

Allison Dolan

Mimi Miller

Mary SchuttlerT

Patron ($100-$249)

Cammy BihlT

Taylor DavisT

Aaron Deakins

Maryann Fiala

Ruth Hemming

The Kirkpatrick Family

George Paine

Halcyon Person

Gracy & Todd Robinson

Christie Sasso

Dennis Steckley

Corey WarrenT

Angel Wuellner

Donor (up to $99)

Jeffrey Blanchfield

Maria Frias-Lopez

Christina GomoljakT

Richard & Joanne Hoffman

Shawn Melamed

Kimberly Messer

George Paine

Matching Gift Companies

Abbott Laboratories

Apple, Inc.

The Bank of America Charistable Foundation, Inc.

Caterpillar Foundation

KeyBank Foundation

Magid Glove and Safety

Manheim, Inc.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLC

Pella Rolscreen Entertainment

Prudent Financial, Inc.

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Walt Disney Company Foundation

Weingart Foundation

Endowed & Major Gifts

Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

The Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation

The Ford Foundation

Robert Greenblatt

Bequest of Melba Day Sparks Henning (1993)

The Lehere-Seller Family Fund

The H.B., E.W., and F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank and Narley L. Haley, Co-Trustees

NBC/Universal

Ohio Arts Council

Oregon Thespians

Dean Pitchford & Michael Mealiffe

The Shubert Foundation

The Wunderkinder Foundation

T denotes Thespian alumni and member of Club 29, the International Thespian Society alumni annual giving program.


We greatly appreciate each gift given in support of the Educational Theatre Foundation, and we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. Please notify us of any inaccuracies or omissions by contacting the Educational Theatre Foundation at edtfoundation@edtf.org