Meet Our Alumni

Adam Coy (he/him) is a Ukrainian-Tejano director, curator of vibes, and actor based in New York City, originally from San Antonio. Adam is the associate artistic director of The Egg & Spoon Theatre Collective and the co-chair of programming and production for The Fled Collective. Roundabout Directors Group 4, Playwrights Horizons Robert Moss Directing Fellow 21-22. Adam is a 2021-22 TCG Rising Leader of Color, a member of Theater Producers of Color: Producing 101 inaugural cohort, the 2018-19 SDC Foundation Observership Class, an SDC Associate Member and recently became a board member for Theatre of The Oppressed NYC. As an actor Adam has developed work with Mabou Mines, San Diego Rep, JACK, Northern Stages, Pipeline, Latinx Playwrights Circle, Chautauqua Theatre Company and others. BFA in Acting, Syracuse University.

Adam Rei Siegel is an immersive and nightlife producer who most recently was the Director of Special Events and Partnerships of Brooklyn's House of Yes as well as their House of X venture in Manhattan with Studio 54's Ian Schrager. He currently works as the Artistic Director for Club Curious, a sober speakeasy in Williamsburg by Curious Elixirs, and Experiential and Immersive Consultant for South Orange Performing Arts Center. He is the co-creator and co-producer of Reconnected: A Virtual Experience with 650+ virtual events to 17,000+ audience members since July 2020 for bespoke virtual experiences for He is also a co-producer on off-Broadway's The Other Side and an associate producer on Beyond Babel. He worked as an Outreach Specialist for Dancers Responding to AIDS and Classical Action, both programs of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and co-produced the Fire Island Dance Festival and Hudson Valley Dance Festival. Previously he ran the theatrical talent department for the MSA Talent Agency in New York after working in the commercial department in Los Angeles. He is the former Vice President of the Board of New York Theater Barn and also a former NextGen Advocate and Auction Committee member for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He is also a theater writer for W42ST Magazine and Broadway Roulette. His producing clients include for Google, Facebook, Apple, Hulu, Samsung, Uber, Snapchat, Spotify, Citibank, Bank of America, Walmart, Capital One, HBO, Puma, Atlantic Records, SiriusXM, GLAAD, Wieden & Kennedy, Eventbrite, Oxygen, Johnnie Walker, Peloton, Princess Grace Foundation, Yale University, Spirit Halloween, Wayfair and more. @adamreisiegel

Proudly hailing from West Virginia, Afsheen is a producer, performer, and artist of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent. His Broadway producing credits include "The Piano Lesson" and an upcoming original Broadway musical in the spring of 2023. Afsheen attended West Virginia University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in theatre. There he created and artistic directed the theatre organization "WVUp All Night Live" where he directed and produced plays and musicals. Afterward, Afsheen attended the University of Florida, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in acting and was awarded the 2019-2020 Fulbright Scholarship, in which he was an instructor at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University in Ankara, Turkey.During his graduate program, he began conducting research on the intersects of race and entertainment, in which he spearheaded an initiative to collect and present data on the University of Florida’s long-standing issues with racism and diversity in arts education. He has taken part in the Broadway for Racial Justice Casting Directive, Theatre Producer of Color initiative, has a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida, and has served as an Implicit Bias Trainer.In the Summer of 2022, Afsheen and three of his former TPOC cohort members created DMQR Productions: as young theatre-makers they seek to advance the American Theatre canon by highlighting historically underrepresented voices both onstage and off.Afsheen has worked in many facets of the entertainment industry outside of producing, namely as a performer and musical theatre casting director. He has worked for Stewart/Whitley and Tara Rubin Casting, casting projects such as "Chicago," "Hadestown," and "Kismet." As an actor, his regional theatre credits include productions at Barrington Stage Company, Gulfshore Playhouse, American Stage Theatre Company, and Mosaic Theatre Company.See more about him at www.afsheenmisaghi.com or @affyjay

Alex is a NYC-based producer, actor, and creative from Buffalo, NY. He produces for Broadway/Off-Broadway. Alex is co-producer of A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL (Broadway), THE PIANO LESSON (Broadway Revival), the NYC return of KINKY BOOTS Off-Broadway, and Douglas Carter Beane’s FAIRYCAKES Off-Broadway. He has been a part of financing Broadway's A STRANGE LOOP and the upcoming live capture of BONNIE & CLYDE (West End). Alex served as the Producing Associate for iTheatrics, working on productions such as JIM HENSON’S EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS, BETWEEN THE LINES, and THE BOOK THIEF. Alex graduated from The Hartt School, University of Hartford with a BFA in Music Theatre and minor in Performing Arts Management. He briefly studied at Carnegie Mellon University in the Master’s in Entertainment Industry Management program prior to joining the iTheatrics team. Alex has been seen across various stages around the world. Some of his favorite roles include Prince Eric in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Disney Cruise Lines), Willie Roberson in The Scottsboro Boys (Playhouse on Park), and Romeo in Newsies (New London Barn Playhouse). Alex hopes to continue to bring a positive and unique perspective to the ever-evolving entertainment industry. A-Robertson.com

Anant Das (“un-nunth”) (He/Him) is a theatre and film creative producer and CEO of Broadway Boxed Up, the longest-running theatre-themed subscription box with a focus on elevating BIPOC, Deaf, and disabled theatrical voices, connecting fans with the Broadway world, and reimagining theatregoers’ relationship with merchandise. He is a co-producer of A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL and THE PIANO LESSON on Broadway as well as KINKY BOOTS Off-Broadway. In addition, Anant has experience as an investor with A STRANGE LOOP (2022 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical), FAIRYCAKES, the Museum of Broadway, and the Broadway Makers Marketplace (the first Broadway Pop-Up Shop for fans, by fans) as well as various theatre and film projects in early development. With a background in financial valuation, computer science, and as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Anant is passionate about the intersection of theatre, tech, and finance, as well as energized to increase access to both theatrical opportunities and theatre education. He was a panelist on “The Get Together Live” weekly web show exploring the latest on theatre, technology, and accessibility. Recognized as one of the “Class of 2019’s Best & Brightest” by Poets&Quants, Anant’s interest in exploring how innovation can disrupt the arts began when he attended the top ranked public high school in the US. He is a 2022 member of TEDxBroadway’s Young Professionals cohort and a Board Member of the New York Theatre Workshop’s 4th Street Bar Association. In his free time, you can find him screening films for the Washington West Film Festival, taking an American Sign Language class, belting a Sara Bareilles album or his one-man show of WAITRESS, trying that restaurant he saw once on Instagram, or convincing himself that he will wake up at dawn for a yoga or rowing class. @Anant_garde

Ariana is a New York City-based entertainment lawyer specializing in theater. Once a proud “theater kid” herself, Ariana is passionate about marrying her legal education with her deep-rooted love of the arts and social justice to support an evolving theater industry. Ariana is currently an Entertainment Associate at Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo, an entertainment law firm renowned for its work in theater, where she handles a wide range of entertainment transactions in the theater as well as the music, film/TV, and publishing industries. As an entertainment lawyer, Ariana serves as a volunteer attorney with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Entertainment and Sports Law Group (EASL) and its Theater and Performing Arts Committee. Ariana is also a board member of the NewYorkRep, NYC-based theater company which develops and produces new plays and musicals that inspire and compel social change. In addition to being a proud 2022 cohort member of TPOC, Ariana is a proud graduate of the Unlock Her Potential mentorship program for women of color in the entertainment industry. As she grows her legal and producing career, Ariana hopes to help build a more accessible and inclusive theater community by providing holistic support to artists, creatives, and other producers of color. Ariana is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley (Go Bears!) and GW Law School. In her free time, she tries to keep it creative at all times and is a musician, freelance writer, amateur photographer, and avid supporter of the arts.

Hailing from Miami, Arysbells is a Latina Producer and Company Manager based in NYC. For over ten years, she worked as a Freelance Stage Manager mostly focused on new works. In 2021, she pivoted and received the opportunity to begin a career in Company Management at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and later on made her Broadway Debut as a fellow with the Theatre Leadership Project. Since then, Arysbells has made strides to focus on creating more equitable practices and has taught classes on Anti-Bullying. Her true passion is to continue to implement these positive changes in the industry. Selected Credits include: Plays for the Plague Year (The Public Theater), Kinky Boots (Off-Broadway), Come From Away (Nat'l Tour), Chicago (Broadway). She has worked for 24 Hour Plays, Miami New Drama, New York Comic Con, New York Fashion Week, and Transport Group. BA from the University of Florida.

Brayden Erik Simpson is a Los Angeles-based producer, writer, director, and actor originally from Baltimore, MD. As a producer, Brayden works to bridge the industry gaps between film, TV, and theatre, enterprising projects and fostering connections between these fields. He has produced at The Public Theater, Mosaic Theater Company of DC, and on independent films and series in New York, LA, and Washington, DC. Currently, Brayden is a 2023 MFA Candidate in the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC: School of Cinematic Arts. While at USC, he has directed and appeared in his first short film, "Act Break," which screened at the Studio City Film Festival; assisted in developing features and TV pilots with writer/producer Jessica Sharzer at Sharzer Films, worked on the studio team of production company Madison Wells and is a producer on the upcoming short "The Juice" through the Stark program. Additionally, Brayden is a producer on the digital series "U Host?" in collaboration with SlayTV. He is honored to be a member of the inaugural TPOC cohort and looks forward to continue shaping the changing narratives of film, TV, and theatrical producing. Brayden holds a BFA in Drama with a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media, & Technology from NYU: Tisch.

Camille Simone Thomas (she/her) is a Jamaican /African-American multi-hyphenate playwright, actor, solo performer, producer, and arts educator from Detroit, MichiganShe’s the current Broadway Advocacy Coalition Artivism fellowship recipient an associate artist with Sanguine Theatre Company, a company member with the Canady Foundation for the Arts, and a previous cohort member of Moxie Arts Incubator as a line producer. She is an alum of Broadway Advocacy Coalitions Artivism course, The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute’s DEAR fellowship, The Theatre Producers of Color program, 24 Hour Play Nationals, and a former Acting Apprentice at Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Carmen A. Quiñones (She/Her) is a proud Chicana hailing from San Diego, California. As an East Coast-based arts administrator, Carmen currently works as the General Manager of McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey. She is also currently a co-producer on THE PIANO LESSON on Broadway and co-produced the most recent remount of KINKY BOOTS off-Broadway. She has also invested in shows including A STRANGE LOOP and COME FROM AWAY.Inspired by local regional theaters, Carmen spent many of her formative years interning at theaters including La Jolla Playhouse, the Old Globe, Second Stage, Syracuse Stage, and New Victory. She attended Syracuse University where she earned her BFA in Stage Management. Following graduation she worked to represent theatrical designers at the Rolfe Company. She also spent time volunteering with the Musical Theatre Factory as a line producer and then went on to work as the Executive Assistant at Playwrights Horizons. She recently joined the team at McCarter where she has worked her way to recently become the new General Manager. Proud member of TPOC 2022 and TEDxBroadway Young Professionals 2017. Carmen enjoys producing a range of projects, from plays to musicals, traditional to experimental, all while highlighting historically underrepresented voices in American theater. Carmen is also passionate about creating equitable spaces in the American Theater and engaging with this work locally and globally. @carmenaq215

Cat Peoples (she/her) is an Actor, Producer and Businesswoman. She is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre who has worked in music, fashion, television and theatre as a talent and producer. In 2007, Cat Peoples founded CP Live, an entertainment and management consultancy firm that has provided production and management services to a range of clients, including the NAACP ACT SO Awards, legendary Apollo Theatre, WMK Productions (Willette Klausner), NFL and NBA veterans such as Eli Manning, Antoine Bethea, and Carlos Rogers, and lifestyle and special projects Manager to Michael Cohl (former chairman of Live Nation, current chairman of S2BN) who is responsible for projects like Spiderman on Broadway, Yo Gabba Gabba Live, An Evening with Oprah International Tour, Barbra Streisand tour, An Evening with Al Pacino Speaker series, and more. As a talent, some of her clients include JC Penney, Target, Jet Blue, Oxygen, BET, Gerber, Pilsbury, Ebay, Google and more. Cat currently owns the Union County territory of the Fun Bus, Fitness on Wheels franchise and owner of ARTXo Creative Art Studio in Roselle Park, NJ.

Cherine E. Anderson, Marketing and Media Relations Executive has been involved with the theater, television, film, and entertainment industry for over twenty years with a background in production management, consumer and promotions marketing, media relations and partnership development. Having held key positions with such companies as MTV Networks/Nickelodeon, DC Comics, Apel Inc./Spero Media and Push Creative, Cherine has extensive experience in building brand awareness, creating and implementing consumer promotions to drive revenue and strong partnership cultivation skills. Presently with Realemn Productions, a multi-cultural full-service company that specializes in the promotion of multicultural film, television and theater projects that offer a range of services from marketing, public relations, audience development and social media strategy. A graduate from the 2021 TPOC class, Anderson is a Co-Producer on the Broadway Musical - A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond story and has been marketing Broadway shows since 2008, beginning with the 2007 musical The Color Purple and has worked on the marketing team with Walker International Communications Group (WICG) and Realemn Productions for such Broadway shows as: MJ the Musical, For Colored Girls, Skin of Our Teeth, Hadestown, Once on This Island, A Raisin in the Sun, Trip to Bountiful, Streetcar Named Desire, Alicia Keys Stick Fly, Driving Miss Daisy, and more. In June 2014, Cherine led the marketing and public relations efforts for the Carnegie Hall production of Black Stars of the Great White Way, produced by Norm Lewis, Chapman Roberts and David Greer, for which she won an Audelco Award. Cherine was also on the marketing team for The Billie Holiday Theater in Brooklyn. Other productions she has marketed include Smart People and Anna Deveare Smith’s Notes from the Field at Second Stage, Marie and Rosetta at Atlantic Theatre, DOT at the Vineyard Theatre and the Billie Holiday Theatre’s play A Small Oak Tree Runs Red. Cherine is a member of NYWIFT (New York Women In Film and Television), Audelco Board of Directors and Nominating Committee and in 2022 received the Schnepps Media Power Woman of Manhattan award. A native of Jamaica, West Indies, Cherine is a graduate from Fordham University and in addition to her love for theatre, she can be found on the racquetball, paddleball or tennis courts most weekends!

Cynthia L. Dorsey (noun): the moon personified as a goddess and a multi-disciplinary artist from Washington, DC. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago (BA) and Syracuse University (MA). Cynthia is the Co-Founder of SoulFLY Theatre Society. With SoulFLY Cynthia has devoted her artistry to creating and producing content that liberates the stories of women of color from the page. Cynthia is also an arts educator who was nominated for an Excellence in Theater Education Tony Award. In addition, Cynthia is an award-winning writer, actor, director, producer and filmmaker. Currently, Cynthia is a Prince/TTLP Fellow and a Broadway League Fellow. It is Cynthia’s goal as an artist to produce and direct both theater and films that empower audiences and invoke societal change. As she forges on, Cynthia, the moon personified as a goddess will continue to fight for her rightful place in the sky.

Daniel Perez (he/him/his) is a Cuban-American Live Entertainment industry leader experienced in the strategic planning, creative development, and management of complex and high-profile shows, events, and attractions. Currently, he is the Vice President of Entertainment Creative at Universal Studios Japan, where he has led a team of directors, designers, choreographers, producers, and writers in the development of over 200 new live entertainment shows and attractions. He has directed the creative development of live entertainment projects that have brought to life iconic brands such as Pokemon, Curious George, Despicable Me, Sailor Moon, Doraemon, Nintendo, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic World, and more. The shows he produced at Universal have won three IAAPA Brass Ring Awards for Excellence in Entertainment and set two world records. He has been featured as a speaker for IAAPA Expo Asia and TransWorld Halloween Attraction conferences. Before working for Universal, Daniel was a project manager, technical designer, and entertainment engineer for Hudson Scenic Studio, McLaren Engineering Group, and other scenic fabrication companies. His clients included Disney, ESPN, and more. As part of TPOC, Daniel co-produced Kinky Boots at New World Stages (New York, NY). He is the recipient of the MIT Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts and the USITT Golden Hammer Scenic Technology Award. Daniel earned a B.S. from MIT in Civil Engineering and Theater Arts and a M.F.A. from Yale School of Drama in Technical Design and Production. Daniel is originally from Miami, FL.

Danielle Zarbin (she/her) is a second year MBA student at Cornell University. She has previously worked at Manhattan Theatre Club and Playwrights Horizons. In her spare time, she sits on the New York Wellesley Club Board as an Alumnae Admissions Representative, and is the volunteer digital strategist for the Wellesley Racial Justice Initiative.

DEDRA D. WOODS is a multi-hyphenate artist currently based in Seattle. She has taken on artistic leadership roles with The Williams Project, serving as their Producing Director, and Project Coordinator for The Hansberry Project. Dedra has been working in the Seattle arts scene since 2012, and has had the privilege to perform with several companies around Seattle, including ACT, The 5th Ave Theater, Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Public Theater, Intiman, Upstart Crow Collective, and ArtsWest. Her acting talents have also been seen regionally on stages in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and New York. She is also an educator, voice over artist and casting director. In 2022 Dedra was a book writer and performer for a new musical, And So that Happened, at The 5th Ave Theater. During the pandemic she started a social media page dedicated to celebrating BIPOC artist’s in Seattle and beyond.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Eric has been blazing his own path in the theatre world. He holds a BA in Psychology from Morehouse College and an MFA in Acting from LIU Post. He has been fortunate to work with esteemed cultural institutions such as Harlem Stage, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, & LAByrinth Theater Company, along with invaluable experiences in commercial producing offices. He is fiercely dedicated to building equity into the foundation of the industry and is a champion for the artists and voices that have been historically excluded. Eric is an alum of TedxBroadway Young Professionals, Theater Producers of Color, and Beth Morrison Producers Academy. He is also the recipient of the AKA 500 Hour Producers of Color Initiative, the I AM SOUL Producer in Residence at National Black Theatre, and a member of the Broadway League. Credits: Associate Producer – Is This A Room, Dana H (2 Tony Awards®), Co-Producer: Kinky Boots (Off-Broadway), A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical (Broadway)

Freddy Mancilla (he/him) is a DC-based producer/director/dramaturg/historian and Co-founder of the digital incubator #BINGE. As a director/producer in NYC, he has had the opportunity to work at various institutions, including serving as the inaugural Resident Director of the Off-Broadway venue The New Theater at 45th St (later known as The Davenport Theatre.) He was also recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship from Repertorio Español (NYC), earning him a Latin ACE Award Nomination as Best Emerging Director. Most recently, he worked as a Post Production Supervisor on various ads for high-profile clients, including Kanye West and the world wide marketing for the release of his album Donda. You can watch Freddy’s digital productions (usually hosted by him) exploring the intersection of showbiz & politics at www.hashtagBINGE.net or @hashtagBINGE on social media. There, he is set to premiere two new shows in 2022: the second season of his satirical news program The Man-splanation&The Silent Era, a series about the silent movie era of Hollywood. BA-Marymount Manhattan College. Member of: Lincoln Center Directors Lab, TV Academy, the Producers Cohort, RKP Ensemble.

Isha Gulati is currently the Senior Program Manager of the Global Inclusion & Diversity team at Expedia Group.  In her role, she leads the team’s strategic initiatives and directly supports the Chief People, Inclusion and Diversity Officer with annual strategic planning, budgeting, leadership offsite development and facilitation, and ad-hoc programs across his portfolio in Inclusion & Diversity, Global Social Impact & Sustainability, People Team Leadership, and Communications. Outside of her role with Expedia Group, Isha holds other positions that speak to her purpose: creating access in all spaces.  She’s an avid consumer of theatre with a dream of producing a Broadway show.  Through her work with Theatre Producers of Color, Broadway for All, and The Industry Standard Group, she uses audience and industry data to create access programs to diversify who has access to see live theatre and have a seat at the table when creating theatre. She also holds a seat on the Evaluation and Selection Committee for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at New York University - her alma mater - where she contributes to shaping each new incoming class of students from the view of holistic admissions and creating equitable access to higher education.She believes life is too short to have only one passion and that skills are infinitely transferrable.  By exploring each of these passion areas, she brings her strongest work to the table every day and in every role.

JACOB SANTOS is an Afro-Latino young professional who is passionate about using theater as a tool for social justice. He is a third-year MFA candidate in Theater Management at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, and this spring will be on fellowship at the historic Apollo Theater in NYC. Last summer, he was Co-Producing Artistic Director of Yale Summer Cabaret. He is the former Newman’s Own Foundation Managing Director Fellow at Westport Country Playhouse, where he also hosted and produced the Instagram Live show Coffee Break, and has been a Managing Intern/Casting Associate at The Elm Shakespeare Company in New Haven. He is the founder of the Crescent Players of Color, a coalition formed between current students and alumni of color at Southern Connecticut State University, from which he graduated with honors in 2019, earning both a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and a B.A. in Theatre. Jacob was the 2019 recipient of The ASPIRE Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival LORT Leadership Award, Region 1 Finalist, and the KCACTF 2019 Arts Impact Award.

Jacqueline Flores (she/her/ella) is a producer, theatremaker, and arts advocate. She is currently the Producer for the Latinx Theatre Commons and serves on the Steering Committee for the National Latinx Theater Initiative. Broadway producing credits include: Is This A Room and Dana H. Jacqueline spent two years at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, where she produced the theatre’s special events and led the Company Pool Fund, an internal initiative that provides grants to its company of artists. She has also worked at The Public Theater, in their Mobile Unit and Public Forum programs, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Ballet Austin, and Americans for the Arts. Jacqueline was selected as a member of Theatre Producers of Color’s inaugural cohort and is a two-time recipient of the National New Play Network’s Producer in Residence grant. She is passionate about theatre and the ways in which performance can be used as a means for social change. Jacqueline is a proud Texas native and first-generation American, born to parents who emigrated from Honduras and Mexico. She holds a BA in Theater Arts from St. Edward’s University.

Jhanelle Bisasor is a third year J.D. student at Harvard Law School. From an early age, Jhanelle developed a strong passion for the theatre and the impactful way in which diverse stories are brought to the stage. Prior to law school, Jhanelle worked in management consulting. She graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in Sociology with a secondary field in Theater, Dance, and Media.

Lady del Castillo is a Latina theatre professional based in NYC. Raised in Miami, Lady moved to NYC in 2016 to receive her BA in Stage Management. During her time at Pace University, she worked on nine educational productions and twelve professional projects—including a theatrical concert as PSM, an off-Broadway show as PA, and a plethora of readings in different roles. Outside the rehearsal room, Lady enriched her programming education as an intern at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) and Feinstein’s/54 Below. After graduation, she joined Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) as the Company Management Intern. Afterward, she returned to NAMT full-time as Program Assistant and served as the Assistant Producer for the Annual Festival of New Musicals in 2020 and 2021. Being labeled a minority herself, Lady prides herself on creating safe spaces for individuals and is very passionate about making theatre accessible to everyone. She is also passionate about mac and cheese, although her digestive system disagrees. She was in the inaugural cohort for Theatre Producers of Color's Producing 101 program and, in 2022, was selected as a Young Professional for TEDxBroadway. As of October 2021, Lady is delighted to be back at MTC as the Company Manager for their off-Broadway stages.

Leah Vicencio (she/her) is a Filipino-American director, producer, dramaturg and administrator. She aspires to uplift and amplify stories and artists that truly represent the human experience in all of its forms and cultivate community through theater. She was a part of The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals 2019 cohort and a part of NAMT’s Early Career Directing cohort.  She has worked with companies such as Second Stage, Keen Company, Moxie Arts NY, and Seaview Productions on the Ratatouille: The Tik Tok Musical. She served as the Creative Production Manager for Super Awesome Friends where she produced video content for a range of Broadway shows, touring productions and live events. She is also the managing director and head of marketing for The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all female, majority women of color orchestral collective whose mission is to support the existence, excellence, and equity of female BIPOC musicians in the Broadway industry.

Lisa Cortez Walden, Ph.D., runs Flor y Canto, a performance/publishing house in San Antonio, Texas. She has over 30 years of experience in producing plays, staged readings, and city-wide events, as well as in editing community-based anthologies. Some of her credits include the world premiere of Detained in the Desert, by Josefina Lopez, a regional premiere of Blu, by Virginia Grise, and Dos Pocitos, by Raúl Garza. When she's not producing, she stays busy writing for young audiences. Her book, Miguelito y Su Mamá, about the butterflies wintering in Michoacán, Mexico, will be out in 2023. Her passion is helping people see their potential and connect to other cultures through the arts. Check out her website at flor-y-canto.com

Malkia Stampley is an actor, stage director, arts advocate and producer. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Malkia attended Marquette University where she studied theater arts. She was a Resident Artist at Skylight Music Theater and Acting Intern at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. She is an alum of Broadway for Racial Justice’s Casting Directive Fellowship (BFRJ) and Theater Producers of Color (TPOC) 2022 Producing 101. She is Goodman Theatre’s BOLD Artistic Producer and freelance director and actor in the Chicago area. Malkia is a part of the LORT EDI 2022-23 Mentee Program and was named a BOLD theater artist in October 2022. Malkia co-founded Bronzeville Arts Ensemble in 2013 to address the lack of diversity in Wisconsin Theater and served three years as Producing Artistic Director. Her directorial debut, a modern conceptualized BLACK NATIVITY by Langston Hughes, at Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in 2016, continues to be an annual Milwaukee holiday favorite after three years under her direction. Malkia co-founded the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival in 2020 in response to the economic, social and racial challenges following the murder of George Floyd, aiming to amplify Black voices through theater in the Midwest and served as the founding Artistic Producer. Theater directing credits include Black Arts MKE, First Stage, Skylight Music Theater, American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Shattered Globe, Timeline Theatre, Raven Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, Farmers Alley Theatre. Malkia co-authored LINES which premiered at Theatre LILA in 2018. TV and film credits include 61st Street, Shameless, Work in Progress, The Chi, Chicago PD, Chicago Med. Films include Native Son, Beats, Small Town Wisconsin, Killing Eleanor and several short films by independent filmmakers with an extensive voiceover career. Malkia is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA).

Marina is an NYC-based theatre director and producer based in NYC. She has worked in theatre in Johannesburg, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires. As a producer she works under Iconic Vizion and she also transfers Broadway-size musicals to South America. As Director: Lizzie, Madison Theatre; Dear Mr. C, University of the Arts; EXIST, in development; Savana Glacial, Irondale Theatre; Derecho, La Tea. Assistant Director; 1776, A.R.T. As Associate Director: Um Novo Comeco, Salgado Productions; Letters to Sala, The Museum of Jewish Heritage; Monstrosity, The New School for Drama. Montesanti has worked with Gibney Dance, BAM, Signature Theatre, and others. Education: MFA in Directing, Columbia School of the Arts candidate. BFA, Dramatic Arts, The New School for Drama. SDCF Charles Abbott Fellow, Town Stages Fellow. Marina also taught at Molloy College, Musical Theatre BFA Program. SDC Member.

Marisa Kennedy (she/her) is a writer, a producer, an advocate for social justice, the founder of The Diversity Editor LLC, and the co-founder of BlackBee Entertainment. She aims to heal, rebalance, and elevate Black and other historically excluded voices in all her work.A member of both SAG and Actor's Equity, Marisa has performed on Broadway (MATILDA at the Shubert Theatre), she has been seen on television in shows such as MR. ROBOT (USA), and she is the voice of Olivia, the Kahuna of Akala Island on the popular animated series, Pokémon.As an educator, Marisa has taught for Lincoln Center Education, The Joffrey Ballet School, and Broadway Classroom to name a few. In 2016, Marisa was named Music For Autism's Spotlight Artist for spearheading concerts for autistic children in the New York City area.Marisa currently consults exclusively for HBO within TV and film.

NAOMI HORIBE was born and raised in Japan. She was an Associate Producer for IS THIS A ROOM and DANA H. on Broadway and has worked for various theatrical organizations in NY, including Ars Nova, Manhattan Theatre Club, and New York Musical Festival. She is currently a Producing Associate at the Asian-American theatre organization in Los Angeles, Artists at Play, and a member of the Programs Committee at the Creative & Independent Producer Alliance. Previously, she was a participant in the inaugural group for Theatre Producers of Color. Before she moved to the United States from Tokyo in 2015, she sold musicals and plays, such as some with a Japanese cast: MISS SAIGON, LES MISERABLES, WICKED, THE LION KING, and SISTER ACT, and shows while they were on international tours in Japan: DREAMGIRLS, WAR HORSE, AMERICAN IDIOT, ONCE, etc. She earned her MBA from Monroe College, King Graduate School of Business in New York and certificates in Copyright Law, Trademark Law, Operations Management, and Marketing from the University of Pennsylvania.

Noemi is an award winning playwright/librettist/lyricist. She is a founding member of Dramatic Question Theatre (DQT). Plays include: THE PET PLAY (DQT workshop production at Theatre 54, NYC), GENERIC HISPANIC (finalist MultiStages New Works contest 2012, produced at PRTT); MANUEL VERSUS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY (winner– 2014 NYMF Developmental Reading Series Award, winner 2015 NYMF Special Award for Social Relevance and Impact, nominated for Best Musical, semifinalist O’Neill National Music Theatre Conference, 2016); THE LEGEND OF SUICIDE JACK (The Playground Experiment, NYC ); LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE (10 min. musical with Composer Jaime Lozano - Soho Playhouse New York, Microteatro-SEA-NYC, and Caracas Venezuela). She performed her solo monologue “Quinceañera 2.5” at Planet Connections (Zoom: in “I Am Here” curated by Desi Moreno-Penson); “Only In America” (10 min play) Planet Connections on Zoom. A monolog from her play “Counting by Twos” will be published in March 2023 by Smith & Kraus (WE/US: Monologues for Gender Minority Characters). Other awards: Yip Harburg Foundation grant, Anna Sosenko Assist Trust, HOLA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Acting. Noemi received her MFA in Theatre Arts from the University of Iowa (Patricia Roberts Harris Scholarship). Noemi is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.

Olivia Lilley (she/her) is a screenwriter, director, playwright, and producer who came up in Chicago's DIY and Storefront Theatre scenes. Olivia is the Artistic Director of Prop Thtr and a Board Member at The National New Play Network. She was the founding Artistic Director of The Runaways Lab Theatre (Voted Best New Theatre Company in the Chicago Reader's Best of 2014). Olivia’s feature screenplay “The Snowpeople” was selected for Full Spectrum Features Producers’ Lab 2020. She's taught at DePaul's Theatre School, The Playwright's Center, Chicago Dramatists, and The Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis. Olivia attended Carnegie Mellon School of Drama for Directing, and Interlochen Arts Academy for Music Composition. She is currently working on her MFA in Screenwriting from The University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Phoebe Moore is a producer, designer, and creative consultant in the event, communications, education, and nonprofit spheres from Nashville, Tennessee. With a background in event production, she has had the honor of being a former fellow with the Black Theatre Coalition in partnership with Columbia University and Disney Theatrical Group and is a recent Theatre Producers of Color: Producing 101 fellow. She is currently the Development Fellow at the New York Theatre Workshop. Phoebe passionately advocates for Black creatives, promoting inclusive frameworks of diversity, equity, and accessibility in any space she enters. She is a proud graduate of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard University.

Rashad T. Bailey is an artist, writer, musician and producer. He has performed at NADA Art Fair, Constance Gallery NYC and the Actors Fund Arts Center among other spaces. Bailey is co-founder of RaDa, an art collective based in New York City and a founding member of the film collective, Kashif. Bailey is a member of the Theater Producers of Color (TPOC) cohort. He is a 2022/23 artist resident of Colt Coeur, a theater company based in Brooklyn. He has been featured in New York Magazine, Art Forum, Playbill and the L.A. Times. Producer credits (film): La ENA, BEBAProducer credits (theatre): SLAVE PLAY, Hart Island, Kinky Boots, Dodi & Diana, Shedding Load

Rhonda Wilson is the Founding Executive Director of the Star Center Theatre in Gainesville, Fl. She founded the Star Center without any funding, just passion, vision and hope of bringing culturally diverse theater to her community. Rhonda is a graduate of the University of Florida and a Public School Educator. For the past 22 years, she has given her time, energy and resources to the community by using the arts to educate and empower. She understands the need for making space, not only as a Producer/Director/Educator but also as a performer who didn’t find many spaces on her journey as an artist. Rhonda has been honored and recognized nationally, statewide, regionally, locally for her work and even invited to do a TEDx Talk. Rhonda was recently featured in USA Today and recognized on the United States Capitol Floor for her contributions to her community, theater and “making space” for ALL voices. She received the 2022 University of Florida Alumni Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award. Other recognitions include 2022 Excellence In Theatre Education Finalist from The Tony Award and Carnegie Mellon, National Youth Director of the Year (AATE), Allstate National Champion For Good, Sara Spencer Child Drama Award(SETC), State Distinguished Career Award, Diversity and Inclusion Award Governor’s Award For Community Investment and more. Rhonda hopes to continue to provide space, where ALL voices take CENTER STAGE by taking her seat at the Producer’s table.

Riza is a Japanese producer and actor based in NYC. Her Co-Producing credits include A Beautiful Noise, and Kinky Boots Off Broadway. Highlights from past independent projects include the music video “I Choose Joy” produced by her own company Celebrate Asian Joy, creative directing the interview series “Authentically You” on Broadstream, and script translating consultant for the first international production of Mean Girls in Japan produced by Amuse, Inc. Prior to her producing career, she was in Mean Girls on Broadway as one of the original cast members. She was born and raised in Japan and, at the age of 16, she left Japan by herself to pursue her dream of being on Broadway. Through her unique experiences as an immigrant on Broadway, she has learned how important it is to have representation both onstage and off for the younger generation of BIPOC artists. She has now made it her mission to encourage the industry to change from within.

Roman Sanchez is a Theatre Producer, Director, Educator and M.F.A. Candidate in Yale's Theatre Management program. Past and current affiliations include: Yale Cabaret (Marketing Associate), Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Artistic Office Manager), California Arts Council (Program Specialist & Analyst), Lime Arts Productions (Producing Artistic Director), Teatro Espejo (Production Coordinator), Dell'Arte Inc. (Asst. Executive Director & Resident Artist), California State Summer School for the Arts (Faculty), Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (Former Board Member), Theatre Workers Project (Administrative Consultant), Redwood Curtain Theatre (Former Board Member), and Ferndale Repertory Theatre (Former Committee Member & Consultant). He is also the author of Preparing For College Theatre: A Guide For Performers, Technicians, and Designers. He is a Kennedy Center National Arts Impact Award recipient, Herb Alpert Theatre recipient, and was one of American Theatre's "6 Theatre Practitioners You Should Know".Audiences and critics alike have shined over his directing work, calling it "tour de force" and "freshly innovative". His artistry has been recognized with 5 North Coast Journal's Best of Directing Recognitions and 4 Regional BroadwayWorld Awards. He has over 65 credits as a Theatre Practitioner and is a proud member of SDC. www.romansanchez001.com @romansanchez001

Ryan Duncan-Ayala is a Brooklyn based Producer and Theatre Maker, born and raised in Laredo, TX. He aims to foster new work development and create spaces and accessfor minoritized communities. Most recently he made his Off-Broadway producing debut with the new musical ¡Americano! And is currently Company Manager for the New York Theatre Workshop run of the Broadway-Bound Merrily We Roll Along. Ryan was the recipient of the 2019 Kennedy Center/LORT ASPIRE Arts Leadership award and has previously worked with the 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour Of RENT, Swiftest Broadway COVID Safety, National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT), The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, The 24 Hour Plays, and Syracuse Stage. Ryan also serves as the founder/lead producer of El Centro Productions while also independently producing and developing several new plays and musicals. @ryanduncanayala

Sammie Paul is a first generation, Afro-Caribbean creative dedicated to increasing equity within arts education and the entertainment industry at large. A recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama Dramaturgy (BFA) program, Sammie has a strong English background and a wealth of experience in diverse development processes, including managing published magazine photo shoots, developing multimedia festival performances, and producing original shows off-Broadway. In recent past, Sammie has worked with Spectrum Reach, optimizing marketing workflows for national commercial campaigns, and AGC Studios, supporting Film Sales and Distribution efforts at major film markets. In the New Year, Sammie will move into agency work at United Talent Agency. Sammie is a tenacious, self-starter who looks forward to expanding their industry knowledge base both inside and outside of the classroom as a Master of Entertainment Industry Management Candidate, graduating Spring 2023. Ultimately, Sammie looks forward to keeping a constant eye on the future, marrying their diverse work portfolio with their diverse personal background in order to develop equitable, expansive, consumer experiences, creating innovative community building opportunities in response to rapidly rising disruptive technologies.

Sergio Mexia is a Mexican creative producer based in Toronto. Holding degrees that include the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and the Acting Studio NY, he has close to two decades of experience in television, film and marketing. Sergio is passionate about storytelling and the process of nurturing ideas, bringing together the right team to execute them and finding the right channels and technology to maximize their reach. Having theatre and an artistic vision as a reference for every piece he produces, he has had the opportunity to produce and direct music videos, commercials, projection design, video mapping pieces and art installations in Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, the US and Canada. His list of clients includes brands like Coca-Cola, Toyota, History Channel, World Vision, Universal Pictures and CBS; and artists like Joss Stone, Aleks Syntek, Los Concorde and others. Sergio is very proud to be part of TPOC.

Shernā Ann Phillips, Ph.D. (“Dr. Nae” for short) is an Atlanta-based writer and performer whose work is heavily influenced by her upbringing in Baltimore. An adjunct English instructor at Spelman College and VP of Marketing & Communications at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, she writes and produces plays for the stage & screen and prides herself as an ARTivist whose art and research explore the intersectionality of gender with race, age, culture, sexuality, religion and class. www.shernation.com

Simon Tran is a cultural producer, writer, educator, and arts administrator. As a first-generation Vietnamese American, he aims to amplify the stories of immigrant and misrepresented groups through the performing arts and community-centered storytelling. For the past 7 years, Simon has created, directed, and curated performances, experiences, and events in the realm of theatre, community forums, journalism, and entertainment, bridging creative storytelling with civic engagement. As a producer, he’s worked at organizations including The Center for Asian American Media, Sundance Film Festival, WBEZ Chicago, and The Moth, among others. In 2019, he completed the Community Leadership Corps program through The Obama Foundation. Between 2022-2023, Simon taught English in Vietnam as a Fulbright Scholar, using theatre and cultural pedagogy to engage and learn from local Vietnamese students and teachers. Simon graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in Drama and the Comparative History of Ideas. He was first introduced to theatre as a freshman in college. Originally trained as an actor, he developed his producing skills after realizing how rare BIPOC narratives are represented, even in well-meaning cultural institutions. His goal is to continue supporting artists determined to tell nuanced and humanizing stories, within theatre and beyond.Simon is a proud alum of TPOC’s 2022 cohort.

Sujotta Pace, C.S.A. (She/Her) is part of the Roundabout Theatre Company/C12 casting team and serves on the Board of Directors of the Casting Society. Pace is also a freelance Casting Director casting short films, new media content, and plays (NY and regionally). Previously she worked at Actors Theatre of Louisville as the Professional Training Company Producer & Casting Associate. Pace contributed to the casting, recruitment, and season planning of the PTC 2020-2021 apprenticeship program, Actors Theatre Direct Season, Virtual PTC Season, and the Humana Festival of New American Plays.

Multi-disciplinary artist and Chicago native Traci Tolmaire (she/her) has a career spanning over 15 years collaborating with innovative leaders in the arts. She received a BA in Theatre from Spelman College with studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and trained in dance at various institutions including Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre, Lou Conte/Hubbard Street, and Atlanta Ballet. Performance credits include JELLY’S LAST JAM (Le Petit Theatre); CHERCHEZ LA FEMME (La MaMa ETC); MIRRORS IN EVERY CORNER (Campo Santo); and TROUBLE IN MIND (Actor's Express). Choreography credits include JELLY’S LAST JAM and GEE’S BEND (Hartford Stage). Driven and inspired by new work, she has been a company member of Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s The Living Word project for ten years. With this company, and under the direction of Michael John Garcés, she performed in the national tours of RED, BLACK, & GREEN: A BLUES and most recently /PEH-LO-TAH/ at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, The Kennedy Center, MCA Chicago, and BAM in New York. CHI-BOY is her debut as a playwright and has been workshopped at The Kennedy Center (Page to Stage) and Campo Santo. The play is expected to premiere in 2023. She is currently writing a new piece centered around the life of award-winning playwright, activist, and fellow Chicagoan Lorraine Hansberry. Traci is also Director of Artist Operations at UnitedMasters, a groundbreaking music-tech company founded by music veteran Steve Stoute.

Tricia Patrick is an arts administrator and teaching artist who believes in the transformative power of theater and the arts as a catalyst for conversation and change. Her pursuit of a performance career took her across the country and beyond, eventually landing in Berlin, Germany. There, she discovered her love of Theater for Young Audiences, developing her skills as an educator and workshop facilitator. Upon her return to the United States, Tricia assumed leadership of a small children’s theater company in New York City. With a desire to invest in her growing role as an arts administrator, she returned to academia. In 2019, Tricia attained a Masters in Arts Administration and Entrepreneurship from the New School where, as a part of her capstone project, she developed a one-woman show called "Move Towards the Light," highlighting the achievements of Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Bessie Coleman. Tricia was a member of the inaugural 2020 BIPOC Leadership Circle and in the spring of 2022, she completed the Theater Producers of Color, Producing 101 certificate program. Her current role as Director of Education at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. means that she now gets to call the nation's capital, her home. She is the daughter of an incredible mother, and the mother of an incredible daughter.

Vaibu Mohan (she/her) is an Indian-American writer, singer, songwriter, dancer, and storyteller currently based in Brooklyn. Vaibu began her journey has a Bharatanatyam dancer (South Indian classical dancer) and Carnatic vocalist. She gained a deep appreciation for the stories she was told and portrayed as a child through music and dance and her love for storytelling brought her to the world of musical theatre. Vaibu received her BM in musical theatre performance from ASU and is currently receiving her MFA in musical theatre writing at the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Vaibu is also a director and producer with many credits at Feinstein’s/54 Below. She is particularly passionate about aiding in the development of new work. Vaibu is dedicated to creating anti-racist theatre pieces which highlights BIPOC voices and her personal mission is to bring more South Asians into the theatre on stage, backstage, on the creative team, and in the audience. This piece is dedicated to her artistic ancestors who continued to create and tell stories even in the face of adversity.

Vanessa is a New Zealand based Māori/Pākehā (Ngāti Hauā, Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa) theatre maker and producer, with experience in touring large scale international productions to independent solo shows. She has a degree in Musical Theatre from Whitireia New Zealand. Immink previously worked as a production assistant & tour manager on international touring shows such as Singin In the Rain, Cats, Blue Man Group and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Vanessa also has experience in festival management such as being the Senior Programmer at Adelaide Fringe Festival (2019-2020), Senior Producer & Marketing Manager at Kia Mau Festival (2020-2021) and currently helms Pūtahi Festival in Te Whanganui-a-tara. In 2022 Vanessa was selected as one of 25 emerging BIPOC producers to attend Theatre Producers of Color programme, a 10 week programme for BIPOC producers from USA learning about commercial producing and networking with other Broadway producers.

Victoria is a Puerto Rican and Albanian producer born and raised in New York City. She is passionate about building a platform for contemporary theatre’s innovative voices, particularly those of the global majority. Victoria, while highlighting these voices, also aims to dismantle the structures that do not allow for access, and restructure for equity and accessibility. Victoria is a graduate from the New York Theatre Workshop 2050 Producing Fellowship for the 2018-2019 season, she was an inaugural member of the Shubert Organization’s Artistic Circle Initiative and a recipient of the “The Stacey Mindich ‘Go Work in Theater' Award”, Lilly Awards 2021. She is currently a member of SOCIETY Theatre Collective and a founding member of the re-launch of Theatrical Happy Hour. Victoria currently works as the Associate Producer at Broadway & Beyond Theatricals. Additional credits include THE KITE RUNNER (The Hayes Theatre, Associate Producer), SOCIETY Theatre Collective’s productions of Mona Mansour’s BEGINNING DAYS OF TRUE JUBILATION and Emily Zemba’s THE STRANGERS CAME TODAY (The New Ohio, Line Producer), BRICKS (Weeksville Heritage Center, Lead Producer) and Broken Box Mime Theatre’s BKBX Kids!ASKS WHY and TAKE SHAPE (Producer for Audience Design).

Yesenia Garcia Herrington is a performer, educator, and entrepreneur. Originally from McAllen, Texas, her film and television credits include the award-winning documentary Horton Foote: The Road to Home, the award winning National Geographic mini-series The Long Road Home, HBO's The Leftovers, AMC's The Son, among others. On stage, her role as Carolina in the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of The Madres by Stephanie Allison Walker earned her a Broadway World nomination for Best Leading Actress. She is on faculty at Texas State University and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Austin Community College and Temple College. In 2015, she was invited by President Barack Obama to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Endowment of the Arts at The White House. She is the 2022 KCACTF Uta Hagen Award Recipient and a co-producer on the off-Broadway revival of Kinky Boots. She is represented by The Acting Group.