Leadership

Leadership

Trinidad Vives

Trinidad Vives

Acting Artistic Director

Trinidad Vives was born in Madrid, Spain. She began her dance training with Carmina Ocaña, Luis Fuente, and Victor Ullate and spent summers studying in Paris. She graduated from the …

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Karen Shepherd

Karen Shepherd

Interim Managing Director

Karen Shepherd is the Interim Managing Director for The Washington Ballet.  She has over 20 years of experience in arts management and arts education for both non-profit and for-profit sectors of the arts …

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Artistic

Artistic

Trinidad Vives

Trinidad Vives

Acting Artistic Director

Trinidad Vives was born in Madrid, Spain. She began her dance training with Carmina Ocaña, Luis Fuente, and Victor Ullate and spent summers studying in Paris. She graduated from the …

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Rachel Scherer

Rachel Scherer

Stage Manager and Associate Company Manager

Sona Kharatian

Sona Kharatian

Rehearsal Director

Sona Kharatian is celebrating her 23rd season with The Washington Ballet. She has danced with Orlando Ballet, Ballet Hawaii, the Trey McIntyre Project, and Copenhagen International Ballet. She was a …

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Tamás Krizsa

Tamás Krizsa

Rehearsal Director

Tamás Krizsa, of Hungary, is in his 13th season with The Washington Ballet. Krizsa graduated from the Hungarian Dance Academy with honors in 2002. During his school years, he was …

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Glenn Sales

Glenn Sales

Music Supervisor

Glenn Sales, Pianist, has been well-known to Washington, DC audiences since his National Symphony Orchestra debut at age 14 and his subsequent invitations as soloist with NSO. Sales attended the …

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Natalie Rouland

Natalie Rouland

Scholar-in-Residence

Dr. Natalie Rouland is the Senior Advisor for the Billington Cultural Initiative at the Kennan Institute in Washington, DC. A scholar of Russian literature, culture, and performing arts, Rouland is currently completing …

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Cece Farha

Cece Farha

Nutcracker Children's Rehearsal Director

CECE FARHA began teaching on the faculty of The Washington School of Ballet in 1999 under the direction of Mary Day. She works within multiple levels of the school as …

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Donna Glover

Donna Glover

Nutcracker Children's Coordinator and Summer Intensive Manager

Entering her 18th season with The Washington Ballet, Ms. Glover has transitioned from the leadership position of Director of Operations for The Washington School of Ballet to Summer Intensive Manager …

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Development

Development

Kristina D. Palmer

Kristina D. Palmer

Chief Development Officer

Kristina is an experienced fundraising professional and strategist with over 20 years of progressive nonprofit leadership experience and a strong passion for ensuring there is access and opportunity for individuals …

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Mary Bounds

Mary Bounds

Associate Director of Advancement

Tony Lee

Tony Lee

Development Operations Specialist

Tony is an experienced database specialist with 10+ years of nonprofit development and finance experience. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Film & Media Studies from Johns …

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Toni Stifano

Toni Stifano

Institutional Advancement Associate

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Marketing and Communications

Marketing and Communications

Christopher Anderson

Christopher Anderson

Chief Marketing Officer

Christopher Anderson serves as TWB’s Chief Marketing Officer. Since joining the TWB team in August 2021, Christopher has been instrumental in implementing improved patron services strategies and marketing campaigns for the company.

Stay tuned: Christopher and the TWB staff have been hard at work on our 2022/23 season & beyond!

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Wil Johnson

Wil Johnson

Associate Director of Ticketing and Patron Relations

Amber Lucia Chabus

Amber Lucia Chabus

Senior Marketing Manager

Amber Lucia Chabus joined The Washington Ballet Marketing Team in November 2021. Prior to her current role, Amber worked as the Communications Manager at Dance Place in Brookland, D.C. and …

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Kyle Travers

Kyle Travers

Ticket Office Associate

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Community Engagement

Community Engagement

DeMoya Watson Brown

DeMoya Watson Brown

Director of Community Engagement

DeMoya Watson Brown, Arts Manager, Dance Educator, Performing Artist, and Choreographer, is originally from Daytona Beach, FL, where she received dance training at multiple schools in the area prior to …

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Rachael Coad

Rachael Coad

Community Engagement Associate

Rachael Coad grew up dancing in Northern Virginia and went on to train at the prestigious Virginia School of the Arts under Petrus Bosman of The Royal Ballet during her …

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Production

Production

Liz Coco

Liz Coco

Lighting Director and Interim Production Manager

Delante Gary

Delante Gary

Props Manager

Brian Flory

Brian Flory

Production Electrician

Christopher R.M. Insley

Christopher R.M. Insley

Technical Director and Interim Production Manager

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Suzi Kilbourne

Suzi Kilbourne

Production Stage Manager and Interim Artistic and Production Operations Manager

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Monica Leland

Monica Leland

Wardrobe Supervisor

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Rachel Scherer

Rachel Scherer

Stage Manager and Associate Company Manager

Sasha Zabela

Sasha Zabela

Wardrobe Assistant

Caroline MacDonald

Caroline MacDonald

Wardrobe Intern

Caroline is a junior at Marymount University in their fashion design B.A. program, with minors in sustainability and studio art. Ballet is close to home for her, as she spent two …

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The Washington School of Ballet

The Washington School of Ballet

Katie C. Sopoci Drake

Katie C. Sopoci Drake

Director of Schools

Katie Sopoci Drake is a seasoned administrator and educator with nearly 2 decades of experience in the arts spanning non-profit arts administration, teaching in higher education, and performance. As the …

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The Washington School of Ballet - Northwest Campus

The Washington School of Ballet - Northwest Campus

Katie C. Sopoci Drake

Katie C. Sopoci Drake

Director of Schools

Katie Sopoci Drake is a seasoned administrator and educator with nearly 2 decades of experience in the arts spanning non-profit arts administration, teaching in higher education, and performance. As the …

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Xiomara Reyes

Xiomara Reyes

Professional Training Division Head

Xiomara Reyes, Head of the Professional Training Division at TWSB, had a successful and long international career. Performing with The National Ballet of Cuba, Royal Ballet of Flanders in Belgium …

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Damien Johnson

Damien Johnson

Upper Division Head, NW Campus

Damien Johnson is originally from Dallas, Texas. He received his early dance training from Kitty Carter, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and The Etkin-Atkinson …

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Pamela Bjerknes

Pamela Bjerknes

Pre-Ballet & Lower Division Head, NW Campus

Pamela Booth Bjerknes, a former member of American Ballet Theatre (ABT), brings extensive teaching, directing, and performing experience to The Washington School of Ballet. Performing classical and contemporary ballets throughout …

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Miya Hisaka

Miya Hisaka

Adult Program Head

With a life commitment to diversity and excellence in concert dance, Miya has been a Producing Executive/Artistic Director, teacher, choreographer, arts and diversity advocate, and urban planner. Since l984, faculty at WSB, under …

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Kim Parmer

Kim Parmer

Assistant School Director, NW Campus

Originally from Long Island, Kim Parmer has been immersed in the DC-area dance scene since moving here in 2010. Most recently, Ms. Parmer served as the director of Maryland School …

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Alexandra Schools

Alexandra Schools

School Manager, NW Campus

Alex Schools is a native of the Washington, DC area, where she received her ballet training under Pamela and Michael Bjerknes at American Dance Institute and Patricia Berrend at Berrend …

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Donna Glover

Donna Glover

Nutcracker Children's Coordinator and Summer Intensive Manager

Entering her 18th season with The Washington Ballet, Ms. Glover has transitioned from the leadership position of Director of Operations for The Washington School of Ballet to Summer Intensive Manager …

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Aliya Siegel

Aliya Siegel

Head Receptionist, NW Campus - Cathedral Commons

Aliya Siegel was born in Tucson, Arizona, and raised in Tampa, Florida, where she began dancing at a young age. From age 7 to 18, she thrived as a competitive …

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Madeline Garland

Madeline Garland

Receptionist

Madeline Garland (she/her) is an ongoing learner in the arts and dance educator in the DC area. Madeline is receiving her master’s from American University in Arts Management. She is …

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Beatriz Moreira Leite

Beatriz Moreira Leite

Receptionist

Beatriz Moreira Leite is a graduate of the TWSB upper and lower division programs. She continues to be part of the TWSB family by participating in adult classes, working as …

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Atticus Scherer

Atticus Scherer

Recepionist

Atticus is a current student at American University and lifelong dancer. They are a student of Journalism and Gender Studies and have stayed an avid dancer throughout their life. Born …

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Baylee Wong

Baylee Wong

Receptionist

Baylee Wong (dancer) is in her first season with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company. Born and raised in Carmel, New York, Baylee Wong began her dance journey at age …

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The Washington School of Ballet - Southeast Campus

The Washington School of Ballet - THEARC Campus

Katie C. Sopoci Drake

Katie C. Sopoci Drake

Director of Schools

Katie Sopoci Drake is a seasoned administrator and educator with nearly 2 decades of experience in the arts spanning non-profit arts administration, teaching in higher education, and performance. As the …

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Tammy Hurt

Tammy Hurt

School Principal, SE Campus

Tammy Hurt, a native Washingtonian, started her dance training at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet and later became a member of the Capitol Ballet Company under the direction of Doris …

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Kayla DeShields

Kayla DeShields

School Manager, SE Campus

Kayla DeShields is a native of Woodbridge, VA where she grew up studying liturgical dance in her church beginning at age four and holding positions of leadership within the dance …

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Margaret Williamson

Margaret Williamson

Artistic Administrator, SE Campus

Margaret Giragosian Williamson received her early training at The Washington Ballet, the Maryland Youth Ballet, and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. During this time, she was also privileged to spend …

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Elena Ovchinnikova

Elena Ovchinnikova

Full-time Faculty

Dr. Elena Ovchinnikova graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy obtained her PhD in Pedagogic Science (Theory and Methodology of Professional Education in Choreography) and Master Degree in Ballet Pedagogy. Additionally, …

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Yaa Faulk

Yaa Faulk

Receptionist

Yaa Faulk, originally a native of Raleigh, NC, began her dance education at the age of seven while living in Central New York. She began her formal dance training at …

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Sydney Wiggins

Sydney Wiggins

Receptionist

Sydney B. Wiggins is a native Washingtonian and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) graduate with a BFA in Dance and Choreography. Sydney has been training in dance since the age of …

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Finance and Administration

Finance and Administration

Kirsten Poole

Kirsten Poole

Chief Financial Officer

Kirsten Poole is the Chief Financial Officer for the Washington Ballet. With 25 years of small business and non-profit finance, operations, and business management experience, Kirsten brings her passion for …

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Mario Da Silva

Mario Da Silva

Senior Human Resources Manager

Mario Da Silva joined The Washington Ballet (TWB) in July 2023. With a strong background in human resources management, he previously served as a key contributor with the American Council …

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Maggie Graves

Maggie Graves

Special Assistant to the Managing Director

Maggie Graves joined The Washington Ballet (TWB) in August 2023. She is originally from Lafayette, California outside San Francisco where she was an active member of the theatre arts community. …

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Bennard Fajardo

Bennard Fajardo

Accounts Receivable Specialist

Bennard Fajardo is a dedicated professional with a strong background in finance, having previously worked for the National Immigration Forum and Politics and Prose Bookstore. With experience as a Finance …

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Claudio Flores

Claudio Flores

Custodial Services

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Angela Aguilar

Angela Aguilar

Custodial Services

Patricia Mendoza

Patricia Mendoza

Custodial Services

Jakelin Mendoza

Jakelin Mendoza

Custodial Services

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