San Diego Junior Theatre
Board of Trustees

San Diego Junior Theatre is a California non-profit public benefit corporation. The Mission Statement of Junior Theatre is to provide engaging, innovative and high-quality theatre education and productions to enhance the lives of children of all ages, cultural backgrounds, abilities and levels of interest.

The pursuit of San Diego Junior Theatre’s mission, and its related business and affairs, are governed and controlled by, and conducted and operated under the authority and direction of, its Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees consists of at least 15 and no more than 30 elected Trustees. Trustees may serve a maximum of five consecutive two-year terms on the Board.

The officers of the Board of Trustees are the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer serve two-year terms. The President-Elect serves one year in that capacity before assuming the office of President.

Much is expected of the members of Junior Theatre’s Board of Trustees. The criteria for and expectations of each Trustee are the following:

COMMITMENT
Fully endorse and support the Mission Statement of Junior Theatre; have experience or interest in and/or knowledge of at least one operational area of Junior Theatre; and commit to and be able to serve at least one full two-year term as an active Trustee.

MEETINGS
Prepare for, attend and actively participate at all of the approximately eight regularly scheduled meetings of the Board held each year; attend and participate in Board training and educational activities; and be a member, and prepare for, attend and actively participate at all meetings, of at least one Committee of the Board. The Committees of the Board include Education, Production, Marketing/Public Relations, Advocacy, Leadership, Finance, and Development.

SHOWS AND EVENTS
Regularly attend Junior Theatre shows, preferably as a season subscriber; attend and support events and fundraisers for Junior Theatre; and staff or volunteer at shows or events.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Make a personal monetary donation of any amount to Junior Theatre on an annual basis; encourage and solicit others to make financial donations and gifts to Junior Theatre, whether monetary or in-kind; and assist in identifying and soliciting potential donors and/or funding sources.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Actively serve as an ambassador for Junior Theatre; educate the community about, and promote and advocate community involvement and interest in, Junior Theatre; and invite and encourage family, friends, community leaders, and others to attend shows, education programs, and events.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Have a desire or willingness to develop into a leadership position on the Board of Trustees; and identify, recruit and nominate potential new qualified Trustees.

2011-2012 San Diego Junior Theatre Board of Trustees

Bruno Lemaitre - President

Bruno has been a Trustee since 2005, and is also an SDJT parent. He has been a Commercial Banker with Wells Fargo for the past ten years. Past positions include Senior Project Manager for the Payment Systems department of Credit Agricole, one of Europe’s largest retail banks. He was in charge of Payment Systems policy, and part of the team that planned the transition to the Euro. An avid tennis player, Bruno has done extensive fundraising for the Youth Housing project of the San Diego LGBT Center by organizing a three-day tennis tournament involving 240 players. Bruno is also a cellist. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, with emphasis on International Business. He completed extended studies in Accounting at the University of California, San Diego, and the Credit Management Training program at Wells Fargo.

Betsy Gardner - Secretary

Betsy first became a Trustee in 1993, and has served terms on the Board ever since, taking the requisite year off between terms as per the by-laws. In the past twenty years, many of SDJT’s achievements have included Betsy’s involvement. She was a founder (1992) and longtime member of the SDJT Auxiliary. She also was involved in the creation of JTAGS, the SDJT gift shop. She is currently a busy Community Volunteer. Past positions include Registrar for San Diego Junior Theatre, and County of San Diego Deputy Probation Officer. Betsy has been a Temple Adat Shalom Sisterhood Board Member; served on several Temple committees; was a volunteer for Hadassah and Girl Scouts; and is a repeat participant in the Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure. Betsy continues to serve on the SDJT Education, Leadership and Christian Rowley Scholarship Committees. She has a B.S. in Social Science and Elementary Education from Russell Sage College, and an M.S. in Counselor Education from San Diego State University.

Lori Partrick - Treasurer

Lori became a Trustee in 2007, and also served SDJT on the Auxiliary Board and as an active parent volunteer. She is an Attorney in the Executive Compensation and Benefits department of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. She is a past member of the Francis Parker Parents’ Association Board, where she served as Treasurer and in several other capacities. Prior experiences include creditors’ rights law and corporate accounting. Lori has a Bachelors degree in Accounting and Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Trustees -

Judy Adelizzi Parker

Judy returned as a Trustee in 2011, having previously served in 1992-93. Judy is also a JT alum. She is President of JParker Communications, a marketing consulting firm established in 2005. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Diego’s School of Business and on the faculty of Webster University. Judy was previously Vice President of Marketing at Optimum Health Enterprises, President and Director of Marketing for Devlin Design Group, Inc. and part of the Legoland California’s marketing team in launching the Carlsbad theme park in 1999. She also managed the Discovery Communications International Program Sales’ marketing initiatives on behalf of the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel and Animal Planet. Judy has served on the Board of Directors for the Junior League of San Diego and the San Diego chapter of the USC Trojan League. Judy earned her MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management, and a B.A. in Communications from USC.

Susan Batt

Susan became a Trustee in 2008. She also was an interim SDJT staff member and parent volunteer. She has been a Balboa Park employee since 2001, and is currently Director of the Passport to Balboa Park program at Balboa Park Central, and active on several Park wide committees. Past positions include Coordinator of Balboa Park December Nights, Account Manager in Corporate Hospitality for four Super Bowls, and fifteen years in the hospitality/foodservice industry. As a volunteer, she has produced fifty Celtic and folk music concerts and numerous special events and projects for various organizations. Susan earned her MBA from San Diego State University, an Associate degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Consumer Service in Food from the University of Arizona.

David Braun

David first became a trustee in 2003 and has served as both Vice President and President of the Board of Trustees. In 2005 he lead a group of JT families to New York on a theatre trip which culminated with seeing the seventh performance of Spamalot, choreographed by JT alum Casey Nicholaw. His term as Board President coincided with SDJT’s 60th anniversary and he was instrumental in the planning of many of the celebratory events which we were able to stretch out for two full years! After a couple of years off due to term limits, David is pleased to be joining the Board once more. David is a third-generation native of San Diego and a proud SDJT alumnus. In 2008 he was named administrator of the year and awarded the Bravisimo Award by the San Diego County Office of Education for his continuing support of the arts in education. With a BA and MA from SDSU, David currently works as a school administrator at Thurgood Marshall Middle School.

Celestina Cozic

Celestina became a Trustee in 2012, is the current President of the SDJT Auxiliary, and is an active parent volunteer.  Prior to moving to San Diego, Celestina was an independent fundraising consultant. She worked with multiple non-profit organizations including the Alley Theatre and the Houston Grand Opera, collaborating with the director of annual giving and development associates to secure gifts from all constituents. She served as the Fundraising Chair at San Diego Cooperative Charter School from 2008-2012, chairing their annual gala, and continues to volunteer there. She has served the San Diego Woman’s Club, Mission Hills Town Council, Little Italy Association and San Diego Hospice.  Celestina says that “JT is a unique experience we share, and it’s a family we are all proud to be a part of.” Celestina earned her B.A. degree from the University of Houston.

Tom Crews

Tom became a Trustee in 2004, and also has been an active parent volunteer. He is a co-founder and Managing Director of Stratford Partners, a San Diego based investment banking and strategic advisory firm. Tom is the former CEO of SynergEyes; Envenergy; and Pentech Solutions, and a co-founder of INC Research. Prior experiences include commercial banking and corporate law. He was a 4-year member of the Board of EduCate, the foundation for the five public schools in the University City area of San Diego. Tom stays engaged with Junior Theatre “because it makes San Diego a better place to live and raise a family.” Tom earned a B.A. from Capital University, and his Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from The Ohio State University.

June Cummins

June became a Trustee in 2010, and is an SDJT alum and past member of the Confetti honorary. She is an Associate Professor, Department of English and Comparative Literature, at San Diego State University, specializing in children’s literature. June has been at SDSU since 1996, and says that “many of the books I teach and research have been performed at San Diego Junior Theatre.” June has a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University.

Maura Daly Phinney

Maura has been a Trustee since 2007, and is an active parent volunteer. She is currently Senior Producer for KPBS Public Television, and has spent the last twenty years working in public television, including extensive experience in development campaigns. She has been a Board member for the San Jose Shakespeare Festival, and has developed a following at SDJT for photographing the “neighborhood groups” of students prior to shows. Maura has a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Carol Green

Carol became a Trustee in 2008, after serving for two years while SDJT Auxiliary President and Board representative. She is also a Past President of the Board of Trustees. Carol has been active in the Auxiliary and as a parent volunteer. She is the Community/Media Relations Director for the Safety Wellness Community Coalition, and also the Summer Camp Director for TASIS, The American School in England. Carol spent more than twenty years in radio and television news as a producer, reporter, writer and anchor. She has held multiple offices, both in local schools and district-wide, in several Parent-Teacher Associations and Parent-Teacher-Student Associations. She has served as a leader and on Service Unit Leadership Teams for Girl Scouts of San Diego/Imperial County. Carol has a B.A. in Communications and Journalism from San Diego State University.

Noreen Koizumi

Noreen became a Trustee in 2010, having previously served on the Board as Co-President of the SDJT Auxiliary. She has also been an active JT parent volunteer. Noreen has been the Director of Health Care Operations for the Community Health Group. Past positions include Director of Pharmacy at the San Ysidro Health Center. Noreen has been a Cub Scouts Den Leader, PTSA Board member, and member of the Community Advisory Board of the San Diego Pharmacist Resource and Research Network. She earned her PharmD degree from the School of the Pharmacy at the University of the Pacific.

Dr. Joseph M. Marron

Joe has served multiple terms as a Trustee, accumulating more than eleven years of service. He is a Past President and Past Vice President for the Board of Trustees, and an active parent volunteer. Joe is a University Administrator, currently serving as a Professor in Higher Education Administration at the School of Education, National University. He has been a President/Chair and/or Board member for the American Red Cross, United Way, Rotary International, UCLA Parents Council, San Diego County Alcohol Policy Panel and The Women’s Center. Joe received his Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Vanderbilt University, and completed Post-Doctoral work at the Harvard University Institute of Educational Management.

Catherine Morrison

Catherine became a Trustee in 2010, is past President of the SDJT Auxiliary, and is an active parent volunteer. She is an Attorney at Higgs, Fletcher & Mack. Past positions include Assistant Director of the Humanitas program at the Los Angeles Educational Project, where she assisted teachers in the L.A. School District develop new models of teaching at primary inner city schools. Catherine says that she loves SDJT because of the well-rounded experience provided to youth, including “valuable tools they can use throughout their lives – public speaking skills, confidence and the value of being a part of a group working towards a common goal.” Catherine has a B.S. in Psychology from USC, and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Liz Pendarvis

Liz became a Trustee in 2008, and is a past Co-President of the SDJT Auxiliary and an active parent volunteer. Liz states that she has “enjoyed all aspects of volunteering at San Diego Junior Theatre.” She is also very involved in the community, currently volunteering with MADCAPS (Mothers and Daughters Club Assisting Philanthropies) and the Thursday Club. Liz is a Special Education Assistant. She has a B.A. in Spanish and a B.A. in Journalism, both from San Diego State University.

Lizbeth Persons-Price

Lizbeth has been a Trustee since 2004, and has served SDJT as Vice President of the Board of Trustees, as a parent volunteer, and has occasionally been on staff directing Marketing, Public Relations and Development.  She is an alumna of the program and coordinates social media for SDJT alumni.  In 1992 she was a founder of the SDJT Auxiliary, which has evolved into an integral volunteer and fundraising support network.  A UC Berkeley graduate with 20 years experience in PR, marketing, constituent advocacy and fundraising, she is President of Persons Price Communications, and co-founder of Cause for Celebration, both consulting firms specializing in the creative growth of nonprofit and small business ventures.  Lizbeth is a founding member and past-President of the Friends of the Museum School Foundation and is affiliated with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Sharon Spivak

Sharon has been a Trustee since 2007, and is an active parent volunteer. She is a Deputy City Attorney in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. Sharon previously worked as an attorney in private practice with Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich. Prior to that, she spent twelve years as a newspaper reporter, including many years as a political writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Sharon has served as a volunteer at Francis Parker School, as a volunteer political and legal commentator for KUSI-TV, and as a Bill of Rights teacher in the City’s Partners in Education program. She has a B.S. from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Darien Webster

Darien became a Trustee in 2008, and spent eleven years at SDJT during his youth, when he was President of the Confetti honorary. He is the owner of Cabinets Direct. He is a San Diego native and graduate of Patrick Henry High School. Darien’s longtime association with SDJT has been instrumental in several notable fundraisers featuring “headliner” performers who are SDJT alumnae; most recently, SDJT Honors.