Responsible for financial oversight of Forward Theater Company.
Becky Baumbach’s current position at MATC finds her responsible for visionary leadership of the College’s planning, research, institutional effectiveness, AQIP, communication and public relations, marketing and enrollment development, Foundation / Alumni, grants, and human resource functions. She manages the strategic planning processes of the college and assures that college processes and procedures are in alignment with learning college principles and AQIP principles and criteria. Prior to coming to MATC-Madison in 2002, Becky was first a Quality and Leadership instructor and then a member of the leadership team at Chippewa Valley Technical College from 1989-2002. Her positions before joining the WTCS provided a wide variety of perspectives: elected county board supervisor, Eau Claire County Commission on Aging Director, personnel services director, director of volunteer services, and a social work case worker. Becky has twin daughters, working in Florida and Colorado.
Jane Elder has been actively engaged in communicating about environmental issues and advocating for protection of the natural world and human well-being over the last 30 years. She was the founding director of Biodiversity Project – a nonprofit communications organization dedicated to raising public awareness about the diversity of life on Earth, and the urgent need to take action to protect it. In 2002 she received a Bay Foundation Biodiversity Leadership Award given to “individuals with proven capacity to help stem the loss of biological diversity.” Previously, Jane worked for the Sierra Club, heading up its Midwest office for many years where she founded the Sierra Club’s Great Lakes program, and later served as the national director of Ecoregion Programs. She holds degrees from Michigan State University (BA, Communications) and University of Wisconsin, (MS, Land Resources). Her background includes extensive experience in nonprofit management, program development and social change strategies. She currently consults on strategic communications for social change, with an emphasis on complex environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss, global warming, ecosystem restoration, and the role of participatory democracy in achieving effective solutions. The arts have always been an important part of Jane’s life. She was an active member of the Friends of APT, and later the theatre’s advisory group for many years. Jane is involved with modern dance, enjoys music and the visual arts, and dabbles in watercolor painting and quilting. She enjoys writing, from song lyrics to policy analysis, and recently completed a manuscript for a book about the challenge of protecting the Great Lakes ecosystems.
Charles N. Ford is currently UW Emeritus Professor of Surgery in the Division of Otolaryngology where he served as Chair 1995-2007. His interest in theater dates back to his teenage and early college years when --as an enthusiastic, but not awesomely talented theater major-- he recognized early on that his talents were better suited for a career in science. Chuck's academic career is marked by an interest in the human voice. With his team of clinical voice specialists he has worked closely with actors, singers, and other voice professionals. His research focus is laryngology and voice disorders. His research program evolved through promotion of objective voice evaluation and videostroboscopy in clinical practice and the introduction of bioimplants for vocal fold restoration. Historically, he co-edited the first American textbook on Phonosurgery in 1990 covering the relevant advances in laryngology. Recently he is collaborating with researchers in the application of tissue engineering methods to restoring vocal folds. His curriculum vita reflects numerous eponymous lectures nationally and he has been a frequent invited lecturer abroad. He received the Presidential Citation and James Newcomb Award for outstanding contributions to the literature in laryngology from the American Laryngological Association. His national leadership positions include Past-president of the American Broncho-Esophagological Association and the Society of University Otolaryngologists -Head and Neck Surgeons. He reviews for over 12 medical journals and serves on 5 Editorial Boards. Locally, he is involved in the arts community, recently serving on the Madison Symphony Board and currently on the Madison Opera Board.
Marta Gialamas has lived in the greater Madison area her entire life. She has always had a passion for the arts and is delighted at the opportunity to work with the Forward Theater Company. Marta graduated from the University of Wisconsin –Madison with a degree in Political Science and has since worked at Gingras, Cates and Luebke, S.C. as the Office Manager. Currently she lives in Middleton, WI with her husband, Aris, and son, George. Her husband is the Vice President of The Gialamas Company, a family owned commercial real estate development company. Her son is an active one year old who loves to play with the family dogs, Socrates and Plato. Marta has also recently become involved with the American Cancer Society in the goal of bringing a Hope Lodge to Madison.
Kathie Nichols is employed by the First United Methodist Church as its Business Administrator, having held that position since 1990. She holds a BA in History, minor in Literature from Binghamton University; and an MBA in Economics and Public Policy from The George Washington University. She has long been an active supporter of civic and cultural organizations in Madison (and presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Madison Foundation for Public Schools). Kathie has lived in Madison since 1982, when she moved here with her husband, Bill White. Their two sons, Nick and Andy White, were born and raised here. Her son, Andy, is currently studying Musical Theatre Performing Arts at Pace University in New York.
Karen Saunders has been a business owner in Wisconsin for over 30 years. She owned Art Fitters, a business that represented Wisconsin artists and marketed their original artwork to Wisconsin businesses, helping to keep the arts alive in Wisconsin. She has given presentations to businesses on the value of art in the business community. Karen worked as a community developer in Madison under the Americorps VISTA program. She is the cofounder of MCFA-Madison Contemporary Fiber Artists, a group of fiber artists who collectively show their artwork in galleries in the midwest. Currently she is involved with Friends of the Fitchburg Library, a grassroots organization which is helping to make a library in Fitchburg a reality. She and her husband Tom own Commercial Casework Supply and make their home in Fitchburg.
Joseph Shapiro brings with him a varied career in business administration and a passion for the arts. He currently serves as director, administration and operations, for the New York office of Foley & Lardner LLP. He has, in prior years, held senior administrative positions at the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Newsweek Magazine and several New York City law firms. When not working or attending FTC Board meetings, Joseph is singing. His performing experience began with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, appearing with them at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and on tour. He has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra; and, with the chorus, has backed up such performers as Harvey Fierstein, Kristen Chenowith, Joel Grey, Elaine Stritch and Eartha Kitt. He has also performed with Four Season Theatre in Madison.
Joe Shumow is a corporate attorney in Foley & Lardner LLP's Madison office. He has his BBA in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics from UW-Madison and his JD from Washington University in St. Louis. Joe is active in the Madison community, with a focus on both the use of land and the arts. He is a board member and Treasurer of The Rodney Scheel House Foundation, a member of Edition MMOCA, a member of the Tenney Park Shelter Group, and a member of the First United Methodist Church task force on homelessness. Joe is currently reading the Harry Potter series.
Scott B. Thornton, Treasurer, has worked in both private and public accounting for 25 years. He is currently a team leader in the Wisconsin State Budget Office, Department of Administration. Mr. Thornton is a former chair of the Madison Arts Commission, treasurer of the Madison Central Business Improvement District and is currently the president of the Marquette Neighborhood Association. He is from the Wausau area where he was a member of the Wausau Symphony. His interest in theater was cultivated by his father who performed in numerous productions with the Wausau Community Theatre.
Erin Wenzel is Director of Development for 201 State Foundation, the 501(c)(3) support organization that raises funds to support Overture Center for the Arts' free and low-cost community and education programs, as well as other programs and initiatives which help to advance the mission and goals of Overture. Prior to her career in development, Erin spent 8 years as a professional theater stage manager based in Chicago where she worked with such renowned theatres as Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens and Chicago Shakespeare. Erin was the production stage manager on Chicago Shakespeare's multiple Joseph Jefferson Award winning production of Rose Rage which transferred to New York's The Duke on 42nd Street for a limited off-Broadway run in 2004.
