Please join us in welcoming:
Anna Kelberg-Kim, Eric Gnezda, Margo Ohlson, Chris Parthemore, Colleen Miller, Sarah C Barr, Janet Herman Barlow, and Violet Rae Webster
New Board Member Biographies:
Anna Kelberg-Kim is an entertainment lawyer and represents a diverse roster of clients in the music industry as well as literary artists, filmmakers, visual artists, performers and performing arts organizations. Anna combines business and legal knowledge of the industry to offer comprehensive representation to entertainment professionals on matters pertaining to Copyright and Trademark; Clearance and Licensing rights; Formation of Business Entity; and Contract Drafting, Review, and Negotiation.
Anna’s passion for helping people to build their careers in entertainment comes from her personal experiences as a musician and as being a parent of a music artist. Anna, classically trained violinist, and pianist, grew up in an arts-rich environment - her family, professional music educators, and music artists always stressed the importance and value of the arts as an integral part of their lives.
Anna believes that one of the keys to professional success is continuous learning and keeping current with industry trends. She is committed to the support of the community by serving as a committee member of the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Anna served as a Vice-Chair for 2018-2019 and, currently is a Chair for 2019-2020.
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Eric Gnezda is creator and host of the Ohio-based national television series, Songs at the Center, seen on more than 320 PBS stations across America. An award-winning singer-songwriter himself, he is a regular performer at Nashville’s iconic venue, The Bluebird Café, and a recipient of the Ohioana Citation for Music Composition, joining Michael Feinstein (American Songbook), Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane), and Chip Davis (Mannheim Steamroller).
Eric is an Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist and educator, having been a faculty member at Ohio Wesleyan University in public speaking and communication. He is a founding partner of the Ohio Songwriting Festival, a curator of regional songwriting concerts, and is frequently called upon to lead songwriting workshops around Ohio.
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Margo Ohlson is the Director of E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall at The University of Akron with a decade of successful theatre management. Her strengths are ensuring the sustainability of the Theatre’s operations, programs, finances, and community support. She believes in the importance of collaborating with University staff and departments to effectively implement the objectives of the University’s goals and mission. As an APAP Leadership Fellowship recipient, she hopes to fuel a stronger performing arts industry through the work of an arts leader. In her spare time, Margo enjoys spending time with her family of three children, husband, and dog or a long slow jog through the metro parks.
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Chris Parthemore is a native of Sandusky, Ohio and has a Bachelor of Education in Sport Management from Bowling Green State University. He is currently the Executive Director of the Sandusky State Theatre. Chris is a graduate of Leadership Erie County and a former board president of both North Coast Young Professionals and the Sandusky State Theatre. He has been in this role since 2017 and lives in Sandusky with his wife Julia and their daughter Emerson.
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2020 marks Colleen Miller's 30th year as a promoter. Getting started at the gritty Chicago roadhouse Biddy Mulligan’s in 1990 was invaluable. Small club, big acts, Tito Puente, Gil Scott-Heron, Ohio Players. From there, Coronet Theatre, Bela Fleck, Flaco Jimenez, They Might Be Giants. Then Colleen spent 17 fabulous years at Old Town School of Folk Music, Joan Baez, Townes Van Zandt, Alejandro Escovedo. Colleen founded and ran Chicago Folk & Roots Festival 15 years, Wilco, Tinariwen, Patti Smith, attendance 30,000. In 2012, she programmed City Winery Chicago’s launch, which included Lindsey Buckingham, Mavis Staples, Rosanne Cash.
In 2014, Colleen and her husband opened the Music Box Supper Club, a 2 venue complex in Cleveland, 400 public events annually, and an equal number of private events. Her main focus is programming, and… everything else. While the Music Box boasts big names, we're most proud of the local talent we feature, and the community that's been created.
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Sarah Barr is the Executive Director of Marysville Uptown Theatre the non-profit organization that owns and operates the Avalon Theatre in Marysville, Ohio. She is currently heading up a $3.2 million dollar capital campaign to transform the historic venue back into an Art Deco cultural arts center. After the construction, she will oversee the operations & programing of the Avalon.
Previously, Sarah has successfully raised $3.7 of a $3.5 million dollar capital campaign in Sidney, Ohio where they too are transforming the Historic Sidney Theatre into a venue in which to experience performing and cultural arts.
It is Sarah's mission to advocate for the arts and create new traditions and lasting memories through quality cultural arts activities. Sarah sees the value of the arts not only as an economic driving force but also as the unique thread that defines who we are as a community and the experiences we want for future generations.
Sarah shares her love of the arts with her husband Eric, daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie) and two fur babies Max & Bentley. In her free time, she creates pottery, paints and loves to entertain family and friends in her home.
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Janet Herman Barlow has worked for a variety of arts organizations in Ohio and has been involved with over 185 theatre productions since the third grade. She has been the Director of Stocker Arts Center/Lorain County Community College (LCCC) since September 2004.
Prior to coming to LCCC, she served as the General Manager of Cain Park in Cleveland Heights; General Manager of Fairmount Theatre of the Deaf (Cleveland Signstage Theatre); Executive Director of the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield; and the Executive Director of the Showboat BECKY THATCHER Theatre in Marietta. She was co-chair of the Arts Midwest Conference in 2017 and served on several boards throughout Ohio, including the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Arts Presenters Network (now the Ohio Arts Professionals Network - OAPN). Janet received both the Award of Merit for Exemplary Service to the Performing Arts Field and the Richard Lenhart Award of Excellence from OAPN.
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In 2016, Violet Rae Webster joined the professional staff of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati as Sales Manager for TCT On Tour, the organization’s touring division. Her focus is booking that division into schools, libraries, performance venues and theatres throughout the tri-state and beyond to present live educational productions that explore historical events, celebrate cultural heritage and new takes on literary favorites.
