Ellen Richard, Executive Director, comes to Laguna after serving as Executive Director of the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco. There she oversaw the purchase of the Strand Theatre, secured grants enabling ACT to offer no-cost rehearsal space to local artists and greatly expanded the company's education programming. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of the Second Stage Theatre in New York City. There she oversaw the purchase of the historic Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway, and provided the initial home for the Broadway productions of Everyday Rapture, Next to Normal, and The Little Dog Laughed. Ellen also enjoyed a rich and varied career with Roundabout Theatre Company. When Ellen first joined the Roundabout, it was a small nonprofit theater company in bankruptcy. By the time she departed as Managing Director, Roundabout had become one of the country's largest and most successful theatre companies of its kind, with net assets in excess of $67 million dollars. Ellen produced more than 125 shows at Roundabout, and is the recipient of six Tony Awards as producer, for productions of Cabaret (1998), A View From the Bridge (1998), Side Man (1999), Nine (2003), Assassins (2004) and Glengarry Glen Ross (2005). She began her career working as a stagehand, sound designer and scenic artist assistant.

Ann E. Wareham, Artistic Director, joined Laguna Playhouse in 2010 as Associate Producer and assumed the role of Artistic Director in August 2011.  She worked for 27 years as a producing partner and Producing Associate to Gordon Davidson at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, producing such plays as Ain’t Misbehavin’, Pippin, Spring Awakening, No Child…, Sweeney Todd, Distracted, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Edward Scissorhands, In the Continuum, Pyrenees, The Black Rider, Without Walls, Stuff Happens, Like Jazz, The Talking Cure, A Perfect Wedding and Putting It Together. Ann was part of the producing team for Deaf West Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening at Inner City Arts and the Wallis Theatre in Los Angeles as well as for its critically acclaimed production on Broadway in 2015.  In 2010, she supported the Pasadena Playhouse as Associate Producer for the West Coast premiere of Dangerous Beauty. Her early producing career included productions at the CAST Theatre, the Met and Theatre Rapport in Los Angeles, and The Victory Theatre where she served on the board of directors.  

Doug Vogel, Director of Development, comes to the Playhouse from Community Action Partnership of Orange County where he oversaw a $1.8 million fundraising and branding campaign for the organization’s 50^th anniversary.  Prior to that, he served as Director of Major Giving for Catalina Island Conservancy during the initial stages of the $150 million Imagine Catalina Capital Campaign.  Doug has produced highly acclaimed fundraising events including East LA Meets Napa and OC AIDS Walk, which was named “Best Charity” by OC Weekly in 2007.  A native of Orange County, Doug is an alumni of the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, has sang in Carnegie Hall, and has professionally written and performed music.  He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Fullerton and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Donna Inglima, Director of Youth Theatre, Education and Outreach, is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and of Actors’ Equity Association. She served on the Drama faculty of Syracuse University, University College, Utica College and the American Musical and Drama Academy in New York.  She was the Director of the Apprentice Program at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and Artistic Associate for the American Playwrights Theatre in New York.  For Laguna Playhouse, she a director, teacher, writer, producer and actress. She’s directed over 50 plays and has built the curriculum- based TYA Professional outreach program, TheatreReach: Bringing Books to Life. She’s adapted plays for the touring program as well as for the Youth Theatre stage;  The Sign of the Beaver, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Give a Boy a Gun, and By the Great Horn Spoon!  Donna founded Animal Crackers Unlimited, a troupe that produced plays for adults and youth in upstate New York.  Inglima received her MFA in Theatre from Syracuse University.

Louisa Balch, General Manager, joined Laguna Playhouse in May 2015 and is originally from beautiful Boulder, Colorado. She was previously the Associate Managing Director for the Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theatre, Company Manager for Yale Repertory Theatre, and Managing Director Fellow for Susan Medak at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Prior to graduate school, Louisa worked in General Management, Sales, and Marketing at Phoenix Theater in Arizona, where as the Tessitura Data and Analytics Manager and led a conversion to the Tessitura Software and established the company’s Analytics department. She holds an MFA in Theatre Management from the Yale School of Drama. At Yale she was the recipient of the Shubert Scholarship and Benjamin Moredecai Memorial scholarship in Theater Management. Louisa graduated Magna Cum Laude from Muhlenberg College with a BA in Theatre and minor in Business. 

Dee Dee Irwin, Director of Marketing and Communications, joined Laguna Playhouse in fall 2013. Under her direction, the Playhouse was named "Best in OC" in Live Theatre in 2016 and 2015 by the OC Register, and 2017 and 2016 "Best Theatre Group" by Orange County Hot List. Her background includes serving as part of the producing team for a number of shows including Blues for an Alabama Sky, Twist (Director, Debbie Allen), and Dangerous Beauty, as well as the Marketing and Box Office team for Baby It’s You (pre-Broadway run), Eric Idle’s What About Dick, John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown, Back to Bacharach and David and The Gay Marriage Plays. Her experience includes large-scale multi-day music, television and film festivals, fundraising events, and serving as the ticketing and events manager for Visa’s Hospitality program at the 2000 and 2002 Olympics. Prior to joining Laguna Playhouse, Dee Dee spent 14 years as the Director of Marketing at an internationally renowned Top 10 law firm, overseeing multiple offices. Dee Dee holds her BA in Theatre, her Masters in Humanities, and is a proud member of IATSE Local 857/ Treasurers and Ticket Sellers. Memberships include: Laguna Beach Arts Alliance, TLCC 2017 and 2016 Planning Committee.

Leslie Anne Mogul, Associate Director of Development, is celebrating her 7th season with Laguna Playhouse, where she is responsible for assisting our non-profit professional regional theatre in raising $1.4 million annually. Leslie is valued for her creativity and expertise in fundraising, public relations, event development and relationship management and works with our sponsors, major donors and leading corporate partners to maximize and showcase their support. Leslie’s passion is to make a difference in people’s lives through experiencing the joy of a live theatre performance. Growing up in Baltimore, she remembers the happiest of times sitting front row center with her family enjoying live theatre, ballet, symphony and opera, and has held tickets to every type of live performance since. Prior to joining the Playhouse, Leslie had a successful 30+ year career as Director of Marketing and Communications for ScrippsHealth in San Diego; President of Project Works Marketing, a consulting firm providing grant writing, donor relations, sponsorship programs, fundraising communications and gala event coordination for regional and national organizations; and Vice President for McKinney PR & Advertising in Philadelphia. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Temple University School of Communications & Theatre, and a MBA in Finance from University of Phoenix. Memberships include: Association of Fundraising Professionals and Leadership California.

Jim Prodger, Operations Director, returned to Southern California (USC ’87 MFA Scenic and Costume Design), and joined the Playhouse staff in August 2010. Jim brings over thirty years’ experience in Art Direction, Production Management and Design for Theatre, Film, Television, Dance and Opera, working extensively across the United States (Telluride Repertory Theatre, Knoxville and Tulsa Operas, HGTV, HBO, Dogwood Entertainment and BBC America, Savannah Philharmonic, Choral Society and Savannah Danse Theatre, to name a few); and in Europe (Budapest, Hungary and Bratislava, Slovenia (The International Theatre Artists Program - Clarence Brown Company and University of Tennessee Theatres). Jim is especially proud to be part of the Playhouse family as we head toward our Centennial season celebration!

Veltria Roman, Box Office Manager, joined the Laguna Playhouse team in fall 2014, bringing with her almost 20 years experience working in performing arts and live events in every aspect of including stage management, artistic planning, theater management, human resources, event production, and ticketing operations.  Prior to coming to Laguna Playhouse, Veltria spent 3 years working in New York at the Kaufman Music Center restructuring their venue rental and ticketing operations to increase sales in both areas.  During this time she also expanded her event production experience working with DeVoe Signature events, the leader in Plus Size Fashion Events. She is responsible for all Ticketing Operations at the Laguna Playhouse and lends her 8+ years experience in the Tessitura ticketing software to assist in improved patron interaction and Customer Service.  Veltria holds a Bachelor's degree in English with a Theater Emphasis and was a panelist and conference planner for TLCC 2016.

Irene Samadoff, Controller, is happy to be joining the Playhouse family, beginning in Fall 2016. She was previously the Accountant & Operations Manager at  Corazon de Vida Foundation (CDV) and worked tirelessly side by side with the President and CdV Staff  to break the vicious cycle of poverty from perpetuating child abandonment by providing support for orphaned and abandoned children in Baja, Mexico. At CDV she was responsible for the oversight of all financial, accounting and reporting activities. This included ensuring that all the systems and procedures were in place to support program implementation, developing controls designed to mitigate risk and  ensure the accuracy of reported financial.  She successfully managed their annual Gala and  various fundraisers throughout the year.  Additionally, she has significant experience with public and private accounting. Irene has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Accounting from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Joe Hanauer
Principal, Combined Investments, LLC
Board Co-Chairman  

Paul Singarella
Partner, Latham & Watkins LLC
Board Co-Chairman

Glenn E. Gray
CEO, South County Bank
Treasurer 

Cynthia Harriss
Executive Vice President, David’s Bridal
Vice Treasurer

Terri Turner
Investment Advisor
Board Secretary 

Toni Alexander
President and Creative Director, InterCommunicationsInc.

Timothy D. Carlyle
Partner, Songstad Randall Coffee & Humphrey, LLP

Steven R. Chidester
Managing Partner, Margaret A. Chidester & Associates

Jamie Walters El-Erian
Partner, Walters Law Firm

Cody Engle
Principal, Open Door Advisors

Ken Fischbeck
President, Laguna Crest Enterprise

Lisa Hale
Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLC

James Hale
Managing Partner, Parallax Capital Partners, LLC

Dr. Gary Jenkins
Retired Chief of Pediatrics, St. Joseph Hospital

Barbara MacGillivray
Executive, MacGillivray Freeman Films

Greg MacGillivray
Chairman, MacGillivray Freeman Films

Melinda Masson
CEO, Masson Strategic Advisors LLC

Jared K. Mathis
CEO, The Moulton Company

James R. Mellor
Retired Chairman, CEO General Dynamics Corp.

Heidi Miller
Owner, Tight Assets, The World Newstand

Justin Myers
Entrepreneur

Tim Spangler
Partner, Dechert LLP

Nicholas Yrizarry
President and CEO Nicholas Yrizarry Advisors

Ann E. Wareham
Artistic Director, Laguna Playhouse

Ellen Richard
Executive Director, Laguna Playhouse