Page 46 - July 2019 Conference Program Volume 42 No. 01

and charitable resource for the arts; Preserve the historic theaters as cultural resources.

Russ Collins is Executive Director & CEO of Michigan Theatre Foundation, which operated the Michigan and
State Theatres in Ann Arbor, MI. Russ is also Founding Director of Art House Convergence.

Scott Cryer, AIA LEED AP BD+C leads a team of designers who create transformative cultural and performing art
spaces across the country. He is a firm believer in integrated design, including diverse voices and disciplines in
the design process, and helps to build lasting relationships long after project completion.

As President and CEO, Doreen P. Cugno handles strategic planning, budgets, operations, programming,
development, fundraising, maintenance and capital restoration projects. The organization has grown from 3
ladies and a dozen volunteers to a staff of 7 F/T and 100 P/T employees, over 100 volunteers, and a strong and
dedicated Board of Directors.
Doreen holds a B. A. in Dance with a Minor in Music from Point Park University and had an extensive career as
a dance educator/choreographer in Staten Island for over 20 years. She is the co-owner of the family business
Mrs. Rosemary’s Dance Studio that was established in 1959. Doreen resides in Staten Island with her husband
Michael and two children, Michael-Scott and Rose.

Michael DiBlasi, ASTC, IALD is a partner and principal designer in the Minneapolis office and has been
an integral part of Schuler Shook since its inception. His hands-on understanding of performance venue
requirements; including technical, functional and aesthetic issues; provides an invaluable resource to the
design of theatre facilities. Michael’s involvement in the project begins with pre-design and programming
studies that help shape the immediate and long-range requirements for the facility. His involvement continues
throughout the project as Michael collaborates with all members of the design team to develop the project’s
original vision into its successful completion.

Janet Zoubek Dickson is the Access Coordinator for McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey. She
oversees the services benefiting people with disabilities, Audio Description for people with vision loss, ASL for
people who are deaf or hard of hearing, Open Captioning for people with hearing loss. She also works with
several departments at the theatre to bring about sensory friendly performances for people on the autism
spectrum, and those with developmental or cognitive differences. She has been an Audio Describer for over
30 years, since the service began. She also trains new audio describers and consults with other New Jersey
theaters on implementing various accessibility programs. Janet is a member of the Cultural Access Network of
NJ, a project of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Steven Ehrenberg is Director of Production, Kings Theatre, Brooklyn; Director of Technical Production
Ambassador Theatre Group, North America. Before assuming duties as Director of production at the Kings
Theatre in Brooklyn three years ago, Steven was the principal and owner of Eberg Stage Solutions, a firm
involved in both consulting on and managing a variety of live performance productions, theatrical building
renovations and new theatre construction. Steven has been involved in projects including The Colonial
Theatre, Boston, The Hudson Theatre, The Kings Theatre, The Boston Opera House, The Hippodrome Theatre in
Baltimore, The Theatres at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Theatres on the Kotai Strip in Macau, The Phantom
Las Vegas Theatre , The Jersey Boys theatre in the Palazzo, The Venetian Showroom, The Planet Hollywood Las
Vegas Showroom, and many other projects and productions. Steven has been the Vice President of Technical
Production for BASE Entertainment, The Vice President of Technical Supervision for Live Nation, Theatrical
Division. Steven serves on the Entertainment Technician Certification Program council and is currently working
on The Colonial Theatre in Boston for ATG.

Jon Elbaum serves as the Executive Director of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Built in 1875, the Music Hall is
listed in the National Register and has been in almost continuous use since that time. With 1175 seats, the hall is
renowned worldwide for its acoustics and has hosted thousands of concerts by celebrated artists including Yo
Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Elvis Costello, Trey Anastasio, Ella Fitzgerald, Pete Seeger, Sarah Vaughn, Wynton Marsalis,
and many more. During his tenure at the hall, the number of in-house presentations has more than doubled
and total ticket sales have nearly tripled. Jon also served in leadership capacities at the Ames Center in
Burnsville, Minnesota and the Bridge View Center in Iowa. Jon received a BA from Grinnell College and an MBA
from the University of Colorado. He is a recovering musician.

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