Page 58 - July 2017 inLeague and Conference Program

Conference Speakers Continued

Mississippi, with a Bachelor of Science degree in dramatic art and a Master of Fine Arts in acting from The Ohio
University, Athens, Ohio.

Paul Siemborski has been active in the League serving on the board for a second term and presenting
at the annual conference on numerous occasions. He also serves as a board member of the Cleveland
Play House, America's first regional theatre. As Principal at Westlake Reed Leskosky, Paul works with historic
theaters and clients all over the country and is also responsible for the public relations and marketing. He
oversees the development of new initiatives, making certain initial planning and concept design provides
the proper framework for planning and implementation. In the initial design stage, Paul works closely with
project leadership and key stakeholders to determine project goals, budget, design intent, phasing and
implementation, and relevant long term impact on the facility. Paul is versed in organizing and leading
consultants strategic to the project goals, including: economic analysts, business operations, marketing and
branding, funding and traditional building trade consultants. Paul's recent work includes master plan consulting
for various private high schools, colleges and performing arts clients.

Stephanie Silverman has been Executive Director of the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, TN since 2007. She also
serves as Board VP of LHAT, and Treasurer of Art House Convergence. Stephanie previously worked for Dance
Center of Columbia College, Chicago; Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI; and founded the Arts on the Green
Festival, Omaha, NE. She was recently named Nashvillian of the Year.

Emily Simmons has served as the Colonial Theatre's Development Director since February 2015. She brings
a decade of experience fundraising and grant writing for organizations with education programs including
a national pediatric literacy nonprofit Reach Out and Read, the Pennsylvania SPCA, and the first urban
environmental education center, the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. She manages the Colonial's
membership, annual fund, $8M 'Bank on the Arts' building expansion campaign, and grants. After nearly 20
years of operating as a nonprofit, the Colonial is reconsidering its mission. Its expansion from a one-screen to a
three-screen theatre center has prompted an exploration of how best to develop its existing Young Audiences
program series into a robust, relevant, and resonant education program. Emily completed a certificate in
Fundraising at Villanova University via a scholarship from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She has a
master's degree in English literature from the University of Connecticut, where she also taught and specialized in
non-realist dramatic literature and the gothic and supernatural modes. Emily graduated Phi Beta Kappa from
Gettysburg College with a bachelor's degree in both English and Theatre arts. While there, she was a member
of its Owl and Nightingale Players.

As Vice President of Integrated Communications at FilmLA, Philip Sokoloski oversees corporate
communications, community relations, marketing and research programs for the world’s largest and busiest
film office. With more than 120 projects being filmed each day on L.A. area streets and soundstages -- including
celebrated projects like La La Land, Modern Family and American Horror Story, plus thousands of commercials.
Philip holds a M.A. in strategic public relations from USC Annenberg, and a B.A. in English from the University of
Colorado, Boulder.

Ken Stein became the League’s President and CEO in 2012 following a thorough national search. He is the
former Executive Director of the Austin Theatre Alliance, and more recently, Vice President at the AT&T Center
in Dallas. Upon his hiring, Ken said, “When I left the Paramount and State Theatres, it was with a very heavy
heart, but I knew I would eventually find my way back to the historic theatre movement, a cause I am very
passionate about.” Many League members are familiar with Stein from his presentations at the Annual League
Conferences in Cleveland and San Antonio. Stein has worked with several non-profits over the past 20 years. He
began his career in the for profit sector with Humana Inc. where he spent 5 years as Director of Marketing and
Public Relations. Since entering the non-profit arena, Stein has raised over $100 million for local, regional, and
national non-profit organizations. His accomplishments with special events and on-line fundraising have been
featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The NonProfit Times, InternetWeek.com, Business Week Online and
Direct Marketing News. In 2008, Stein was recognized for his use of social media platforms by Fast Company
Magazine which listed him as one of the most influential people on the internet during the 2008 elections. His
writing has been positively reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post and Atlantic Monthly
Magazine.

PAGE 56| INLEAGUE League of Historic American Theatres