PBS RENO - Key Persons

Chuck Reider has been a professional trombonist for over 46 years, starting his career in San Francisco where he received a Bachelor's Degree in music from San Francisco State University. In 1978, he moved to the Reno-Tahoe area where he played his first casino gig at the Cal-Neva, which featured Johnny Ray and a new, up-and-coming comedian, Jay Leno. As a showroom musician, Reider performed with all the great entertainers from Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. to Diana Ross and Willie Nelson. He performed with the Reno Philharmonic for more than 30 years, retiring in 2018. He is a founding member of the Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO) and was the Music and Executive Director from 2006 to 2021, and is currently the Board President. With the close of casino showrooms, Reider began his studies of Civil Engineering at UNR and in 1995 received a Bachelor of Science degree. He then worked for the Nevada Department of Transportation for 18 years, retiring as NDOT's Chief Safety Engineer in 2013. Music is Reider's passion, and though he no longer plays trombone professionally, he feeds his passion composing and arranging for big band. During the pandemic, he co-produced RJO's "Spirits," a celebration of the music of Earth, Wind, and Fire which was released in 2021. He is committed to the RJO's mission to bring our community world-class big band performances and motivating the next generation of jazz musicians through the RJO education program. Reider has been married to his wife Candy for 35 years and they have two adult sons, Charlie and Matt. Charlie lives in Chicago and is a talented guitarist. Matt lives in Seattle and his passion is the world of the drag queen, performing and producing shows while creating his own unique costumes.

Dave Santina

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Director of Local Content

David Dehls

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Member of the Board of Trustees

David Medow

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Broadcast Content Supervisor

Diane Barrett

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Community Partnership Director

Dick Schuster

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Honorary Lifetime Trustee

Dominique Kent

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Education Services Assistant

Don Alexander, Studio

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Production Technician

Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Dustin Miller

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Building Maintenance Technician

Emily Moore

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Executive Assistant & Board Liaison

Emma Glenn

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Vice President of Development
VP of Development

Enrique Sandoval

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Content Creator II

Floyd Rowley

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Member of the PBS Reno Board of Trustees

Gigi Slusher

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Membership Representative

Gregory Mosier

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Guinivere Clark

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Content Creator III

Hillary Rosenfeld

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Associate Director

Holly Hutchinson

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Development Coordinator
Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Jeffrey Knight

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Programming Assistant

Jim Pfrommer

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Honorary Lifetime Trustee

Joan Bradley

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Honorary Lifetime Trustee

John Bennum

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Reno Jazz Orchestra 's Executive Director by Chuck Reider - June 24, 2022

Joy Foremaster

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Director of Education
Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Karin Hilgersom

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Karley Pardue

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Administrative Assistant
Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Katy Simon

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Kris Perry

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Volunteer Coordinator

Kris Vagner

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Contributor

Kurt A. Mische - CEO, President

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CEO
Member of the Board of Trustees
Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
President

L. Mark Newman

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Lakota Jaussen

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Lori Gilbert

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Member of the Board of Trustees

M. Donald Kowitz - Treasurer

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Member of the Board of Trustees
Treasurer

Mark Herron

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Mark Salinas

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Contributor

Megan Lee Aguas

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Multiplatform Content Specialist

Megan Myers

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Vice President of Content

Melissa Peel

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Mercedes de la Garza

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Michael Rooker

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Michal Heiplik - President

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President

Nancy Maldonado

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Vice President of Education

Naomi Huerta

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Nathan Kanute

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Member of the Board of Trustees

Paul Johnson

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Broadcast Engineering Technician

Rebecca Cronon

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Content Creator III

Robert Pearce

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Honorary Lifetime Trustee

Robin Mercer

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Development Officer
Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff

Rosine Bena

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ART VIEWS Contributor
Contributor
Professional Prima Ballerina and Founding Artistic Director

Rosine Bena is a Former Professional Prima Ballerina and Founding Artistic Director of Sierra Nevada Ballet and the SNB Academy in Reno. As a professional ballerina, Bena graced stages in performances worldwide for 28 years and received critical acclaim as a "Prima" for dancing principal roles in ballets such as Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet, Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardee, and many contemporary works by choreographers such as John Cranko, Jiri Kylian, and many others. She danced professionally with the Stuttgart Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and has performed as guest artist with several US companies. In her early years, Bena trained at the Washington School of Ballet with Mary Day, Anne Bena, and staff. In later years, Bena studied the Mensendieck System of Functional Exercises with physical therapist, Michael Keropian, in San Francisco. Having taught ballet and related arts for over 50 years, Bena is the former Director of Peninsula Ballet Theatre School in California (internationally known for its fine ballet training), former Arts Education Specialist for the Arts Council of San Mateo County, former director of the Reno Ballet, Perspectives Dance Theatre, and the founder and former director of Collage Community School for The Arts Dance Program serving 8,000 students in the SF Bay Area. Bena has choreographed over 70 professional productions and numerous community theater events. In addition to her duties as founding SNB Artistic Director, Bena is the Director of the Sierra Nevada Ballet Academy in Reno and Ballet Consultant for Western Nevada Performing Arts Center in Carson City. Bena has been a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science for over 20 years and received a standing ovation at their conference in Spain in 2001 for her work on Injury Prevention in Dance. The recipient of numerous grant awards, Bena was awarded the title of "Outstanding Individual Artist for 1992" by the Arts Council of San Mateo County and she has been honored by Congress and the CA. State Legislature for her work in the arts; at Kennedy Center and the White House by the Clintons as a Washington School of Ballet graduate, and in Who's Who in America in the category of Outstanding Americans. Bena is guest Master teacher and Adjudicator for the Regional Dance America (national organization) Festivals. She acted as curriculum consultant and was one of the first Master teachers in the world to be invited to be fully certified in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum and act as an ambassador for ABT. Bena was invited to join the staff of ABT in 2010 teaching at two of their five summer ballet intensive workshops. Bena wrote a monthly column on Dance for the Reno Gazette-Journal for six years and continues to guest teach, choreograph, and lecture on dance throughout the USA and Europe. Preparations Underway for SNB Historic Event by Rosine Bena - July 14, 2023 SNB is the Only Company in the World Authorized to Perform The Last Unicorn by Rosine Bena - June , 2023 ART In The Family by Rosine Bena - May 5, 2023 SNB Presents an Eclectic Brew, Brats & Ballet by Rosine Bena - March 31, 2023 A Labor of Love by Rosine Bena - February 24, 2023 A Strong Spirit of Collaboration is Evident in the Reno Arts Community by Rosine Bena - January 20, 2023 The Peanutcracker: The Story behind the Story by Rosine Bena - December 16, 2022 A Tale of Two Sugar Plums for Sierra Nevada Ballet by Rosine Bena - November 11, 2022 Dance Theatre of Harlem Returns to Reno by Rosine Bena - October 7, 2022 Ballet Training Can Greatly Enhance the Childbirth Experience by Rosine Bena - September 9, 2022 SNB's Swan Lake: The Product of a Devoted Arts Community by Rosine Bena - August 12, 2022 SNB Presents Swan Lake with an International cast of Professional Dancer s by Rosine Bena - July 15, 2022 SNB Performs Swan Lake at Eldorado as Part of Artown by Rosine Bena - June 17, 2022 Swan Lake: A Life-Changing Experience by Rosine Bena - May 20, 2022 SNB Presents the Popular Brew, Brats and Ballet in Reno and Carson City by Rosine Bena - April 22, 2022 Regional Dance America Presents Inaugural Festival in Reno by Rosine Bena - April 1, 2022

Sam Harris

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Director of Membership

PBS Reno Director of Membership Sam Harris has been named a Rising Star in Public Media, a new initiative from Current. Current is a nonprofit news organization covering public media in the U.S. for professionals in the industry.

Sandra Pena

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Member of the PBS Reno Management and Staff
Associate Content Creator

Sara Lafrance

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Member of the Board of Trustees
Vice Chair

Scott Craigie

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Honorary Lifetime Trustee

Scott Faulkner

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Principal
Contributor

Scott Faulkner is principal bassist of the Reno Chamber Orchestra and the Reno Phil. He is also director of the League of American Orchestras' Essentials of Orchestra Management seminar as well as its Alumni Network.