KEENE CONSULTING - Key Persons
Andrea Somers is a thoughtful and energetic HR professional, who passionately believes that PEOPLE are critical to the operations and success of any business. She brings years of experience as a senior leader in non-profit arts and media companies and is skilled at intentionally building authentic relationships with and between people in the workplace. Organizational culture change, strategic thinking, planning and helping individuals and groups connect their work with the mission of the organization are ways that Andrea helps make an impact. Andrea is a champion of equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging for each company she partners with, and has been a leader of this work in multiple companies. She believes that by approaching all projects, planning and decisions through this lens, and considering how humans will experience the work being done, are the keys to the long-term success of any project or organization. Andrea holds a Master's Degree in Adult Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and has worked as HR Director/Associate General Manager of Frankie's Restaurant Group in Downtown Dallas, as the Director of People Operations at Dallas Theater Center, and currently serves as Vice President, People Strategy at KERA, the NPR/PBS affiliate of North Texas.
Job Titles:
- Founder and Producer of ADH Theatricals
Andy Hamingson is the Founder and Producer of ADH Theatricals, LLC, a producing, presenting, and touring company working in the US and Europe. Previous Productions include Some Old Black Man starring Wendell Pierce, Sancho starring Patterson Joseph, The Woman in Black, An Inspector Calls, Private Peaceful, and The King's Speech. Next up is the World Premiere opera of A Marvelous Order by Judd Greenstein, Tracy K. Smith, and Joshua Frankel. Andy served as Interim Executive Director for Second Stage Theatre from January to September 2020. He was the first ever Executive Director of St. Ann's Warehouse from 2012 to 2016 where he oversaw the company's relocation to its permanent home in the historic Tobacco Warehouse and the $31.5 million capital campaign. Prior to St. Ann's, Andy was the Executive Director of the Public Theater where Hair won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Andy served as Atlantic Theater Company's Managing Director from 2004. ATC's world premiere of Spring Awakening transferred to Broadway and won 8 Tony Awards, including Best New Musical in 2007. Andy began his professional New York theater career at Manhattan Theatre Club where he worked for 12 years, culminating in the raising of $40 million as Director of Development to renovate and restore the Friedman Theater. He is a Trustee of 59E59 Theatres, Dance Heginbotham, and Building for the Arts. Andy has been Visiting Professor in the Theater Management Program of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University since 1995.
Job Titles:
- Production and Event Management
- Production Manager for the Kimmel Center
Christopher Nelson is currently a Production Manager for the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia where he advances and oversees events in a variety of venues. He helped steer the Wilma Theater through the pandemic as Production Manager from 2019-2022 where they remained open, producing a radio play as well as two plays filmed on location. From 2016-2019, Chris was the Associate Production Manager for the REP at the University of Delaware. Prior to that he was the Director of Venue Management at West Chester University for two years. From 2000-2014, Chris was the Technical Director for McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ. He started his Theater career working as a Technical Director at both the Arden and Wilma Theaters in Philadelphia in the late 90's.
Job Titles:
- Walker International Communications Group, Inc
Donna Walker-Kuhne is an award winning thought leader, writer and strategist for community engagement, audience development and social justice. She is President of Walker International Communications Group, a 30 year old boutique marketing and audience development consulting agency. She was formerly Director of Marketing for both The Public Theater and Dance Theater of Harlem. She provides consulting services to numerous arts organizations throughout the world and has generated over $22m in earned income. She is also Senior Advisor, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion at New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Currently her portfolio includes social justice initiatives and Equity Diversity Inclusion workshops. She is a veteran of over 22 Broadway productions and her nonprofit clients include Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, The Apollo Theater, Santa Fe Opera and Brooklyn Arts Council. She is co-founder of Impact Broadway - a three year multicultural project that engaged over 900 students as audience members for Broadway with the goal to empower this community to be economic drivers of new audiences for the Broadway Theater district. She is a lecturer and keynote presenter for international arts conferences in Blomfontein, South Africa, Croatia, and Australian Arts Conferences. She is an adjunct professor at New York University and Columbia University. She is the recipient of over 50 awards including the 2021 SGI-USA Distinguished Pioneer Award and the 2019 League of Professional Theatre Women Rachel Crothers Leadership Award. Her first book, Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to Arts, Culture and Community, was published in 2005 and her second book, Champions for the Arts: Lessons and Successful Strategies for Building Anti-Racist Arts Organizations will be published this fall. She has a weekly blog, Arts and Culture Connections that explores cultural efforts to expand diverse audiences. She is also a Board member for Newark Arts Council, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Signature Theater (NY), HARLEM WEEK and The Harlem Arts Alliance.
Jack Feivou has been a seasoned leader in the entertainment space for more than 30 years. He has worked in non-profits, performing arts centers, and major theme parks throughout the world. Currently he is the Vice President of Production and Executive Producer for Enchant Christmas who produce the World's Largest Christmas Light Maze using light, art, and story to create over 10 acres of adventure - and a magical Village featuring ice skating, dining, gift shopping, live entertainment on three stages, and photo visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Jack has worked at Walt Disney World® serving as Production Manager, Producer and General Manager, where he produced over 200 events, including the longest running show at the Magic Kingdom® Park. He also worked as Senior Show Producer at Universal Creative where he produced the land of Hollywood for Universal Studios Beijing, President & CEO of Fox Associates, where he led the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis, MO, and at the Boston Ballet as the Director of Artistic Operations and the Chief Operating Officer. Jack has been a member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology since 1991, serving multiple roles including the Vice President for Conferences, Commissioner for the Management Commission, Vice Commissioner for the Stage Management Mentoring Project (SMMP), and a Director at Large. Jack was a SMMP Mentor for over ten years and has presented at over 17 conferences.
Job Titles:
- CGMA, PMP
- Founder and Owner of Leveraging Financial Knowledge
Lesley F Katz, CPA, is the founder and owner of Leveraging Financial Knowledge, LLC. Lesley has over 25+ years of experience in industry and public practice as well as Not-for-Profits leveraging her experience managing Business Administration functions, internal and external Audit, and financial consulting. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics at Ursinus College, before earning her Post Baccalaureate degree in Accounting from ASU West, and Certificate in Financial Planning from Temple University. She maintains CPA License in Pennsylvania, and CGMA and PMP certifications. Lesley Katz holds memberships in AICPA and the Personal Financial Services division, and PICPA. She has done consulting work for Phila Men & Boys Chior, worked at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia as the Business Manager/CFO during a transition period, and is the Founding Treasurer of Orchestra Concordia - a large chamber orchestra in Wayne, PA. Lesley founded Leveraging Financial Knowledge, LLC to empower business owners and individuals to take control of their financial lives. Lesley continues to support the community through participation in the Greater Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, PEO - a women's philanthropic educational organization, and performing with three community orchestras in the area as a violinist.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant for Charcoalblue
Nick is a visionary nonprofit leader who has been instrumental in reshaping Philadelphia's performing arts landscape through his foundational role at FringeArts. As its co-founder and President, he led the transformation of FringeArts from a small neighborhood arts festival to a powerhouse in the American arts festival landscape. FringeArts has become an integral component of the local, national and international culture sectors and an important presenter of contemporary performing arts presenting hundreds of performances and serving thousands of patrons each year. Nick has been the curator and producer of many seminal presentations during his tenure by internationally renowned artists including Romeo Castelucci, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Kyle Abraham, The Wooster Group, as well as large scale site works including Sun & Sea by Lina Lapelytė.
In 2013, Nick led a $10,000,000 fund raising effort to open a new arts center on the Delaware River waterfront in a former municipal pumping station featuring a 250 seat theater, the Haas Biergarten and Fringe Bar, a 100 seat bar and restaurant. Nick has crafted a transformative space where audiences immerse themselves in cutting-edge performances. Under his leadership, FringeArts has become a beacon for artists, giving them a platform to shine and push boundaries. Nick adeptly manages the multi-faceted challenges of nonprofit operations, from strategic fundraising to effective development.
Nick retired as a dancer from Philadelphia Ballet in 1995 having performed roles in a broad array of classical and contemporary ballets. In 2005, Nick was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by the University of the Arts.