Board of Trustees

• 

  Nichole Gantshar (She/Her)

  Co-President

  Nichole Gantshar is a former dramaturg turned arts administrator. She’s provided interim leadership for PlayMakers Repertory Company, Louisville Ballet, Theatre Bay Area, and Marin Theatre Company.  She spent five years as Executive Director of Rochester City Ballet. She also has worked for Tulsa Ballet and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Prior to her administrative career, she worked for Syracuse Stage, Hangar Theatre, and others. Nichole received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and MFA from the University at Stony Brook. An active Rotarian, has served as the treasurer of Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), was Chair of the National Student Education Fund, and treasurer of the Syracuse Chapter of Girls Inc. Among her awards, she was twice nominated as an Outstanding Young Woman of America and received a LMDA residency grant to serve as the production dramaturg for the Atlanta Ballet’s production of The Great Gatsby.

• Liebe Meier Swain

  Co-President
• 

  Bernadette Parr (She/Her)

  Vice President & COT Chair

  Bernadette Soto Parr has worked in Admissions and Student Development at Cornell University for more than 20 years. Inspired by her daughter’s participation in the Hangar’s Next Generation School of Theatre programming and performances in Hangar Theatre productions, as well as the energy of the theatre, Bernadette is honored to be a part of the Hangar Theatre’s Board of Trustees. She has served on the Board since the start of 2020 and appreciates the Hangar Theatre family’s thoughtful, collaborative, and creative efforts to fulfill their mission to enrich, entertain, and enlighten.

• 

  Mark Kenjerska (He/Him)

  Treasurer

  Mark was born and raised in Ithaca and never left! He lives in the Trumansburg area with his wife, Chris. They have 2 children, Anneliese and Paul, who are both in their twenties. He has been in banking for almost 4 decades! Currently, he is a Senior Relationship Manager with CFCU Community Credit Union. On the side, he  teaches fitness classes at both Island Health and Fitness and the YMCA of Ithaca. He loves helping people stay fit and reaching their fitness goals. In his spare time, he loves to go on long walks with his 2 dogs and they can often be found on the Black Diamond Trail or at Cass Park. He is so looking forward to being part of the great work that the Hangar does for our community.

• 

  Katie Spallone (She/Her)

  Secretary

  Katie Spallone is a long time Ithaca retailer as well as theatre goer, feminist, acting instructor, social media marketing specialist, animal lover and more. She has worked on stage and behind the scenes with just about every theatre company in town (favorite roles include Sabrina Daldry in In The Next Room with Homecoming Players (Kitchen Theatre). Katie has been a member of The Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca (a Sanford Meisner Technique theatre training studio) since 2001, became an instructor in 2005, and was named its Co-Director in 2010. She continues to use theatre as a platform for bringing diverse and underrepresented voices in the community into the studio classroom and on stage.
  After closing her two downtown Ithaca clothing stores (Evolution and Avanti) in 2015, she joined the staff of Cornell Retail Services in 2016 and is currently the Visual Display & Merchandising manager for all Cornell Store locations. Katie lives in Dryden with her husband Michael and their cat Rosie.
  

• Babatunde Ayanfodun (He/Him)

• 

  Davina Desnoes (She/Her)

  Davina Desnoes has over 25 years working in budget, planning and analysis, forecasting and strategic planning. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Budget and Planning Cornell University. Davina was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and has lived in Ithaca for the past 10 years with her husband Garth, and 3 almost adult children Darius, Sirus and Kayla. Davina was first introduced to theater by her son Sirus through his participation in school shows and NextGen, followed by professional theater performances. She enjoys reading, volunteering, playing games and attending shows at the Hangar Theater.

• Katherine Gould (She/Her)

• 

  Sarah F Honchar (She/Her)

  Sarah Honchar is a newer Board Member joining the Hangar Theatre just before the pandemic. Sarah’s love of theatre but self-proclaimed inability to act or sing makes her a perfect behind-the-scenes supporter. Sarah brings her passion for the arts, specifically live theatre and the Ithaca area to her role. Sarah resides in the Finger Lakes with her husband and 3 rescue dogs.

• 

  Izzy Leyden-Githler (She/Her)

  Izzy Leyden-Githler is proud to be the first youth advocate on the board of the Hangar Theater. She has done shows and workshops with the Hangar, Running to places theatre company, Newfield High school, and Ithaca High school. Izzy looks forward to her future in acting and is so happy to be a part of the Hangar family.

• 

  Kayla M. Lyon (She/Her)

  Kayla is a resident of Tompkins County with a theatre degree from Nazareth College, but life took a different direction and landed her as a Financial Advisor with Tompkins Trust Company. She volunteers and works with Groton Jr.-Sr. High School as a director and assistant director for their theatre productions, volunteers for the Cancer Resource Center, and serves on the board for Running to Places Theatre Company. She is excited to be a part of the Hangar board and is grateful for the opportunity to be creative in a world that so desperately needs artistic release right now.

• Dana Mueller (He/Him)

• Mikhail O'Laughlin (He/Him)

• 

  Chantal Thomas (She/Her)

  Chantal arrived in Ithaca about a decade ago to join the faculty of Cornell Law School, where she currently also serves as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Chantal has been a strong supporter of community institutions and community arts in Ithaca, and currently also serves on the board of WRFI Community Radio.  She has made media appearances with other local and national outlets, such as WVBR, NY1 News, C-SPAN, and PBS Newshour.  Chantal teaches and writes in international law, and has taught at law faculties nationally and globally, including the UK, France, China, Colombia, Egypt and South Africa. While in Egypt, Chantal witnessed the power of theatre as a resource for refugee communities in Cairo.  Chantal and her family enjoy music, the arts, and outdoor activities.

• 

  Kristen Burt (She/Her)

  Past President

  Kristen Burt has worked as a Pharmacist for CVS Pharmacy for almost 30 years, mostly recently administering COVID Vaccines in our community. After moving to Ithaca in 1999, she and her husband Matt started attending the Hangar Mainstage for date nights, and she regularly brought her three kids to KIDDSTUFF productions. She has served on the Board of Trustees at the Hangar for 5 years and is privileged to be a part of such a knowledgeable and creative group of people. When not at the theatre, Kristen is happiest on her bike, off in the mountains, cooking up something in the kitchen, or cozy in front of a fire with a ball of yarn.

Emeritus

• • John Alexander

  • Julia Bonney

  • Andrea Fleck Clardy

  • Ann Costello

  • Roy Dexheimer

  • John Elliott

  • Mary Kane

  • Susan Kaplan

  • Linda Trees Mack

  • Tom Niederkorn (Deceased)

  • Kathryn (Katy) Pearce

  • Paula Peter

  • Ray Schlather

  • Shelley Semmler

  • Margaret Shackell

  • Laurel Southard

  • Jamie Wells

  • Joel Zumoff