Board of Directors

Silicon Valley Shakespeare’s Board of Directors serve a vital role in the development and management of our company. Providing governance and financial guidance, our Board actively participates in and manages various committees that help our company run smoothly. They are members of our community who generously give of their time and energy to help our company grow, and ensure a healthy economic and organizational future. Our Board works closely with the Executive and Artistic Directors to oversee the business affairs of the organization.

Interested parties of diverse backgrounds and interests are welcome and invited to join our Board of Directors. We particularly seek individuals interested in promoting the arts in our community and with a passion for making theatre accessible to everyone, especially youth. We also seek new members with experience in development and fundraising through partnerships with Silicon Valley businesses and organizations.

If you would like more information about joining our Board, contact our Governance Committee Chair, Ariel Siner.

 
 

ARIEL SINER (she/her)
Chair

Ariel is an attorney at Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel, Inc. working on a variety of trusts and estates matters, including estate planning and litigation, trust administration, and related real estate and corporate issues. She received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of Santa Clara Law Review and President of Women & Law. Ariel spent her youth on stage singing and acting, which began her lifelong love of musical performance and, of course, Shakespeare.

 
 
 

SARA SANCHEZ (she/her/ella)
Vice Chair

Sara is an HSI Title V Project Director at Cabrillo College, leading the Camino al Éxito initiative focusing on the First Year Experience (FYE) for incoming students. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Spanish from CSU, Long Beach, and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration Student Affairs from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Sara is also a graduate of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley’s Latino Board Leadership Academy.

 
 
 

VALERIE HINES (she/her)
Treasurer

Valerie is a Data Analyst at Google, with current and past roles in Data Centers, Small Business interactions, Physical Security, and Google Fiber. Her past work includes Sandia National Laboratories, Intel, and Gruet Winery. Valerie holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Statistics from the University of New Mexico. Valerie fell in love with Silicon Valley Shakespeare in 2013, watching Twelfth Night performed at Willow Street Park.

 
 
 

JOE BRENNER (he/him)
Secretary

Joe found his love for theatre rekindled after attending Silicon Valley Shakespeare performances at Sanborn Park. An actor and musician as a teen, he is thrilled to be a part of SVS’ mission to make the arts accessible to and inclusive for all. Joe operates a chemical consulting firm aimed at bringing sustainable solutions and safe practices to Bay Area businesses using commercial cleaning products.

 
 
 

KEN ARORA (he/him)

A longtime patron of SVS, starting with the first Sanborn Park season, Ken has enjoyed watching us grow. His most memorable Shakespeare experience was working with high school students to develop Brutus’ legal defense strategy at a post-Julius Caesar mock trial. When he is not busy designing cybersecurity products at F5 Networks or experiencing live theatre, Ken enjoys participating in sports, photography, volunteering with local schools, and developing role-playing games.

 
 
 

KIM PFAHNL (she/her)

Kim received her degree in Theatre Arts from San José State University. After graduation, she worked in children’s and adult theatre throughout the Bay Area as a designer, stage manager, and actor, and ran her own graphic design and staging business.

 
 
 

NATALIE PINTO (she/her)

Natalie works in Technical Program Management at Box. Prior to entering the tech industry, she studied history and literature at UC Santa Cruz, which perhaps explains her love of Shakespeare. She has participated in theater throughout her life as both a performer and musician. Natalie is passionate about arts education and is excited to work with SVS to bring Shakespeare to life for our Bay Area community.

 
 
 

EVELYN ROJAS (she/her)

Evelyn is the Family Engagement Specialist at the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. She leads family engagement efforts for the Eastside Education Initiative and their K-12 STEM programs in Santa Clara County. Evelyn received her B.A. in Global Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she took her first theatre class and grew an appreciation for the arts. Evelyn is also a Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley’s Latino Board Leadership Academy graduate.

 
 
 

MICHELLE SAMS (she/her)

Michelle (she/her) is a senior project manager at Adobe and a stage manager at various local Bay Area theatres. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a B.A. in technical theatre/stage management from UC Santa Barbara. She first discovered SVS a few decades ago as a stage manager, working on A Midsummer Night's Dream in beautiful Sanborn Park. After the stunning show, Michelle was smitten with the company. She is excited to watch SVS grow and continue to connect people with the Bard in new ways. Her favorite quote: "All the world is a stage".

 
 

Advisory Council

 

Alla Bolsheva • Doug Brook • Erik Browne • Lauren Doyle • Michelle Galloway • Ric Giardina
Ross Harkness • Evelyn Huynh • Cynthia Lagodzinski • Dane Lentz • Susan Overland
Bob Peterson • James Reber • Amanda Straigis • John Straigis • Corinne Tobias • Alfred Yang