Our Team
ANNALISA TKACHEFF (she/her)
Executive Director
Annalisa oversees organization-wide operations and helps bring strategy and execution together to ensure SVS’ mission and vision come to life. A Bay Area native, Annalisa holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in late-Shakespearean plays from Santa Clara University. She brings more than ten years of experience working in tech operations alongside a deep love for the arts.
ANGIE HIGGINS (she/her)
Artistic Director
Since 2014, Angie has spearheaded SVS’s artistic programming, including play and artist selection. She has directed eight productions at SVS, and this season directed Sense and Sensibility. Angie holds a B.A. in Creative Arts and an M.A. in Theatre Arts Education from SJSU. She also runs Keys School’s Theatre Arts department and acts in theatre and film productions.
MELISSA MEI JONES (she/her)
Development Director
Melissa joined SVS’ staff in 2009, first as Education Director and then as Development Director in 2019. As Development Director, she brings a breadth of copywriting experience, a history with SVS stretching back to 2006, and a deep love of the well-told story. She is also SVS’ Resident Hair/Makeup Designer and freelances throughout the South Bay. Melissa received a B.A. in Theatre from SJSU.
WILSON ALEXANDER AGUILAR (he/him)
Marketing Director
For more than 25 years, Wilson has focused his career on marketing, fundraising, and events. Prior to California, he lived in New York where he managed special events at amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, and created communications strategies and events at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. Wilson received a B.A. in Theatre from UIC Chicago.
KRISTIN HALL (she/her)
Education Manager
Kristin's journey as a Shakespeare educator began in 2008 when she began training with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company. Past roles with SVS include Puck in Midsummer and Earine in Sherwood. She holds an M.A. in Shakespeare Studies from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and a Master of Library and Information Science degree with a youth studies specialization from SJSU.
DOLL PICCOTTO (she/her)
Dramaturg
Doll achieved a B.A. in English from UCSB with an emphasis in Shakespeare in Performance and an M.A. from San José State University in Renaissance Drama. She has worked as an actor, dramaturg, or costume designer on more than 50 Shakespearean productions.
DREW BENJAMIN JONES (he/him)
Executive Administrator + Production Manager
If he looks familiar, it is because Drew has appeared in SVS productions such as Macbeth, The Tempest, Sense and Sensibility, and A Christmas Carol, to name a few. Drew started at SVS as an actor in 2014 and has continued to be involved in various capacities every year since. He brings years of experience in operation, production, house, and volunteer management. Drew received a B.A. in Theatre from San José State University.
REBECCA VOSS (she/her)
Development Associate
Rebecca is a freelance theatre technician and stage manager in the Bay Area with a long history at SVS. Combining her passion and dedication to theatre with a background in volunteer outreach and community organizing, she is particularly dedicated to fostering donor relations and championing the important work SVS is doing by bringing Shakespeare to 21st-century audiences.