BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Responsible for financial oversight of Forward Theater Company.
Rozan has spent much of her professional life in the fields of software development and nonprofit administration. She has served both as executive director and president of Temple Beth El, Madison’s Reform Jewish congregation, as well as administrator for Lake Edge United Church of Christ and database manager for the Jewish Federation of Madison and the University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation. Rozan has a degree in Economics from Brown University. She currently serves on the international board of Women of Reform Judaism, and is the president of WRJ’s 14-state Heartland District. She is on the board of the Madison Symphony Orchestra League.
Rozan enjoys a very semi-professional career as a bassoonist and plays tennis whenever she can. She and her husband Brian are subscribers and avid audience members of Forward Theater, as well as American Players Theater and the Madison Symphony Orchestra. They are also members of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and love to support arts organizations in our community!
Linda Baldwin O'Hern is a lifelong arts volunteer. She is an Overture Center Founder and a former board member of the Madison Contemporary Art Museum and the Madison Repertory Theater in its very early days.. She was a founder of the ill-fated Festival of the Lakes and a long-time Rotarian. Linda is the retired Associate Publisher of Isthmus Publishing. She came to Madison in 1979 as Executive Producer for Cultural Programming at WHA-TV and then VP Marketing for CUNA Service Group. Linda and her husband, Vince, live in Madison. A native of Mitchell, SD, she received a B.A. in journalism/political science from the University of Nebraska. Linda loves her terriers, a little golf and travel. Oh, and her husband.
When not at Overture Center, Kelsey spends her time volunteering with her neighborhood's food pantry, Underdog Pet Rescue, West High School Speech Team, and the Bartell Theatre. Kelsey loves playing in theatrical pit orchestras and is an active member of the Verona Area Concert Band and Isthmus Vocal Ensemble. She holds master’s degrees in both environmental sciences and public health.
Dave Chaimson is the President of Full Compass Systems in Middleton, Wisconsin. He joined the company at the end of January 2020 after moving back to the Madison area. He was most recently the Vice President of Business Development, Marketing, and Membership at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Oshkosh for the past six years, a non-profit association started more than 60 years ago that supports the freedom of flight. While in the Fox Valley, Dave served as secretary on the Executive Committee of The Grand Oshkosh, one of the oldest opera houses in the state. With a capacity of 550, The Grand Oshkosh provides an intimate atmosphere for many theatrical and musical performances throughout the year. Before his involvement with EAA, Dave spent nearly 30 years in Madison, including a 15-year engagement with local start-up Sonic Foundry through its acquisition by SONY in 2003, eventually departing in 2014. While in the Madison area previously, Dave was on the board of the Madison Repertory Theater, terming off before its sunset in 2009. Dave was also involved in creating the now-defunct Waunakee Actors Guild in the late 90s as a personal outlet for his mediocre talent. He’s also worked at other companies in the area that have been incredibly supportive of the arts, including American Girl and Conney Safety Products, and recently got involved with the United Way of Dane County as the Vice-Chair of the Retail and Services group. Having been a fan of Forward Theater, a ‘company founded on a commitment to the civic life of our community’, since the fall of the Madison Rep, he's been looking for new leadership outlets and other means to contribute to the civic and cultural pride that makes Madison so special. Forward is undoubtedly one of the best acts in town.
Amie Goldman currently serves as Vice President, Innovation at Agrace. As vice president of innovation, Amie Goldman oversees Agrace’s Business Development, Marketing, Access, Sales and Supportive Care teams.In this role, she identifies, analyzes, evaluates, and champions strategies and initiatives that will deliver growth and transformation for Agrace.
Ms. Goldman has been involved in the Madison community serving on the Boards of Directors of the Rainbow Project,Creative Learning Preschool, Preschool of the Arts, Lussier Community Education Center, and Agrace. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors of Camp Randall Rowing Club and lNational Guardian Life Insurance Company.
She is a graduate of Northwestern University and earned a master’s degree in Social Service Administration and a certificate in Healthcare Administration and Policy from the University of Chicago.
Roth is advisor to governments and organizations worldwide on best practices for design, implementation, and enforcement of standards of conduct for government officials. He is the creator and animator of an interactive seminar for fostering not-for-profit organizations' trustees' good management of and participation in board meetings and decisions. B.A, Linguistics, Lawrence University. J.D., University of Wisconsin. Roth was formerly executive director and legal counsel of the Wisconsin Ethics Board. He is an officer and trustee of Oakwood Village Retirement Community, bylaws advisor and past president Rotary Club of Madison, trustee and past president Madison Opera, and vice-president of United States Log Rolling Charitable Foundation. Roth is a past president of Cap-itol Neighborhoods, Inc., Vilas Neighborhood Association, and United States Log Rolling Association.
Roth and his wife Lynne are passionate about quality theater. Roth counts among formative experiences elementary school attendance at Louisville's children theater and teenage years largely spent in the green room of Minneapolis's Guthrie Theatre when he was not acting as tour guide, ticket taker, usher, and stage door guardian. Recognizing the limitation of his talents, Roth confines his theatrical endeavors to the purchase of tickets.
Hallie is currently a Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis at WPS Health Solutions. Her responsibilities include management reporting, variance analysis, business case support, budgeting/forecasting, and other ad-hoc analysis to support executive decision making. Prior to joining WPS, Hallie held multiple finance roles in the manufacturing and telecommunications industries. Her most recent role was in Financial Analysis and Strategic Planning at Telephone and Data Systems (TDS), where she was primarily responsible for enterprise-wide strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes.
Hallie earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Investment, and Banking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She spent some time in Chicago after graduation and recently moved back to Madison with her husband and Siberian Husky. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, travelling, cooking, and spending time on the many lakes of Wisconsin.
Donna is the Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. In her role, she serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the agency with responsibilities that include budget oversight, human resource matters and IT oversight. Before joining DSPS, Donna spent most of her career in administrative leadership roles with some of Madison’s largest law firms. Donna also served as District 7 Alderperson April 2018 - October 2019, at which time she was appointed to Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Donna is a native of Chicago, IL but spent 20 years in Tennessee before returning to Chicago. Donna moved to Madison in 2002 with her children to begin her career in law firm administration. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, reading, and working on 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles.
Susan first experienced the powerful draw of local theater as a young child. Whenever director Alan Furlan had a drama in production at the Sunset Playhouse west of Milwaukee, she and her siblings knew they would be put to bed early – so her mother could beat it across town in time for rehearsals. Although Susan was too young to see her mom as a supporting actor in those years, she remembers the allure of the enterprise, the camaraderie, and the magic of stepping backstage. Later on, she became a willing extra – that is, when her mother’s theater-loving friends had a spare ticket to a Milwaukee Repertory Theater production.
Susan and her husband Hans have been doing productions of a different kind as partners at Pigorsch Media Design. Their Madison-based creative and production firm specializes in motion media, digital media, video/film and event production. The firm helps clients launch innovative ideas and products across a range of industries, from manufacturers and technology start-ups to health care and higher education advancement. As a writer, producer, and manager of creative teams, Susan focuses on integrating messaging across media platforms, including video, social media, print, and live events.
As past president of TEMPO of Madison and the TEMPO Foundation, Susan knows the joy of working with board members who build on each other’s strengths to achieve tangible goals, all while having fun and helping make the world a better place. She and Hans have been long-time supporters of Forward Theater, as well as American Players Theater, and she’s excited to see how she might encourage others to put their kids to bed early and get out of the house to experience local professional theater at its best.
Amber is a trained stage manager and formerly worked with ICM’s Theater Lit Department. She is a graduate of the Bolz Center for Arts Administration MBA, Class of 2019. Currently, Amber is a Sr Social Impact Venture Capital Associate at the American Family Institute, focused on criminal justice reform, generational wealth building, maternal health, and mental health.
Sandi is a graduate student in Social Work at UW Madison and works as a Mitigation Specialist, working with criminal defense teams to understand the life histories and treatment needs of her clients. She also spent fifteen years working with nonprofit organizations on implementing CRM systems and developing strong operational business processes, including several years at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. Her passion for theater began in early childhood when she cast her younger siblings in shows she created, directed, and coerced the rest of her family to watch. She fell in love with Forward Theater Company quickly after moving to Madison in 2013. Prior to her move, she served on the Boards of the Hoboken Public Library and Hudson County CASA in Hoboken, New Jersey. She currently volunteers with the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development as the program lead for the Court Observers group, helping members of the public learn more about Wisconsin’s court system through education and direct observation. She enjoys reading, writing, and spoiling her 30 nieces and nephews whenever she can.
Orange and her husband Dean have been co-owners of Orange Tree Imports since 1975. In addition to running the store, Orange does translating from Danish to English and freelance writing in the fields of medical terminology, Danish cuisine, and retailing. Orange founded the Monroe Street Merchants Association and the Monroe Street Library League, and continues to serve as chair of both organizations. Orange has served two terms on the Madison CitiArts Commission, served on the board of Bach Dancing & Dynamite, and has been involved with American Players Theatre for many years. She has also served on the boards of the Madison Youth Choirs, Madison Children’s Museum, Friends of WHA-TV, and Susan G Komen for the Cure, as well as volunteering for United Way of Dane County as a member of its board and marketing committee. As a footnote, Orange’s son Erik grew up in a theater-loving household in Madison (obviously!), and he is now the managing director of The Acting Company in New York.
Dr. Stephenson is an Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH), specializing in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Image-Guided Interventions. His teaching and academic interests lay at the intersection of medical education, student engagement/self-efficacy, and technology. Jason has been a proud Madison resident since 2012, when he relocated with his family. He and his wife, Dr. Laura Stephenson, were introduced to Madison theater via the theatrical pursuits of their twins, Hunter (daughter) and Walker (son). Walker’s role in Forward Theater’s 2018 production of Fun Home introduced the family to the Forward Theater and they have been enthusiastic and faithful patrons ever since. Moreover, Jason is an especially dedicated fan of the Theater Forward podcast as well as the general practice of talkbacks after performances!
Ted is a trial lawyer and partner at Stafford Rosenbaum LLP. Through his cases, Ted meets wonderful people from all backgrounds and walks of life. His clients are partners with whom he explores fascinating areas of the environment, science, finance, human relations, government, medicine, engineering, and complex technology. He often meets a client at a difficult part of their life and is honored when they ask him to help them navigate through it. Strong bonds often form that survive years after the crisis has passed. Raised in Chicago, Ted graduated from Northwestern University and then he and wife Cathy moved to the North woods to teach and coach. Law school at the University of Wisconsin and two boys followed. Ted has always loved a great story well told and that is what drew him to Forward Theater.
After 11 years in NYC pursuing a career in acting. Andy is so thrilled to be back in Madison and using his experience to help continue to grow the incredible reputation that Forward has already created. He is now working in real estate and you can hear him over the PA at the Mallards games!
