OUR BOARD

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Long time Pinedale resident, business owner, and parent, Jo’s involvement in the arts covers a lifetime. A fondness for cartwheels as a child eventually morphed into studying ballet at the U of Utah along with sociology and psychology. Soon after she and her husband, Craig, returned to Pinedale she started teaching ballet in Big Piney and  Pinedale, an exciting time of growth that she treasurers. In 1976 she and Arlinda McLaughlin co-founded the Pinedale Fine Arts Council. She has served PFAC in many different capacities ever since. Because of her work with PFAC, she received the Governor’s Arts Award for “Individual Leadership in the Arts” in 2002  Following her award, she was honored to serve two terms on the Wyoming Arts Council Board an appointed board which sets goals and planning for the state arts council. She has also been a member of the Wyoming Arts Alliance (WyAA) for many years and served as co-chair for the last eight. This statewide non-profit provides professional development for artists, organizations, and government bodies regarding the key role the arts play in education, health, and economic and community development and also advocates for funding support. Jo and Valerie Lee started the Pinedale Community Theatre (now the Pinedale Theatre Company) in 2007. Jo works on development, production, and costumes for PTC and is so proud of this organization and the standard it has set. Jo finds working with people to build sustainable organizations that are inclusive and strengthen our communities very rewarding. She is grateful to all the people she has been privileged to meet and work with over the years. In her spare time she loves keeping track of her grandchildren’s escapades and reading cookbooks.

Barbara was born in Lakehurst, New Jersey the oldest of four siblings, into a Navy family. Although her family moved quite a bit during her younger years, Barbara spent the majority of those years at NAS Millington, a small town just outside Memphis, Tenn.  She attended Tennessee Technological University graduating with a degree in Home Economics Vocational Education, as it was known back then.  Barbara’s major field was Early Childhood Development with a minor in General Science. She continued her studies receiving an endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Wyoming, and graduate level courses in Family Studies at Utah State University.  Barbara spent her career teaching high school Home Economics in Pinedale and in Big Piney. She served as the Director of Pinedale Preschool, and then later Program Manager for The Learning Center’s Sublette County Programs in Pinedale and Big Piney. Barb met her husband, Les, in college and they moved to Pinedale in 1973. Their two sons, Ben and John, were raised in Pinedale. They now have two daughter-in-laws and 4 wonderful grandchildren! Barbara has enjoyed attending plays and music concerts all her life. Now retired, Barbara has helped with costumes in several Pinedale Theater Company productions, the King and I, Oklahoma, and Oliver! She has been a member of the Board for 4 years, and is excited to lead the Costuming Department. Barb also enjoys hiking, birding, and traveling.

Valerie, October Fundraiser Director – Val has lived her music for over 50 years as a performer, musical director, conductor and composer/arranger.  From soloing with her church choir in a live radio broadcast in Rock Springs, Wyoming at age 10 to standing on the stage in the PHS Auditorium introducing the inaugural performance of Pinedale Theatre Company’s (PTC) Sound of Music in 2008, Val’s musical life is rich and diverse in it’s scope.  It’s reported Val sang before she talked and even today singing takes precedence.  Currently, she is the 2022 Fundraiser Director of PTC, Director of Sisters of the Heart, a women’s threshold choir, founder and Director of Voices 8, and Managing Director of Pinedale Festival Choir that partners with Cathedral Voices Chamber Choir in Jackson every 2 years in support of Val’s outreach program “Arts Supporting Arts in Wyoming”. Professional credits include soloing with Aspen Music Festival Opera program and Opera Colorado in Denver.  Val worked as a performer, dancer, and manager at the Crystal Palace Dinner Theatre for 10 years in Aspen. In her spare time Val travels the world with her sweetheart Dr. Edwin Vodak.

Stacia is the founder, owner, and instructor of WYLD Dance Company. Stasia grew up dancing in Riverton Wyoming. She began dancing at the age of 7. During her young years as a dancer, she traveled for dance to Colorado, California,  Nevada, Montana, and New York. She participated in dance competitions winning numerous awards and recognition’s. After graduating high school she went on to dance in college. While in college she had the opportunity to learn from many outstanding dance professors from around the world. She was a part of a collegiate level dance company and went on tour taking master classes and performing. During this time she learned from some of the most prestigious dance companies and choreographers of today. Some of these companies include Ballet West, Odyssey Dance Company, Elisa Monte Dance Company, Eugene Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, and Martha Graham Dance Company. Stasia graduated with her Degree in dance in 2011. She later continued her education and graduated from the University of Wyoming with honors in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Early Childhood and obtained her Wyoming State Teaching Credential.  Stasia absolutely loves kids of all ages and so in 2011 she began teaching dance at a competitive studio in Riverton, Wyoming and continued teaching dance classes until she moved to Pinedale in 2017. She is currently the WWCC GEAR UP Outreach Specialist and a full time mom of two young boys. She is so excited to share the beautiful art of dance to all the community.

Mark was born and raised in the NYC metro area, trained at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and has worked on more than 150 theatrical productions as an actor, director, artistic director and producer in NY, LA, SF and Colorado. Directing credits include such musicals as Godspell, Singin’ in the Rain and Working, and plays ranging from Shakespeare (The Merry Wives of Windsor) to Shanley (Doubt). Mark is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and EQUITY.

Mark has directed BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, OLIVER!, OKLAHOMA, GUYS & DOLLS, 

David has been working in the field of musical theatre and cabaret as a music director, arranger and collaborative pianist for over 35 years. He just completed work on the 51st book musical of his professional career.  He holds a degree in Music Education from The University of Northern Colorado.  He was a pianist and arranger at The Crystal Palace in Aspen, CO for nearly 25 years. David has worked in numerous summer stock, regional and community theatres. His arranging credits are diverse, including arrangements for solo singers, choral groups and various instrumental ensembles.  As an accompanist and solo pianist, his musical talents have taken him to many places in the world, including an annual engagement in Mykonos, Greece, the Wexford Festival in Ireland, concert cabaret tours of Germany and Switzerland, and the maiden voyage of the Renaissance R-7 cruise ship in Europe.  He has performed in concert with Bernadette Peters, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and Professor Kenny Watson, among a variety of other artists.

David worked on OLIVER!,