Penumbra Elects Five New Members to Board of Directors
For Immediate Release
July 27, 2009
Media Contact: Julie McGarvie, Director
of Marketing
651-288-6784
or
Penumbra Theatre Company
Elects Five New Members to Board of Directors
July 27, 2009; Saint Paul, MN – Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theater, elected five new members to its board of directors.
"Penumbra has worked hard over the last five years to build a strong foundation," said Penumbra Board Chair Phyllis Rawls Goff. "Given these challenging economic times, we are excited by the talents of our new board members and the support that they bring as we continue to build a sustainable organization. Penumbra's future is bold – and together, we will confirm its rightful place in the American theatrical landscape."
Each of the following new board members will serve a three-year term, which commenced on July 1, 2009, and ends June 30, 2012:
Carol Barnett is Vice President of International Marketing in Neuromodulation at Medtronic. Barnett received a B.A. in Economics from Carleton College and a MBA from Harvard Business School. She has served on the boards of Carleton College, Vocalessence, and Ault, Inc.
Tracey Burton is the Director of Diversity for Target Corporation. Burton received a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Iowa. Burton has served on the boards of the Minnesota Legal Aid, Urban Coalition, Minnesota Women Lawyers and Minnesota Black Lawyers Association.
LaShanna Martin is a brand marketing manager in the Our Own Brands division of SuperValu. Martin received a B.S. in Marketing and a B.S. in Business Management from Alabama State University.
Mark McLellan is a Lean Six-Sigma Black-Belt in the 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division. McLellan holds a B.A. in Theater, with a Minor in Peace and Justice studies, from the University of St. Thomas; and a MBA from the University of St. Thomas OPUS School of Business, where he currently serves as a Student Advisory Board member.
Jeffrey Saunders is a partner in the corporate group of Dorsey & Whitney, with a focus on advising companies and boards of directors of rapidly growing companies in the healthcare and IT industries. Saunders received a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, and a B.A from Gustavus Adolphus College. He has served as a director of several non-profit and for-profit companies.
About Penumbra
As Minnesota's only professional African American theater, Penumbra has achieved national recognition for its artistic excellence and signature style. Lou Bellamy founded Penumbra in 1976, to make art that roared with authenticity through the rich, unrestrained voice of black playwrights and artists. This powerful representation of the black experience transformed the way African American theater is produced, gave birth to educational tools that stimulate open and honest dialogue around issues of race, and established Penumbra as a safe haven for artists of color to hone their craft. Penumbra now contributes over $2 million annually to the local economy as well as attracts new talent and media attention from across the country.
2009-2010 Penumbra Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Chair
Phyllis Rawls Goff, Community Volunteer
First Vice and Governance Chair
Kathleen Edmond, Best Buy
Secretary
Stephanie Ball, General Mills
Treasurer
Bill Stevens, Stevens Foster Financial Advisors
Development Chair
Catherine Stemper, Ecolab
Founder and Artistic Director
Lou Bellamy, University of Minnesota
