Angie Kamel (she/her)
Public Works Director 2018–present

Angie has the best job in the world. She began her career in San Diego working with such companies as La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, San Diego Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Music Society, Mo’olelo, Moxie, and UCSD’s Department of Theater and Dance. Upon moving to Seattle about a decade ago, she worked in Seattle Rep’s production department before moving back to Southern California to serve as the Institute Manager for Cornerstone Theater Company, a 35-year-old community-centered organization based in Los Angeles. It was there she was able to realize her dream of making excellent theater with and for everyone. She worked alongside some of the most innovative theater-makers in the country to create mutually beneficial partnerships with a wide range of communities, fostering collaborative art-making between artists of various levels of experience. Locally, she has worked at Seattle Opera, helped open the Federal Way Performing Arts & Events Center, and led artistic engagement strategies for ACT. Angie holds a B.F.A from the University of Arizona and an M.F.A. from the University of California, San Diego. She is a foster parent, an immigrant, and a lover of pastries.

Hear more from Angie. 

Lia Sima Fakhouri (she/her)
Public Works Manager 2017–present

Lia is an immigrant from Lebanon who moved to the states to pursue an education and career as a freelance director. Previous to her role on the Public Works team, she was the Seattle Rep Artistic Casting Intern during the 2016/17 season, where she had the opportunity to work on shows like Here Lies Love and Vietgone. Since joining the Public Works family she has experienced so much Equity, Joy, and Imagination in every part of the community. It has been, is, and always will be her utmost pleasure to fulfill this role.

Donovan Olsen (they/them) is a director, deviser, and costume designer originally from Austin, Texas. They graduated from Whitman College in 2019 with a degree in Theatre and upon moving to Seattle, they became a company member with Dacha Theatre working as a fight choreographer, costume designer, and director. As a theater artist, they strive to create joyful work through non-hierarchical processes. When not in the theater, Donovan enjoys embroidery, baking, and playing with their cat, Starling. They are honored to join the Public Works team and incredibly excited to meet more members of the community.

Derek Edamura (he/him)
Public Works Documentarian 2017–present

Derek is a Seattle-based filmmaker, digital artist, teaching artist, and youth mentor. Get to know Derek in his one-on-one interview with Seattle Rep and at derekedamura.com/about.

Hattie Claire Andres (she/her) is so excited to continue her relationship with Seattle Rep's Public Works after serving as Director of the virtual presentation of selections of a musical adaptation of Twelfth Night (2020) and as an Associate Director for The Odyssey (2017). A Seattle-based director, choreographer, producer, actor, and educator, Hattie recently completed a year as the Directing & Artistic Leadership Fellow at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Select production credits: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (The 5th Ave Theatre); All The Way/The Great Society (Seattle Rep); Madagascar, Jr.(Seattle Children’s Theatre). Hattie is on teaching faculty with Seattle Children's Theatre, Seattle Theatre Group, Youth Theatre Northwest, and The 5th Avenue Theatre. B.A.: St. Olaf College.

Aviona Creatrix Rodriguez Brown instills inclusivity and accessibility, by creating multidisciplinary art to tell stories surrounding being multiracial, exploring queerness, working through mental illness, stress, navigating drug addiction, and homelessness. Using tools and resources from smART Grants and the Artist Up Scholarship The Creatrix has developed healing workshops, along with a 45-minute solo show- translated into Spanish and toured to four states. Through ongoing community-oriented youth projects, they aspire to educate the masses on self-awareness and the benefits of art alternatives when dealing with everyday stresses. Creatrix encompasses the many art avenues to which they contribute: Arts Education Administration, Board Memberships, Curating, Directing, Teaching, Mentoring, Stage Managing, Performing, Producing, Writing.

Aimee Hong is a Music Director, Accompanist, Conductor, and Voice and Piano Teacher. Some of her favorite musicals she's Music Directed are Into the Woods, Heathers the Musical, Godspell, Sweeney Todd, Big Fish and [title of show]. She has MD'd/worked at Bellevue College (where she is also an Adjunct Music Professor), Seattle Rep, Seattle Children's Theatre, Studio East, Reboot Theatre Company, Renton Civic Theater, Bainbridge Performing Arts, Lesser Known Players, Burien Actor's Theatre, SecondStory Repertory, and St Luke's Theater Company. Previously she taught with the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Opera. She studied Music Education at Western Washington University.

Shaunyce Omar is an actor and singer that has performed on stages all around the world including The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Rep, and Village Theatre. Some of her TV/film credits include The Librarians, Last Seen In Idaho, and Portal Runner.  Her voice can also be heard as the character Madison Grant in the "State of Decay: LIFELINE" video game. Shaunyce is the recipient of a Gregory, Footlight, Broadway World, and The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Subscriber's Choice awards. In addition to stage and screen work, Omar is a teaching artist and has taught in both public and private schools, arts organizations, and overseas as a Master Sensei of Gospel Music in Japan. She holds a B.A degree in Theatre from Southern University and A&M College

Vincent (VJ) Orduna (he/him) has been seen working in several local/regional theaters including Village Theatre, Seattle Musical Theatre, Seattle StageRight Theater Company, Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Taproot Theatre Company. He did his Post-Graduate work at the National Shakespeare Conservatory and has been a teaching artist and acting coach for 20 years.

Alex Lee Reed (he/they) is a recent Seattle transplant via Flint, MI. Alex received a B.A. in Theatre Performance from the University of Michigan – Flint in 2012. In addition to their current role as Associate Director of Arts Engagement, Youth & Learning at Seattle Rep, Alex has worked locally as a teaching artist for Seattle Children's Theatre, Lathyrus Theater Company, and The 5th Avenue Theatre.

As a writer, director, poet, performer, artist, educator, and mentor, their work is centered on the intersection of being a Black, queer, gender nonconforming individual. With a strong focus on equity and social justice, Alex is a champion for underrepresented groups, particularly QTPOC youth.

Off the clock, Alex lives for new adventures, puppy cuddles, chocolate-cherry ice cream, and chasing sunsets.

Nina Williams-Teramachi (they/them) is a Japanese-American teaching artist and actor/stage-manager originally from Sapporo, Japan, and Portland, Oregon working in Seattle. Nina recently stage-managed multiple shows as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Dublin Fringe Festival in the UK and on the stage management team at Seattle Rep's Public Works production of The Odyssey. They are especially passionate about training fellow arts administrators on applying EDI skills in the workplace and surviving the arts as a QPOC. Nina was last seen onstage as an actor in Washington Ensemble Theatre’s Northwest Premiere of Straight White Men. Nina also works as a teaching artist/educator, working with students from Original Work to Musical Theatre. Nina is a graduate of the Intiman Emerging Artist Program, the Seattle Children’s Theatre internship, and of the University of Washington. ninawilliamsteramachi.com

Meet Teresa Boydston

• Hometown: Kansas City, MO
• Favorite Snack: Cashew Peanuts
• Cat or Dog?: Dog
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "Perseverance: The Journey From Childhood to Adulthood"
• Coming Soon: Moma’s Health Kitchen (catering from 2-100). It is my dream to create dishes that incorporate herbs and spices that aid in healing the body. Follow me on Instagram at @teresaboydston to view a few thing I have made.

Meet Parker Yvonne Hennessey

• Hometown: Seattle, Washington
• Favorite Snack: Hummus and pita chips
• Cat or dog?: Both, of course
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "The Adventures of the Unicorn Princess"

Meet Janelle Maria Velasquez Walz

• Hometown: Seattle Washington
• Favorite Snack: Flaxseed chips and hummus
• Cat or Dog?: BOTH. And everything in-between.
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "What Next?"

Meet Jennyfer Purswell

• Hometown: I was born in Urbana, Illinois. Iowa City, Iowa was where I had my first memories so that is what I consider my true home. Seattle, WA has been my physical hometown for the past 40 years
• Favorite Snack: Healthy - Green grapes; Unhealthy - Nacho cheese Dorritos chips
• Cat or dog?: My family is mainly a dog family. In a future or previous life I am a cat.
• If my life was a movie, what would it be called?: "In the Shadows of Corners"
• Current Project: Writing a theatrical autobiography called Petit Mort; Preparing to enter the NYU Graduate School for dual degree in Theatre Education/Teacher certification in Secondary Education.
• Long Term Goal: To teach LGBTQ/high school students in both Language Arts and Theatre Arts in rural communities.

Meet Roslyn Schley

• Hometown: New York City
• Favorite Snack:  Almonds
• Cat or Dog?: If I had a pet, it would be a dog.
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "To Do"

Meet Cynthia Linet

• Hometown: Seattle
• Favorite Snack: Sweet grapes
• Cat or dog?: Dog
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "kid you not!”
• My Projects: I have two ongoing collections of art: "Historic Erotica," 150 paintings of erotica beginning with Pompeii and going through many cultures, countries, and centuries. "The Silent American Pandemic," formerly known as "The Gun Show," 150 paintings. Both can be seen on Facebook here and here.

Meet Elisabeth Hurley

• Hometown: Regensburg, Germany
• Favorite Snack: Hard pretzels
• Cat or dog?: Had a cat by name of Gandolph
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "Nature Therapy”
• My Projects: My small artistic endeavor, a picture book for children called Digging Spring. I also volunteer with Public Works.

Meet Dalwyn Dean

• Hometown: Seattle, Washington
• Favorite Snack: Popcorn
• Cat or dog?: Dog
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "Embrace Change”

Meet “Neysa” Mary Peterson   

• Which Public Works Shows have you been in?: As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale 
• Hometown: Federal Way, WA; Milan, MI; and Phoenix, AZ 
• Favorite Snack: Reese’s Pieces
• Cat or dog?: Both
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: "The Art of Immortality”

Meet Dolores Maria Rossman

• Which Public Works Shows have you been in?: The Odyssey, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale 
• Hometown: Missoula, MT
• Favorite Snack: Crackers with pesto
• Cat or dog: Dog
• If your life was a movie, what would it be called?: “Trying to slow down so I can catch up with my life”
• Additionally, we would love to highlight and support our communities - advocacy, art, hobby, or business. If you have a personal website or social media page that you would like us to put on our site, share it here: Age Friendly Coalition and Tidy Uptown