Staff & Board

Jay Henslee

President

Jay's Bio

Jay Henslee is a life-long lover of the arts, and is passionate about not only making the arts accessible to all of San Diego, but also to helping ensure its theatre reflects diversity in all aspects. Jay attended Chico State University with a major in Marketing and Sales. He is currently a Vice President, District Manager for U.S. Bank with a banking career spanning over 20 years. Jay plays a key role in helping U.S. Bank make community possible in San Diego with philanthropic and volunteer service through involvement with a number of local non-profit organizations. In addition to the San Diego Performing Arts League, he’s also on the Board of Directors for Rebuilding Together San Diego, City Ballet of San Diego, and Diversionary Theatre. Jay was a 2017 graduate of LEAD San Diego.

You can reach him at jay@sdpal.com.

James Saba

Vice President

James' Bio

James Saba joined San Diego Junior Theatre as Executive Director in September of 2013. A native San Diegan, he is also a proud alumnus of the program! James spent 20 seasons at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre (HSRT) in Holland, Michigan, where he was Artistic Director of HSRT’s Children’s Stage. As a freelance director, he has worked at Webster University, Diversionary Theatre, Lamb’s Players Theatre, and was Craig Noel’s assistant on four productions at the Old Globe Theatre. At Junior Theatre he directed the San Diego premiere of The Burnt Part Boys, It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman, Goodnight Moon, and Akeelah and the Bee. James has a long history as an actor in regional theatre (Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Repertory Theatre, and Cleveland Playhouse) and on many local stages. Most recently, he has been seen in Travels With My Aunt (North Coast Rep) Hay Fever/The Vortex (Cygnet Theatre) and His Girl Friday (La Jolla Playhouse).

Jacole Kitchen

Executive Director

Jacole's Bio

Jacole Kitchen is the Artistic Programs Manager at La Jolla Playhouse. Previously, Jacole served as the Casting Director and Artistic Associate for San Diego Repertory Theatre. She is a freelance theatre director, with recent credits including, An Iliad (New Village Arts), September and Her Sisters (Scripps Ranch Theatre – Out on a Limb New Play Festival), and Cardboard Piano (Diversionary Theatre). Jacole teaches acting, improv and professional etiquette for UCSD Extension, and is a private acting coach. Prior to coming to San Diego, Jacole spent seven years as a bi-coastal talent agent at Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates in Los Angeles, representing actors, directors, and choreographers for professional theatre.

Alyssa Austin

Secretary

Alyssa's Bio

Alyssa Anne Austin is an Actor, Arts Advocate, and Entrepreneur. As a commercial and theatre actor, she has worked throughout San Diego County since 2016, including at the San Diego REP, Oceanside Theatre Company, ion theatre, Coronado Playhouse, OB Playhouse, and LEGOLAND California. When not performing, Alyssa is passionate about empowering others to success as a Personal Branding Strategist & Career Mentor through her company, PoisedandProfessional.com, which she founded in 2018 after leaving behind a seven-year career in marketing. A published author, Alyssa’s first book, “35 Days of Confidence: Find Your Voice, Fulfill Your Dreams & Focus Your Inner Power” became an Amazon best-seller in February 2019. Alyssa graduated from Penn State University with degrees in Public Relations & English Literature, and is a proud alumni of the Penn State Lionettes Dance Team.

Sandra L. Simmons

Treasurer

Sandra's Bio

Sandra L. Simmons is the Executive Director of Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation, a public non-profit that operates and maintains the Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza. Sandra moved to Downtown San Diego in early 1992 and has participated extensively in its renaissance and urban rebirth through serving on numerous community boards, as the Downtown Information Center Manager for Centre City Development Corporation (the Downtown redevelopment entity), and by meeting new neighbors through her former company, Viva-city. As a long-time urbanite, she enjoys and imbibes the numerous arts and cultural events happening within our city. Her mission is to further San Diego as a vibrant arts and cultural magnet. Sandra is a graduate of Oregon State University.

Ron Tov

Finance Committee Chair

Ron's Bio

An architect by profession, Ron Tov is an avid theatergoer and supporter. Having lived in San Diego since 1960, Ron has witnessed phenomenal growth and change in San Diego’s performing arts scene. In 2009, Ron produced the San Diego premiere of the Off-Broadway musical Zanna, Don’t!. Ron joined the SDPAL Board in September 2009, and is currently serving as the Finance Committee Chair.

D. Candis Paule

Immediate Past President

Candis' Bio

D. Candis Paule, CSA, is a casting director/owner of Candis Casting, and the casting director for Stu Segall Productions. She has cast Pitch (Fox), The Ex List (CBS), Terriers (F/X) and nearly 3 seasons of Veronica Mars (CW). Along with several episodics for Fox’s My Network, she has helped cast a variety of pilots and movies of the week. Feature film credits include Flying By starring Billy Ray Cyrus and Heather Locklear, and Obedient Son, a WWII drama shot in Romania. She has also cast hundreds of commercials and industrials. Candis’ theater experience includes directing and producing, and she has been seen throughout the country as an award-winning actor. In addition to voice-over work and private coaching, Ms. Paule teaches on-camera classes with Actors For Reel.

Gary Kramer

Immediate Past Vice President

Gary's Bio

Gary Kramer is a producer, director and actor and is currently the Artistic Director and founder of the National Comedy Theatre. His production of the National Comedy Theatre is currently the longest running show in San Diego, with over 4000 performances since opening in 1999. In addition to the San Diego production, Gary also directs the New York company of the show and has taught extensively for over 20 years. He has participated in countless shows across the country as well as internationally through 4 USO tours, where he performed in places such as Iraq, Kuwait, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Belgium. As a performer, Gary has also appeared on television, film, commercials and radio and earned a BFA degree from Emerson College in Boston. Gary is a co-founder and sat on the Board of Directors of the cancer foundation Cancer411.

Ben Aguilar

Director

Ben's Bio

Ben Aguilar is a family law attorney and adjunct law professor. As an immigrant to the United States and English as a Second Language learner he developed an interest in the arts as a learning tool.

Ben has a long history of leadership with local and national non-profit organizations. He is currently the president of the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Scholarship Foundation and also serves on the board of directors of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) NextGen. Ben previously served as co-president of the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association (2015-2017) and also served on the board of directors of the National LGBT Bar Association (2016-2018).

In early 2019, Ben was appointed as a County Hearing Officer by County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher.

Kandace Crystal

Director

Kandace's Bio

Kandace Crystal is a multi-hyphenate theatre maker and currently serves as the Artistic Director of American History Theater and Associate Artistic Director of Trinity Theatre Company. Kandace spent 5 years working for Barbizon USA and is the creator of Theatre Alliance’s Roundtable series exploring issues that plague our industry. Additionally, Kandace developed a Podcast/Oral Documentary with Cloudcast Media entitled 8:46-The Catalyst for Change, in response to the disproportionate murder of black and brown people at the hands of police. You can find her performing around San Diego, most notably in the “Get Ross” commercials. Kandace graduated with a BFA in Acting from Florida State University.

Doug Friedman

Director

Doug's Bio

Doug Friedman is a former television writer (“The Newlywed Game,” “Treasure Hunt,”) and entertainment marketing executive responsible for the successful launch of numerous television shows including “Access Hollywood.” In 2019 he left his position as Creative Services Director at KUSI News to become Director of Communications for the Alzheimer’s Association San Diego/Imperial Chapter. As a performer, Doug has appeared in a number of local venues, most notably as Fagin in “Oliver,” Thenardier in “Les Mis,” and Judge Turpin in “Sweeney Todd.” He currently sits on the boards of three local theatre companies.

Gina M. Jackson

Director

Gina's Bio

Gina M. Jackson is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of Cultural Noire Performing Arts Company, a theatre company whose partnerships have included the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Project1VOICE (NYC), and Worldbeat Cultural Center. The National Endowment for the Humanities Scholar also serves as an Arts Commissioner for the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. An Educator for over 20 years, Jackson currently serves as a Board Member for the County of San Diego Community Action Board, Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, and Project1VOICE/NYC. She is also a Geo Coordinator for the San Diego Women’s Foundation. Jackson’s past Board affiliations include: President of the Friends of Malcolm X Library, First Vice President of La Jolla Playhouse Partners, and Board Director for the City of San Diego Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation. She has completed the Museum Studies Professional Studies program at Northwestern University as well as Global Humanities programs at the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California Berkeley.

Jena Joyce

Director

Jena's Bio

Jena Joyce, an attorney specializing in business transactions involving intellectual property, has a long history of involvement with San Diego non-profits, most substantially with the philanthropic organization Las Patronas, for which she served as President, Vice President of Grants, Underwriting Chair, Donations Chair and Communications Chair over her 6-year tenure with that organization. Jena has also served on the boards for National Charity League – San Diego Chapter, Friends of the La Jolla Library, Girl Scouts San Diego-Imperial County, Sushi Performance & Visual Art, Foundation of La Jolla High School, and Parents Committee of Bird Rock Elementary, where she has been responsible for fundraising, event-planning and membership-growing functions. Jena recently joined SDPAL to reconnect with San Diego’s theater community, and soon volunteered with the Cast & Crew team to coordinate the All-City Auditions in 2019. Jena is pleased to join the Board to further her goal of supporting the arts through a variety of avenues. Jena practices law with The Joyce Law Group, a firm she co-founded with her husband Robert in 2002, after spending several years with large international firms. She received a J.D. from University of San Diego, and a B.A. from Princeton, where she was an active participant in the Program in Theater and Dance.

Suzanne Abercrombie

Ticket Office Administrator, ArtsTix

Suzanne's Bio

Suzanne Abercrombie is a Ticket Office Administrator for ArtsTix. She grew up in Europe as an “Army Brat” and has been in San Diego since her father retired. Suzanne has worked at AT&T for many years and retired in 2010 and she’s been with SDPAL since 2016. Her passion and love for theatre came about from her support of her daughter, Tiffany, who’s an actor in NY. Suzanne is also an avid animal activist and volunteers at Lions, Tigers & Bears in Alpine. Her other passion is traveling and she’s slowly but surely crossing off trips from her bucket list. You can reach her at suzanne@sdpal.com.

Wendy Farris

Administrative Assistant, SDPAL

Wendy's Bio

Wendy has a tremendous passion for arts education and in 2016, launched a musical theatre program that provided opportunities for hundreds of young artists in North County. She also serves as the Treasurer for Carlsbad Community Theatre, where she has participated on the executive board for 4 years. Her prior professional life involved work in education, training and development, and human resources. She is grateful for the opportunity to support SDPAL members and the greater performing arts community in San Diego. You can reach her at wendy@sdpal.com.

Christian St. Croix

Administrative Specialist & Facilities Manager, ArtsTix

Christian's Bio

Christian St. Croix is a Administrative Specialist and Facilities Manager for ArtsTix. He’s also is an award-winning playwright. His projects include new play, The Forgotten Beasts; Zack, winner of the 2021 Young-Howze Theatre Award for Best Comedic Writing; And All the Birds Loved Her, an audio play commissioned by Blindspot Collective and the La Jolla Playhouse; Follow the Fireflies, a monologue published in New World Theatre’s 08:46 collection celebrating Black writers, and Monsters of the American Cinema, a 2021 Carlo Annoni International Playwriting Prize winner that the San Diego Union-Tribune called “touching and funny”, “honest” and “engaging.” It’ll be making its world premiere in Seattle in 2022.

You can reach him at christian@sdpal.com.

SDPAL CIVIC ADVISORY COUNCIL

William Purves, founding president, SDPAL, V.P. Harris Goldman Productions
Frank Alessi, former CFO Centre Center Development Corporation (CCDC)
Jack Berkman, President & CEO Berkman Strategic Communications
Barbara Bry, Chief Operating Officer, Blackbird Ventures
Dale Ganzow, San Diego Business Journal, Advertising Manager
Sal Giametta, Chair Library Commission and Former V.P. Public Affairs & Communications CONVIS
Pat JaCoby, former SDPAL President
Judy McDonald, former SDPAL President & The Parker Foundation President
Toni Robin, TR/PR Public Relations, former SDPAL staff member
William Virchis, CEO Virco Enterprises, former SDPAL Board member
Dal Watkins, Retired CONVIS president
Alan Ziter, First Executive Director of SDPAL, Executive Director NTC Foundation