Welcome and Keynote at the the Berkshire Leadership Summit at WAM Theatre in Lenox—Sat, Oct 28 2017
Channel: HowlRound Theatre Commons
Date: 2017-10-29

Michelle Hensley, Keynote Speaker
WAM Theatre presents the Berkshire Leadership Summit livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29.

"By directly addressing the common barriers outlined in the A.C.T./Wellesley Centers for Women research, our goal is to provide such intentional training resources and direct action that there is no question that these candidates are positioned and prepared to lead with success." said Rachel Fink, member of the Berkshire Leadership Summit Steering Committee. "We have gathered a remarkable group of current and future leaders and I am so excited to witness their collective power as they mobilize to impact our field for the better."



Saturday, October 28

Welcome and Introductions
9:00 a.m. EDT (New York) / 8:00 a.m. CDT (Chicago) / 6:00 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles)
The Berkshire Leadership Summit kick off with a welcome, summit background, and goals from Steering Committee chair Kristen van Ginhoven, Artistic Director of summit host WAM Theatre, and members Akiba Abaka, Audience Development Manager at ArtsEmerson; Rachel Fink, Managing Director of Theatre Bay Area; and Shafer Mazow, Senior Grants Manager at Exploratorium and lead developer and organizer of the Women’s Leadership Project and convening.

Keynote Presentation
9:30 a.m. EDT (New York) / 8:30 a.m. CDT (Chicago) / 6:30 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles)
Michelle Hensley, Founder and Artistic Director of Ten Thousand Things Theater in Minnesota, will be providing the keynote address. Ms. Hensley will discuss her efforts, as an artistic director finding herself in a very male world, to create a place where she could work and live with her values intact - a central theme of this pilot event.

Michelle Hensley has directed and produced over 25 years of award-winning drama brought directly to nontraditional audiences in prisons, shelters and housing projects, as well as the general public in and around Minneapolis through Ten Thousand Things Theater. A McKnight Theater Fellow, Ms. Hensley was named the Star Tribune's Best Artistic Director in 2012, received the Francesca Primus Prize for outstanding contribution to the American theater by a female artist, published her book All The Lights On in 2015, and just last month received the Ivey Award for Lifetime Achievement.



Plenary: Leadership Shifts: From the Wellesley Report to the Executive Search
4:00 p.m. EDT (New York) / 3:00 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 1:00 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles)
This group discussion, moderated by Ellen Richard will use the findings from the Wellesley Centers for Women/A.C.T. research as a springboard for a conversation about current hiring practices in the nonprofit theatre, industry efforts towards gender parity, and tactics to address the barriers to advancement detailed in the study. Panelists include Emika Abe, Assistant Managing Director of Alliance Theatre; Sheila Hennessey, a Principal at Koya Leadership Partners; and Ineke Ceder, Research Associate at Wellesley Centers for Women as well as Jenna Deja, Joan Lancourt, and Laura Penn.



Sunday, October 29

Plenary: Successive Leadership: Leading on While Passing the Baton
11:15 a.m. EDT (New York) / 10:15 a.m. CDT (Chicago) / 8:15 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles)
This plenary, moderated by Liz Diamond, Chair of the Directing Department at Yale School of Drama and Resident Director at Yale Repertory Theatre, will tackle what leadership development looks like over the lifespan of a career, as well as transitioning leadership skills and positions to a new generation of women. Panelists include Martha Richards, Executive Director of WomenArts, and Hana Sharif, Associate Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage.



Pinnacle Conversation: A Clarion Call for Advancement
1:30 p.m. EDT (New York) / 12:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 10:30 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles)
In this final conversation, moderated by Erin Washington, attendees will hear from leaders in the field who have taken action on women's leadership and discuss what’s next. Panelists include Carol Dunne, Producing Artistic Director at Northern Stage; Joy Meads, Co-Founder of The Kilroys and Literary Manager/Artistic Engagement Strategist at Center Theatre Group; and Kristen van Ginhoven.



More information about the Berkshire Leadership Summit schedule can be found at http://www.wamtheatre.com/berkshire-leadership-summit-2017/.


http://howlround.com/livestreaming-the-berkshire-leadership-summit-at-wam-theatre-in-lenox-sat-oct-28-sun-oct-29-2017