The election is now closed. Congratulations to the winners, Richard Frazier, Jeff Hall, and Cheryl Williams. Read more about the results.
Board Election Guide
EdTA’s 2024 board of directors election will open in early February and run through mid-March. All EdTA adult members in good standing are eligible to vote — you have a voice in choosing who will represent you on the board.
Currently, the board of directors comprises nine elected members, including the president, vice president, and immediate past president, and three appointed members. (View current board.) The vice president/president serves a five-year term, two as vice president, two as president, and one as past president. Other elected members serve three-year terms, and may be re-elected for a total service of six years. Appointed members serve one four-year term.
This year, two board directors will be elected for terms to begin July 1, and members will vote on proposed code changes.
Board Role
The EdTA board is a governing board (not a working board). What does a governing board do?
- Sets direction: Reviews EdTA’s mission to ensure that it remains a guidepost, establishes strategic goals and priorities, plans for the future.
- Ensures and protects resources: The board is responsible for protecting financial assets, physical assets, reputation, and image.
- Provides oversight: Ensures policies are in place to evaluate infrastructure, programs, and services.
- Engages in outreach: Understands, interprets, and communicates the diverse needs of the membership. Board directors act as ambassadors and advocates of the mission.
The board is not an honorary post, nor is it involved in day-to-day operations — those are managed solely by the executive director, who is the board’s employee. Board members must be comfortable making strategic and sometimes-difficult decisions that affect the entire membership.
Association Priorities and Objectives
EdTA is finalizing a long-term strategic plan and vision to guide the organization into the future. The organization’s priorities will focus on achieving the goals set out in that plan, while measuring our success against our progress in DEIA, financial stability, innovation, and partnerships. EdTA will always prioritize:
- Creating dynamic student experiences
- Lifting up teachers and the theatre education profession
- Supporting chapters in delivering the mission locally
Proposed Code Changes
The ballot includes two code changes focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
Now Accepting Vitas for 2024 Election
The EdTA board nominating committee’s role is to recruit and choose leaders suited to carry out the board’s role in achieving the association’s priorities, and ensuring diverse representation — of geography, race, gender, and professional experience.
Interested in running for the board? The application period is open through October 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Any adult EdTA member is eligible to submit a vita form to be considered to run.
The nominating committee will choose two to four candidates to run for each open seat. The committee includes:
- Past President Helen Duranleau-Brennan (committee chair) and Vice President Richard Frazier
- Nebraska co-chapter director Emily Mokrycki and Washington co-chapter director Ben Stuart
- At-large members Jerald Bolden of Sacramento, Ca. and Jade Lambert-Smith of East Point, Ga.
- Non-voting staff member Jennifer Katona, EdTA’s executive director
- President Krista Carson Elhai is an ex officio member
Nominating Committee Considering Applicants
The EdTA board nominating committee’s role is to recruit and choose leaders suited to carry out the board’s role in achieving the association’s priorities, and ensuring diverse representation — of geography, race, gender, and professional experience.
The application period for the 2024 election closed October 20. Next, the nominating committee will choose two to four candidates to run for each open seat. The committee includes:
- Past President Helen Duranleau-Brennan (committee chair) and Vice President Richard Frazier
- Nebraska co-chapter director Emily Mokrycki and Washington co-chapter director Ben Stuart
- At-large members Jerald Bolden of Sacramento, Ca. and Jade Lambert-Smith of East Point, Ga.
- Non-voting staff member Jennifer Katona, EdTA’s executive director
- President Krista Carson Elhai is an ex officio member
2024 Board Candidates
Nominating Committee Selections
The EdTA board nominating committee’s role is to recruit and choose leaders suited to carry out the board’s role in achieving the association’s priorities, and ensuring diverse representation — of geography, race, gender, and professional experience. The committee:
- Past President Helen Duranleau-Brennan (committee chair) and Vice President Richard Frazier
- Nebraska co-chapter director Emily Mokrycki and Washington co-chapter director Ben Stuart
- At-large members Jerald Bolden of Sacramento, Ca. and Jade Lambert-Smith of East Point, Ga.
- Non-voting staff member Jennifer Katona, EdTA’s executive director
- President Krista Carson Elhai is an ex officio member
The committee has selected the following candidates to run for the open seats.
Felicia Latoya Brown
Trenton, N.J.
Brown is a career and technical education general theatre teacher at Trenton Central High School. She is co-lead of arts, media, and entertainment within the Association for Career and Technical Education. She’s taught internationally and won awards in film, advocacy, arts, and teaching. Brown has been active in anti-racism work for EdTA and AATE, where she formerly served as regional programming director. She served on the Ritz Theatre Company board, is past president of the CTE Association of New Jersey, and holds MAs in theatre studies and arts administration.
Tracey Buot
Dunwoody, Ga.
Buot is the theatre director at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta and serves as high school network chair for AATE. She’s held several leadership positions at the state, local, and national levels for arts and politics, including chairing for Young Democrats of America. She holds an MFA in acting from University of Virginia, and bachelor’s degrees in performance and political science from University of Florida. She’s currently pursuing a graduate leadership certificate at Creighton University.
Briana Navarro
Lakewood, Wash.
Navarro is a theatre arts and AP biology teacher at Clover Park School District. She’s part of the original cohort of EdTA theatre teachers participating in the Connected Arts Network, a five-year grant project to build teacher leadership and practice in DEIA and SEL. She serves on the board of Washington Thespians and is a past nominee for the Excellence in the Theatre Education Tony Award. She’s currently pursuing her doctorate in education and holds a master’s degree from Western Governors University, and a master’s and bachelor’s from Pacific Lutheran University.
Beth Reeves
Columbus, Ga.
Reeves is a teaching artist who uses culturally responsive teaching methods to increase academic achievement. She holds a master’s of education and bachelor’s in theatre from Columbus State University (CSU), as well as an associate’s in secondary education from Dalton State College. She has worked with Dalton Little Theatre, Springer Opera House, Speak with Purpose, University of Mississippi, and the Alabama chapter of EdTA, among other arts organizations. She chaired CSU’s theatre task force and was finalist for CSU Student Government Association’s educator of the year.
Notice: Petition Process
Per the EdTA Code of Regulations, any voting member may petition to have their name placed on the ballot for EdTA director if the voting member has obtained a total of 15 signatures of other voting members representing at least three different chapters and has submitted that petition to the nominating committee at least 75 days before the date of the election closure.
Petitions must be received by December 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Below you’ll find resources to help you get to know the candidates and how they might represent EdTA members:
- A one-minute video sharing each candidate’s vision for theatre education and EdTA coming out of the pandemic
- A candidate profile containing each person’s CV and details about their leadership experience and qualifications in their own words.
We encourage you to review each candidate’s vision, then reflect on how their involvement might advance the association’s objectives and the way you would like the association to serve you.
President/Vice President Candidates
Board Director Candidates
How to Vote
Every EdTA adult member will receive a secure ballot by email when the election opens in early February. The ballot will be sent to the email address associated with your membership account. You’ll also receive email reminders to vote until your ballot is complete.
Watch your inbox!
