We've added several board members and strategic consultants to RIWCP's team in the last few months. The depth of knowledge and experience these folks bring to the team has already had a positive effect on our capacity to fulfill our mission, and with their help, we've been working on some major updates that we can't wait to share with you!
Get to know their names, faces, and what they love about RIWCP below.
Alexandra Cook (she/her) - Board Secretary
About Alex: She has had professional roles in dance as a performer, choreographer, dance educator, and arts manager for nearly 15 years. She recently became the Administrative Manager for Baryshnikov Arts after 7 years in leadership on the Education and Community Engagement team at Mark Morris Dance Group. Alex has a passion for connecting dance artists with the operational, budgetary, and structural understanding and resources to make their work possible. She holds a BA from Denison University, where she double majored in Dance and Economics, an MFA from Brooklyn College in Performing Arts Management.
What excites you about RIWCP? Having the chance to work to support artists, advance equity, and do it all in a community that helped raise me as an artist couldn't be more fulfilling!
Tracy Gillen (she/her) - Board Member
About Tracy: She is originally from Connecticut and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. After living in Philadelphia for over 10 years, she moved back to New England to the south coast of MA to work in a community health center as a pediatric nurse practitioner. She currently works in pediatric homecare. She and her husband have 2 daughters who have danced since they were very young. Ballet has been an integral part of their family, and Tracy is a longtime adult ballet student. She has also been a board member for New Bedford Ballet for many years.
What excites you about RIWCP? I recently joined the RIWCP team and am very excited to work with such a talented, dedicated group of board members who are so clearly committed to providing opportunities, mentorship, and support to underrepresented choreographers.
Marissa Parmenter (she/her) - Board Member
About Marissa: She is the former School Director of Ballet RI and was an advisor to the founders in the early years of RIWCP. She brings a knowledge of development and nonprofit management to the board as well as her research into dismantling the Euro-centric, heteronormative and patriorachical practices embedded into ballet's value systems.
What excites you about RIWCP? I am thrilled to be joining the board at this juncture to see the organization into its next phase and support RIWCP in its mission to serve the RI community and the dance industry at large.
Patricia Seto-Weiss (she/her) - Board Member
About Patricia: She is the Head of Dance and Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies at Brown University. Originally from Germany, she studied dance in Munich and New York, and now enjoys living along the scenic New England shoreline. In her work at Brown and with RIWCP, Patricia is excited to foster platforms for early-career dancers, movers, and choreographic voices.
What excites you about RIWCP? It is wonderful to witness the creativity and excellence participants bring to the project. I can't wait to see this year's works!
(Photo by Chris Macke)
Strategy Consultant Kit Miklik (they/them) Owner Miklik Consulting | PR Consultant Julia Guiheen (she/her) Associate Brunswick Group |
We hope you enjoyed getting to know some of the talented humans behind our organization. Want to be the first to hear our upcoming major updates about RIWCP? Make sure you are signed up for our monthly newsletter here and receive upcoming announcements straight to your inbox.
Information about this year's flagship performance series, Here & Now, is located here. Stay tuned for ticket sales soon!
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