We Believe in the Power of Storytelling

Our Board

Rick Garcia

Chair

Rick Garcia is a lifelong Clevelander and has been in the employ of Squire Patton Boggs for more than 20 years. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Popular Culture from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Computer and Information Science degree from Cleveland State University. Rick's notable pubic appearances include Chino in Fairview High School's 1988 production of West Side Story and being "Fresh, homemade, and occasionally good for you" in the 2008 Harry Buffalo menu. He also was a sound operator during an Ohio State University production of Twelfth Night in 1990. Rick is obviously not a theater professional, but that's not why he's here. Rick expects to bring fresh insight as a parent and theater audience member to the Board while helping TCT achieve its mission to "reach across socio-economic, cultural and traditional boundaries." In addition to being a father, Rick is a long standing member and former treasurer of the Cleveland Colectivo. He's also been captain of the Bike MS team Patti's Paladins for more than a decade, having been decorated as an Up and Coming Team Captain (2006) and bringing back team awards including Top Fundraising Team (2007), Outstanding Team Award (2011) and multiple Platinum Awards. Rick enjoys a rich life with Maggie, Rowan, Aidan and Abby both at home and out about town.Jessica has a bachelor’s degree of marketing from Cleveland State University and an MBA from University of Phoenix.

Sheffia Randall Dooley

Vice Chair

Sheffia is a theatre graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University and has been an arts educator and administrator for over 20 years. She is currently the Assistant Director for Community Engagement and Education at Playhouse Square, the largest performing arts center outside of New York City.

Sheffia Randall Dooley is a theatre graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University and has been an arts educator and administrator for over 20 years. She is currently the Assistant Director for Community Engagement and Education at Playhouse Square, the largest performing arts center outside of New York City. She is responsible for the implementation of community engagement programming including the Disney Musicals in Schools program, the Dazzle Awards and Family Weekend Workshops for the Children’s Theater Series. She has also held positions as the Director of Education at Karamu House, Master Teaching Artist for the Musical Theatre Project, and Teaching Artist at several organizations including Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theatre, and the Cleveland School of the Arts. As a member Actors’ Equity Association Sheffia has extensive acting experience having appeared as Mama Nadi in Ruined, the title role in Caroline, or Change and a reprised role in Simply Simone as Nina Simone 4 at Karamu House. Regional credits include: The Crucible, The Tempest and Blithe Spirit at Great Lakes Theatre; Pulp, Our Town, The Secretaries, and Nickel and Dimed at Cleveland Public Theatre, and RESPECT, a Musical Journey at Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theater. Other notable credits include: Sophia Jones in Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea, Aiofe in Open Mind Firmament, as well as a recurring role as Butter Rum in The Loush Sisters Do the Nutcracker, and The Loush Sisters Love Dick’ns: Great Expectations and The Loush Sisters Get Hard for the Holidays (Yippe Kai Yay Mother Loushers) all at Cleveland Public Theatre. Directing credits include Jiminirising and The Book of Grace at Cleveland Public Theatre, Fences (AD), Sister Act and Aladdin at Karamu House. Throughout her work as an artist and administrator, Sheffia has also been involved in organizational development and Diversity Equality and Inclusion initiatives. She has served as a trainer and coach for Kaiser Permanente and Health Span, leading the organization’s cultural competency initiatives while also serving as chair for the Kaiser Permanente Diversity Council. She currently partners with Better Health Partnerships and the MetroHealth System training health providers on communication and population health and acts as cohort with Disney Theatrical Group and the Broadway League speaking on DEI hiring and retention practices.

John Stuehr

Treasurer & Founding Chairman

After a lifelong involvement in theatre and a 30-year career in bookselling, John retired as Coordinator at the Gordon Square Arts District in 2014 after helping complete its $30M capital campaign. Part of those efforts included facilitating the creation of Talespinner Children’s Theatre at Reinberger Auditorium as its founding Board chair in 2011. Post-retirement, John happily continues on the Board as Treasurer. John’s love for the stage began in high school, then later with college productions at Kent State University, Porthouse Theatre, and off-off Broadway in New York City at La Mama and New York Theatre Ensemble. John’s most recent theatrical endeavor was in 2019 as Old Man in “King Lear” at the Beck Center. He has directed productions while in high school and college, in various community theatres, and most recently at Lorain County Community College. He has also written plays — “Fate is a Woman”, which he directed while in high school for an all-school assembly! --- plus “House Plan Template”, performed at Kent State University and “Geronimo”, performed in 1974 at the WPA Theatre in NYC. John is an active participant at Cleveland Public Theatre’s monthly Dark Room, where he has been featuring scenes from his current play, “Optimo” while he continues work on a play about his experience as a child in the Parmadale Orphanage superimposed over the history of that organization. As a bookseller, John was general manager for two Fifth Avenue bookstores in NYC, at Brentano's and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He also designed window displays for legendary Fifth Avenue bookstore, Scribners, and managed Hackers Art Books, where he once helped customer David Bowie. John has been a buyer at a national book warehouse, while he also served then as Education chairman for the Great Lakes Booksellers Association. None of these endeavors, of course, paying the rent, John has also maintained various professional careers. As a bookseller, he was general manager for two Fifth Avenue bookstores in NYC, at Brentano's and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Also in NYC, he designed window displays for another Fifth Avenue bookstore, Scribners, and managed Hackers Art Books. John has been a buyer at a national book warehouse, where he also served as Education chairman for the Great Lakes Booksellers Association. And after a stint in the banking industry, in the Human Relations department at Charter One Bank, John became coordinator for the Gordon Square Arts District, where he currently is employed as a grant writer and general handyman.

Katy Maistros

Secretary

Katy has been a resident of the Near West Side for 15 years. Remembering the warm welcome she and husband Steve received has fueled a passion for creating community and connections. Her family has been a part of TCT since the first education class, rarely missing a performance!

Katy Maistros has been a resident of the Near West Side for 15 years. Remembering the warm welcome she and husband Steve received has fueled a passion for creating community and connections. Her family has been a part of TCT since the first education class, rarely missing a performance. Katy and Steve firmly believe in the arts, and especially theater, to promote understanding and empathy in children and adults. Katy's professional life as a Nurse Midwife at Neighborhood Family Practice allows her to connect with and see families grow. As a community midwife, she enjoys meeting the young people she helped into the world while out in the community. Katy and Steve are proud parents of three amazing sons who have profited from the energy and guidance of the arts community. She firmly believes in the mission of TCT and hopes to give back a small portion of what her family has received in abundance!

Amy Bistok

Amy is a local theatre artist and an advertising and marketing professional with expertise in digital marketing and looks forward to contributing to the success of the company alongside the amazing TCT board and staff!

Amy Bistok is proud to serve TCT and and looks forward to contributing to the success of the company alongside the amazing TCT board and staff! Amy is a local theatre artist and an advertising and marketing professional with expertise in digital marketing. In addition to her non-profit marketing experience, Amy has worked to develop and promote brands in an array of fields including travel and tourism, special events and festivals, real estate, property management and more. She received her bachelor's degree in theatre from Kent State University and is an ensemble member at Tremont-based convergence-continuum where she has appeared in numerous productions. Amy is passionate about TCT's aim “to bring theatre to the community in its fullest form providing excitement, growth and joy for all who are involved in and/or touched by its work” and thanks you for your current and future support of this mission.

Liz Conway

Liz has served as a member of the Board of Directors since Talespinner's founding in 2011 and is currently Director of Development with the Tri-C Foundation, securing support for student scholarships and program enhancements at Cuyahoga Community College.

Liz Conway has served as a member of the Board of Directors since Talespinner's founding in 2011. She is Director of Development with the Tri-C Foundation, securing support for student scholarships and program enhancements at Cuyahoga Community College. Aside from her work with non-profit organizations, Liz is an award-winning actor and a core-artist with Cleveland Public Theatre, where she is a creator of the perennial holiday show, The Loush Sisters. She is a proud resident of the city of Cleveland, and believes that access to the arts and education are critical to the prosperity of the community.

Jessica Cartagena

Jessica brings a wealth of knowledge within the area of non-profit, philanthropy and community outreach. Currently Jessica is Project Manager at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C- for the Workforce Connect Healthcare Intermediary initiative. Jessica has also served in the role of Donor Engagement & Outreach Events Specialist for Tri-C, where she managed and coordinated all fundraising and cultivation events for the Tri-C Foundation. She is most proud of her recent work on the inaugural Tri-C Cleveland Eats Culinary Festival in 2017 where she coordinated the Small Bites, Big Dreams event benefiting scholarship for Tri-C Hospitality Management students and the annual Tri-C Presidential Scholarship Luncheon that raises $1 million for Tri-C scholarships. Prior to coming to Tri-C in 2017 Jessica was at the MetroHealth Health System in the role of Philanthropy Officer, Donor Relations, where she worked on events such as the MetroHealth Gala, and annual golf outing and 5k runs. Jessica has a bachelor’s degree of marketing from Cleveland State University and an MBA from University of Phoenix. Jessica serves as a volunteer mentor for the Hispanic Council students. Jessica is married to Luis and they have two theatre loving children Noemi and Emilio.

Erin E.

Dolan

Erin is an Early Childhood Educator, Actor, Playwright, and Poet. Having studied theatre at Kent State University and Lorain County Community College, where she first became involved in theatre for youth, she discovered her great love of including children in the creative process.

Erin E. Dolan is an Early Childhood Educator, Actor, Playwright, and Poet. Having studied theatre at Kent State University and Lorain County Community College, where she first became involved in theatre for youth, she discovered her great love of including children in the creative process. Her path then led her to Houston, Texas, and later Columbus, Ohio, and then the Akron area, where Ms. Dolan focused solely on her work in Early Childhood Education for several years. She returned to Northeast Ohio four years ago to rejoin the exciting arts community here. As the co-founder of Awesome Possum Theatre Company, Ms. Dolan adapted children’s literature for the stage as well as created original works for youth theatre. She has also been commissioned to adapt children’s classics for The Illusion Factory in Akron. In addition to her role as Program Coordinator for the Hyland Child Enrichment Center, an early childhood program serving the children and families of Hyland Software in Westlake, Ohio, she is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Ms. Dolan currently works as a teaching artist with Spark Theatre 4 Youth in Elyria, Ohio, and is a member of their annual benefit committee. She is also a published poet and a member of Literary Cleveland. Since 2016, Ms. Dolan has sought to contribute to the important work that Talespinner Children's Theatre is doing -- first as a volunteer, then as an outreach artist, a company member, benefit committee member, stage manager, contributor to the Exceptional/Inclusion Program, and most recently, as a playwright. Her adaptation of a Scottish folktale, THE KID FROM KITTLERUMPIT, premiered at Talespinner Children's Theatre's Harlequinade benefit in 2019 and was the touring show for the (sadly) shortened 2020 season. She looks forward to supporting Talespinner Children's Theatre and the arts in the Cleveland area for many years to come.

Sandro Galindo

Sandro has been a digital marketer for over a decade, ever since he was named one of WKYC’s 10 Most Interesting NE Ohio Twitter Accounts in 2008 and he specializes in search engine marketing, both organic and paid.

Sandro Galindo has been a digital marketer for over a decade, ever since he was named one of WKYC’s 10 Most Interesting NE Ohio Twitter Accounts in 2008 (although he’s pretty sure his mom stuffed the ballot). He specializes in search engine marketing, both organic and paid. In addition to his day job, he enjoys being involved in unique events. He has co-created three including, a county-wide soup contest, Souper Bowl CLE, a nacho & margarita competition called NachoRita Fest, and an “underground restaurant.” Each raised thousands for local nonprofits. He also volunteers annually in Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine and the Mac n Cheese Festival. He has also been a mentor to one 4th grader at Joseph Gallagher every year for the past five years and teaches children of all ages on behalf of Junior Achievement. Sandro serves on the Board of GiveCamp CLE, the largest GiveCamp (an annual coding-for-charity event) in the United States. He was a Toastmaster for over a decade and served as a club President & Vice-President and has spoken at various marketing and story-telling events. He also co-hosted a digital marketing podcast for over four years. Sandro has been a fan of theatre since the 6th grade when he played Aaron, Moses’ brother in a school play. He also worked backstage for a couple of productions at his alma mater Baldwin Wallace, but since then has remained an enthusiastic supporter of the arts from a seat in the audience.

Zach Stackhouse

Zach is an Associate with Calfee’s Estate and Succession Planning and Administration practice group Prior to joining Calfee in January 2021, Zach was an Associate with a Columbus-based law firm, where he practiced in the Tax and Probate group.

Zach Stackhouse is an Associate with Calfee’s Estate and Succession Planning and Administration practice group Prior to joining Calfee in January 2021, Zach was an Associate with a Columbus-based law firm, where he practiced in the Tax and Probate group. Zach also has worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General of Ohio, Taxation Section. There, he conducted all facets of litigation before the Board of Tax Appeals, Ohio appellate courts and the Ohio Supreme Court. ALso in Columbus, he served as board member for a small professional theatre company in Columbus, Red Herring Additionally, Zach completed a Notre Dame Public Defender Externship where he represented indigent and incarcerated defendants in misdemeanor and traffic court. He served as a Summer Clerk/Intern to Judge Barbara Scheper at the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Interested in Joining our Board?

We Believe in the Power of Storytelling​

Our Board

Interested in Joining our Board?

We Believe in the Power of Storytelling