Leadership Staff
Lakesha Green
Executive Director
Lakesha Green
Executive Director
Lakesha Green
Lakesha Green is the Executive Director of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. Prior to Lakesha has been director of Youth Programs Coordinator at the Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse, N.Y., where she worked with community groups, school districts and other nonprofit organizations to build community engagement and audience development for Redhouse Arts Center. Lakesha has spent the past 25 years consulting and directing all over the northeast building capacities for non-profit organizations. She previously taught in public school systems as a theater arts director and spent 15 years as a theater arts director and arts and Youth Development Director at All Walks of Life Inc., where she demonstrated solid organizational skills and excelled in securing funding for the arts and magnet programs.
Since becoming Executive Director of the Wagon Wheel in 2021, she has earned a Leveraging Engagement and Action in Diversity (L.E.A.D.) Executive Certificate from Indiana Tech and serves as a member of the Arts United Cohort for the Northeast Panel. She has been appointed to serve on the Indiana Arts Commission State Arts Strategic Plan Task Force. She has been featured in numerous arts publications through the state of Indiana and beyond.
Lakesha holds a B.A. in Theater Arts from The Alabama State University and an MFA in Media and Performing arts from Savannah College of Art and Design. Lakesha has an amazing 5 year old son named Hendrix that really completes her WHY in life.
Lakesha is passionate about the arts and making sure that art is accessible to all walks of life. She has had the privilege and opportunity to serve on many strategic frameworks for Non- Profits across the South and Northeast. Lakesha has a heart for people and making sure that art is sustainable for years to come.
Scott Michaels
Artistic Director
Scott Michaels
Artistic Director
Scott Michaels
Scott became the Artistic Director of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts in 2008 and the first full-time Artistic Director in 2010 after the organization became a nonprofit. Prior to that, Scott spent 12 Wagon Wheel Professional Theatre seasons as resident Choreographer and Director on nearly 100 productions. During that time he also spent 4 years as the resident Director/Choreographer of the Armory Theatre in Janesville, Wisconsin. Scott’s work on Cats at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin won USA Today’s award for Best High School Musical in the country for 2008. Scott spent 2 years as an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL as the Musical Theatre Dance Teacher. He has more than 25 years of performing experience from Chicago to Regional theatre and has performed all over the country and Japan during a 2-year tour as a backup singer for Perry Como. Scott continues to work with high schools and colleges all over the Midwest directing, choreographing, and teaching countless workshops and master classes as a part of his professional development.
As Artistic Director, Scott single-handedly completes the annual audition tour for casting the Summer Season. Scott tours several states and colleges throughout the nation each year, seeing more than 2,000 individuals for the 30+ summer company. Scott directs and choreographs several Professional and youth shows a year including choreographing the Wagon Wheel Junior musicals, a program he founded alongside his wife and creative partner Jennifer Dow. As an accomplished choreographer, Scott embodies the Wagon Wheel’s mission of educational opportunities by providing the professional actors he hires with the experience of dance captain and often equips young professionals with the chance to choreograph numbers within a production too.
Scott celebrated his 25th year at the Wagon Wheel in 2021, the first season back after the pandemic shuttered the theatre for more than a year. In those 25 years, Scott has dedicated his creative power, energy, and his resources to improving the Wagon Wheel’s creative excellence and service to the community and the artists that call Wagon Wheel home.
Operations Staff
Holly Lantz
Finance Director
Holly Lantz
Finance Director
Holly Lantz
Holly got her love for theater at an early age during performing in school and church productions. After high school, she attended Millikin University where she obtained a BA in Musical Theater Performance. Upon graduation, she moved to Chicago to work in the arts where she taught children’s theater classes and performed in a traveling troupe that took performances into intercity schools. In the late 90’s, Holly received an MA in Performing Arts Management from Columbia College. During her master’s program, Holly went to work for Regus and spent the next 17 years working for the Global Company. When she ended her career at Regus, she held the position of Director of Global Change Management.
Shortly after moving back to her hometown Auburn, Indiana to marry a high school classmate, she decided to get back to what she loved and took a bookkeeping job with Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts in 2015. Today she holds the position of Director of Finance at Wagon Wheel where she uses her creative, financial, and operational skills to help guide the future of the Wagon Wheel.
Holly also serves on two non-profit arts boards in Auburn. She is the Treasurer for Excelsior Arts Academy & Youth Theatre and handles marketing for The DeKalb Outdoor Theater.
Christine Leiter
Office Manager
Christine Leiter
Office Manager
Christine Leiter
Chris, a Warsaw native, graduated from Warsaw Community High School and remembers growing up around the Wagon Wheel. After high school, Chris applied herself to college courses in math, science, and even architecture. Chris completed her Massage Therapy from Charter College in 2006 and remains a licensed massage therapist. Prior to employment at the Wagon Wheel, Chris spent 15 years as a full-time massage therapist, 20+ years in Title Insurance with the last 10 years as a Loan Closer, and 2 years as a manager of a movie theater. Chris began volunteering as an usher for the Wagon Wheel in 2003 and joined the Box Office team in 2019 before being promoted to Office Manager in 2022. Chris’s experience in massage therapy and loan closings, as well as her natural giftings, have developed her skills in problem-solving, customer service, financial accountability and accuracy, flexibility, and overall leaving people better than when they came in. In her job as Office Manager, Chris manages the box office team and operations, is the team lead for the Wagon Wheel’s annual Holiday School Field Trip program, and manages a variety of operational duties. “I enjoy the variety of tasks and responsibilities that my job offers, filling in the gaps and helping everyone have a wonderful experience here at the Wagon Wheel. I love learning more about the behind-the-scenes process and how the show comes to life on stage.”
Artistic Staff
Jennifer Dow
Associate Artistic Director
Jennifer Dow
Associate Artistic Director
Jennifer Dow
Jennifer Dow started her career at the Wagon Wheel in 1999 as a performer, became the resident wig designer in 2009, and became wearer-of-many-hats for the theatre in 2012. Jennifer was hired full-time as a Creative Staff member in 2015 and promoted to her long-held role as Associate Artistic Director in 2022. After receiving her BFA in Music Theatre from Millikin University, Jennifer quickly found her creative home at the Wagon Wheel Theatre. She lived and worked professionally as a performer in Chicago’s regional theaters while returning to the Wagon Wheel every summer. She moved to Warsaw in 2012 with her husband and Artistic Director, Scott Michaels, as the Wagon Wheel started operating year-round as a non-profit. Together they created the Wagon Wheel Junior program (Professional quality theatre for young audiences performed by young artists) producing 3 shows during the “off” season. She taught voice lessons locally for 4 years until she began taking on more responsibilities and became a full-time staff member in 2015. Among those duties, she has also served as Wagon Wheel Professional Theatre’s housing coordinator since 2010 finding over 60 company member’s homes-away-from-home during their summer and holiday contracts. She has over 25 years of professional experience in many facets of the theatre industry including performance, wigs, make-up, costuming, props, stage management, administration, education, web development, and graphic design.
She has performed in over 100 shows on the Wagon Wheel stage with her most memorable roles being: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), Always, Patsy Cline (Louise), Young Frankenstein (Frau Blucher), Marvelous Wonderettes (Suzy), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide), Seussical (Gertrude), South Pacific (Nellie).
Other regional credits include Cats (Rumpleteaser) at the Marriott Lincolnshire, Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Water Tower, Jekyll & Hyde (Emma) at Pheasant Run, and performing nationally and in Canada as a singer with the Rockettes for 3 seasons in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
Jennifer continues her roles of wig designer, housing coordinator, and performer in her Associate Artistic Director position. The Wagon Wheel represents a culture of theatre that relies on compassion, collaboration, creativity, and especially ingenuity and imagination to adapt works to a space in the round. Jennifer is grateful to call it her artistic home.
Thomas Hall
Music Director
Thomas Hall
Music Director
Thomas Hall
Thomas Hall joined the Wagon Wheel family in 2021 as a music director and voice teacher. He holds a B.A. in Music and Church Music from Indiana Wesleyan University, an M.M. in Voice Performance from DePaul University in Chicago, IL, and is currently working towards a D.A. in Voice Performance at Ball State University. Thomas has been a music director, performer, pit musician, and educator since 2003 and has been a music director for nearly 35 productions across community, educational, and professional theatre settings.
Matthew Helpert
Technical Director
Matthew Helpert
Technical Director
Matthew Helpert
Matthew joined the Wagon Wheel as the full-time Technical Director in 2019. Matthew grew up at the Temple Civic Theatre and studied technical theatre at Trinity Valley Community College and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. He has worked as a Lighting Designer and Operator with local venues and touring productions in Austin Texas. He has also worked as an Electrician, Scenic Designer, Audio and Video Engineer on both the community and professional levels. He is honored to continue to work with the level of talent this theatre commands and with the technicians that help make it happen.
Chris Pollnow
Sound Designer
Chris Pollnow
Sound Designer
Chris Pollnow
Chris is proud to be part of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts creative team as the resident Sound Designer since 1994. In addition to his duties as Sound Designer he is also the Go-to Guy, providing technical support for Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts productions. He has worked with many other venues around the region including Manchester University, Ball State University, Honeywell Center, Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, and the University of Indianapolis as a Sound Designer, Lighting Designer, and Technical Director. He studied under Richard K Thomas at Purdue University and received his BA from Indiana University. He started working at the Wagon Wheel as a high school student in the late 1980s as a stagehand and continues to be astounded at the high-quality people and productions that have graced this stage and entertained our audience.
Jason Thompson
Principal Conductor & Director of Symphony of the Lakes
Jason Thompson
Principal Conductor & Director of Symphony of the Lakes
Jason Thompson
Jason is a dynamic and engaging conductor whose diverse passions include early music, orchestral masterworks, and symphonic pops. He was recently appointed principal conductor and director of the Symphony of the Lakes. He is a professor of music at Indiana Wesleyan University where he has been on faculty since 2006. At IWU, he conducts the orchestra, opera theatre, and early music ensemble; he also teaches violin, viola, and music history. Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Violin Performance and Conducting from Indiana University, a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Bowling Green State University, and a Doctor of Music in Early Music Ensemble Direction from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Education Staff
Kira Lace Hawkins
Education Director
Kira Lace Hawkins
Education Director
Kira Lace Hawkins
Kira Lace Hawkins brings over 18 years of experience in arts education to the Wagon Wheel. After receiving a BA in music and a BA in theater from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, Kira went on to direct, music direct, and perform professionally at numerous theaters including the highly acclaimed Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. She then attended Penn State University where she received her Master of Fine Arts in Acting. Kira returned to her alma mater St. Olaf to serve as an Adjunct Professor for one year while performing professionally in Minneapolis. Since moving to Indiana, Kira served as Director and Lecturer of Theater at Manchester University for five years and also taught courses at Grace College and Ivy Tech Community College. She has been a member of the Wagon Wheel family since 2007 performing in over 50 Wagon Wheel Professional Theatre productions, leading summer workshops, teaching acting classes, and directing several Wagon Wheel Junior productions. Favorite roles on the Wagon Wheel stage include Francesca in The Bridges of Madison County, Diana in Next to Normal, Donna in Mamma Mia, The Witch in Into the Woods, Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins and Paulette in Legally Blonde. She was named Education Director fall of 2021 and is working with her talented colleagues to develop Wagon Wheel Conservatory into a premiere arts education institution for our community. Kira is passionate about sharing her knowledge, experience, and artistry with students from the community. She is thankful to work with top-notch Musical Theater artists onstage and off in the summer and holiday seasons and perform for audiences throughout the year. She continues to develop as an educator and artist to bring the absolute best she can to this community through Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts.
Jonathan Snyder
Personnel Manager, Education & Outreach Coordinator of Symphony of the Lakes
Jonathan Snyder
Personnel Manager, Education & Outreach Coordinator of Symphony of the Lakes
Jonathan Snyder
Jonathan Snyder joined the Wagon Wheel Theatre as Personnel Manager/Education & Outreach Coordinator for Symphony of the Lakes in 2022. As a freelance oboist, private instructor, and customer service specialist, Jonathan enjoys hiring and attending to musicians for SOTL performances, and creating inspiring opportunities for students. He holds two degrees in oboe performance from Temple University (BM) and University of Cincinnati (MM). Playing with several Indiana orchestras like Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Anderson Symphony, and Orchestra Indiana, Jonathan has enjoyed performing with SOTL as needed. A native from Cleveland, OH, Jonathan moved to Fort Wayne in 2017, and has been impressed with Indiana’s vibrant arts scene, as well as its attentive and enthusiastic audiences. He appreciates Wagon Wheel Theatre’s role in supporting SOTL, and is excited to be a part of a team that is helping the orchestra continue to inspire the community and grow.
Our Board
The Wagon Wheel’s volunteer board of directors includes professionals from fields of business, education, finance, and marketing and all members make annual financial contributions. For the past year, the board has been involved in completing a financial audit, updating and writing board policies and procedures (specifically in finance and governance), and has worked on the creation of the organization’s three-year strategic plan.
Emily Illingworth Kosnik
Board President
Emily Illingworth Kosnik
Board President
Emily Illingworth Kosnik
Emily graduated from the University of Arizona in 2010 with a degree in Sociology, Communications and Religious Studies. After graduation she was hired into the Management trainee program at Toyota Motor Sales North America in Los Angeles and was then promoted and relocated to the Central Atlantic regional office in Baltimore, MD where she covered territories in Richmond Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, etc. Her last position with the company was as District Sales Manager covering Pittsburgh, PA. Emily and her husband moved to Winona Lake in January of 2017 and a year later they purchased ownership in her family business, Toyota of Warsaw. Emily is now the General Manager and minority owner. Emily has served on the Wagon Wheel Board of Directors since July of 2018. As a board member, she has served as the chair of the development committee and co-chair of the executive director search committee. Emily was named Board President in January 2022. In addition to being board president, Emily is a Director Club Member and donor, and her business is a summer season show sponsor. Her family has been spending the summers in Winona Lake since 1926, a tradition her parents continued. “I believe in the mission of the Wagon Wheel and choose to financially support its mission for many reasons. It is vital that the talented and experienced artists and musicians are able to continue serving and inspiring the youth of Northern Indiana. I firmly believe that generations to come will thank us for nurturing and investing in life changing, quality, live theatre, and arts programming.” Emily and her husband, Christopher, live in Winona Lake with her stepson Paxton and son Rusch along with a Great Dane ,Dolly and Husky Poodle Mix, Blue.
Adam Turner
Vice President
Adam Turner
Vice President
Adam Turner
Adam D. Turner is an attorney licensed to practice in the state of Indiana as well as the U.S. District Courts of Indiana. Adam graduated from Taylor University in 2005 and subsequently graduated from Regent University School of Law in 2008.
He is a founding partner of Turner Valentine LLP and is a member of the Kosciusko County Bar Association and the Indiana State Bar Association. He is a graduate of both the Kosciusko Leadership Academy and Leadership Development Academy for the Indiana State Bar Association.
Currently, Adam’s practice focuses on Business Law, Municipal & Governmental Law, Wills Trusts & Estates, Personal Injury, Real Estate, and Firearm Law.
Adam is very active in his community, serves as a Deacon in his church, and has sat on the Board for several community organizations over the years. He resides in Winona Lake, Indiana, and enjoys spending his free time there with his wife and two young daughters. They enjoy frequent trips to the playground, lake, zoo, and of course, shows at the Wagon Wheel! The Arts have always been a large part of his life and he is happy to serve as a part of the Wagon Wheel board of directors since 2016 and currently server as Vice President of the Board.
Kristin Mason
Treasurer
Kristin Mason
Treasurer
Kristin Mason
Kristin Mason serves as the Treasurer of the Wagon Wheel board of directors. She is currently the Corporate Controller at Paragon Medical. She has worked in a variety of Finance roles at local companies, including Zimmer, Biomet, Zimmer Biomet and CTB, Inc. She holds a degree in Accounting from Butler University and an inactive CPA license. While earning her Accounting degree, Kristin continued her love for music by playing the bass clarinet in the Butler Wind Ensemble. She joined the Wagon Wheel board to lend her Finance knowledge to help the not-for-profit maintain its financial stability so that the community could continue to enjoy the premier musical performances, arts education, symphony and community theater without leaving Kosciusko County.
April Fitterling
Secretary
April Fitterling
Secretary
April Fitterling
April Fitterling is the Chief Financial Officer for Warsaw Community Schools. She has been with WCS for almost 9 years. She received her business degree from Indiana University and her MBA from WGU. April joined the board of directors in January of 2022. Her experience with budgets, facilities planning and grants are all things she contributes to the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. She has always had a love for the arts and had enjoyed attending productions at the Wagon Wheel before joining the board. She is honored and blessed to be able to serve on the board of directors.
Shawn Brown
Member
Shawn Brown
Member
Shawn Brown
Shawn Brown graduated with a degree in Psychology and Sociology from Holy Cross College in South Bend, IN. After graduating, Shawn spent a number of years in sales before striking out as an entrepreneur. Shawn, currently, is the publisher for Lake City Living magazine which promotes local families that are doing good in the local community as well as local businesses and community stories. Shawn moved from Granger/South Bend, IN to Warsaw with his family in 2021 and immediately became active in the community. Shawn volunteers for Kosciusko Senior Services, as a Big for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and as an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce of Kosciusko County. Shawn also serves on the steering committee board of Young Adult Professionals of the Kosciusko Chamber and as the Treasurer for Young Republicans of Kosciusko County. Shawn received the KEDCO (Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation) Raising Leader Award in 2022 for his commitment and contributions to service and leadership in the county. Shawn joined the Wagon Wheel board in September 2022. “As a Wagon Wheel Board member, I strive to use my gifts of influence, charisma, and serial optimism in the community to cultivate interest in seeing the continued success of the Wagon Wheel for years to come.”
Melissa Jordan
Member
Melissa Jordan
Member
Melissa Jordan
Melissa Jordan attended Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she studied Literature and Drama. She is currently employed as the office manager and X-ray technician at Legacy Family Chiropractic. Melissa has been personally involved with Wagon Wheel Center for The Arts since the inception of Center Street Community Theatre (now known as Wagon Wheel Community Theatre) in 2014 and through her daughter’s participation in Wagon Wheel Junior. Melissa is passionate about fostering an appreciation for the arts and bringing individuals in our community together by providing opportunities for adults and youth to get involved and grow. Melissa believes live theatre can help develop empathy and compassion whether one is an audience member or participating in the show as an actor or crew member. She is committed to strengthening the public reach and community relationships of the Wagon Wheel Center for The Arts.
Alyssa Lowe
Member
Alyssa Lowe
Member
Alyssa Lowe
Alyssa Lowe has served on the Wagon Wheel board of directors since October 2015. She attended the University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, and has her IOM certification through the US Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization Management. Alyssa is currently the co-pastor at Home Church and has worked in the not-for-profit industry for over 12 years. Her work experience and knowledge are predominantly in nonprofit organizational management, development, and marketing. Alyssa is very passionate about helping people and became passionate about Wagon Wheel’s mission when her son took interest in theater, auditioned and was offered a position in a Wagon Wheel Jr. production at a young age. She is also excited about the educational opportunities the Wagon Wheel provides regionally for youth and adults that may not otherwise have exposure to quality creative art opportunities. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve alongside some of the top leaders in Kosciusko County to make an impact through the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. I look forward to the great things to come.”
Terry White
Member
Terry White
Member
Terry White
Board member Terry White is a native of western Pennsylvania. His bachelor’s degree in music is from Grace College and his master’s in music is from Indiana University. His Ph.D. work in journalism and mass communication is from the University of Iowa and his M.A. and Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership are from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Much of White’s career has been at Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, first as Director of Public Relations and later as head of the journalism department. He also wrote the school’s first accreditation self-study, served as a development officer, and later taught Leadership in the business department and Higher Ed Governance and Finance in the non-profit master’s program.
His career also took him to Minnesota for 15 years where he taught in several colleges and was music director and executive pastor of a megachurch. Later he moved to the Washington D.C. area to become vice president of communications for Prison Fellowship, founded by Charles Colson. In 2003 he moved back to Winona Lake to become executive director and publisher of the Brethren Missionary Herald Co., the denominational communications arm of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.
As a Wagon Wheel board member, his main contributions are in the area of publicity and marketing, strategic planning and board leadership/development. Terry has served as chair of the Symphony of the Lakes committee, Development Committee, and is the most recent past Board President.
Board Purpose and Scope of Responsibilities
Board members are actively involved in organizational governance, are expected to attend monthly board meetings, participate in at least one board committee, and make a personal financial contribution that falls within the top three charitable organizations of the board members annually giving. Board members serve the organization by managing at least three donors or community partner relationships.
Wagon Wheel’s board of directors needs a variety of skills, with a strong emphasis on board candidates with accounting, human resource, legal, money management, and media expertise, as well as those connected to the local real estate and mortgage loan industry, education, labor, business, and cultural organization, and communities of color.
Join Our Board
Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts is recruiting members to serve on the Board of Directors. The mission of WWCA is to provide performing arts experiences that create community unity, educational opportunity, and economic growth. Our vision is to preserve our legacy and create sustainable, affordable programs by becoming the region’s premier location for professional theatre, arts education, and community involvement. Board Members will work closely with the Executive Director to ensure the effective governance of the organization.
Applicants should be driven by the belief that they can make a difference in nurturing and investing in life-changing, quality, live theatre, music, and arts programming by using their diverse backgrounds. WWCA is seeking applicants with knowledge and skills in one or more of the following areas: leadership, business, law, audit and tax, human resources, finance, governance, strategic planning, partnership development, real estate, mortgage banking, government navigation, communications and marketing, economic development, entrepreneurship, and relationship networking.
All Board of Director members are volunteers.
Length of Term: One (1) and Three (3) year Terms – each director shall be eligible for re-election for not more than two subsequent terms.
Application Deadline: August 1, 2023
Join Our Board
For additional information or to obtain a recruitment package and application, please fill out the below form.