Jeff serves as chairman of the board of ECPA. Jeff is Principal Architect and Managing Member at Architects’ Studio, based in Elmhurst. He serves as Board President of Elmhurst City Centre. Jeff brings a wealth of experience in working with city and state planners, community representatives, and real estate developers.

Laura is Treasurer, serving on the board of ECPA. She was the guiding force and co-founder of Stage 773, a large vibrant performance complex in the Belmont Theater District of Chicago. Laura is the owner of The Michaud Group, one of the country’s leading business experts specializing in family-owned businesses. The bulk of her business career prior to founding The Michaud Group was with Beltone Electronics, an international manufacturer of Hearing Aids where she rose to the position of Executive VP of Sales and Marketing and was responsible for international and domestic sales, customer service, marketing and their in-house advertising agency. She currently serves on boards as a director or an officer of for several profit and not-for profit entities. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in mathematics and a Masters in Business from Loyola University. Her not-for-profit activities has included serving as Chairman of the Board for Lukaba Productions, Vice President on the board of Elmhurst Children’s Theater and membership chairman for Standing Room Only (a not for profit theater support group for York High School Drama). In addition, she is on multiple committees for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and is secretary/treasurer for the Posen Foundation.

Dan VanEekeren is the Vice President of Purchasing for Vanee Foods. Founded in 1950 in Chicago, Vanee Foods remains family-owned and managed. Dan grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended DePaul University earning his B.S. in Accounting and Finance.   After living in Elmhurst for more than twenty years, Dan has recently relocated to Hinsdale.

His enjoyment of live theater was sparked by his first Broadway experience “Starlight Express” during a childhood family vacation to New York City.  Dan especially enjoys live music and ranks Phil Collins and Coldplay as his favorite concerts (though he may be a secret Swiftie!).

Dan is the proud father of three children.  In his free time he enjoys boxing, traveling, collecting bobble heads (more than 75!) and supporting the Chicago White Sox, Blackhawks and Bears.

Kristen Anderson, MA, LCSW, CEDS-S is a licensed clinical social worker with twenty years experience in the field of eating disorders. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the Honors College at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and obtained her Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. Kristen is the co-founder of the Chicago Center for Evidence Based Treatment and the former Clinical Director of the University of Chicago Eating Disorders Program. She has focused her career on the treatment of young people with eating disorders. Kristen has lived in Elmhurst with her husband and their three children for 10 years. She is active in the Elmhurst school district, serving in the D205 PTA Council. A former musician, she is an avid patron of the arts, and enjoys attending concerts, plays and other performances. She believes that the arts are an essential part of the human experience.

Denio Bolzan is a long-time native of the Chicago area. He is a graduate of DePaul University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Denio’s professional career has been dedicated to business management. In 2000 he joined the private equity firm, Pfingsten Partners, where he currently serves as a Senior Advisor and is a member of the firm’s Fund V Investment Committee. Throughout his tenure, Denio has been involved in all aspects of the firm’s activities, including investment selection, company strategy, portfolio company management, and board member role oversight.

Denio and his family have resided in Downers Grove for nearly fifty years, with the last three years in Elmhurst. He looks forward to applying his extensive business expertise to support the advancement of the Encore Center for Performing Arts in Elmhurst and the surrounding suburban communities.

Rebecca is Choral Director and Theatre Director at York Community High School. An award-winning educator, she also serves on the board of Spirito!, an Elmhurst-based organization dedicated to music and choral training and performance for young women. Rebecca has spent her entire career as a champion of the arts and keeps her finger on the pulse of Elmhurst’s burgeoning talent scene.

Cheryl Peterson grew up in Addison, attended Elmhurst University, and completed her graduate studies at DePaul University.  She is a Certified Public Accountant with the DuPage Water Commission.  Cheryl enjoys supporting the arts and was most recently on the Board of Directors for Elmhurst Children’s Theatre.  She admires the creative talent and bravery of those in the performing arts world and looks forward to helping ECPA achieve its goals.  Cheryl, her husband, and her son reside in Elmhurst.

Francine Pepitone Erenburg grew up in the city of Chicago and recently moved to the western suburbs.  Francine brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sales and marketing. She is Business Development Director with HH Global (previously InnerWorkings), a marketing execution firm. Prior to this position, she owned her own marketing and branded merchandise firm which was acquired by InnerWorkings.  Her career also included chapters at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International. Francine loves the theater and looks forward to bringing her high level of energy and dedication to ECPA.  She, her husband Stephen, and their beloved Shih-Poo, JoJo, are happy to call Elmhurst their new home.

It’s hard to think of any musician who’s had a more varied career than Elmhurst-based singer Cathy Richardson; from scrappy indie rock singer selling albums out of her car to commercial jingles; off-Broadway stage productions to a variety of side projects. Grammy-nominated, Cathy Richardson is the voice of Jefferson Starship since 2008.

The twists and turns of her career feel impossible to follow, and incredibly unlikely, but are owed to the vast range of Richardson’s dynamite-packed vocal cords and her dogged perseverance to achieve goals she set as a teenager. Richardson grew up in west suburban Burr Ridge, and graduated from Hinsdale Central High School where she was recently inducted to their alumni Hall of Fame. An Elmhurst resident since 1995, Richardson is not only thrilled to bring her array of skills and experience to the EPCA board, but also to see this incredible vision come to life for her community.

Nicole Roti Alvarez is a life-long Chicagoland resident. She graduated from DePaul University in 2000 and received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2004. Following law school Nicole was Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, where she defended the City of Chicago in premises liability, civil rights and wrongful death claims.

Currently, Nicole is of counsel to Duncan Law Group, LLC, handling personal injury and wrongful death claims. She is also active in the business that her husband, Peter Alvarez, has been operating for the past 10 years, Auto Gallery Chicago, in Addison.

Nicole has lived in Elmhurst with her husband and their three young children for nearly 10 years. She’s active in her community, serving on various boards and associations, including Elmhurst Pride Collective.

As a child, Nicole gravitated towards dance and her passion led her to dance competitively through high school.  She appreciates the value that the performing arts can have in developing the whole self and building confidence in those who perform.

Zora currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Cuebiq, an advertising technology company specializing in location intelligence and consumer insights. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Zora’s core skillset is scaling revenue growth through data-driven strategies and go-to-market partnerships. Before her role at Cuebiq, Zora held significant leadership positions at several prominent data and technology companies.

Possessing a profound passion for the arts, Zora’s commitment to benefiting communities with the arts and art education began long before her ascent in the business world. Her foundational experience includes graduating with honors from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and serving on the board of student-led theater organizations as an undergrad at Northwestern where she studied Theater in the School of Communications.

Zora brings this unique blend of commercial acumen and a lifelong dedication to live performance to the Encore Center for Performing Arts board, making her a valuable asset to our mission. In addition to her BA from Northwestern, Zora earned her MBA from The University of Chicago. She lives in Elmhurst with her two sons, Joey and Chris, who aspire to be musicians one day.

Monica Shah grew up in Wood Dale, Illinois and attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she received her Bachelor of Science in Business degree with a focus on Management Information Systems.  Monica’s impressive career encompassed consulting and project managing for influential companies such as Accenture and McMaster-Carr.  “I have enjoyed being an active part of the Elmhurst community, making friends and connections.  I look forward to contributing in a bigger way to Elmhurst, bringing the joy of the arts, especially live music and theater, to the western suburbs.”  Monica, her husband, Baiju, and their two sons have lived in Elmhurst for eleven years.

Tom is the newest member of the ECPA Board of Directors. As a life long resident of Elmhurst and its longest serving Mayor he possesses a deep understanding of the community. During his 16 years in the Mayor’s office Tom focused his attention on issues of economic develop. He concentrated on the central business district as part of an overall approach to Elmhurst’s revitalization. He retains a vigorous understanding of how to build city wide consensus to achieve great things for our community. He brings his “Can do” spirit to the goal of developing the ECPA as an outstanding asset for our beloved Elmhurst and the entire region.

Mark George serves as President of the Encore Center for Performing Arts, leading efforts to bring a regional performing arts venue to DuPage County and the greater Chicagoland area. A nationally respected arts leader, he previously spent 15 years as President and CEO of the Music Institute of Chicago, where he elevated the organization’s national profile in music education, performance, and community programming. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at the Hartt School Community Division and the Cleveland Institute of Music, and helped lead the resurgence of the Grammy Award–winning Cleveland Chamber Symphony. Recognized as Chicagoan of the Year in Classical Music by the Chicago Tribune, Mark is known for expanding access to the arts and fostering strong community connections. He works closely with the ECPA board and partners to guide the project from vision to reality and establish a vibrant cultural destination for the region.