Denise Watkins — Board President

Currently an Associate Professor of Theatre at Morehead State University, Denise was the author of the first Theatre Education Certification Program of its kind in the state of Kentucky, and has taught for the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program.  She has also designed costumes for productions for such theatres as Summer Circle Theatre in Michigan, Emporia Summer Theatre in Kansas, Pleiades Theatre Company in Louisville, KY, and the Lexington Children’s Theatre, and spent one summer on tour with Circus Smirkus!, featured on the Disney Channel.. She has taught theatre at various levels, including a study abroad course in London, England.  She holds a BA from Morehead State in Theatre, French, and Secondary Education, and a MFA in Theatrical Production Design from Michigan State.

Doug Sumey - Vice President

In addition to serving as KTA's Vice President, Doug is the Managing Director of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. Doug has been with KY Shakespeare for 8 years, serving as Education Director prior to his work as Managing Director. Originally from Kansas City, Doug began his theatre career there as actor, director, producer, and manager.

Jeremy Kisling - Treasurer

Jeremy Kisling, the Education Director at Lexington Children’s Theatre, has taught acting and theater arts to young people in Iowa, Texas, Washington, and Kentucky. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and his Master of Fine Arts in drama and theater for youth from the University of Texas at Austin. Each year, Kisling directs two or three productions at LCT and assists in the development of the company’s original works. He also serves as the Playwright Network chair for the American Alliance in Theatre Education and on the board of the Kentucky Theatre Association. He teaches at the University of Kentucky and Georgetown College.

Amanda Cope - Secretary

Amanda Cope teaches English and assists with the drama program at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington. She has an M. Ed. from Milligan College and a B.A. in drama and English from Carson-Newman College. She is currently the site coordinator for the Poetry Out Loud program at Dunbar and a playwright. She is married to Guy.

Jane Dewey

Jane Dewey has worked in theatre and arts education as an actress, director, producer, teacher and arts administrator. Currently, Jane is the District Director of Arts Education for the Danville Independent Schools. Jane consults with the Kentucky Center for the Arts and the Kentucky Department of Education, coordinating annual Arts Academies to prepare teachers to use the arts in their classrooms. She is an adjunct professor and guest artist in the Centre College Drama Department and continues to freelance as an actor and director.

Brad Downall

A 1983 graduate in theatre from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, Brad worked in technical theatre in the Twin Cities and Duluth before moving to Madisonville, Kentucky in 1991 to serve as the first Technical Director at the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts at Madisonville Community College.

Brad was promoted to Executive Director in 1999 and has focused on growing community-based activities such as the Summer Arts Academies and reviving community theatre while maintaining the quality of the presenting program and arts-in-education programs. Brad serves as Chair for the Kentucky Presenters’ Network, is on the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Theatre Association, and has been appointed to Murray State University Potter College of Fine Arts Advisory Council.

Kathi E.B. Ellis — SETC Representative

Kathi E.B. Ellis serves currently as the Kentucky State Representative to SETC. She has also served as KTA’s Chair of the Professional Theatre Division, Secretary, and President. Kathi is an independent theatre director, based in Louisville, whose Kentucky directing credits include Actors Guild of Lexington, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Bellarmine University, Centre College, Horse Cave Theatre (now Kentucky Repertory Theatre), Juneteenth Legacy Theatre, Kincaid Regional Theatre, Looking for Lilith Theatre, Pleiades Theatre Company, Public Theatre of Kentucky, Studio Players, and the University of Louisville’s Theatre Department and African American Theatre Program. She is a member of the Lincoln Center and Chicago Directors’ Labs, an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and is listed on the Southern Arts Federation’s online registry, www.southernartistry/kathi_e_b_ellis. Her productions of “Jekyll and Hyde” and “West Side Story” have received nominations for South Florida’s Carbonell Award. As the executive director of the Kentucky Alliance for Arts Education she administers the KTA/KAAE annual professional development day for K-12 teachers.

Bill Forsyth

Bill Forsyth is president of Primary Electric Corporation and Intersales, Inc., mining manufacturing and electrical equipment companies located in Pikeville, Ky. Both corporations contribute financially to community and professional theatre companies throughout the state and region. Mr. Forsyth has been a member the board of directors of Jenny Wiley Theatre since 1999, serving as secretary, vice-president and at large positions on the executive committee in subsequent years. Bill is also a member of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, and General Partner overseeing one of Pike County's largest tourist attractions, The Historic Dils Cemetery and Gardens, final resting place of famous feudist, Randolph McCoy. He is especially grateful to have edited material for some of Kentucky's better known and upcoming playwrights, several whom have debuted new works recently or received national awards. Bill has been a KTA board member since 2007.

Les Fugate

Les Fugate serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Secretary of State Trey Grayson. He previously served as the Director of Alumni and Annual Giving for the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. He oversees all aspects of the Office of the Secretary of State's communications efforts including serving as the office spokesperson and webmaster. He is a graduate of Centre College where he received a B.A. in Economics and of Vanderbilt University where he recently received an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration. Les is active in the performing arts, serving as a board member for Jenny Wiley Theatre and the Actor's Theatre of Louisville Generation One board. Les was recently named to the Centre College Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Governor's Scholars Program Board of Directors.

Alana Ghent

Alana is an Assistant Professor of Drama at Thomas More College, beginning her time there in 1994. Born in London, Ontario, she earned her BFA in Theatre from Concordia University in Montreal, and then earned her MFA in Directing from the University of Mississippi. In addition to her work with Thomas More and the KTA, Alana is also the Artistic Director for the Ovation Theatre Company in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Phil Neace

A veteran of over 30 stage productions as a performer from college level to community, Phil is very excited to be a part of the KTA.  A graduate of Cumberland College (The University of the Cumberlands) in Williamsburg Ky and educated in theatre by the noted Dr. Daniel Nazworth, Phil calls Hazard Ky home and has been teaching in Perry County for over 15 years. He is the founding director of The Commodore Players drama program of Perry County Central High School and has given his students opportunities to act, design and direct since 2003. Phil calls his wife, Heather, his greatest supporter in the theatre world and his three children, sons Chance and Michael and daughter Jade, as his greatest audience.

Amanda Simmons

Amanda Simmons has BA and MA in Theatre and Communications from Morehead State University. She is the Theatre Director for Shelby County High School. She has directed for several schools in Shelby County, Morehead Theatre Guild, Shelby County Community Theatre and directed a touring producition of The Arkansaw Bear for Morehead State University. She serves on the KTA board as Vice-Chair of the High School Play Festival.

Honorary Board Member

Karen Willis

Karen is a graduate of WKU and has been active in music and theatre for over 50 years, having acted or directed in over 100 shows. She has taught the craft at all levels, and founded Muhlenburg Community Theatre in 1980. Karen’s work includes her one-woman
show, “Miss Lizzie Borden Invites You for Tea,” and her original hit production “Miner’s Memory.” She has also been active as a director at the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts. Much of her recent time has been devoted to the Green River Correctional Complex, where she helped to create the Inside Players, a theatre group of inmates who produce Shakespeare and original dramas and comedies as a means for conflict resolution.