Meet The Board

Board of Directors

Emily Rhodes, President

Emily Rhodes is thrilled to serve as President of TAP. She has spent the last year on the board serving as Vice President and closely shadowing past president, Laura Gouge, in addition to having a history of leading similar theatre organizations. For her day job, she works for an event company based out of Hyattsville as the Inventory and Purchases Manager. In her spare time she loves starting crafts without finishing them, visiting local breweries, and playing Pokemon GO with her husband and friends. 
Email Emily.

Brittany Bolick, Vice President

Brittany joined TAP in 2018 as a rehearsal swing for Arsenic and Old Lace and immediately knew she'd found a new home. The community was extremely welcoming to her, even as newcomers and truly valued the voices of its members. She loved the support and camaraderie during rehearsals, on stage, backstage, and in our larger community and she wants to continue to help TAP create and showcase amazing productions. She's also a dance teacher at Dance Academy of Virginia and just graduated from Georgetown Law. Brittany has served as Director for Audience Relations for  2 seasons and Director of Marketing this past season. Email Brittany.

Alex Lew, Secretary

Alex first began working with The Arlington Players in Fall 2017 when he joined the Pippin pit as a violist, and he's been proud to join several more TAP productions both under the stage and onstage since then. While he's worked with several theatres in the area (as an actor, musician, and occasionally director), TAP has been a particularly supportive creative home, and he's excited to give back to and help grow that environment for plenty more folks during his time on the board. By day, Alex works in project management, proposal development, and general administration and operations at The Urban Institute, and utilizes skills from his job with the board and vice versa. Email Alex.

Mario Leone, Treasurer

A member of TAP since 2018, Mario has been honored to serve the organization as its Treasurer since 2020.  Following his first performance in Sweeney Todd in 2018, he appeared onstage in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Curtains, and most recently Singin' in the Rain.  Mario hails from Rostraver, PA but found a second family through The Arlington Players and hopes to help others do the same.  Mario currently works as an engineering manager at Capital One in McLean, VA. Email Mario.

Maureen Dawson, Development Director

Maureen has over 12 years experience working on the development side of many different organizations in addition to The Arlington Players. One of the very first organizations where she worked as a development coordinator was Capital Partners for Education. After that, she has written several grant proposals, some of them involved George Washington University and other associated professional organizations throughout her entire 24 years of work experience, which includes her time serving in this position. She has an absolute passion for the arts and for the growth and sustainability of TAP for many years to come. She feels honored to serve in this position by continuing to elevate existing TAP strategic goal foundations and exploring new avenues for revenue generation, audience expansion, and community engagement.  Email Maureen.

Christopher Smith, Executive Producer

Christopher has been associated with TAP since 1995. He has worked in multiple artistic capacities including director, assistant director, technical director, choreographer, producer, set designer, master carpenter, and master electrician. He has performed in several productions including Nice Work If You Can Get It, Kiss Me Kate, Kiss of the Spider Woman, On the Town, Miracle Worker, Damn Yankees, Gypsy, and others. In addition, he has served the organization with previous tenures on the board as President, Secretary, Executive Producer, Director of Membership, Past President, and Director of Audience Relations. In 2008, The Arlington Players awarded him the Don and Marge Hopkins award for outstanding and consistent service to the organization and its mission. Email Christopher.

Kalynn Henderson, Director of Membership

Kalynn has seamlessly integrated into The Arlington Players' community, feeling at home from day one. With her recent role as Joby in TAP’s production of "Anton in Show Business" in 2024, she continues her theatrical journey that spans two decades. Her diverse repertoire includes performances such as Beatrice in "Much Ado About Nothing," Miss Furnival in "Black Comedy," and Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet." She also taught beginner improv classes for children. As a newcomer to the DC area, Kalynn finds immense joy in the TAP community. Eager to contribute her passion for theater, she looks forward to enriching the community's experience through her artistry and dedication. Email Kalynn.

Mikel Gajkowski, Director of Marketing

Mikel discovered TAP in 2017, in her first audition since high school. Through the years, and thanks to productions like She Loves Me, Anton in Show Business, and TAP/LTA’s Night of One Acts, she has rediscovered the joy of theater and held an abiding love for the castmates, directors, crew, and TAP volunteers who make it possible. Prior to her career in the foreign service, Mikel was a marketing and public relations manager in the nonprofit sector. Mikel lives with her husband and two dogs in Falls Church, Virginia. Email Mikel.

Alden Michels, Director of Season Selection

Alden Michels is an actor, singer, director, and dialect coach who has worked in the DC area for the past 25 years. He helped to found and serve on the board of the Six Degree Singers, a community chorus in Silver Spring, Maryland that has lasted for over a decade. He has also served as the artistic director of the McClean Theatre Alliance. Alden has been a part of the TAP community as a performer, director, dialect coach, and volunteer over the past 6 years, contributing to 9 separate productions during that time. He is working to make a season that engages and enriches the community while providing the talented performers with great experiences that will make them ongoing TAP members. Email Alden.

Jean Hacken, Director of Community Outreach and Diversity

Jean always been passionate about theater. As a ten-year-old, she adapted The Tempest for her 5th grade class. Jean is the current Director of Outreach and Diversity for TAP.  In this role, she reaches out to social service organizations, neighborhood associations, clubs, schools, and international communities to share the opportunities that TAP offers. She promotes TAP as a welcoming and inclusive organization which values the contributions of all participants as performers, members of the production crew, or audience members. Email Jean.

Aimee Dastin, Director of Audience Relations

Aimee has been involved in theatre for many years and is looking forward to finding a community of theatre-makers. They graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a dual degree in Theatre and Economics, with a minor in Arts Leadership. They are a playwright and stage manager by trade, but love being involved with the arts administration side of theatre, as well. They have worked in Front of House and the Box Office for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center for the past four years. This is their first season at TAP! Email Aimee.

Adam Parker, Director of Stewardship

Adam has been involved with TAP since 2022, returning to theater after a few years away and has sound-designed The Prom, Singin’ In the Rain, Almost Maine and the Night of One Acts. While primarily a sound designer and audio engineer, in college he was the Production Manager for a student-run theater group and helped teach technical theater courses. Adam is an event planner for a DC-based nonprofit and serves on the board of the Arlington County Fair. Email Adam.

Steven Yates, Director at Large

Steven started working with TAP in 2008 with The Sweet Smell of Success as a stagehand. Other backstage credits include The Producers, Cabaret, 42nd Street, Promises, Promises, and A Chorus Line. He served as Stage Manager for Clybourne Park, A Streetcar Named Desire, and A Midsummer Night's Dream and Assistant Stage Manager for Nine, 9 to 5, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Man of La Mancha, She Loves Me, Pippin, and Sweeney Todd. He also produced The Prom. He has also appeared on stage in A Little Night Music and Peter Pan. Steven has served on the Board in various capacities, including Director of Development, Vice President, President, and Past President. Email Steven.

Laura Gouge, Past President

Laura has been honored to serve as TAP's President for the 72nd and 73rd seasons. She previously served on the Board as Secretary during the 67th season and as Vice President and Director of Audience Relations during the 68th-70th seasons. Laura has also been involved as TAP's Volunteer Coordinator and an assistant to the Director of Development. She served as Producer for TAP’s Singin’ in the Rain and will also help produce TAP's upcoming production of The Play That Goes Wrong. Laura has a passion for the arts and enjoys watching a beautiful production come to life. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and reading.  Email Laura.

Supporting Staff

Assistant Treasurer: Sally Flores

Costume Coordinator: Joan Lawrence

Graphic Designer: Matt Liptak

Hair & Make-up Coordinators: Robin Maline and Lanae Sterrett

Historian: Karen Toth

Props Coordinator: Allison Gray-Mendes

Salesforce Admin: Hayley Harnicher

Social Media Manager: Benton Felty

Social Chair: Tara Clinton

Sound Manager: Chris Kagy

Tech/Data Manager: Natalie Stevens