Topia Arts Center is fortunate to have among its board of directors and advisory board members experts in each of the four disciplines it presents; music, dance, theater and film, which ensures quality programming, a supportive arts organization structure and respect in the industry.

Mary Ann McSweeney, Chairman
Arranger, composer and Broadway bassist. Avenue Q Bassist. Faculty member Lincoln Center Jazz, New York City. Was the youngest bassist to appear with the All Star Big Band fronted by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. Has recorded several albums of original music and toured extensively world-wide with well known performers such as Rosie O’Donald, Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Konitz, Joanne Brackeen, Dave Liebman, Gil Goldstein, Bucky Pizzarelli,Vic Juris, Mike Le Donne, Bucky Pizzerelli, Victor Lewis, Diva Maiden Voyage and more. She also has worked with famous conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, John Williams and Lalo Schifrin.

David Chapman
Carnegie-Mellon University with a degree in Drama with emphasis on technical production and design. His professional performing arts credits include: A nine year association with the Colonial Theatre project in Pittsfield, MA, including seven years as a volunteer member of the founding board of trustees, serving on committees charged with oversight of restoration, facilities, and human resources, and two years as paid staff as Director of Facilities and Production. Five summer seasons as Technical Director and nine years as Director of Operations and Production at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA. Nineteen years as Director of Production and Lighting Supervisor of the touring Pilobolus Dance Theatre, including the creation of original lighting designs. Free-lance design or production credits with numerous organizations including: American Dance Festival, Berkshire Community College, Carnegie Hall, Claude Kipnis Mime Theatre, Lake George Opera Festival, Limelight Productions. Momix, New York Philharmonic, Ohio Ballet, Opera Company of Boston, Peter Pucci Plus, Spoleto Festival USA, Tanglewood Music Festival, Paul Winter Consort, and numerous popular music acts. He served as a founding member of the board of organizers of the Berkshire Film and Media Arts Commission

Laia Cabrera
Editor, film and video artist from New York City. BA in Media at the UAB (Autonomous University of Barcelona), and graduated in Film Production at the New School University in New York 2006. Editor of the Docu-Concert Cachao featuring Andy Garcia and Israel “Cachao” Lopez, produced by the Doc Film Institute. 2006 Editor and Motion Graphics for the feature film Shut up and Do It, 222 Productions, NY 2006. Postproduction Supervisor and Visual Effects Editor for the documentary The World Of Vija Vetra, Produced by KosticFilms, USA-SERBIA. 2005-06 Director/Camera/Editor for the FIT Trailer & Documentary Cake and fit the FIT, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), NY 2005. Postproduction Supervisor for the Film “Portrait” directed by Jose Carrasco, New York-Barcelona.

Jenny O’Haver
Hollywood Casting director and film producer currently living in Great Barrington and working on both coasts. She has casted and produced films, TV series, documentaries and commercials. She is one of the founders of the Berkshire Film Commission. Her casting credits include: Malachance (2004), Duets (2003) TV series aka MTV’s Duets, The AMC Project (2003) TV series Ubuntu’s Wounds (2002) A Stoner’s Life (2002) HBO Real Sex (1 episode, 2001) Episode #1.27 (2001) TV episode. Her producing credits include: The AMC Project (2003) TV series (co-producer) HBO Real Sex (associate producer) (1 episode, 2001) Episode #1.27 (2001) TV episode (associate producer).

Jeanne Matthew
Currently a company member and artistic committee member at Main Street Stage, Jeanne has been involved in the arts in the Berkshires since 1993. She was the New Ashford representative to the Northern Berkshire Cultural Council from 1996-2001 and was the chair of the council for the last two of those years. She was the manager and booking agent for the Reverend Tor band from 1996-1997. Stage credits include Dagmar in “I Remember Mama” with the YMCA Dinner Theatre in Pittsfield, Ralph, Joe-bob and Wickewitch in “Anton in Show Business” with Town PLayers of Pittsfield,Sue Baliss in “All My Sons” at Main Street Stage. Jeanne is also a founding cast member of the Red Room at Main Street Stage, appearing in roles too numerous to mention, often all in one night. Currently she is starring in the one-woman show “Stone Soup”, ongoing at 27 Park Street in Adams.

Kurt Kolok
Education: B.S., Contemporary and Modern Arts Management, Spring 2009 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
Program manager for various Liberty Alliance Project working groups including the Marketing Expert Group, the Web Services Group (also as committee chair), Public Policy Expert Group, and multiple Special Interest Groups (and previously various committees of VoiceXML).
Owner and curator, Kolok Gallery, North Adams, MA. Created and running all aspects of fine arts gallery.
Independent Contractor/Project Manager, IEEE-ISTO, Piscataway, NJ. Managed all aspects of open-source technology specification development. Developed and managed relationships with international clients on a daily basis.
Major Account Executive, MindBranch, Inc., North Adams, MA. Created and managed client portfolio of Fortune 500 companies. Developed and managed new business for Eastern US and Europe Created and presented customized sales pitches to senior executives.
Manager of Customer Service and Patient Liasons, Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, Boston MA.
Student-taught death and dying class and inter-generational relations.
Previous Community Involvement:
Northern Berkshire Creative Arts, Board of Directions and Marketing Committee Storefront Artists Project, Advisory Board. Member Berkshire Creative Economy Council, Marketing Committee Contemporary Artist Center, Board of Directors.

Yannis Simonides
Yale Drama School trained actor/writer andEmmy-winning documentary producer. He has served as professor and chair of the NYU Tisch SOA Drama Department, as executive producer of Greek Orthodox Telecommunications (GOTelecom) and as the executive director of Hellenic Public Radio – COSMOS FM in New York. He is the founder and director of the Greek Theater (Elliniko Theatro) in New York and of Mythic Media, a performing arts lab. Since 2004 he has performed the Apology, The Readers of Homer and has staged marathon audience-participation readings/celebrations of the Iliad and Odyssey at theatres, festivals, universities and communities worldwide. He was recently honored by the prefecture of Athens as Ambassador of Hellenism 2009 for his lifelong service to Greek arts and letters worldwide.

Mara Woolley
Bachelor’s Fine and Performing Arts-theater NASC. Bachelor’s Early Childhood Educ- NASC. Master’s Special Education- MCLA. Kindergarten Teacher CT Plunkett Elementary. Union Rep- ACTA. Adams Events Planning Committee. MCLA Alumni committee.

Advisory Board
Jim Brosnan
Carol Corrigan
Renee Dumouchel
Jason Ennis
Marcia Gay Harden
Lauri Klefos
Buffy Lord
Janice Messer
Anastas Michos
Steven Pagnotta
Jonathan Secor
Samantha Talora
Town of Adams Community Development
Stefanie Weber
Myra Wilk
James Wojtaszek
Youth Center, Inc.