ANN-CAROL PENCE

Co-Founder/Producing Artistic Director

Ann-Carol Pence arranged the music for Aurora’s first Christmas Canteen in 1996 and was hired full-time in September of 1998 as Resident Musical Director. An education major at James Madison University, she used her background to develop Learning Library (or L2). As a musician, she created Aurora’s Musicals by Moonlight, and Aurora’s New Musical Initiative. She has performed as pianist and music director both nationally (Goodspeed Opera House, Pasadena Playhouse, The Cleveland Playhouse, The Kennedy Center) and locally (The Alliance, Theatrical Outfit, The Horizon, Georgia Ensemble Theatre,). As a proud citizen of Gwinnett, Ann-Carol is most proud of Aurora Theatre winning the first ever Pinnacle Award for Large Non-Profit, and the first ever Moxie Award (for woman-led businesses) for Aurora Theatre. These distinctions go well with her 5 Suzi Awards for Outstanding Music Direction. She was a participant in the 2016 Atlanta Regional Leadership Institute and member of the “Best Class Ever!”

KATIE PELKEY

Managing Director

Katie Pelkey is celebrating twelve seasons with Aurora! In 2013, Katie transitioned to the role of Company Manager, having previously served as Resident Stage Manager. She also created the highly-successful Stage Management and Costume Apprentice Company program that operates simultaneously with Aurora’s Acting Apprentice Company program. For five seasons, she worked as Aurora’s Educational Resources Associate developing educational curriculum for teachers to use in conjunction with Aurora’s TYA Learning Library offerings. And for over a decade, Katie served as Production Stage Manager for New Plays for Young Audiences, a prestigious TYA summer staged reading series based at New York University. She received her BA in Educational Theatre from New York University with a minor in Dramatic Literature. Many thanks to Michael, Maxwell, and Alexander for their love and support!

AL STILO

Director of Sales and Programming

During Al Stilo’s 17 years, Aurora Theatre has been a leader that has helped the organization achieve tremendous growth highlighted by the opening of the $35 million expansion of the Lawrenceville Arts Center in fall of 2021. In his time, Aurora Theatre has received numerous accolades and awards including the 2009 Pinnacle Award for Large Non-Profit and the 2016 Governor’s Award for the Arts & Humanities. Al served three years on the executive committee of Atlanta Performs, two on the board of directors for Georgia Arts Network, your advocate for the arts in Georgia, and two on the steering committee for the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Audience Building Roundtable. Al has received multiple professional distinctions for marketing from the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau. Al has been a professional actor for 30 years. Onstage at Aurora he has appeared in Newsies, Les Misérables, Chicago, and several others. All my love to my wife Holly and son Dominic.

KATIE CHAMBERS

Director of Production/Resident Stage Manager

Katie Erin Chambers is excited to be starting her 8th season with Aurora Theatre and stepping into a new role as Director of Production. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia, a member of Actor’s Equity, and a proud alumna of Aurora’s 2013-14 Apprentice Company. She has previously stage managed in Atlanta for Horizon Theatre Company, Theatrical Outfit, Synchronicity Theatre and Habima Theatre. She has also served as coordinator for the New South Young Playwrights’ Festival, production manager for the Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival, and coordinator for the Atlanta Unified Auditions.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the US.

JACKY SEGUI

Director of Community Impact

Jacky Segui, former 2020 Apprentice, feels honored to be re-joining the Aurora Theatre family as Director of Community Impact. Born and raised in the Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico, Jacky is part of the arts community as a singer, actor, writer, and arts administrator. She holds a Masters in Arts Presenting and Live Entertainment Management from the University of Miami, and a Masters in Performing Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design. As part of her thesis, she created a verbatim theatre piece called Puerto Rico Goes Dark: Stories of My People. In the last few years, Jacky has explored the stage in productions like Rock the Presidents, On Your Feet (Aurora), and In the Height (SCAD). As Director of Community Impact, she is dedicated to connecting with Gwinnett stakeholders to strengthen partnerships while simultaneously educating others about communities we do not know as much about in order to gain understanding and empathy. It is her hope to continue helping Aurora Theatre be one of inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity to our diverse communities.

JENNIFER OWENS

Director of Group Sales and Database Management

Jennifer Owens is proud to be embarking on her 8th season at Aurora Theatre! After receiving her BFA in Acting from Brenau University in 2014, she set her sights on Aurora where she successfully became a part of the family in 2014. With a one-year-old in tow, she began as a part time Box Office Associate and Front of House Coordinator, later adding on a Teaching Artist credit in 2016, Box Office Manager and Marketing team member in June of 2017 to finally accepting her Director position in January 2020. She couldn’t be happier to play a role in the success of Aurora Theatre and its surrounding community. She believes that each and every community member that walks through our doors should be given a world class experience.

DANIEL POPE

Production Manager

Daniel Pope is proud to be joining the great team at Aurora Theatre as Production Manager. Daniel has been a sound designer and engineer in the Atlanta area for the past seven years. He’s had the pleasure of designing sound for the Aurora Theatre on many occasions on shows such as: Into the Woods, Christmas Canteen, Sweep, and most recently The Bridges of Madison County. Additionally, he’s worked on countless other productions in the Atlanta theatre community including: Evita and A Streetcar Named Desire as Sound Designer and Production Manager at Serenbe Playhouse. Daniel received a Bachelors in Marketing with a specialization in sales and a minor in Music from The University of West Georgia in 2010.

TYLER BARRETT

Facilities Maintenance Supervisor

Tyler Barrett is happy to return to Aurora Theatre as the Facility Maintenance Supervisor. Previously working as the Assistant Technical Director in 2019, he is excited to bring his experience into this new role.

DANIEL SUMMERS JR.

Facilities Sales & Booking Manager

Daniel Summers Jr. is an altruistic leader with more than 15 years of experience successfully directing marketing and sales efforts for artists, nonprofits, and educational destinations, as well as running their own consultancy. Daniel loves building relationships between venues and audiences with a key focus on producing inclusive and diverse, community-oriented experiences. An inaugural board member of the Atlanta Airport District Convention and Visitors Bureau, Daniel understands the importance of regional tourism and the economic impact of entertainment. Previously, Daniel was the Marketing Director at the Center for Puppetry Arts and at Actor’s Express, programmed and produced festivals including the College Park KidsFest, and ran a freelance nonprofit administration and marketing consultancy helping others do good, better℠. Daniel earned a BA in Theatre Studies at Guilford College before achieving a Masters in Art Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths College, University of London. Daniel is known for old-world charm combined with new-world ideas, irreverently relevant humor, and cat memes.

DAISIE MARIE

Front of House Manager

Daisie Marie is honored to be rejoining the Aurora Staff as the Front of House Manager. She has been with the company for 6 years starting as a Box Office Associate in 2015, then making her way to being the Front of House Coordinator in 2017, and now Front of House Manager. She is happy to welcome patrons as we embark on the adventure that is the Lawrenceville Arts Center.

ASHLEY HOGAN

Associate Technical Director

Ashley is excited to officially join Aurora’s family as a staff member. She has enjoyed working her summers at Aurora the past few years while pursuing her degree at Georgia State University. After graduating summer of ‘18, she has spent the past year expanding her skill craft as an over-hire carpenter at Aurora.

JUAN CARLOS UNZUETA

Graphic Designer

Juan Carlos Unzueta spent the last decade in Jacksonville, FL in as Education Director at Theatre Jacksonville. While working in NE Florida, he created innovative programming for his young actors as well as partnered with local and national organizations to provide arts-integrated learning opportunities to students in Duval County. Additionally, he handled the design of all marketing collateral and general marketing for the theatre’s education programming. In addition to his work in education, he has spent the last decade performing and directing. Notable credits include: Into the Woods (The Baker), The Light in the Piazza (Fabrizio), In the Heights (Piragua Guy), Pippin(Pippin), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Tick, Tick, BOOM! (Jonathan), guest artist roles with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and First Coast Opera, and most recently as Charles Bingley in Theatrical Outfit’s Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.

SKYLAR RESNA JACKSON

Development Manager and Grants Writer

Skylar Resna Jackson is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana but raised right here in Lawrenceville. She is a product of the Gwinnett County Public School system, as a student, a substitute teacher, and a substitute coordinator for Phoenix High School. During her last two years as a Central Gwinnett student, she interned as a teaching assistant for Aurora’s Summer Camp. She received her Bachelors in Theatre and Performance Studies with a minor in African and African Diaspora Studies from Kennesaw State University. While attending Kennesaw State, she became a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, INC. and served on their executive board as well as the Kennesaw State chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council executive board for two years. She has supported her local community as the Performing Arts Director of Reverent Sound Music, Inc. and a long-term volunteer with Mending the Gap, Inc. As a storyteller, she created Resna Productions LLC to share and support stories from underrepresented communities. Currently, she is the host of Stories Retold Podcast, where she retells books and other works from marginalized peoples. After earning her Masters in Arts and Culture Management from the University of Denver, she transitioned to Aurora to support the Development department in the artistic mission to create something amazing together that we cannot build on our own.

MAXWELL H. BREAUX

Marketing Associate

Maxwell H. Breaux is honored to join the Aurora team as a Marketing Associate. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Maxwell is excited to help create theatre in Georgia. Maxwell received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Acting from The University of Oklahoma in 2021.

BOB MIRAKIAN

Director of Development

Bob Mirakian is thrilled to be a new member of the team and comes to the Aurora Theatre from Naples, FL, where he worked with donors supporting the United Way of Collier and the Keys (Director of Philanthropy) and the educational nonprofit Grace Place for Children and Families. He was previously Assistant Director of Toledo Opera in Ohio, with a portfolio that included strategic planning, fundraising, and artistic operations. Bob has been a professional musician for more than 20 years, leading orchestras, operas and musicals as a conductor and playing in everything from rock bands to symphonies as a cellist. He is a Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE), holds a doctorate in music from Indiana University, a master’s in music from the University of Illinois, and is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College.

JON CARR

Director of Marketing

Jon Carr is excited to be a part of the Aurora family and step into his new role as Interim Director of Marketing. A proud graduate of Georgia State University, he has worked in the Georgia theatre community for 20+ years. He has served as Dad’s Garage Marketing Director and Artistic Director. He has written and performed in several plays here in Georgia, including Wrath of Con and Black Nerd, and won the Suzi Bass Gene-Gabriel Moore award for Playwriting. Most recently, he was the Executive Producer for The Second City.

JASMINE RENEE ELLIS

Director of Education

GENESIS GATES

Box Office Manager

Genesis Gates is excited to join the Aurora family for her first season as Box Office Manager. She graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. During her time at Florida State University, she excelled in the acting, writing, and management sectors of the theatre program. She values the relationships she has made already with our loyal patrons, hardworking associates, and passionate co-workers. She looks forward to creating more memories in the upcoming seasons ahead and feels honored to be a part of the Aurora Theatre as they continue to cultivate a community of belonging for all.

ISAAC BURRIER

Head of Lighting