Jim is a captain for Southwest Airlines and has been with the airline for 21 years. He received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from UCLA and was commissioned in the United States Navy through ROTC. During his 12 years in the Navy, Jim deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf.  He also received a master's in Aeronautical Engineering, graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and served the last four years as a developmental test pilot before transitioning to the airline industry. Jim is an avid piano and guitar player and has played guitar or bass in the pit orchestra for CFTC since 2018. His initial involvement with CFTC was through his two sons, who performed in four summer musicals. He and his wife, Suzanne, have worked behind the scenes in everything from set builds and strikes to ushering and concessions and nowadays have taken on show production. 

Amanda is thrilled to lead the City of Fairfax Theatre Company as its Artistic Director after being involved in productions for the past few years. Amanda is a director, performer, and producer and holds a BA in Theatre and Dance from James Madison University. Directing credits include CFTC: Beauty and the Beast (WATCH nomination), The Importance of Being Earnest; NextStop Theatre: The Giver; DC 1 Minute Play Festival; Forum Theatre: Color Lines (Young Playwright's Theatre 20th Anniversary Festival), The Shipment (Asst. Dir.); James Madison University: Awake and Sing!, They're Playing Our Song. Recent performance credits include: CFTC Cabarets, Martha in Heathers (Dominion Stage).  In her non-theatre life, Amanda works in Development at George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts. 

Renee is the Director of Policy Communication and Outreach at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.  In this role, she oversees nationwide public awareness and education campaigns to increase workplace success for people with disabilities. She is a graduate of the University of Florida where she earned a Master of Arts in Mass Communication with a specialization in Public Relations. Renee was heavily involved in athletics, music and theater when growing up and thoroughly enjoys parenting two boys with deep interests in these areas.  She has served as a baseball coach and Fairfax Little League board member and is thrilled to now be a part of CFTC.  She has witnessed this mighty theater company connect people of all ages, including her son Noah, and looks forward to helping CFTC continue to creatively expand while showcasing Northern Virginia’s finest talents!

Brandon manages global human resources compliance for NCR. A graduate of William & Mary School of Law, Brandon is a practicing labor and employment attorney specializing in the development and implementation of compliant human resources systems and processes. He currently serves as the Vice President of the Washington Metro Industry Liaison Group. Brandon has a number of acting credits to his name, and is also involved locally in volleyball and improv comedy. He lives in Fairfax with his radiant partner, three glowing children, and his slightly less-effulgent dog. He continues to insist that community theater is the answer to almost all of life's problems. 

Stacey is the proud Founder and CEO of C4 Performing Arts in Fairfax, VA. She is a passionate and dedicated performing artist, arts educator, and arts advocate. Stacey studied at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater and Dance from James Madison University, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from The George Washington University. As a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Stacey always seeks opportunities to serve in her community by constantly working with her students to not only fill them with a love and appreciation for the arts but to  cultivate in them a strong sense of family and social responsibility as well as empower them to become the leaders of tomorrow. Stacey, a long-time supporter of CFTC is thrilled to be a new member of the CFTC Advisory Board and is grateful for yet another opportunity to harness the transformative power of the arts to make a positive impact and change in the world!​

Silke, who often goes by “Marisela” (her middle name), was miscast as Herodius in The Glory of Christmas at the age of twelve. Despite this unfortunate formative experience, her interest in live theatre was ignited. Fast forward several decades, Marisela and her husband, David, lead a play reading group at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington DC. In addition to working on her first play about the cultural revolutionary, Walter Rodney, Marisela has written a children’s book. Pick Me! is about a doodle whose self-confidence begins to corrode when he is repeatedly rejected for adoption. Marisela also occasionally dabbles in poetry. Her haiku about the reopening of the de Young Museum was the winner of the San Francisco Examiner’s  haiku competition. Marisela is the Director of the Office of Compliance Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Labor and a graduate of Rutgers College and Cornell University. She is the proud mother of two boys, Dax and Kai, and two dogs, Quib and Dusty. Marisela and her family live in West Springfield, VA.

Lori has been working in Fairfax County Public Schools for 25 years. She is a graduate of Towson University and earned her Masters of Education with an emphasis in Instructional Technology from George Mason University. She started her career as a 4th and 5th grade teacher, and has been working for the past 18 years as the Science Tech Resource Teacher at Daniels Run Elementary School located in the City of Fairfax. Ever since her daughter Samantha was cast in CFTC’s musical “Hairspray,” she has seen first-hand the amazing CFTC productions and is thrilled to be more involved in the organization. When she’s not working at Daniels Run, driving her two children to all their activities or volunteering with CFTC, she likes to play soccer, spend time with her husband, and try to tire-out her Vizsla, Rooney.

Rebecca is an art director in her Real Life, and has a background in scenic art and design for Florida's theme parks. Originally from the Great White North (aka Canada), Rebecca graduated with a B.F.A. in Film Production from Toronto Metropolitan University. She also holds an A.S. in Entertainment Design and Technology from Valencia College in the Great Muggy South (aka Florida). She is passionate about theatre, epic fantasy films, mac and cheese, her beloved dogs, and her equally theatre-obsessed husband.

Dr. Russo moved to the City of Fairfax in 2016 and was inspired to join CFTC’s Board as Volunteer Chair after performing in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2017. She and her family participate in numerous productions throughout the year, including the summer musical and CFTC camps. Her passion for the arts began during her childhood, where she performed extensively in dance, figure skating and piano.  While in college, she performed and traveled with The Dartmouth Glee Club and her a cappella group.  In 2019, she was appointed to the City of Fairfax Commission on the Arts. She is committed to increasing the presence of performing arts within the city. Dr. Russo is also an endodontist in private practice in Burke, VA, and holds a doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and a Master’s degree from the University of Maryland – Baltimore.

Sharon Kim Petersen (prior President, prior Chairman) is the Managing Partner for Chap Petersen & Associates, PLLC. The firm's primary area of practice is litigation. She pulls a giant lever to turn the gears of the machinery on and keeps the hinges oiled. Prior to this venture with her business partner husband, she practiced elder law and estate planning for over 10 years. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the American University Washington College of Law (JD), she tries to carve out time to write, make music, and perform while helping her four+ children navigate the beginnings of life and her parents navigate the difficulties of aging and disability. She is also an Independent Consultant with Arbonne International where she finds much satisfaction in connecting people and finding solutions for a healthy lifestyle. When she gets the chance, Sharon's other love is playing violin and grooving with GMU's pep band, Doc Nix and the Green Machine. She firmly believes that children of all ages and at heart, can feel valued and experience healing when they are able to express themselves through the arts.

Olivia Hinebaugh is an author, theatre artist, parent of neat kids, and charming dinner guest. She works at the Center for the Arts and George Mason University where she coordinates artist services, and is occasionally allowed to focus a light or two. She finds joy in telling stories and hearing stories and collaborating on all the things.

With CFTC, she has the following credits: Acting-A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, and Clybourne Park; Directing-A Brief Shakespeare Festival; Scenic Design-A Brief Shakespeare Festival, Shrek: The Musical, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Big Fish. Olivia Hinebaugh is an author, theatre artist, parent of neat kids, and charming dinner guest. She works at the Center for the Arts and George Mason University where she coordinates artist services, and is occasionally allowed to focus a light or two. She finds joy in telling stories and hearing stories and collaborating on all the things.