The West Bend Theatre Company has expanded its board of directors with the appointment of four new members to serve on the organization’s leadership.
At its monthly board meeting Friday, Dec. 11, Kaitlyn Kropidlowski, Naomi Tiefel, Rick Jensen and Thomas Kelly were added to the Board of Directors, joining Megan Bell, Nicholas Dettmann and Viney Pheng.
Kropidlowski, Tiefel, Jensen and Kelly will serve two-year terms, effective Dec. 1, 2020.
In addition, the board voted to extend the terms of Bell and Pheng to three years, effective Jan. 1, 2021.
“As we continue to grow as an organization, it is important we have some of the best minds and skills represented on the board of directors to be leaders for the organization,” Dettmann said. “With the addition of Kaitlyn, Naomi, Rick and Thomas, we have achieved that. Their skill sets mesh well with those of myself, Megan and Viney, and they will be great assets to the organization, both current and in the future.”
Kropidlowski brings a wealth of experience to the organization. She has performed on stage in several productions at Grafton High School as well as Port Washington Community Theatre. She has also held several roles behind the scenes, including makeup, set painter, costumes and choreography. She was due to play the role of Mrs. Cratchit for the West Bend Theatre Company’s production of “A Christmas Carol” in 2020 before the show’s cancelation.
When not involved in theater, Kropidlowski has an associate’s degree in human services with an emphasis in alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA). Currently, she’s an employment coach with Achieved Employment.
Tiefel has been involved in theater since 2002 and has starred in several productions during that time. In 2021, she is to direct “Beauty and the Beast” at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School and “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” for Kettle Moraine Playhouse. She has performed for Wisconsin Lutheran College, Peter Quince Performing Company, Acacia Theatre Milwaukee and Kettle Moraine Players. She has bachelor’s degree in communication and theater and a master’s in student personnel administration.
Tiefel is an enrollment services CRM administrator at Concordia University in Mequon.
Jensen is the morning show host for 101.3FM (WIBD) in West Bend. He also serves as the group news director for Magnum Communications, which serves 21 radio stations throughout Wisconsin. Jensen has been involved in radio since 1994. He’s been at WIBD since 2014. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Kelly brings a deep background in video, editing and overall video production, stemming from five years of working at CBS Channel 58 in Milwaukee as video editor and at Poseidon Hydro Excavation as communications director. Since 2015, Kelly owns his own business – Thomas Kelly Productions – a photography and video production business.
Kelly, a West Bend native, has a pair of bachelor degrees – history and journalism – from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Founded in 2010, incorporated in 2017, the West Bend Theatre Company is a non-profit theater entity presenting live theater, camps, workshops and special events.
For more information about the West Bend Theatre Company, as well as upcoming shows, visit our website: www.wbtheatreco.com. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook (@wbtheatreco), Twitter (@WBTheatreCo) and Instagram (@westbendtheatrecompany).