CAATA Announces Changes to Key Positions on its Staff and Board
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Ariel Estrada, Communications & Membership Manager
Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists
ariel@caata.net | 347.581.3047
Monday, December 7, 2020 (New York, NY): Today, Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) announced key changes to its staff and board, including its new executive slate, elected in adherence to the organization’s by-laws requiring a two-term limit to all board executive committee appointments. These changes will aid CAATA’s mission to advance the field of Asian American theater through a national network of organizations and artists.
Director/Actor Leslie Ishii (Artistic Director, Perseverance Theatre, Juneau, AK) was appointed Board President by CAATA’s Board of Directors on June 1, 2020, overseeing CAATA’s work to promote a strong and sustainable Asian American theater community that is an integral presence in national culture, to build networks of color, and to connect artists with current BIPOC movements. Ishii succeeds outgoing President Victor Malana Maog, who served from January 2019.
Director kt shorb (Producing Artistic Director, Generic Ensemble Company, Austin, TX) was appointed Board Vice President by CAATA’s Board of Directors on June 1, 2020. Shorb succeeds outgoing Vice President Leilani Chan, who served from January 2019. Chan will continue to serve on CAATA’s Board of Directors as Co-Chair of CAATA’s upcoming 7th Asian American Theater Festival & Conference (ConFest) “Kuʻu ʻĀina, Kuʻu Piko, Kuʻu Kahua – Return to the Source” in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.
Roger Tang (Executive Director of Pork Filled Productions, Seattle, WA) will continue to serve CAATA as its Board Secretary. Tisa Chang (Founding Artistic/Producing Director of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, New York, NY), and Joan Osato (Producing Director of Youth Speaks, San Francisco, CA), will continue to serve as CAATA’s Co-Treasurers.
In addition to the announcement of its new Executive roster, CAATA also announced changes to its management staff.
Soriya Chum stepped down from the Executive Director position effective June 30, 2020. Chum, who was appointed to the position in January 2020, cited the need to spend more time with his family due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “While we are saddened at Soriya’s decision,” said President Leslie Ishii, “We support his need to prioritize his family and loved ones during this time of great personal and societal change. In the immediate short-term, we will not initiate a search for a new Executive Director, and will instead concentrate on the production of our monthly, ongoing ConFest Virtual Series, as well as continue to prepare for our rescheduled C
CAATA is also happy to announce that current staff member Ariel Estrada (Communications & Membership Manager, CAATA, New York, NY) has also taken on the role of Content Producer of CAATA’s ConFest Virtual Series. In this role, which began in June 2020, Estrada oversees the production of the monthly online series featuring theatre artists from across the country who represent some of the most groundbreaking work in American theatre. The series is co-presented by HowlRound Theatre Commons, Boston, MA.
CAATA has also appointed Maximiliano Urruzmendi-Mele as its ConFest Virtual Series Technical Director. Staff Member Ryan I. Kahaʻiʻōlelo Sueoka (Honolulu, HI) will continue on as CAATA’s ConFest Local Coordinator in his second year of service.
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