Valley Youth Theatre Welcomes New Board Member

Valley Youth Theatre (VYT) has announced that Brian Kunnari, group account director for R&R Partners, is now a voting member on its board of directors.

"I looking forward to engaging in an organization that has so much potential to grow and to serve the artistic youth of my home state," said Kunnari. "I bring a life-long passion for the arts, both as an artist and as someone with a background in theatrical marketing and advertising."

"Brian was director of marketing and communications at Phoenix Theatre for many years as well as a staff composer for their children's theater," said Bobb Cooper, producing artistic director for VYT. "I've long admired his work and we are so fortunate to now have his expertise in brand strategy working on behalf of our theatre."

In addition to serving a client list at R&R Partners that includes APS, Cox Business, The Health & Wealth Raffle benefiting Barrow and St. Joseph's Hospital, First Solar and the Department of Agriculture, Kunnari also owns Imagescore Music and has been composing jingles, musical theater, scores and modern dance pieces for more than 20 years. He graduated ASU with a Bachelors of Music degree in Theory and Composition.

VYT's Board is chaired by Frank McCune (APS) and vice chaired by Jim Rough (Navigant Consulting). Colleen Gautam (Snell & Wilmer LLP) is secretary and Dustin Marshall (Community Medical Clinic) serves as treasurer. Bobb Cooper represents the theatre as its producing artistic director.

Other current board members include Michele Bax (Ballard Spahr LLP), Dr. Martin Blume (Blume Skin Centre), David Carruth (Edward Jones), Joe Chandler (Fennemore Craig, P.C.), Daniel DenBoer (KPMG LLP), Sara Dial (Sara Dial & Associates), Greg Gnepper (Gammage & Burnham P.L.C.), Beverly Huff (Western Refining), Lisa Khan (community volunteer), Rebekah Mendez (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona), Zsolt Milutinovics (Meridian Bank), Jennifer Pescatore (Bank of Arizona), Laura Stover (Nearhood Law Offices, PLC) and Howard Weiss (Nussbaum Gillis & Dinner, P.C.); Hope Ozer (Phoenix Manhattan Group, LLC) serves as Chair Emeritus.