Kennedy Center Veteran to Join Educational Theatre Association's National Board of Directors

Jeanette S. McCune, who has led the Kennedy Center's programming partnerships with Washington, D.C. schools for fifteen years, has been appointed to a seat on the Board of Directors of the Educational Theatre Association.

"The EdTA board and I are thrilled that Jeanette will be joining us as an appointed board member," said board President Frank Pruet. "She brings us a wealth and breadth of experience, leadership, and service, including her unique perspectives from her numerous associations with arts and education groups."

As director of D.C. school and community initiatives for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since 2001, McCune has forged in-depth model partnerships with twenty schools. She also oversees Kennedy Center performance access programs for community organizations and public and charter schools in the D.C. metro area. She has managed out-of-school artistic development programs for youth, including a Dance Theatre of Harlem residency and the Kennedy Center's Musicals in the Schools program. She serves on the boards of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Partnership and the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative, and volunteers as manager of a Girl Scout troop.

The eleven-member EdTA board has eight directors elected from among the organization's membership, most of whom are professional theatre educators, and three appointed positions. The appointed seats are explicitly intended to broaden and diversify the board's perspectives by bringing working artists, arts education leaders, and entertainment industry executives to the organization's leadership. Current or recent appointed board members include Hunter Bell, Tony-nominated co-author of the Broadway musical [Title of Show]; Matt Conover, who is responsible for all entertainment design, technical development, and production for Disney Parks and Resorts around the world; J. Jason Daunter, stage manager for the new George C. Wolfe revival of Shuffle Along; and the late Ken Washington, who was director of company development for the Guthrie Theater.

Pruet said the board was particularly pleased to add McCune's experience and expertise in building partnerships in high-risk schools and community settings and working with impoverished, minority, and special needs students. "Those are things we need to be doing more of," he said.

"Jeanette is the right person at the right time for the organization," said Executive Director Julie Cohen Theobald, noting that EdTA is pursuing a strategic commitment to building access to theatre for all students.

McCune's four-year term on the board will begin on August 1.

For more information, visit schooltheatre.org/mccuneappointment.

About the Educational Theatre Association - The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), is a professional organization with approximately 100,000 members nationwide. EdTA's mission is shaping lives through theatre education: Honoring student achievement in theatre and enriching their theatre education experience; supporting teachers by providing professional development, networking opportunities, resources, and recognition; and influencing public opinion that theatre education is essential and builds life skills. EdTA operates the International Thespian Society (ITS), an honorary organization that has inducted more than 2 million theatre students since its founding in 1929. EdTA also publishes Dramatics, a monthly magazine for high school theatre students, and Teaching Theatre, a quarterly journal for theatre education professionals.

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