WAM Theatre’s 2nd Annual

Women in Leadership Panel

Hosted by WAM Theatre, MCLA’s Fine and Performing Arts Department and Mosaic Gallery 51
When: April 14th, 2:30pm & 4:30pm
Where: Mosaic Gallery 51 (49 Mainstreet, North Adams)

Tickets: Registration Required, the event is free and open to the public, with a suggested $35 donation.

WAM Theatre is thrilled to partner with Mosaic Gallery 51 and MCLA to present our 2nd Annual Women in Leadership Panel—a day of dialogue, inspiration, and connection that centers the voices and experiences of women and creative leaders.

Rooted in WAM’s mission to advance gender equity through art and advocacy, this program reflects our belief that creativity, cross-sector collaboration, and civic engagement are deeply intertwined. We cultivate ecosystems where artists belong, advocacy is a daily practice, and communities thrive. Through these conversations, panelists will share how they navigate systems, confront gender bias, build inclusive spaces, and harness creative practice to transform their communities.

THE SCHEDULE

2:30pm – Panel 1:
Love Letters to Place – Rooted & Radiant: The Power of Placemaking

How do extraordinary experiences transform ordinary places into sites of belonging? This panel explores gathering as both a creative practice and a tool for community building, featuring artists and cultural leaders whose work illuminates the power of place to inspire, connect, and sustain communities.

Key Note – Nicole Orabona, Co-Artistic Director of cirqueSaw, Actor & Producer

Nicole Orabona (keynote) is an award-winning actor, producer, and committer to the bit who splits their time between NYC and The Berkshires WAM Theatre: Fragments of Outside; Alien Girls, The New Galileos (Fresh Takes), Teaching Artist (devising theatre online) Selected Theatre Credits Elsewhere: POV: You Are an AI Achieving Consciousness; labRats (cirqueSaw), World Builders (Opera House Arts), Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Emit Theatre) Additional Artistic Credits: TV/Film:  Law and Order (recurring), Poker Face, The Hunting Party, Fleishman is in Trouble. Co-Artistic Director of cirqueSaw Creative inspiration: Nicole is inspired by the power of a stupid idea, exploring the intersections of digital and analog, and by works that challenge the traditional spectator and performer relationship. Community Engagement/Activist work: Creator and curator of community zines donating over $1,000 to social justice organizations. Volunteer with I Need an A. Membership/Affiliations: Proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and Ring of Keys Selected Training: Boise State University (BA), Frantic Assembly, SITI Company, Punchdrunk Enrichment Awards: with cirqueSaw: IndieCade 2026 Live Action Award, GDC Experimental Games Showcase, AMAZE./Berlin Nominee, NarraScope 2025 Featured Showcase (labRats), RnD Immersive Production of the Year, No Pro Editor’s Special Award (POV: AI). 2023 R.Evolución Latina Doreen Montalvo “Do It Anyway” scholarship finalist. Member of 2024 A4A Pittsfield Capacity Building Grant Cohort. Connect: www.nicoleorabona.com // IG: @knuckle_sando

Moderator – Dr. Frances K. Hurley, International Advisor, Child Development

Dr. Frances Hurley is an early childhood specialist. An accomplished academic, Dr Hurley finished first in her undergraduate studies in education and was awarded the University medal for this accomplishment. Her master’s thesis (an ethnographic study of language/literacy in early childhood) won the College Reading Association best thesis award in a North America-wide competition. As a promising scholar, she was invited to present the results of this study to an audience of experts in Washington, D.C. She then attended both Oxford and Harvard Universities, graduating from Harvard with both a second master’s degree and a doctoral degree (human development & psychology; literacy & gender.) Since then, Dr. Hurley has built an international consulting career advising clients such as the World Bank, UNICEF, State Federal Governments, PBS, and PBS KIDS. Social Media Handles: linkedin.com/in/DrFranHurley/

Panelist – Lauren Fritscher, Founder Berkshire Muse & Co-Founder Social Circle 

Lauren Fritscher, founder of Berkshire Muse, an event planning and creative production company, and co-founder of Social Circle, a community-based gathering series. Social Circle was founded on the belief that the most meaningful connections are made in person and that real community is built face to face, in shared spaces, and in real moments together. A New Orleans native who spent 15 years in New York City’s fashion industry, I fell in love with the Berkshires and made it my full-time home in 2023, immediately setting out to pour into its rich culture and community. Over the last year I have hosted nearly 1,000 people across six Social Circle community driven events, partnered with leading cultural organizations throughout the region, currently serve on the Berkshire International Film Festival Social Club Council, and proudly serve as the event planner for WAM Theatre’s Summer Soirée. My work is driven by a deep passion for connection & curating spaces where people feel like they belong, shining a light on local venues and talent, and building a community that celebrates everything the Berkshires has to offer.

Panelist – Milena Dabova, Co-Artistic Director and Board Co-President of Double Edge Theatre

Milena Dabova is Co-Artistic Director and Board Co-President of Double Edge Theatre, where she has been an ensemble member since 2011. As an actor, choreographer, and co-creator, her work is rooted in multidisciplinary performance and a deep commitment to ensemble process. Alongside her artistic practice, she helps shape the company’s artistic and organizational life and contributes to the development of Double Edge’s Farm Center for Art, Living Culture & Art Justice. Originally from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Dabova trained in rhythmic gymnastics, aikido, and dance before turning to theatre. She holds a BA summa cum laude in Theater and Dance and Psychology from Amherst College.

Panelist – Ngoc-Tran Vu, Vietnamese Multimedia Artist, Organizer, and Creative Leader

Ngoc-Tran Vu is a Vietnamese multimedia artist, organizer, and creative leader based in Boston’s Dorchester community. Her socially engaged practice spans photography, painting, sculpture, and installation, exploring themes of diaspora, memory, healing, and justice. Tran is leading the 1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial, a community-driven public art project honoring Vietnamese refugee histories and intergenerational resilience in Boston’s Little Saigon Cultural District. She is also currently the Benedetti Teaching Artist in Residence at MCLA, where she supports creative learning, civic engagement, and arts leadership. www.tranvuarts.com | @TranVuArts

4:30pm – Panel 2:
Bossed Up & Breaking Barriers

Women entrepreneurs and creative leaders are reshaping what leadership looks like in our region. This panel will examine resilience, innovation, and allyship, celebrating leaders who create space for others to flourish while addressing systemic barriers and gender bias. Attendees will leave with insight, inspiration, and actionable strategies for advancing equity in their own work and communities.

Moderator: Shela Levante – Executive Director of Institutional Advancement, MCLA    

Shela Levante is a dedicated philanthropist, connector, and advocate committed to advancing equity through the power of community and storytelling. She currently serves as Senior Director of Philanthropic Engagement at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where she leads a $30 million campaign and oversees strategic communications with alumni and donors. With over a decade of experience in fundraising across higher education and community foundations, Shela brings deep expertise in donor engagement and social impact. A passionate advocate for gender equity, Shela chairs the Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, where she collaborates with local and state leaders to promote fundamental rights and opportunities for all women and girls. She also co-chairs the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, supporting bold, community-driven solutions to gender-based disparities and investing in women’s leadership across the region. Outside of her professional and volunteer leadership roles, Shela is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), supporting children navigating the foster care system with compassion and commitment. Originally from Arizona, Shela has proudly called the Berkshires home since 2015. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Northeastern University and a Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Arizona State University. She is a 2024 AFP Leadership Institute cohort member, an active participant in AFP Western Massachusetts and PGGNE, and has been published in The Volunteer Management Report and the Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing. Whether mobilizing resources, amplifying marginalized voices, or creating space for change, Shela brings purpose, passion, and deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of equity-driven work.

Panelist – Abigail Marcelo Horace, Founder & Principal Designer, Casa Marcelo 

Abigail Marcelo Horace is the founder and principal designer of Casa Marcelo Interior Design Studio, located in South Egremont, MA. With over a decade of experience in high-end residential design in New York City, Abigail launched Casa Marcelo in 2020 to build a wellness-driven design practice rooted in transparency, creativity, and integrity. After 4 years of business in 2024, Abigail was a Frederic Magazine “IT List” Award recipient, an award which recognizes up and coming Interior Design talent, globally. Abigail holds a BFA in Interior Design from the New York Institute of Technology. Her approach is deeply client-centered. She thrives on understanding each homeowner’s unique needs and envisioning a property’s full potential from the start. Known for creating elevated yet livable interiors, she excels at combining thoughtful sourcing with a clear design vision. Drawing inspiration from nature, travel, historical architecture, and her family, Abigail leads Casa Marcelo with the belief that a healthy home begins with a healthy process—for both the client and the team. A wife and mother of two young sons, she values work-life harmony and is committed to fostering a supportive, communicative, and inclusive studio culture.

Panelist – I’in Purwanti Cox, Founder, OUTPOST

I’in Purwanti is an award-winning producer and co-founder of OUTPOST, a production company blending storytelling, art, and community impact. A graduate of the University of Indonesia (BA in English Literature) and the City College of New York (MFA-Media Arts Production, Writing/Directing Documentary Film), she has produced countless short and feature films for commercial, brand, and nonprofit clients for more than two decades. With a background in journalism, human rights advocacy and a keen eye for vérité storytelling, IIN’s work captures the soul of human emotion and fosters cross-cultural understanding across the globe.

Panelist – Yina Moore – Founder & Artistic Director of The Adams Theater 

Yina Moore is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Adams Theater, where she has spent the past five years spearheading the revitalization of a historic cultural landmark. Yina has an interdisciplinary background that includes two decades of work in arts, design, architecture, finance, and non-profit organizations. Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Yina came to the United States to attend Hamilton College in NY and graduated as the valedictorian with a double major in Economics and Studio Art. After a 12-year career on Wall Street, she left her Director position at Credit Suisse and obtained a Master of Architecture Degree from Harvard University. Yina’s work as an architectural consultant led her to Berkshire County. Revitalizing Adams Theater through community building, design thinking, and creative collaborations lies at the intersection of Yina’s various skills.

Lisa Donovan, Ph.D. (MCLA Event Partner) is a Professor in the Fine and Performing Arts Department at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Previously, she served as Lesley University’s Director of the Creative Arts in Learning Division. Lisa has broad experience as an arts educator and administrator in arts organizations including Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Berkshire Opera Company, Barrington Stage Company, UMASS Theatre Department, Boston University’s Theater, Visual Arts and Tanglewood Institutes. Lisa spearheaded several projects that foreground the use of the arts as a strategy for regional change. She directs  the Creative Compact for Collective Impact and the Berkshire Cultural Asset Network. She cofounded and currently directs the Berkshire Regional Arts Integration Network (BRAINworks). She has published widely and presented across the country and internationally on arts integration, rural arts education, and arts integration assessment.