C.R.O.W. Board of Directors
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Board Secretary:
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Board Treasurer:
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Board Members:
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To contact a member of the C.R.O.W. Board by email ,
please click on their name above.
Meet Our Team:
Halle Anderson (Summer Camp Director / Dance Instructor):
Halle Anderson was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas and moved to Florence in 2012 and back again in 2014. She graduated from Siuslaw High School in 2020. She has been a part of C.R.O.W. since 2016, participating in shows, classes, and camps. She became a teacher for the Coastal Fitness gymnastics program in January of 2020, and she currently teaches ages 4-15. Halle has played many characters in C.R.O.W. productions; including “Saloon Girl” in The Addams Family, “Kala” in Tarzan, and “Yellow Brick Road/Featured Dancer & Glinda” in The Wiz. She was also in choir classes from first grade to her sophomore year of high school. Halle is excited to teach classes for C.R.O.W!
Diane David (Summer Camp Director)
Diane's decades-long career includes touring internationally as a singer, being musical director for a musical theater company including working with Stephen Schwartz on his Children of Eden, appearing as “wife to the man in red” in Disneyland’s Christmas Fantasy Parade, and working throughout Southern California as a stage manager for over 25 years. She continues to perform, music direct and stage manage. She is an advocate for Behind the Scenes, a foundation that supports theater technicians in need.
Kim Erickson (Producer/ Board Treasurer)
Kim is a lifelong resident of Florence, Oregon who graduated from Siuslaw High School in 1996. After graduation she attended Lane Community College in Florence and received her AAS as an Administrative Assistant. Since then, she has worked at Oregon Pacific Bank and worked her way up in the company over the last 24 years. Kim is currently is the SVP; Florence Team Leader and Manager of Residential Lending. Kim was selected as Florence's First Citizen at the 2023 Florence Chamber of Commerce awards. Kim is married to her husband Tim, and they have two daughters, Cameron Kentta (18), and Bristol Erickson (11). Kim was President of the Rotary Club of Florence from 2020-2021 and has been a co-chair of the Rotary Auction since 2016. She also sits on the Community Health Board for Peace Health Peace Harbor Medical Center. The introduction of C.R.O.W. came to Kim from fellow team member, Maree Beers, during the 2017 Haunted Maze for her daughter Cameron. Kim quickly became a “C.R.O.W. Mom” and could not be prouder to hold that title. Kim knows firsthand how much C.R.O.W. can affect and change someone's life because it did for her daughter. Kim wants to continue to see that happen for other kids. She is so excited to be able to be part of the team and to make a difference in kids' lives forever.
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Tina Ferkey (Summer Camp Director / Dance Instructor / Props Designer)
Tina is a USAF veteran. She homeschools her four children and their family actively volunteers for several organizations throughout Florence. When she is not building props for C.R.O.W. she loves to blow things up and set things on fire in her science classes. She is a TNR expert for the OR Coast Humane Society, volunteers for the OR Military Museum, and is always found helping whenever and wherever she can! She has rescued more than 270 animals including many bottle babies and feral cats. Tina loves to be creative and is excited to spark the imagination of C.R.O.W.'s students.
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Lori Grimmett (Board Secretary / Grant Writer)
Lori’s creative spirit of the arts and entertainment industry began over 30 years ago building unique experiences for
software developer conferences worldwide. Taking the knowledge and experience, Lori refocused into distinctive guest
experiences for Casinos in North America building and directing numerous event platforms. Lori has driven multi-channel
event revenue streams as well as managed a substantial event staff for music festivals in the Pacific Northwest. Her true
passion is grassroots and community and is excited to be part of C.R.O.W. team!
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Melanie Heard (Artistic Director / Founder / Director of Flight Dance Team)
Melanie is a credentialed teacher with a Master's Degree in Education and was former "Teacher of the Year" for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LD3). She began her performance career at the young age of 2 ½ when she tap danced with a giant stuffed Raggedy Andy doll. Melanie has played many onstage roles, from "Sally Bowles" in Cabaret to “Lucy” in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, to the title role in Evita. Her professional arts training stems from the genre of classical ballet where she studied dance with the Joffrey Ballet, Kirov Ballet School in DC, and Ballet West in Utah. Ms. Heard has successfully directed and/or choreographed both children and adults in 65+ full-length shows. These productions include: Disney's Frozen Jr, The Wiz, Disney's Tarzan, The Addams Family Musical, Shrek Jr, Once Upon A Mattress, The Little Mermaid Jr, The Music Man Jr, Beauty & the Beast Jr, Honk Jr, Seussical Jr, Lend Me A Tenor, Steel Magnolias, Karaoke Kills Me, and You Dirty Rat! To add to this impressive array, Melanie also managed and produced Poison Pen Players, a professional murder mystery dinner theatre company, for many years with her family. Most importantly, Melanie firmly believes in the power of a high-caliber arts education. Following her passion for the arts, she founded, C.R.O.W. in 2011, because she believes that all youth need and deserve the arts to become responsible, contributing members of society. Melanie knows that "The Arts really DO matter," not only in a child's life, but to provide education, personal fulfillment, and happiness to each and every person impacted.
Robin Mendolia (Administrative & Programming Assistant / Summer Camp Director):
Robin Mendolia is a former high school and university instructor with two and a half decades of experience in theatre in addition to teaching English, literature, and writing. She earned a BA in English and an MA in Education. Robin fell in love with theatre at the age of fifteen and has been actively involved in different capacities since that initial spark. This includes running a theatre department, acting, directing, set painting, stage managing, hair & makeup, and more. She is thrilled to be joining C.R.O.W. after a hiatus from the classroom and is happy to be a part of the Florence theatre community.
Angela Palmer (Dance Instructor):
Angela has always been a lover of music and dance. She fell in love with ballet at a young age and started lessons in ballet and acrobatics at the age of 6. She studied ballet with Doreen Ditzhazy for many years as an adult. 1981, a mid-eastern dancer moved to Florence from California. Angela was an enthusiastic student who practiced and performed as often as family and work would allow.
Angela’s teaching career started in 1997 with creative movement, ballet and mid- eastern dance for children and adults. Teaching is awesome! Getting to know your students and seeing the joy and confidence dance brings is a very rewarding experience. It’s wonderful to have a studio in our town that provides education in the arts for young students. CROW studio is a great atmosphere for teaching and learning. Angela has won awards, hosted dance shows, organized dance festivals, started and administered a dance guild, choreographed for musicals and performed at many different venues.
Cara Richter (Dance Instructor):
Cara is from Pennsylvania and relocated to Oregon in 2017. She has been working with C.R.O.W. since she first moved to Florence, and has created several beautiful choreography pieces and taught several classes and workshops. She received her dance training from Pennsylvania Regional Ballet and continued her passion for dance on the InMotion Dance Team at Temple University in Philadelphia. Cara and her husband Josh have two sons, Moses and Ezekiel, and spend most of their time doing activities with them. Cara is thrilled to be working with C.R.O.W. and she says "I love to share my love of dance with my students!"
Kritzia Scaparo (Dance Instructor):
Kritzia Scaparo began her dance journey at the age of 2 ½, dancing through Carlsbad Parks & Recreation in Southern California. A natural performer, she made The Varsity Dance Team at Vista High School, & excelled as a member for all four years. Her passion for dance led her to pursue it as a college major, earning two prestigious dance scholarships.
In college, Kritzia auditioned and made the Touring Performance Dance team, traveling throughout North County San Diego to inspire high school students to pursue dance in higher education while performing contemporary, musical theater, hip hop, tap, and ballet choreography. Her love for diverse dance styles led her to discover Brazilian Samba, where she trained at Ooh La La Dance Studio in La Jolla. There, she embraced not only Samba but also Salsa, Bachata, Burlesque, and more, ultimately stepping into the role of dance instructor and touring internationally as a professional dancer. A highlight of her career was representing Ooh La La Dance Company in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, performing as a Napa Girl for the National Soccer Team of Mexico. One of the most rewarding aspects of her dance journey has been her work with children, teaching hip-hop & Samba at summer camps. Dance has also taken her across the globe, including to Bora Bora, where she performed at the Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort by night and enjoyed the island's breathtaking natural beauty by day. In addition to her love for dance, Kritzia is deeply passionate about the earth, and loves living in Florence, being surrounded by an abundance of nature. She also enjoys working at the Florence Events Center where she gets to bring new ideas and express her creativity in ways that promote the arts.
Elyse Stewart (Summer Camp Director/ Dance Instructor):
Elyse was born in Billings, Montana and moved to Florence in 2010, where her family has well established roots. Shortly after that, she began taking gymnastics classes for 4 years. In 2014, Elyse began her journey with C.R.O.W. Elyse says, "Wow what a ride it has been!" She has performed in multiple main stage musicals, The Holly Jolly Follies, Haunted Mazes, dance showcases, as well as many other events. Elyse has soaked up every bit of training available to her, always giving her all. Elyse has training in many areas from silks, Lyra (aerial hoops), tap, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and her favorite - ballet/pointe. She has worked with a multitude of instructors over the last 8 years as well as being a part of the Flight Dance Team for the last 4 years. Elyse is excited for this new chapter in her journey as a C.R.O.W dance instructor and executive assistant. "I look forward to sharing my knowledge and love to help C.R.O.W’s mission to provide arts to local youth."
Karen Trujillo (Board of Directors / Scenic Artist / Creative Consultant):
Karen is originally from Marinette, Wisconsin where she became involved in the local theatre in college. Although she has never had any "formal" art training of any kind, she has worked on set and lighting design for about 7 shows. Karen lived in the Las Vegas area for about 25 years where she did a variety of jobs and was very active in the Elks Lodge. She moved to Florence in 2012, and "loves living here and being involved in the local theatre productions." Karen's talents are "in demand," and she helped with sets and costumes and also worked backstage for The Holly Jolly Follies and other productions. She looks forward to many more projects within the local theatre scene.
Meet Our Founders:
Ellen Jacobson (Founder):
Ellen studied theatre arts in college in Long Beach, CA. with David Emmes, Director Emeritus of the prestigious South Coast Repertory Theatre Company. She married Michael in 1967. She was fortunate to be able to pursue the other great love of her life as a quarter horse breeder and owner for more than 35 years in Southern CA. You might remember her performance a couple of seasons ago here in Florence as crazy Aunt "Abby Brewster" in Arsenic and Old Lace. She wrote, directed and produced for her family's murder mystery company, Poison Pen Players, and wrote the Holly Jolly Follies central theme each year for C.R.O.W. When she was not working in the arts, you could have found Ellen with her granddaughter, Sabrina. Although Ellen passed away in April, 2023, her sprit and heart will remain at the center of C.R.O.W. forever.
Mike Jacobson (Founder):
A founding member of murder mystery troupe, Poison Pen Players, Mike is also no stranger to children's theater, having portrayed both hero and villain in Aladdin & The Swinging Genies (for which he also wrote the score, directed, and played the title role), The Little Mermaid, and Hercules (in which he portrayed "Cyclops," a one-eyed villain in an enormous prosthetic papier mache headpiece, who chased after Hercules' girl friend, played by his daughter, Melanie Heard.) Having been part of productions involving such diverse talents as Henry Mancini and Jerry Lewis, Mike is excited to see the children of Florence continue to soar. Mike is proud of his daughter, Melanie, and is equally proud to have been part of the creation of this wonderful non-profit organization.