Board of Directors

Executive Director – Tami Kress

Tamra Clayson Kress and her family are Idaho transplants but are thrilled to call North Carolina home. Tami has her Masters Degree in theatre from Idaho State University. She taught high school for 9 years where she was selected as the State of Idaho Drama Teacher of the Year and directed the first high school production chosen to be a showcase performance at Festivention. Tami also taught at Idaho State University for 4 years. In addition to being the Executive Director of Studio 1 and directing many shows in the area, she loves teaching her 50 voice and piano students!! She has directed over 60 productions, and acted in over 40 productions—and thanks her beautiful family for supporting her in all of those. Tami started the American Falls Theatre Guild and the C.A.T. theatre program in Pocatello Idaho and both are still going strong today. Though she has lost both of her parents, she dedicates every one of her productions to them because they taught her to find a passion and pursue it—and then gave her the tools to enable her to do that.

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President – Wayne Leonard

Wayne Leonard has been actively involved in community theatre since 2005 when he and his family joined the cast at Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre. That summer, he performed in The Sword of Peace, Pathway to Freedom, and Fiddler on the Roof.

He is an award-winning director with more than two dozen credits for Orange Community Players, Studio 1 (Burlington), Alamance Children’s Theatre, Gallery Players (Burlington), and Mebane Acting Company. In 2015, his production of Night at the Wax Museum with Alamance Children’s Theatre was recognized as the “Notable Children’s Production (community or professional)” by the Piedmont Triad Theatre Guide. He has twice been the recipient of the Gallery Players Pearl Award for Best Director of a Play.

Mr. Leonard has also appeared on stage in more than thirty productions with Gallery Players, Paramount Acting Company (Burlington), Studio 1, Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, and Orange Community Players. He originated the role of Robert Harrill in The Hermit of Fort Fisher with the Paramount Acting Company and is a recipient of the Pearl Award for Best Actor in a Non-Musical for his performance in the Gallery Players production of Life With Father.

Mr. Leonard also serves as Studio 1 Board Liaison on the Snow Camp Board of Directors and is retired from Orange County Schools.

He is the host of Lights Up! on WHUP in Hillsborough. Lights Up! is a radio broadcast about theatre in central North Carolina and airs each Wednesday afternoon from 5:00 – 6:00. WHUP can be heard at 104.7 FM and streamed over the internet at whupfm.org.

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Vice President – Chris Earl

Chris is a Regional Manager for a Franchise of Crumbl. He has also been involved with performing arts his whole life; from participating in his parents productions, to taking part in performances in high school musicals, to performing professionally with the Portland Opera (Portland, Oregon), and now to the start of seeing his own Children love the performing arts as well. The joy that Studio 1 gives to all of Alamance County is something that Chris is truly proud to be a part of. It is a wonderful place to experience something So Much More Than Real Life.

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Secretary – Heidi Moner

Heidi Moner is a REALTOR® with The Carter+Smith Group at Allen Tate. She has been involved in musical theater throughout her life, including productions and classes at Studio 1. Heidi learned to sew at the Austin School of Fashion Design and began designing costumes for theater in Austin, TX. She created costumes for productions at Elon University, worked as a freelance sewist, and was the in-house alterations expert at Amber’s House of Dance for several years.

When not involved in theater or real estate, Heidi can be found doing something creative or spending time with her partner and three children.

Heidi is thrilled to support Studio 1’s mission by serving on the Executive Board.

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Webmaster – Layla Micheo

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Treasurer – Traven McClain

You might recognize Traven from bringing his daughter Treya to camps and rehearsals and lessons. Traven is from Burlington NC. He is married to his best friend and they have 3 kids: a set of twins age 24 and a daughter age 13. He currently works at Labcorp in the field of Information Technology. He has been with Labcorp about 17 years and enjoys the challenge and demand of working in a field where they get to deliver solutions and improve people’s lives. Outside of work he enjoys reading, sports and mostly saltwater fishing—which he enjoys whether the fish are biting or not

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Director of Education – Debbie Williams

Debbie Williams holds a BS from UNC-G in Early Childhood Education and is a retired Program Manager from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC. She was involved in theater and band during high school and re-caught the theater bug, thanks to her son Jay, at Snow Camp Outdoor Theater from 2002 – 2014. She has been a member of Orange Community Players in Hillsborough since 2011 as part of their artistic board. She has been involved with Studio 1 since 2014 and currently serves as Treasurer on the Studio 1 Board and President of the newly formed Studio 1 Snow Camp Board. Debbie is blessed beyond belief to be part of the Studio 1 family and thankful for the countless opportunities and even more thankful for a supportive family for putting up with her crazy adventures.

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Director of Communications – Carrie Sippy

Carrie Sippy holds an M.A. in English from UNC Charlotte and has been involved in community theater since the age of 6. She is the theatre teacher at Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill where some of her directorial credits include Sense and Sensibility, Beauty and the Beast, and Arsenic and Old Lace. Since joining Studio 1 in 2021, you may have seen Carrie onstage as a mermaid, a princess, a baker’s wife, and the mom to a demigod among a variety of other roles! One of the reasons Carrie believes theatre is so important is that it teaches both actors and audiences to be empathetic–to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and see the world through their eyes, if only for a brief moment. She is honored to serve the local theater community as part of the Studio 1 Executive Board.

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Director of Community Events – Wil Coulbourn

Wil Coulbourn became a part of the Studio 1 family in 2019 after his daughter Jade began performing. Since then, he has been a familiar face in the tech booth, running sound for countless productions. Wil’s expertise and enthusiasm have made him an invaluable member of the Studio 1 community, where he’s known and loved by both cast and crew. Always one of the theatre’s biggest cheerleaders, Wil brings energy and support to every production, ensuring the magic of live theatre comes to life.

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Director of Community Service – Stephanie Dawson

Stephanie Dawson has been part of the Studio 1 family since 2019, after first connecting with Tami during a production at another theatre. Her passion for the arts was sparked when she joined Studio 1 for their shadowed production of Shrek the Musical and has grown ever since. She has performed in a variety of roles, including Corie in Barefoot in the Park, Marianne in Disaster the Musical, and Emily in Our Town. In addition to performing, Stephanie has served on the Studio 1 board since 2022 as Co-Director of Community Service alongside her husband, Noah Pieper. Together, they work to support various non-profit organizations in Alamance County in connection with Studio 1’s main stage productions. Outside of the theatre, Stephanie is a dedicated Physician Assistant in Hematology/Oncology, caring for adults with hematological malignancies. She also enjoys playing the piano, staying active in her fitness classes, and indulging in frequent trips to Trader Joe’s.

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Director of Community Service – Noah Pieper

Noah Pieper has been involved with Studio 1 since the summer of 2019 when he played The SQUIP in Be More Chill. Since then, he has performed in many shows at Studio 1, where he made countless memories, friends, and met the love of his life, Stephanie. Noah couldn’t be happier to give back to Studio 1 by serving on the board and helping others experience the same joy that is truly “so much more than real life”. Outside of Studio 1, Noah is a research technician at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at UNC Chapel Hill. He is also a proud parent of two cats (Lavender and Basil) alongside Stephanie.

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Director of DEAI – Josh Roger

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Director of Box Office – Teresa Leiser

Teresa Leiser has a Masters Degree in Music Education from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. She taught vocal music at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She helped her voice students and choruses win awards at the New York State School Music Association competitions each year. Since moving to North Carolina, she has enjoyed staying at home with her 5 children. She now directs our elite choir, Voices@1, and teaches middle school history at The Burlington School. Teresa proudly serves as the Director of Box Officefor Studio 1.

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Director of Front of House – Johna Hughes Bruton

Johna Hughes Bruton is an NC native who lives in Graham. She is a social worker who has spent her career in public behavioral health. She became involved at Studio 1 in 2022 when her two children did their very first Studio 1 summer camp. From that first experience, her kids were hooked and her family has jumped in with both feet with classes, camps, and shows. As a former theatre and choir kid/young adult, she is thrilled to be sharing the love of music and theatre with them. After a very long hiatus, Johna has recently jumped back in the water as a member of Summer Shorts cast and as assistant stage manager for Tarzan. She is thankful beyond measure for the opportunity, safety, and community that this theatre has provided for her family and is thrilled to expand her involvement as part of the Studio 1 board.

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Director of Engagement – Kristen Jones-Lowe

Director of Events – Tim Brown

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Director of Marketing – Troy Suter

Troy Suter is a Cincinnati, OH native now living in Elon, NC. He has called North Carolina home since 2019. By day, Troy works as a healthcare IT consultant, but his passion for performing led him to Studio 1 in 2021, when he joined the cast of Sweeney Todd. Since then, he has performed in a number of productions at Studio 1 and SCOT, including playing Simon Dixon in 2025’s The Sword of Peace and being named a 2025 Studio 1 Diva. Studio 1 has become a creative home for him, and he’s excited to bring his experience and enthusiasm to the board, helping support and grow this vibrant theater community.

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Director of Production – Carli Webb

Carli Webb is a Greensboro, NC native and thrilled to be joining the Studio1 board as Director of Production. After catching the theatre bug at 10 years old, Carli spent her middle and high school years acting in and stage managing any and every play she could before moving on to study music at UNC Greensboro. This was followed with a 25 year career in non-profit performing arts administration helping organizations align their use of technology with business practices. Most recently, Carli has branched out to become a professional sound healer, bringing a fresh perspective on mental and emotional well-being to the work she does with arts and culture organizations. The opportunity to bring her energy and enthusiasm back to the making of theatre as part of the Studio 1 board feels very much like a return to her roots.

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Historian – Lora Wilder

Lora Wilder is the Studio 1 Historian and longest serving board member. She has served on the Studio 1 Board of Directors since 2012 and was in the very first Main Stage Musical, Frog and Toad All Year. Some of her favorite roles on the Studio 1 stage are Miss Tweed, Something’s Afoot, Jack’s Mom, Into the Woods, Martha, Arsenic and Old Lace and Director for the Side By Side Theatre.