Join us for a conversation with Becky Witmer, LT'16, former Managing Direct at ACT Theatre, who will discuss the many ways arts and culture are essential to a thriving community. Learn about the impact of the pandemic on theater, the movement for racial equity across the United States for the arts, and leadership. Becky will also talk about the Principles for Building Anti-Racist Theatre Systems movement, which is driving and demanding systemic change across the industry. She will be interviewed by Leilani Lewis, LT’16, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Advancement at the University of Washington.
Our Lunch with LT Leaders series highlights inspiring LT alumni who are working to foster the changes needed to make our region more resilient and equitable. Through Zoom, featured leaders will share their leadership journeys and then open the conversation for questions. Each session will take place from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Following the program, there will be an optional 30-minute facilitated discussion to debrief and connect with other alumni. So, grab your lunch and join us! You must register ahead of time to receive the Zoom link.
Note: To help our speaker(s) and participants have candid and open dialogues, we are NOT recording this alumni event.
Event Details:
When: December 2, 2021
Program: 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Post-Program Debrief (Optional): 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Where: Zoom (we’ll send you the link the day before the event)
Who: LT alumni, LT’22 class members, Honorary LT, and guests
Cost: $0 - $30
Becky Witmer, LT’16, has 20 years of experience managing and marketing cultural organizations. She served as Managing Director of Seattle's ACT Theatre from 2016-2021 where she has also held the positions of General Manager (2014-2015) and the Director of Marketing and Communications (2011-2014). Becky began her career in arts management through marketing and communications. She was previously the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Intiman Theatre (2008-2011) and Opera Colorado (2006-2008), and was also the Associate Director of Marketing with Central City Opera (2002-2005). She is Vice Chair of the Leadership Tomorrow Seattle Curriculum Committee, serves on the 4Culture King County Arts Advisory Council, and was recently on the boards of the Downtown Seattle Association and the League of Resident Theatres. She is a co-founder of the Cultural Resource Collective database project. Becky is involved in several community initiatives and enjoys participating in collaborative partnerships across sectors!
Leilani Lewis, LT’16, is a Seattle-born arts leader and anti-racism/DEI practitioner. Her passion for the arts and social justice led her to the Northwest African American Museum where she served in a number of roles for eight years. Now at the University of Washington, she uses her experience working in and with Black-led organizations to develop solidarity, equity, and anti-racism strategy across the institution. As a higher education administrator with foundations in arts and culture, she has established herself as a creative catalyst and leader working on behalf of historically marginalized communities. Whether through independent strategic planning consultation, arts advocacy, or transformational planning, she focuses on breaking down barriers to address racism within organizations while strengthening the bonds that draw people for collective impact. As a Seattle University alumni and graduate of Leadership Tomorrow, Ms. Lewis is driven by her values that include shared leadership, connecting across differences, and lifting as we climb.