Artistry Staff

Kelli Foster Warder

Executive Artistic Director

KELLI FOSTER WARDER (she/her) currently serves as the Executive Artistic Director at the Bloomington Theatre and Art Center d/b/a Artistry, with the primary responsibility of steering the organization through a major transition and strategic re-visioning process.

Kelli brings a vast array of experience and talent to her new role at Artistry. In the past, she has performed as an artist, taught students in performing arts, and served as an arts administrator in the Twin Cities for over 30 years. Her work as a choreographer and director has been seen on stages across the Twin Cities and the country including Theater Latté Da, The Ordway, Children's Theater Company, The 5th Avenue in Seattle, Washington, Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida and the ZACH Theatre in Austin, Texas. Kelli has worked internationally as a director and choreographer in both La Paz, Bolivia and Panama City, Panama.

Other experience includes working with the Hennepin Theater Trust as Director of Education growing the Spotlight Education program to record levels, producing unique and successful fundraising events and representing the region with the Broadway League. Kelli also worked at the Ordway where she was Director of Education and Producing Associate leading a team that oversaw 40,000 students, and she also worked directly with theatricals on Ordway Originals. As Associate Artistic Director/Director of Impact at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis, she has been a strong voice in artistic planning, deepening the company’s community engagement, and advancing initiatives in inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA).

kfosterwarder@artistrymn.org

Will Rafferty

Technical Director and Production Associate

Will graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a BFA in Technical Theater. After graduation, Will started his career as an overhire carpenter in Artistry's scene shop building scenery for Mame. In the years since, Will found enjoyment working at other theaters in the cities, including Theater Latte Da, The Jungle Theater, The University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, and Penumbra Theatre. Will was ecstatic when invited to return to Artistry full-time and in the shop that started it all!

wrafferty@artistrymn.org

Eric Herr-Madsen

Audience Services Manager

Eric (he/him) is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, Eric has been in the theatre arts most of his professional career having previously worked at Park Square Theatre for nearly 18 years, as well as part-time gigs in the box offices at History Theatre, The Ordway Center, The Fitzgerald Theatre. He also spent 4 summers as Audience Services Manager & Volunteer Coordinator for the Minnesota Fringe Festival.  His love of theatre started in 2nd grade after being cast as the Royal Chef & Chef #2 in The King's Soup, (a challenging dual role debut!). He credits his educators in High School and College for firmly believing in theatre education, including a 5th grade trip to the High School to see The Pajama Game, and multiple trips to see and work with members at Theatre de la Jeune Lune. He is thrilled to be working on the staff at Artistry Theatre having joined the staff last season during Memphis!

eherr-madsen@artistrymn.org

Katie Phillips

Production and Operations Manager

ARTISTRY: Properties Design: Shrek, Memphis, Little Women The Broadway Musical; Songs for a New World; Bridges of Madison County; A New Brain; Our Town; Footloose; Tinker to Evers to Chance; Victor/Victoria; She Loves Me; Awake and Sing!; Mary Poppins; Follies; Noises Off; The Last Five Years; Wit; The Secret Garden; Little Shop of Horrors; Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Scenic Design: Songs for a New World; Tinker to Evers to Chance; Awake and Sing! THEATER: Scenic and properties designed for over 100 productions in the last twelve years. Representative theaters include: Bucket Brigade, Dark & Stormy Productions, Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, Lyric Arts, Nightpath, Stages Theatre Company, S.O.S. Theatre, and Yellow Tree.

kphillips@artistrymn.org

Jessica Swanson

Visual Arts and Operations Coordinator

Jessica (she/her) is originally from Montana where she received a BFA in Stage Management from The University of Montana. After moving to the Twin Cities in December of 2016 she started working in the theater community in group sales at Old Log Theater and Children's Theatre Company. From there she picked up part time work in box office, production, and events at Guthrie, The Jungle, and Theater Elision. After transitioning to the private sector for a few years she found her way back into theater as the assistant stage manager for multiple productions at Artistry. From there she became the Manager of Production Department Operations at Ordway, before finding her way back to Artistry in this new role as Visual Arts and Operations Coordinator. She is excited to bring her talents in logistics and customer service to the visual arts department at Artistry!

jswanson@artistrymn.org 

Board of Directors

Craig Ashby
Staff Vice President, Product Development & Management, Centene Corporation

Carena Crowell-Chambers
Senior Manager of Central Content and Editorial Projects, Thomson Reuters

Jane Chronister
Business Consultant

Matt Dymoke
Director of Development, PROP Food Shelf

Annette Lee, Secretary
Senior Account Manager, LEVI STRAUSS & CO.

Laurie Leung
Senior Compliance Consultant, Media

Paul Niederberger
Retired, Computer/IT Specialist

Karen Nordstrom
Retired, Registered Nurse
Former Bloomington City Councilmember

Shelley Peterson, Treasurer
Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, Vice President BMO Harris Bank NA

Jo Rian
Retired, Program Director

Megan C. Rogers, President
Shareholder, Larkin Hoffman

Cheri Rolnick
Retired Epidemiologist, Health Partners

Arthur C Turner III, Vice President