Ygor Lobo, Talent, Culture, & Inclusion Director
Ygor Lobo is a strategic Human Resources leader dedicated to aligning organizational values with goals by putting people at the center of our policies and practices. As Talent, Culture, & Inclusion Director at The Pillow, Ygor collaborates with leadership to develop inclusive policies, strengthen workforce planning, and create talent management & retention strategies that empower individuals and teams. They have been instrumental in embedding IDEA principles into organizational practices, fostering a culture where diversity and equity drive success.
With a Bachelor’s in Human Resources Management and ongoing studies toward a Master’s in Organizational Psychology, Ygor combines expertise in workforce strategy, cultural competence, and talent optimization. Bilingual in English and Portuguese, they bring a global perspective and a passion for creating dynamic, people-first workplaces.
You can contact Ygor by calling 413.243.9919 x155 or emailing [email protected].
Sumi Matsumoto, Digital Archivist
R. Sumi Matsumoto is an information professional who specializes in dance-related archives and digital technologies. She is currently the Digital Archivist at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Previously, Sumi was the Audiovisual Archivist for the Merce Cunningham Trust and worked at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. As an Archiving and Preservation Fellow with Dance/USA, she worked with World Arts West to develop their digital archive. Sumi has also done work for the José Limón Archives, Lesbian Herstory Archives, and LGBT Community Center National History Archive. She has served as a grant review panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and presented at the Dance/USA Connect conference. Sumi received her MSLIS from Pratt Institute and her BFA in Dance with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Michigan.
You can contact Sumi by calling 413.243.9919 x156 or emailing [email protected].
Melanie George, Associate Curator
Named one of Dance Magazine’s 30 over 30, Melanie George is Associate Curator at Jacob’s Pillow and an Assistant Professor of Dance at Rutgers University. As a dramaturg, she has contributed to projects by Raja Feather Kelly, Helen Simoneau, Alice Sheppard/Kinetic Light, Urban Bush Women, LaTasha Barnes, and SW!NG OUT among many others. Melanie is featured in the documentary UpRooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance and is the recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award from the National Dance Education Organization.
Kim Chan, Associate Artistic Director
(she/her/hers)
Kim Chan is Associate Artistic Director at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival where she serves on the curatorial team and manages the programming, school, production, archives, and community engagement departments. She also serves on the boards of Mid-Atlantic Arts, MAP Fund, and Pick Up Performance Company. She has served on the New York Dance and Performance “Bessies” Award Committee, on the boards for Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), Ping Chong & Company, Guillermo Gómez-Peña’s La Pocha Nostra, and Dance Place, on the advisory board at GALA Hispanic Theatre, and as a National Dance Project Hub Site. She is the recipient of the Workforce Development Mentor of the Year Award from the National Independent Venue Foundation for her work at National Sawdust; the Pola Nirenska Lifetime Achievement in Dance Award from Washington Performing Arts; and Outstanding Service Awards from the International Association of Blacks in Dance and the Chen Dance Center.
You can contact Kim by calling 413.243.9919 x103 or emailing [email protected].
Jacqueline Schwartz, Executive Assistant to the Chief Philanthropy Officer
(she/her/hers)
Jacqueline Cornette Schwartz was the Accessibility Program Manager at the Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance in Allentown, PA, where she created and led various accessibility initiatives, including the Disability Pride Lehigh Valley event, recognized as a best practice model by Americans for the Arts in 2024. She also orchestrated the Lunch & Learn Series, which focused on training local artists and cultural venues in accessibility and inclusion, and played a key role as production manager, collaborating with performers of all ages and prominently featuring performers with disabilities.
As a practicing visual artist and instructor specializing in encaustic techniques for over 20 years, Jacqueline has a strong background in visual communications from her early career, working with national clients including NASA, AARP, and Siemens. She served as a teaching artist on the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, educating students from kindergarten through older adults throughout Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Jacqueline is committed to creative education and has developed innovative art curricula for various age groups. Fun fact: she trained the research and development team at Crayola in encaustic techniques and tested several prototypes of the Crayon Melter before its market launch!
Recently relocated to the Berkshires, she enjoys exploring the local art scene, kayaking, skiing, hiking, painting, and practicing her skills as a recently certified chocolatier while spending quality time with her family.
Education:
M.S. in Arts Administration, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
You can contact Jacqueline by calling (413) 243-9919 x077 or emailing [email protected].
Nick Kepley, Director of Marketing & Communications
(he/they)
Born and raised in Asheville, NC, Nick Kepley (He/They) has spent the past 20 years working as a professional in the performing arts. In 2010, he founded MOTION Dance Theatre, a summer choreographic residency program based in Asheville that provided a creative home for eight choreographers and more than 20 dancers from across the US over the course of five seasons. From 2015-2018, Nick served as Dance Lab New York’s first Director of Marketing & Development where they produced and hosted the In Step podcast, and launched the company’s first Summer Choreography Intensive. Additionally, Nick has worked in the marketing departments of New York City Ballet, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Most recently, Nick served as Director of Marketing at Explore Asheville, and Managing Director of Stewart/Owen Dance, the first resident dance company of Asheville’s Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.
You can contact Nick by calling 413.243.9919 x078 or emailing [email protected].
Ginger Menard, Alumni Relations Coordinator
(she/her/hers)
Ginger Menard returned to Jacob’s Pillow as Alumni Relations Coordinator & Office Administrator in April 2024. Previously, from 2001 to 2011 she worked at Jacob’s Pillow as Executive Assistant to the Executive and Artistic Director and Program Manager. During that time she was a co-curator of the Inside/Out Series and Board liaison. From 2011-2018, Ginger served as the Executive Assistant to the President of MCLA (Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts). In 2018 she was recruited to serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of The Chamberlain Group, a company that designs, develops, and manufactures medical training models. She ran the company’s operations and supervised a staff of designers, developers, manufacturing personnel, and administrators.
Ginger studied theatre at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts from 1989-1991 and stage managed a number of off-off Broadway productions. She is a certified massage therapist and graduated summa cum laude with a BA from MCLA.
You can contact Ginger by calling 413-243-9919 x070 or emailing [email protected].
Kate Vengrove, Associate Director of Membership and Individual Support
Kate Vengrove has dedicated her career to advancing the missions of artistic, educational, and healthcare nonprofits. She is thrilled to once again combine her passion for the arts and fundraising as a member of the philanthropy team at Jacob’s Pillow. A graduate of the University of Miami (FL) with a Bachelor of Music in musical theatre, Kate began her career in the Berkshires at Barrington Stage Company. While there, she served in a variety of administrative capacities and discovered her love of arts development.
Kate’s professional journey spans roles at Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center, the Forman School, and Trinity-Pawling School, where she honed expertise in membership, annual giving, volunteer management, and event planning. She enjoys both the strategic and tactical aspects of fundraising, is an instinctive relationship builder, and values the importance of teamwork in meeting goals. Most recently, as Director of Development for a healthcare nonprofit, Kate established strategies and systems for the new nonprofit and helped raise over $12 million through donor cultivation, stewardship, and major gift fundraising.
Outside of work, Kate enjoys spending time with her family, running with her dogs, reading, and singing in the Connecticut Master Chorale. She and her husband, Tony, live in New Milford, CT, with their three children: Cooper (20), a sophomore at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and twins Charlie and Elise (12).
You can contact Kate by calling (413) 243-9919 x126 or emailing [email protected].
Lila Kanner, Chief Philanthropy Officer
(she/her/hers)
Lila Kanner joined Jacob’s Pillow in late May 2022 as Chief Philanthropy Officer where she leads the Philanthropy team and oversees the campaign for the re-imagined Doris Duke Theatre. She previously served as Acting Director of Development and Head of Philanthropy at The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, England from 2016 until April 2022. In her capacity as Acting Director of Development, Lila’s responsibilities included all aspects of fundraising strategy and execution from principal gifts to membership and individual giving, as well as alumni relations to help deliver The Courtauld’s mission to be the most critically engaged, welcoming and generous institution for the study of art in the world. Lila’s career spans more than two decades devoted to widening access to the arts and creating opportunities for artistic practice, as well as a deep commitment to inclusion, diversity, equality and access (IDEA). Prior to The Courtauld, Lila was Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Initiatives and first Associate Director of Major Gifts at the Harvard Art Museums and she has worked in organizations in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. In New York City, Lila was the Executive Director of Artadia: The Fund for Art & Dialogue and worked there from 2006-2012. Lila grew up in Pittsfield, Mass. and is a graduate of Pittsfield High School. She graduated cum laude from Wellesley College and holds a master’s degree in Modern Art History and Curatorial Studies from Columbia University in New York.
You can contact Lila by calling (413) 243-9919 x125 or emailing [email protected].
Holly Jones, Producing Director
(she/her/hers)
Holly Jones (she/her) is an arts advocate, practitioner, and producer committed to advancing arts accessibility, promoting equitable curatorial practices, and fostering trust-based philanthropy. As the Producing Director at Jacob’s Pillow, she leads the Programming Department, overseeing the delivery of creative projects and performances for the renowned multi-venue dance festival, which features dynamic year-round programming. Holly’s connection to Jacob’s Pillow began as a dancer in The School’s Jazz/Musical Theatre program, and she later returned to perform on the Inside/Out stage before transitioning into her current leadership role. In addition to her work at Jacob’s Pillow, Holly serves on the boards of Bridge Live Arts, the Dance/USA Presenters Council, New England Arts Presenters, and The Croft Residency. She holds a B.F.A. in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College as well as a M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice. Holly is also zealous about performing in The Bang Group’s annual Nut/Cracked production, teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Marymount Manhattan College, and offering community dance classes at Berkshire Pulse.
You can contact Holly by calling 413.243.9919 x071 or emailing [email protected].