Our Board

Erik Blachford, Vice President (since 2010)
Currently a Venture Partner at Technology Crossover Ventures, Erik has served previously as CEO of Expedia, Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp’s travel division, IAC Travel (including online travel businesses Expedia, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Classic Custom Vacations and Interval International), CEO at Butterfield & Robinson, a leading luxury active travel company, and CEO at Terrapass, Inc, a leading provider of environmental consulting services and carbon offsets. His prior positions at Expedia Inc. included SVP of Marketing & Planning and various roles in product management. Erik is an active private company investor, serves on boards including Zillow, Glassdoor, Liftopia, Bloomspot, and Terrapass, and participates in non-profit boards including EcoAmerica, The Cutting Ball Theater, and the U.S. National Council of the World Wildlife Fund.

Mary Anne Cook, Chair (since 2009)
Mary Anne Cook has served on several non-profit boards over the years, and has also experienced boards from the other side while working in non-profit management. She was the General Manager of the Magic Theater, Managing Director of Make*A*Circus and, prior to moving to the Bay Area, worked at NYU’s Undergraduate Drama department as the Director of Studio Training. More recently she has started a private practice working with people in life transition and bereavement. She currently works with bereaved children at Josie’s Place in San Francisco, and is on the staff at the Interfaith Counseling Center in Marin and the Mindfulness Care Center in San Francisco.

Victor Cordell (since 2014)
An educator with over 40 research publications, Victor was most recently Director – Graduate Business Programs at San Francisco State University and Director – International Business Planning Programs at Monterey Institute of International Studies. His previous career was in international banking with Chase Manhattan Bank. He has served on several non-profit boards, including Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, International Management Development Association, and two small opera companies. Victor is currently a Theatre Bay Area Adjudicator. He holds a B.A. from University of Texas, and M.B.A. and Ph.D. from University of Houston.

Amanda Felson (since 2015)

Darren Isom (since 2013)

Tom Lima (since 2015)

Dan Lockwood (since 2012)
Dan Lockwood is Managing Director at Tellart, a boutique design and integration firm that focuses on building solutions that bridge the physical and virtual worlds. Prior to Tellart, Dan was the Director of Professional Services at Juniper Networks. Dan is a trustee at Live Oak School where he is the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. When not working or driving his three children to and fro, Dan spends time in his workshop creating art, furniture, and interactive kinetic sculptures.

Laura Mason (since 2015)

Janet Maughan (since 2014)

Rob Melrose, Secretary (since 2007)
Rob is the Artistic Director and co-founder of the Cutting Ball Theater and works nationally as a freelance director. He has directed at The Guthrie Theater, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, PlayMakers Rep, California Shakespeare Theater, Black Box Theatre, Actors’ Collective, The Gamm Theatre, and Crowded Fire, among others. Rob has directed over 25 productions at The Cutting Ball and has been the translator for 8 of these plays. He is a recipient of the NEA / TCG Career Development Program award for directors. He has taught at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, USF, the University of Rhode Island and Marin Academy. He has a B.A. in English and Theater from Princeton University and an M.F.A. in directing from the Yale School of Drama.

Ken Melrose (2008-May 2012), Board Emeritus
Former CEO, The Toro Company, Minneapolis, MN
Serves on Finance Committee

Kate Robards (since 2015)

Dave Yrueta, Treasurer (since 2013)
Before settling on his current vocation as high-school mathematics teacher, Dave worked variously as a tradesman, manager and consultant in the construction industry, and as a location scout for film and television in San Francisco and Los Angeles. A longtime fan of Cutting Ball Theater, he’s thrilled to have the opportunity to actively support the company as a board member. He lives in the East Bay with his wife Kate, and two lovely daughters, Ava and Zoe.

Honorary Board
Oskar Eustis
Suzan-Lori Parks
Walter Wilkie
Robert Woodruff

Board of Directors
Suzanne Appel
Erik Blachford
Mary Anne Cook
Victor Cordell
Laurie Edelstein
Elaine Fang
Marty Krasney
Dan Lockwood
Janet Maughan
Rob Melrose
Dave Yrueta

Board Emeritus
Ken Melrose