Rodger M. Govea is the Board Chair of CSF. He is Chair of the Department of Political Science at Cleveland State University .  He received his Ph.D. from Syracuse University in 1979.  His acting experience at the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival includes roles in Richard III and in All’s Well that Ends Well .  He has also performed at Dobama, Cleveland State University , Solon Community Theater, and in Bishkek , Kyrgyzstan.

Larry Nehring, the Board Vice-Chair, is an actor, director, combat choreographer, and ASL interpreter. He is currently teaching American Sign Language as an adjunct professor at Kent State University . He holds a B.A. in English and Theatre from the University of Rochester and an M.S. in curriculum development from U.R./Rochester Institute of Technology . Involved with CSF from its inception, he served as the organizations Artistic Director from the 2000 season through the 2008 season. He has worked at nearly every theatre around Cleveland , most recently directing Children of a Lesser God at Weathervane, twice reprising the role of Lumiere in Beck Center ‘s Beauty & the Beast , and playing Brophy and the Provost at Great Lakes Theatre Festival’s 2007 Fall Rep of Arsenic and Old Lace and Measure for Measure . His play End of the Road was chosen as a semi-finalist at the National Playwright’s Conference. He is a member of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Actors’ Equity, and the Screen Actor’s Guild.

Kristina Hewis, Board Secretary

Monica Gordon Pershey is Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences, Cleveland State University , where she teaches courses in child language and literacy development. She holds a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist. Her research in language and literacy development, over 100 articles, has appeared in numerous academic journals in the fields of speech-language pathology and education. Dr. Pershey also provides speech-language clinical services for University Hospitals. Pershey served on the board of directors of the Northern Ohio Branch of the International Dyslexia Association and she is a member of the editorial boards of several academic journals.

Austin Barnes is an attorney with the law firm of Morris I. Hardwick and Schneider. He has over 17 years of legal experience in foreclosure, bankruptcy, eviction, tax and real estate. He is an Ohio University graduate with a BBA in Finance. He received his JD from the University of Akron Law School and Masters in Tax degrees from the University of Akron School of Accountancy. He has served on the board of CSF for five years. He is also President of the Goodfriendship Chapter #63 of the AHEPA in Akron , Ohio .

Dr. Carrie A. Bassett is a 2002 Graduate of Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also holds Degrees from Ohio University  in Biological Science and French. Currently Dr. Bassett practices Internal Medicine in her own Private Practice located in Warrensville Heights , Ohio , as well as serving as Clinical Assistant Professor for OUCOM Medical students at South Pointe Hospital . In addition to The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival Board of Trustees, Dr. Bassett also sits on the Infection Control and Peer Review Committees At South Pointe.

Brian Pedaci

Jess Raum

Christine McBurney