Your Holly Board of Directors:
Ivana Pelnar-Zaiko - Board Chairman
Ivana retired from a career as non-profit executive that included positions as vice president of leading private colleges and a major international consulting company. She also had advised universities and arts non-profits in Germany, Denmark, Bulgaria, and the country of Georgia with a lecture and workshop program in fundraising and non-profit management through the US Department of State. In Dahlonega, Ivana is active as volunteer, part-time consultant, and board officer with local non-profits.
Ivana’s volunteer activities include the Holly, where she served on the Board of Directors and was instrumental in obtaining major grants for the 2014-2015 renovations of the historic building.
Ivana’s volunteer activities include the Holly, where she served on the Board of Directors and was instrumental in obtaining major grants for the 2014-2015 renovations of the historic building.
Brooke Evans - Vice Chair
Brooke Evans is excited to serve as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors for the Historic Holly Theater. When Brooke isn't directing for main stage or for the Holly Performance Academy, she is the drama teacher for Johnson High School in Hall County. She grew up in Dahlonega and the Holly was an important part of her childhood. She is working to see the Holly continue to be an important place in the Dahlonega community.
Brooke Evans is excited to serve as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors for the Historic Holly Theater. When Brooke isn't directing for main stage or for the Holly Performance Academy, she is the drama teacher for Johnson High School in Hall County. She grew up in Dahlonega and the Holly was an important part of her childhood. She is working to see the Holly continue to be an important place in the Dahlonega community.
Marina Barron - Treasurer
Marina Barron joined the Holly Board of Directors in 2014 serving first in the role of secretary and later as the treasurer of the organization. Marina is a also a member of the Dahlonega Rotary Club and WILL (Women in Leadership Lumpkin).
Marina grew up in Italy and moved to the US with her husband in 1990. As a military wife, she enjoyed a hectic lifestyle and different duty assignments living in different states and continents.
Marina holds a MS in Organization Development and a BS in Psychology. Her diverse professional background includes nonprofit management and business consulting. She is currently an Organization Development consultant with Talent & Management Consulting helping organizations improve their hiring practices and maximize their business performance.
Marina strongly believes in the mission of the historic Holly Theater. She believes that the Holly will continue to develop and grow in a sustainable and innovative performing art organization to enrich the lives of adults and children in the community for generations to come.
Marina grew up in Italy and moved to the US with her husband in 1990. As a military wife, she enjoyed a hectic lifestyle and different duty assignments living in different states and continents.
Marina holds a MS in Organization Development and a BS in Psychology. Her diverse professional background includes nonprofit management and business consulting. She is currently an Organization Development consultant with Talent & Management Consulting helping organizations improve their hiring practices and maximize their business performance.
Marina strongly believes in the mission of the historic Holly Theater. She believes that the Holly will continue to develop and grow in a sustainable and innovative performing art organization to enrich the lives of adults and children in the community for generations to come.
Nathan Gerrells - Secretary
Nathan Gerrells is proud to serve as the Artistic Director of the Holly Theatre. Previously he served on the Holly Theater Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016, where he was instrumental in building the Holly Performance Academy's programs and directed the often sold out summer camp series including The Lion King Jr., Wizard of Oz, and Beauty and the Beast Jr. He also directed the Holly
Mainstage production of White Christmas. Nathan was one of the first recipients of
the "Freddie Gershon" award for excellence in children's theater directing at the 2007
Junior Theater Festival held each year in Atlanta. By day, Nathan is the Assistant
Principal atLong Branch Elementary School. He has 11 years of experience in Education including winning Lumpkin County Teacher of the Year in 2013. He is proud to call the Holly his second home; he has worked in just about every aspect of the theater since high school. This is a special place, and he wants to see us continue to expand our programming and build upon the base of community support.
Nathan Gerrells is proud to serve as the Artistic Director of the Holly Theatre. Previously he served on the Holly Theater Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016, where he was instrumental in building the Holly Performance Academy's programs and directed the often sold out summer camp series including The Lion King Jr., Wizard of Oz, and Beauty and the Beast Jr. He also directed the Holly
Mainstage production of White Christmas. Nathan was one of the first recipients of
the "Freddie Gershon" award for excellence in children's theater directing at the 2007
Junior Theater Festival held each year in Atlanta. By day, Nathan is the Assistant
Principal atLong Branch Elementary School. He has 11 years of experience in Education including winning Lumpkin County Teacher of the Year in 2013. He is proud to call the Holly his second home; he has worked in just about every aspect of the theater since high school. This is a special place, and he wants to see us continue to expand our programming and build upon the base of community support.
Jim Bailey
Jim Bailey is a native of Fannin County, Georgia along with his wife, Pat. He retired as an executive in the aerospace industry after 40 years of service. Subsequently, he and Pat were able to once again return to the mountains of North Georgia. Jim has a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and holds a Masters Degree of Business Administration in Finance. He has had the good fortune to perform in the Holly Theatre productions of You Can’t Take It With You, Til’ Death Do Us Part, and Christmas Belles. He is excited to have this opportunity to serve the community by advocating and supporting the education and entertainment mission of the Holly Theatre.
Jim Bailey is a native of Fannin County, Georgia along with his wife, Pat. He retired as an executive in the aerospace industry after 40 years of service. Subsequently, he and Pat were able to once again return to the mountains of North Georgia. Jim has a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and holds a Masters Degree of Business Administration in Finance. He has had the good fortune to perform in the Holly Theatre productions of You Can’t Take It With You, Til’ Death Do Us Part, and Christmas Belles. He is excited to have this opportunity to serve the community by advocating and supporting the education and entertainment mission of the Holly Theatre.
Cathy McMullan
Cathy McMullan is married and has four children. She has lived in the Dahlonega area since 1985 and has been teaching at Long Branch Elementary school since 1999. Her love of working with children led her to volunteer during the senior summer camp in 2013. Since then, she has returned to work with the summer camps each year and has costumed many shows for the theater. She hopes to continue using her creativity to help the Holly be successful and to grow the children's theater program.
Cathy McMullan is married and has four children. She has lived in the Dahlonega area since 1985 and has been teaching at Long Branch Elementary school since 1999. Her love of working with children led her to volunteer during the senior summer camp in 2013. Since then, she has returned to work with the summer camps each year and has costumed many shows for the theater. She hopes to continue using her creativity to help the Holly be successful and to grow the children's theater program.
Patrick Rose
Patrick Rose has been involved with the Holly Theater for over 5 years as a volunteer.
You have seen him on stage but his talents have been primarily behind the scenes as a
designer. He has worked in professional theater for several years and is currently
teaching technical theater at Mill Springs Academy. He is married to facilities manager
Heather Rose and has two wonderful children Annabelle and Emmett. He is committed
to serving the Holly and maintaining the standard of excellence the community has
come to expect.
Patrick Rose has been involved with the Holly Theater for over 5 years as a volunteer.
You have seen him on stage but his talents have been primarily behind the scenes as a
designer. He has worked in professional theater for several years and is currently
teaching technical theater at Mill Springs Academy. He is married to facilities manager
Heather Rose and has two wonderful children Annabelle and Emmett. He is committed
to serving the Holly and maintaining the standard of excellence the community has
come to expect.
Alan Sibert
Alan moved from Florida to Georgia in 1991 and to Dahlonega in 2010 when he became Director of Purchasing at UNG, from where has recently retired. He first studied theater as a student at St. Petersburg (Florida) Junior College and served as president of the student theater organization. He was also able to take more theater classes and work on productions while a student at the University of Vienna (Austria). After serving in the Army and working in a variety of other jobs, Alan reconnected with theater in Monroe, Georgia as the technical director (and member of the Board of Directors) for OnStage (www.onstagewalton.org). After moving to Dahlonega, it did not take him long to get involved with the Holly. In both community theaters, Alan’s focus has been upgrading the technical equipment and designing lighting for shows…as well as training other people to do the same.
Jorgene West
A Mississippi native, Jorgene graduated from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and received her Masters of Education degree from Georgia State University. She and her husband Joe lived in Atlanta for 30 years before relocating to the beautiful mountains of North Georgia.
Jorgene has been involved with community theater since sharing the stage at DeKalb College with her older son in a 1992 production of "Oliver!". She began volunteering at the Holly after moving to Dahlonega in 2007. While she enjoys acting and singing on stage, she is equally at home behind the scenes and working in front of house. She has been a member of the Holly's Artistic Committee since its formation. Jorgene retired from teaching two years ago and has enjoyed being a volunteer for a number of organizations in Lumpkin County, including Enotah CASA and the Pick and Bow Traditional Music School.
A Mississippi native, Jorgene graduated from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and received her Masters of Education degree from Georgia State University. She and her husband Joe lived in Atlanta for 30 years before relocating to the beautiful mountains of North Georgia.
Jorgene has been involved with community theater since sharing the stage at DeKalb College with her older son in a 1992 production of "Oliver!". She began volunteering at the Holly after moving to Dahlonega in 2007. While she enjoys acting and singing on stage, she is equally at home behind the scenes and working in front of house. She has been a member of the Holly's Artistic Committee since its formation. Jorgene retired from teaching two years ago and has enjoyed being a volunteer for a number of organizations in Lumpkin County, including Enotah CASA and the Pick and Bow Traditional Music School.
Glenn Whitehead
Glenn Whitehead has worked in Information Technology for over thirty years. He has been in management for more than twenty five of those years. He is currently employed as an IT Manager for an automotive advertising agency. Glenn started running sound for theater productions in high school. After a long hiatus, he started doing theater again eight years ago at the Cumming Theater and four years ago at the Holly Theatre. He has served as the Technical Director for several shows. This included designing / running sound, lighting, sets, playbills, and anything else the producer required. He has been on the board of theater production companies and has served as an officer for other non-profit groups. He is married with two children and four grandchildren.
Hal Williams
Although born in Atlanta, my family was one of the original settling families in the Dahlonega Gold rush. Carol and I came here in the mid 1960’s, she from the mountains and I from the big city to attend NGC. We began our married life here and raised our children and grandchildren here. We semi retired in 2008 after owning 3 successful businesses, working for the Chamber of Commerce and the US Army. Currently Carol and I own H and C Properties and I consult as a heritage tourism development and marketing specialist for LRC Inc.
In addition to over 20 years of experience both on stage and as a board member at the Holly. I feel I can bring to the board over 30 years of military and business experience as well as experience gained from years of volunteer involvement in city and county government, and civic organizations. Additionally service as an officer on several non profit boards at local, State and National level provided experience on how boards should work. I also draw from my current work in tourism marketing in the Southeast along with years of marketing Dahlonega..
In addition to over 20 years of experience both on stage and as a board member at the Holly. I feel I can bring to the board over 30 years of military and business experience as well as experience gained from years of volunteer involvement in city and county government, and civic organizations. Additionally service as an officer on several non profit boards at local, State and National level provided experience on how boards should work. I also draw from my current work in tourism marketing in the Southeast along with years of marketing Dahlonega..