BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lynn Johnson, president
Lynn has been a volunteer usher at the Minnesota Musical Theater and for St. Mary’s University theatre productions. She served as President of the MN College and University Career Services Association from 1998-2001. Lynn has been employed at Bemidji State University since 2001, and is currently the Interim Director of Distance Learning. She completed the Luoma Leadership Academy in 2010 and has extensive union leadership experience at BSU. She served as MSUAASF secretary for four years and has been MSUAASF president for the past two. Lynn has been a Relay for Life campus team volunteer as well as a coordinator for BSU Community Appreciation Day. She has also served as a volunteer with Sanford Health since 2009. Lynn joined the board of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse in 2011 and recently served on the play reading committee.

Natalie Grosfield, treasurer
Natalie has lived in Bemidji since 1964 and has been employed as the Regional Office Coordinator for Minnesota Public Radio for the past twelve years. Natalie collaborated with the Paul Bunyan Playhouse in 2007 on a show featuring Pat Donohue from A Prairie Home Companion. After this successful event, she joined the Playhouse board and has focused on strengthening the Historic Chief Theater's off-season program in order to keep the theater busy with concerts, plays, radio shows and even weddings. Natalie also serves on the board's Marketing committee, manages press releases for events and writes play reviews for the local paper, the Bemidji Pioneer. She has been an appreciative Paul Bunyan Playhouse audience member for 40 years and even ventured onstage for the productions of Cinderella and Annie...many moons ago!

Shannon Fish, secretary
Bio coming...

Mary Knox Johnson, board member
Mary taught at West Fargo High School for 31 years. She has directed and designed over 85 plays in her career, mostly musicals. Mary was named North Dakota One-Act Play Coach of the
Year four times, North Dakota Creative Artist of the Year once, and was inducted into the North Dakota Speech & Theater Association Hall of Fame in 2005. She has co-written two mini-
musicals and is the author of a children’s book Thoughts from Pudge: (A Philosophical Look at Life from a Dog’s Point of View). Mary taught in the theater department at Bemidji State
University for five years, and she has directed and designed costumes for Bemidji Community Theater. Mary has also designed costumes for the Lake Bemidji Summer Opera Co. and for
Long Lake Theater. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse since 2011.

Chris Keenan, board member
Chris has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Paul Bunyan Playhouse on and office for approximately 25 years. His most recent term began in 2005. His longstanding connection brings continuity and perspective to the group. He has been self-employed in the construction field since 1974, and has established trusting relationships with literally thousands of community members over the years. Chris’ expertise in the construction field helps the Playhouse maintain the historic Chief Theatre, and his business sense helps the Board fulfill its fiscal responsibilities. Chris has been a member of the Bemidji Rotary Club since 1995. Annual local projects include building and raffling artistically-designed playhouses with proceeds going to new playground construction and Habitat for Humanity projects. Chris has organized Rotary International Projects to Honduras for the past 15 years. Rotarians have worked in isolated mountain villages as part of doctor and dental brigades or on school renovation and water purification projects.

Steve Berard, board member
Steve acted in four main stage theatre productions as an undergraduate English major at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. As a graduate student, he twice co-directed winning productions at Indiana University’s “IU Sing” competition. Steve has taught English overseas with the Peace Corps in Yemen, at a language institute in Kuwait, and at an international university in Japan. He is a passionate reader and a regular contributor to the World Literature
Forum. Since joining Bemidji State University in 2002, Steve founded the Open Borders Learning Community, was advisor for the International Student Organization for five years, and served as BSU’s Eurospring Assistant Director in 2009. He has been a Paul Bunyan Playhouse board member since 2011.

Susan Kedzie, business manager

Cynthia Floyd, board member
I have lived in Bemidji for a year. I am new to Bemidji, Mn – new to great northern winters and very new to the Paul Bunyan Playhouse. I volunteered as an usher this summer and absolutely loved the spirit and passion of the theater. I have always been a community-centered proponent and believe in supporting the arts and educational pursuits. I am currently employed with Bemidji State University in the department of Residential Life. I relocated to Bemidji from a small town (with a big heart) called Laplace, Louisiana (French, pronounced La Plaz), where I was very involved with youth in crisis, mentoring, professional business women’s organizations and faith-based initiatives. I am excited to be a board member and look forward to passion, positivity and profitability for 2013.