Silicon Valley Shakespeare’s Board serves a vital role in the development and management of our company. Providing governance and financial guidance, our Board actively participates in and manages the various committees that help our company run smoothly. They are members of our community who generously give of their time and energy to help our company grow, and ensure a healthy economic and organizational future. Our Board works closely with the Executive and Artistic Directors to oversee the business affairs of the organization.
SVS seeks and welcomes board members of diverse backgrounds and interests. We particularly seek individuals interested in promoting the arts in our community and with a passion for making theatre accessible to everyone, especially youth. We also seek new members with experience in development and fundraising through partnership with Silicon Valley businesses and organizations.
If you are interested, or want more information, contact Executive Director Doug Brook.
Michelle Galloway – Board of Directors Chair
michelle.galloway@svshakespeare.org
Michelle Greer Galloway is Of Counsel with Cooley LLP in the firm’s Palo Alto, California office. She is a member of the IP litigation group (patents) and teaches at Stanford Law School and Santa Clara University School of Law. Ms. Galloway also advises clients, and lectures in the areas of risk management, compliance, and ethics. Ms. Galloway received a J.D. in 1989 from Stanford Law School and a bachelor’s degree, with distinction, from Stanford University in 1986. She has been a long time supporter of Stanford and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council and as Co-Chair of the Law Fund. She resides in Los Altos, CA.
Sasha Abrams – Immediate Past Board Chair
Sasha Abrams is the General Counsel and Secretary to the Board at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Sasha’s practice focuses on the tax laws affecting private foundations, program-related investments, and complex legal issues in grant making. Previously, Sasha worked at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where she represented public agencies in municipal bond financing. Sasha holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from Stanford University and a J.D. from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. She is admitted to practice law in California, and resides in San Mateo, CA.
Kim Pfahnl – Board of Directors Vice Chair
Kim received her degree in Theatre Arts from San José State University. After graduation, she worked in children’s and adult theatre throughout the Bay Area as a designer, stage manager, and actor, and ran her own graphic design and staging business. She resides in San José, CA.
Ariel Siner – Board of Directors Secretary
Ariel is an attorney at Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel, Inc. working on a variety of trusts and estates matters, including estate planning, trust administration, estate litigation, and accompanying real estate and corporate issues. She received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of Santa Clara Law Review and President of Women & Law. Ariel’s youth was spent on stage singing and acting at every opportunity, which began her lifelong love of musical performance and, of course, Shakespeare. She resides in San Jose, California.
Vivian Keys – Board of Directors Treasurer
Vivian works in finance at Symantec, the leading cyber security company. Prior to that she worked for other technology companies in the valley, such as Netflix, Yahoo, BEA, and Seagate, in various accounting, finance, and operations roles. As an English student in China, Vivian translated Shakespeare’s sonnets to Chinese to supplement her classroom studies. After 20 years working in technology fields, today Vivian studies Shakespeare plays to enhance her linguistic intelligence and creative life. Vivian looks forward to sharing her passion in literature and world culture with everyone. She resides in Los Gatos.
Ken Arora – Board of Directors Member
Ken has been a long-time patron of Silicon Valley Shakespeare, starting with their first season at Sanborn Park, and has enjoyed watching them grow into the multi-venue, multi-production company they have matured into. His most memorable Shakespeare experience was working with high school students to help develop Brutus’ legal defense strategy at a post-Julius Caesar mock trial. When he is not busy designing cybersecurity products at F5 Networks or experiencing live theatre, Ken also enjoys participating in sports, photography, volunteering with local schools, and developing scenarios for role playing games. He resides in Saratoga, CA.
Sindy Braun – Board of Directors Member
Sindy has 30+ years of experience in the software industry across Marketing, Product, R&D, Operations, IT, Go-to-Market, and Human Resources. She most recently was at VMware, Inc.. She is now focused on bringing her strategic, operational, and people leadership skills, and her passion, to serving the global community. Sindy’s chosen mission is to apply her corporate expertise to empower nonprofit organizations to scale for greater impact and efficiency with limited resources. Sindy has been a long-time patron of the theater and was particularly excited to visit Stratford-upon-Avon a few years ago. Sindy resides in San Mateo.
Valerie Hines – Board of Directors Member
Valerie is a Data Analyst at Google, with current and past roles in Data Centers, Small Business interactions, Physical Security, and Google Fiber. Her past work includes Sandia National Laboratories, Intel, and Gruet Winery. Valerie holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Statistics from the University of New Mexico. Valerie fell in love with Silicon Valley Shakespeare in 2013, watching Twelfth Night performed in the natural amphitheatre at Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park. She resides in San Jose, California.
Natalie Pinto – Board of Directors Member
Natalie works in Technical Program Management at Box. Prior to entering the tech industry, she studied history and literature at UC Santa Cruz, which perhaps explains her love of Shakespeare. She has participated in theater throughout her life as both a performer and musician. Natalie is passionate about arts education and is excited to work with SVS to bring Shakespeare to life for our Bay Area community. She resides in Millbrae, CA.
Janet Rohrer – Board of Directors Member
Janet’s love of theatre began at San Jose State University where she studied English literature and enjoyed student theatre. An outdoor production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV introduced her to the magical atmosphere that outdoor venues provide for many classic works, and she’s sought-out similar outdoor performances ever since. She has supported local theater for many years and believes the exposure of students to live theatre at an early age is the best way to ensure the arts endure for future generations. While not volunteering behind the scenes at SVS, Janet spends her time as a facilities administrator for The Harker School, one of the leading PS-12 independent college preparatory schools on the west coast. She resides in San José, CA.
