Board of Directors
Sheila Duda (Board of Directors President)
Sheila Duda has 20 years of experience working for several 501(c)3 professional associations, including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, The American Association of Orthopedic Administrators and The Alliance of the American Dental Association where she served as Executive Director. She is currently the sole proprietor of a successful independent retail store and is on the Board of Directors for the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
Nancy Toyama (Board of Directors Vice President)
Nancy Toyama holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Keller Graduate School and a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently the Program Manager for Client Delivery Systems at Aon Corporation. Other roles at Aon have included Consultant, Project Lead, and Project Manager. She is a volunteer tutor at the Skokie Library.
Beccah Biser (Board of Directors Treasurer)
Rebeccah Biser joined Third Eye Theatre in April of 2017. She earned a bachelor's in accounting and management from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She worked for a large global technology leader in power management solutions for almost six years, living in 3 different states before deciding to move to Chicago. Beccah now works in finance at a property management company on the northside of Chicago. Beccah has enjoyed running marathons to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She is an active alum and supporter of Red Pine Camp and Camp Deerhorn.
Jennifer Peters (Board of Directors Secretary)
Jennifer Peters is a crisis management business specialist. Previous work includes compliance, finance and project management. She has volunteered with many local and national organizations such as Special Olympics and Shop With a Cop. A lover of all things entertainment she is happy to be part of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble and believes in their mission to present quality productions of operatic works that are seldom performed, while advocating social change and inspiring conversation.
Sheila Duda (Board of Directors President)
Sheila Duda has 20 years of experience working for several 501(c)3 professional associations, including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, The American Association of Orthopedic Administrators and The Alliance of the American Dental Association where she served as Executive Director. She is currently the sole proprietor of a successful independent retail store and is on the Board of Directors for the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
Nancy Toyama (Board of Directors Vice President)
Nancy Toyama holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Keller Graduate School and a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently the Program Manager for Client Delivery Systems at Aon Corporation. Other roles at Aon have included Consultant, Project Lead, and Project Manager. She is a volunteer tutor at the Skokie Library.
Beccah Biser (Board of Directors Treasurer)
Rebeccah Biser joined Third Eye Theatre in April of 2017. She earned a bachelor's in accounting and management from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She worked for a large global technology leader in power management solutions for almost six years, living in 3 different states before deciding to move to Chicago. Beccah now works in finance at a property management company on the northside of Chicago. Beccah has enjoyed running marathons to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She is an active alum and supporter of Red Pine Camp and Camp Deerhorn.
Jennifer Peters (Board of Directors Secretary)
Jennifer Peters is a crisis management business specialist. Previous work includes compliance, finance and project management. She has volunteered with many local and national organizations such as Special Olympics and Shop With a Cop. A lover of all things entertainment she is happy to be part of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble and believes in their mission to present quality productions of operatic works that are seldom performed, while advocating social change and inspiring conversation.
Ensemble
RENA AHMED (Founder and Artistic Director)
Rena Ahmed is the Founder and Artistic Director of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble. Rena graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Music. In order to pay her bills, she had a longer than anticipated career working for high-tech companies. She spent several years as a Project Manager, and she believes those skills are very helpful in running a theatre company. For many years she pursued performing in her spare time until she finally left the world of full-time, steady employment to focus on her true passion. She believes that theatre and music have the power to transform lives in a positive way. She refuses to believe that live theatre and opera are dying art forms. She advocates that the performing arts can absolutely be relevant in today's world. She hopes her audiences will agree!
Rena Ahmed is the Founder and Artistic Director of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble. Rena graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Music. In order to pay her bills, she had a longer than anticipated career working for high-tech companies. She spent several years as a Project Manager, and she believes those skills are very helpful in running a theatre company. For many years she pursued performing in her spare time until she finally left the world of full-time, steady employment to focus on her true passion. She believes that theatre and music have the power to transform lives in a positive way. She refuses to believe that live theatre and opera are dying art forms. She advocates that the performing arts can absolutely be relevant in today's world. She hopes her audiences will agree!
Rose Freeman (Company Member, Marketing Director)
Rose Freeman stage directs, curates, produces, and manages performance work and theatrical events. Freeman has created national fine art shows for M Gallery of Fine Art, acted as managing Producing Director for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, and directed found space work, burlesque, and opera. Previous stage direction credits include Peter Hilliard's jazz opera, The Filthy Habit, Mohammed Fairouz's Sumeida's Song, Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium, Tightwire with Chicago Tap Theatre, Black As Eye Wanna Be with Po'Chop, Hannah Ii Epstein's punk rock musical, Punk Punk, Pippi’s Lost Stockings: a Burlesque Satire, Forest Fantasies with Lingerie Lyrique, and Alice by Michael Wise. Freeman recently made her acting debut as the role, Quill, in Neil Connely's Ride. Freeman is a Company Member of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, an Artistic Associate with Nothing Without a Company, has spoken on the emerging artists panel during the 2011 Chicago Theatre Symposium, and participated in the 2012 Chicago Directors Lab.
Mary Lutz Govertsen (Company Member, Literary Manager)
Soprano Mary Lutz-Govertsen has performed with many local and regional companies, where she has been seen as Alice Ford/Falstaff, Lucia/Lucia di Lammermoor, Donna Anna/Don Giovanni, Rosalinde/Die Fledermaus, Lucy/The Telephone, Girl/Hello Out There, First Lady/The Magic Flute, Mimi and Musetta/La boheme, Four Heroines/Les Contes d'Hoffmann; Madame Lidoine/The Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Mlle. Silberklang/Der Schauspieldirektor, among others. Outside of performing, she teaches elementary music, trains in circus arts, and spends time with her husband and young son.
Shelby Krarup (Company Member, Production Manager)
Shelby Krarup is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, with a dual focus degree in voice and violin performance, and a minor in theatre. Since graduating, she has worked extensively as a stage manager for everything from corporate events to regional opera, including an annual Broadway based music festival in New York City. She splits her time managing costuming, hair, and special effects make-up endeavors, both for theatre and personal enjoyment. Away from the theatre, her time is spent in a property management office, and knitting.
Angela Born (Company Member, Social Media Manager)
Angela Born is an opera singer based in Chicago, IL. She received her M.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Ms. Born is an active performer and is passionate about performing works that inspire conversations about social justice. Ms. Born is a regular performer with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, and after performing with them for 3 years, Ms. Born was asked to become a company member. She has helped facilitate growth within the company through social media work and general outreach. In addition to her performing work, Ms. Born has worked for Massage Envy as a business manager since 2014. As a business manager, she handles client retention, clinic culture, sales performance, and general business operations. Finally, as a passionate advocate for human rights, Ms. Born has partnered with VisionTrust International and sponsors two children in Guatemala to be able to attend an after-school learning program. Ms. Born regularly travels to Guatemala to help serve at the school, as well as encourage the staff.
Noah Gartner (Company Member)
Noah Gartner graduated from SUNY Oswego with a B.A. degree in Music and Theatre, and with an additional focus in Math. After spending the first 3 years out of school working on various theatre contracts, he settled into a career in the software engineering field. For the past 18 years Noah has been working in the Software Quality Assurance and Testing discipline, 15 of those in a management role. He continues to be an active performer since settling in Chicago from New York in late 2001, singing with many local opera companies and music festivals. He joined Third Eye Theatre Ensemble in 2017 as a company member and is thrilled to be sharing in their mission.
Rose Freeman stage directs, curates, produces, and manages performance work and theatrical events. Freeman has created national fine art shows for M Gallery of Fine Art, acted as managing Producing Director for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, and directed found space work, burlesque, and opera. Previous stage direction credits include Peter Hilliard's jazz opera, The Filthy Habit, Mohammed Fairouz's Sumeida's Song, Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium, Tightwire with Chicago Tap Theatre, Black As Eye Wanna Be with Po'Chop, Hannah Ii Epstein's punk rock musical, Punk Punk, Pippi’s Lost Stockings: a Burlesque Satire, Forest Fantasies with Lingerie Lyrique, and Alice by Michael Wise. Freeman recently made her acting debut as the role, Quill, in Neil Connely's Ride. Freeman is a Company Member of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, an Artistic Associate with Nothing Without a Company, has spoken on the emerging artists panel during the 2011 Chicago Theatre Symposium, and participated in the 2012 Chicago Directors Lab.
Mary Lutz Govertsen (Company Member, Literary Manager)
Soprano Mary Lutz-Govertsen has performed with many local and regional companies, where she has been seen as Alice Ford/Falstaff, Lucia/Lucia di Lammermoor, Donna Anna/Don Giovanni, Rosalinde/Die Fledermaus, Lucy/The Telephone, Girl/Hello Out There, First Lady/The Magic Flute, Mimi and Musetta/La boheme, Four Heroines/Les Contes d'Hoffmann; Madame Lidoine/The Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Mlle. Silberklang/Der Schauspieldirektor, among others. Outside of performing, she teaches elementary music, trains in circus arts, and spends time with her husband and young son.
Shelby Krarup (Company Member, Production Manager)
Shelby Krarup is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, with a dual focus degree in voice and violin performance, and a minor in theatre. Since graduating, she has worked extensively as a stage manager for everything from corporate events to regional opera, including an annual Broadway based music festival in New York City. She splits her time managing costuming, hair, and special effects make-up endeavors, both for theatre and personal enjoyment. Away from the theatre, her time is spent in a property management office, and knitting.
Angela Born (Company Member, Social Media Manager)
Angela Born is an opera singer based in Chicago, IL. She received her M.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Ms. Born is an active performer and is passionate about performing works that inspire conversations about social justice. Ms. Born is a regular performer with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, and after performing with them for 3 years, Ms. Born was asked to become a company member. She has helped facilitate growth within the company through social media work and general outreach. In addition to her performing work, Ms. Born has worked for Massage Envy as a business manager since 2014. As a business manager, she handles client retention, clinic culture, sales performance, and general business operations. Finally, as a passionate advocate for human rights, Ms. Born has partnered with VisionTrust International and sponsors two children in Guatemala to be able to attend an after-school learning program. Ms. Born regularly travels to Guatemala to help serve at the school, as well as encourage the staff.
Noah Gartner (Company Member)
Noah Gartner graduated from SUNY Oswego with a B.A. degree in Music and Theatre, and with an additional focus in Math. After spending the first 3 years out of school working on various theatre contracts, he settled into a career in the software engineering field. For the past 18 years Noah has been working in the Software Quality Assurance and Testing discipline, 15 of those in a management role. He continues to be an active performer since settling in Chicago from New York in late 2001, singing with many local opera companies and music festivals. He joined Third Eye Theatre Ensemble in 2017 as a company member and is thrilled to be sharing in their mission.