Executive Board

Jeff Nelsen, President

Jeff retired from Rapid City High School after teaching Geometry in Construction and Introduction to Building Trades for the past six years.  He served six years on the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education, three years on the Performing Arts Center Board and three years on the Rapid City Public School Foundation Board.  He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the SD School of Mines and worked for many years in automated machinery design and construction.  A carpenter with over twenty years of job site experience, he enjoyed the interaction with high school students and the opportunity to share some of his knowledge and experience with his students. He substitute teaches in the high school, and has recently joined the Rapid City Public School Foundation Board.  Jeff has served on the Black Hills Community Theater Board of Directors board for five years and is currently chair of the board.

Joanna Lawler, Vice President

Joanna Lawler grew up doing theater in Minneapolis, MN and moved to South Dakota after graduating from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, IL.  She is the Assistant Director of the Law Office of the Pennington County Public Defender and serves on South Dakota’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Statewide Steering Committee and the Midwest Juvenile Defender Center’s Advisory Board.  In her time in South Dakota, she has acted, directed, and volunteered backstage at BHCT and other local theaters including Pierre Players Community Theatre, the Firehouse, Seraphim, and Flutter Productions.  Since joining the BHCT board in 2018, she has served on the Play Selection, Marketing, and Executive Committees.  She is passionate about presenting live theater that is timely, relevant, and accessible.
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Katelyn Woten, Treasurer

Kate Woten is a CPA at the local accounting firm, Casey Peterson, LTD. She has been on the BHCT Board of Directors since 2019 and is currently acting as Treasurer and Chair of the Development Committee for the organization. Theater is one of Kate’s long-time passions as, “Arts, especially theater, provide the means to express the emotions that are so often suppressed in daily life and activity.”

She feels it has been inspiring to meet and interact with the Black Hills Community Theater community. From the actors and actresses, to the technical designers and producers, the staff, and the patrons, the strong supportive and creative environment has been a refreshing atmosphere to participate in. Kate hopes to be able to volunteer more with productions for the upcoming season.

Alicia Garcia, Secretary

Alicia anchors KOTA Territory News at 10pm. She also produces Consumer Reports®. Alicia has been part of the KOTA Territory News team for 25 years. She splits her time between working as a part of the KOTA News Team and representing clients in her law practice focusing on protecting the rights of consumers.  Alicia is also the Director of the KOTA Care and Share Food Drive which raises tens of thousands of dollars each year to help feed the hungry in the Black Hills. She participates in theater with the Black Hills Community Theater as often as she can. ​

Board Members

Karen Abata

I am a retired 7th grade Science teacher. I lived in St. Paul, Minnesota for most of my life where I graduated from St. Catherine’s University with a BA in Geology and the University of St. Thomas with a Master of Arts in Teaching. My husband, Duane, and I have five children and nine grandchildren that we visit as often as we can. We also have a puppy named Sophie who is an amazing addition to our family. I enjoy quilting and scrapbooking, and hope to travel more extensively when the world becomes safer. I am thrilled to be part of the Black Hills Community Theatre family!

Tara Burian

Tara Burian moved to the Black Hills a few years ago and has loved spending time exploring and learning all about the area. An avid photographer, she spends most her free time taking pictures of the area. Tara grew up in the theater, participating in all aspects of production on and off stage. As a teenager for several years, she produced a non-profit kids only theater troupe in Colorado where she grew up. After many years being away from the theater, she is excited to get back involved and be a part of the local theater community of the Black Hills. 
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Terry Grant

Terry Grant is a retired CPA living in Rapid City with her husband Bill Grant. Having lived a life dominated by her left brain, she is now happily indulging her creative instincts including supporting the Black Hills Community Theater.

Natalie LaFrance-Slack

Natalie LaFrance-Slack has never been good at acting but has always loved the theatre. A big hearted community organizer, Natalie believes art is valuable and should be accessible, too. She owns a boutique marketing firm, Spore Creative, runs Verb Storytelling Collective, and is a founding member of The Cave Collective, Rapid City's youth driven art & music nonprofit space. Hopelessly addicted to coffee, Natalie loves hiking, kayaking, reading & writing poetry, travel, hours spent in bookstores, her two dogs, and spending time with her partner and three teenage sons.

Kandyce Meinhardt

Kandyce joined the board in 2020, after being a part of the BHCT family as a Cherry Street parent the past 4 years. Her love a theatre started with One Act plays at Montgomery High School (TX). Having been born and spending childhood summers in the Black Hills she knew that is where she wanted to raise a family. Kandyce has two spirited daughters (Lydoux and Onora) with her husband, Walt. She is a financial advisor with Edward Jones. Kandyce enjoys volunteering (school, church, theatre and The Boys Club), coaching (softball), socializing and being reminded just how blessed she is through spending time with family. 
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Thom Palm

Thom has been involved with the BHCT, mainly as a lighting designer, and audience member, for over 25 years; and, on the Board of Directors for the last 4 years. He has witnessed, and been involved with, the many changes in venues and leadership over that quarter century. Yet even after the  incredible disruptions caused by COVID over the last year and a half, BHCT continues it efforts to be a strong provider of theatre to Rapid City and the Black Hills. Thom continues to support BHCT in its desire to deliver quality entertainment to our audience under these difficult circumstances. I ask our audience to do the same.

Kim Rensch

Kim Rensch is a theatre lover and advocate. She has resided in Rapid City for 30 years is an avid reader and gardener. She and her loving husband raised 4 sons in Rapid City and is proud of the community that supported them all. Kim has worn many hats over the years, most recently as an Independent Cabi Stylist. Working with and for the BHCT Board is rewarding and enlightening for her.

Peggy Vidal

Peggy Vidal is honored to be on her second term as a Black Hills Community Theatre board member.  A true theatre enthusiast and sometimes actor, Peggy enjoys all aspects of the creative process, from auditions (maybe not), to opening night, and being behind the scenes with her other dedicated board members. In addition to enjoying theatre, Peggy likes attending concerts, traveling, kayaking, and spending time with her family. She is a communications manager at Black Hills Energy and is proud to work for a company that supports the arts!
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Lisa Werdal

Lisa Werdal is thrilled to serve as a Black Hills Community Theatre board member. She has had longtime involvement in the arts as a singer and instrumentalist, and credits Peggy Vidal for introducing her to theater, as well as encouraging her to audition. In addition to enjoying the outstanding BHCT theatrical productions, Lisa enjoys the outdoors in the warmer months and spends her time hiking, kayaking and camping. She is the Hospital Medicine Operations Manager at Monument Health.