Porchlight Young Professionals

Porchlight Young Professionals hosts a variety of exciting events throughout Porchlight’s performance season. Join us at Happy Hour and a Hit, Chicago Sings, Broadway in your Backyard and more.

STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING EVENTS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Nate Groonwald, Chair

Nate is a fundraising professional with over a decade of experience driving donor engagement, cultivating major gifts, and leading successful development initiatives for prominent cultural institutions. With a background in both performing arts and philanthropy, Nate brings a uniquely strategic and empathetic approach to relationship-building, donor stewardship, and institutional advancement. Currently, Nate serves as a Senior Fundraising Consultant at Campbell & Company, where he partners with nonprofit organizations to develop and execute strategic fundraising solutions that support long-term growth and mission alignment. Prior to this role, he served as a Philanthropy Officer at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Nate has held leadership roles across major arts organizations, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Studio Theatre in Washington D.C., Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Porchlight Music Theatre.

Gia Wunar, Vice Chair

Gia Wunar has been a theatre lover since she first saw Wicked and Jersey Boys in high school and is thrilled to be the Vice Chair of the Porchlight Young Professionals Board. Gia is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a CPA and the Associate Tax Director at Sidley Austin, a leading global law firm. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and now resides in the South Loop with her husband.

Adam Zaucha, Secretary

Adam has been a fan of theater for as long as he can remember. He graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Since graduating he has enjoyed the opportunity to see many of Porchlight’s varied offerings as well as live theater all across Chicago. He is excited to be a part of the Porchlight Young Professional board and help secure and grow Porchlight’s future for future theatergoers.

Lisa Villani-Gale, Fundraising Chair

Lisa is a nonprofit professional with more than a decade of experience in fundraising and communications. She currently serves as Director of Major and Planned Giving at Chicago Public Media, home of WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times. Lisa holds a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance from Clark University. A lifelong musical theatre enthusiast, she is thrilled to combine her passions and help to bring in new young patrons to the Porchlight community. In her free time, Lisa enjoys powerlifting, hosting poker games for her friends, and playing violin.

Madison Wakefield, Membership Committee Chair

Madison Wakefield is a multi-hyphenate nonprofit professional in the performing arts and higher education spaces. Emerging as an electrician and lighting designer, transitioning into fundraising and management, Madison brings a rich background of knowledge and hands-on experience to the moving parts required for thriving arts organizations. She is driven to contribute to the sustainability of organizations by fostering a culture of philanthropy and engagement wherever she goes. Before relocating to Chicago in 2024, Madison held various titles across regional theatres including Brooks Center for the Performing Arts (South Carolina), Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre (Virginia), Berkshire Theatre Group (Massachusetts), and Paramount Theatre (Illinois). She currently serves as a Leadership Gift Officer at the University of Chicago and is on the executive committee for Porchlight Music Theatre’s Young Professionals Associate Board. Madison received her BA and MBA from Clemson University.

Meggie Keiser, Events Committee Chair

Meggie is a long time musical theater lover and is thrilled to be joining the Porchlight family! Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Meggie has called Chicago home since 2016 and is currently the Associate Director of Donor Engagement at Lyric Opera of Chicago. When she’s not at the opera house, you can find Meggie enjoying a theater performance somewhere around the city or walking along the lake with her dog, Dewey.

Lanie Bayless, Member

Lanie is thrilled to be a part of the Porchlight Young Professions! She has loved theater from a young age; Lanie was raised in a family that saw theater almost every Sunday and listened to showtunes instead of classic rock. She turned her love into a true focus and attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts in the Musical Theater department, followed by NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to where she continued her studies at CAP21. Lanie moved back to Chicago to join her family’s restaurant business (Frontera Grill) in 2016, but her passion for musical theater still lives on through her work with PYP… and the occasional showtune singalong! Lanie lives in the Bucktown neighborhood with her husband, Kevin, and daughter Charlie (2), to whom she hopes to pass on her love of musicals.

Claire Berman, Member

Claire Berman has been serving as the Coordinator for Outreach and Volunteer Engagement at the UChicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Development Office since 2023. In this role, she plans and executes events for potential donors as well as alumni of the Pritzker School of Medicine. She has also held various professional student advising and event management positions at Lake Forest College and Indiana University. She has her BA in Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her MS.Ed in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University.

Annie Mitran Brennan, Member

Annie is a lifetime musical theater enthusiast and supporter of the arts, and is thrilled to be on the Porchlight Young Professionals Board. She is a senior litigation associate at Jenner & Block LLP by day, but finds time in the evenings to see theater and sing a cappella with her group, the Uptones.

Matthew Bowen, Member

Matthew is a strategic communications manager for a public relations firm. He creates and executes communications campaigns for a range of clients across the technology, energy, and cybersecurity industries. He has expertise in media relations, corporate communications, and public affairs.

Maggie Gorman, Member

Maggie Gorman is a Program Coordinator with a strong background in event management, communications, and process improvement. Currently at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, she coordinates academic conferences, speaker seminars, and student funding processes, ensuring smooth logistics and effective communication. Maggie is known for her ability to handle complex logistics, manage budgets, and foster strong partnerships. She is passionate about creating impactful events and continuously improving processes to enhance attendee experiences and drive organizational success.

Ben Jossi, Member

Ben Jossi is an emerging instructor and tour guide in Chicago. As a music teacher, he works as both a private instructor and teaching artist for House Call Music and Changing Worlds. His specialties include piano, saxophone, and music appreciation. Ben works as a tour guide, trainer, and product developer for ExperienceFirst Tours. His walking tours spotlight both the city’s past, and the modern landscape of Chicago’s skyline. His tours find the intersection of humor and energetic storytelling. When he’s not walking with tourists or teaching major scales, he can be found biking, or with his nose in a good read, and maybe enjoying a cast album with a hot cup of tea.

Jonah Levi-Paesky, Member

A lifelong performer and consumer of the arts, Jonah currently spends much of his time in the Civic Opera House as Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Associate for Volunteer Boards and Engagement. After receiving his Bachelors in Music and Psychology from Dickinson College, he earned his Masters of Science in Leadership for Creative Enterprises from Northwestern University in 2020. In his free time, Jonah can be found singing at the piano or snuggling with his family dogs. Jonah is thrilled to be a part of the Porchlight family!

Jenny Poth, Member

Jenny Poth joined Ziegler in 2016. Under Ziegler Principal Investments & Fund Management, Jenny works with the firm’s portfolio companies and strategic partners to maximize value for all stakeholders. Jenny was previously part of the Corporate Finance Healthcare team, advising healthcare services and healthcare information technology companies on various strategic and financial alternatives. She is a co-author of Ziegler’s white paper series, “Deconstructing the Telehealth Industry.” Prior to Ziegler, Jenny was a financial effectiveness intern at PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, where she supported an external quality assessment team overseeing acquisition activities at a large technology solutions firm. Before interning at PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, Jenny was also a summer analyst at Ringleader Ventures, where she identified, investigated and acted as the primary contact for investment targets in the healthcare, insurance, energy and education sectors. Jenny graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and a second major in theology.

Kathryn Rosenbaum, Member

Kathryn Rosenbaum is the primary adviser to the University regarding employment and employee benefits matters, including faculty and staff performance and conduct; employment contracts and separation agreements; tenure; diversity; issues related to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; disability issues and accommodations; compensation matters; benefits and leave administration; and employment policy implementation and administration. She also manages employment and employee benefits claims and litigation. Prior to joining DePaul’s Office of General Counsel, Kathryn worked as an associate at Vedder Price P.C. and Baker Hostetler LLP, focusing on labor and employment matters. Kathryn received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame Law School and her B.A., cum laude, from Xavier University.

Becca Sheehan, Member

Becca Sheehan is a lifelong lover of the arts and is proud to be a founding member of Porchlight Young Professionals. She is excited to watch the group and our events continue to grow. Becca has been a fan and friend of Porchlight since she was an intern in the summer of 2014 and later was a part of the gala committee, joined PYP and became a subscriber. Becca works in the nonprofit sector for The Rotary Foundation and lives in the Lincoln Square community with her husband, dog and cat.

Yessenia Sosa, Member

Yessenia has been a lover of fine arts, particularly music theater, for as long as she can remember. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and moved to Chicago to work as a Strategy Consultant at a major accounting firm. Porchlight and the PYP community represent Yessenia’s creative outlet to engage with a community of fellow arts lovers and continue to explore the incredible theater scene Chicago has to offer.

Emily Werner, Member

Emily has been passionate about the performing arts since age eleven and is thrilled to support the community through Porchlight Young Professionals. Originally from Ohio, she holds an MFA in Arts Administration from the University of Connecticut and a BA in Music and Theatre from the University of Toledo. Her professional experience includes roles at the Auditorium Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, and the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts. In her free time, Emily enjoys playing the flute, knitting, writing theatre reviews, and planning adventures with friends and loved ones.

Staff Liaison: Senior Development Associate Kellie Buffington

Join us! The Porchlight Young Professionals Board is a crucial part of the Porchlight community, providing philanthropic and volunteer support, while guiding the strategic direction of the organization. Board Members inspire the next generation of theatre audiences and serve as ambassadors for fundraising, event planning and committee involvement.

PYP Board Members:

• Maintain an active membership with an annual contribution of $25 per month / $300 annually
• Attend the majority of annual PYP board meetings (hybrid)
• Serve on at least one PYP committee
• Encouraged to serve on at least one PMT Board of Directors committee
• Attend PYP events and encourage networks to participate
• Act as a PMT ambassador in the broader community
• Actively promote PMT performances, PYP events and other opportunities to engage with the organization to friends and colleagues amongst personal and professional networks.

Member benefits include:

• Voting member of PYP
• Patron ($250-499) and Supporter ($100-249) level benefits:
  • Invite to the Season Preview event
  • Inclusion in the annual donor listing in programs, website lists, etc.
• First access to PYP event and ticket discounts as available
  • Special discount to Happy Hour & A Hit events
• Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes access to Porchlight Music Theatre including
  • First Rehearsal Meet & Greets
  • Final Dress Rehearsal Invites
  • Opportunities to engage with the PMT leadership team and Board of Directors

This past fiscal year (Sept. 1, 2023 – Aug. 31, 2024), the Porchlight Young Professionals Associate Board (PYP) raised over $17,000 in support of Porchlight’s mission! Every dollar raised supports Porchlight’s award-winning artistic programming, year-round youth education programs and community-focused events and initiatives.

CHECK OUT PYP’S 23/24 YEAR IN REVIEW