Board of Directors

Steven L. Emanuelson holds his Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University (1998, Theatre Performance) and his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Georgia (2001, Theatre Performance). Originally from Marseilles, Illinois, he currently resides in Atlanta as an actor and teacher and is an EMC (Actor’s Equity Membership Candidate) and a member of VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association Inc.). His work has been seen around Atlanta at the following theatres: The Alliance, Actor’s Express, Dad’s Garage, Synchronicity, Jewish Theatre of the South, Out of Hand, Atlanta Lyric and Theatre Decatur, and he has worked regionally with Georgia Rep. and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Steve’s next production (SOME MEN) begins in May at Actor’s Express Theatre. He is excited about being “on board” with Rose of Athens and helping to grow Athens’ first professional theatre company.

Patrick Ferguson has been a staple in the Athens music scene since 1989, and he currently operates his studio “The Pig Sty”, a part of the recording complex, Pigpen Studios. He was a member of Five-Eight (opening band for R.E.M. on their recent international tour) from 1989 until 1997 and is happy to have rejoined to the band this year. He has also been a member and toured with a number of notable bands, including the Psychedelic Furs, The Low Lows, Southern Bitch, and Music Hates You. In addition, Patrick has been a member of the E.I.T.S. department of UGA since 2004.

Bob Googe is the CEO of the famed and consistently delicious Jittery Joe’s Franchising, LLC. He and his family are members of Oconee Presbyterian Church. He is an ordained minister and has a wonderful family, wife Deborah and children Katie and Nicole.

Kristin Kundert-Gibbs, Assistant Professor The University of Georgia, received her MFA in acting from The Ohio State University and her BA in Theatre from SUNY- New Paltz. Professionally, Professor Kundert-Gibbs has worked as a producer, director, vocal coach, and actress in theatres such as The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival, Crossroads Rep, Porthouse Theatre Company, Heritage Rep., Karamu House, The Virginia Shakespeare Festival, and The Warehouse Theatre. In academia, she has taught in theatre programs across the country from Duke, to William and Mary to Indiana State University, where she headed the Graduate and Undergraduate Acting Programs, to Los Angeles and currently the University of Georgia. Ms. Kundert-Gibbs experiments in the integration of media and theatre and has directed many productions using varying forms of media including a production of Pinter’s New World Order which was presented at the International Pinter Festival in London, a production of Cabaret with Theatre X from Manheim, Germany, and Death of Salesman at The Warehouse Theatre. Her most recent acting work includes playing Emer in the world premiere of “Sword Against the Sea,” which toured to The International Yeats Festival in Sligo, Ireland. She also played Kristine Linde in the heralded production of Dollhouse at the Warehouse Theatre. Spring 2007 she is directing Faith Healer for The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival. She is directed “Put it in the Scrapbook” a world premiere of a one-man show about the life of Julian Eltinge.

Terry McElwee is General Counsel at the University of Georgia Research Foundation, where his practice focuses on intellectual property. Before joining the University of Georgia in 2006, he was at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is co-author of Licensing Intellectual Property in the Information Age, now in its second edition, and taught at Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is licensed to practice in Georgia, Wisconsin, Illinois and Texas. He is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

JJ Musgrove is currently the Executive Director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Columbus, GA.  JJ has been involved in the arts primarily as an actor and director.  He holds a BA in Theatre from Graceland University in Iowa and a MA in Theatre from the University of Central Missouri.  He has been active in theatre for nearly 20 years and has performed in shows across the Midwest and the South.  From 2001-2003 he served at the coordinator of the Appalachian Festival for Plays and Playwrights at The Barter Theatre in Virginia where he was also a resident company member.  He lives in Columbus with his wife, Dr. Kate Musgrove, who is the head of the Directing Program at Columbus State University.

W. Keith McNeely, Sr. is Director of the Athens-Clarke County Human & Economic Development (HED) Department. McNeely is responsible for three program areas in Affordable Housing, Economic Development, & Community Development. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a BSED degree & Brenau University graduate school of Business, MBA in Leadership Development. Prior to becoming Director of HED, McNeely served in the Athens, Georgia banking market for eleven years as a Banking Relationship Officer, Branch Operations Manager, & Assistant Vice President of Commercial Lending. He is an ordained Minister and Elder with Alpha Omega Ministries, Watkinsville, Georgia. Keith is married to Sharon Anita McNeely and has six lovely children, Wm. Keith, Jr., Avery Keaton, Addie Elizabeth, Devin, Brianna, & Ashley.

Paul Sutter is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Georgia. Paul’s expertise is in environmental history, and he is the author of Driven Wild: How the Fight against Automobiles Launched the Modern Wilderness Movement (2002). He is an important member of the Board of Directors for many reasons, not the least of which is his service as a resource for the The Athens Heritage Project. Paul resides in Athens with his wife, dancer Julie Rothschild, and two children, Henry and Wyatt.