Board of Directors

Partner, Hurst Brooks Espinosa, LLC

Jean Kinney Hurst began her love of dance at the age of 5, jumping on the family room furniture listening to the Broadway cast recording of “A Chorus Line.” In an effort to avoid the emergency room and save the couches, her parents enrolled her in ballet at The Dancing School in Selma, California. Today, she credits any semblance of personal poise or grace to the kind and gentle guidance of ballet mistress Deanna Moser Driscoll. Currently, Jean is a founding partner of Hurst Brooks Espinosa, LLC, a legislative advocacy firm located in Sacramento, where she assists public and private sector clients with legislative issues related to state and local finance, state budget, governance, elections, and revenue and taxation, among others.

Jean holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Sacramento, in addition to a Bachelor of Science With Honors from the University of California, Davis. She previously worked for the California State Association of Counties, as well as the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

Since joining the Sacramento Ballet Board of Directors in 2019, Jean has served as Board Treasurer and Chair of the Artistic Director search committee. As President, she is grateful for the trust of her board colleagues and looks forward to continued community engagement and collaboration with the Ballet’s dancers, staff, and patrons.

Jean grew up in Fresno County and married her high school sweetheart. She has three sweet, smart, beautiful daughters and resides in Yolo County.

Emma is a People & Culture leader with expertise in organizational strategy, leadership development, and communications. She is passionate about enabling cultures where both individuals and organizations can thrive and reach their full potential. As a longtime supporter of the performing arts and a proud Sacramento resident, Emma brings a strategic, people-centered lens to her service on the Sacramento Ballet Board. She is honored to support the Ballet’s mission to expand access to dance and foster creative expression throughout the region.

Ann Siprelle is an ardent supporter of the performing arts in Sacramento. She enjoys introducing friends to the Sacramento Ballet and is honored to serve on the board of directors.

Ann is a former partner with the law firm Best Best & Krieger LLP. She has a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the College of William and Mary.

Born and raised in Sacramento, Alyssa was immersed in the arts beginning in early childhood. She attended her first ballet class at the age of seven at the Crockett Dance Studio under the tutelage of the Sacramento Ballet’s Founding Artistic Director Barbara Crockett, and continued training with Crockett and at the San Francisco Ballet School until she joined the Sacramento Ballet Company in 1982. Alyssa danced with the company for seven years under the direction of Crockett, and with Artistic Director Ron Cunningham during his first season with the Ballet. Her fondest memories include realizing her childhood dream of performing the role of Clara in The Nutcracker at the Community Center Theater, and meeting sixteen of her biggest idols from the American Ballet Theater, including Mikhail Baryshnikov, when the Sacramento Ballet co-sponsored them in 1985. This momentous year also marked the inception of the Sacramento Ballet’s Outreach Program, which allowed Alyssa and fellow company members to extend the Ballet’s reach into schools and communities which otherwise would not have had the opportunity to experience the joy of dance.

Alyssa graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in Mammalian Physiology and Neuroscience, and a minor in Theater Literature and an emphasis in Art History. She worked as a Senior Research Technician and Lab Manager at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego. She continued to earn a certification in Clinical Trials Administration from UC San Diego, and worked as a Clinical Trials Manager and Regional Development Director for a North Carolina-based company.

After joining the Sacramento Ballet Board in February of 2017, Alyssa was extremely honored to serve as Co-President, then President, from 2018 to 2026. It was an “honor beyond measure.” She will serve on the Executive Board as “Immediate Past President” for the coming season of transition and renewal. Alyss and her family have been supporters and patrons of the Sacramento Ballet for over four decades. It has been a huge part of her life and always will be.

I love the ballet! Despite (or maybe because of) my decidedly average dance ability, I have always been mesmerized by dance performances. Watching talented dancers master their art brings me joy.

We all benefit from having a professional ballet company within Sacramento. A thriving arts community is integral to Sacramento’s unique identity as a city. The ballet presents grace and athleticism in perfect rhythm. It may seem intimidating at first, but I’ve enjoyed learning more about ballet as a subscriber over the years. My goal is to introduce more people to ballet so they can fall in love with it as I have.

I’m honored to be a Sacramento Ballet Board Member to help it further its mission. I hope to see you at a performance!

Dance has been a meaningful and enduring part of Sarah’s life, and she is honored to contribute her time, perspective, and passion to support an organization that brings such artistic excellence and cultural enrichment to our community. Her love of dance began at an early age, and some of her most cherished memories are from performing The Nutcracker as a child. Being part of that production was truly magical—it instilled in her not only an appreciation for the discipline and artistry of ballet, but also a deep respect for the power of performance to inspire and connect people of all ages. She strongly believes the arts should be accessible to all, and she is passionate about supporting efforts that introduce young people and underserved communities to the transformative power of dance and creative expression.

Serving on the Board will allow her to combine her lifelong appreciation for ballet with her professional experience. In her career as a dynamic Private Banking expert with 20+ years of experience, she has developed strong skills in relationship management, strategic thinking, and partnership development. She would value the opportunity to work alongside fellow board members and organizational leadership to help the Ballet expand its audience base, strengthen community partnerships, and ensure it remains a vibrant and sustainable cultural institution for years to come.

Jennifer Hemmer of Hemmer & Barr is a family law specialist practicing in Sacramento and surrounding counties since 2009.  She and her law partner, Jill Barr, are passionate about helping people through a difficult time in their lives, dealing with divorce, custody, property division and support issues.  Prior to attending law school, Jennifer had a 15-year career in sports and entertainment marketing, working for the U.S. Soccer Federation, the NBA/WNBA, and Visa.

Additionally, Jennifer has been an avid patron and supporter of the performing arts and theater in New York City, San Francisco/Berkeley, and Sacramento for over three decades.  She is very excited to be involved with the Sacramento Ballet and believes that the organization has an important role to play in education and entertainment in the Sacramento region.

Jennifer has a B.A. from UC Berkeley, a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University, and a J.D. from McGeorge School of Law.  She is married to a German broadcast journalist and they have two college-aged children.

Mary MacFarlane has had a passion for the arts, particularly dance, that began with her love of ballet as far back as she can remember. She studied dance—ballet, tap, and jazz—from ages 5 to 18. Then she attended summer classes at the Boston Conservatory.

She was inspired to join the Sacramento Ballet Board after attending performances of Romeo and Juliet and Visions in the 2024/25 season. She wanted to support this ballet organization that had such talented, world-class dancers, beautiful choreography, and artistic excellence. Mary feels honored to contribute to this incredible ballet company and school.

Mary is a professional fundraiser who has worked with nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years in Boston and New York, with a focus on the performing arts—the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Conservatory at Berklee School of Music, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City Opera, and Plimoth Patuxet Museums (a living American History Museum in Massachusetts).

Mary has a B.A. from Wheaton College in Massachusetts and a Certificate in Professional Fundraising from Boston University. In her spare time, she volunteers for the Sacramento Chrysanthemum Society, enjoys classical music, and takes classes in clay art and ceramics.

I fell in love with ballet at age five when my grandmother took me to see Firebird performed by Denver Ballet. That was it, I wanted to learn to dance. My mother told me that I danced around the house on my toes for weeks following the ballet. I got my wish and was fortunate to train under Madame Alice Uhlen Von Gregory after she and her husband escaped from behind the Iron Curtain and came to Denver in 1956. I trained under her until my family moved to Sacramento. After moving to California, I did not continue with ballet, but I never lost my love for ballet.

I am currently retired but previously worked in healthcare in the field of health information management. I worked at local hospitals, medical clinics, and health plans. In 2004, several partners and I started a business to perform payment integrity audits
for health plans. After 20 years, we sold the business in 2024.

I now enjoy spending time with my daughter and two grandsons, my two Boston Terriers (Grace and Frankie), traveling with friends and reading. When I travel, I always try to see a local ballet. This year it is the Paris Ballet at the Palais Garnier. I cannot wait!

Paul brings to the board a rich and varied business background. His career spans public accounting as a CPA, multiple entrepreneurial ventures, and business consulting — grounded by an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation. This depth of financial expertise, paired with his genuine love of dance, makes him a valuable voice in guiding the organization’s financial health and furthering its mission.

Outside the boardroom, Paul and his wife are equally active — swing dancing, practicing yoga, hiking, and traveling whenever they can. Above all, they cherish time spent with friends, family, and their four grandchildren.

Jeffrey Schwarzschild was born and raised right outside of Philadelphia. He received a B.A. from Vassar College and, in 1997, his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. Following law school, he spent several years practicing law in San Francisco (with a break from the direct practice of the law for almost two years to perform international business development activities for one of his firm’s clients).

After 5 years as a Deputy Attorney General, Jeffrey, in 2011, became the Chief Counsel for the California Conservation Corps (CCC) – the oldest and largest conservation corps in the country.  He has remained in that capacity ever since and takes great heart in helping the CCC further its mission of protecting and enhancing California’s natural resources and communities while empowering and developing young adults through hard work and education.

Jeffrey moved to Sacramento in 2003, where he fell in love with the city and its dynamic and diverse performing arts community – particularly the Sacramento Ballet.  He and his wife (Daniela Stoutenburg of Schuering & Doyle, LLP) have been long time subscribers and supporters of the Sacramento Ballet and he looks forward to engaging with the organization as a board member.

“Usefulness, whatever form it may take, is the price we should pay for the air we breathe, and the food we eat, and the privilege of being alive.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Ballet has always held a fascination for me with its physical power disguised as grace and beauty, its amazingly creative choreography, and its use of all music genres. What’s not to love! I‘ve been a patron and supporter of the Sacramento Ballet for over 20 years. Being useful in any way I can to continue the vitality of the company and to encourage more people of all ages and backgrounds to experience this amazing art form is a privilege.

My background includes co-ownership of a cultural resource firm for over three decades, serving as a volunteer First Responder for 17 years, extensive travel, and years of helping animals in need by fostering, adopting, and training. 

Tina Marie’s love for Sacramento Ballet and the performing arts spans over 35 years, since she attended her first live performance of The Nutcracker in 1988. Two of her children, Natalie and Joseph, danced in The Nutcracker as part of the children’s cast for six years. They continue to share her passion for dance, art, and cultural events to this day.

She is a retired Police Lieutenant, who served the City of Stockton community for more than 28 years. Her visionary leadership style created a harmonious work environment through teambuilding and personal development strategies for her personnel to participate in succession planning as well as building partnerships with the community by collaboratively implementing successful community policing strategies for the best public safety practices.

Her passion to serve the community expanded to volunteering for a variety of organizations in the arts, medical, and education sectors for more than 23 years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She lives in Galt, California.Tina Marie’s motto mirrors that of what the art of ballet brings to life: “Always be graceful and eloquent in your pursuit of life.”

Founding Artistic Director of the Sacramento Ballet
Barbara Crockett, dancer and teacher extraordinaire, joined the San Francisco Ballet, the first ballet company in the United States, in 1936. Her husband and two daughters also danced with the San Francisco Ballet. In 1945, the Crockett family moved to Sacramento to begin the Crockett Dance Studio, and Sacramento Civic Ballet Company, which laid the foundation for Sacramento Ballet in 1954.

Crockett is respected internationally for her legendary teaching prowess and was also awarded a California State Senate Resolution under Senator Darrell Steinberg for her achievements and contributions to the arts in Sacramento. Crockett was also instrumental in establishing the Regional Dance in America (RDA), Pacific Region. RDA provides pre-professional dancers and budding choreographers, including many in areas not served by professional dance companies, training and scholarship opportunities necessary to develop their talents into international stature.

Crockett’s students have gone on to dance in companies all over the world including The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet, Ballett Frankfurt/The Forsythe Company, Houston Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet. Crockett continues to remain an inspiration to dancers worldwide.