Board
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!
Matt Donaldson, a licensed physical therapist, is an ardent supporter of the Sacramento arts scene. He joined the board in September 2017.
Ken Fry joined the Board of Directors in 2017 and currently holds the position of Endowment Committee Chair. He also contributes as a member of the Finance Committee.
Over the years, Ken has developed a profound appreciation for ballet, specifically emphasizing the preservation and celebration of our local institution. With a legacy spanning 70 years, Ken recognizes the Sacramento Ballet as an indispensable thread in the community’s fabric. The ballet not only strives to captivate a diverse audience but also undertakes crucial outreach endeavors.
Professionally, Ken founded Genesee Scientific Corporation in 1995, which emerged as a leader in the life science research supply sector. After guiding Genesee for 27 years, Ken stepped down as CEO and presently serves on Genesee’s Board of Directors while engaging in other business endeavors.
When not involved in supporting the Sacramento Ballet, Ken can be found working on his family truffle farm, practicing yoga, or beekeeping.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Ann Siprelle has been a balletomane since she saw her first ballet, Romeo and Juliet, performed by the American Ballet Theatre as a stunned high school student. She pursued ballet and modern dance as a young adult, both as a dance student and attendee at as many performances as possible.Since moving from the East Coast to Sacramento in 1987, she has been a Sacramento Ballet fan, and a season subscriber for decades. She looks forward to bringing more people to see the Ballet and become subscribers and donors.
Professionally, Ann has been a partner at Best Best & Krieger for 38 years as an attorney representing cities, special districts, and joint powers agencies. In the process of winding down her practice, she looks forward to spending more time supporting the Ballet and other arts organizations. She was formerly a board member of Capital Stage Company.
She lives in Sacramento and has two adult sons whom she sees regularly. She enjoys hiking, cycling, working out, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends. She is still trying to learn to pirouette.
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!