Jenia Strom - President
Jenia is honored to support the Central Theatre Program, which she believes nurtures not only strong performers, but also compassionate, creative, and resilient people. A lifelong theatre lover, she’s enjoyed watching both her children on the Central stage—one now a graduate—and values the community and joy the program fosters. She brings experience as an educator, nonprofit leader, and program director, with roles spanning curriculum writing, youth and family programming, development, and community engagement. Currently, she serves as Program and Communications Director at Hamline Midway Elders and consults in organizational management.

Jenia has served on nonprofit boards, launched volunteer programs, and worked to build strong intergenerational and inclusive communities. She is passionate about public education, the arts, and connection across differences.

Matt Burress - Treasurer
Matt is excited to join the board as the new treasurer. His children Cam and Charlie are both former Central students and were involved with theatre tech crews. Matt’s interest in theatre dates back to performances in middle and high school productions. During high school and college, Matt was also an actor and later an assistant director--along with his future spouse Amy--with the Young Shakespeare Players, which is a youth acting program in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin.

Matt’s finance and budgeting experience includes serving in various volunteer roles with the Twin Cities German Immersion School, such as on the school’s finance committee and as treasurer of the parent-teacher organization. He holds a Master of Public Policy degree and works at the Minnesota state legislature as a nonpartisan legislative analyst, where he assists in the budgeting and policymaking process.

Emily Kahnert - Secretary
Emily joined the Theatre Booster Board in fall 2023 as Secretary. She is the parent of Central senior Ella (cast member in recent Central musicals and shows) and freshman Jack (keyboard player in 2023-24 Central pit orchestras). Emily works as a physical therapist specializing in treating orofacial pain by day, and completed her PhD in Rehabilitation Science last summer. She is also a cello player with a passion for playing in the pit, rebuilding community post-lockdown, and supporting arts access for future generations.

Emily Flagstad - At-Large (Website & Social Media Coordinator)
Emily is the mom of three Central alumni [Moira (’16), Fiona (’21), & Maeve (’23)] who were involved in  orchestra, choir, and/or theatre during their time at Central.  Emily brings 10 years of insights and experience as board member, assistant director, and managing director at the Center for Irish Music to the theatre program.  She has degrees in Russian and teaching English as a second language, is insatiably curious, and loves learning new things!  Since the fall of 2021, she has worked alongside Emily Gill to create a brand new website, maintain a consistent social media presence, and to implement sustainable systems.   Now that the board has grown and there is more parent volunteer support, fostering community is her main focus.  Having benefitted greatly from being a part of fantastic high school theatrical productions herself, she is happy to play a small part in making sure that the students at Central have just as profound an experience.

Paul Hodges - At-Large 

Paul has been involved in theatre and the arts since getting his start in photography in high school and is honored to support the mission of theatre at Central High School by serving as a board member. Parent to a current CHS junior involved in the theatre program, and one future CHS student. Paul has an undergraduate degree in English, a masters degree in public policy, and many certifications in process and quality improvement methodologies and leadership.

Paul has been involved in a number of non-profits, as a volunteer ambassador for the National Marrow Donor Program, alumni admissions interviewer for his alma mater, and a life-long blood donor. Professionally, he is the director for performance improvement and clinical quality at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, overseeing a team of seven talented quality improvement consultants working towards better patient outcomes at a 900+ bed academic medical center. 

Erin Weber-Johnson - At-Large (Fundraising Coordinator)
Erin believes the arts are a change agent; young people find ways to belong. In particular, Central High School's theatre program, with a commitment to providing a high quality program to all participants reminds us all that our diversity is our strength. Erin has two sons, Jude and Simon Henri-, husband Jered, and a large dog, Chester. When not out on a walk with her "dander-lion dog", Erin is a multifaceted professional known for her work at the intersection of faith and nonprofits. She is a lay theologian, fundraising and giving consultant, and translator across sectors. Her passion lies in using context, culture, and research to inform her work, aiming to root all practical work in a philosophy that seeks collective repair. Weber-Johnson is a partner and senior consultant at Vandersall Collective and has over two decades of leadership and fundraising experience. She is also a published author, co-editing books on faith and philanthropy and focusing on alternative economies.