Our Team
Staff
Norma Alrutz, President, Executive Director
nalrutz@saltworks.org
Kay Burkot, Bookkeeper
Davida van Mook, Graphic Design and Database Administrator
Louise van Mook, Program Assistant
lvanmook@saltworks.org
Board of Directors
Amber Fantini, Chair
Kay Burkot
Sally Getty
Susan Huckestein
Loan Hutton
Laura Penrod Kronk
Emma Lee
Leah McCord
Kelly Morgano
Audra Redick
Jennifer Tepe
Kathy Woll
Nancy Traina, Emeritus
Board of Advisors
Dr. Gillette Elvgren
Tim Hartman
Robert Kaiser
William Roemer
Dr. Mark Stevenson
Nancy Traina
Cele Fichter-DeSando, MPM, CFD Consulting, LLC
Actors
About Lauren
Where are you from?
Pittsburgh, PA
What college did you graduate from?
University of Pittsburgh with a BPhil in Theatre Arts and Fiction Writing with a minor in History.
What is your favorite place to eat?
Onion Maiden in Allentown!
What is your favorite past time?
I love reading, writing, and playing with my foster kittens!
Do you have siblings? Pets?
No siblings, but many pets! 1 dog (Socrates), 8 cats, and 4 frogs.
What do you like to do with your friends
Go on walks, talk about books, have picnics, and just hang out!
Why did you want to work for Saltworks?
I love theatre and I love teaching and working with kids, and this seemed like a great way to put those two things together in a really fun and rewarding way!
What is your greatest expectation of your time with Saltworks?
I’m expecting to learn a lot, bring these shows to a lot of amazing students and their teachers, and have a lot of fun!
About Trevor
Where are you from?
Right here in Pittsburgh
What college did you graduate from?
Baldwin Wallace University with a Theatre degree
What is your favorite place to eat?
Any place that has pizza.
What is your favorite past time?
Getting to know someone over a good meal.
Do you have siblings? Pets?
I have three older brothers who are awesome.
I have a parakeet who is loud but cute.
What do you like to do with your friends?
Eat lots of food, play games, and visit beautiful places.
Why did you want to work for Saltworks?
I love to perform and be a positive influence on my community.
What is your greatest expectation of your time with Saltworks?
Spreading joy!
About Michael
Where are you from?
Honesdale, PA
What college did you graduate from?
Duquesne University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a minor in Theatre Arts.
What is your favorite place to eat?
Moe’s Southwest Grill
What is your favorite past time?
Reading and watching my favorite series, like “Dragon Ball Z” and “Adventure Time”.
Do you have siblings? Pets?
Two older brothers, David and Derek.
What do you like to do with your friends?
Play Nintendo Switch games like “Super Mario Party” and “Mario Kart”.
Why did you want to work for Saltworks?
To gain professional experience in Pittsburghs theatrical world and to expand my horizons to responsibilities on and off stage.
What is your greatest expectation of your time with Saltworks?
I expect to learn about the world of professional theatre, and to reinforce positive messages for children using fun skits and shows.
About Shane
Where are you from?
Shaler, PA.
What college did you graduate from?
California University of PA with a degree in Theatre with a concentration in Musical Theatre.
What is your favorite place to eat?
Eat’n Park
What is your favorite past time?
Singing and songwriting, building LEGO sets, and binge a lot of TV.
Do you have siblings? Pets?
3 siblings (2 brothers, 1 sister – Camden, Ryan, Brooke)
2 dogs (beagle named Shilo, corgi named Newton)
What do you like to do with your friends?
Play sports (golf, volleyball, football, baseball), play Wii and Playstation, play poker.
Why did you want to work for Saltworks?
I remember Saltworks coming to my school when I was younger and I really love what everyone involved does for these kids, so I now want to be an advocate for them as well.
What is your greatest expectation of your time with Saltworks?
I want to be able to impact these kids’ lives, while also keeping them entertained and engaged, hoping that they will really think about the topics that we are performing about.
About Lexie
Where are you from?
I am from Shaler!
What college did you graduate from?
I graduated from Seton Hill University with a BFA in Musical Theatre.
What is your favorite place to eat?
Pamela’s Diner!
What is your favorite past time?
I love to read. My favorite books are anything with mystery or horror.
Do you have siblings? Pets?
I have an older brother as well as two dogs, Chloe and Bandit. Chloe is a mini daschaund and Bandit is a jack russell terrier.
What do you like to do with your friends?
We love to go out to eat at restaurants and try new foods. We also love listening to music or watching movies.
Why did you want to work for Saltworks?
I remember when groups would come in and do shows very similar to ours. It was always very inspiring and I want to be able to inspire others too!
What is your greatest expectation of your time with Saltworks?
I hope to create great memories as well as meet as many students as I can!