Dawn Bentley, MNM, MBA, CSM
Executive Director
Dawn joined Fringe in April 2017 with a leadership expertise focused on navigating strategic vision to achieve
greatest potential. In her previous position as the first Executive Director of Art Shanty Projects, she was charged with creating
infrastructure and establishing improved outcomes in all key functional areas. Dawn is an arts aficionado and has played violin for
over 30 years in various ensembles from rock bands to professional orchestras with a dozen recordings in her repertoire. She holds
Masters degrees in Nonprofit Management and Business Administration from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.
Mia McGill
Communications Manager
Mia first joined Fringe in 2022 as a Festival House Manager, and she's been hooked ever since! She’s been working in arts nonprofit communications for six years, and is super passionate about what she does—you can also catch her comms’ing around town for Arts Midwest and the MSP Film Society. Outside of work, you can find Mia hosting bar trivia, going to concerts, or talking about Mid-Atlantic gas station food.
Ariel Pinkerton
Community Liaison
Ariel Pinkerton is an actress, lighting designer and storyteller who has been part of the Minnesota Fringe since 1999. She has served as an artist, volunteer, front of house staff member and enthusiastic audience and will not hesitate to share her love of our festival with you. She is Co-Artistic Director of Fortune's Fool Theatre and a company member of Ghoulish Delights and Freshwater Theatre she is also the Co-owner of the Hard Times Cafe, located in the heart of Fringe territory.
Amber Bjork
Office Manager / Artist Liaison
Amber has spent several years acting, directing,
writing, and producing as a Fringe artist before joining the staff as Office Manager and Artist Liaison in 2014. In her time outside of the office, she is a freelance artist and serves as the
founding member of The Winding Sheet Outfit. She is a graduate of University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in English Lit and Dramatic Theory.
Felicia Cooper
Director of Audience & Volunteer Engagement
Felicia joins Fringe with eight years experience in community art and engagement and is thrilled to be part of the passionate team at Fringe. She is a listener of stories, an organizer of calendars, and a dedicated people person. She holds an MFA from the University of Connecticut and has held artistic residencies at the Bell Museum, Winterthur, the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, and more. When Felicia isn't fringing, she can be found covered in paper mache as a proud member of Minneapolis's puppetry community, or riding her bike, often to a museum.
Mitchell Frazier
Technical Director
Mitchell joined the Fringe team in in the run-up to the 2022 Festival. Mitchell has worked with Fringe for several years as a theater technician and, with more than 30 years of experience, he is an awesom addtion to the team. Mitchell has a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo and an orange belt in aikido. In his free time you might find Mitchell at a variety of theaters around town, lighting, directing, or acting in a show.
2022 Festival Staff & Contractors
Voice: Maria Bamford
Audience Services Manager: Weston Smith
Volunteer Manager: Emma Harrison
Front of House Coordinators: Brett Bowman, Christian Huble, Drew Pannebecker, Jeremiah Zortman
House Managers: Becca Donley, Ben Eng, Christopher Bauleke, Eli Leupold, Elinor Jones, Jackson Hoemann, Jess Levanduski, JP Fitzgibbons, Kassy Skoretz, Katie Kelly, Katy Briggs, Kris Brenner-Adam, Maria Ghassemlou, Matthew Van Bruggen, Mia McGill, Molly Miller, Noelle Kirscht, Rea Retterath, Robby Miller, Robin Rayfield, Tara Kieffer, Wendy Thoren, Zach Aaker
Access Coordinator: Christopher Bauleke
Access Providers: Laurie Pape Hadley, Jules Peterson Lehto, Laura Wiebers, Elana Centor, Abby Turner, Connie Fullmer
Photographers: Alex Wohlhueter, Randy Duerr, Barb McLean
Videographers: Tamara Ober, V. Paul Virtucio, Gregory Addison
Technicians: Bryon Gunsch, Alice Endo, Ella Hobday, Corinne Steffens, Elliot Johnson, Tymetris Raino, Court Symons, Ashlynn Beneke, Z Makila, Noah Hynick, John Griesheimer, Nina Gourley, Jonathan Kirchofer, Zoe Hermer-Cisek, Casey Griffin, Clara Costello, Bevibel Harvey, Jiccarra Hollman, Lea Moore, Jacob Steen, Anthony Karna, Edwin James, Alex Clark