Board Members

Friends of the Lied Executive Board

  • Honorary President: Christina Hixson
  • President: Dick Flynn
  • Past-President: Stephen Carttar
  • Treasurer: Tim Metz
  • 2023–24 Campaign Chair: Erin Whitehurst

2023–24 Friends of the Lied Board Members

  • Beverly Smith Billings
  • Will Duncan
  • Lee Eldridge
  • Mark Gleeson
  • Justin Graham
  • Margaret Hair
  • Carol Hampton
  • Ray Hummert
  • Jane Imber
  • Sophie Lamb
  • Karla Leeper
  • John Nalbandian
  • Melissa Peterson
  • Julie Popiel
  • Colin Roust
  • Brenda Schulteis
  • Kelly Walker
  • Derek Kwan, Executive Director

Our Team

Derek Kwan

Executive Director
kwan@ku.edu
785-864-3469

Derek Kwan began his tenure as the Executive Director of the Lied Center of Kansas in January 2014. Derek came to the Lied Center from Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he served as Vice President of Concerts & Touring. In this role, he managed all activities related to performances under the Jazz at Lincoln Center brand, including the NYC season at Rose Theater and the Appel Room, worldwide touring of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and nightly sets at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. Derek previously worked for Interlochen Center for the Arts as the Executive Director of Interlochen Presents and also served as the Associate Director of Programming & Concert Operations for Jazz at Lincoln Center in the early 2000's. While earning his MBA at the University of Wisconsin, Derek served as the Education & Outreach Coordinator for the Wisconsin Union Theater. Prior to working in the arts, he worked for the IT consulting firm Accenture. A voting member of the Recording Academy, he has production credits on over 60 albums, including the Grammy-winning Bebo De Cuba and NY Times Album of the Year Lagrimas Negras. Derek has served as President of the Advisory Board of the University of Wisconsin's Bolz Center for Arts Administration and is a former board member for the Boston nonprofit arts organization, Inspire Arts & Music. In Kansas, he is proud to serve as a board member for KU Innovation ParkLawrence Chamber of Commerce, LMH Health Foundation and advisory board member for Kansas Public Radio.


Kate Lorenz

Senior Events & Audience Services Director
katelorenz@ku.edu
785-864-2774

Amber Nickel

Events & Operations Manager
ambernickel@ku.edu
785-864-0543

Kim Spencer

Box Office & Events Manager
kimspencer@ku.edu
785-864-2781

Jake Gillespie

Events & Box Office Coordinator
jakegillespie@ku.edu
785-864-1997

Ann Hause

Technical Director
ahause@ku.edu
785-864-2796

Reece Dickson

Assistant Technical Director
ardickson@ku.edu
785-864-2776

Kelli Szrot

Development Director
kelliszrot@ku.edu
785-864-2788

Anthea Scouffas

Engagement/Education Director
anthea@ku.edu
785-864-2795

Brad Knauss

Marketing Director
bradk@ku.edu
785-864-3472

Betsy Ostrander

Marketing Communications Coordinator
bostrander@ku.edu
785-864-2722

Shala Stevenson

Creative Director
sstevenson@ku.edu
785-864-3526

Staff Roster

*KU Student
  • Administration

    • Derek Kwan, Executive Director
    • Sue Mango, Development Director
    • Debra Carter, SSC Finance Manager
    • Angel Gillaspie, SSC Accounting Specialist
    • Diane Hunter, SSC Human Resources Specialist
  • Marketing

    • Brad Knauss, Marketing Director
    • Shala Stevenson, Creative Director
    • *Aleyna Hein, Graphic Design Intern
    • Betsy Ostrander, Marketing Communications Coordinator
  • Engagement

    • Anthea Scouffas, Engagement/Education Director
  • Events & Audience Services

    • Kate Lorenz, Senior Events & Audience Services Director
    • Kim Spencer, Box Office & Events Manager
    • Jake Gillespie, Events & Box Office Coordinator
    • Amber Nickel, Events & Operations Manager
    • *Mica Barros, Student Events Assistant
    • *Sarah Gabriel, Student Events Assistant
    • *Sage Houldsworth, Student Events Assistant
    • *Anna Hughes, Student Events Assistant
    • *Nia Jackson, Student Events Assistant
    • *Abby Lim, Student Events Assistant
    • *Dylan Maxwell, Student Events Assistant
    • *Cali Rhodes, Student Events Assistant
    • *Aleah Utterson, Student Events Assistant
  • Operations

    • Danny Bowman, Asst. Custodial Supervisor
    • Heather Ashburn, Building Attendant
    • KC McNeely, Building Attendant
    • Lisa Roberts, Building Attendant
  • Technical

    • Ann Hause, Technical Director
    • Andrew Hause, Assoc. Technical Director
    • Hillary McPherson, Asst. Technical Director
    • Ian Bradt, Technical Supervisor
    • Christian Cooley, Technical Supervisor
    • Ron Culver, Technical Supervisor
    • Reece Dickson, Technical Supervisor
    • Mitchell Eifler, Technical Supervisor
    • Connor Lumpkin, Technical Supervisor
    • Nicholas Monroe, Technical Supervisor
    • Cooper Hicks, Technical Supervisor
  • Stagehands

    • *Elliott Akerstrom
    • *Karina Allen
    • *ShonMichael Anderson
    • *Katelyn Arnold
    • *Emily Baldwin
    • *Michaella Barros
    • *Shreya Bhatia
    • John Bloom
    • *Jack Bryan
    • *Emma Caldwell
    • Sydney Cheek
    • *Cyric Dow
    • Jake Dutton
    • *Sebastian Dutton
    • *Kimma Edwards
    • *Chase Ellis
    • *Zoe English
    • *Annie Fischer
    • *Kyer Fox
    • *Genesis Garcia
    • Maya Griswold
    • *Sara Gurske
    • Nora Hause
    • David Hedrick
    • *Bretton Hoover
    • *Makenna Jansing
    • *Nisa Khosh
    • *Liam Kille
    • *Tamar Kopadze
    • *Anakha Krishna
    • *George LaHood
    • *Sheta Lei
    • *Corin Loo
    • *Cullen Luttrell
    • *Maren Meneley
    • *Jonathan Merawi
    • *Benny Meseke
    • *Marlee Moeder
    • *Trisha Nair
    • Colin Neukirch
    • *Jack Newlin
    • *Jude Patenaude
    • *Lena Pendleton
    • *Gage Peterson
    • Shay Phillips
    • *Cory Porter
    • *Curtis Quinn
    • *Lillian Rageth
    • *Sam Richter
    • *August Rowse
    • *Crystal Sivilayvong
    • *Mareka Skeeba
    • *Simon Stevens
    • *Colleen Thach
    • *Kelly Tran
    • *Nancy Tran
    • *Kylie Vinson
    • *Erinn Waldron
    • *Josh Westcott
    • *Brayden Yoder-Mulkey

Become a Volunteer Usher

Lied Center Usher Experience

We started ushering so we could see all the great shows but then we fell in love with the whole Lied experience. We love being a part of this place! — Cliff and Carol Wallace

- Cliff and Carol Wallace

Volunteer ushers play a very important role as the face of the organization. They greet patrons, take tickets, provide directions and establish a welcoming environment at the Lied Center.

If you have questions, or would like to become a volunteer usher, contact us at liedushers@ku.edu, 785-864-2790 or 785-864-1997

Usher Corps

  • Ann Alexander
  • Dody Anderson
  • Marolyn Anderson
  • Tim Arnold
  • Dorothy Bechtel
  • Benjamin Berlin
  • Beth Bodine
  • Marilyn Brobst
  • Vern Brobst
  • Bob Buchanan
  • Suzi Cammon
  • David Carl
  • Kathy Carl
  • Lynne Chase
  • Maggie Chipman
  • Rob Claassen
  • Rose Claassen
  • Karen Clark
  • Pat Conner
  • Donna Conway
  • Carladyne Conyers
  • Gerry Cottingham
  • Jerry Cottingham
  • Janice Craft
  • Glen Davis
  • Linda C. Dean
  • Anita Dougherty
  • Shelley Dougherty
  • Sheryl Drew
  • Kathy Dube
  • Tish Duke
  • Debby Duncan
  • Jane Dunnaway
  • Erika Dvorske
  • John Dvorske
  • Merilee Dymacek
  • Leslie Elkins
  • Jerry Feese
  • Patrick Finnegan
  • Jan Fox
  • Ann Furlong
  • Ligia Galarza
  • Angel Gillaspie
  • Mark Gleeson
  • MaryNell Gleeson
  • Duane Goertz
  • Barb Gorman
  • Sue Gossett
  • Eileen Grosser
  • Stewart Grosser
  • Barbara Gurss
  • Julia Guthrie
  • Linda Haar
  • Greg Hamill
  • Pam Hamill
  • Brenda Hatesohl
  • Kent Hatesohl
  • Wanda Herron
  • Cheryl Hicklin
  • Joan Houghton
  • Flora Hsu
  • Gretchen Hundley
  • Sonja Jacobs
  • Judy Johnson
  • Kieth Johnson
  • Barb Johnston
  • Audrey Kamb-Studdard
  • Alana Kasparek
  • Nancy Kaufmann
  • Emily Kerbs
  • Maggie Khater
  • Robert Kimball
  • Beth Krishtalka
  • Karen Lassman
  • Deb Locke
  • Barb Long
  • Kelli Ludlum
  • John Luhrs
  • Gabi Lunte
  • Bill Manger
  • Laurie Marienau
  • Breck Marion
  • Grace Marion
  • Robert Markley
  • Pat McAlister
  • Katherine McGillivray
  • Candice Meiners
  • Lila Mertz
  • Mary Murphy
  • Ellen Neis
  • Teresa Olds
  • Terese O'Neill
  • Karin Pagel-Meiners
  • Janice Rake
  • Candice Ranney
  • Barbara Reid
  • Roberta Renz
  • Brenda Rezac
  • Randy Rezac
  • Linda Rhodes
  • Janice Richardson
  • Dave Rickard
  • Susan Rickher
  • Emmy Rivera
  • Debbie Sack
  • Tom Sack
  • Anne Sargent
  • Dan Schenkein
  • Larry Schlosser
  • Louise Schlup
  • Greg Schmidt
  • Gary Scott
  • Dianne Sisk
  • Vic Sisk
  • Dot Smith
  • Greg Smith
  • Marcia Smith
  • Sandy Stilwell-Rickard
  • Ted Swartz
  • Chris Tilden
  • Katherine Tilden
  • Tracy Tolbert
  • Linda Troutfetter
  • Julie Trowbridge-Alford
  • Linda Troxel
  • Irene Tsuneta
  • Brad Wall
  • Kelly Wall
  • Carol Wallace
  • Carrie Wallace
  • Cliff Wallace
  • Mari White
  • Ray White
  • Nancy Wiebe
  • Teresa Wilke
  • MJ Willoughby
  • Jules Woodrick