VICTORIA P. BIRON

Secretary

She is an actress and has appeared in Steel Magnolias and On Golden Pond at Dante Hall. Other credits include: You Can't Take it With You, Pirates of Penzance, South Pacific, Beauty and the Beast, Urinetown, Music Man, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Glass Menagerie, Oklahoma, The Odd Couple, Harvey and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Victoria is a tea expert and lecturer. She is on the Board of the American Association of University Women of Atlantic County and has volunteered for the Marine Mammal Stranding Center and the Alcove.

ELIZABETH (BETTY) G. BURKE

IN MEMORIUM
It is with great sadness and heart felt gratitude that we remember those members of our Gateway Family that have moved on to the ultimate stage.

Betty has served on the Board of Trustees, Area Health Education Center, Inc. (AHEC) Camden NJ, since 1983 as past president and current recording secretary; and the Gateway Playhouse Board of Directors since 2008. Love of theatre, opera, and performing arts matured through the Gli Amanati Del Opera Club and the Charlotte Cushman Library & Theatre Museum Club, Philadelphia, PA. Initially as board secretary, president and on the transition team, Betty's efforts helped lead to the successful conversion from Club to Foundation, located in the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA. The Foundation offers scholarship grants to aspiring performers, writers, and musicians. In 2012 Betty, a registered nurse, re-careered and established Ways of Wellness, an integrative care practice located in Linwood, NJ. She holds certifications in Reflexology, Aromatherapy for Health Care and Reiki, Master Level. She resides in Smithville, Galloway Township with her husband John.

KATIE CALVI

Vice-Chairman

Katie Calvi grew up on Bay Avenue and is thrilled for the Gateway Playhouse's revival. Katie is a graduate of Rutgers University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology. Professionally, Katie worked in corporate human resources at kate spade new york where she focused on executive recruitment, international human resources, and building brand culture. Katie is a power vinyasa yoga instructor at Grace and Glory Yoga in Northfield. She is also an executive board member of Grace and Glory's nonprofit yoga studio, The Leadership Studio in Atlantic City. Katie is married to Christopher Calvi, a business developer at Duck Duck Go. They have three sons, Clark, Frederick, and Nolan. Katie is the granddaughter of Paul Aiken, founder of the Gateway SJRT

CLAIRE N. COLLINS

Claire has been an Arts Education Instructor and Music teacher since 1985. She has taught as Musical Director for no less than six highs schools of the Camden Diocese, and currently is the Music Department Chair at Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, NJ. Claire is also Owner and manager of Celebrations; a wedding planning and services company. While at Holy Spirit Claire has been responsible for Budget Preparation and initiated and administered the Spirit of Music Fund, raising over $125,000 for the Holy Spirit Music dept. She specializes in music theory and college preparation as well as advanced and honors programs for both band and choir.

JENNIFER JUDITH GATEWOOD

Executive Director

Jennifer Gatewood attended Holy Rosary Academy and New Jersey City University. Jennifer's business background is in human resource management working for Carepoint Hospital, Sheraton Corporation, and Resorts Casino Hotel. Her human resource background included researching and negotiating group insurance coverage, overseeing FMLA/FLA for all employees, establishing policies and procedures, and managing the human resources staff. Jennifer was also a substitute kindergarten teacher as well as a religious education instructor. Jennifer enjoys family time with her son Christopher (the light of her life), mother Jenny Jo, and partner Joseph.
Her passion for theater started when she first saw the Pirates of Penzance in the 80's and surged when her son started acting.
Jennifer serves as the Board President for Charter Tech High School for the Performing Arts and she is an owner of Oak Tree Mobile Home Park. Working for the Gateway Playhouse is an honor.

LORI LINK

Lori is Co-owner of WiserLink Inc. Advertising and Public Relations. She is responsible for art direction, graphic design and video production, including selection of and communication with vendors as well as client service and business development. Lori has experience in numerous design programs including: PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, Final CutPro and others. In her previous firm, serving as Senior Art Director Lori was responsible for all direct mail, in-house signage and collateral, special event invitations, print advertising and outdoor advertising. Prior to that, Lori held graphic design positions at Caesars Hotel Casino and at Raphel Marketing in Atlantic City. A graduate of Richard Stockton College, Lori was an Art Major with a concentration in Computer Graphics and Visual Arts. Lori has also taught graphic design as an adjunct professor for Atlantic Cape Community College. Besides serving on Board of the Theater Collaborative of South Jersey, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the South Jersey AIDS Alliance. Lori is married to Brian Hoatson, a designer with Strunk Architecture in Long Beach Island. They have one daughter, Harbour.

KAREN S. SUTHERLAND

Karen is originally from Lake Worth, Florida, where she studied at Palm Beach Ballet. She moved to New Jersey from New York City, where she performed in Broadway shows, including the original productions of Pippin and The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. She also worked with Bob Fosse and Barry Williams on the first touring company of Pippin, and Juliet Prowse on the tour of ...Whorehouse. She also was thrilled to perform in a touring company of Mame, starring Angela Lansbury and Jane Connell. Other regional credits include: Cabaret, Irene, and Brigadoon. TV and film credits include: Ryan's Hope and the film Headin' for Broadway. Karen performs locally with the Shaken Not Stirred Players, and has been seen in productions of Nunsense, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Urinetown, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Pirates of Penzance, and A Christmas Carol at the Gateway Playhouse. She is a founding member of the Theater Collaborative of South Jersey. Karen is also a member of the Somers Point Arts Commission.

PAT CUCCHI PUGLISE

IN MEMORIUM
It is with great sadness and heart felt gratitude that we remember those members of our Gateway Family that have moved on to the ultimate stage.

Pat served on the Board of Directors as Corresponding Secretary for seven years. Performing arts love began at a very young age, taking her to the stage as an actor/dancer/singer and eventually to forming a non-profit community theater, the Sea Isle City Players from 1989-2004, where she honed her producing and directing skills. Keeping her administration skills intact, Pat served as Secretary/Treasurer in Cub Scouting, and currently is serving as the Fundraising Chair with BSA Troop 76 in Sea Isle City. Pat lives in Cape May Court House with her husband, Mike, and has 3 children and 5 grandchildren.

KELLY EDWARDS-BATZ

Treasurer

Kelly Batz was born and raised in Linwood, New Jersey and is a proud graduate of Mainland Regional High School Class of 1990. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia in December of 1994 and went on to live in Atlanta, Georgia, working as an auditor for the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse Coopers. Living in Atlanta made her appreciate the wonderful community in which grew up, so she chose to return to the Mainland community in 1996. Kelly became a licensed CPA and worked for the firm of Tracey Heun Brennan & Co., CPAs in Linwood for close to 10 years. She is currently a financial manager for Cape Resorts Group, a real estate and hospitality management and development company with properties in Cape May and New York. She also operates her own tax and accounting consulting business for individuals and small businesses.
Kelly has assisted several area not for profit agencies, including the Paralympic Games while in Atlanta and the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor. She served on the board of directors of Cape Atlantic I.N.K., the Alcove Center for Grieving Families, the Linwood Education Foundation as well as the Mainland Regional Education Foundation. Kelly is beyond excited to have recently joined the Board of the Gateway Playhouse as treasurer.
Kelly has been the recipient of several awards in the community, including AC Weekly's Top 40 Under 40, a Mainland Community Counts Partner in Education, as well as the coveted "Most Fun To Work With" awarded annually by Cape Resorts Group.

She now happily resides in Linwood and is the proud mother of Brandon and Riley.

PHILIP PALLITTO

This Somers Point native is the director of Educational Programming at The Gateway Playhouse, grew up on The Gateway Stage, and is an instructional coach at Jordan Road School in Somers Point, where he has directed their annual school musical for the past sixteen years. Additionally, he is an adjunct at Atlantic Cape Community College and Stockton University. As an advocate for arts in education, Phil has participated in and facilitated teacher professional development sessions across the state on arts-infused instructional strategies. Getting bitten by the theater bug after starring as the dog in an elementary school production Peter Pan, Phil has directed, designed, starred in, and held just about every technical position in many educational, regional and community productions, including Directing the Gateway to the Arts productions of The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story, Disney Magic and Mayhem, Shrek the Musical, Clue:Stay at Home, Oklahoma! and The Pirates of Penzance. BS: Arts Administration/Technical Theater/MSED: Education - Wagner College (Staten Island, NY)

Mr. Philip Pallitto
2020-2021 Atlantic County Teacher of the Year

Instructional Coach
Drama Teacher/Director
Somers Point School District
Vice-President, Somers Point Foundation for Education

KATHLEEN NOVASACK

Kathleen, originally from Rockaway Township, New Jersey, graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Integrated Business and Engineering in 2004. She worked as a Financial Analyst in New York and the Philadelphia area until moving with her family to New Jersey in 2015. Prior to her move, Kathleen served on the Board of Directors for Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels with a focus on fundraising for the organization. Once settled in New Jersey, Kathleen joined the Board of the Linwood Education Foundation in 2018 and proudly served as a Co-President for four years. Kathleen also serves as the Treasurer for the Linwood Library Board of Directors. Kathleen lives in Linwood with her husband, Mark, and children, Juliette, Bennett, and Evangeline. Kathleen is deeply committed to fostering a vibrant arts community and enhancing educational opportunities for all is thrilled to join the Board of the Gateway Playhouse!