Our Team

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A young woman with curly red hair smiling outdoors against a green, leafy background.
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A smiling woman with curly blonde hair wearing a blue shirt outdoors with green foliage in the background.

Alexandria Ingram

Founder, Director, Chroeographer

Alexandria started the Shine the Light Project to literally shine a light on talented individuals who do not otherwise get a chance to show their skills in a professional and accessible environment. She holds a BFA in Dance and a BS in Psychological Science, as well as a minor in Autism Spectrum Disorders and extensive professional studies in Classical Voice Performance

  • from Ball State University and has choreographed and directed professionally. She also holds a master’s degree in Dance/Movement Therapy and Couples & Family Therapy from Antioch University New England and holds licenses in both fields (R-DMT & LMFT). She has a passion for theatre, as well as helping others, and looks forward to inspiring others to love theatre and find their light!

A woman with curly brown hair smiling outdoors, wearing a maroon shirt and a gold necklace with a cross pendant.
A woman with curly brown hair smiling outdoors, wearing a maroon shirt and a gold necklace with a cross pendant.
A woman with curly, shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a maroon top and a gold necklace with a cross pendant, smiling outdoors with green foliage in the background.

Maria Koontz

Maria has been teaching music for over 30 years. She currently teaches piano and accompanies students for voice lessons and vocal competitions, as well as teaching theatrical music for productions. She received her bachelor’s in Piano Performance from the College of St. Rose in New York and her master’s in Music Education from Dowling College in New York. She loves helping

Music Director

  • children reach their fullest potential and has been working alongside her daughter, Alexandria, for several years. Together, they have directed many productions and helped children of all ages and abilities.

Student Board of Directors

  • Image of Executive Director Olivia Reedy

    Olivia Reedy

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Olivia is a senior in high school and is starting her third season with STLP. She has been involved with theater for around 7 years, and she has loved every second of it. Olivia loves being on stage and getting to become so close with her fellow castmates. She knows this season is going to be a great one, and she can’t wait to meet new friends!

  • Image of Executive Director Luke Snow

    Luke Snow

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Luke is a senior in high school and has been doing theater since the sixth grade. He joined STLP in their premier season with their production of The Sound of Music and has loved it ever since. He truly doesn’t know where he'd be without the people he's met through this program. He hopes to help everyone have a similar experience filled with happiness and positive memories. He is looking forward to this upcoming season, and is ecstatic to see the organization continue to grow.

  • Image of Assistant Executive Director Chris Gaines

    Chris Gaines

    ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Chris is a senior in high school and has been involved in theatre since seventh grade. He started with STLP during their first production of Grease and has been acting and working backstage ever since. Chris is excited to welcome new friends to the STLP family and help bring the love of theatre to more people.

  • Image of Assistant Executive Director Charlee Reedy

    Charlee Reedy

    ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Charlee is a sophomore at Valparaiso High School, where she is a member of Hope Club, Key Club, Future Medical Professionals, and HOSA. She has been in theater since she was 6, and has been involved in STLP for the past 2 seasons. She has made life long friendships and memories with the company, and is beyond excited to make even more this season as one of the assistant executive directors!

  • Image of Secretary Brittany Wise

    Brittany Wise

    SECRETARY

    Brittany is a senior in high school and has been involved with Shine The Light Project since August of 2024 in their production of Chicago: Teen Edition. Shine The Light Project will always hold a special place in her heart because it has become a second family to her. She loves being on stage and showing the people who come to support what they have worked so hard on. Brittany hopes to continue to help keep Shine The Light Project a place where everyone feels welcome and can succeed.

  • Image of PR & Marketing Associate Zyla Gladdis

    Zyla Gladdis

    PR & MARKETING

    Zyla is starting her freshman year in high school and has been doing theatre since she was in 3rd grade. She has been with Shine The Light since the beginning and is grateful to be a part of it. Zyla is so grateful for the memories and friends she has made at STLP and cannot wait for this next season.

  • Image of PR & Marketing Associate Lillie Marks

    Lillie Marks

    PR & MARKETING

    Lillie is a sophomore in high school and has been involved in theater since 8th grade. She joined Shine The Light Project in Heathers: Teen Edition and has been active in it ever since. STLP for her is like a home away from home; she has made many friends and looks forward to the future. Along with Shine The Light, she is involved in her high school cheer team. Lillie is very excited to welcome everyone into this 4th season!!

  • Image of PR and Marketing Associate Meela Hensley

    Meela Hensley

    PR & MARKETING

    Meela has been doing theater since sixth grade and has been a part of STLP for almost two years now. She first fell in love with theater after watching her older sister being a part of many plays and musicals and eventually started to take part in them too! She loves theater so much and believes that STLP has helped her improve on and off stage as an actress and person. She looks forward to this upcoming season and what STLP will achieve!

  • Image of Financial Chair Colter Hannon

    Colter Hannon

    FINANCIAL CHAIR

    Colter is a senior in high school and is an avid runner, hobbyist, and member of 4-H and FFA. While he never saw himself doing theater, he loves it and enjoys every second! He has found a second home here and has already done 6 shows. He can’t wait to meet new people with every show!

  • Image of Creative Chair Olivia Gober

    Olivia Gober

    CREATIVE CHAIR

    Olivia is in the 7th grade and she is very excited to be starting her fourth season with STLP. She has been doing theatre since she was in 1st grade, and has enjoyed every second of it. Olivia loves being on stage but she also loves when she can help with the details of each performance she’s in. She is very excited to be in STLP and is very happy she gets to be in a group of people that really love doing theatre as much as she does. She knows this season is going to be a great one and she can’t wait to meet new friends.

  • Image of Creative Chair Michaela Novotney

    Michaela Novotney

    CREATIVE CHAIR

    Michaela is a sophomore in high school and is starting her second season with Shine the Light Project. She first joined STLP with their production of The Wizard of Oz. She loves being on stage and is glad to perform with such a supportive and talented group of people. Michaela plans to bring fresh, creative ideas to improve STLP in the coming season and is excited to see what accomplishments are in store for the future!

Shine The Light Project Board

  • Image of Board President Jenna Toennies

    Jenna Toennies

    PRESIDENT

    My daughter has been a member of this group for two years, and I have seen firsthand how important it is to keep our programs free and accessible to all. Through her participation, she has learned the value of hard work, consistency, teamwork, dedication, and patience, while building long-lasting friendships.

    Over the past two years, I have volunteered by organizing fundraisers, coordinating volunteers for each show, and managing the Spring Silent Auction. As our organization grows, putting strong structures and systems in place will be essential to supporting our expanding programs. In addition to my board role, I serve as a staff member for "Limitless," our new inclusive program. I am deeply passionate about providing opportunities for individuals of all abilities. By strengthening our organization's foundation, I am confident we can meet our goals and continue bringing exceptional productions and experiences to our community.

  • Jenny Snow

    VICE PRESIDENT

    My son, Luke, is entering his fourth season with STLP, and during that time, I have had the opportunity to personally witness the positive impact this organization has on its members. I have witnessed him develop and grow himself both on and off of the stage. Not only has his confidence grown immensely, he has become a natural leader and trustworthy friend. He has learned the importance of dedication, teamwork, and commitment that will help him thrive into his adult life.

    Over the past several seasons, I have had the pleasure of being part of an amazing group of parents that have helped assist the directors with organizing behind the scenes work for shows, fundraising efforts, cast dinners, and overall support wherever needed. These experiences have given me an even deeper appreciation for the time, dedication, and teamwork that goes into making each season special for our performers and families. They have also given me a greater understanding of my son’s love for theatre, deepening our own relationship within our family unit. I cannot wait to experience the organization’s continued growth. I hope that by helping to strengthen the core and create a solid foundation, the organization will be given the space to continue to support the growth of our children, while keeping these activities free to all who wish to be part of them.

  • Image of Carmen Gober

    Carmen Gober

    SECRETARY

    My daughter, Olivia, is entering her fourth season with STLP, and during that time, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the positive impact this organization has on its members. I have watched her grow in confidence, build meaningful friendships, and learn the importance of dedication, teamwork, and commitment.

    Over the past several seasons, I have enjoyed becoming more involved with STLP by helping with fundraising efforts, assisting with opening night dinners, and supporting the organization wherever needed. Being part of these experiences has given me an even greater appreciation for the time, dedication, and teamwork that goes into making each season special for our performers and families. I am excited to take on a more active role as Secretary and look forward to working alongside the Board to support the continued growth of STLP while helping create memorable experiences and opportunities for our performers.

  • Image of Cassie Reedy

    Cassie Reedy

    My daughters, Olivia and Charlee, are entering their third season with STLP, and I have witnessed how inspiring this group can be. It encourages everyone to work hard and always give their all. I love seeing the confidence and leadership skills my kids have gained through this program. The friendships they have made will last a lifetime.

    Over the past two seasons, I have worked closely with the directors, other parents, and volunteers to ensure that the shows run smoothly. I have volunteered during shows to check people in, work fundraising games, and sell concessions. Between shows, I have assisted with organizing fundraisers and managing the spring silent auction and basket raffle. Helping with the fundraising efforts has shown me how important teamwork, dedication, and time management are to ensure a show is successful and that the organization continues to grow and prosper. I also serve as a staff member for “Limitless,” our new inclusive program. I am so excited to see STLP bring this opportunity to individuals of all abilities. My hope is that this organization can continue to flourish, so programs can continue to be free and accessible to everyone.

Shine The Light Project Board

A woman with long light brown hair and blue eyes smiling outdoors in front of green foliage, wearing a purple shirt.
Close-up of a woman with long, wavy brown hair, smiling, wearing a reddish-orange top with lace details on the sleeves, standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.
A woman with curly dark hair, glasses, and earrings smiling outdoors with greenery in the background.

Jenna Toennies

President

My daughter has been a member of this group for two years, and I have seen firsthand how important it is to keep our programs free and accessible to all. Through her participation, she has learned the value of hard work, consistency, teamwork, dedication, and patience, while building long-lasting friendships.

Over the past two years, I have volunteered by organizing fundraisers, coordinating volunteers for each show, and managing the Spring Silent Auction. As our organization grows, putting strong structures and systems in place will be essential to supporting our expanding programs. In addition to my board role, I serve as a staff member for "Limitless," our new inclusive program. I am deeply passionate about providing opportunities for individuals of all abilities. By strengthening our organization's foundation, I am confident we can meet our goals and continue bringing exceptional productions and experiences to our community.

Cassie Reedy

Treasurer

My daughters, Olivia and Charlee, are entering their third season with STLP, and I have witnessed how inspiring this group can be. It encourages everyone to work hard and always give their all. I love seeing the confidence and leadership skills my kids have gained through this program. The friendships they have made will last a lifetime.

Over the past two seasons, I have worked closely with the directors, other parents, and volunteers to ensure that the shows run smoothly. I have volunteered during shows to check people in, work fundraising games, and sell concessions. Between shows, I have assisted with organizing fundraisers and managing the spring silent auction and basket raffle. Helping with the fundraising efforts has shown me how important teamwork, dedication, and time management are to ensure a show is successful and that the organization continues to grow and prosper. I also serve as a staff member for “Limitless,” our new inclusive program. I am so excited to see STLP bring this opportunity to individuals of all abilities. My hope is that this organization can continue to flourish, so programs can continue to be free and accessible to everyone.

Carmen Gober

Secretary

My daughter, Olivia, is entering her fourth season with STLP, and during that time, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the positive impact this organization has on its members. I have watched her grow in confidence, build meaningful friendships, and learn the importance of dedication, teamwork, and commitment.

Over the past several seasons, I have enjoyed becoming more involved with STLP by helping with fundraising efforts, assisting with opening night dinners, and supporting the organization wherever needed. Being part of these experiences has given me an even greater appreciation for the time, dedication, and teamwork that goes into making each season special for our performers and families. I am excited to take on a more active role as Secretary and look forward to working alongside the Board to support the continued growth of STLP while helping create memorable experiences and opportunities for our performers.

Jenny Snow

Vice President

My son, Luke, is entering his fourth season with STLP, and during that time, I have had the opportunity to personally witness the positive impact this organization has on its members. I have witnessed him develop and grow himself both on and off of the stage. Not only has his confidence grown immensely, he has become a natural leader and trustworthy friend. He has learned the importance of dedication, teamwork, and commitment that will help him thrive into his adult life.

Over the past several seasons, I have had the pleasure of being part of an amazing group of parents that have helped assist the directors with organizing behind the scenes work for shows, fundraising efforts, cast dinners, and overall support wherever needed. These experiences have given me an even deeper appreciation for the time, dedication, and teamwork that goes into making each season special for our performers and families. They have also given me a greater understanding of my son’s love for theatre, deepening our own relationship within our family unit. I cannot wait to experience the organization’s continued growth. I hope that by helping to strengthen the core and create a solid foundation, the organization will be given the space to continue to support the growth of our children, while keeping these activities free to all who wish to be part of them.

Shine the Light Project, Inc. is thrilled to be partnering with the fabulous Bearcat Theatre Company (Wheeler High School) in Valparaiso, IN, as our performance venue! The amazing people in this space are helping us create magic for our young artists. We could not be more excited to be partnering with them as our ‘home base’ for performances! Rehearsals will occur in a separate location, and we will move into our space closer to the date of our production. Please give them a like or follow on social media!

Bearcat Theater Company Logo

Partners

We are also fortunate to have the community support of photographer David Centifanto and professional costume designers Jean Rebeka & Patty Halajian. Without their talents, we would be lost!

For more information on how you can help support our mission see a full list of sponsorship opportunities HERE, or you can reach out to our founder Alexandria directly through this form. We want to make sure Shine the Light Project, Inc. is a place for all members of our community, and we can’t do that without your help!