Roger Yoerges (Chair) is a partner in the Washington office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he is a member of the Litigation Department and head of the firm’s Products Liability, Paraceutical & Mass Tort Litigation practice. Mr. Yoerges graduated from Stetson University law School in 1985. Subsequently, he served as a law clerk for Judge Roger Vinson in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Prior to joining Steptoe, Mr. Yoerges practiced law for more than twenty years at Wilmer Hale.
Ashley Gates Jansen has worked at the Old Globe in San Diego, Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland and San Francisco's Encore Theatre. Her Directing credits include: "Balm in Gilead," "Burn This," "Waiting for Godot", "The Cradle Song," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" (NCSA 1998), "Three Tall Women" (NCSA 2002) "Marion Bridge" (NCSA 2004) and "After Easter" (NCSA 2005). Ashley also produced Daniel MacIvor's "Marion Bridge" in New York City and his Obie Award winning IN ON IT in San Francisco. Ms. Gates was a member of NCSA's premiere directing class, pioneered by School of Drama Dean Gerald Freedman.
Tamara Michael had a thirty four year career with the US Postal Service serving in a number of management/operational positions including Postmaster and managed the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team sponsorship. Upon retirement from the USPS, Tamara has served on a number of boards in Winston Salem such as the WS Symphony Encore Society and recently as president of The Associates, a volunteer organization connected with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). She now serves on the Board of Visitors for UNCSA in addition to volunteering as Venue Manager for the River Run International Film Festival. Presently, she does consulting work for NGI-Solutions based in Vienna, VA and holds a B.A. from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. Tamara is an avid traveler venturing to out of the way places including Pakistan, Kyrgyrstan, Uzbekistan, Dubai, Mt Everest base camp, Nepal, China, Tibet and Antarctica.
Jeremy Skidmore has been based in Washington, DC for the last eight years. He served for six years as the Artistic Director of Theater Alliance where he produced 22 productions in five years that garnered 22 Helen Hayes nominations. Elsewhere in the DC area, he has directed for Signature Theatre, Round House Theatre, Theater J, Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Everyman Theatre, Catalyst Theater Company, and The National Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Outside of Washington, Jeremy has directed, produced or taught all over North Carolina and in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, London, Oslo, Galway, Kilimanjaro, Tokyo, Macau and Tai Pei.
J.D. Wilson is the founder of Excalibur Enterprises, Inc., and has more than 36 years experience in the direct response marketing communications field. After graduating from Wake Forest University with a degree in English in 1969, he became the University’s Associate Director of Alumni Affairs and Director of the College Fund, positions that relied heavily on direct mail for communications, cultivation and fundraising. With his wife, he is chairing the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Arts Council’s $25 million Comprehensive Campaign for the Arts to create a new Downtown Center for the Arts. He is a member of the Arts Council’s Strategic Planning Committee and City of Arts & Innovation branding committee.

Advisory Council for Washington, DC
Paul Gamble
Michael Gottlieb
Denise & Charles Landry
Joe Morra
Will Gould & Mary Rouvelas

Advisory Council for Winston-Salem, NC
Malcom & Patty Brown
Claire Christopher
John Gates
Marge Silber