Board & Staff

Susan Hoekenga - Board President. Susan is an avid theatergoer and volunteer who has enjoyed dozens of productions at the Playhouse over the years. She joined the board as Secretary in 2019 and was elected president in January 2020. Susan previously served on the board of directors of the Point Loma Assembly for eight years where she is still a member. She currently volunteers with a number of community organizations including the San Diego Education Fund, Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, UCSD Center for Healthy Aging, and the Center for Justice and Reconciliation at Point Loma Nazarene University. Susan has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

Kevin Mahoney - Board Vice President. Kevin earned his Master’s of Fine Arts from West Virginia University’s conservatory program, where he taught acting classes and directed student plays. While attending WVU Kevin performed in numerous University productions, including Three Sisters (Vershinin), Comedy of Errors (Antipholus S & E), Angels in America (Joe Pitt), Our Country’s Good (Harry), and Boys Next Door (Klemper). In NYC, Kevin earned a scholarship to study at HB Studies. While attending HB studios he studied acting technique with William Hickey; Shakespearian acting with Uta Hagen, and a Master Class led by Herbert Berghof. Kevin later attended master classes in NYC with Michael Beckett and Michael Howard. His professional theatre credits include the Old Globe’s production of Bus Stop (Carl); Arcade Theatre (LA) True Believer (lead); East Lynne Theatre’s (NJ) productions of Anna Christy (Matt Burke), Rain (O’Hara), and You And I (Maitland); Tribeca Theatre (NYC) El Salvador (lead); and the Princeton Repertory’s production of Comedy of Errors (Antipholus S). Kevin also performed in numbers films, including Exorcist Chronicles (Netflix); Backgammon *best comedy (NY Film Festival), A Darker Silence AFI (LA Directors Film Festival), Exodus and Nazi Terror for the History Channel.

Vanessa Lorraine - Board Secretary. Vanessa has worked as a professional actor and model in theatre, television, and film for over 30 years. She has an extensive commercial background including national campaigns for Shasta Beverages, Honda, Porsche, American Eagle OuGiHers, Tropicana Orange Juice and several others. She has current agent representation in both the Los Angeles and the Denver Metro area. Theatre credits include Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker” (Gallery Theatre), and a six-year run as Maria Cavatelli in “Joey & Maria’s Italian Comedy Wedding” (Dillstar ProducAons).

Coco Sein - Board Treasurer. Coco has been working for the Point Loma Playhouse since 2008 on the technical crew and the hospitality committee. Currently she is working as a Production Manager and loves her role. She believes the most important responsibility of the Production Manager is the development of a highly motivated and collaborative team. Coco won the Star Award, honoring volunteers, from San Diego Performing Arts League in January 2015. Coco has worked as a treasurer since January 2017.

Jerry Pilato - Board Member/Artistic Director. Jerry comes from San Antonio, Texas where he was Artistic Director for The Actors Theatre of San Antonio from February 1982 to 2005. He graduated from Toul American High School in France and attended San Antonio College and the University Of The Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Locally he has directed The Foreigner, Love Sex And The IRS and Biloxi Blues at The Sunshine Brooks Theatre in Oceanside; Four Dogs And A Bone, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Orange Flower Water and Glenn Garry Glen Ross at Compass Theatre (6th@ Penn) in San Diego; Plaza Suite, Visiting Mr. Green, Weekend Comedy and The Cemetery Club at The Broadway Theatre in Vista, at Lamplighters Theater The Hallelujah Girls, Stage Fright , The Dixie Swim Club and Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got The Will. He has been awarded Best Director awards from the Alamo Theatre Arts Council, in San Antonio for Chicago, and When Pigs Fly (Musical), I Hate Hamlet and First Night (comedy), American Buffalo, If We Are Women and Taking Sides (drama). Artistic Director for Different Stages/San Diego he has directed : The Dixie Swim Club, The Psychic, Vampire Lesbians Of Sodom, MOMologues, Race, Last Train To Nibroc, Lone Star Laundry and Bourbon and Santaland Diaries/Season Greetings. Also for Different Stages/San Diego he has produced Somewhere In Between, Burn This, The Sea Horse, Wrinkles, American Hero and The Brothers Lipschitz.

David Sein - Founder/Board Member/Workshop Director. David is a founding member of Point Loma Playhouse. He has been a producer, director and playwright for the past 30 years. He is the founder of Point Loma Actors Theatre (PLAT). Productions include; A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, Kimberly Akimbo, America's Finest City, Cafe Risque, Steel Magnolias, Sylvia, Tuna Christmas, Fuddy Meers, Driving Miss Daisy, Romantic Fools-PLAT, The Obiturist,-Northpark Playhouse, A Midsummer Night's Dream-NTC, An Honest Arrangement-New Perspectives Festival, Only In New York- PLAT, Greater Tuna,-PLAT, Polish Joke-PLAT, Food For Thought-PLAT, Goodbye Charlie- Cabrillo Playhouse, Belle of Amherst-La Jolla MOCA Theatre.

Dori Salois - Board Member/Marketing Coordinator. Dori has been the Artistic Director of Vantage Theatre since 1994 and is now the Executive Director. As a Director and Producer Ms. Salois has brought over 40 plays to fruition, 90% of them new works She created the first ever partnership between a small, midsize and large theatre in order to bring Anna Deavere Smith to San Diego in Let Me Down Easy. She most recently brought Jesse Kornbluth’s play The Color Of Light about Matisse to life as a world premiere in January 2018 which went on to receive a New York production in April of 2019 She was a founding member of Provincetown Playhouse in New York. As an actress, she has performed in professional theatres as well as in film and television in New York, Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Washington D.C. and San Diego She is also the author of the novel Mrs. Bennet’s Sentiments which received the People Magazine top new fiction pick in November 2016. She has enjoyed creating the new companion piece Mrs. Bennet’s Admonishments, just released. Both books are available on Amazon.

Robert Salerno, MA, MD, PhD - Board Member/Program Publisher. Robert has written screenplays, poetry, and plays, and has directed for stage, screen, and radio. As Director: The Color of Light by Jesse Kornbluth (World Premiere); Eugene Ionesco’s The Painting ("Billie" Award); Jean Cocteau’s Wedding on The Eiffel Tower (AASD awards: Best Production and Best Direction, "Billie" Award: Outstanding Costume Design); Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year (World Premiere); Charles Ludlam’s Reverse Psychology and The Ventriloquist’s Wife (multiple AASD award winner), The Actor’s Nightmare (AASD award), Marianne MacDonald’s The Ally Way (World Premiere), The School of the World (World Premiere), Li’l Heroes, by Stephanie Timm (“Best of The Fest” Award), Tchaikovsky: Child Of Glass (World Premiere,Mexico), Be Here Now: The Journey of Ram Dass (SD Premiere), So Small A Thing (SD Premiere), Rasheeda Speaking (SD Premiere); Jane Doe In The Quiet Room (Reading), The Holy Man (Reading), Joe The Baker (film). As Playwright: Cadenza: Mozart’s Last Year; Orpheus Rox (one of two plays selected as “Critics Pick” for 1999); Tchaikovsky: Child Of Glass, The Holy Man (staged reading), The Painting (Translation). Dr. Salerno served as As Multimedia Creator/Director: Same as “As Director”Artist In Residence at Vantage Theatre from 1996-2013 and Artistic Director since 2014.

Robert Nickel - Board Member. Robert is an actor, director and stage technician with deep roots in the Point Loma Theater community. His lifelong passion began at Sunset View Elementary, Correia Jr. High, and Point Loma High School, participating in numerous shows and the PLHS Thespian Society. He earned his B.A. in Theater from Stanford University, where, among other accomplishments, he co-founded the improv troupe Spontaneous Generation, served on the Board of Directors of Ram's Head Theatrical Society, and chaired the on-campus Undergraduate Lighting Project. Following graduation, he was creative director for two Northern California faith-based theater companies, at First Congregational Church Palo Alto and Menlo Park Presbyterian. Since returning to Point Loma, he has performed with the Red Brick Players; served from 2016–2019 with Christian Youth Theater in the roles of acting teacher, sound designer, and production team member; and, most recently, appeared at Point Loma Playhouse in Glorious!, playing the role of Cosme McMoon.

Dorothea Laub - Advisory Board. Dorothea, a founding member of Point Loma Playhouse, started out in Chicago, moved to Joplin, Missouri, captured a magnificent husband, moved to Texas, Birmingham, Memphis and finally settled in Orange County, California. Along the way she became a professional harpist making records, appearing on a weekly TV show with the Blackwood Brothers, and gave solo concerts throughout the South. She retired to San Diego 38 years ago and has loved every minute of it. Time has been spent serving the community with the Symphony, Point Loma Association, Point Loma Assembly, Friends of the Library, Friends of Balboa Park and the Zoo. She is a great supporter of the local performing arts groups and most of the museums in Balboa Park. She has managed to take at least one and most times two dancing lessons a week. Dorothea, has received the County of San Diego, The City of San Diego, and the PLA Lighthouse award for services to the community.

Aaron Hatch - Marketing/Website. Actor/Voice Actor/Tech. Born in the suburbs of Los Angeles Erin aspired to be an actor himself, modeling for Burkett-Kear Talent Agency in Costa Mesa in 1988 where it led him to attend a Commercial Acting Workshop with Sharon Bialy, CSA. In 1989 he pursued Commercial Acting attaining representation with the Sarah Bennett Agency in Hollywood and appeared as an extra in NBC's re-creation of Sweet Bird of Youth, a 1989 drama TV film based on the play by Tennessee Williams, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Mark Harmon and Rip Torn. In 1992 an opportunity to work in the health care industry was presented so he set aside his acting endeavors and focused on his career which brought him to San Diego. In 2009 Aaron found a home at Point Loma Playhouse where he worked tech for several productions and performed on stage in The Forced Marriage by Molière directed by Hannah Ryan and A Tuna Christmas directed by David Sein. Aaron also participated in the 48 Hour Film Project - San Diego, Ca. where he operated the lighting and did voice over for the Short Film submission of The Case of the Wild Hair by CineForm CTO. Aaron now volunteers his time with the box office, marketing and website for the small "Actors Theatre" Point Loma Playhouse which is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit community theatre.