TRAVERSE CITY DANCE PROJECT

Board of Directors

Jennifer McQuiston Lott — Board President

Jennifer enjoys a varied career as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, director, and advocate for the arts. Her choreographic works and short dance films have premiered in New York at Baryshnikov Arts Center, National Sawdust, Celebrate Brooklyn!, Chen Dance Center’s Newsteps, and the Thang Dao Dance Festival; as well as nationally and internationally at The Dead/Live Festival, Cleveland Public Theatre, New Haven’s Educational Center for the Arts, The Southern Theater in Minneapolis, and Festival Miden. She has created works for Cleveland’s Ingenuity Festival, Gibney Dance Center, Laguna Dance Festival, Baldwin Wallace University’s Bach Festival, and Rockford Dance Company, and has choreographed music videos for Son Lux and My Brightest Diamond. Jennifer has assisted choreographer Jodie Gates on new works for Tulsa Ballet and Kansas City Ballet and has staged her work at Sacramento Ballet and Princeton University. She holds a BFA in Ballet Performance from Indiana University and an MFA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine, where she received multiple honors including the Medici Scholarship. She is certified in GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS®, and is an ABT® Certified Teacher (Primary–Level 3). Jennifer has served on faculty at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp and teaches master classes nationally and internationally.

Susan Kettering — Board Vice President

Susan is Board Vice President of Traverse City Dance Project and of The Kettering Family Foundation. She brings a passion for the performing arts and extensive nonprofit board service to her role. A longtime advocate for dance, Susan serves on advisory boards for Boca Ballet Theatre and The Atlanta Ballet, and is also a board member at Glen Arbor Art Center and Interlochen Center for the Arts. She has been the Company Photographer for TCDP since 2014.

Marge Marchak

Marge Marchak is a seasoned healthcare transactional and governance attorney with degrees from the University of Michigan (BA, MBA) and Wayne State University (JD). She has taught legal studies at the University of Detroit School of Law and Oakland University and has contributed to numerous professional legal associations. Deeply committed to nonprofit governance, she has held many board and officer roles across a range of organizations, including those in the arts.

Victoria Bauer

Victoria Bauer grew up in Michigan and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Retailing of Clothing and Textiles. She joined The Kroger Company and became Director of Floral, while also representing Kroger in the Fine Arts Fund, supporting arts organizations citywide. She has served on the boards of the Cincinnati Ballet and Cincinnati May Festival and contributed to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Victoria currently lives in Brighton and Traverse City and remains actively engaged in supporting the arts.

Lizzie Rolston, PT, DPT

Lizzie Rolston is a physical therapist in the Traverse City area. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northwestern University and began her career in outpatient orthopedics in Chicago, specializing in performing arts medicine. She has worked with professional dance companies, pre-professional training programs, and major theaters. She now runs Pivot Point Physical Therapy and Performance, providing concierge care in Traverse City for orthopedic injuries, hypermobility, and performing artists. As a board member of TCDP, Lizzie is passionate about supporting and growing the dance community in Northern Michigan.

Brent Whitney — Board Treasurer

Brent Whitney resides in both New York City and Traverse City and serves as the Artistic Director of the Traverse City Dance Project. Originally from Traverse City, he began training at Dance Arts Academy and Ballet Etc., later earning his degree in Dance from Western Michigan University. He danced professionally with Milwaukee Ballet and went on to perform in NYC with Ballet NY, BalletX, Connecticut Ballet, New York Theatre Ballet, San Diego Opera, Dance Key West, Lustig Dance Theatre, and Oakland Ballet. In 2012, Brent co-founded TCDP with Jennifer McQuiston Lott to bring professional dance to Northern Michigan. He has collaborated with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra and Parallel 45, choreographing productions such as You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, The Sound of Music, and Hair. He is also a licensed massage therapist specializing in athletic recovery, with clients from American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, and Ballet Hispánico.