Who We Are
Board of Directors
Leigh Johnson
Chair of the Board
Leigh E. Johnson brings a rare blend of legal experience, psychological insight, and narrative skill to the practice and teaching of trial advocacy. A trial lawyer, consultant, and founder of Trial Whisperer and Law Focus Groups, she has spent her career examining how stories function in the courtroom and how jurors come to understand the people and conflicts before them. Her work focuses on helping legal teams explore the human dimensions of their cases, uncovering the emotional and relational layers that often determine how juries make meaning.
Leigh’s approach is grounded in action methods and psychodramatic principles, which she uses to help lawyers and clients step inside the lived experience of a case. Her work emphasizes clarity, presence, and the ability to translate complex facts into narratives that reflect the deeper truths at stake. Drawing from a background that includes service in military communications, work as an air traffic controller, and experience in biotechnology, she brings a steady, analytical perspective shaped by years of operating under pressure and interpreting high-stakes information.
A graduate and longtime faculty member of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College, Leigh has taught hundreds of lawyers in the areas of storytelling, psychology, sociometry, and narrative structure. She is also a certified psychodramatist, integrating role theory and action-based learning into her teaching and consulting.
Leigh is the author of Building The Case: Storytelling When Facts Are Fixed And Stakes Are High. Her work reflects a belief that storytelling is fundamental to advocacy, as a means of revealing the human questions that cases inevitably raise. Through her writing, teaching, and consulting, she continues to explore how lawyers can communicate with greater depth, integrity, and understanding in the courtroom and beyond. She lives in Hercules with her black lab, Skye.
Garance Marneur
Vice Chair
Garance Marneur is a multidisciplinary designer, creative director, and cultural strategist whose work spans theatre, dance, opera, immersive environments, and museum innovation. Trained in fine art in Paris and in Design for Performance at Central Saint Martins in London, she is recognized internationally for her award-winning stage designs and emotionally resonant experiential environments. She is a recipient of the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design and was named among the UK’s most influential designers by the Society of British Theatre Designers.
Since 2023, Garance has served as the Director of Experience Design at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, where she leads the transformation of exhibitions into multi-sensory, narrative-driven journeys. Her recent work includes the highly acclaimed Hallyu! The New Korean Wave exhibition and the groundbreaking 2025 show Rave Into the Future, celebrated for its innovation, inclusivity, and ability to merge community culture with contemporary artistic exploration.
Beyond exhibitions, Garance champions cultural activation and community engagement through large-scale events and interdisciplinary collaborations. She co-developed Night of Ideas 2025 in San Francisco, produced Dreamstate with artist Spencer Tsang, and led experimental initiatives that expanded access to art. Most recently, she partnered on an Ally AI prototype designed to support visitors with low vision, exploring how machine learning and sensory design can create more equitable museum experiences.
Across all her work — from international stages to immersive museum environments — Garance brings a distinct vision centered on emotional impact, sensory storytelling, and audience participation. Her practice continues to push the boundaries of how art can be experienced, shared, and collectively imagined.
Miles Markstein
Treasurer
For nearly a decade, Miles Markstein has led a career in the nonprofit sector, working to shape and develop arts institutions and programs for newcomers and underrepresented communities. He served as the Finance & Operations Director at ARTogether, a nonprofit arts organization and third space dedicated to supporting refugee and immigrant communities through creative expression, healing-centered programs, and community-building.
Joining ARTogether in its first year, his roles have included financial management, operations, fundraising, strategic planning, program leadership, policy advocacy, and art project development support in collaboration with aspiring newcomer artists. Through his practice, Miles has worked to support and build up third spaces that celebrate diversity, equity, access, and community-driven programming.
In addition to his organizational leadership, Miles works as a freelance grant writer, fundraising strategist, and project development consultant, supporting nonprofits and individual artists—particularly those focused on arts, immigration, youth development, and enhancing community resources.
Pavan Surisetty
Secretary
Pavan is passionate about the intersection of technology, finance, data, and the ways they can meaningfully support and strengthen communities. He believes deeply in the power of the arts to inspire connection and personal growth, and he is excited to contribute his skills to Mission StageWorks during this foundational stage.
Across his leadership roles at Snowflake, AWS, VMware, and Cisco, Pavan has consistently brought clarity, structure, and discipline to complex organizations. As a business partner, he has led planning, forecasting, pricing, and performance analysis to support sound decision-making and long-term sustainability. He has a strong track record of working cross-functionally to translate data into insight, improve operational rigor, and help teams clearly articulate the value they create.
Pavan thrives in mission-driven settings where thoughtful partnership and purpose-led decision-making matter. His analytical mindset, hands-on approach, and empathetic leadership style enable him to support strategic planning while honoring the organization’s creative spirit and community impact. He is married and a proud dad to two kids, ages 6 and 12, along with an energetic 8-month-old puppy (Cookie) who keeps the whole family on their toes. For professional information, visit Pavan Surisetty.
Rob Lewis
Board Member, Founder
Rob Lewis is a director, educator, and arts administrator with over 25 years of experience creating dynamic theatre programs and guiding artists of all ages through meaningful, mission-driven work. He has directed more than fifty productions—including musicals, plays, devised works, and variety shows—in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and abroad. His credits range from Next to Normal, Cabaret, and RENT to original student-devised pieces like Girls With a Vision, developed in partnership with Lineage Dance Company in Malawi.
Rob holds a BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and an MA in Directing from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts. He has trained with acclaimed artists including Linda Lavin, Marvin Hamlisch, Deb Margolin, Vanessa Stalling, and members of the Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
He has served in leadership roles at schools including Flintridge Preparatory School and Menlo School, where he led as Executive Artistic Director and Department Chair. His administrative work includes program development, budgeting, event production, inclusive curriculum design, and launching community-focused initiatives such as storytelling programs and service-learning events. As a teaching artist and coach, Rob emphasizes individual voice, ensemble collaboration, and the discipline of craft. His leadership is grounded in building systems that allow students, artists, and educators to thrive. He has directed and taught with Bay Area Children's Theatre, Words2Action of Pasadena, and the Othakarhaka Foundation in Malawi.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, he is certified in Instructional Leadership, Mental Health First Aid, a MOTH Teacher Institute alum, and he is a member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, Theatre Bay Area, and Theatre Communications Group. Rob lives in San Francisco with his husband and continues to work in local schools.
For more information, visit rob-lewis.com
Staff
Rob Lewis
Executive Artistic Director
See bio above
Lindsey Drew
Director of Creative Development
Lindsey Drew is the Director of Creative Development at Mission StageWorks. Joining in August 2025, they are a founding member of the team. Lindsey is a multidisciplinary creative, who moved to San Francisco from Vermont in 2021. They are a seasoned writer and editor of both creative and nonfiction work. With a strong theatrical background, Lindsey is a passionate advocate for inclusivity in theater. At Mission StageWorks, Lindsey envisions a world where theater is accessible to all.