Bios

Chuck Benjamin (Director of PR and Marketing) oversees all marketing and public relations efforts for the center. He comes to BlackRock following 3 1/2 years as director of communications at Olney Theatre Center for the Arts. Prior to that he spent 13 years as a professional actor, performing in theater, films, television and numerous commercials. He holds a B.A. in theater and an M.F.A. in theater management from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has served on grants committees for the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and the Freeman Foundation, as second vice-president on the board of directors of the Olney Chamber of Commerce, on the board of the Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County, and on the steering committee for Montgomery Youth Works. Chuck lives in Germantown with his wife and two young sons. You can contact him at cbenjamin@blackrockcenter.org or by calling 240.912.1057.

Nancy E. Petrisko (Executive Director) is a nonprofit management specialist and has been an active consultant of arts and nonprofit organizations. A frequent facilitator of board retreats and workshops, she has successfully led organizations through strategic planning, fundraising goals and critical periods of change. During her extensive career as an arts administrator, Nancy has held the positions of executive director of the Vocal Arts Society, director of finance and administration with Washington Performing Arts Society, operations director with San Francisco Performances, assistant operations director with San Francisco Symphony and operations manager with San Francisco Opera. She is an adjunct faculty member of American University’s department of public administration and teaches nonprofit management and nonprofit resources. Nancy earned a master of arts degree in classics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an executive degree in nonprofit management from the University of San Francisco. You can reach her at npetrisko@blackrockcenter.org or by calling 240.912.1056.

Debbie Heibein Rankin (Director of Development) is responsible for the acquisition of grants, corporate and individual donations, foundation support and management of special events—most prominently, the annual gala. Debbie, a lifelong resident of Montgomery County was the executive director of the Sandy Spring Museum for three years. She served on the board of the Olney Chamber of Commerce, the Montgomery County Heritage Tourism Advisory Committee and was nominated as an Athena Award candidate for her commitment to the community. Debbie was PTA President for both elementary and junior high schools. A graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in journalism, she is the proud mother of two next generation Terps, her son and daughter, and has three wonderful stepsons. Debbie and her husband Paul live in Brookeville. You can reach Debbie at 240.912.1054 or drankin@blackrockcenter.org.

Rene Schecker (Director of Education) has been involved in arts education for many years. Prior to joining the staff of BlackRock, she was education director for the Musical Theater Center in Rockville. At MTC she was responsible for managing the educational programs including organizing and managing curriculum for classes in dance, voice, acting and musical theater along with summer arts camps. She also coordinated outreach programs with Montgomery County Public Schools and other collaborative educational programs. As cultural arts coordinator of the Lower School of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Maryland for six years, Ms. Schecker developed school–wide programs in the arts, produced many of the school’s musical productions and worked closely with artists in residence programs of the Maryland State Arts Council and the Arts and Humanities Council of  Montgomery County. Ms. Schecker is a graduate of Simmons College in Boston with a B.A. in government and management. She also has an M.A. in education from the American University in Washington, D.C. You can contact her at rschecker@blackrockcenter.org or by calling 240.912.1053.

John Wright (Director of Finance and Administration) spent his formative years as a singer and an actor, performing in theaters across the country. Then he got married. Realizing he had to find “real work” to support his growing family, he spent 2 ½ years in the highly-charged world of investment finance at Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter and Merrill Lynch. He realized that he had a love and an affinity for non-profit numbers when he took the position of director of finance for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in New York City. The Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) in Washington, D.C. brought him and his family to the Baltimore area, where they now reside. John is very happy to be joining BlackRock after three years at STC; he can also still be heard singing with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. You can contact him at jwright@blackrockcenter.org or by calling 240.912.1055.

Marc A. Wright (Technical Director) has been a manager at the new performing arts complex at the University of Maryland, College Park, taught at American University, advised at Georgetown University, and been an assistant production manager for several theaters in the area. He also freelances as a lighting and scenery designer. Marc has a bachelor of arts degree from the College of William and Mary in theater, is married and has two children, girls ages 15 and 9. You can contact Marc at mwright@blackrockcenter.org or by calling 240.912.1051.

BLACKROCK TEACHER BIOS