Board of Directors

For Azimuth Theatre

Meet the Azimuth Board of Directors

President

Krista Chiponski

Krista Chiponski was born and raised in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory. Krista is currently the board president for Azimuth Theatre. She loves to support the work of emerging artists and underrepresented voices. Krista works at Statistics Canada as an analyst with the Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships. She acknowledges both her settler and Métis backgrounds and is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Vice-President

Jeannine Naboye Kroening

Jeannine Naboye Kroening (she/her) is a Filipina-Canadian emerging artist and arts administrator. She holds a Theatre Arts diploma with MacEwan University, and is finishing up her BA in Drama at the University of Alberta with a minor in Arts and Cultural Management with MacEwan University. For over 15 years, she has dedicated most of her life with a Filipino folk dance organization called the Karilagan Dance Society as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Karilagan has given her community to learn about her roots and culture through folk dance. She has been so fortunate to travel around the world with Karilagan performing and competing in places such as the Philippines, Italy, Spain and Hawaii.

As an emerging artist in this industry, she strives to create safe spaces for collaboration for underrepresented voices through performance and storytelling. Most of her original work as an artist explores her identity as a first generation Canadian in navigating its stigmas, sense of communities, and legacy. She hopes to elevate Filipino storytelling and share the culture through embracing folk dance and movement. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her family and friends, playing board games and trying as many different kinds of eggs benedicts in the city with her awesome husband. As part of Azimuth’s board, she is honored to be part of an organization that makes space and celebrates amazing people and art. She hopes to continue to help build a foundation for Azimuth to soar high, make a difference in the city, as well as put a spotlight on many important works.

Secretary

Adam Biddulph

Adam Biddulph (he/him) is an Edmonton artist and educator residing in the neighborhood of Idlewylde with his fiance Kaleb, and cat Lokki. Adam has been a member of the Azimuth board since 2022, and is a lover of live events, festivals and parties. As an English teacher, Adam has a passion for a "well done" narrative, and strongly believes in the power of story telling in theater. Aside from teaching and theater, Adam also loves skating, running, throwing parties and eating nachos. Adam is excited to be part of the Azimuth board, and to continue to build a vibrant community around arts and performance.

Treasurer

Connor Pylypa

Connor is a professional musician with over a decade of experience performing with bands including Ways in Waves, Megadance, and The Goddamnsels, as well as musical theatre performances for Scona Alumni Theatre Co and Uniform Theatre. Since graduating from MacEwan University’s Bachelor of Music program in 2015, he has become a mainstay musician at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival. Whether it's cosplaying his pop-punk idols in American Idiot: The Musical, channelling the greats in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, or exploring the ether in Ride the Cyclone, he's a multi-instrumentalist with an infectious energy to boot. In 2023, he stepped into his first Musical Director and Producer role for Greg Does Rufus: Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk, as well as contributing bass, guitar, and vocals to the performance. Connor is a frequent contributor for strategic growth for the local arts scene as a previous President for Sorry. Not Sorry Productions and in his current role as Treasurer for Azimuth Theatre Association.

Board of Directors

Samantha Blakney
Samantha Blakney currently calls Amiskwaciwâskahikan (colonially called Edmonton) her home base. She humbly acknowledges that she lives, works, and plays on Treaty 6 territory. Samantha currently works as an Interactions teacher. The Interactions program helps students with Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) learn, flourish, and grow in an adapted school environment. Samantha graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Arts focusing on History, Psychology, and Women and Gender studies in 2020. And from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education, specializing in elementary education. Samantha is passionate about the arts, theatre in particular, and incorporates dramatic play and instruction into her classrooms as much as possible. While attending the U of L she volunteered with New West Theatre. She is enthusiastic about her local community and aims to leave every place she leaves a little brighter. Samantha hopes to bring her dedication, enthusiasm and empathy to Azimuth’s board of directors and to help contribute to Azimuth Theatre’s already vibrant and thriving trajectory.

Sarah Barthel
Sarah Barthel (she/her) is an established Arts Administrator in Treaty 6 and is so excited to be back on the board of Azimuth Theatre. Currently, Sarah is the Faculty Governance Administrator of both the School of Business and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications at MacEwan University. Prior to this position, Sarah worked with Rapid Fire Theatre, Grindstone Theatre, SkirtsAfire Festival, The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, and the Art Gallery of Alberta. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a major in Arts and Cultural Management and is passionate about continuing her educational journey with a focus on Arts Law.

Tegan Siganski
Tegan Siganski has called Edmonton home for over a decade since leaving the Saskatchewan prairies in 2014 to pursue her dream to study Stage Management at the University of Alberta. Since graduating in 2017 Tegan has been working on creating a unique balance of Arts Administration and Strategic Business Partnerships. While growing her skills Tegan has been a prominent figure in Empress of Blandings Productions since 2016 to present day in Edmonton. Tegan has grown from Stage Manager to Producer/Production Manager with Empress of Blandings and is looking forward to future works with the company. Tegan currently is a Strategic Business Partner with Kay Rose Creative and freelance Strategic Coordinator.