Leadership & Staff

(he/him) Co-founded San Diego REP with D.W. Jacobs in 1976, and has since worked as a director, producer or actor on more than 280 productions. As an actor, he has performed on The REP stages in The Seafarer, in the title role of King Lear, Proof, Hamlet and with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra in the title role of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. His recent directorial work with The REP includes: Fun Home, Beachtown, Hand to God, EVITA, Manifest Destinitis, The Oldest Boy, Violet, Oedipus El Rey, HONKY, El Henry (with La Jolla Playhouse) Venus in Fur, In the Heights, Federal Jazz Project and In the Next Room or the vibrator play. In 2011 he directed American Night: The Ballad of Juan José for the Denver Center Theatre Company. In 2003, he was awarded the Patté Shiley Award for Lifetime Achievement by KPBS and the prestigious Alonzo Award by the Downtown San Diego Partnership. In, 2006, he and Jacobs were honored with the Craig Noel Award by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle for 30 years of artistic dedication to downtown and diversity.

Abigail Buell has spent the last 16 years as a theatrical leader in New York City. Most recently, she was the Head of Marketing at RWS Entertainment Group, the largest provider of live entertainment for the hospitality, leisure and attractions, municipality, theatrical and corporate industries across North America. Prior to that, she led all marketing for numerous Broadway productions including To Kill A Mockingbird starring Jeff Daniels, King Lear starring Glenda Jackson, Hillary and Clinton, Taylor Mac's Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus starring Nathan Lane, West Side Story, The Lehman Trilogy, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, as well as the upcoming production of The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman. Prior to her Broadway tenure, she held leadership positions at The Joyce Theatre and The Schimmel Center for the Arts. Abigail has both produced and marketed hundreds of theatrical productions, concerts, dance performances and more throughout her career. She is a graduate of the Commercial Theatre Institute and holds a dual degree in Pre-Law and Advertising Management from Drake University. Abigail and her fiancé, Michael are delighted to be living in San Diego with their dog, Lucy.

(he/him) Todd Salovey is in his 29th season at The REP.  He is founding artistic director of the REP’s Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival and last year was honored for its 25th anniversary.  Recent REP directing includes Outside Mullingar, and the world premieres of The Dybbuk for Hannah and Sam’s Wedding which he also wrote and Herbert Siguenza's Steal Heaven.  Other REP work with Siguenza includes the premieres In the Time of the Butterflies and A Weekend with Pablo Picasso, which has also played at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Denver Center, Arizona Theatre Co, San Jose Stage, Los Angeles Theatre Center and Center Arts REP.  Acclaimed REP shows include A Hammer, A Bell and A Song to Sing and The Blessing of a Broken Heart which he authored, The Dybbuk, King Lear, Uncle Vanya, The Illusion, the world premiere of Yehuda Hyman’s The Mad Dancers and Hamlet starring Jefferson Mays. Salovey is on faculty in Theatre and Dance, and the Rady School of University of California, San Diego where he received a 2018 Distinguished Teaching Award.

Chelsea Smith (she/her) enjoyed working as an Actor, Director, Playwright, Wardrobe Manager, and Stage Manager before taking on the role of Production Manager at San Diego REP in 2009. While here, she has stage managed world premiere theatre, produced large cultural festivals, and managed the hundreds of local and traveling companies who have performed at the Lyceum Theatre throughout the last 11 seasons. To now be serving as Interim Production Manager is a great honor. Recently, Chelsea has worked with Reduced Shakespeare Company, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Backyard Productions, and LeRoy Productions, to name a few. Chelsea studied Dramatic Arts at the University of California, Davis.  Lastly, Chelsea is proud to be the wife of Anthony Smith, who supports her in everything.

Matt (he/him) brings over 17 years of nonprofit marketing, management and leadership experience in the performing arts field. Some of the organizations Matt has worked with include South Coast Repertory, The Blank Theatre, Shawnee Summer Theatre, The Arden Theatre Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cal Rep and The Geffen Playhouse. Matt most recently served as Director of Marketing and Communications at Arizona Theatre Company and has since founded a successful marketing and management firm, SuperYou Solutions. He possesses an MBA/MFA in Theatre Management from California State University, Long Beach. Matt lives with his wife, and partner in all things, Jodie and their cats, Sid and Leah.

Virginia (she/her) brings more than 20 years of experience in accounting and financial management to the role of Director of Finance at The REP. As the grant manager for the UCSD Structural Engineering department, Virginia was responsible for the management of multi-million dollar California Department of Transportation grants. After a short break when her children were born, Virginia entered the non-profit world, managing the accounting, payroll and human resources departments for multiple small entities. Most recently, she worked in the health care arena, navigating complex regulatory issues as well as day-to-day business operations and brings a level of professionalism, accountability and exacting standards to our organization. Virginia is thrilled to be involved in an arts organization, as her degree from the University of Pennsylvania was in Art History.