Full Circle Players Board
Finding Inspiration in Every Act
The Full Circle Players board is dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion as we strive to bring world-class theatre to Riverside, California, and the Inland Empire. As a board and company, we hold ourselves to high artistic, professional, and personal standards.
Meet The Board
Wendi Johnson
President
Thaddies Jackson
Secretary
Cynthia Navarro
Treasurer
Wendi has a Masters in Shakespearean Studies, emphasis directing, bachelors in Theatre with an acting emphasis from Cal State San Bernardino. Currently, Master in Directing Candidate at Roosevelt University, Chicago School of the Performing Arts. She is the Director of Theatre at Henry J Kaiser High School in Fontana and honored to be the Founding Artistic Director and President of Full Circle Players.
Thaddies Jackson is a professional actor and local philanthropist. He has dedicated many of his efforts to community theatre, education, and youth activities. He has been quoted saying “This isn’t how any of us expected this year to go, but true strength lies in the ability to adapt; and adapt we shall."
Cynthia has had a lifelong love for theatre and acting, and she has performed in multiple productions throughout the Inland Empire. She earned her B.A. in Theatre, Film and Digital Production with an emphasis in Acting and Directing from UC Riverside. She is a passionate advocate for diversifying the arts and amplifying BIPOC voices in the theatre community.
Erica Batres
Social Media
Matthew Johnson
Executive Director
Sarah Sheppeck
Member at Large
Erica is an activist, actor, and student at the University of California Irvine. She is continuously advocating to provide a more successful and equitable industry for BIPOC performers. She is excited to work along side these incredible artists!
Matthew is a graduate of the MFA Creative Writing program at University of Riverside Palm Desert. He has published fantasy short stories in “The Blackest Knights” and “Blackest Spells” anthologies, Lazarus Rising a zombie play, and is currently working on a slasher play.
Sarah Sheppeck (they/she) is a writer, editor, and performer. They are the co-Editor-in-Chief of queer literary and fashion magazine just femme & dandy, as well as the Managing Editor of Crash Course series How To College. Born and raised in upstate New York, they are now back in their hometown after stints in Vegas, LA, Brooklyn, and the woods of northern Maine. They enjoy watching TV with their beloved dog daughter, Chloe, and reading crime novels with their horrible cat son, Rita Moreno.
Pryde Pierce
Member at Large
Jeremy Mercado
Member at Large
A.E. Santana
Communications Manager
Pryde is an award winning independent filmmaker, actor, and videographer. Among his accomplishments is a Best Actor award given to him when his short film "Hemorrhage" screened at the Directors Guild of America in the 48 Film Festival.
Jeremy Mercado is an actor who graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in acting, in 2017. He has loved theatre all his life and has taken part in several Full Circle Players productions including Othello, A Very Dickens Christmas Carol, and Merry Wives of Windsor.
A.E. Santana is a writer and editor who's works can be found in Latinx Screams and other publications. She is a member of the Horror Writers Association and received her MFA in fiction from the University of California, Riverside's low-residency program. Her perfect day consists of a cup of black tea and her cat, Flynn Kermit.
Rebecca Reber
Member at Large
Rebecca is a classically trained actress with 30 years of stage experience. She studied at both Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal State Northridge before moving to the Inland Empire. Rebecca has been a specialized educator for 22 years working with teen parents and their infants. Rebecca has performed in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Hamlet with Full Circle Players.