The Groundlings is a non-profit organization, founded in 1974 by Gary Austin. This generous team of professionals, Groundlings and Groundlings Alumni, dedicate their time to ensuring the prosperity and longevity of The Groundlings Theatre and School.
Joseph Yoshitomi
Chairperson
Joseph Yoshitomi has nearly 20 years of arts administration experience in not-for-profit producing and presenting organizations, for-profit media and technology companies serving the performing arts, and as an outside consultant on special projects for individual artists and companies. He currently serves as the Vice President and General Manager for Dallas Summer Musicals, was the first and only VP Marketing for TheaterMania/OvationTix leading up to that company’s sale, and also served as Director of Marketing & Communications for Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles where he oversaw marketing during that not-for-profit theater’s largest artistic programming and earned-revenue expansion. He is a speaker at national conferences such as INTIX and those organized by Americans for the Arts and Theatre Communications Group. His marketing and communications methods have been reported as innovations in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and American Theatre Magazine. He currently serves on the board of The Groundlings and has served on the boards of LA Stage Alliance and the Foundation for New American Musicals. He has independently produced theater, and began his career as a Los Angeles County/J. Paul Getty Arts Administration Intern at The Pasadena Playhouse.
Nicholas Antonian
Treasurer
Nick Antonian, CPA, MBA is the Treasurer of the Groundlings. He is currently a Director at Marcum LLP in the Firm’s Los Angeles office. As a member of the Assurance Service practice and National Retail and Consumer Products Group, he works on the financial audits and reviews for multiple clients as well as mergers and acquisitions. His experience includes working with clients in the high technology, manufacturing, distribution, furniture, and retail and apparel industries and provides post-audit business consulting services including financial forecasts, advanced modeling and recommendations for operational efficiencies. Nick can be contacted at [email protected].
Julia Fisher
Julia Fischer joined the team in June 2017. As Vice President of Organizational Consulting, she is responsible for leading ESC’s consulting engagements in all our core services. Julia oversees all projects from planning through implementation and impact while deeply involved in managing client and consultant relationships to ensure high-quality service delivery.
Julia earned her PsyD in Organizational Psychology from Phillips Graduate University, and holds a MFA in Directing from the University of Minnesota. She served as Artistic Director for a critically acclaimed, arts non-profit for seven years, after which she worked in higher education administration at the University of Minnesota, UCLA, and Phillips Graduate University. As an ICF certified executive coach, she helps women build leadership capacity, and also guides artists through creative challenges. In her consulting practice, she focuses on change management and retreat facilitation for small, creative firms. Julia serves on the inaugural board of Wild Art Group.
In her time off, Julia enjoys fixing up her Joshua Tree cabin, rooting for the Dodgers, and doing just about anything that involves her dogs, Miles and Scarlett. She’s also a sucker for a good sunset.
Phyllis Katz
Groundlings Alumna
A pioneer member and former director of The Groundlings, Phyllis has enjoyed working in TV, film and stage as an actor, writer and director. Her one-woman show, "Katz: Music & Characters," won a Drama-Logue award for best performance; her play, "Codependently Yours," was an L.A. Weekly award nominee; and her first film short, "Shoedini," ran on I-film for a year with a 10 rating. She most recently appeared in RENO 911!, STRONG MEDICINE, and the film, TAKING THE PLUNGE, and was the female lead on Showtime’s cult comedy, SHERMAN OAKS. As a songwriter, she co-authored three TV theme songs, and the anthem for Project Literacy, and was a regular contributor to FX’s SON OF THE BEACH. In addition to co-creating The Groundlings School, Phyllis does private coaching and conducts writing, character development, and song improv workshops across the country. She is a contributing writer for OurLa.org, and her first book, "Hipwrecked: My Health Insurance Sucked, So I Went to India" is now available!
Jonathan Sánchez Leos
Jonathan Sánchez Leos is currently the Director of Fellow Affairs and Title IX Coordinator at the American Film Institute. In that role, he co-created (along with current Groundling SAMANTHA DE SURRA) "Young Women in Film" - a program dedicated to teaching underserved populations the art of filmmaking, and sponsored by the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation and the LA Department of Cultural Affairs. In 2019, he was chosen as an Eisenhower Fellow and traveled extensively throughout China to speak on issues dealing with diversity & representation in that role. Prior to coming to Los Angeles, Jonathan was a Fulbright Clinton Fellow in Ukraine where he advised on national youth policy issues; and a Presidential Management Fellow for the US Department of Justice and the US Department of Health & Human Services. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Russian. A native of Chicago, Jonathan has dedicated his work to giving voice to underrepresented populations and serving as a champion for diversity and equity. He can be reached at [email protected]
Matt Levy
Matt Levy is a partner at the entertainment law firm Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman L.L.P., where he specializes in the representation of emerging and established talent and production companies in the film, scripted and unscripted television, and digital media industries. Prior to practicing talent-side transactional entertainment law in TV and Film, Matt began his legal career as an entertainment litigator and music industry attorney, and before that, he served as an assistant tour manager on an international tour for KC and the Sunshine Band and the Village People.
Michael Churven
Groundlings Main Company Member
Michael Churven is a director, actor and writer based in Los Angeles. Recent acting credits include ABC’s MODERN FAMILY, Adult Swim’s MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES, the feature film WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY with Molly Shannon and the JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL in Montreal. Directing credits include the award winning short film TROUGHMAN (Best Humor Award at the Hump Film Festival), and the short films JAZZ and BREAKFAST IN BED (Official Selection at the LA Film Festival). He also hosts the Groundlings podcast BREAKING GROUND, currently in its second season. He regularly directs, teaches and performs at improv festivals throughout Europe and Australia.
David Crabb
Groundlings Main Company Member
David is a writer, performer & creator of the solo show “Bad Kid” (New York Times Critics’ Pick) and writer of the memoir “Bad Kid" (Harper Perennial). His upcoming credits include “Sex Lives of College Girls,” & “Rambler” with Owen Wilson. You can hear him playing multiple weirdos on Wondery’s “This Job is History" with Chris Parnell. David has performed solo works in LA, Australia, Scotland, Texas & NYC and his storytelling has been featured on NPR, Buzzfeed & The Moth. He’s the host of Risk! at Lyric Hyperion in LA.
Emily Pendergast
Groundlings Main Company Member
Emily is from Youngstown, Ohio and graduated from Ohio University (she has 1804 tattooed on her side to prove it). She can be seen in the COMEDY CENTRAL movie, OUT OF OFFICE, the new HBO Series WHITE HOUSE PLUMBERS and this season of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. She is the voice of Frances in Adult Swim’s new show COMMON SIDE EFFECTS. Some other credits include: The final season of VEEP as Jonah’s wife/half/step sister, Beth Ryan. LAROY, WE’RE DOING GOOD, MIRACLE WORKERS, THE CONNERS, WE BROKE UP, INDEBTED, LOVE, MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES and other fun stuff! She is over the moon to be a member of the Main Company!! She thanks her dog, husband, and family for their support and unconditional love. In that order? Probably. Em wants to remind you to ADOPT don’t shop. She has felt the unconditional love from her soulmate dog, Langdam, who was rescued from Long Beach Shelter and her newest house hippo, Winter, brought to her by @labellefoundation and @debfeldbloom. Dogs are better than humans, we all know it’s true! #MorningsWithLang are forever.