Office Staff

STEVEN C. HELSEL - OPERATIONS MANAGER
Operations Manager, Steven C. Helsel, has been with the organization in that capacity for the past 17 years and is the group’s sole full-time employee. He first got involved with ACT as a volunteer from 1977 to 1984, serving part of that time as President of ACT’s Board of Directors. Then, after three years working in Los Angeles as Director of Programs and Services for The California Theatre Council, Steve returned to ACT when the position of Operations Manager was established. He currently is President of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Theatres (PACT) and the Eastern States Theatre Association (ESTA), is a state contact person for the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance (PRAA). In December 1998, Steve received an Outstanding Service to the Arts award from the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. He frequently volunteers for ACT as a director, set designer and lighting designer. He also has directed for and acted with other area companies like Allegheny Highlands Regional Theatre and Tyrone Community Players.

SARAH SLEP - ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Sarah Slep first worked with ACT in the fall of 2005 and has been involved in almost every production since that time. She was born and raised in Altoona, graduated from Altoona High School, and received a bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University Park in the summer of 2005.

MICHELLE McGOWAN - WARDROBE ASSISTANT
Michelle’s first involvement with the troupe was in 1980 when she auditioned for and was cast as Fastrada, the mother of Pippin. Since then, she has played many leading and supporting roles but the costumes she has designed for countless productions have been stars in their own right. She also is employed part-time as a receptionist and secretary for Blair County Arts Foundation.