Missed the Boat welcomes two new staff members.
It’s finally happened, folks. In addition to Erika Zabinski’s role as Managing Director, we’re able to provide two small positions that allow ongoing strategic development and operations management throughout the year, rather than on a haphazard volunteer basis. This is a huge step for Missed the Boat! Please welcome Samantha Wend Vargo as Operations and Events Director, and Mary Shaffer as Development and Communications Director.
These new directors are skilled strategists who will focus particular energy on developing a strategic plan for Missed the Boat and building systems and structures to implement it, as well as building new financial resources to support Missed the Boat’s core operations and work towards future programming goals. Through proactive communication, a mind for finance, systems, organizations, and capacity building, and a heart and soul for advocating passionately in service of the mission and vision of the organization, the directors strive to embody the ideals of servant leadership and charismatically shine light on Missed the Boat as a Catholic community theater worthy of sustained support and interest from a broad group of patrons, donors, and allies.
Samantha Wend Vargo, Operations and Events Director
Sam is a theater artist and manager, with more than a decade of experience in professional, educational, and community theater settings. Through working at Swim Pony Performing Arts and Pig Iron Theatre Company in Philadelphia, she was deeply immersed in all stages of the creation, development, and production of devised theater pieces. With a BS in Entertainment and Arts Management (Drexel University ’15) and an MA in Catholic Studies (University of St. Thomas ’22), Sam has the practical training, years of experience, and spiritual formation to help take Missed the Boat into a new stage of growth. Originally from the East coast, she moved to the Twin Cities just in time to dive into Missed the Boat’s first show and now lives happily in Saint Paul with her husband and cat.
Mary Shaffer, Development and Communications Director
Co-founder of Missed the Boat Theatre, Mary Shaffer studied Interdisciplinary Fine Arts with an Emphasis in Theatre at St. Olaf College, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with Departmental Distinction. She went on to complete a Masters of Arts in Theology from the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. An actress, director, creative writer, and singer, Mary possesses an explosive creative joy that brings spiritual and artistic richness to her endeavors. The director of Catholic Young Adults: The Musical, Moonshine Abbey, and Sense and Sensibility, she looks forward to raising up new talent within the MTBT family as the company continues to grow.