Staff and Board

Olga Levina is a co-founder of JCTC and as Executive Producer she oversees JCTC’s mission, visual and performing arts programming.  Under her leadership, JCTC’s team produced and presented theatre, music, dance, film, visual arts and other performances, including thematic series –Universal, Justice, Happiness, Identity, Vanity, Borderless, Disruptions and Fear and created such programs as JCTC-KIDS; JCTC-Conversations; Arts-4-All, JCTC-Films, Artists in Residency, DirectorsLab, Jersey City New Play Festival and The BOX. Levina has worked as a dancer-choreographer, actress and director. She graduated from Minsk School of the Performing Arts, studied acting with V. Bondarenko (Gorky’s Russian Theatre in Minsk),Yuri Lutinsky, acting and directing with Jorge Cacheiro (MFA in Theatre, MSU). Levina received Belarusian Philharmonic Award for the most creative choreography for Woman’s Nature in 1988. She also attended Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, Sally Jonson Studio, Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance(NYC) and holds BFA in Acting from Montclair University.Olga Levina is a co-founder of JCTC and as Executive Producer she oversees JCTC’s mission, visual and performing arts programming. Under her leadership, JCTC’s team produced and presented theatre, music, dance, film, visual arts and other performances, including thematic series –Universal, Justice, Happiness, Identity, Vanity, Borderless, Disruptions and Fear and created such programs as JCTC-KIDS; JCTC-Conversations; Arts-4-All, JCTC-Films, Artists in Residency, DirectorsLab, Jersey City New Play Festival and The BOX. Levina has worked as a dancer-choreographer, actress and director. She graduated from Minsk School of the Performing Arts, studied acting with V. Bondarenko (Gorky’s Russian Theatre in Minsk),Yuri Lutinsky, acting and directing with Jorge Cacheiro (MFA in Theatre, MSU). Levina received Belarusian Philharmonic Award for the most creative choreography for Woman’s Nature in 1988. She also attended Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, Sally Jonson Studio, Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance(NYC) and holds BFA in Acting from Montclair University.

Mr. Abdurakhmanov was a Professor of Acting and Directing at the Tashkent Arts and Culture Institute since 1980, and Chairman of the Uzbek Center of International Association of Theatres for Children and Youth since 1997. He holds the highest State Awards for Art in both Uzbekistan and Russia. Other prizes include: Honored Worker of Arts of Uzbekistan, Knight of Pushkin Medal – The State Award of Russia.
As a professor of theatre arts, Mr. Abdurakhmanov’s work stems from the Theatre School of Stanislavsky, incorporates core aspects of Vakhtangov, Grotowski, Boleslavsky, and other theatrical lineages to create an original acting methodology. He has taught acting and directing, directed and given master classes in prominent theatre schools in Uzbekistan, Russia, Germany, and Israel. His students work professionally in esteemed theaters in Uzbekistan, Russia and abroad.

Mark is a NY/NJ based director. Prior to JCTC, he spent the last four years as the associate artistic director of Mile Square Theater in Hoboken. NY world premieres: The Net Will Appear by Erin Mallon starring Richard Masur (59E59), The Hounds of War by Bill Holland (Abingdon Theatre), The Little Princess by Jennifer Bowen (June Havoc Theatre), The Judgment of Fools by Bernardo Cubria (INTAR Theatre). Comfort Women: A New Musical by Dimo Kim (Peter Jay Sharp Theater – Associate Director), His production of Honour by Dipti Mehta currently tours North America. Mark directed the first academic productions of Annie Baker’s The Aliens and Rajiv Jospeh’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. He is the resident director of InViolet Theatre and co-founder of Wee Man Productions. Mark is currently on faculty at The Peddie School. He graduated Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts with his MFA in Directing, earning the Dean John I Bettenbender Award for Artistic Excellence.

John Paul Garcia is currently the Office Manager/Bookkeeper/Private Events Coordinator at White Eagle Hall, the premier live music destination in North Jersey. When he’s not multitasking at the place he truly calls his second home, he is busy multitasking with quite a few other things. He also manages a mixed-use building in Clifton, NJ as well as helming his own bookkeeping company, Eleven Eleven Enterprises LLC (https://elevenelevenentllc.wixsite.com/website). With over 25 years hands on experience in bookkeeping and office management, John Paul defines the term “administrative and financial guru.” (linkedin.com/in/john-paul-garcia-3610679/)

John Paul did study screenwriting at Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with a BFA (with honors). However, his true passion is music. John Paul has been a semi-professional guitarist in his past, playing in many different genres of music, among them rock, a tri-state cover band, a Spanish Rock band and a Cuban Salsa band, among other musical interests. He did record an independent recording with a few friends, intertwining the Caribbean sounds of bachata with many different contemporary styles of music (https://www.reverbnation.com/gruporelax). Currently, John Paul is playing at open mics when possible in the hopes of getting into another musical situation (www.youtube.com/jaypgee1973)

Finally, none of this would make sense unless he was truly first and foremost dedicated to his daughter. Raising her as a single dad is the singularly most rewarding yet hardest thing he’s ever done. But he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Maxim Andriyovych is a professional graphic designer from Ukraine with a primary passion for creating unique and creative Brand Identities. His design philosophy focuses on harmonious integration of concept and execution, where thoughtful design unlocks a brand’s full potential. Maxim has dedicated himself to refining his skills and optimizing his creative process for over a decade, working with clients and agencies worldwide.

Currently, as the Design Director at JCTC, Maxim leads the visual identity and creative direction for all print and digital elements of the theater. His vision allows audiences to explore the arts through diverse worlds of creativity.

He also continues to create new and exciting work through his design studio.

Tolonda Ross is a trailblazer. She is an award-winning real estate agent and investor who retired early to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. During her 31 years of dedicated service to the City of Jersey City, she served as the first black Deputy City Clerk and first black Alternate Registrar. In that capacity, Tolonda penned countless resolutions and ordinances for the Jersey City Municipal Council and in October 2013, she signed Jersey City’s first same-sex marriage license.
Her dynamic personality and entrepreneurial spirit propelled her to become the “solopreneur” of TiGRess Consulting LLC and Art-In-Heels. As the owner of TiGRess Consulting LLC, Tolonda specializes in helping clients transform ideas and event dreams into reality. With her extensive expertise in branding, graphic design, and social media marketing, she has built a reputation for creating unforgettable experiences that leave a lasting impression. Through her unwavering dedication to excellence and empowering others, Tolonda has proven herself a true leader. She owned and operated The Loft Art Lounge in Jersey City (January 2020-January 2025), a unique creative event space that doubled as a collaboration hub for local artists and entrepreneurs.
From 2015 to 2020, Tolonda shaped the tone and direction of the Urban Times News as the editor-in-chief, representing the newspaper’s editorial stance. Tolonda successfully transitioned the publication from a political focus to one that encompassed a broader range of community news. She recently self-published a series of journals under the pen name Tigress Ross, adding author to her impressive list of titles. Her commitment to service, entrepreneurship, and creativity is a shining example of how passion can be translated into purpose.
Tolonda Ross is a seasoned Northern NJ REALTOR® with Pinnacle Real Estate Group LLC and serves on the New Jersey REALTORS® Equal Opportunity/Cultural Diversity Committee.
She earned the At Home with Diversity® (AHWD), Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA), and e-PRO® certifications from the National Association of REALTORS® and has received several awards and accolades for her dedication to the real estate industry and local community. Tolonda holds a BA in Marketing (Saint Peter’s University), an MBA in Information Systems (Saint Peter’s University and an MPA in Public Administration (Fairleigh Dickinson University). Looking back on her academic journey, Tolonda knows that each degree was essential to her journey.

Paul Dennison is a management consultant at Dennison Associates, who provides consulting services in the areas of corporate and philanthropic partnership development, organizational management, strategic framework, creative placemaking, grant management and data analysis. He has over 25 years consulting experience that includes information technology.

Paul strives to create conditions to appreciate and effectively assess the needs of organizations and programs. Stakeholders, including individuals’ purpose and goals are included into their strategies that help develop tools for distinctive action that have decisive impact.

He supports arts and culture community revitalization and through creative placemaking initiatives he works to raise awareness and increase dialogue among area stakeholders to expand and develop areas of support to make arts, culture and design an integral element of community development, economic opportunity and urban planning strategies.

Along with volunteer work as a Museum of Jersey City History (MJCH) board member, Paul serves as Board President with Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC), a nonprofit arts and culture organization that focuses on social, social justice, political and equity issues thru theater, visual arts, music, dance and community collaborative engagement.

Ben LoPiccolo serves as the CEO and partner of BLDG-UP, a dynamic real estate development firm focused on optimizing and elevating the value of every project they undertake. Boasting an extensive career spanning about three decades in the industry, Ben’s journey commenced with the renovation of luxury homes in Manhattan.

His enterprising spirit led him to Jersey City in the late ’90s, where he orchestrated the transformation of his start-up into a multi-million-dollar development firm. Ben’s expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence have garnered him numerous accolades and widespread recognition in development. His work has been featured in esteemed media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Curbed, NBC, and more.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Ben actively contributes to the community as a devoted board member, visionary founder, and enthusiastic volunteer at the Jersey City Theater Center. In his personal life, he finds joy in spending quality time with his cherished family, exploring new destinations through travel, and connecting with the serenity of nature.

Maria L. Nieves is a change management specialist with three decades of experience helping organizations succeed, grow, and evolve by using her background in project management and talent development. Throughout her career she has guided organizations and teams to achieve ambitious strategic visions.

Maria was most recently the President & CEO of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, where, during her 11-year tenure, she helped increase membership growth by 20% annually and transformed the Chamber into a highly respected organization providing tangible value to its members, including high-quality programming, benefits, and resources. Under her leadership, the Chamber launched #HudsonGives, an annual, competitive giving day that helped more than 100 local Hudson County nonprofits raise nearly $2 million over four years and engaged more than 5000 individual donors. The Chamber also launched a highly successful Women of Commerce Council and an annual diversity conference called HOLA. During her time at the Chamber, she developed numerous partnerships with corporate sponsors to develop a robust calendar programming and saw the Chamber’s retention or members exceed 90% annually.

She is currently enrolled in a RN program at Holy Name Medical Center School of Nursing.

Tiffany E. McQueary was born in Hoboken, NJ and raised in Jersey City, NJ. She attended PS #15 in Jersey City, where she excelled academically. She attended Marist High School in Bayonne and was awarded the Scholar-Athlete Award upon graduation. Tiffany would then continue her academic career at New Jersey City University, where she served on the Student Government Executive Board and pledged a Community Service Fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. It was during college that Tiffany realized that she had a deep passion for helping others after participating in multiple Habitat for Humanity Alternative Spring Breaks. After graduating with honors in 2008, she then began working as Program Coordinator for Suits for Success Hudson County (previously known as Dress for Success Hudson County). While at Suits for Success, Tiffany helped thousands of
clients on their journey to self-sufficiency, ensuring that they received the skills and resources that they needed. In 2009, while working at Suits for Success, Tiffany went back to school to pursue her master’s
degree in Public Administration (MPA).
In 2011, Tiffany decided to get more involved in her local community and joined the I Love Greenville Community Partnership (ILGCP), led by Garden State CDC and worked along with a group of Steering Committee Members to develop the Greenville Community Plan (GCP),which addresses the most important issues in the Greenville community as identified by the community residents and stakeholders. Since 2016, Tiffany has served as chair of the I Love Greenville Community Partnership, the group that formed during that GCP planning process and has worked collectively to secure millions of Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) funding for organizations to focus on projects that address quality of life issues related to housing, employment, education, health and wellness, and economic development.
Tiffany received honors when graduating with her MPA in 2012 and took her talents to Marist High School as the Director of Marketing & Admissions where she worked to increase enrollment. In 2016, Tiffany was promoted to Chief Advancement Officer, and in 2017 she led a campaign that to postpone the inevitable closing of the school. After Marist closed its doors in 2020, Tiffany then went on to work for the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth as the Director of evelopment & Marketing, where she built a development program from the ground up. Since November of 2022, Tiffany has been serving as the first Development Officer for the Jersey City Free Public Library.

Tiffany E. McQueary was born in Hoboken, NJ and raised in Jersey City, NJ. She attended PS #15 in Jersey City, where she excelled academically. She attended Marist High School in Bayonne and was awarded the Scholar-Athlete Award upon graduation. Tiffany would then continue her academic career at New Jersey City University, where she served on the Student Government Executive Board and pledged a Community Service Fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. It was during college that Tiffany realized that she had a deep passion for helping others after participating in multiple Habitat for Humanity Alternative Spring Breaks. After graduating with honors in 2008, she then began working as Program Coordinator for Suits for Success Hudson County (previously known as Dress for Success Hudson County). While at Suits for Success, Tiffany helped thousands of clients on their journey to self-sufficiency, ensuring that they received the skills and resources that they needed. In 2009, while working at Suits for Success, Tiffany went back to school to pursue her master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA). In 2011, Tiffany decided to get more involved in her local community and joined the I Love Greenville Community Partnership (ILGCP), led by Garden State CDC and worked along with a group of Steering Committee Members to develop the Greenville Community Plan (GCP),which addresses the most important issues in the Greenville community as identified by the community residents and stakeholders. Since 2016, Tiffany has served as chair of the I Love Greenville Community Partnership, the group that formed during that GCP planning process and has worked collectively to secure millions of Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) funding for organizations to focus on projects that address quality of life issues related to housing, employment, education, health and wellness, and economic development. Tiffany received honors when graduating with her MPA in 2012 and took her talents to Marist High School as the Director of Marketing & Admissions where she worked to increase enrollment. In 2016, Tiffany was promoted to Chief Advancement Officer, and in 2017 she led a campaign that to postpone the inevitable closing of the school. After Marist closed its doors in 2020, Tiffany then went on to work for the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth as the Director of evelopment & Marketing, where she built a development program from the ground up. Since November of 2022, Tiffany has been serving as the first Development Officer for the Jersey City Free Public Library.