Management Team

Renee Bodie (she/her) is the General Manager of Soka Performing Arts Center, having taken the lead position in 2018. She is a seasoned arts professional, with a career spanning over 25 years of performing arts organization leadership. Known for her creative and innovative artistic direction, Renee brings a history of growing audiences and connecting communities through relevant cross-cultural programming that builds bridges and spans multiple genres.

Renee came to Soka after her tenure as Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion Greater Los Angeles & Pasadena, where she merged two previous non-profit organizations running two venues in the Greater L.A. area into one focused organization, producing over 100 performances each year in two venues and covering multiple genres of music, youth programming, and intern programs.

She served as President and a Board Member of Folk Alliance International for nine years, and served as the Chair of the Performance Rights Committee, negotiating music licensing issues on behalf of FAI venues and musicians, and co-authoring the white paper “Understanding Copyright, Royalties, and Practical Application in Folk Music.” She also served as President/CEO of an independent music production company that produced live concerts, festivals, and music conferences throughout the country for over 15 years. 

“I am passionate about the power of music to uplift and elevate the human experience. I look for programming that engages our audience and connects cultures, and coupled with our pristine acoustics creates an exquisite listening experience. To come away expanded and enriched, better in some way than when we entered — that is the goal.”

A Southern California native, Renee was raised in Palos Verdes, received her Bachelor’s Degree from UC Davis, and lived in Agoura Hills and Pasadena before settling in Orange County.

As the Production Manager at Soka Performing Arts Center, Steve Baker serves as the logistics coordinator for all events occurring in the Performing Arts Center, ensuring a high-quality experience from beginning to end. He is responsible for managing and implementation of production and operational needs for all events, ensuring a smooth and safe experience for all. Steve also coordinates hospitality, transportation, and lodging for artists, and oversees stage management. He works closely with the technical staff to schedule and execute shows, ensuring seamless operations and exceptional audience experiences. Steve also manages and guides the student production team, making sure that each performance runs smoothly and efficiently.

Steve was also our former House Manager since 2013 for and was responsible for ensuring the safety and security of patrons attending the PAC. 

Steve is a veteran event producer with extensive experience in event management. Through his event management company he has produced numerous large scale music festivals, concerts, and conference events in a wide range of venues around the country including Carnegie Hall, REDCAT and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. His work with the Walt Disney Company shaped his standard of excellence and customer service approach. Steve’s clients comprise some of the most influential arts organizations in the country including the National Endowment for the Arts, Western Arts Alliance, Arts Midwest and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

John brings a wealth of experience to the Soka Performing Arts Center with over 25 years in ticketing and patron services. Prior to arriving at Soka in 2019, John led teams at South Coast Repertory, UC San Diego, Anaheim Convention Center, Coachella, Live Nation, and House of Blues, managing ticketing operations for venues and events ranging from 200-20,000 seating capacities.

At the Soka Performing Arts Center, John oversees all the Box Office operations including programming and managing our ticketing software system, daily sales accounting, financial reconciliations, ticket account management and fulfillment, as well as training and managing a team of 25 Soka student staff.

John is passionate about the most important aspect of his position, which is to ensure a smooth and hospitable patron experience from purchasing single tickets or subscriptions to being seated and ready to enjoy a performance in our world-class Concert Hall.

John is a strong believer in the positive power of music, having absorbed the experience of many musical cultures around the world, most notably from India where he has visited numerous times. He is also grateful to contribute to bringing music and the arts to a wide audience and supporting the mission of Soka University to “foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life.”

As a Technical Specialist and Audio Visual Engineer with 28 plus years of experience in the field of the performing arts, Jarmil Maupin comes with great enthusiasm and appreciation to be Soka Performing Arts Center’s Production Manager. Jarmil has worked with Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney Entertainment Division, Sony Pictures, RH Factor and numerous independent Film and Production Companies. He has also been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and multiple Golden Reel Awards for best sound in a Motion Picture and Television Series. Jarmil teaches sound design, audio, staging techniques and oversees and manages the technical requirements for contracted events. He has had the great pleasure in serving the campus community of the Ruth B. Shannon Center for The Performing Arts, Whittier College for 25 years, where he took part in creating the longest running Aloha Concert Series in the Nation. Over this time period, Jarmil has taken on several different roles in leadership and responsibilities providing solutions, services and training.

Jaime (she/her) joined the Soka Performing Arts Center in December 2021 as Marketing & Communications Manager. She manages the Performing Arts Center’s website, mobile app and artist marketing materials, in addition to handling media communications for upcoming events.

Jaime brings extensive marketing experience gained from working with both performing artists and venues alike for over two decades. Prior to her role at Soka, Jaime worked at Baylin Artists Management handling artists’ press kits, tour itineraries and the agency website. She was Founding and Executive Director of Auria European Chamber Orchestra based in Italy and also a freelance bassoonist performing with groups such as the Symphonica Toscanini directed by Lorin Maazel. In addition, Jaime acted as an international artist correspondent and translation consultant with the Orchestra da Camera di Mantova in northern Italy.

A native of Colorado, Jaime received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance at CU-Boulder and then went abroad to receive her MA from the Lucio Campiani Conservatory in Italy. She speaks fluent Italian and currently lives with her husband, daughter and fur kids in Aliso Viejo.

Jaime is a strong believer that the “arts have the power to heal and offer respite from the everyday stress of life.”

Joe Nicholls ‘22

Joe Nicholls serves as the Assistant to the Marketing and Communications Manager at Soka Performing Arts Center. In this role, they support the promotion of various performances to the Soka University of America (SUA) community and beyond. Their responsibilities include overseeing social media content creation, building programs and email communications, and crafting narratives that “elevate, educate, and engage” the human spirit through music. They began their journey at Soka PAC as a student assistant in 2017 and have since gained valuable experience in marketing roles across the UK and the US. They notably contributed to the 2023 Academy Awards® in Hollywood and have worked in both the healthcare and entertainment industries. They are passionate about SUA’s mission to foster global citizens and are dedicated to enhancing the cultural life of the SUA and Southern California communities.

As House Manager, Antoinette Rossman is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of patrons attending the Soka Performing Arts Center. Antoinette oversees the orderly management of front of house concert operations in the Concert Hall and Black Box Theater including the movement and seating of patrons, supervising the usher staff and directing patrons’ on-site customer service and hospitality experience, before, during and after concerts. Antoinette also interfaces with the technical staff on the timing of shows, develops and presents training programs (including safety training) and coordinates with the Box Office Manager to forecast and mitigate ticketing and seating issues during high-traffic events.

Antoinette Rossman is a Southern California native with a background in performing arts both on stage and behind the scenes. A former actress and dancer, Antoinette started her patron services career as House Manager at the El Camino College Center for Performing Arts in Torrance California. She later ventured to the Pacific Northwest to become the front of House Manager at Seattle Reparatory Theater in Seattle Washington. There she gained a wealth of knowledge as she managed the patron experience for 3 theater spaces, executed opening night and gala events all while contributing to world class Tony award winning theater at one of the largest original production theaters on the West Coast. She also managed venues for the pacific northwest music and arts festivals Bumbershoot and Northwest Folklife at Seattle Center.

After five years at Seattle Rep, she then moved on to pursue several creative pursuits including the culinary arts, after which she began cooking in some of Portland’s most popular restaurants. But Antoinette missed her connection to the magic of live performance and planned her return to the performing Arts world. She decided to come home to California, where she returned to El Camino College Center for Performing Arts as house manager before the culmination of many years’ experiences brought her here to Soka Performing Arts Center as Front of House Manager. A great lover of music, Antoinette boasts having seen an estimated 500+ concerts across musical genres and across the country, but this is her first position managing a performing arts venue solely focused on music.

“I am so grateful to music for infusing constant joy into my life. I think it’s so important that everyone has the chance to experience that, and I relish the privilege to be part of giving others that experience.”