Our Students
Laine Goerner, MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Over the past twenty years, Laine Goerner (she/her) has been involved in bringing theatrical works to life - serving as stage and production manager for a wide variety of events. She currently serves as the Production and Rentals Manager at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech, where she has been working over ten years, providing high level production and administrative support for all events at the Center.
Her early career was centered in New York City, where she served as the Production Stage Manager for the Vocal Arts Department at the Juilliard School, Assistant Stage Manager for New York City Ballet, as well as freelance stage and production management including works with New York Philharmonic, Giants are Small, Manhattan School of Music, Dicapo Opera, Knoxville Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre Center, Castleton Opera, and The Talking Band. In addition to traditional theatre, opera, and dance work, Laine also has served as an exhibition manager for Architects of Air, a company that builds large inflatable sculptures that are installed all over the world and provide a unique experience for guests to walk through and experience color and light in a new way.
Laine is looking forward to this opportunity to expand her knowledge in arts leadership with the great team of faculty and students here at Virginia Tech.
Madysen Moreno, 2028 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Madysen Moreno (she/her) is a composer, musician, and graduate of Santa Clara University, where she earned a B.A. in Music and Philosophy. Her interdisciplinary artistic practice centers on social justice and community building, using music to amplify underrepresented voices and foster collective dialogue.
As an undergraduate, Madysen composed for and led the SCU New Music Ensemble, deepening both her compositional voice and her commitment to collaborative music-making. She was a Fellow at the Center for the Arts and Humanities, where she focused on gender equity in music, and she served as a teaching assistant in music theory courses across multiple levels. Beyond academia, she engaged with the broader Bay Area music scene as a performer in her band and as a curator of charity music compilations.
Her original works include “The Wait Out,” an extended technique piece for bowed piano ensemble, and “This Animal/What Is,” a chamber work for flute, violin, and cello. In recognition of her artistic growth and dedication, she received the Arrigo and Caterina Descalzi Prize, awarded to the graduating senior who best exemplifies excellence in musical artistry.
Now pursuing an MFA in Arts Leadership at Virginia Tech, Madysen continues to explore the intersections of sound, storytelling, and community engagement. Whether scoring for theater or advancing new music initiatives, she strives to cultivate inclusive and expressive creative spaces for all.
Kendall Seibel, 2028 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Kendall Seibel (she/her) is a theatre artist from Great Falls, Montana. She holds a BFA from the University of Montana where she fostered a love for Epic Theatre, Theatre for Social Justice, and post-modernism. While gaining bountiful experience in performance over her four years, she also developed a passion for production management, directing, and artistic direction that has continued to blossom through her professional career.
Kendall’s theatrical passions exist at the intersection of creative practice and academic scholarship. During her time at the University of Montana, she received high honors for her research in the titular role of Bertolt Brecht’s "Mother Courage and Her Children" and even co-presented at the graduate student conference as an undergraduate student for two consecutive years. After graduating from the University of Montana, Kendall adapted and directed a one-act play based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe for the Paris Gibson Museum of Art, where profits were donated to repair and renovate the historic building that is a staple to her hometown.
For three years, Kendall taught, directed, produced, stage managed, designed, and house managed her local high school theatre department, where she aided students through their first auditions, performances, and festivals, securing state championships in 2023 and 2024. She is excited to join a community that supports and uplifts artists and is grateful for the opportunity to do so!
Chris Thomas, 2028 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Chris Thomas (he/him) is a musician and arts administrator from Newport News, Virginia. He holds an undergraduate degree in music performance from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree and performance certificate from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and the College Band Directors National Association Conference with the Virginia Tech Wind Ensemble and at the Georgia Music Educators Association conference with the Schwob Philharmonic.
As an administrator Chris has occupied a variety of production-oriented positions at both the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and the River Center at Columbus State University. Notably, Chris managed many of the Schwob School’s offsite events, collaborating with faculty and performers to present concerts in distinctive venues such as planetariums and historic homes.
Chris is excited to return to Blacksburg as a graduate student in the MFA Arts Leadership Program. He looks forward to taking advantage of the rich artistic community in Blacksburg and working with the university’s excellent faculty to shape the next steps in his career.
Caili Harris 2027 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Caili Harris (she/her) is an arts administrator from Lexington, Kentucky, with a B.A. in Theatre and French Language Studies from Centre College. Passionate about the intersection of language, culture, and the performing arts, Caili has pursued these interests both in the United States and abroad. In Summer 2024, she completed a public relations observership with Exchange Theatre in London, England, where she collaborated with local francophone organizations to expand the theatre’s community network.
With an artistic background that spans performance, directing, producing, writing, and academic inquiry, Caili brings a multidisciplinary perspective to arts administration. She draws on this wide-ranging experience to cultivate connection through empathy, creativity, and curiosity. As she continues her graduate studies, Caili is committed to fostering inclusive, growth-oriented environments that encourage the next generation of artists and arts patrons to explore, question, create with confidence, and value the power of language and communication.
Bria Weisz, 2027 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership)
Bria Weisz is an arts administrator and Rice University graduate with a BA in Computer Science in the Arts and a minor in Museum Studies and Cultural Heritage. Prior to beginning their graduate studies, they held curatorial positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the University of Minnesota's Weisman Art Museum. Within the theatre world, Bria has served as an assistant director, dramaturg, and community engagement specialist at Theatre in the Round Players in Minneapolis.
Having experienced a wide range of leadership styles in academic, community, and professional visual and performing arts organizations, Bria is passionate about fostering sustainable and accessible creative spaces for artists and audiences alike. Their computer science background informs their interest in technology as a projection and assessment tool. With technology as a grounding force, they aspire to bolster community-mobilizing artistic endeavors.
Ashley Cooper, 2026 MFA Candidate (Arts Leadership) is an Arts Administrator from Gaffney, SC who graduated with a B.A. in Performing Arts - Theater from Clemson University. As a life-long theater practitioner, her production experience ranges from actor, stage combatant, props artisan and stage manager. Since moving to an administrative role, she has worked to support teaching, technical, and performance artists with logistical, financial and community support and seen the challenges the industry faces at a community and regional level. Having held positions such as Assistant Company Manager (Utah Shakespeare Festival) and Operations Coordinator (Brooks Center for the Performing Arts), she is excited to embark on graduate studies to pursue solutions to the financial and cultural issues facing industry professionals to maintain the viability of our industry. Ashley is excited to focus her research on non-profit funding models, sustainable business practices for the entertainment sector and the vital role arts and community organizations play in public revitalization.