Carolyn A. Satter Production Management Mentorship Program
Carolyn A. Satter Production Management Mentorship Program supports an individual who has begun their professional career as a production manager in live entertainment by providing the chance to manage events and connect with a fellow production manager mentor at our Annual Conference & Stage Expo.
Funding for this award is generously provided by Carolyn A. Satter, former USITT President.
Grant winner will receive:
- $2000 stipend to cover Conference expenses such as registration, housing, travel, and per diem.
- A match with a mentor who is an experienced professional production manager.
- The opportunity to serve as the production manager for all Mainstage events at the Annual Conference.
Applicant must be currently working professionally in a production management role in live entertainment.
Applicant must be a current USITT member.
Applicant must be a US Citizen or enrolled in a US-based college or university.
Applicant must be available to begin prep work virtually beginning December 2024.
Applicant must be able to attend the USITT Annual Conference March 3-8, 2024 in Columbus.
One grant of up to $2000 will be awarded to the selected grantee.
Registration and hotel will be booked by the National Office; the remainder of the $2000 will be paid directly to the Mentee.
Should the Grantee be unable to attend Conference and/or complete their duties, Grantee is responsible for returning funds to the National Office.
Nominations Open: October 24, 2024
Nominations Close: November 25, 2024 (11:59 PM EDT)
Review Period: November-December 2024
Selection Notifications: December 2024
Grant Period: December - April 2025
Annual Conference: March 3-8, 2025
Read all guidelines carefully before submitting your nomination.
Current USITT members may apply through USITT’s submissions portal.
Required Materials:
Applicants will be required to provide:
- Current contact information: name, email, and phone number
- Photo showing your face
- Letter describing why you wish to participate in PMMP and how you feel this will help your development as a production manager
- Letter of recommendation: Applicant will provide recommender’s name and email address. The recommender will receive instructions via email to upload their letter directly into the submission portal. Applicant will not be able to upload or view the letter.
All applications for the Production Management Mentor Project will be reviewed by selected members of the USITT, recommended by the Executive Director. This panel consists of USITT members with production management background as well as members who will be working on the Conference events.
Any reviewer with a conflict of interest is required to recuse themselves.
All submissions will be scored on a scale of 1-10 using the following criteria:
- Confidence in applicant to manage Conference events
- Demonstrated need for mentorship
- Demonstrated potential to engage in activities with maturity and open mind
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application after the review committee has reviewed all applications.
Selected Grantee will receive an agreement explaining terms and conditions. The first 75% of the grant (minus hotel and registration costs) will be disbursed upon receiving a signed agreement, and W9 form.
The remaining 25% of the grant will be disbursed after the Grantee's work at Conference and after an interview/report about their experience with the National Office in the form of an article, podcast, video interview, and/or written questionnaire.
Funding for this award is generously provided by Carolyn A. Satter.
CAROLYN A. SATTER started college as an accounting major, but before she completed that degree, she dropped out and started a family. She discovered the world of theatre through her family when her daughter's elementary school play needed someone who could sew well and Satter became the costumer’s assistant. This experience led her to major in theatre arts at San Diego State University where she studied everything from costumes to set design to stage management. In 1979 Satter graduated from San Diego State University with a Technical Theatre degree and began her career at the San Diego Civic Theatre. In 2019 she retired as Director of Production after 41 years of service to San Diego Theatres. For 10 years of this time she held an adjunct professor position at San Diego State University in the theatre department. In 1995, Carolyn was honored by the YWCA of San Diego County with their prestigious TWIN Award for exceptional women leaders, and more recently, by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees with their Diane Lynn Slater Award for Outstanding Community Support. Satter is a licensed pyrotechnician and has been igniting the San Diego sky with the Independence Day fireworks since 1995 and has been the official fireworks operator at the San Diego County Fair since 2011. Satter attended her first USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo in Las Vegas in 1995. She was inducted as a USITT Fellow of the Institute in 2020. She has held multiple leadership positions in the Institute since 1996, including Management Commission's Vice-Commissioner for Programming, Commissioner for Management, representative of the Commission Steering Committee, Director at large, Vice President for Commissions, President-Elect, President, and now Immediate Past President.