Ruthie (she/her) has 15 years of DEI experience in various sectors from higher education, nonprofits, consulting, and healthcare. She currently is an executive coach in healthcare. Ruthie was an inaugural member of the equity advisory committee for the Metropolitan Council (2016-2018), is a 2017 alum of Wilders’ community equity pipeline, and is currently the Mu board chair. When she isn't working, you can find her paddleboarding or walking a trail with her pup, Samosa, or in the winter, cozied up with a good book.

Chad (he/him) has been a resident of Minneapolis with his wife Courtney for the past 17 years. He identifies as a person of blended heritage (Japanese, Swedish, and Scottish). As a former stage performer and a follower of Theater Mu for well over a decade, he greatly admires and holds in high regard what Theater Mu has done to amplify the voices of Asian writers, directors, and performers. Currently, Chad works as a business analyst and project manager in the technology space for an investment firm based in Chicago. When not working, Chad likes to fill his time running tabletop roleplaying games for friends and family, building mechanical keyboards and LEGO sets, and playing console video games.

photo by Adrienne Fox

Elizabeth (she/her) grew up in Minnesota with an interest in theater and music. She’s passionate about making the world a better place, something Mu does by telling meaningful stories that resonate with our audience—which is why Elizabeth brings her curiosity and collaborative mindset to the board. In her day job, Elizabeth builds strategic community partnerships and programs at UnitedHealth Group. Before permanently returning to Minnesota in 2017, she worked at the US Agency for International Development, for a member of Congress on the foreign affairs committee, and at Volunteers of America of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Gabbie Ryan (she/her) has been a part of the Mu family since 2016 and has served on the board since 2020, bringing with her a passion for creating communities where Asian voices are uplifted, celebrated, and protected. She currently works as an equity and inclusion leader at Greater Twin Cities United Way. She was first introduced to Mu through the University of St. Thomas, where she created their Asian Student Union.

Nonoko (she/her) joined the board of Theater Mu in 2019. Theater has always been a big part of her life, encouraged by her parents who were both performing artists in Japan where she was born. She primarily grew up in Chicago where she actively performed with her high school and regional theater companies, and after graduating college, she moved to San Francisco/Bay Area where she performed with and/or served on boards of a wide range of theater companies including Berkeley Playhouse, American Conservatory Theater, Asian American Theater Company, Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company, Actors Anonymous Theatre Company, among others. She and her family moved to Minneapolis in 2017, where she currently serves as the executive director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, the largest state association of nonprofits in the country.

Rick (he/him) is a playwright, director, and artistic director who has been a leader in the Asian American theater community for four decades. He has written over 20 plays, including the award-winning Yellow Fever, Mask Dance, and Rosie’s Cafe. His plays have been produced across North America and in Japan. He was a co-founder of Theater Mu in 1992 and the artistic director there for 20 years, directing many plays including Into The Woods, Yellow Face, and The New Mikado. He has also directed at InterAct Theatre in Philadelphia and the Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco. He received the 2015 McKnight distinguished artist award, the 2012 Ivey award for lifetime achievement and the 2007 Sally Ordway Irvine award for Vision. He is a co-founder and former co-artistic director of Full Circle Theater in the Twin Cities.

Katie (she/her) is a multidisciplinary actor, director, producer, dramaturg, and teaching artist based in Minneapolis. She has served in many roles with Mu since 2006 and was named interim artistic director in July 2024. Katie directed Man of God and Hells Canyon at Mu, and has served as assistant director at the Guthrie, Park Square Theatre, and Mu. Her acting credits include the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Children’s Theatre Company, History Theatre, Ten Thousand Things, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Pacific Conservatory Theatre.

Anh Thu (she/her) is a community organizer who joined the Mu staff as managing director in July 2020. A child of refugees from Viet Nam, Anh Thu was brought up as part of the Minnesota Vietnamese American Buddhist community. She has spent the last two decades of her life working in higher education as an accountant while spending her free time working on social justice issues. Anh Thu is a board member of 825 Arts, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Northern Lights MN, and Eastside Freedom Library, and she has been an active core member of the local Asians for Black Lives Matter chapter, often acting as the event spokesperson for A4BLM. She continues to speak at colleges and universities as well as national and international conferences on topics of Asian American solidarity and movement building.