Auburn, CA April 13, 2023 – An exciting new vision promises to revive Placer Community Theater (PCT, after a Board President and a Vice President were elected by the outgoing board of trustees this past Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Luisa Handem Piette and Matthew Piette were respectively elected President and Vice-President of the Board following weeks of uncertainty as to the future of the 20-year-old community theater.

“We are new to the area, but when we heard that our beloved Placer Community Theater was to fold after so many past theatrical successes that have brought the community together, through PCT’s high-quality performances and its promotion of the arts through local scholarships, we quickly stepped in and said to ourselves, “the show must go on!” said Handem Piette.

Luisa comes to her new non-profit role with PCT from a background in non-profit management, broadcast journalism, human rights law and a strong track record as a corporate communications executive for Information Technology firms. She is also known for her philanthropic work and love of the arts.  

“Our vision is one of positive camaraderie, quality performances, and partnership with the City of Auburn and with the Placer County community at large. Now, we are listening to our partners, cast members, the community, and our area leaders, and we are appealing to all to support our endeavors and upcoming work, financially and through volunteer work,” said Luisa Handem Piette.

Luisa briefly served as Director of UPI Next, United Press International’s former media development division, after nearly two years of overseas work as a Knight International Journalism Fellow with the International Center for Journalists. She began her career with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service, in London. Luisa later joined Radio France International (RFI) in Paris before being recruited as an international radio broadcaster for the Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, D.C. She has minimal experience acting, but she enjoyed appearances in school performances while growing up in Portugal, and in radio performances dramatizing Mia Couto’s books live on air through the Portuguese programs of the BBC World Service in London.

“We stand on the shoulders of previous volunteers, cast members, and board leaders, especially Howard Price and David Weller, who have been very gracious in bringing us on board, and are continuing to be supportive of the new leadership,” said Matthew Piette, the new Vice President. 

Matthew has a long history of supporting the arts and theater and acting in productions at the Loft Theater in Leamington Spa, England, and appearing in a variety of shows including the London premiere of “A Dog in A Manger” by Lope de Vega, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”, Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and Tom Stoppard’s “The Real Inspector Hound.”  Matthew has since accumulated over 20 years of global and high-tech experience in executive-level management for Fortune 500 companies and startups in the United States, as well as playing key roles in non-profit organizations, including a bi-partisan Think Tank in Washington DC. He is currently Head of Brand Marketing at Exact Sciences Corporation, working on multi-cancer early detection solutions.

Luisa holds a Master’s degree (LLM) in International Law, and a BA in French & Government from Essex University, U.K. Matthew holds a Master’s Degree in English Literature from the University of Cambridge, U.K.

Matthew and Luisa reside in Cool, CA. They are the proud parents of John and Natasha, and grandparents to little toddler, Cosima.

ABOUT PLACER COMMUNITY THEATER (PCT)

We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality entertainment and cultural enrichment while supporting the arts in our community.