Artistic Director
Stoner Winslett is the founding Artistic Director of the Richmond Ballet professional company. Her unique, strong partnership with the community has built a fine civic organization into an important national dance force through working toward a clear and shared vision. In the past 30 years, under Ms. Winslett’s direction, Richmond Ballet has established the first major company of professional dancers in the Commonwealth, commissioned 52 new works from 19 choreographers from around the world, introduced the much-acclaimed Minds In Motion program into area schools, and renovated and occupied its landmark downtown building on Canal Street. She led the company through its highly successful New York debut at the Joyce Theater in 2005. This appearance was followed by an equally successful and critically acclaimed collaborative effort in New York’s Joyce Theater in 2007, titled John Butler: An American Master, which included Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet NY, and world-renowned guest artist Desmond Richardson. In 2008, Richmond ballet was invited to New York City for the third time in four years to perform three of Jessica Lang's works during a special event at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. Most recently, Richmond Ballet returned to the Joyce Theater for a week of performances in April 2010 during a season that opened in Chicago and closed in St. Louis.

Ms. Winslett was trained by Ann Brodie, Aldofina Suarez and Michael Lland in Columbia, South Carolina and at American Ballet Theatre School and North Carolina School of the Arts on scholarship. After knee injuries curtailed her performing career, she pursued a course of independent study at Smith College where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She came to Richmond Ballet to assist the previous artistic director in June of 1980 and was appointed Artistic Director in November of that same year.

Ms. Winslett’s vision for the organization has always encompassed not only performing but also the training of artists and the education of the community that are necessary to both preserve the heritage and explore new directions for the ballet. The major programming divisions of the organization – the Richmond Ballet professional company, School of Richmond Ballet, and Minds In Motion – all reflect this mission. She has built an impressive repertory for Richmond Ballet with a foundation of full-length classics and 20th century masters (George Balanchine, John Butler, Agnes de Mille, Jose Limón, Antony Tudor, among others) coupled with a strong commitment of the new work. She, herself, has choreographed nine of the new works, including her acclaimed version of The Nutcracker.

Ms. Winslett’s work has been recognized both regionally and nationally with numerous appointments and honors. She served as a Cadmus Leader-in-Residence at the Jepson School at the University of Richmond, was named a YWCA Woman of the Year, and was chosen by Style Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Richmonders of the 20th century. Ms. Winslett has served on arts panels for several state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts, where she has also been a site visitor. She was a vice-chair of DanceUSA and is currently serving as president of the John Butler Foundation. In February of 2005, she received The Smith College Medal, the highest honor the college confers on an alumna. In 2008, Ms. Winslett and Richmond Ballet were chosen to receive the Governor's Award for the Arts.

Managing Director
Brett Bonda is in his 26th year with Richmond Ballet. Mr. Bonda serves as the artistic and administrative coordinator for Minds In Motion, the cornerstone of the Ballet’s outreach initiatives. Mr. Bonda was a member of Richmond Ballet’s professional company from 1985-1995 and has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and a juror for the Coming Up Taller Awards. He received Richmond Magazine’s Teresa Pollack Award for Excellence in the Arts. He is an alumnus of Virginia Intermont College, where he earned a BA degree in ballet, with a dance teaching emphasis.

Artistic Associate and Ballet Master
Malcolm Burn is a native New Zealander and in his 24th year on the artistic staff of Richmond Ballet. During his 25-year career, he danced leading roles in the standard classic repertory as well as numerous creations of contemporary ballet. Prior to his coming to Richmond Ballet as a principal dancer, Mr. Burn was co-director of Ballet Arizona. He has performed with the London Festival Ballet, and was a principal dancer with The Royal New Zealand Ballet, The National Ballet of Zimbabwe, Ballet West, and P.A.C.T. Ballet in South Africa, where he won the Ivan Soloman Award for Best Male Dancer in 1973, 1976, and 1980. Mr. Burn's choreographic achievements include A Christmas Carol, The Traveling Players, Walpurgis Night, Classical Symphony, Pas Glazunov, Romeo and Juliet, Complete Trust, Cinderella, and most recently, The Sleeping Beauty and A Tribute.

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Development and Marketing Director
Susan Coogan joined Richmond Ballet as Development Director in November 2007 and assumed responsibility for the Ballet's marketing efforts in May 2010. Before joining the Ballet, Ms. Coogan worked in investment banking and financial services in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, in donor services at The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia, and held leadership positions on several not-for-profit boards, including Theatre IV and St. Catherine's School. Ms. Coogan is a Phi beta Kappa graduate of Hollins University, where she earned a BA degree in Economics, and holds an MBA from Colgate Darden Graduate Business School at the University of Virginia.

Artistic Associate and School of Richmond Ballet Director
Judy Jacob is from Detroit, where she studied ballet with Evelyn Smith. She trained in London, England with Anne Heaton, John Field and Valerie Taylor, and at Butler University and Indiana University with George Verdak, William Glenn, Peggy Dorsey, Anton Dolin and Kenneth Melville. Ms. Jacob performed with the Butler Ballet and Indiana Ballet Theatre, and was a principal dancer with Memphis Ballet for seven years. She created roles in ballets by choreographers Ron Cunningham, Jill Eathorne Bahr, Norbert Vesak, Robert Kelley and Philip Jerry. She was associate artistic director of Fort Wayne Ballet prior to joining Richmond Ballet in 1995. Ms. Jacob was appointed assistant ballet master in 1996, and has been School of Richmond Ballet director since 1998.

Operations Director
Sue McKinney joined Richmond Ballet as Business Manager in November 1998. In addition to directing the Ballet’s departments of Finance, Facilities, Personnel and Information Technology, Ms. McKinney has also managed the finances for two major capital campaigns for the Ballet. Before joining the Ballet, Ms. McKinney co-owned a retail/wholesale nursery, and held controller positions for several small businesses. Ms. McKinney is a graduate of East Carolina University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.

Production Director
MK Stewart,This is MK's eighth season with Richmond Ballet. His lighting designs include Women and the Sea, To Familiar Spaces in Dream, A Rose For Miss Emily, Between the Lines, Dark Hugs Me Hard, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quioxote, Midsummer Night's Dream. He has served as Stage Manager for the Martha Graham Dance Company, Elisa Monte Dance, Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre, Cortez and Company and Hartford Ballet. He has also worked on projects with David Finely Associates, William Electric Black, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Spoleto USA, Metropolitan Opera Guild, Central City Opera.