PHOENIX, AZ – June 30, 2026 – The Herberger Theater Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Phil Kim as Chair of its Board of Directors. Kim is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Signature Wealth Concepts. Additionally, Jessica Kokal has been appointed as Vice Chair of the Herberger Theater Center Board of Directors. Kokal is a Partner at Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson, P.C. Kim and Kokal will serve alongside the 2026-2027 slate of officers: Alan Augenstein (treasurer), Dawn Hart (secretary), and Victoria Williams (immediate past chair).
Five new board members were also elected: Bradley A. Cosman, Perkins Coie LLP; Whitney James, MD, MHS, Altara Advisory; Armando Nava, Nava Law Firm, PLLC; Debbie Pontikas, Pontikas Team; and Scott Richter, RichStar Consulting.
“These new Board members bring valuable expertise and diverse perspectives that will strengthen our organization at an exciting time for the Herberger Theater Center,” said Mark Mettes, President & CEO. “I look forward to working alongside our entire Board, including these new members and our Board leadership, as we continue expanding our impact, strengthening community connections, and providing diverse arts experiences that are welcoming and accessible to all.”
Bradley A. Cosman currently serves as the firmwide chair of the Bankruptcy & Restructuring Practice at Perkins Coie. He holds a J.D. from Arizona State University, where he was the Senior Articles Editor for the Arizona State Law Journal. Cosman previously served as chair of the Bankruptcy Section of the State Bar of Arizona, as well as a Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative for the District of Arizona. He is a 2019 ABI “40 Under 40” honoree, and he has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law from 2020-23, as an Arizona Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2014-19, and as a Southwest Super Lawyer from 2021-23.
Whitney James, MD, MHS, is a retired neurosurgeon, healthcare strategist, and Founder of Altara Advisory, a strategic advisory practice at the intersection of healthcare, philanthropy, business, and real estate. Raised in Northern Arizona by musician parents and educated in the performing arts, James developed a lifelong devotion to music, dance, theater, and cultural stewardship. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from Yale University and a Master of Health Science in International Health Policy from Johns Hopkins University.
Armando Nava runs Nava Law Firm and practices in the areas of criminal defense, DUI defense, and Federal litigation. He grew up in El Paso, TX, where he performed in high school theater. He received his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University and then moved to Arizona in 2007 to attend law school at Arizona State University. He is currently a Board member for Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice and previously sat on the Board for the Arizona Justice Project. In his free time, he enjoys reading, working out, trying new restaurants, and attending the theater.
Debbie Pontikas is an Associate Broker and the founder of the Pontikas Team — Forbes Global Properties. She holds an MBA from Rice University and a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University. Over the past decade, she has built her business across the Valley, closing more than $150 million in transactions and earning recognition among Phoenix’s Top 50 Realtors and a Top Producer for six consecutive years. In addition to her real estate career, Pontikas serves as CMO and Partner at ITI Corporate Services, a global commercial brokerage firm based in Dubai.
Scott Richter is the Principal of RichStar Consulting, a Phoenix-based consulting firm focused on Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Prior to founding RichStar Consulting, Richter served as Chief Credit Officer at Raza Development Fund, a federally-certified national CDFI based in Phoenix and held senior roles at GE Capital Bank, where he managed a $4 billion portfolio. Scott holds a B.A. in Finance from Wofford College and was among the top 1% of managers selected globally at GE’S Crotonville Leadership Institute. He currently serves as Board Member and Finance Committee Chair at Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health and as a New Markets Credit Advisory Committee Member at Prestamos CDFI.
About Herberger Theater Center:
The Herberger Theater Center is Arizona’s center stage, engaging the community through diverse arts experiences that ignite emotion, stimulate conversation, and inspire connections with the arts. Built in 1989 to foster the growth of performing arts and revitalize downtown Phoenix, the Herberger Theater has celebrated the diverse, multicultural heritage of the Phoenix community with accessible performing arts experiences year after year. The Herberger Theater is home to three resident performing arts companies: Arizona Opera, Childsplay Theatre, and Order Chaos Theater Company. The Herberger Theater also sustains several arts education and outreach programs that provide children and adults with a chance to experience the beauty and magic of live performing arts. Learn more at HerbergerTheater.org.
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