Executive Director

Susan Hodder 

A little over 20 years ago, Susan and her husband Michael left their home and careers in suburban Boston to become innkeepers in Maine. Her gourmet breakfasts helped to make their 14 room ocean-view property one of the top B&Bs in the Midcoast. Back in Massachusetts, Susan had been Vice President for a strategic marketing firm that specialized in branding and launching start-up companies. Throughout her corporate career, she developed marketing communications and educational programs for technology companies in the US and Europe.

Since coming to Maine, Susan has contributed her expertise to several Midcoast non-profits including the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, The Opera House in Boothbay Harbor, and Hurricane Island Foundation. She also served as Managing Director for the Ocean Classroom Foundation and she recently became a certified Hospice Volunteer. 

Susan has long had a passion for the performing arts and enjoys spending a couple of weekends a year seeing shows on Broadway. She’s been an Adjudicator for the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild, a reviewer for the New England Entertainment Digest, and has won community theater awards for her directing, acting, and set design. She’s also an artist, dabbling in sculpture, jewelry making, collage, and other media. She is thrilled to be able to bring her lifetime of professional and artistic experience together, full circle, for the benefit of the Waldo Theatre.

Technical Director 

Eddie Holm

After earning a degree in Radio, Television and Motion Picture from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Eddie Holm found himself immediately taking a cross country road trip to LA, where he worked for six years in Hollywood as a sound effects and dialog editor. 

Returning to North Carolina, Eddie spec’d out the first commercially available video streaming and recording hardware during his ten years as a video producer/director at UNC School of Medicine. Eddie has been involved in video acquisition and editing, along with sound engineering and recording ever since, and is thrilled to be a part of The Waldo Theatre’s growth as a significant cultural presence in film, theatre and musical performance.

Development Assistant

Deborah Michaelsen

A resident of Waldoboro for 25 years, Deb Michaelsen is transitioning from IT professional and Waldo volunteer to part-time staff member. She is excited to bring her technical skills to support the Waldo and will be instrumental in streamlining our digital infrastructure as well as building out our business partnerships. When not playing with spreadsheets, Deb is chasing chickens out of her gardens and greenhouse. 

Office and Events Manager

Kathleen Brown

Kathleen has worked as an Administrative Assistant, Volunteer Coordinator and Event Manager for several non-profit organizations, including Camden Conference, Camden International Film Festival and the Camden Opera House. She has been a professional theatrical Costume Designer for over 37 years, with design credits at Portland Stage, Maine State Music Theatre, Theatre at Monmouth, The Public Theatre, to name a few. Kathleen is thrilled to be working to help The Waldo welcome the Midcoast community to a new era of Arts & Entertainment.

Director of Education

Mia Branco

Before joining The Waldo to help develop their education program, Mia was the Director of Education for Open Door Arts in Boston, MA where she designed and managed collaborations between teaching artists, schools, and cultural institutions with the goal of providing inclusive and accessible arts experiences. In addition to her work as an administrator, she has worked as a Teaching Artist for over 13 years specializing in developing drama programming for students with autism and emotional trauma in independent settings as well as within schools. She has also developed and led training about inclusion best practices within arts programming for cultural institutions across the country including Roundabout Theatre (NYC) and Wheelock Family Theatre (Boston). Mia holds a masters in education from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in Musical Theatre Performance from American University.

Concert Booker

Keri Lupien

Keri Lupien has served on The Waldo’s Board of Directors for the past seven years, the last three as board president. The theatre has made huge strides under her leadership and has presented some amazing concerts as a result of her determined efforts as a music booker. Although she has stepped down from her presidential role, she has (happily) joined the staff, where she will continue to secure a wide range of exciting musicians, both new and familiar, for our audience to enjoy. Keri and her family live in Waldoboro, where Tyler, owner of Moose Crossing Garden Center, has deep roots.