Contact Us

Back to Top

Edward J. Lewis
Director of Development

Ed Lewis joined the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in 2006 to provide strategic direction for a comprehensive fundraising program for the performing arts, which includes support for the School of Music, the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. In addition to leading the development staff, he is part of the Center’s team of directors, which is responsible for long-range planning, organizational structure and policy-making, and institutional budgeting. Ed also stewards the Center’s Leadership Council and the School of Music Board of Visitors.

Ed holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. He is a violist and also an alumnus of the University of Maryland School of Music where he studied chamber music with the Guarneri String Quartet. Ed’s professional experiences include performing as a member of the Dallas Opera Orchestra, the Dallas Chamber Orchestra, Pro Musica Santa Fe, and the Toledo Symphony. In addition, Ed has also performed with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, the National Repertory Orchestra (NRO), the Utah Chamber Music Festival, and was a Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival.

Ed has a decade of nonprofit management and fundraising experience in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and brings a wealth of academic practice in the performing arts where he has served as studio teacher, chamber music coach and conductor at the University of Dallas. Ed enjoys his work at the Center for the opportunities it provides to explore and experience performing arts disciplines beyond his own classical music training. “I particularly value the opportunity to deepen my artistic experiences by engaging with accomplished visiting artists, faculty and students in a supportive creative environment.”

Back to Top

David D. Robinson-Slemp
Associate Director of Development

David Robinson-Slemp joined the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in the fall of 2011 to provide operational support for the performing arts’ fundraising program. Working with the Director of Development, David oversees the annual, institutional and individual giving programs for the Center, the School of Music and the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies.

Fulfilling a two-month research project in divinity school in 1996, David discovered a personal calling to pursue a career in nonprofit development. As a result, he has gained much experience as a fundraising professional, from working with an organization dedicated to promoting the economic sovereignty on tribal lands to building a community-based performing arts center for low-income families. He credits much of what he has learned by listening to donors and what they want to accomplish with their giving: “The message is simple: philanthropy reminds us of our civility. It is the principal means through which many sectors are not only sustained, but also allowed to thrive.”

For David, patrons of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center continue to support opportunities that transform lives, as well as set new standards for what performing arts centers can be on college campuses. “Each season, audience members can participate in extraordinary artistic programs. More importantly, they can witness firsthand how individuals, particularly students, are enriching their lives through the creative process. In this regard, the Clarice Smith Center is a flagship program that I am excited to join.”

Back to Top

Debra A. Vargas
Assistant Director of Institutional Giving

Debby Vargas joined the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in the fall of 2008 to broaden institutional support for the Center and the performing arts academic units within it. Generous grants from government agencies, foundations, and corporations help make the Center a transformative place for all involved.

Debby holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Franklin & Marshall College and has worked in the nonprofit arena for nearly a decade at Center Stage in Baltimore and Enterprise Community Partners in Columbia. Prior to her nonprofit experience, Debby spent several years in the corporate sector at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Wachovia Securities. Outside of work, Debby has previously volunteered with Team in Training, Pets on Wheels, and as a middle school mentor with the Enterprise Women's Network.

As a new member of the Development team, Debby was thrilled to join the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. "The dynamic exchange of ideas between students, artists, and audience members is inspirational, and the creativity fostered within the Center's academic setting reminds me of my own liberal arts background."

Back to Top

Scott S. Eichinger
Manager of Individual Donor Relations

Scott Eichinger, Manager of Individual Donor Relations since January 2007, is charged with managing annual individual giving for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the performing arts academic units within the Center. From special events to the donor newsletter, Scott works to ensure donors experience special insider opportunities and stay informed of the behind the scenes activities in the Center.

He has his BFA in Theatre Management from the University of Wisconsin-Superior and an MA in Arts Management from American University. This is his eighth year working in development, with his past experiences at the Shakespeare Theatre Company and Environmental Law Institute. In Scott's free time, you can find him cooking and working on new recipes for the Development team to try.

He says that his favorite thing about working at the Center is, "the passion. You can feel it when you walk in the doors. There is something truly special about this place. Everyone, from the students and faculty to the staff and patrons, has a passion for life and the arts. That positive, creative energy and enthusiasm fills these spaces and breathes life into the Center."

Back to Top