POPs Staff
Julia Mirkovich, Founder, Executive Director and Artistic Director
Julia has enjoyed co-creating with so many wonderful artists on creative projects during her professional career as a dancer and actress but her true passion has and will always be teaching children the craft she loves. She created Puttin’ On Productions, POPs, in 2007 and seven years later opened The Academy of Dramatic Arts, or TADA Stages. She has directed, choreographed, and/or produced over fifty youth productions.
She is a proud mom of Jonah and Jett and grateful she has her husband Mark to share the joys of creating this sacred space for children to learn and grow.
Mark Mirkovich, Co-Founder, Director of Development
Mark spent more than 20 years in executive management for multi-billion dollar organizations. After leaving his most recent position of Director of Sales at Oracle in 2015 , Mark returned to POPs to work full time for the company he helped found with his wife Julia. Mark has a passion for helping others create change and growth and continues to use his talents to help POPs have a greater impact on our community.
Robin Garfield, Vice President, Marketing and Community Outreach
Robin Garfield is Vice President, Marketing for POPs. She is President of Garfield Consultants and brings over 20+ years of experience in fundraising, marketing, strategy and management to both nonprofit and for-profit clients. Robin clients have included: United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, Create Now!, Beverly Hills Estate Planning Council, Palos Verdes Chamber of Commerce, Torrance Police Foundation and others. Robin and her husband Eric live in Redondo Beach and are the proud parents of Morgan and Kylee, who cannot imagine their life without being in a POPs show - its their second family.
Ashley Nichole Henley Producer, Director of Tech Artisans
Ashley is proud to be the POPs Producer and Director of Tech Artisans. A child of humble beginnings, Ashley grew up doing shows at school and in community theater. After receiving her BA in Drama, Honors in Stage Management – Ashley freelanced as a stage manager; working with such companies as Dallas Theater Center and The Geffen Playhouse. Eventually Ashley landed at POPs where she found her home. Ashley recognizes the empowering and healing properties of theater and the family and community it creates. It is a dream come true to pass that gift along to the future generation of theater-makers both on AND offstage!
Kimberly Weber, Resident Stage Manager
Kimberly Weber is thrilled to be joining the POPs team as the Resident Stage Manager! She graduated with a BA in Stage Management and is now teaching Intro/Advanced Stage Management at her alma mater, Chapman University. Working in the Los Angeles area as a stage manager for the past seven years, she has been able to work at several companies including the Kirk Douglas Theatre, Antaeus Theatre Company, Actors Co-Op Theatre Company, Getty Villa, Lobero Theatre and many more. In addition to working weddings, award shows and events for NBC, she worked as a stage manager at AMDA, College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts, for the past five years. She is looking forward to creating magic with the young talent at POPs and is honored to be a part of this phenomenal team and company.
Beth Gutierrez, Business Manager
Beth has been Business Manager for Puttin' on Productions since January, 2018. Beth studied Business Management at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and has been the PTA Treasurer at Beryl Heights Elementary School and Parras Middle School. She has been a POPs family since our first production in 2007, and her children have participated in almost every show since. She believes POPs is unique in that it has given so many children the opportunity to experience a professional theater environment at such a young age and allows a child the opportunity to grow not only as a performer but also as a person.