About BYU Performing Arts Management

VISION STATEMENT

We embrace the Aims of a BYU education by designing experiential learning opportunities that inspire performing arts students. We seek high-quality brand recognition of BYU performing arts ensembles throughout the world by curating performances that advance the name of Brigham Young University and of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

MISSION STATEMENT

We design meaningful extracurricular performance experiences that lead to inspired student learning, and we represent BYU performing arts ensembles by producing, marketing, and facilitating professional-quality performances that entertain and uplift diverse public audiences.

ABOUT US

Performing Arts Management is the managing agency for BYU's performing companies and functions in professional as well as educational circles. The touring program typically reaches 140 cities in 20 countries annually. With more than 400 performances each year, these professional-level ensembles delight and uplift hundreds of thousands worldwide and appear before millions on foreign and domestic television.

Studying with faculty from the Department of Dance, School of Music, and Performing Arts Management, the members of these performing ensembles are selected through rigorous auditions and are professionally trained to provide quality programs in the performing arts.

For booking information contact:

Performing Arts Management
306 Hinckley Center
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602-8500

Telephone: (801) 422-3576

Fax: (801) 422-0546

Email: perform@byu.edu

BYU Performing Arts Management Staff

Hayley Shepherd, Sponsorship and Development Coordinator

Hayley joined BYU’s Performing Arts Management team in the fall of 2024 as the Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Brigham Young University.

Hayley’s love for the arts began in the home, where she sang around the piano with her mom and sisters. She and her siblings were members of Galena Street East, a performing arts group in Sacramento, CA. While at BYU, she danced with the International Folk Dance Ensemble and toured Southeast Asia in 2017 and Europe in 2018. A particularly memorable experience was collaborating with a performing group from Minzu University during “Christmas Around the World”, where they bridged cultural differences through a shared love of dance—and the occasional help of Google Translate.

Since graduating, Hayley has worked in donor relations and fundraising, specializing in helping donors align their passions with meaningful giving opportunities. She looks forward to helping create new funding opportunities that will allow BYU’s student performers to continue inspiring audiences and making a positive impact both locally and globally.

Hayley.Shepherd@byu.edu 801-422-8579

Katherine Judd, Marketing Manager

katherine.judd@byu.edu 801-422-6204

Marketing Assistant

Jordan Neslen

Elisabeth Issertell

Sarah Seaman

Kate Crane

Helena Kay Dean

Media Specialist

Trent Robinson

pam_media@byu.edu

Eliza Lyons, Regional Performance Coordinator

Eliza joined BYU’s Performing Arts Management team in the fall of 2024. She has a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Brigham Young University and has worked as a voice and piano teacher for the past 10 years.

Eliza has loved singing and performing her whole life. She started singing in public performances with her family at the age of 3 and hasn’t stopped since. Eliza was actively involved in BYU’s Women’s Chorus and Concert Choir during her time at BYU, and served as the Concert Choir president during her final year with the choir. She is excited to work with BYU’s performing groups and help them share their faith and testimonies through the performing arts.

Eliza loves cooking and eating great food and traveling/adventuring with her family. She lives in Orem with her husband and three children.

eliza_lyons@byu.edu 801-422-0498

Stacey Darais, Office Manager

Stacey Darais joined BYU’s Performing Arts Management in August 2021. After taking a 35-year hiatus from her studies at BYU, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in Voice in 2021.

Stacey previously worked in the airline industry for 12 years, focusing her efforts on customer service. She has been passionate about music from a young age, playing the piano, clarinet, and alto sax as well as singing in choirs throughout her public school years. She continued her choral singing career as a member of Concert Choir at BYU in the 1980s. Stacey is currently a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. She is thrilled to be a part of the BYU Performing Arts family.

Stacey enjoys reading, travel, and spending time with her family. Stacey and her husband, Damon, have four children and nine grandchildren.

stacey_darais@byu.edu 801-422-3576

Office Assistant

Melia Acevedo

pamassistant@byu.edu

Isa Benjamin

pamassistant@byu.edu

Stacey Christensen, Artist Manager

Stacey Christensen joined BYU’s Performing Arts Management Team in 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in Voice from BYU.

Stacey has worked in the performing arts industry for 25 years, most significantly, managing projects for a large national non-profit organization, Millennial® Choirs & Orchestras (MCO®). During her tenure with MCO®, Stacey served as the Managing Director for the Utah locale, with a performing force of over 900 musicians. Working with the Founders and Music Directors, she assisted with the launch of MCO’s Dallas, Texas and Davis County, Utah locales, and managed projects across 5 states. Stacey’s expertise lies in organizing and directing large scale “spectacular style” tours with a performance force of well over 1500 people. She has managed and toured with MCO’s large casts at some of the finest venues in the United States including Carnegie Hall, Meyerson Symphony Center, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, The Music Center at Strathmore, Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake Tabernacle, and BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium. Stacey’s broad experience includes the different facets of concert production, organizational management, event planning, and VIP/donor and community outreach.

Stacey has a passion for spreading the message of hope, faith, and goodness through the performing arts. She is excited to continue her work to uplift audiences worldwide with BYU’s performing groups. Stacey is the Performing Arts Management liaison with BYU’s School of Music and currently manages BYU Singers, International Folk Dance Ensemble, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, Wind Symphony, and Mountain Strings.

Stacey and her husband, Chad, have 6 children.

stacey_christensen@byu.edu 801-422-3574

Administrative Assistant

Mikaela Dubreuil

pamassistant2@byu.edu

Julie Rivers, Accountant

Julie Rivers joined BYU’s Performing Arts Management team in the Fall of 2020. Julie has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Utah and Masters in Accountancy from Utah Valley University.

Julie worked in public education for 10 years managing the finances for Elementary and High Schools. She loves working with students and administration and feels that a collaborative atmosphere works to create greater understanding by all participants and an increased likelihood of success in achieving stated goals. For years, Julie has enjoyed attending a wide variety of BYU Performances and is excited to be able to work with the performing groups in a behind the scenes capacity.

Julie loves to be outdoors and enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and cycling. Julie and her husband, Rod, have 5 children and live in Lindon, Utah.

julie_rivers@byu.edu 801-422-3578

Karson Denney, Assistant Director

Karson Denney joined BYU’s Performing Arts Management in 2017 and has been the Assistant Director since 2021. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in Mass Communications and a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography with an emphasis in Global Studies from BYU.

Karson has been involved in the performing arts since he started ballroom dancing at the age of 10. As an amateur competitor, Karson held 6 United States National titles. He had the opportunity to dance with BYU’s Ballroom Dance Touring Company for 4 years where he traveled and competed internationally. Karson competed professionally throughout the United States. He is dual-licentiate certified with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and a certified dance teacher, adjudicator and emcee for the National Dance Council of America (NDCA). Karson was an artistic director in the BYU Youth Dancesport program from 2003 – 2022 and coached formation teams to 14 United States National titles. Karson continues to teach ballroom dance classes for BYU’s department of dance. He is the owner and operator of the retail store, Star Dance Provo. Karson is also a volunteer for Families Supporting Adoption and the Miss America Organization.

For years, Karson has enjoyed his association with BYU and loves working with the incredible performing groups. Karson is currently the Artist Manager for the Ballroom Dance Company, Noteworthy, Theatre Ballet, Contemporary Dance Theatre, and the Cougarettes.

Karson and his wife, Betsy, have 6 children and live in Provo, UT.

karson_denney@byu.edu 801-422-3575

Administrative Assistant

Sabrina Bezzant

pamassistant4@byu.edu

Taylor Morris, Artist Manager

Taylor Morris has been with Brigham Young University (BYU) Performing Arts Management since the fall of 2022. He has a BFA in Music Dance Theatre with a minor in Business Management and an MPA from BYU.

Taylor started performing at a young age with his first professional role in Pagliacci with the Houston Grand Opera at age 10. He was then heavily involved in choirs and musicals in Houston until he started at BYU. After a year with BYU Men’s Chorus, he transitioned to musical theatre and solo work. Taylor traveled and performed with the Young Ambassadors for 3 years, during two of which he was the president. He regularly appears on stage at the Hale Center Theater, and is most widely known for his portrayal of John the Beloved in Rob Gardner’s Lamb of God: The Concert Film and subsequent live performances at the Eccles Theater.

Taylor has spent the last 6 years as a program administrator with BYU Continuing Education and is excited to be joining Performing Arts Management to work again with student performing groups. Although languages vary around the world, he sees music and universal languages that help build bridges of friendship across all borders. Taylor is the artist manager for Living Legends, Synthesis, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Legacy, and Philharmonic Orchestra.

Taylor and his wife, Bailee, are the proud parents of 3 girls and 1 boy, and live in Vineyard, UT.

taylor.morris@byu.edu 801-422-3573

Administrative Assistant

Ben Lopez

pamassistant3@byu.edu

Shane W. Wright, Director

Shane W. Wright has been with Brigham Young University (BYU) Performing Arts Management since 2001. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast. He also has a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Management from the Marriott School of Management at BYU.

Shane’s appreciation for the arts started in his childhood with training in piano, voice, acting and dance. Shane has performed and been involved in the arts extensively throughout his life. While at BYU, Shane was a performer in the Young Ambassadors and the International Folk Dance Ensemble. Shane is currently the Artist Manager for Young Ambassadors along with Vocal Point. He also manages BYU’s Winterfest in the small theater at the LDS Conference Center.

While at Performing Arts Management Shane has trained, managed, marketed, created marketing materials, worked with high level VIP’s, throughout the U.S., and internationally. He has also worked with all of the performing group directors in the School of Music and Department of Dance, and has thoroughly enjoyed every minute. For the past 20 years, Shane has booked thousands of concerts in the U.S. and around the world.

Shane and his wife Emilee are the proud parents of 4 children.

shane_wright@byu.edu 801-422-3579

Administrative Assistant

Ellie Geslison

pamassistant1@byu.edu