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Deborah Nelson
Trustee

Riverside Center has played such a vital role in bringing the theatrical arts to the greater Rappahannock region. For years Riverside has brought Broadway quality performances to the community and exceptional educational opportunities to children and adults alike. Being with Riverside since its inception I have watched as it has grown and evolved into a staple of Fredericksburg’s tourism.

Through a 45 year friendship with Riverside’s late founder Rollin E. Wehman I developed a strong admiration for the performing arts. In addition, I have a deep gratitude for the business experience and financial knowledge that Rollin gave me. I was introduced to live theatrical performances by my husband of 45 years on our second date. He disappeared just prior to the start of the show and reappeared on stage in a tunic on stage as “Hero” during A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Since then I have had a great fondness of the theatrical arts and education and my husband has performed in a myriad of shows. In the early years of Riverside Center’s founding my family and I donated countless hours in assisting the business establishment, performance preparation, and filling in wherever else attention was warranted.

Business and service credentials include: I have 23 years of management experience in the food retail industry and 16 years of business management at Riverside Center. During my time I oversaw a team of 20 employees daily and was responsible for all of the cash flow, typically $35-40,000 per day.

Due to my meticulous accounting practices our organization was recognized for excellence in cash management year after year. In addition, I handled all cash transactions and payroll for the theatrical and conference events at Riverside. My dedication was demonstrated as I upheld my duties through my battle with cancer three times, enduring surgery and chemotherapy while simultaneously maintaining excellent performance at both establishments.

I feel that my long term dedication to the development and growth of Riverside as well as my extensive knowledge of the internal daily functions of the theater would prove to be a valuable perspective for the Board of Trustees.