Who Makes Up ZDK Arts ?

Board of directors

Joseph Martinez is the current Artistic Director of the Missoula Children's/Community Theatre. He also spent six seasons with the Arizona Broadway Theatre as Managing Artistic Director and Resident Director, where he directed 23 productions, including The Drowsy Chaperone, Anything Goes (ariZoni nomination), Kiss Me Kate (ariZoni nomination), Little Shop of Horrors, Man of La Mancha, Miss Saigon, and many more. A native of Utah and a graduate of Southern Utah University, prior to his tenure at MCT, Joe spent three years with the Utah Shakespearean Festival working in House Management, Box Office, Publicity, and as a Greenshow and Royal Feast Performer. His work for the US Air Force took him to Korea and Japan to instruct teachers, community theatre groups and community center personnel in all aspects of producing and staging musicals, talent shows and pageants. Joe also directed Leader of the Pack for the premiere season of Put-In Bay Summer Theatre in Put-In Bay, Ohio, as well as for four summers with The Bigfork Summer Playhouse. At Bigfork, Joe directed Grease, Forever Plaid, Once Upon A Mattress, The Star Spangled Girl, and Urinetown The Musical. As an adjunct professor Joseph worked with theatre design students at Arizona State University and taught Stage Management for Mesa Community College, located in Mesa, Arizona where he also directed Death and the Landslide and To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday.

ZDK Board President

Melanie Charlson

Melanie Charlson works as a Field Consultant for the Montana Federation of Public Employees union, an affiliate of both the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. She works with 22 Certified and Classified local unions representing over 2,100 members throughout western Montana. Melanie taught elementary and middle school and worked as an instructional coach with the Missoula County Public Schools for 28 years, including seven years as full-time president for the Missoula Education Association. Melanie represented Montana on the National Education Association Board of Directors and on the American Federation of Teachers K-12 National Program and Policy Council. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a Minor in vocal performance and a Master degree in Integrated Arts and Education, both from the University of Montana. Melanie brings numerous years of experience with the Missoula Community Theatre/Missoula Children’s Theatre. Melanie served as an MCT Tour Actor, performed in dozens of Community productions, coordinated children’s day camps and served as camp director/coordinator/consultant for the MCT Performing Arts Camp for over 30 years. She currently is the MCT Education Consultant on call and sings with the Missoula Symphony Chorale. Melanie is honored and excited to serve as president of ZDK arts, bringing opportunities to shine a spotlight on Missoula artists from a variety of genres.

ZDK Board Vice-President

Joseph Martinez

ZDK Board Secretary/Treasurer

Cori Schafer

Cori Schafer has called the Missoula valley home for the last 2+ decades. She along with her husband Jim have established and run a successful new construction and remodeling company in that time. Her two children are very involved in the competitive dance world. She loves cooking, crafting, camping and skiing. Cori brings many years of real estate management and general contracting bookkeeping knowledge to the table and is looking forward to helping ZDK Arts grow and serve all of Western Montana and beyond.

Alex Kowalchik is a multi-hyphenate creative based in Missoula, Montana who absolutely fell in love with the performing arts when his grandmother first played Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" for him. After receiving his BA in Acting & Performance from Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville, Alex embarked on a 4-year adventure as a Tour Actor/Director with the Missoula Children's Theatre, during which he taught, acted alongside, and directed nearly 10,000 total children in more than 5 countries; including Canada, Germany, England, and India. He runs Vladi Media, an internationally published photography & videography company, and founded ZDK Arts due to his unending passion for enriching his community & intense desire to help make the world a better, more positive place for all. He recently directed the world premiere of Shaun Gant’s full-length play “Sports of Nature” and enjoys collaborating on artistic projects of all sorts, ranging from still images to motion pictures and stage works to site-specific projects. When not brainstorming ZDK events, he can be found chasing his 2-year-old son, Zander.

Alex Kowalchik

ZDK Board Member/Executive Director & Founder