About Our Team.
6 key team members. Over 200 years of collective experience. Based in Seattle, Washington. Serving the Northwest region. Ready to serve.
Systems Integration Team
Max Pagel
Vice President of Operations
With 10 years of rigging experience, Max Pagel is PNTA’s operations manager and has worked with PNTA in various capacities since 2011. Max’s extensive hands-on experience makes him a valuable voice in the early creative stages of how to approach a rigging challenge and laying out different potential solutions to the unique challenges that each job presents.
Chris Cornelius (He/Him/His)
Project Manager
After seven years as a Software Engineer focused on mobile systems and audio content distribution, Chris returned to his roots backstage as a Project Manager for PNTA. He's been designing and implementing theatrical systems since 2004, with particular expertise in audio, networking, and custom electronics. Chris has also served as technical director in a number of venues, including a nightclub in Minnesota, a found space in California, and a black box studio theatre in Boston.
At PNTA, Chris brings an engineer’s eye to the design of technical systems: lighting, audio, video, rigging, and power control systems all rely on the same basic tenets. Chris’s goal is to create systems that are safe, functional, maintainable, and fully meet customers' needs.
Shannon Saunders (She/Her/Hers)
Senior Project Manager of Drape Shop
Shannon Saunders is the senior Drape department project manager with 6+ years of experience building, designing and rigging draperies and has worked with PNTA for 10 years. Shannon designs the rigging and the softgoods for drape installations. She manages the drape manufacturing process as well to ensue PNTA’s high standards are maintained.
Karl Triebs (He/Him/His)
Technical Onsite Specialist
Karl is PNTA’s creative technical problem-solver in chief. A graduate of Washington State University with a BA in Theatre, Karl has accumulated nearly 40 years’ experience in stage lighting and theatrical lighting control systems. Having worked as a Master Electrician at several local Seattle theatres (including Empty Space Theatre) before joining PNTA full-time, Karl’s hands-on experience with theatre technology over the decades provides him with a solid grounding with which he can solve problems with almost any theatrical system. Whether helping to keep an ancient Strand dimming system functioning or commissioning a new ETC Unison Paradigm Control System, fabricating unique rigging solutions for unconventional spaces, or integrating new lighting and audio equipment into existing systems, Karl’s technical wizardry in unmatched in the Pacific Northwest.
Raiden Dolen (He/Him/His)
Technical Commissioning Specialist
Raiden has over sixteen years’ experience in technical theatre, including a BA in Theatre from Nazareth College. Since joining PNTA’s Technical Services team in 2013, Raiden has achieved multiple designations from ETC, including those listed below.
At PNTA, Raiden specializes in lighting controls, console training, lighting programming & design, and LED fixtures. Raiden also loves to chat about scenic painting & stage management.
ETC Authorized Service Provider
EOS Family Console Trainer (Levels I-III)
Colorsource Trainer (All Levels)
Mosaic Programmer
Management and Support
Richard Carlson
President & CEO
Asher Vast
Media Specialist
Ryan Grulich
Senior Vice President
Tommy Kwong
Accountant
James Carter
Marketing Director
Samantha Chang
Web Designer
Some of our customers are:
_edite.png)
