SAMBA PATHAK (he/him/his) is a proud Nepali-American arts administrator, producer, marketer, and award-winning stage manager working throughout the DMV. He holds an MA in Arts Management and a BA in Theatre from George Mason University. Samba serves as the Administration & Operations Director at Theater Alliance, where he oversees the organization’s financial operations and budgeting, contracts and compliance, human resources, and organizational systems and policies, while remaining actively engaged in the execution of the organization’s production season. He is also a Board Member/Governance Chair of Educational Theatre Company and a Founding Producer of the District Fringe Festival, a platform expanding access and opportunity for independent artists across the region.

Grounded in strong project management principles, Samba has managed and monitored grant-funded initiatives totaling a portfolio exceeding $5 million. His leadership practice is deeply informed by his work as a stage manager, where he brings together artists, technicians, designers, and administrators to create the conditions for a production to succeed. Across new-play development workshops and technically complex performances, he is known for his adaptability, attention to detail, and ability to remain calm and solution-oriented when circumstances change. He particularly enjoys serving as a substitute stage manager, learning a show in under two hours and calling it live. For Samba, stage management is more than a production discipline; it is a model for leadership, teaching him the importance of trust, clear communication, thoughtful preparation, and stepping in wherever needed.

Samba brings that same philosophy to his work in arts administration, with a particular commitment to building sustainable organizations, strengthening community resilience, and using the arts to preserve and serve the communities that sustain them. His work is rooted in the belief that strong arts organizations require strong, yet thoughtful infrastructure, creating the stability artists need to take creative risks. Outside of the arts, Samba remains committed to public service as an Operational Member of Buckhall Volunteer Fire Department, where he serves as a volunteer first responder staffing the ambulance unit. IG: @SambaPathak