Welcoming New Leadership and Celebrating the Next Board Member Chapter

At Inspiration’s Edge, our strength has always come from the people who believe in our mission and dedicate their time, talent, and energy to helping our community thrive through the performing arts.

As we continue to grow and evolve, we are excited to welcome two new members to our Board of Directors while also celebrating the contributions of two board members whose service has helped shape our organization in meaningful ways.

Please join us in welcoming Kevin Hayles and Cassandra Deas to the Inspiration’s Edge Board of Directors.

Together, Kevin and Cassandra bring decades of experience in community service, leadership, volunteer engagement, event planning, public outreach, and relationship-building. Most importantly, they share a deep belief in the power of creativity, collaboration, and community.

Meet Our New Board Members

Cassandra Deas — Community Connector & Creative Advocate

Cassandra has spent years bringing joy, creativity, and connection to people through entertainment, face painting, customer service, and community events. A longtime supporter of Inspiration’s Edge, she encouraged the organization's founders long before IE officially existed and has proudly watched it grow from an ambitious dream into a thriving nonprofit arts organization.

With experience in social media, community outreach, event entertainment, and partnership-building, Cassandra understands what helps people feel welcomed, valued, and excited to participate. She is passionate about helping Inspiration’s Edge continue to grow while remaining true to its mission of making the arts accessible, inclusive, and community-centered.

Kevin Hayles — Leader, Volunteer & Community Builder

Kevin brings a lifetime of service and leadership experience to Inspiration’s Edge. A veteran, civil servant, volunteer, actor, and member of the Desert Theatre League Board of Directors, he has dedicated much of his career to building relationships and strengthening organizations through collaboration and service.

Kevin believes deeply in the power of co-creativity and innovation and has seen firsthand how the performing arts can build confidence, strengthen communities, and create lasting positive impact. Through his extensive involvement in local organizations, he hopes to help strengthen connections between Inspiration’s Edge and the broader theatre and arts community throughout the Hi-Desert and beyond.

Thank You, Jesse and Emily

As we welcome new leadership, we also want to express our sincere gratitude to Jesse Worstell and Emily Riley as they step away from the Inspiration’s Edge Board of Directors.

As a founding board member, Jesse helped shape Inspiration’s Edge from its earliest days through his creativity, leadership, humor, and unwavering belief in the power of community. From helping launch Rotating Players Improv to strengthening community partnerships, his impact can be felt throughout our organization. We are excited to see him focus on The Noise Floor, the Hi-Desert music store he co-founded with Kevin Zieber, where he is bringing his passion for music, performance, education, and community connection to benefit our region in a new way.

Emily brought enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and a spirit of service that energized countless productions and events. She also originated what is now our annual Desert Drama Dash 5K Fun Run, creating a new way for our community to come together in support of the performing arts. While she is stepping away from the board to focus on her continued professional growth, we are grateful that she will remain an active volunteer and supporter of Inspiration’s Edge, continuing to champion the work we do.

Looking Ahead Together

As Inspiration’s Edge continues to grow, so does our commitment to our mission: fostering a lifelong love and appreciation for the performing arts through community collaboration.

We are grateful for the leadership, dedication, and friendship that Jesse and Emily have shared with our organization, and we are excited to welcome Kevin and Cassandra as we continue expanding opportunities for creativity, connection, and artistic growth throughout the Hi-Desert.

Thank you, Jesse and Emily, for helping shape our story.

And welcome to the Edge, Kevin and Cassandra. We can't wait to see what we co-create together.

Interested in helping shape the future of Inspiration’s Edge? We currently have open board and committee positions and are always looking for passionate community members to get involved. If you'd like to help us continue bringing the stage to our communities, we'd love to hear from you. Just send a message to Info@InspirationsEdge.org.