“Elizabeth’s professionalism, generosity, and unwavering commitment to others make her an invaluable member of the Otterbein community. Her work elevates not only the Theatre Department, but everyone who is fortunate enough to learn from and work alongside her.”
– Lenny Leibowitz, professor and chair of Theatre and Dance
After serving Otterbein behind the scenes for over 26 years, the spotlight was on Elizabeth Minnich Saltzgiver ’99, managing director of the Department of Theatre and Dance, when she received the 2026 Model Citizen Award in May.
“She serves as the heart and engine of our department and is widely admired for her compassionate leadership, dedication, and commitment to mentorship,” wrote Lenny Leibowitz, professor and chair of Theatre and Dance.
Thanks to Saltzgiver, the show went on after Cowan Hall experienced a flood crisis shortly before the spring musical was scheduled to run earlier this year. She coordinated extensive clean-up, drainage, and relocation of the costume shop.
“Her leadership ensured that students, colleagues, and collaborators felt supported and respected throughout the process. Thanks to her efforts, audiences attending Cinderella — a large-scale production with more than 100 handcrafted costumes and a cast of 35 — remained entirely unaware of the disruption behind the scenes,” wrote Leibowitz.
Saltzgiver manages more than 1,000 subscription orders annually and oversees outreach initiatives, including social media engagement, local media partnerships, talkbacks, school outreach, and Lifelong Learning programming. She mentors student employees in marketing, box office operations, front-of-house, management, and public relations — many of whom go on to successful careers at major venues nationwide, including on Broadway.
