BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tom Parson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tom is responsible for site management and oversight of all work done on the Depot building. He also is involved in program management and development; educational and publication projects including letterpress printing, poetry, typographic and historical research, events and exhibits; demonstrations and lectures; equipment repairs and assistance; acquisition for museum collections. A Letterpress printer with over 40 years of experience publishing poetry, job printing, teaching workshops, student interns, demonstrations, typographic research, he also has years of experience on nonprofit boards. He is a graduate of Amherst College with an MAT from the University of Washington.
Jason Wedekind
PRESIDENT
Jason runs Genghis Kern Design and Letterpress out of an old Furniture shop in Denver, Colorado. Jason found his way to the land of inky fingernails (and knuckles) by way of graphic design. In 2007, he met Tom Parson and bought his first press, a 10x15 C&P, along with a cabinet of type, and the hook was set. Fifteen years later, he has built a small but indispensable team along with a small fleet of presses and creates tactile experiences for clients. With one foot squarely planted in both the digital and analog worlds, Genghis Kern chases that balance that only stepping away from the computer can provide. Jason got involved with the Depot at the earliest part with the purpose of spreading the love of letterpress to the masses. The heart of the Letterpress Depot is the community, and we are so excited to finally be able to share that with everyone near and far.
Patti Parson
SECRETARY
Patti, who serves as Board secretary, is the Managing Producer of PBS NewsHour, with fiscal and editorial oversight of over 30 foundation grants. She is responsible for reports and proposals to funders as well as maintaining a good working relationship with them. Before taking on development work, Patti was an award-winning field producer for the NewsHour. She received her BA from Smith College and her M.A. from the University of Washington.
Kirk Benson
Kirk is an Englewood Schools teacher and local artist, with long family ties to the Englewood community. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education, with an emphasis in printmaking from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. With 15 years of experience in letterpress printing, over 12 of it was spent at the world-renowned Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum, as an intern, volunteer, and visiting artist. That background and enthusiasm for the Letterpress Depot project led him to join the board of directors in 2020.
Bryan Dahlberg
Photographer Bryan Dahlberg serves as documentarian for all the Letterpress Depot has accomplished, both in terms of rehabilitating the building and printing events. A graduate of Wheaton College, in his day job he is designer and photographer for Argonne National Laboratory. For more than 20 years, he was a photographer and Public Information Officer for FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.
CARA JO KNAPP
Cara Jo Knapp is the founder of Knapp Design Co., a Denver-based invitation design studio. Cara Jo received a BFA in Photography and Graphic Design and then spent 15 years working as a web developer and user interface designer, bringing a unique blend of technical precision and artistic vision to her work. In 2021, she discovered a deep passion for letterpress after acquiring her first vintage press, a 10x15 C&P (and then adding a Vandercook 4) and has since dedicated thousands of hours to honing her craft. Her work is defined by thoughtful design, rich color, and the timeless beauty of hand-pressed paper goods. In 2024, she joined the board of the Letterpress Depot, furthering her commitment to preserving printing history and building a creative community around the craft.
Amy Feiman
Coming soon!
DAVE LASKOWSKI II
Dave is a user experience designer with a background in graphic design and branding. He holds a BFA in Communications Design from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and an MA in Strategic Communications Design from the University of Colorado Boulder. A passionate hobby printer, Dave runs Black Beetle Press, where he explores the creative potential of letterpress printing. Raised in the Denver metro area, he enjoys recharging outdoors and staying connected to his Colorado roots. Dave brings both strategic and creative insight to his role on the board.
Marc Silberman
A former printer for the Rocky Mountain News and an active member of the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library, Marc has been an enthusiast for recruiting young people to the Depot’s mission, and has focused on teaching young people how to set type and print - even using his own backyard print shop for lessons. Marc also regularly has a printing project or two in the works.
William Whitley
An award-winning fine artist, bookbinder, and printer. Bill’s educational degree from Virginia Commonwealth University is in fine arts (sculpture), and his professional career has been in commercial design, advertising, and print production. His employment immediately previous to retirement was as Operations Director for an international publishing organization in Boston, Massachusetts. He has over 50 years of experience in letterpress printing; some as a paid occupation, but mostly as a pleasurable avocation. In addition to being on the Board of the Letterpress Depot, he has served on Boards of a number of non-profit educational organizations in Massachusetts and Colorado, including several years on the Board of Directors of the Museum of Printing in Massachusetts, having left as Vice President of the Board.
Ian Van Mater
Ian is a part time designer and letterpress printer with a degree in Visual Communications from Washington University in St. Louis. He currently serves as Treasure of the Board of the Letterpress Depot. His day job is consultative sales for Apple, helping simplify technology buying decisions for customers. He collects books and vinyl, plays disc golf, drinks black coffee. He cultivates several obsessions including typography, world travel, the 80s, and mid-century design.