Life & Work with Luke Harmon of San Marcos

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luke Harmon.

Hi Luke, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey has always been at the intersection of performance and purpose, even if I didn’t see the full picture at first. I grew up in a family dedicated to serving the special needs community; my mother even ran an organization in Arizona with programs similar to TERI. While theatre was my first love—I’d been acting since I was 6 years old—the values of service and community were deeply ingrained in me.

I pursued a theater arts degree at Arizona State University, but I quickly learned that a career in the arts isn’t always lucrative. To make ends meet, I took a job in the restaurant industry, an experience so soul sucking that it pushed me to find work with more meaning.

That’s when I found my first role supporting adults with special needs, working as the “weekend fun guy” – a self-made title for myself – for a residential program. I planned games and activities that helped individuals with higher support needs build connections with their community and improve their behavioral skills.

Driven to make an impact through performance, I moved to Chicago to dive into its vibrant theater scene. I wanted to “change perceptions from the stage.” While there, I became a company member with Hobo Junction Productions and a featured artist with Roundhouse Productions. Then, I co-founded the Chicago Fringe Festival with several other talented artists. For four years, I worked with the Chicago Fringe Fest, and we produced a week-long festival celebrating new works from indie performers, including everything from theater to puppetry and dance. This experience taught me invaluable lessons in production, arts programming, and community engagement.

After moving to San Diego to be with my now-life partner, Erin, I started in an entry-level position at TERI in 2015 and quickly moved into a supervisor role for the performing arts program. Everything came full circle in 2024 when The Bornemann Theatre opened at the TERI Campus of Life, and I stepped into the role of Director of Entertainment Operations.

Now, I spend my days overseeing live entertainment for The Bornemann.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It wasn’t always a smooth road. The Fringe Festival faced political opposition. A local politician, trying to undermine a rival, targeted our festival, painting us as “hoodlums” and using hate mail to try and shut us down. It was a crash course in navigating public perception and standing firm for the arts. Another challenge was financial instability. The nonprofit I worked for in Chicago abruptly closed, leaving me laid off.

But these experiences, both the triumphs and the struggles, prepared me for my role at TERI.

What makes you happy?
By day, The Bornemann Theatre is home to the TERI Players, talented artists enrolled in TERI’s theater arts program who are developing their unique gifts. I get to continue to be a part of that fulfilling mission.

By night, I get to transform that same stage into a vibrant entertainment hub for the community, booking tribute bands, national artists, and comedy acts. My background in theater production, arts education, and nonprofit work has converged perfectly.

Here at TERI, I get to work “both sides of the house” every single day, ensuring that music and performance remain at the heart of TERI’s work to support individuals of all abilities.
And when I’m not working, I’m scuba diving!

For more info on acts that Luke is booking at The Bornemann Theatre, check out www.thebornemann.com.

For information about TERI, where Luke works, visit www.tericampusoflife.org.

Follow Luke on Instagram @lukeatthebornemann and also @thebornemann to purchase tickets to live performances. Every ticket purchase supports TERI’s life-changing programs and services for the special needs community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebornemann.com
• Instagram: @lukeatthebornemann
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-harmon-203333313/
• Other: https://www.tericampusoflife.org

Image Credits
Luke with industry partners at The Bornemann – photos by Brian Tierney
Luke with TERI students – selfie
Luke at Spring Fling 2025 with musician Ronni Lee – photo by Brian Tierney
Luke with San Diego Music Award winner Matthew Phillips – photo by Luke’s life partner, Erin
Luke headshot by Carly Khayat