BOARD AND STAFF MEMBERS

Chris is an award-winning art director, author, and visual communicator. Prior to moving to Cumberland in 2010, Mr. Sloan worked with National Geographic Magazine in Washington, D.C., as Art Director, Senior Editor, and Director of Mission Projects. Mr. Sloan is also an author who has written two feature articles for National Geographic as well as adult books, and nine award-winning children’s books. Mr. Sloan has a B.A. in Communications and enjoys oil painting and etching. He also operates a local design company, Transmedia Design.

Heidi is a designer, arts promoter, and entrepreneur with extensive business and travel experience in India. For many years, she has managed an arts & craft based enterprise of hand dyed clothing along with her textile-artist husband, David L. Cook. She was Director of the Bedford County Arts Center before its untimely demise in 2013. Heidi holds a M.A. degree in French Literature from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently resides in Bedford County on Fort Royale Farm where she and her husband host and organize the Wills Mountain Festival.

Rebecca relocated back to this area after many years of living in New England. While there, she pursued a career in non-profit administration, working in the fields of land conservation and the arts. Most recently, she was the Director of the Northern Berkshire Creative Arts Community Center; Program Manager for IS183 Art School; and instructor in the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Arts Administration Department. Rebecca has a B.A. in Social Ecology and Fine Arts from Goddard College and is pursuing an M.S. degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University.

Robin Vereen has been working with the Arts Council since 2008 when we moved into our current space. During the first four years she was a gallery assistant, managed our Community Room (now the Schwab Mountain Maryland Gallery) and managed our Arts Bus programs. In fact, she was known as the Arts Bus Lady among many of our elementary school students. In the last two years she has moved into the position of Bookkeeper; keeping an eye on the budget for all of us. She loves art and is actively involved in local theatre.

Adam Brant was born, raised, and schooled in Western Maryland. He graduated from Frostburg State University in 2016 with a degree in Mass Communication, and is interested in photography and videography. He has previously worked with the FSU TV3 cable station, and the Aberdeen Ironbirds minor league baseball team. Adam currently resides in Cumberland.

Tama worked and traveled as a Certified Travel Counselor for many years, and now helps run her family's leasing business. She has been involved with several artistic ventures in the area, including the Western Maryland Symphony and the American Red Cross Symphony Under the Stars. She and her husband, Nick, are also involved in many community activities. They currently reside in Cumberland with their two children Leah and Victor.

Ann grew up in the military, moving around the United States until her family finally landed in Cumberland in the 1960s. Although not a native of Allegany County, she has grown to love this area, and now proudly refers to Cumberland as her "hometown." Ann has been involved with the Allegany Arts Council since 1996, and has been the organizer of one of the Saville Gallery's signature exhibitions, the annual Will's Creek Survey. She is also an accomplished visual artist and has won awards both locally and regionally for her photography and graphic design. Ann holds a degree in graphic design and is the Director of Publications in the Office of Communications & Media Relations at Frostburg State University.

Kathy serves as the Director of CE Health & Human Services for Allegany College of Maryland. Before arriving in Maryland, Condor served as the New Product Development Manager for the Northern Trust Company in Chicago and Director of Advertising and HR for Ride-Away Handicap Equipment of Manchester, NH. She has a BA from DePaul University and is 2011 graduate of Leadership Allegany! She is a life-long advocate for the arts as both an economic driver and an irreplaceable enhancement to quality of life. She resides in LaVale with her husband Chuck. They both relish time with their three adult sons.

John is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors. He is a native of Allegany County and he and his wife, Karen, have lived in the county for 26 years. John is delighted to witness the cultural renaissance occurring in the region. As members of the Cumberland Theatre and the Allegany Arts Council they have become true arts enthusiasts, as have their three children. Appreciation of the arts has no boundaries, and provides enduring rewards. John seeks opportunities to give back to the community that has been so generous to himself and his family.

Keith Broome is a local community pharmacist with nearly 25 years of experience. He is a part of the PharmaCare Network of pharmacies serving Cumberland, Frostburg, and parts of Garrett and Mineral counties. He is a native of Allegany County and a lifelong resident of the Cumberland area. Keith graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and elected to continue his education locally, earning an MBA from Frostburg State University several years later. He was initially attracted to the local arts community several years ago while providing housing for out of town artists during the annual Plein Air event. Getting to know these artists personally has made a positive influence on his understanding of the value and importance of different styles of art. His goal is to help perpetuate the growth of the local arts community in hopes of establishing Allegany County as a visitor destination.

Susan came to Cumberland in 1973, fresh out of college with an Art History degree from the University of Delaware. Unable to find a job in her field, she settled into raising four boys. She stayed connected to the arts through private collecting, home renovations and restorations, and an interior design work setting. Susan has found it interesting over the years to see the arts community develop in Cumberland. She believes the city has a lot to offer to the arts and that they are very important to our community.

Mary Kay Finan is a Professor Emeritus of Frostburg State University where she was on the Education faculty for twenty years. She was the Coordinator of the Elementary and Early Childhood programs. Mary Kay taught elementary school for 13 years in Allegany County before joining the faculty at Frostburg. She has been a member of the Maryland State Board of Education since 2007. Over the years, she and her husband Tom have enjoyed the creative process of filling their home with an extensive collection of art, artifacts, and furnishings primarily from the local art community.

Krystyna Poray Goddu is a writer, editor and educator who has been dividing her time between Cumberland and New York City, where she raised her two children, since 2002. With her children embarked on careers of their own, she has now happily become more involved in the Cumberland arts community. Author of numerous books, including A Girl Called Vincent: The Life of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay for young people, she has also published her work in American Girl magazine, The New York Times Book Review and Riverbank Review of Books for Young Readers, and is a regular reviewer of children’s books and writer for Publishers Weekly. She was cofounder of Cumberland-based Reverie Publishing Company, which published books on dolls and other toys. She has also worked in school libraries and taught writing to middle-school students in independent schools in New York City, as well as to adults through ACM’s Continuing Education department. She holds a degree in comparative literature from Brown University.

In 1980, at the age of 20, Kelly Mackie opened her first business, Opposite Genders Salon, Inc. She has spent her career studying in New York and training throughout the country with top artists in her field, all the while striving for balance as a career mom to five children and husband Tim. Kelly is a Certified Master Colorist and has dedicated her career to teaching and mentoring other young artists while developing their skills and talent. The arts have played an integral role in Kelly’s life- through her daily work in the salon, as well as her travels to many foreign countries in search of inspiration. Sharing the experience of other cultures and how it unites all of us as artist is something Kelly feels passionate about. As a native of Allegany County and a witness to the transitions it has endured in recent decades, she believes it is most important to give back to the community that has supported her and her company for over 36 years.

Marion S. Leonard was a professor at Frostburg State University teaching leadership, communication, human resource development and accounting and courses to her MBA students. Prior to her university teaching career, she was successful in the business world in both retail management and as a financial planner.
Now retired as Professor Emeritus, she is also a Certified Yoga Teacher, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program instructor. Marion integrates her academic background in management, psychology, yoga and meditation with her business experience in facilitating leadership training, personal growth workshops and stress reduction classes in educational and organizational settings. Her passion is to help people discover how to integrate mind, body, and heart connections into one’s life choices and well being.
Marion has also served on the boards of Family Crisis Resource Center, First Peoples Community Credit Union, Allegany Arts Council, and continues to serve as Vice President of the Community Trust Foundation serving Allegany, Garrett and Mineral Counties, Frostburg State University’s Foundation Board of Trustees, Chair of the steering committee for the Imagination Library of Allegany County, MD. , Advisory Board of MPT, and Board Chair of the Community Wellness Coalition.

Vic is a retired Federal Senior Executive with extensive experience in management and public policy issues. He was Assistant Comptroller General for Health, Education, and Human Services; and Managing Director, Strategic Issues at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. He has a Master’s degree in Governmental Administration from George Washington University and Bachelors in Accounting from Bryant University. He frequently testified before congressional committees on a wide range of issues. After retiring he was a consultant with Nathan Associates, and Chemonics International Inc., both international economic development firms. He moved to Cumberland, MD in April 2007 and has been active in volunteer activities. He is also a Board Member at the Allegany Museum, Chairman of the Archive and History Committee at The Church of St. Patrick, and a member of the National Road Bicentennial Committee.

Dave is in equal measure artist and technologist. Originally from Califormia, Dave has lived in various parts of the country including Seattle, Washington and Portland, Maine. Though the majority of his adult life was spent as an electronics engineer and strategic marketing executive in the semiconductor industry, his camera was never far from reach especially during his travels abroad. In pursuit of this other passion, he gradually embarked on a second career as a commercial and fine art photographer. When it became clear that this “night job” could be nurtured and transformed into a full time pursuit Dave, and his wife Meg, put together a plan to escape “Corporate America”. In 2003 they moved to Cumberland, purchased and renovated their living and working space in one of the grand old buildings “on the bricks” in the heart of Cumberland’s Towne Centre. Dave’s fine art photography has been in numerous solo and group exhibitions and has won several awards. The commercial side of his studio is focused on providing web design, videography, and photographic services to businesses, universities, and artists.

Pamela Twigg is a native of Cumberland, having returned to the area in 2013 after living nearly 25 years abroad. She holds a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Amsterdam and a Bachelor’s Degree in Modern Languages from Clarion University. Most of her career has been in an international corporate environment in the Netherlands and in the U.S., focused in the ICT sector. Her current position is with BT Americas as a business manager for the Unilever account, one of BT’s largest clients. She is interested in people, languages and cultures, and how cultural differences affect global events. This interest resulted in her learning three languages. She is passionate about being part of the Arts Council, which she feels plays a vital role in helping people in Allegany County broaden their horizons. Pamela is also a member of the Cumberland Rotary Club, Bridges to Opportunity (Youth Engagement), the National Association of Professional Women, and Leadership Allegany.

Renee Butler is originally from Cumberland, but left the area after graduating from college. She began her career in Washington DC, working in management and consulting. From there, she lived in various places around the world, including London, New York City, and Seattle. She returned to Allegany County in 2015. Renee holds several degrees, including an MBA in Financial Management from the University of Exeter and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from FSU. She has been wholly self-employed since 2009 as a business and finance writer. Renee believes in being the change you want to see, and to that end has become very active in the community. In addition to serving on the Allegany Arts Council board, Renee is also a board member on the Cumberland Theatre, serves as the citizen-at-large on the Cumberland Downtown Development Commission, and is the co-founder of Hello Cumberland, a grassroots volunteer movement to promote authentic living and small town charm in mountain Maryland.

Jon Stroup is the Director of Operations for Hunter Douglas Fabrication Division’s Cumberland, Maryland facility. Jon and his wife Miriam and their youngest daughter, Finian, relocated to Cumberland in February 2016. Their eldest daughter, Makenzie, is currently attending Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. Jon came to Hunter Douglas bringing extensive operations leadership experience, which includes international experience as European Operations Director, overseeing the operations of 24 culturally diverse factories in 10 European Countries, while living in England.While Jon has traveled, worked, and lived abroad during his life, he has roots and a heart for a smaller town life where he and his family can enjoy participating in and contributing to the community in which they live. The career opportunity to direct Hunter Douglas’s largest facility and live in Allegany County, MD offered precisely the right fit for Jon and his family.Jon grew up in Selinsgrove, PA. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Operations Management and Human Resources from Susquehanna University. Jon is also a veteran having served as a member of the Pennsylvania ARMY National Guard.

Jon, Miriam, and Finian have wasted no time getting involved in our community – supporting and participating in the Arts is a Stroup Family Affair. Jon is also a Board Member of the Cumberland YMCA.

Download Allegany Arts Council Bylaws pdf document