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2009 Statewide Arts Conference
Arts Be Nimble: Navigating Tough Terrain
Conference Presenters
Speaker information will be added as workshops are confirmed.
Vice President of Education and Director of the Education Institute
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Charlotte, N.C.
Morenga Hunt is vice president of education and director of the Education Institute at the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, N.C. He is responsible for directing the Center's school, community, audience development, and audience enrichment education programs. He also works with the Center's president and other senior management on the Center's programming and marketing to build partnerships and relationships at the local, regional, and national levels.
Co-director, Animating Democracy, Americans for the Arts
Barbara Schaffer Bacon co-directs Animating Democracy, a program of Americans for the Arts that fosters civic engagement through arts and culture. She has written, edited, and contributed to many publications, including Civic Dialogue, Arts Culture: Findings from Animating Democracy; the Arts and Civic Engagement Toolkit, and The Cultural Planning Work Kit.
Her consulting work includes program design and evaluation for state and local arts agencies and private foundations nationally. Barbara directed the Arts Extension Service at the University of Massachusetts from 1984-1990. She is a board member of the Fund for Women Artists and New WORLD Theater, and president of the Arts Extension Institute, Inc. Barbara recently concluded 14 years of service on her local school committee.
Artistic Director, Living News, National Constitution Center
David Bradley is a Philadelphia-based theater artist, arts educator and consultant. He is artistic director of the National Constitution Center's Living News, which will begin its fourth season of dramatizing current Constitutional issues this fall. In addition to directing and helping to develop the piece, he has created curriculum and teacher training workshops for the project.
A long-time company member at People's Light and Theatre in Malvern, David has directed more than 20 productions and for four years was associate artistic director, jointly leading nationally recognized arts education programs. He is a co-founder of LiveConnections.org, the nonprofit partner of Philadelphia's acclaimed music venue, World Cafe Live.
Throughout his career, David has designed and directed major projects bringing together artists and community members and has been an active explorer of how art, community and civic dialogue intersect.
Artistic Director
Delirium Tribal and Columbia Alternacirque
Natalie Brown grew up studying classical music and ballet as she traveled the world with her military family. She met her spiritual match, however, when she stumbled upon a Tribal Bellydance Style class in New Orleans, becoming a n.o.madic tribal company member under the teachings of original students of ATS Master Teacher Meg Gavin of Devyani.
After fleeing hurricane Katrina, Natalie found herself starting over in Columbia, S.C. With no tribal troupes or classes established in the state, she founded Tribal Style classes (with the help of the CMFA and Center for Dance Education), and formed Delirium Tribal Bellydance Company. Under her artistic direction, Delirium strives for artistic and technical excellence, while pushing the boundaries of Tribal Style.
Delirium Tribal transitioned to a collective approach and teamed up with Steve Oswanski, director of Fire and Motion. The new umbrella vaudeville circus-inspired performance organization was coined Columbia Alternacirque. Alternacirque strives for a high-quality, cohesive collaboration of alternative art forms and hopes to contribute to the cooperation of the arts community in Columbia. The group is now in its second full season, with a cast of dancers, fire performers, hoopers, actors, poets, stilt walkers and guest artists from across the country.
Business Development Manager
LaMondré Pough's dedication to helping people unleash their personal potential has quickly established him as a premier inspirational speaker and trainer. He believes that in order for an organization to be at its very best, the people who make up the organization be at their best. LaMondré's inspiring presentations translate into an increase in employee and member morale and productivity. Keynote & workshop topics include: "Do Something" (inspiration), "To Be Empowered You Must Act Empowered" (empowerment), "Walking the Talk" (leadership), and "Peering Through A Different Window" (diversity)
Living with a severe disability, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, LaMondré was a founding leader at South Carolina’s first Independent Living Center, he was the host of a weekly radio program, The LaMondré Pough Show, Empowerment Radio., he was a founding partner in TechnoAngels, and the founder and CEO of LaMondré Pough Unlimited. Currently, he is the Business Development Manager for TecAccess, an industry-leading ICT consulting firm focusing on accessibility.
Interactive Strategist
Cerelle Centeno moved to Columbia from New York City and joined Mad Monkey in Sept. 2008. In that other city, she had various positions in the interactive industry, including Web marketing director at Mount Sinai, corporate marketing director at iCrossing, and Web manager at eMarketer. She feels she has achieved prime equilibrium with her current role, which combines 1/3 business development, 1/3 client strategy and 1/3 project management.
Mad Monkey is a production and animation boutique in Columbia that specializes in telling visual stories. Mad Monkey has worked with such nonprofit clients as the Columbia Museum of Art, Historic Columbia Foundation and the Nickelodeon Theatre.
Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., The Weathers Group (TWG) helps improve organizational performance by providing training, technical assistance and research services. TWG specializes in enhancing management and governance practices for nonprofit, foundation, government and corporate entities. The firm has considerable expertise in the areas of organizational, resource, leadership and community development. Known for developing creative strategies that result in sustainable change, TWG has emerged as one of the most innovative and effective thought leaders in the Southeast by providing a framework for client success based on proven methodologies and principles. For more information, visit www.weathersgroup.com or call 803-400-1991.
Assistant Director
Public Charities Division, S.C. Secretary of State's Office
Ned Badgett has served as assistant director of the Public Charities Division of the Office of the Secretary of State since 1997. He is a past board member of the National Association of State Charities Officials and a former president of the Columbia Carolina Club (UNC). Ned earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of South Carolina in 1994.
Executive Director
Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties
Andrew Witt is executive director of the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create and nurture a climate throughout the two-county area in which cultural programs, involving both institutions and individuals, can thrive. Through cooperative planning, public education and fundraising, the organization supports more than 100 arts-related organizations and coordinates special projects to enhance the quality of life for Midlands residents.
Witt served for 16 years as the executive director of the Arts Council of Northwest Florida, a "chamber of commerce and united arts fund" for cultural groups for several counties.
Prior to his work in Florida, Mr. Witt served as the executive director of the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Colorado, managing director of the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta, and as the managing director of the Fifth Avenue Theatre and A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle, and the Tacoma Actors Guild.
He has served as a consultant to a variety of arts groups, local arts councils and nonprofit cultural organizations.
He is a member of the Board of EngenuitySC, the S.C. Arts Alliance, the S.C. Association of Non-profit Organizations and the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
Executive Director
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
Kathleen P. Bateson is president and CEO of the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, which received an Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award for the Arts in 2006. She has produced, presented and managed equity theatre programs, performing artists and dance companies, as well as visual arts exhibits, for 24 years.
Ms. Bateson is founding president of Management For the Arts, specializing in "turn-around" restructures, institutional planning, strategic positioning and collaborative new business ventures. Clients have included Dance USA, Washington Ballet, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, North Carolina Dance Theater, and Cleveland Children's Museum, among others.
Ms. Bateson developed the strategic plan for the Ohio Arts Council and created the OAC's arts resource center, and served as consultant and project director for Art to the People, a $1 million community cultural participation project of the Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Fund, in partnership with the Cleveland Foundation.
She is a founder and now co-chair of the BRAVO Arts Cultural Festival and serves on the executive committee board of the S.C. Arts Alliance.
Executive Director
Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
Kristin Cobb is the executive director of the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County, which serves as the local arts agency for the county and as an umbrella organization for seven affiliate clubs. Recognized for its excellence in programming, arts education and outreach, the Fine Arts Center has twice been the recipient of the distinguished Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award.
With a strong performing arts background, Cobb currently does freelance acting for television and film projects in the region. A graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Journalism, Kristin worked in radio and television for about 15 years before joining the Fine Arts Center. Prior to being named executive director in 2007, Kristin worked as the Art Center's marketing director.
Cobb is very active in the community and is currently the president of the Camden Rotary Club, an executive committee board member of the United Way of Kershaw County and a volunteer Guardian ad Litem.
Perry Mixter President
The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg
Perry Mixter is president of The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg. He was previously director of corporate and foundation relations at Appalachian State University, where he also served as director of the University’s Cultural Affairs office.
Throughout his career, Mixter has served in a variety of leadership roles in the arts and civic affairs, including president of the North Carolina Presenters Consortium and president of the High Country United Way. He is currently a member of the Downtown Spartanburg Rotary Club and of the United Arts Fund Council of Americans for the Arts.
In 1995, Perry established Mixter Consulting Services, which provides consulting services for nonprofit agencies. Mixter earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Denison University, and a master’s degree in Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He and his wife, Jan, have two daughters, Jennifer and Sarah.
Randy Akers, Executive Director
The Humanities CouncilSC is in its 36th year as the state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The organization's mission is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Programs and initiatives are balanced, reflect sensitivity to a diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations. For more information, visit www.schumanities.org or call 803-771-2477.
The South Carolina State Library
David Goble, Executive Director
The S.C. State Library is the primary administrator of federal and state support for the state's libraries. The Library is a national model for innovation, collaboration, leadership and effectiveness. The Library's mission is to optimize S.C.'s investment in library and information services. In 1969, as the result of action by the General Assembly, the State Library Board was redesignated as the S.C. State Library and assumed responsibility for public library development, library service for state institutions, service for the blind and physically handicapped, and library service to state government agencies. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Library is funded by the state of S.C., by the federal government through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and other sources. For more information, visit www.statelibrary.sc.gov or call 803-734-8666.
The South Carolina Arts Commission
The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the S.C. General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of S.C., by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803-734-8696
President
South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations (SCANPO)
Mason Hardy serves as the chief executive of the state's only nonprofit association working to serve, support, and strengthen the sector by providing resources, trainings and public policy advocacy.
Hardy raises significant support from local, regional and national sources to develop capacity-building programs for nonprofit organizations. SCANPO annually serves more than 800 member organizations representing some 20,000 staff members and volunteers.
Hardy previously served as the executive director of the Tuomey Foundation in Sumter and the Newberry Hospital Foundation where he initiated record-breaking annual giving campaigns and special events and drafted multiple successful grants. In addition to his foundation experience, Hardy has served as the director of public relations for Nexsen Pruet law firm and as a director of government relations for the South Carolina Hospital Association.
Public Programs Manager
Columbia Museum of Art
Leslie Pierce received a degree in studio art from Winthrop University in 1989. She has been involved in the arts community for more than 10 years, participating in numerous exhibits. Most recently, she was included in ETV’s documentary, "A Natural State." Her work is in private collections in the U.S. as well as Japan and Italy.
She is the public programs manager at the Columbia Museum of Art. Ms. Pierce teaches adult and children studio classes at the museum.
Executive Director
South Carolina Arts Alliance
Betty Plumb is the executive director of the S.C. Arts Alliance, the state’s primary arts policy, advocacy and service organization.
Plumb worked to merge the State Arts Advocacy League of America (SAALA) and the National Community Arts Network (NCAN) into a programmatic council of Americans for the Arts, now know as the State Arts Action Network. She currently serves on the executive committee of that organization and the governance and membership committees.
Plumb is the advocacy chair of the S.C. Arts Alliance’s sister organization, the S.C. Alliance for Arts Education; works closely with the S.C. Arts Commission and the Arts in Basic Curriculum Project; and serves on the board of the S.C. Association of Non Profit Organizations (SCANPO).
In 2007, Americans for the Arts presented Plumb with its Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award, created to honor an individual who has dramatically affected the political landscape through arts advocacy efforts at the state level. That same year, she was recognized by Winthrop University with its prestigious Medal of Honor in the Arts.
Producer, ETV Radio
Web Designer, ECI Find New Markets
Ben Reynolds is a South Carolina native who is currently a Media Arts student at USC. When he's not on the radio at ETV or WXRY, he's designing websites, or interning at awesome interactive media firms like Mad Monkey and Period Three. Ben also utilizes his videographic skills to shoot and edit his video blog, "the Ben Blog."
Executive Director
ARTS North Carolina
Karen Wells is ARTS North Carolina's executive director and registered lobbyist. She previously served as performing arts director for the North Carolina Arts Council and for 11 years as executive director of the Arts Council of Wilson. Karen has an Master of Fine Arts in Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts in Education, and has worked extensively in academic, community, and professional theatre before landing in arts administration and advocacy. Karen was born and raised in rural Mississippi and is committed to the practice of the arts as a transformative power in economy, education, and civic life.
Executive Director
Arts Leadership League of Georgia (ALL-GA)
Jan Selman is the executive director of the Arts Leadership League of Georgia (ALL-GA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to statewide arts advocacy, arts education and arts leadership. She is a life-long artist and a seasoned hands-on arts administrator, advocate and community organizer.
Selman has served on numerous community and cultural boards and councils. She serves as the state advocacy chair for Americans for the Arts and is a member of both the National State Arts Action Network and President Obama’s National Arts Policy Committee. Additionally, she serves on four boards, including the Southern Arts Federation and the Atlanta Convention & Visitor's Bureau Cultural Tourism boards.
Selman has been recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the city of Decatur, named Lexus Leader of the Arts, and has received an Abby Award from Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and The Mary Clark Community Arts Award.
Director of Sales and Marketing
S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Beverly Shelley is the director of sales and marketing at the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, a position she has held since 2002. Prior to that time, she served as manager of PRT's public relations program and then as director of the sales program, before sales and marketing were merged in 2002.
Beverly's education and early career were in print journalism. She is a 1984 graduate of the USC College of Journalism and Mass Communication and worked for 10 years at both the Columbia Record and The State newspaper. (Incidentally, she is thrilled to NOT be in the newspaper business.)
Beverly loves being a part of an organization that has a positive and profound impact on her state. She believes that as we all are driven to do more with less, we all have the opportunity to get smarter and smarter in our work and in our relationships.
Michelin Maps & Guides
Jason Strand manages custom publishing projects for Michelin Maps & Guides. He joined the Maps & Guides' team in 2005 as an editor and a writer, and his role has evolved over the last four years into a marketing position for developing unique publishing projects leveraging the Michelin approach to travel content generation.
Located at the Michelin North American headquarters in Greenville, S.C., Michelin Maps & Guides has an established track record of producing custom publications for S.C. constituents, including the Greenville CVB, Furman University, Clemson University and the College of Charleston.
An automotive icon for more than 100 years, Michelin is the world's number one tire manufacturer and is also known for maps, guides and atlases that set information and performance standards in travel, accommodation and dining worldwide. In North America, Michelin publishes more than 300 publications with over 800,000 copies sold in 2008 alone.
Tax Manager
DeAnna Moss is a tax manager in the firm’s Charleston-East Bay office. Her responsibilities include planning, supervising, scheduling and reviewing tax engagements, managing client relationships, assisting with consulting engagements and training staff. She has extensive experience in individual, small business, and not-for-profit taxation.
DeAnna is a former CFO of a not-for-profit organization and has an intimate understanding of the not-for-profit business model.
She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the S.C. Association of Certified Public Accountants (SCACPA), a 2007 graduate of Leadership Charleston and a board member of the Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
Owner
Van Aernum Studios
Kathryn Van Aernum has worked as a graphic designer for over 25 years, transitioning to Web design six years ago. The owner of Van Aernum Studios in Columbia, a web and graphic design business, she provides marketing solutions for individuals and small businesses. She previously worked with advertising companies whose clients ranged from restaurants, hotels, and regional banks to state lottery accounts. Her work has appeared in PRINT Magazine and PRINT’S Best Logos and Symbols.
An accomplished photographer, watercolorist and book artist, Van Aernum holds a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from Naropa University. She has also attended design workshops at The School of Visual Arts and PRATT in New York City. Prior to living in South Carolina, Van Aernum lived in Key West, where she has exhibited her photography in several area galleries, as well as the Key West Custom House Museum.
She has held the hand of many who have been intimidated by the computer and has also conducted workshops entitled, “Igniting the Muse,” stimulating the creative process by making handmade artist’s journals.
Cynthia Moses NeSmith, MPA, CFRE
Owner and Principal
C.M. NeSmith Consulting, LLC
Cindy NeSmith has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, having served as executive director of organizations in Florida, Montana, and South Carolina. She holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina and Bachelor of Arts from Agnes Scott College.
She is owner and principal of C.M. NeSmith Consulting, LLC, a full-service company providing fundraising expertise, nonprofit management, board development, grantsmanship training, and public relations to organizations throughout S.C.
NeSmith was the 2005 president of the Central Carolina Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is a Certified Fundraising Executive. She is active with the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations.
Director of Communications
South Carolina State Library
Curtis R. Rogers is the director of communications for the South Carolina State Library and coordinates the South Carolina Center for the Book. He has served with the library in various capacities for 15 years. He previously worked at the Charleston County Public Libraries and taught courses at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science.
Rogers received a bachelor's degree in geography, a master's degree in library and information science, and a doctorate in education from the University of South Carolina. Rogers has been involved in the South Carolina Library Association for more than 10 years and served as the association president in 2008. He recently presented "Social Media, Libraries, and Web 2.0: How American Libraries are Using New Tools for Public Relations and to Attract New Users" at the 2009 German Library Association Conference in Erfurt and at the State and University Library of Hamburg.
Marketing Director
Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
Jim Litzinger spends a good portion of his time embracing his multiple personalities: he is the marketing director for the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County and managing director for Columbia Children's Theatre.
In a previous life, Jim received a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of South Carolina and lived in Chicago where he worked as a senior graphic designer for a Big Five accounting firm while honing his skills as a theatrical designer with several off-Loop theatre companies.
He has jumped into the social media arena and manages accounts for the FAC, CCT, and himself, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and a blog. Offline he enjoys quilting, pottery, photography, gardening, kayaking, and biting off more than he can chew.
About the 2009 Conference
- September 15, 2009
-
Columbia Conference Center, Columbia, SC
- Schedule
- Presenters
- Location and Hotels
- Donors
- Photos
- Back to 2009 Conference Home
For more information, please contact Susan DuPlessis (803-734-8693) or Joy Young (803-734-8203).