What's Happening
Stay Connected
Receive the latest news, grant offerings, and community events.
(Boston, MA) Lawrence J. Simpson, board chair of the New England Foundation for the Arts, announced the appointment of five new members of NEFA’s Board of Directors and recognized the six members retiring from the board in 2015.
Appointed in May 2015 as Connecticut’s director of culture, Newman-Scott previously served as Hartford's marketing, events and cultural affairs director. Prior to that position, Newman-Scott was director of programs at the Boston Center for the Arts. She was also director of visual arts at Hartford's Real Art Ways from 2005 to 2010. She serves on the boards of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra to name a few. Newman-Scott was a National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow, a Hive Global Leadership Selectee and a Hartford Business Journal Forty Under 40 awardee in 2014 and was recently selected as a 2015 Next City Vanguard 40 Under 40. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Newman-Scott was an arts consultant and TV/Radio host in Kingston before coming to the U.S., where she became a citizen in 2013. She holds a B.F.A. from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston. Noted Kristina, “I am inspired by NEFA’s work in defining art as a template for meaningful experiences and harnessing the immeasurable power of artists and their work.”
Ann Smith joined Featherstone in 2007 and was named the Executive Director in September 2010. Featherstone is a year-round arts center providing gallery shows, art classes and workshops for youth and adults in all media, and home to several annual special events. Ann also is Chair of the Arts Martha's Vineyard Steering Committee, the Island’s arts and culture collaborative organization. Since October 2010, Ann serves as the leader, convener, planner and collaborator for year round arts programming and cultural events especially the Fall for the Arts and Spring for the Arts creative economy marketing campaigns. Ann received the Massachusetts Tourism Award in May 2015, which is given to those who exemplify the best in tourism and hospitality throughout the state. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) with a degrees in Economics and History of Art. "I am especially pleased to join the NEFA Board to further the cause of public art funding as well as advocating and supporting the arts in underserved and rural communities," commented Ann.
Pamela Tatge is the Director of the Center for the Arts (CFA) where she works to elevate the place of art in higher education in ways that strengthen teaching, student learning and artmaking. Under her direction and facilitation, the CFA became the lead commissioner of Liz Lerman’s Ferocious Beauty: Genome (FBG), an exploration of repercussions of genetic research, which premiered at Wesleyan in February of 2006 after a development and teaching residency with Wesleyan dance faculty and scientists. In 2010, Pam received the William Dawson Award from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP), given to an individual or organization in the presenting field for sustained leadership, innovation and vision in program design, audience building and community involvement efforts. Pam worked closely with former NEFA executive director Sam Miller to create the Institute for Curatorial Practice and Performance (ICPP) at Wesleyan, which today offers an MA in Performance Curation. She is a graduate of Wesleyan. Said Pam, “NEFA is an extraordinary institution with innovative programs that successfully marry artists to audiences in New England and across our nation. I’m honored to serve on their Board.”
Prior to joining the board, Ted became involved with NEFA as a member of the organization’s Investment Committee. Ted has worked in investment management since 1985 when he began supporting Hakan Castegren, founder of the Northern Cross investment philosophy. In 2003, he became a founding partner and portfolio manager for Northern Cross, LLC. Wendell is a graduate of Harvard College and holds an MA in mathematics from the University of Washington. Prior to his years in investment management, Wendell held appointments as Head of Admissions and Dean of Students at Marlboro College in Marlboro, VT, and now serves as a Trustee on the college’s board. Ted is determined to make a difference in his hometown of Milton, MA and the surrounding region. He has been hard at work as a Trustee for both the Milton Land Conservation Trust and his alma mater, Milton Academy. From 2004-2009, Wendell co-chaired the Advisory Board for the American Repertory Theatre. He currently serves as Director and Treasurer for the Poverty Alleviation Fund and as a member of the Founders Council for ArtsEmerson. Ted received a Bachelor's Degree from Harvard and a Masters from the University of Washington. “With NEFA at the core of various art forms in New England and across the country, I look forward to being a part of helping artists and their companies,” said Ted.
Marco Werman is host and executive editor of the Public Radio International-BBC daily co-production The World, broadcast out of WGBH, Boston. He has been in journalism since the age of 16. A former Peace Corps volunteer, Werman got his start in radio in the late 1980s while freelancing in Burkina Faso, West Africa for the BBC World Service. In 1991, he helped start a community station in upstate New York where he was news director, and created and hosted the two-hour morning drive show. He later reported from Rome, Italy, for Monitor Radio. In 1995, Werman helped create the format for the daily international news program The World where he has been ever since. In 1997, he began providing the daily punctuation mark for The World in the “Global Hit” segment in which musicians and musical trends around the globe are linked to the news. He took that reporting to Frontline, and won an Emmy for his 2006 report, “Libya Out of the Shadow.” Marco is a graduate of Duke University. “I am excited and honored by the chance to serve on the NEFA board. I can already tell the experience is pushing me into intellectual spaces I don’t often get to explore. But it’s also familiar space since I’ve often seen the arts as an area where the news agenda can be openly discussed, where people who don’t get the news can relate to it if it’s discussed in music or painting or theater,” commented Marco.
All five new directors were present at NEFA’s annual summer retreat hosted in Northport, Maine. In addition, officers of the board were re-elected to their positions, while board member Geoff Hargadon of UBS Financial Services was newly appointed Treasurer of the Board.
“We are truly honored that these individuals have agreed to serve on NEFA’s Board of Directors; each brings a unique perspective and expertise,” said NEFA board chair Larry Simpson, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost, Berklee College of Music. “At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge the work of the board members who are now rotating off of the board; many have served lengthy terms and have contributed much to NEFA over the years. We are grateful for their combined years of service.”
At the board’s retreat, Larry Simpson thanked David Bury (member: 2012–2015), Daniel Forrest (member: 2013-2015), and Peter Nessen (member: 2009–2015) for their participation on the board. Larry also gave distinguished service gifts as thanks for their outstanding leadership as prior chairs of the board to: John Plukas (member: 1996–2015, Chair: 2000–2006, Treasurer: 2006–2015); Andrea Rogers (member: 1996–2015, Chair: 2006-2009); and Mary Kelley (member: 1996–2015, Chair: 2009-2013).
About NEFA
NEFA builds connections among artists, arts organizations, and funders, powering the arts to energize communities in New England, the nation, and the world. NEFA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that operates in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the New England state arts agencies, with additional funding from foundations, corporations, individuals and other government agencies.
NEFA’s work is accomplished through grantmaking, services, and initiatives which strengthen and advance the national arts infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.nefa.org or call 617.951.0010.
###
Contact: Ann Wicks | 617.951.0010 x534