BOARD & STAFF
GOVERNING BOARD
All board members are very active volunteers. You may see one painting pumpkins, loading up tents, driving a cart, hanging an art show, or helping award grants and scholarships. Several board members are working artists, who provide valuable input as part of our efforts to connect with the broad community of arts in the Starkville area.
Officers FYE 2024-2025
Christine Rogers-Kelly, President
Thomas LaFoe, Past President James "Nubbin" Herring, Treasurer Devin Ammons - Secretary Jessie Wade, Member-At-Large |
Additional Board MembersJeffrey Haupt
Phillip Carter Georgia Graham Libbi Havelin Sarah Kudijaroff Spencer Thomas Brittney Van Ness Matthew Miles |
Board appointments are made in June annually at our Annual Drive & Meeting.
COMMITTEES
SAAC is supported by hundreds of volunteers each year. CDAF alone requires more than 200 to plan, coordinate, and execute a one-day event (and that’s without a lightning storm, tornado, or global pandemic). We operate through a handful of planning committees (both formal and informal). In FYE 2024, these include:
Administration, Operations, and Finance
SAAC and CDAF are both supported by a number of subcommittees and community partners, who are not listed here. For questions, please contact SAAC.
Administration, Operations, and Finance
- Building
- Cookbook (E.D., Program Coordinator)
- Executive Committee (Officers)
- Finance (Treasurer, E.D., President)
- Forks & Corks (Thomas LaFoe , Terry Long)
- Art in the Park (Fellows)
- Outreach
- Art Partners (Christine Rogers-Kelly)
- Summer Scholarships (Christine Rogers-Kelly)
- AiPP Exhibits (Walter Diehl) + Fellows
- Business Skills Workshops (Thomas La Foe)
- CDAF (Libbi Havelin, E.D.) with subcommittees
- Grants (Jesse Wade, Phillip Carter, Jeffrey Haupt)
- Public Art
- Arts in Excellence Award (Past President)
SAAC and CDAF are both supported by a number of subcommittees and community partners, who are not listed here. For questions, please contact SAAC.
STAFF
Interim Executive Director |
Juliette Reid |
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Formerly SAAC's program coordinator, Juliette Reid has now stepped into the role of Interim Excecutive Director.
In January 2019, Juliette became an intern at the Starkville Area Arts Council through an Internship in English class at Mississippi State University. Originally from West Plains, Missouri, Juliette graduated from Mississippi State University in Spring 2019 with a BA in English with a Linguistics minor. From Fall 2019 to Fall 2021, Juliette served as SAAC's first AmeriCorps VISTA for Arts Programming, recruiting and managing a volunteer pool; managing social media, press releases, and newsletter promotion; and identifying financial resources for funding arts education programming in the community. Juliette believes that the preservation of art at the community level is important because of its fundamental importance to human expression. Art was made long before even formal written language to help keep stories alive. Science may improve our health and longevity but art is what makes long life worth living. Email Juliette here |
Former Executive Directors:
John W. Bateman
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In 2017, in a strategic move forward, the Board of Directors hired its first-ever Executive Director, John W. Bateman. A graduate of Starkville High School, John is a former attorney and published writer with extensive nonprofit experience. He spent a decade advising more than 100 grant and scholarship-making foundations across a broad range of issues, helping distribute more than $100 million in awards. From 2010 to 2015, John served as the Administrative Officer of The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation in NYC, managing compliance, grant making, and other functions. In 2016, he received his Master of Arts in English from the University at Buffalo’s Innovative Writing program and is an active, award-winning writer. His southern gothic novel, Who Killed Buster Sparkle?, was released June 12, 2019 by Unsolicited Press. John is also recipient of a 2018 Mississippi Film Alliance Emerging Filmmaker Grant. John’s experience as a working artist will help ensure that SAAC continues to build programming that meets the needs of the Starkville arts community.
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mARY sWITZER
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Mary began her tenor as Executive Director in December 2021 and stepped down to pursue art full-time in September 2024. A Starkville native, Mary is an MSU graduate of the BFA program, and an artist (check out some of her work here). She served on the SAAC Board of Directors for almost 6 years, and served as Board President for 2 years through the COVID-19 pandemic, helping keep us in operations and providing essential programming like the Art Box Drive, Art in the Park, and the Cotton District Arts Festival.
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AmeriCorps VISTA Project
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SAAC is very excited to have been the recipient of a project assignment with The Maroon Volunteer Center AmeriCorps VISTA Project at Mississippi State University. The Maroon Volunteer Center AmeriCorps VISTA Project at Mississippi State University links community-minded volunteers with community-based agencies fighting poverty, to develop the educational and economic skill-sets and opportunities of citizens who live in poverty, and provide housing, transportation, and food assistance to individuals living in poverty. SAAC was approved as a site location for The Maroon Volunteer Center AmeriCorps VISTA Project at Mississippi State University in Fall 2019.
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The AmeriCorps VISTA member for Arts Programming will build capacity by coordinating volunteers for SAAC programming, streamlining communication and promotion, and securing financial resources. Starting Fall 2021, the VISTA position will start focusing on our Creative Economy initiatives like CDAF, AiPP, and Business Skills Workshops.
Learn more about our current and post VISTAs below!
Learn more about our current and post VISTAs below!
Current AmeriCorps VISTAs
Cornelius Edmond
Cornelius graduated from Belhaven University during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology. As a result, his prospects for transitioning into the workforce were pretty scarce. However, what seemed like a hopeless situation gradually turned into the perfect opportunity for Cornelius to dive inward and gain a deeper understanding of his true purpose in life.
In doing so, he was able to rekindle his love for art after taking a five-year hiatus. He was also able to make great progress on his neverending stash of writing projects, which includes a multitude of manuscripts, screenplays, and personal essays.
After helping with a few events in his community in 2022, he discovered that he also has a knack for event planning and fundraising. It was through this venture that Cornelius realized that he is at his absolute best when he has the freedom to be creative while empowering others in the process.
Working with SAAC as a VISTA will not only allow Cornelius to make a difference through the power of art but also the privilege of being in an environment with creative and community-minded individuals like himself.
In a way, he considers himself lucky as such opportunities are few and far between for creative types. He is beyond excited about what his year of service entails. And in the near future, he hopes that it will propel him to the next level of making his dream of being a highly fulfilled, multi-passionate creative a reality!
Cornelius graduated from Belhaven University during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology. As a result, his prospects for transitioning into the workforce were pretty scarce. However, what seemed like a hopeless situation gradually turned into the perfect opportunity for Cornelius to dive inward and gain a deeper understanding of his true purpose in life.
In doing so, he was able to rekindle his love for art after taking a five-year hiatus. He was also able to make great progress on his neverending stash of writing projects, which includes a multitude of manuscripts, screenplays, and personal essays.
After helping with a few events in his community in 2022, he discovered that he also has a knack for event planning and fundraising. It was through this venture that Cornelius realized that he is at his absolute best when he has the freedom to be creative while empowering others in the process.
Working with SAAC as a VISTA will not only allow Cornelius to make a difference through the power of art but also the privilege of being in an environment with creative and community-minded individuals like himself.
In a way, he considers himself lucky as such opportunities are few and far between for creative types. He is beyond excited about what his year of service entails. And in the near future, he hopes that it will propel him to the next level of making his dream of being a highly fulfilled, multi-passionate creative a reality!
Former AmeriCorps VISTAs
Austin Irby (Summer Associate 2022)
Austin Irby (Summer Associate 2022)
"Coyote", Photography. Featured SAAC's 2021 Winter Showcase
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Austin Irby is SAAC's Summer Associate for Summer of 2022. Austin will be hosting Photography workshops at SAAC's three Art Partners sites throughout the summer.
Austin Irby's work of photography explores the vast landscapes of the world capturing the most unique and iconic spectrum of the everyday life within nature. Austin Irby generally travels alone in remote areas spending hours in the wilderness, or the path less traveled by, to get different perspectives of the surrounding landscape and environment. Away from city lights and small towns Austin Irby strives for quality and connection to wildlife, nature and his photography. Check out some more of Austin's work: cullenaustin.com |
Sabrina Campbell (Summer Associate 2021)
Sabrina Campbell (Summer Associate 2021)
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In June 2021, Sabrina Campbell became a VISTA summer member at the Starkville Area Arts Council. She is from Starkville, MS and a professional Art Educator at West Point High School. She is also a volunteer with Arts in Public Places (AiPP) and will be assisting in various areas of SAAC. She is a member of various art's organizations and is the only recipient of The Congressional Award of Special Recognition for her artwork. She is a proud member of MS Golden Triangle Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta. Sabrina graduated from Mississippi State University with a BFA in Graphic Design/Visual Arts, Masters in Art Education, Educational Administration, and obtained her Doctoral degree through Belhaven University in Jackson, MS. As an AmeriCorps VISTA for Arts Programming with the SAAC, her role is to help recruit and manage a volunteer pool; teaching Artist with the summer art programs, work with the Cotton District Arts Festival (specifically South stage), and identify financial resources for funding arts education programming in the community. Sabrina is adamant about "Art is the stART of Everything" and is the key to growth, diversity and therapy within all communities. Each community is a "Cornucopia of Cultural Delight": meaning each one of us is a Masterpiece and has unique qualities to improve our community, our home, and our individual lives.. Sabrina desires to become an Art professor at a university and would love to do so at her alma mater, MSU. She will continue to work within the community to promote through the Arts and share all the benefits from its creativity to Art therapy.
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JULIETTE REID (fALL 2019 - fALL 2021)
Juliette Reid (Fall 2019 - Fall 2021)
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In January 2019, Juliette became an intern at the Starkville Area Arts Council through an Internship in English class at Mississippi State University. Originally from West Plains, Missouri, Juliette graduated from Mississippi State University in Spring 2019 with a BA in English with a Linguistics minor. As an AmeriCorps VISTA for Arts Programming with the SAAC, her role is to help recruit and manage a volunteer pool; manage social media, press releases, and newsletter promotion; and identify financial resources for funding arts education programming in the community. Juliette believes that the preservation of art at the community level is important because of its fundamental importance to human expression. Art was made long before even formal written language to help keep stories alive. Science may improve our health and longevity but art is what makes long life worth living. Juliette hopes to continue work with non-profits, someday working with humane societies to help them build capacity and help animals find their forever homes.
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Jesseca Bass (Fall 2021 - Fall 2022)
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Jesseca Bass is from Canton, MS, and attended Holmes Community College in 2019. She graduated from Mississippi State University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology of Arts and Sciences. She is an avid reader in her spare time and loves to cook and sing.
Jesseca is SAAC’s next AmeriCorps VISTA for Arts programming. In her role, she will be assisting with expanding our Creative Economy programs, especially our Business Skills Workshops; researching, writing, and submitting grant proposals and reports to fund arts programming; and recruiting and coordinating volunteers and financial support for the 2022 Cotton District Arts Festival. |
Rabia Siddiqui (Summer 2023)
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I'm Rabia Siddiqui, I'm a new Summer VISTA working with the Starkville Area Arts Council. I'm a student at Mississippi State in Fine Art with a concentration in Sculpture, but I have a knack for making all sorts of things. For the past year, I've been planning events by artists, for artists. I wanted to create opportunities for people like me so that our artistic ecosystem can thrive. Obviously the next step was to reach out to SAAC! I'm very excited to see where this path takes me, and I'm very thankful for this opportunity.
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Kaylee Keys Neiper (Summer 2023)
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My name is Kaylee Keys Neiper, I am a new Summer VISTA working with the Starkville Area Art Council during the school year I am a student at Mississippi State University pursuing a criminology major, I also do backstage technical work with theatreMSU during their show season. I am a military brat who has moved 13 times in my life, Starkville is the longest location I have lived in and with school out for the summer I wanted to volunteer somewhere local. I wanted to become a VISTA Summer Associate because it allows me to be more involved and connected with the Starkville community.
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SAAC Internship & Workstudy Program
Much of our success hinges upon communication with funders, the public, our members, and our volunteers. In Fall 2017, SAAC launched a formal internship program in part collaboration with Mississippi State University's Department of Communication. In Fall 2018, this program expanded to include a workstudy opportunity through Mississippi State University.
Our current and past interns (in alphabetical order) include:
Our current and past interns (in alphabetical order) include:
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Interesting in becoming an intern? Apply below!
Those interested in workstudy opportunities should contact MSU for eligibility. |
