Commissioners
Members of the Indiana Arts Commission are appointed by the Governor to act as commissioners-at-large, to represent the state as an entity, and to take the citizens of Indiana as their constituents. Individual commissioners should exercise partisanship on behalf of the cultural development of Indiana.
Commissioner Responsibilities | Meetings | Meeting Minutes
Jon Ford
Chair
All State Manufacturing, Terre Haute
First Term: 2009-2013
Jon is the president of All State Manufacturing, based in Terre Haute, IN, which specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of metal food service equipment. Mr. Ford is also a founding principal of St. Louis, MO based Edison Strategies, a private merger and acquisitions firm that offers listings and guidance to growing companies and the executives who currently run or in the future will run them. As a frequently published author, Mr. Ford has written about corporate strategies and small business. To view some of his writings, please visit www.edisonstrategies.com/articles.asp. Mr. Ford is dedicated to making change in the world through his volunteer work in many diverse organizations, including the Board of Overssers for the Swope Art Gallery, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Indiana Vending Council, and Honey Creek Township Board as well as others.
Karen Ellerbrook
Vice-Chairperson
Evansville
First Term: 2008-2011
Mrs. Ellerbrook is a former special education teacher and high school guidance counselor, as well as a former performing artist. She and husband Niel Ellerbrook, president, CEO, and chairman of the board of Vectren Corporation, are active in the arts community of southwestern Indiana including the University of Evansville Theatre Society Board, and the New Harmony Project. They have supported many projects sponsored by the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, and have worked to advance the Arts & Work Benefit sponsored by Vectren Corporation and Old National Bank. Karen has returned to vocal performances for benefits supporting organizations such as the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science, The Koch Family Children's Museum of Evansville, and Lampion Center.
Judy Hess
Secretary
Horseshoe Southern Indiana, Corydon
Second Term: 2008-2011
Judy is director of communications for Horseshoe Southern Indiana where she is responsible for public relations, media relations, and community affairs. Ms. Hess previously served as executive director of Harrison County Community Services, an organization she founded in 1976. She has also worked as vice president for the Hoosier Valley Economic Opportunity Corporation, where she supervised business assistance programs within a seven-county region. In addition to her professional experience and community leadership responsibilities, Judy has previous experience working with the Indiana Arts Commission as a volunteer grant review panel member.
Gilberto Cárdenas
University of Notre Dame, South Bend
First Term: 2008-2011
Gilberto Cárdenas is an Assistant Provost at the University of Notre Dame and Director of the Institute for Latino Studies. Dr. Cárdenas has extensive experience in Latino arts. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The Mexican Fine Arts Museum, Chicago, and Self-Help Graphics, Los Angeles. Additionally, he is the founding Executive Producer of the award winning NPR radio program, Latino USA, and a member of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Dr. Cárdenas also serves on the Advisory Council of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "Gates Millennium Scholars Program," the Board of Directors of the Mexican American Legal and Educational Defense Fund, the Smithsonian National Board for Latino Initiatives, and the editorial boards for both the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center’s A Ver project and MFAH’s Documents of 20th Century Latin American and Latino Art. Dr. Cardenas teaches a course on the Aesthetics of Latino Art and Culture. He is an avid collector of Latino art. A part of the collection is on long term loan at the Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin, and a significant body of works will be on loan to the Snite Museum of Art for exhibition and tour in the near future and as a promised gift to the museum.
Linda W. Goad
Indianapolis
First Term: 2009-2013
Linda has spent the past 20 years dedicated to public service and philanthropic endeavors. With an early career in marketing, Ms. Goad made the decision to devote the majority of her time to parenting and subsequently became actively involved with a number of activities at Park Tudor High School. In the early 1990's, she joined the Junior League of Indianapolis. She served as President in 1997-98. During her tenure, she served in numerous leadership positions and received a National Award for JLI's Strategic Plan. She remains a committed member as a Sustainer. In the year 2000, Ms. Goad was Founding Co-Chair of a newly developed non-profit organization, The President's Roundtable. Their mission is to bring together leaders from diverse women's civic, social and service organizations throughout Indianapolis and Central Indiana. In addition to Ms. Goad's community volunteerism, she has participated in various initiatives for Governor Daniels, including: Chairperson of the Governor's first inaugural celebration; Commission Member of the Governor's Residence, charged to refurbish and transform the residence into the vision of First Lady Cheri Daniels; and Chairperson of Commission for the Governor's Residence. Ms. Goad has been active on initiatives for the Indianapolis Art Center and Indiana State Museum. In the past three years, she founded a small business and coaches middle school tennis for Park Tudor School.
Pam Hicks
Greenwood
First Term: 2008-2011
Pam Hicks is a patron of and advocate for the arts. She serves as president of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Association's Executive Board and as president of the Alliance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, on the President's Roundtable, the South Group of the ISO Board, the Greater Greenwood Arts Council and on the Franklin College Board of Trustees, where she also serves as curator of its art collection. Mrs. Hicks is a past president of the Hoosier Salon, Hoosier Salon Guild, Indiana Federation of Art Clubs, Southside Art League, Indianapolis Civic Theatre and the Masquers of Civic Theatre Boards. She is a founding member of the Executive Committee of the Johnson County Community Foundation and a past State Fine Arts Chair for Tri Kappa. Among Pam's honor's are a Distinguished Hoosier Award and a Sagamore of the Wabash.
Jeffrey Kirk
Bingham McHale LLP, Indianapolis
First Term: 2010-2014
Mr. Kirk is a partner with the Indianapolis law firm Bingham McHale LLP where he specializes in venture capital finance and managing the legal affairs of high-growth, technology-based companies. Kirk is an active member of the Indianapolis community. He currently serves as the Chairman of the 2010 Penrod Arts Fair, and Chairman of the Board of The Indianapolis School of Ballet.
Linda S. Levell
Vigo Elementary School, Vincennes
First Term: 2009-2013
Mrs. Levell began her education career in media arts as an Education Advisor for The Letter Shop, a children's television series developed at Tecumseh-Harrison School in Vincennes, Indiana. As part of The Letter Shop team, she was also the co-author of a teacher's manual for the series. Mrs. Levell is involved on the Board of Directors of the Knox County Community Foundation, the PACE Policy Council, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Vincennes Education Foundation. She is also a Beginning Teacher Mentor with the Indiana Professional Standards Board. Mrs. Levell is currently a kindergarten teacher at Vigo Elementary School in Vincennes.
Jeanne E. Mirro
Cardiovascular Innovations, Fort Wayne
Second Term: 2008-2011
Ms. Mirro is director of business development for Cardiovascular Innovations, a technology transfer company for cardiac devices. She holds a degree in education, and worked as a classroom teacher with Avon Community School System. She also served on the St. Jude Elementary School Board in Fort Wayne. Ms. Mirro is a past member of the board of trustees for the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Committee; the Lincoln Museum Membership Committee; and the Collections Committee of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, as well as the Museum Alliance.
Suzanne Rentschler
Hartsville
First Term: 2008-2011
Mrs. Rentschler has been involved with several community organizations that support arts including service as president of the Indianapolis Museum of Art-Columbus, a volunteer at UnCommon Cause, and a board member of the Columbus Area Arts Council. She and husband Charlie also helped lead the renovation of Hartsville Town Square, and host numerous fundraisers for the arts.
Kelly B. Schreckengast
Chair, Cultural Trust Administrative Board
Coldwell Banker – Shook Realty, Lafayette
First Term: 2007-2010
Ms. Schreckengast is a licensed real estate agent with Coldwell Banker-Shook Realty in Lafayette. She is a member of the board of directors for the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette and volunteers with the Y.W.C.A and American Cancer Society.
Irene Smith-King
Gary Artworks, Gary
Second Term: 2007-2010
In addition to serving as Gary's First Lady, Ms. Smith-King is an active leader in arts and arts education programs in the Gary area. She is the founder of the not-for-profit organization Gary Artworks, an arts-focused job training program for youth. Since its founding in 2000, Gary Artworks has expanded its services to include after-hours arts programming for elementary school-age children. Ms. Smith-King has been active in Gary area arts organizations such as South Shore Arts (formerly known as the Northern Indiana Arts Association.)
Richard Q. Stifel
Chair, Committee on the Future
South Bend
Second Term: 2008-2011
Mr. Stifel is executive vice president of Business Banking Group and chief credit officer of 1st Source Bank. He is a member of the board of the Saint Joseph County Chamber of Commerce, and the Indiana Community Business Credit Corporation. Mr. Stifel is a past board member and president of the board of the South Bend Regional Museum of Art, and also chaired the museum's 1994-95 capital campaign. He also served as a board member of the Firefly Festival for the Performing Arts; and presently serves as a board, and executive committee member of the Friends of the Snite Museum of Art.
Earl R. Williams
Chair, Program Evaluation Committee
Muncie
First Term: 2008-2011
Mr. Williams is retired from Ball State University, where he served as the manager of Emens Auditorium for 25 years. Williams has an extensive background in the arts and theatre, having also served as president of Muncie Civic Theatre, president of International Society of Performing Arts Administrators, and executive director of the Muncie Community Foundation.
Trevor Yager
TrendyMinds, Indianapolis
First Term: 2010 - 2014
Mr. Yager is owner of the advertising and public relations agency TrendyMinds which he founded in 1995. The company specializes in creative, strategic and interactive sevices for local, national and international brands. The company's client list includes Starbucks; Clarian Health; NASCAR's Kevin Harvick, Inc.; ChaCha; Pearson Education; IndyHub; the NGLCC and more. A graduate of Anderson University, Yager is a board member of the Damien Center and a past board member of American Cabaret Theatre.
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