Meet AHA!
Our Purpose
AHA! formed September 10, 1975. Since then it has evolved and grown into an organization with a broad base of support for cultural and artistic events and programs. We support a vital, active cultural life as an integral component of our community; we enjoy our life as a community and take pride in our heritage and we encourage the creative spirit. In addition to our cultural and artistic enterprise for adults we support special projects for children as well, in and outside the school environment.
AHA! TODAY
There are currently over 150 active members and donors of AHA! We receive additional, hands-on help from many volunteers and financial support from our business community. AHA! is also a United Way organization.
Our Board of Directors is a diverse group which brings a broad range of talents and expertise to AHA!
Future projects in planning include establishing an Artists Registry, increasing our grant allowances, and to further develop educational programs for adults and children.
AHA! BOARD OF DIRECTORS
for the press release about the new 2008 AHA board members, click here.
Executive Committee
Peter Corum, President, pcorum@franklinamerican.com
Peter runs the # 10 home mortgage team in the nation with Wells Fargo. He received his BS in Accounting from Case Western Reserve and passed his CPA exam. He is Managing Partner of Town Run Common, A Creative Community, and the Crofts, an equestrian community in Shepherdstown. He hosts a local radio show “Community Impact" on WRNR 740 am.
Paul Pritchard, Vice President PritchardP@aol.com
Paul is a renowned conservationist, author, and a member of the Humanities Council, Washington DC; he received the first Albert Schweitzer Prize in the Humanities presented at Johns Hopkins University. Pritchard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities and a Master of Science in Planning. He is a decorated Vietnam veteran.
Kathryn Skinner, Treasurer kathy.skinner@longandfoster.com
Kathy has an BS degree in accounting from the College of William and Mary and an MBA from the University of Texas. She is a licensed CPA in Virginia and presently is an Associate Broker with Long and Foster Realty.
Sue Pellish, Secretary suepellish@frontiernet.net Sue served as director for United Way-Jefferson, Berkeley, and is now a private consultant for non-profit organizations. Her broad knowledge of the non-profit world in invaluable.
Other Board Members:
Elizabeth Frater Allen allen_ef@frontiernet.net
Betty is an artist who makes her own paper. She then prints, paints, and assembles her art work, often a collage. She served as secretary of AHA, has curated many exhibits at the Boarman Arts Center and The Fire Hall Gallery. She is the AHA Historian.
Nan Broadhurst" nan-b@citlink.net
Nan had a career in information technology as a systems analyst and project manager, but she has reinvented herself in her current life as an artist and graphic designer. She serves as the Membership Chair, the database administrator, member of the Public Relations committee, AHA webmaster, and designer and producer of the AHA Voice.
Dane Konop dkonop@aol.com
Dane Konop is a photographer and retired writer, editor and public affairs officer for research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dane was the editor of The NOAA Report and was a technical consultant on numerous film and video productions, including the National Geographic television special Cyclone and the Warner Brothers motion picture Twister. A native of western Pennsylvania, Dane earned a B.A. in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was a long-time resident and civic activist in Silver Spring, Md., before moving to Shepherdstown in 2002 with his wife, Janet, and son, Dane Christian, a student at Shepherd University. He is chairman of the AHA Public Relations Committee.
Kit McGinnis Kit@KitMcginnis.org
Kit works in the conservation field as the Programs and Communications Director for the National Park Trust. She and her husband have two young children and love to garden and dance. They’ve lived in Jefferson County for 9 years. Kit grew up on cattle ranches in Montana and Arizona and has spent much of her career traveling and living abroad. She has an MBA and a master’s of urban planning from UNC, Chapel Hill, and received a BA in Communications and Italian from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Quincy Northrup, Arts in Education coordinator, TAC program, qnorthrup@gmail.com
Quincy holds a graduate degree in Dance from George Washington University, has performed and taught widely in modern dance and classical dances of Asia. She is a member of a small professional chamber choir in Washington, DC. She is the president of a small family foundation that supports arts programs for underserved children. She oversees the granting of money to teachers of the arts in Jefferson County Public Schools for special classroom projects.
Pam Parziale pamoren@frontiernet.net
Pam is a studio potter with her husband Ren. She has served on the WV Commission on the Arts, director of Arts Advocacy, a state-wide lobbying organization for the arts, and was state director of Arts Action WV. Her articles on the arts have been published in numerous arts related publications. She was recognized in 2005 for life-time achievement in the arts by Governor Manchin.
T. Nicole Saunders-Meske Segone40@aol.com
T. Nicole Saunders-Meske is an attorney who has specialized in commercial and corporate law. She was Executive Director for the Miami Council for International Visitors, Inc.
Lois Turco lturco@frontiernet.net
Lois Turco, Shepherdstown, is a community activist in Jefferson County, having retired in 2001 from a research firm in Rockville, Md., where she headed up the information management system and computer support. She is a member of the board of directors of the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown and the Gateway New Economy Council. She is also a trustee of the Washington Heritage Trail for Jefferson County and a member of the Environmental Sustainability Committee for the Town Council of Shepherdstown. Born and educated in the Washington, D.C., area, Turco earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Maryland in College Park. She held numerous volunteer jobs overseas as a member of various Department of State consular and embassy communities, taught English as a second language in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Amman, Jordan, and was the Community Liaison Officer for the U.S. Embassy in Amman.
Ron Widmyer rwidmyer@msn.com
Ron was educated at Carnegie Mellon U as an engineer, worked as a farmer in Jefferson County. He has taught science & computers at Shepherd U and in public schools. He served as president of AHA for 3 terms.
Other AHA folks who are important to know!
George Seffers george_seffers@hotmail.com
The Writers Group meets every other Friday at the Firehall Gallery, led by George.
Don Athey DocBeau@frontiernet.net
Contact Don for information on the Tuesday Painters' group at the Firehall Gallery.
Elizabeth Wheeler ewheelerwv@yahoo.com
Liz developed the Cultural Plan for Jefferson County under the sponsorship of AHA.
