Creative Flagstaff Welcomes New Board Members
Welcome New Board Members!
Three new board members, representing youth education, performance, visual arts, indigenous culture, and astronomy, join Flagstaff Arts Council at a pivotal point in its history.
Flagstaff, AZ – Flagstaff Arts Council announces three new members to its Board of Directors: Dr. David Koerner, Duane Koyawena, and Shayne Smith. The directors were elected to a four-year term at the June 24, 2020 board meeting and took office on July 1, 2020.
“These new members bring important perspectives to the board including science, indigenous culture, and youth education. They join a group of community leaders that represent higher education, business, government, philanthropy, and more,” said Kimberly Batty-Herbert, President of Flagstaff Arts Council.
Dr. David Koerner is NAU Emeritus Associate Professor of Astronomy and Planetary science. He specializes in star and planet formation, astrobiology, and indigenous astronomy. He has degrees from CSULB, Caltech, and NAU. In addition to being a scientist, he has a MM in instrumental performance, manages Grand Canyon Music, and is a violinist with Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and other local performance ensembles. He joins the board to promote artistic interpretation of life on the Colorado Plateau with special interest in cultural astronomy and music.
Duane Koyawena (Hopi/Tewa) is a self-taught artist and curator and owner of Duane Koyawena Arts. He draws inspiration from his traditional Hopi culture and everyday life. Duane has given numerous motivational talks about behavioral health and the parallels between his art journey and his path to sobriety, including nationally at an annual conference in Washington, D.C. He has received national and international recognition for his works in Museum of Northern Arizona’s Exhibit, The Force is With Our People and for co-creating and co-curating, PIVOT: Skateboad Deck Art. He was recently voted, Best Local Artist by the readers of the Arizona Daily Sun.
Shayne Smith is the Director of Theater Arts and Bands at Flagstaff High School. In his current position, he directs the Flagstaff Eagle Pride Marching Band and Symphonic Band. Additionally, Shayne oversees the theatrical arts curriculum and after school programs including Intro to Theater, Advanced Acting, Technical Theater, and all theatrical productions. He has a Bachelor of Music from Ashland University focusing on instrumental music education. Shayne has served on local boards for Flagstaff Community Band, Flagstaff Music Theatre Company, and Living Traditions Presentations. He was the recipient of Flagstaff Arts Council’s 2020 Viola Award for Excellence in Education.
These board members join Flagstaff Arts Council at a pivotal point in its history. The board of directors recently adopted a new mission, vision, and strategic priorities and plans to finalize its new strategic plan in the coming months. The new board members will be instrumental in shaping the new direction of the organization.
The Arts Council would like to thank the following board members for their service to the community as they complete their terms on the Arts Council’s Board of Directors in 2020.
- Ingrid Lee – Former Dean, Arts and Science at Coconino Community College and current President, The Arboretum at Flagstaff
- Paula Rice – Professor Emeritus of Art, Ceramics, Northern Arizona University
- Todd Sullivan, Director, School of Music, Northern Arizona University and current member, Flagstaff Symphony Board of Directors
- Rich Rummel – Retired Curator
The Board of Directors is comprised of 18 members. This year, Dr. Kimberly Batty-Herbert assumes the role of President, Ron Borkan, Vice-President and Treasurer, and Paul Moore, Secretary.
