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Board of Directors

Meet The Center’s Board

*Updated 10/24/23

Documents and Policies
The Board of Directors stood outside of the center
Moose

Board Officers

  • Moving to Jackson Hole in 2017 David quickly became deeply involved in the area’s vibrant non-profit community. Currently he is chair of the board at the Center for the Arts.

    Additionally, he sits on the Arts and Culture Committee of the Jackson Community Foundation Competitive Grants program, and is a Trustee at Silicon Couloir, where he sits on the leadership committee of the TEAMS program. He is also a mentor to entrepreneurial startups in the greater WYDAHO area.

    Prior to moving to Jackson David was a volunteer pilot with Angel Flight, a medical and compassion flight charity, for more than 15 years. Formerly on the Board of Angel Flight NE he has served as a Board Member at numerous nonprofits including Citizen Schools in the San Francisco Bay area, and the Seattle Symphony. He was President of the Trustees at the Clarence Dillon Public Library in Far Hills NJ.

    Following a long career in the high technology, banking, and automotive industries, David founded and ran his own consulting firm specializing in family owned businesses. He has been President of a manufacturing firm, and a consultant to several industries including reclamation and aviation. He participated in the Tech Inclusion Summit at the White House in 2013. Now retired, David is an active investor in early stage companies and is an Advisor and Board Observer.

    David and his wife Debby, a Trustee at St. John’s Health, live year-round in Jackson WY. Their five grown children scattered throughout the US and the UK are frequent and eager visitors.

  • CHRIS LEA RETIRED FROM FULL-TIME LAW PRACTICE IN EARLY 2018. MR. LEA GRADUATED FROM VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY IN 1981 (ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS MAJORS) AND EARNED HIS J.D. FROM SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY IN 1984.

    Upon graduation, Mr. Lea joined the Chicago law firm of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd (now KL Gates), where he was a member of the antitrust and trade regulation practice group. While at Bell, Boyd, Mr. Lea worked on antitrust matters related to mergers and acquisitions and the Robinson-Patman Act, including several landmark cases. Beginning in 1987, Mr. Lea developed expertise in “promotional marketing law.” In 1992 he established his own practice, which was limited exclusively to advertising and promotional marketing law matters.

    Prior to retirement, Mr. Lea was actively involved in the Promotion Marketing Association, and its successor organizations, and served on both the Law Conference and Legal Committees since 1992, and was a frequent speaker, and former Co-Chair, at PMA’s Promotion Marketing & Law Conference, the leading legal conference in its field.

    Mr. Lea has been coming to Jackson since the late 1970s.In 2015 he and his partner, Donald Hughes, made the full-time plunge and both became full-time residents of Wyoming in 2016. Mr. Lea spends considerable time on the National Board of Directors of The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco. He also serves on the Northern Rockies Advisory Board of the Trust for Public Land, which encompasses Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Mr. Lea enjoys golf, hiking, canoeing, and cross-country skiing, and the arts scene of Jackson.

  • REECE IS A LIFELONG HOBBYIST MUSICIAN AND OPERATES HIS OWN YOUTUBE CHANNEL UNDER THE COVER NAME “PIANOMAN REECE”.

    In a former life, he enjoyed a 25-year international career with Ernst & Young, living and working in Boston, Moscow, Almaty, Tokyo, and Nairobi.

    Originally from Pittsburgh, Reece earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and History from Colgate University. In addition, he subsequently earned an MS in Accounting from Northeastern University and an MS in Taxation from Bentley College.

  • Lindsay lives in Jackson with her family and four children. Professionally, Lindsay has worked for Goldman Sachs since 2004 as a Private Wealth Advisor providing strategic financial advice to families and foundations.

    Lindsay is a member of Goldman Sachs’ Advisors Council representing the top wealth advisors at the firm. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs Lindsay received an M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College (’04) and a B.A. from Dartmouth College (’94). Lindsay is also on the board of the Jackson Hole Land Trust and is a member of Tuck’s MBA Council.

Board of Directors

  • ALEXANDRA JAJONIE ALESSANDRO GREW UP IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND ATTENDED VIRGINIA TECH, GRADUATING IN 2009 WITH A DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.

    After returning to D.C. post-college, Alexandra decided to relocate to Jackson Hole in January 2013 while working for Vice President Cheney and Liz Cheney. In 2014, Alexandra began working for Luxury Card, where she is currently the Senior Vice President of Operations.

    Music and the arts have always held a special place in Alexandra’s life. While not inheriting the genes for musical talent, the respect and appreciation for great music and art was instilled at a young age – from live shows at The Kennedy Center to weeknights at the dance studio and exhibits in Washington, D.C.

    Alexandra met her husband, Nick Alessandro, shortly after moving to Jackson and they have been married for six years. They just finished building a home in town and have a French bulldog named Carl. They enjoy spending time with their family, cooking and enjoying the outdoors and all that the Jackson lifestyle has to offer.

  • AGNES HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN DESIGN OVER 40 YEARS, WORKING ON RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL INTERIORS, PRODUCT DESIGNING FOR COMPANIES WITH NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION, HISTORICAL RESTORATION, AND SET DESIGN.

    In 1987 she introduced her own line of furniture, The Agnes Bourne Collection, and created a showroom in San Francisco featuring her designs and pieces by a select group of artists and manufacturers.

    Agnes is a nationally recognized lecturer and design juror, and her designs are widely published in books and nationally distributed periodicals. She has been awarded medals of distinction from A.S.I.D., The Smithsonian Institution, Cine Arts, and N.A.S.F.T. She was included in House Beautiful’s 1997 and 1998, “The 101 Most Influential Designers at Work in America Today” and in Western Interiors & Design magazine’s 2005-2008 “The List! Your guide to 124 top designers + architects.” Agnes has served as a trustee for many boards and councils supporting Art and Design. Some of these institutions are Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and San Francisco Art Institute.

  • SHARI BROWNFIELD HAILS FROM MONTREAL, CANADA, AND GREW UP THERE AND IN ISRAEL. SHE STUDIED FINE ART IN MONTREAL, RECEIVING HER BFA IN PAINTING AND ART HISTORY.

    Immediately after art school, Shari became intrigued by the business side of the art world and began working in museums and galleries in a variety of roles, starting as a grunt doing packing and culminating as Director of several high-profile galleries.

    After more than twenty years of experience working for other art agencies, Shari opened Shari Brownfield Fine Art in 2015, where she is a Private Art Advisor, Appraiser and Collection Management Specialist. Her greatest joy is working closely with private collectors on the stewardship of their art collections.

    Shari moved to Jackson in 2002 and feels deeply connected to the Jackson visual arts community. She serves on the boards of the Art Association and Community Safety Network. Shari and her daughter, Finley, love calling Jackson home, and take advantage of the incredible activities that the valley offers, from outdoor pursuits to the many class options from resident organizations at the Center for the Arts.

  • Amy has lived in the Jackson area since 1991 where she came to visit college friends for the summer season, and then ended up changing her life’s path to stay in WY.

    She and Bomber started a restaurant, Bomber’s Bump n’ Grind in the early 1990s. Amy’s passion for volunteering extends from the arts to education to health care. Amy has volunteered at TCSD #1, at The Murie Center, and has coordinated benefit trunk shows and hosted fundraisers for many organizations. She has collaborated and helped organize search committee’s for CEO, ED and Head of School positions for St John’s Hospital, St John’s Hospital Foundation, The Learning Center, and JH Community School. She has also served on numerous boards: St. John’s Hospital Foundation, The Learning Center, Teton Literacy Center, JH Community School, Dancers’ Workshop, and The Jackson State Bank and Trust. Amy and Bomber have 3 grown children. Amy finds happiness recreating in the mountains of JH accompanied by family, friends and her two Fox Red Labradors.

  • WILLIAM (BILL) BURFORD MANAGES AN INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM FROM HIS HOME IN JACKSON, AFTER SPENDING MOST OF HIS CAREER AS A TAX AND ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER WITH SHORT STINTS IN BANKING AND CONSERVATION WORK.

    Bill was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan, where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees. He also holds a master’s degree in taxation from New York University. Bill and his wife, Katherine, moved to Jackson Hole in 2020 after raising their two children (son Will and daughter Dylan) in Los Angeles. He enjoys a wide array of outdoor and arts-related activities with Katherine and is a long-time, entirely average golfer and runner. Bill currently serves a director of the Children’s Institute and two grantmaking foundations and is a member of the Competitive Grants Committee of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.

  • KEVIN IS AN EXECUTIVE STRATEGIST WORKING WITH LEADERS TO ADVANCE GOALS TAILORED TO SPECIFIC NEEDS AND ORGANIZATIONS. KNOWN FOR HUMBLE AND EGOLESS LEADERSHIP, KEVIN’S REPUTATION FOR MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE HAS PRODUCED PERFORMANCE SHIFTS WITHIN A WIDE SPECTRUM OF ORGANIZATIONS.

    His boots-on-the-ground, in-the-trenches experience as a Southern California Fire Chief provided an extensive background in crisis management, having placed him at the center of some of the largest wildland fires in California’s history, as well as command responsibilities during the 9/11 attack in New York City and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. He also served as City Manager of the City of Carlsbad and CEO of the United Way of San Diego, where his interpersonal skills and leadership proficiencies were the cornerstones of his success in teaming up with businesses, governments, nonprofit organizations, and communities to resolve the nation’s most complex challenges.

    With expertise spanning more than four decades of executive decision-making and leadership development, Kevin currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation in San Diego and has served with numerous other nonprofits in recent years, including the United Way of San Diego, San Diego Work Force Partners, LEAD San Diego, and the Scripps Hospital Encinitas Community Advisory Board.

    Kevin holds a bachelor’s from Cal State Fullerton and a Juris Doctorate from Western Sierra Law School. He is a father of 4 and a grandfather of 7 and currently resides in Jackson Hole with his wife, Jolene.

  • RANDY DEPREE WALMSLEY IS A PARTNER AND ASSOCIATE BROKER AT MOUNTAIN STANDARD REALTY WITH 20 YEARS OF BOARD AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE.

    Randy has been a real estate professional in Jackson since 2014. She recently partnered with other community and industry leaders to form Mountain Standard Realty (mountainstandardrealty.com) a locally owned and operated real estate firm serving the Jackson Hole area. She has teamed up with Northworks Architects + Planners (nwks.com) to renovate homes in East Jackson and enjoys finding properties and projects for herself and her clients.

    Randy moved to Jackson from Chicago to be closer to her favorite activities – fishing, skiing, hiking, and camping. There, she had a 14-year career in political fundraising and small business management; was a founding member of the MetroSquash Associate Board, an after-school academic and athletic program for Chicago’s Hyde Park youth; and was an Executive Member of the Rush University Medical Center Woman’s Board. Upon moving to Jackson, Randy quickly got involved in the community as an original member of the Center for the Arts Encore Board.

    Randy attended The Taft School in Watertown, CT; Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Garden Design Program.

  • Carrie Geraci’s arts administration experience began in 2007 as the founding director of the Center of Wonder. In 2010 she launched Jackson Hole Public Art, Jackson’s only non-profit dedicated to commissioning public art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Since founding JH Public Art Geraci has overseen the installation of 10 permanent sculptures and dozens of temporary works and placemaking events ranging in budget from $500 – $250,000. JH Public Art has overseen over one million dollars of investment in public art in Jackson, Wyoming. JH Public Art also produced the Public Art and Placemaking Toolkit for Rural Communities, an online resource that has been shared by the National Endowment for the Arts and Americans For The Arts. Carrie was recently elected to and served one term on the Americans For the Arts National Public Art Network Council where she developed public art policy with her national peers and participated in arts advocacy.

    Prior to her non-profit work, Geraci was represented at the Tayloe Piggott Gallery from 1995 – 2011 and taught art at the Jackson Hole Community School in 2006.

    Geraci has a BA in Visual Arts from Brown University where she also attended classes at the Rhode Island School of Design and studied abroad at the Cleveland Institute of Art, in Florence, Italy.

  • Heather Gray is a leading art lawyer with more than 20 years of experience in the field, presently working as a personal art lawyer, where she handles all legal matters relating to art collections, including purchases and sales, museum exhibition loans, commissions of artwork, charitable giving, tax matters and litigation.

    Prior to her current position, Heather worked at Sotheby’s auction house in New York and Los Angeles, and private practice in New York where she advised top art collectors, artists and galleries on tax and estate planning for art.

    She holds a BA from Stetson University, a JD cum laude from Stetson University College of Law and an LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law.  She also did post-graduate work in art history in London.

    Heather fell in love with Jackson’s incredible beauty and wide-open spaces while on vacation here five years ago and moved here full-time in February of 2020.  She is passionate about the arts and has been thrilled to find such a vibrant arts community in Jackson.

  • CECILIA HERBERT IS A FINANCIAL SERVICES EXECUTIVE WITH A PASSION FOR THE ARTS

    When Cecilia moved to New York to begin her career in finance, she fell in love with the performing arts. That passion for dance, theater, and music of all kinds has continued and led to her and her husband’s involvement in the arts in San Francisco and New York.

    Having served on 6 mutual fund boards, she now chairs the BlackRock iShares Exchange Traded Fund boards and also serves on a Thrivent Mutual Fund board. Cecilia worked for almost 20 years at J.P. Morgan in New York and San Francisco, doing international and domestic corporate finance and managing the bank’s San Francisco Office. Now retired, her nonprofit board activities include Stanford Health Care where she chairs the finance committee and WNET, a New York public media company, and also included Catholic Charities CYO, where she was Board President. She is past chair of numerous finance, investment, and nominating committees at various non-profits.

    Cecilia received her BA from Stanford University and her MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a member of the International Women Forum and is a Dame of the Order of Malta, an international charitable organization. She has been honored with a number of service awards.

    She and her husband have been coming to Jackson for almost a decade and moved here in 2020. They have three grown children, the youngest of whom is raising her family in Jackson. Besides the arts, she enjoys skiing, hiking, and renovating real estate, and at long last is learning golf.

  • MEKKI JAIDI IS THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF OUTPOST, JACKSON HOLE’S LARGEST VACATION RENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY.

    Mekki moved to Jackson Hole and founded Outpost in September of 2014 after a four year stint trading currency options for the Royal Bank of Scotland. Starting with seven condos in Outpost’s inaugural season, Mekki has organically grown his rental portfolio to 220 dwellings and employs a workforce of over 125 Jackson Hole locals.

    Mekki currently resides in Jackson Hole with his high school sweetheart and wife, Jane, and their two young daughters.

  • BORN IN THE FOOTHILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA, MACK GRADUATED FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY WITH HONORS AND PROMPTLY MOVED OUT WEST.

    Mack became intimately connected with Jackson Hole as a river guide, photographer and working at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Introducing thousands of visitors to the unique and impressive sights and sounds of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem came second nature to him. Being raised in the family brokerage, Mack quickly found his calling and became a third-generation Realtor. Mack’s crowning achievement has been being the first and only real estate agent ever to be voted the Best in Jackson Hole, 9 straight years, from 2009-Present. As an active member of the community, Mack is the past Teton Board of Realtors President, Open Space Councilman with the Jackson Hole Land Trust, and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, the Teton Raptor Center, and Old Bill’s annual fun run.

    Mack has lived in Jackson for 15 years, where he met his wife Katie. They are currently raising their 2 daughters Grace (5) and Jenna (3) in East Jackson. The family enjoys ever aspect of the Jackson Hole lifestyle including hiking, skiing, biking and boating.

  • A 5TH GENERATION JACKSON HOLE COMMUNITY MEMBER, JESSE RYAN IS THE CHIEF MARKETING STRATEGIST AND FOUNDING PARTNER AT NEW THOUGHT DIGITAL AGENCY.

    After earning an MBA from Full Sail University in Winter Park Florida, Jesse returned to the valley in the summer of 2009 to apply his technical expertise to the advancement of local non-profit organizations and small businesses. In addition to his board service to The Center, Jesse sits on the board of directors of the Grand Teton Association, contributes to the Community Safety Network’s advocate program, is a guiding member of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals of the Tetons Committee, and serves on the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole’s Competitive Grants Committee. In his spare time, Jesse enjoys angling, skiing, and spending time with his family.

  • Tyson Slater is Partner and President at New West in Jackson.

    Tyson moved to Jackson in 2012 from Colorado. Like many before him, he came for the incredible mountains and rivers, but he has made his mark as the man responsible for construction operations at New West. Tyson’s experience is vast and varied – he has worked as a steel erector in Southern Colorado and a high-end trim carpenter in Steamboat Springs.

    Gracie, his 4-year-old Golden Retriever, loves accompanying him on site. Tyson and his wife Megan love spending time with their two-year-old daughter Sloane.

  • KAREN STEWART RECEIVED A BS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING. SHE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ART ASSOCIATION OF JACKSON HOLE FROM 1994 TO 2011.

    She has been recognized for her leadership in the arts with the receipt of the 2003 Governor’s Art Award and the 2004 Cultural Council of Jackson Hole’s Award for Creativity. She is a founding Board Member for the Center for the Arts and helped develop and guide this collaborative community arts center.

    She served on the Wyoming Arts Council Board 2011 to 2018 and is past chair of the council. Karen was treasurer of the “WE CARE ” SPET campaign for St. John’s New Living Center, volunteers for St. John’s Hospital Foundation art acquisition committee, is a mentor with Womentum and is a Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Ski Host.

    Karen and Dick Stewart have lived in Jackson for 46 years and raised their family here. All three girls danced with DW, took Art Classes and volunteered for the Art Fairs for many years!