Margaret S. Inge
Margaret S. Inge, President is Development Director of TRANSART, the region’s first institution dedicated to the arts and culture of African Americans in their 400 year history in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Maggie is an award-winning newspaper columnist, former network television executive and owner of her own management consulting firm. She has nurtured several emerging not-for-profit organizations.
Lauree Ostrofsky
Lauree Ostrofsky, Vice-President helps women make career and business leaps. She is an author, speaker, coach and hugger with a client roster that includes executives at IBM, Microsoft, Liz Claiborne, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and the Girl Scouts of the USA. In 2014, she founded Hudson Valley Women in Business, the largest community of women business owners with 3,200 members and growing. Find out more about her writing, speaking and hugging at SimplyLeap.com, and her business community at HVWiB.com.
Jason Mones
Jason Mones, Treasurer is an educator and artist living in Kingston. Having worked as a professor at various colleges in the northeast, Jason has an extensive background in teaching the visual arts to people of all ages. He has a passion for providing creative opportunities to Kingston’s underserved communities through fostering active engagement in the arts. Jason is a member of the executive and treasury committees.
Neville Bean
Neville Bean, Secretary is an independent Art Director with a background in branding, design and project development through her studio, Neville Bean Designs. She and her husband, artist Harris Diamant, moved to Kingston in 2016 and fell in love with this vibrant, creative city. She shares MAD’s vision of the arts being an important ingredient in building and sustaining a healthy community. Neville chairs the Events Committee and has been an active Volunteer with MAD since 2018.
Frank Waters
Frank Waters is an artist, a dedicated father, husband and member of the Kingston community. He has a passion for entrepreneurship, marketing and simply bringing people together. Waters is Executive Director of Kingston Midtown Rising. His notable projects include Black History Month Kingston and MyKingstonKids, a nonprofit organization that focuses on producing and promoting events, activities and content for families. Waters is vice-president of Harambee and a board member of the Successful River Cities Coalition.
Essie Elizabeth Baker
Essie Elizabeth Baker has been a presence in Kingston NY since 1980 and is the recipient of the Ben Wigfall award for her service and engagement in the community. She is one of four generations presently residing here in Kingston, her family dates back 5 plus generations. Presently on the Board for Midtown Arts District and Midtown Rising organization, working hard at making a difference in the community in which she was raised. Liz’s most joyous moments are spent with family and friends as well as in service to this community.
As director and owner of Broadway Arts Gallery in Midtown Kingston, Liz has worked hard to make available to all – a safe space and platform for creatives and community for over 4 years. She recently expanded the business by adding a juice bar with the goal to promote healthy eating.
Nina Dawson
Nina Dawson – Christina Dawson has served as an Alderwoman for Ward 4 in Kingston, NY and most recently as the Director of the Youth Bureau and Director of Human Rights for Ulster County. Nina, as she is known, is a passionate advocate for social justice and prison reform and has been an advisor to many community initiatives including My Brothers Keeper (MBK) and the Kingston Police Commission. Ms. Dawson studied at the University of Albany and was born and raised in Kingston.
Chris O’Neal
Chris O’Neal was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He works in a range of media, from drawing and painting to poster and website design. You can see more of his work at www.chrisoneal.com. Chris lives and works in Kingston, New York.
Sara Pasti
Sara Pasti is an arts and development consultant serving non-profit arts organizations in the Hudson Valley. Her consulting focus includes start-up projects, strategic planning, and fund development. From 2009-2019 she served as the Neil C. Trager Director of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz.
Pharoah Phoenix
I am Pharoah Phoenix. I am a 52 years old born and raised right here in Kingston!…I’ve always been a creative mind trying to make my space more beautiful. I am a mother of three and a grandmother to one!…but also a friend, sister, daughter. My form of artistry is paint by acrylic but I have always love crafting, singing and dancing!… anything can be an inspiration for art and that’s what makes it beautiful!
Jay Sherman-Godfrey
A native of Michigan and long-time NYC resident, Jay moved to Kingston in 2021 with his partner Renée Stonebraker. Working in advertising and communications since graduating from NYU’s film school in the mid 1980s, he is currently an editorial director and brand strategist at Thinkso, a New York-based creative agency.
