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
Richard Q. Stifel
Chairperson, 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.
Jeanne E. Mirro
Vice-Chairperson, 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.
Sandra Clark
Secretary, Bloomington
Second Term: 2006-2009
Ms. Clark is a self-employed consultant specializing in coaching and facilitation for organizational, career, and personal effectiveness. She holds a Masters of Science Degree in Education / Counseling, and is a nationally certified counselor and state licensed mental health counselor. Ms. Clark serves on the board of directors of Lotus Education and Arts Foundation, Inc., was a founder and former director of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater Management Board, and a former member of the Bloomington Area Arts Council Study Commission.
William Hopper
Executive Committee At-Large, Vincennes
Second Term: 2005-2008
A career educator, Mr. Hopper is a retired principal of Tecumseh-Harrison Elementary School. He also served as executive producer of Children's Television Programs for the local school corporation. Mr. Hopper served on the IAC's Arts Education Advisory Committee. Honored as an outstanding arts educator by the Art Education Association of Indiana, and a 1986 recipient of the Outstanding School Arts Administrator Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Alliance for Arts Education, Mr. Hopper became the first arts educator in Indiana to receive a Governor's Arts Award.
Ronald J. Stratten
Executive Committee At-Large, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis
Second Term: 2005-2008
Mr. Stratten, now retired, was most recently vice president for education services with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) where he oversaw the education outreach, professional development, First Team Mentoring, and the NCAA Hall of Champions groups of the organization. Mr. Stratten was president of Stratten Consulting Group, a consulting firm specializing in workplace effectiveness. He served as head football coach at Portland State University and assistant football coach at the University of Oregon. Stratten has served on a number of not-for-profit boards, including the Teatro Mascara Magica in San Diego, California.
S. Leonard Pas
Eminence
Second Term: 2005-2008
Mr. Pas is a retired CEO of a medical practice in Indianapolis. He was a faculty member of Indiana University, where he directed a research program concerned with the arts and taught graduate arts management. He was the first director of the oldest community arts council in the country in Quincy, Illinois, and the first director of the Illinois Arts Council. After relocating to Florida, he was the director of the Division of Cultural Affairs. He has extensive experience in consultation work with organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. State Department, and the National Committee for Cultural Resources. He was a cofounder of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and currently serves on their Board.
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 Northern Indiana Arts Association.
Judy Hess
Corydon
First Term: 2005-2008
Judy is director of communications for Caesars 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.
Kelly B. Schreckengast
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.
Karen Ellerbrook
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.
Earl R. Williams
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.
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.
Pam Hicks
Greenwood
First Term: 2008-2011
Mrs. Hicks is a patron of and advocate for the arts. She serves as president-elect of the Alliance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, on the President’s Roundtable, as president-elect of the Women’s Executive Committee of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the South Group of the ISO Board, 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, Indiana Federation of Art Clubs, Southside Art League, and Indianapolis Civic Theatre Boards. She is a founding member of the Johnson County Community Foundation and a past State Fine Arts Chairman for Tri Kappa.
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