Academy Art Museum Announces New Board Members

The Academy Art Museum announces nine new trustees who have been appointed to the Board: Christina Acosta, Sue Bredekamp, Sandford Cardin, Robert Fogarty, Joanne Lukens, Patricia Parkhurst, Jazmine Paxon, Daniel Weiss, and Donald Wooters. Four trustees have completed their terms: Craig Fuller, Jeffrey Huvelle, Paige Tilghman, and Liz Underhill. Board Chair Nanny Trippe will also be leaving the board after serving six years as a board member and two as Chair. Donna Alpi will be the new Board Chair beginning September 1, 2023.

“It has been hugely gratifying to be the Chair of the Museum’s board–a wonderful, diverse group of people who are invested in the present as well as the future of the institution. I am excited for the transition to Donna. Her enthusiasm, experience, and critical thinking are coming at a wonderful time for the Museum and she’s going to be terrific,” Nanny Trippe comments.

Looking to the future, Donna Alpi shares, “As Chair, I want to support our dedicated Trustees in their roles as advocates for and ambassadors of the Museum and continue the great work the Board is doing to connect with broad audiences.”

“It has been a delight to work closely with Nanny over the last two years. The museum has benefited from her stewardship. We are fortunate to welcome a talented cohort of civic leaders to the team. Donna is a public-spirited and experienced board member who will be an incredible Chair for the Museum,” states Director Sarah Jesse.

AAM Board Chair Donna Alpi

Donna Alpi has been a member of AAM’s Board of Directors for 5 years. During her time as a Trustee, she has served as Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, as Vice Chair of the Board and has served on the Finance, Investment, Development and Nominating Committees. As Chair of the Long Range Planning Committee, Donna led AAM’s Strategic Planning process in 2021, led a review and revision of the AAM Bylaws and coordinated and organized the Board retreats in 2022 and 2023. Donna was a member of the Search Committee during the search for AAM’s new Director in 2020 and serves on the Talbot Lane special committee. Donna was co-chair of the AAM Gala with Jill Meyerhoff in 2021.

Donna currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Arlington Free Clinic in Arlington, Virginia. Her term ends in November 2023. She was a member of AFC’s Board of Directors from 2012-2017, served as AFC Gala Chair in 2011, and has served on many AFC Board and Gala Committees between 2005-2018, including as Chair of the Governance Committee and Chair of the Executive Director Search and Transition Committees.

Donna was a Girl Scout leader from 2007-2020. She was honored with the Jan Verhage Spirit of Leadership Award in 2020 and the Outstanding Leader Award, Service Unit 60-2 in 2011. She was the recipient of the Tred Avon Yacht Club Richard Norris Leadership Award in 2011 for her contributions to the TAYC junior sailing program.

Donna is a graduate of the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn State, where she graduated with distinction and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She also has an LLM in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center and an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from The Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. Before retiring, Donna practiced tax law with the firms Skadden Arps and Hogan & Hartson, where she was a partner.

Donna and her husband Jim split their time between their homes in Arlington, Virginia and Oxford, MD. When she is on the Shore, Donna enjoys working in her garden, having friends over for casual get togethers and attending as many lectures, book readings and artist talks as possible at AAM. She also enjoys spending time on the water with her husband Jim in their boat “Sweet.” Donna has two cherished children; Nicholas, who lives in Washington DC and Caroline, who lives in Manhattan, NY.

AAM New Trustees

Christina Acosta has 11 years of work experience in developing strategic content for brand advancement through press releases, social media, blogs, and project management. She graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in English and a concentration in Professional Writing. While in college, she studied abroad in London, England. Since August 2021, she has been the Communications Manager for the Talbot County Free Library. She has previously worked locally for Wye River Upper School, iFrog Marketing Solutions, and The Star Democrat. She also worked as a reporter for La Prensa San Antonio. Christina is a board member of the Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC) and is a member of Tidewater Toastmasters. Christina is fluently bilingual in Spanish and English.

Sue Bredekamp and her husband Joe divide their time between the DC area and their house on the Choptank River, which they have owned since 1983. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland and is an Early Childhood Education Specialist. She serves as a speaker and consultant on curriculum, teaching, and professional development for national and state organizations, including the National Associations for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), where she was previously Director of Professional Development and Accreditation, the Council for Professional Recognition, the Office of Head Start, and Sesame Workshop. Sue is the author and editor of four editions of NAEYC’s best-selling, highly influential publication, Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Programs. Sue served as the Chair of the Avalon Foundation Board and successfully raised the funds to purchase the historic theater from the Town of Easton. Currently, Sue is Co-Chair of the National Academies of Sciences Committee on a New Vision for High Quality Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum, and she serves on the Advisory Panel of the Early Educator Investment Collaborative.

Sanford (Sandy) Cardin is an experienced and energetic leader in the fields of philanthropy and organizational development. Prior to his current role as a philanthropic advisor, he built a one office/one- person family foundation into a $2+ billion, multi-office, global enterprise staffed by a team of more than 60 philanthropic professionals known for its creativity and innovation. He holds a BA in American History from Harvard and a JD from UMD School of Law. His career experience includes being President and Senior Advisor of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, for The Jerusalem Foundation, Inc. He presently acts as Senior Consultant, Philanthropy and Impact, for Cresset Capital. Sandy served as a Board Member for many organizations, including the Genesis Philanthropy Group, the Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation, Leading Edge (for which he was also Chair, 2018-19). He also served as Chair of the Westbury Group, Founder and Chair of Tarrytown Group, and CEO of Our Common Destiny.

Robert Fogarty and his wife Maureen have lived in Easton, along with her teenage son, since December 2020 and enjoy visits from Robert’s four children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren. After 46 years in the automotive business, Robert retired and sold his family business to his sons, Robert Jr. and Gibbs. The business includes Chevrolet, Honda, and Cadillac dealerships in Silver Spring, MD. While living in the suburbs of DC, Robert was active in his community, including trustee roles for his regional auto trade association, several private schools, and more recently, the Tewaaraton Foundation. In Easton, Robert is an active member of Christ Church, the Easton Rotary, and Chesapeake Yacht Club. He has enjoyed supporting local nonprofits including AAM, Talbot Mentors, Talbot Hospice, Chesapeake Music, the Avalon Foundation, and River Keepers. Both Robert and Maureen are strong advocates for the local arts community. They enjoy being modest collectors of works by regional artists.

Joanne Lukens is originally from the Tidewater region of Virginia, spent 35 years in Alexandria working and raising her family, and now resides on the Eastern Shore with her husband, Walter. Joanne’s career includes time as a Capitol Hill press secretary, and more recently, as a senior public relations executive, where she created and implemented PR strategies and events for the National Zoo and Toys for Tots, among other clients. Joanne is a published author of children’s stories and has written copy for cultural clients, including The Art Institute of Chicago, The Seattle Art Museum, and The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Joanne served on the Development Board of The Children and Family Network Center, a nonprofit preschool in Alexandria. There, she secured funding for an annual teacher’s salary and opened the door for future donations from a national corporation. In recent years, she has nurtured a passion for art. Aside from art, she enjoys pickleball, shooting, and fishing.

Patricia (Pat) Parkhurst is a retired art educator living in Centreville, MD, with her husband, Steve. She has taught art in both a Pre-K-8th grade school setting (Ruxton Country School, Kent School, The Country School), and home school art programs. She has served on the boards of KidSPOT, Chestertown RiverArts, Kent School, The Gunston School and two foundations. Her contemporary art collection includes works by Flora Yukhnovich, Jeff Koons, Alvin Armstrong, Jeffrey Cheung, and Clarence Heyward. She is pursuing a Masters in Art Education, holds a Certificate in Fundraising from George Washington University, and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Roanoke College.

Jazmine Paxon resides in Easton and is the 1-to-1 Mentoring Program Manager for Talbot Mentors, where she has worked since 2015. She was Campaign Manager for Friends of Jymil Thompson, School Board District 1, Producer for Foolproof Web Series, and Content Creator/Web Designer/Event Coordinator for The Race Thing. Her volunteer work includes Art Educator at Polaris Village Academy, Conversations on Race Facilitator for the Talbot Family Network, Protest Organizer for We Are Human, and Festival Organizer and Spectrum Organizer for Midshore Pride PFLAG, Chestertown. She is currently a Board President for the Talbot Family Network, a Towns Committee Member for Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, and a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee Member for the Avalon Foundation.

Daniel Weiss is an art historian who served as President and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the largest and most diverse art museums in the world. Earlier in his career, he was president and professor of art history at Haverford College, president of Lafayette College, and a professor, department chair and dean at Johns Hopkins University. He has published and lectured widely on a variety of topics, including the art of the Middle Ages and the Crusades, higher education, and American culture, and is the author of six books and numerous articles. His scholarship has been recognized in many ways including fellowships from Harvard University and the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Van Courtland Elliott Award from the Medieval Academy of America.

Donald (Don) Wooters is an Eastern Shore native who attended the Maryland Art Institute and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine arts. He has always had an interest in the arts, fashion antiques and design, with a focus on interior design. He began interior design work in the early 70’s in Maryland. In 1981, he moved to Chadds Ford, PA, where he continued interior design work and engaged in the Philadelphia, Chadds Ford, and Wilmington arts scenes. In 1993, Don moved to NYC to work with the interior design studio of ABC Carpet & Home for the next four years. When he left NYC, he moved to Oxford, where he lived and worked for 20 years in the mid-Atlantic area with his spouse. Don was the Chairman for the Designer Show House in 2007 for the Talbot County Historical Society. He opened Dwelling & Design with his business partner in 2007 and retired from the firm in 2017 to continue his interior design career. He was a Board Member for the Avalon Foundation from 2016-18. He stepped down from the Board in 2018 to lead the design and restoration of the Avalon Theatre.