Meet The Team

In the fourth grade, I went on my first school trip to the Cumberland County Playhouse to see ANNIE. I instantly fell in love! I remember distinctively feeling that this is where I belong and that I had found my tribe. I feel so honored to now serve as Producing Director of the Playhouse–the theater that changed my life forever!

When I was little growing up in Brazil, my parents played music on the stereo every night when my Dad got home from work. At that time, children were to be "seen, not heard", so I amused myself by pretending to be a ballerina in the far end of the living room, popping out from behind a big leather club chair onto my "stage" in front of the stereo. In my heart & my mind, I was beautiful, graceful & strong, dancing with emotion & joy. I had only seen dance on a few occasions, but it inspired me and gave me a safe place.

My mother always wanted to play the piano, but growing up in a large family they were unable to afford lessons. She often commented, “when I have kids, they will learn how to play.” True to her word, when I was almost 4, she enrolled me in Suzuki piano lessons and we never looked back. She took me to orchestra concerts, instrumental recitals, theatre performances and opera. Those experiences formed a life-long passion for which I am grateful, and to this day, I can’t imagine a week without experiencing some form of artistic expression!

I was in fourth grade at a Catholic School in New York. I was asked by our music teacher to stay after class which sent shivers up my spine as the last thing a student ever wanted to hear was that a Nun wanted to see you after class. She informed me that I had a lovely soprano voice and that I would be joining the church choir to sing in Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus'  for Easter Sunday services. The adult choir members were extremely welcoming and we spent two evenings a week working together for six weeks of rehearsal. This was a truly inspiring experience that revealed to me the beauty and the power of the arts–and I made a Nun happy for the first time in my life.

At age five, Oklahoma — a ballet — is my first remembered live arts experience. My mother (who served on the community concerts planning committee in my hometown) took my brother, sister and I to this amazing performance. Little did I know that this experience would lead to a fulfilling 20+ year career in the arts!

As a little girl growing up in East Tennessee, my family and I attended the World’s Fair in Knoxville. I was in awe of the various art and art forms represented from all over the world! That exposure led me to a lifelong love of the arts and appreciation for how important art is in our lives.

My mother made sure I was exposed to all forms of art when I was growing up, but the one event that changed my life was when she took me to see the musical Grease.  After the show I turned to her and said "I want to do that!"  The next week, she enrolled me in the Hurrah Players in Norfolk, VA and I began my career in theatre.  That was 38 years ago. 

At a young age I decided not to be too disappointed in myself for not painting or singing or playing an instrument well. My freshman year of high school, I became a Junior Docent at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and experienced an unfamiliar excitement as I toured children through the galleries pointing out the use of colors and dimensions. To maintain that feeling throughout my life, I have decided to dedicate myself to becoming the best "art consumer" possible.

I have been a part of the arts since I was 6 years old in my school's first grade Christmas play- I was a cookie and it was a big deal.  The arts have given me a sense of purpose and community my whole life.

I live in the same small mountain town where I grew up in the far Northeast corner of Tennessee. I learned about the power of the arts from the sound of my grandpa's fiddle as he played on his front porch into the wee hours of the morning. In my work as a painter, I do my best to capture the authentic story of Appalachia, and I strive to show that creating makes it possible for us to transcend the difficulties of life. I also serve as Director of Johnson County Center for the Arts, the first in our area, an organization whose mission is to empower our community and bring them together through the arts.

The arts are important to me because they help us connect across cultures, they allow us to envision and create a better future, they are transformational for individuals and communities, and they are how we express our humanity.

I was an avid reader as a child and words led me to theatre. At the Lucille Ewing Children's Theatre I found my voice, my people and my passion. Theatre allowed me to travel the world, build my confidence and learn how to connect to my fellow human beings - it was essential to shaping who I am today and continues to impact me.

I was born into the arts, to a conductor father and pianist mother. We were read children’s literature, and taken to
plays, but I was drawn most to visual arts, which my parents encouraged. I drew on everything,
including my father’s “shirt boards,” and by second grade had decided I wanted to be an artist
when I grew up. That early exposure was crucial to building my self-confidence and
problem-solving skills, helping me see possibilities where everyone could experience and participate in the arts.

My first hands-on experience with the arts occurred in the 6th grade when I was selected to play the flute–I vividly recall the excitement and gratitude I felt for the opportunity to learn a new instrument. As a pre-teen, I wasn't just learning to play; I was personally experiencing the beautiful sound that I loved creating. This experience taught me the profound importance of art. The art of music, in particular, not only brought me personal happiness but also fostered inexplicable joy and social acuity within the entire community.

My first meaningful exposure to the arts came through Mrs. Libby’s art class in rural middle Tennessee, where her humor and encouragement showed me that art was fundamentally about self-expression, not just technical skill. While I’m by no means an artist myself, I learned that the arts make us more well-rounded people and provide essential outlets for expression. This memory drives my advocacy because I understand firsthand how access to arts education and cultural institutions can spark something meaningful in young people, regardless of their background or artistic ability. I’m committed to ensuring that other children, especially in rural communities like where I grew up, have those same opportunities to discover what the arts can offer—from creative expression to the proven cognitive and health benefits that come with artistic engagement.

My first, deepest memory of the arts was as a three year old, going to my first dance class. I was so proud to be a dancer that I’d wear my leotard all the way to my grandparents' house in Chattanooga so I could show them my progress in the appropriate attire! I guess it’s when the bug bit me, because I continued to take dance classes until I was 33 years old!

When I was young, my parents took me to a Chinese shadow puppet performance in a local park. I was transfixed by the show itself, but the truly impactful part was getting to meet and engage with the performers afterwards. Until then, art had mostly meant movies and music at home: distant, finished products. That night, I realized art was something people made. A few years later, my first audition at the Cumberland County Playhouse showed me what it felt like to be part of that act of creation. Now, as an arts administrator, helping others experience those same moments feels like both an immense privilege and an essential responsibility.