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 couple of occasions, but it inspired me and gave me a safe place to be.

One of my most vivid first art memory would be my mom playing Hall of the Mountain King loudly over the speakers at home and dancing around the house to it as a whole family. Complete with stomping at the loud parts and tiptoeing at the quiet moments. 

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.

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 lucky to grow up in Columbia where we had art & music teachers from the earliest grades & a drama teacher, Mrs. Prince, from 5th grade through high school.  In 6th grade she picked me to be Sunny, in the community musical Sunny of Sunnyside (roughly following the plot of Annie), & I was hooked.  On a high school trip to NYC we saw The Great White Hope starring James Earl Jones & Jane Alexander which was mesmerizing.  Our home was always filled with music more than TV & one of my first jobs in Nashville was handling PR for the Symphony and the Tennessee Performing Arts Foundation. Later, part of my job in the Governor’s Office included serving as liaison with the TAC & the larger arts community.  I wish every child and adult could know the power & the joy of performing or enjoying plays or exhibits or ballets or concerts & the life-lessons the arts teach us.

As a student at the local public elementary school in Mt. Pleasant, TN, I never thought much about having art regularly during class time, participating in an after-school chorus or being part of the big, annual program featuring students of all ages singing and dancing on stage.  In hindsight, that was pretty unique.  I wasn’t great at any of it but took part and loved it!  I still have great appreciation for the two teachers who made those arts programs thrive for kids from all walks of life, and perhaps their influence was the basis for my love of art museums, music of all genres and the stage (from my seat in the audience, of course!)

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.

When I was 6 years old one of my dad & mom’s parishioners - a married couple - asked my parents if they would let my two older sisters & I listen to a song in their Cadillac. It was an odd request although my parents agreed.  I remember the door of the Cadi as it shut with this strong and solid sound.  The married couple sat in the front seat, my sisters and I sat in the back.  They turned on classical music (prob a popular song) - really loudly - I remember being stunned by the beauty, richness and depth of classical music. Since then, I’ve been listening to a wide range of music. In my 30’s, I had the privilege of working for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for, in large part, because of this experience.

I have always loved art and my favorite painter growing up was Norman Rockwell. I really became more enamored with paintings when I was in Amsterdam a few years back and was invited to the Van Gogh museum. We were also invited to view the Rembrandt paintings at the Rijksmuseum. Those experiences have really enhanced my enthusiasm for the arts.