Board of Directors

Our board of directors include residents of all ages and backgrounds, who are passionate about the arts. As a non-profit (501) c 3, FotA is led by its Board of Directors.

SLP Friends of the Arts, Board of Directors

George Hagemann, Vice President
George is a sculptor and administrator at the Minnetonka Arts Center. He has been active on the 36th St. Public Art review panel, the Westwood Nature Center Creative Mentor program, and other community projects. He is also a commissioner for Parks & Rec in SLP. Geroge serves as a laiason with the City of SLP & Parks and Rec program.

Susan Schneck, President
Susan is a co-founder of St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts. Susan is COO of Snow Communications, a public relations and marketing firm in Minneapolis. Her passions are music and the fine arts, foreign language and culture. Her professional life has included teaching, information management, business management and consulting in a variety of fields. She holds undergraduate degrees in music and French and a Masters degree in Computer Music Composition. Susan serves as liaison to the SLP School District.

Sandra Hicks, Treasurer
Sandy Hicks is the Controller at Slocum, an investment consulting firm in Minneapolis. Sandy is both a patron of and supporter of the arts. She studied jazz dance for 15 years at Zenon Dance Company, co-founded an online bookstore for local independent authors and publishers which served as a model for other local book fulfillment houses, and mentored the publication of Lit Kids: Mama Bird and the Electric Rabbit, a collection of work written by students in the 2007 Literary Arts program at Perpich Center for Arts Education.

Emily Carney, Co-Chair Membership
Emily Carney is a Relationship Manager/Business Developer for Winmark Corporations. Emily is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in Communication Studies and Theatre Arts. When she is not working, Emily enjoys spending time being active around the Minneapolis area lakes and parks.

Brec Huseby
Brec works as a healthcare executive for Design-LLC. He is currently involved in the Make a Wish Foundation. Brec lives in St. Louis Park with his family.

Jason Marchiafava
Jason holds a .BFA and MFA in sculpture from the U of M and Pratt Institute in New York. He has exhibited his work nationally as well as producing privately commissioned work. He currently works for Optum, a UnitedHeath Group Company. Jason lives in SLP with his wife and daughter.

Michael Klement, Co-Chair Communications
Michael is the Network Administrator for PeopleNet and a freelance photographer, specializing in landscape, architecture and floral, for the last 10+ years. He also serves on the board of directors for the Friends of the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Rick Person, Board Member
Rick is a lifelong resident of St. Louis Park. He is a retired employee of the St. Paul Department of Public Works, where he has been active in coordinating Public Art St. Paul. Rick has served on the City’s neighborhood grant program advisory committee and the St. Louis Park Arts and Culture Grant Review Committee. Rick serves as a laiaason with the Comm Ed Advisory Council, League of Women Voters and Parktacular.

Jim Rhodes, Board Member
Jim is a retired Legislative Director with the Department of Administration of the State of Minnesota. He was a State Representative from 1993-2004. Jim has been an alto sax player for 50 years, Chair of the St. Louis Park Community foundation; member of the St. Louis Park Rotary Club and former member of their Foundation Board; President of the St. Louis Park Community Band, board member Clearway MN, board member Minnesota Board of School Administrators. Jim also serves as a liaison to the SLP Community Foundation and SLP Rotary Club.

James McDonough, Board Member
Jim has been a resident of St. Louis Park since 1975. He is a Fund Development Consultant for McDonough Associates. He has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the SLP Human Rights commission and volunteers for Community Theater. Jim serves as a laiason with the Park Theater Company.

Pam Luer
Pam is a visual artist with a BFA in fina arts from the U of M. She is a long time resident of SLP and currently organizes the Artful Book club which meets the first Tuesday of the month at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Diane Pecoraro, Board Member
Diane, a writer of verse, has been the community poet of St. Louis Park for the past two years. She is also a consultant in instruction and program management in the field of English as a Second Language for adult refugees and immigrants and enjoys working with newcomers who are language learners.

Mark Hauck- Board Member
Mark Hauck is a theater director and designer, and owner of Bluestem Construction. He was the director of the award-winning Hopkins High School theater program for 5 ½ years and founder of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, MN. He has directed or designed over 60 plays.

Sara Valesano - Office Administrator
Sara has been employed at FotA for two years as the Office Administrator. She graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul with a Studio Art major. In her free time she throws stoneware pottery in her basement, works as a doula, and tries to keep up with her three small children.”