Board of Directors

President – Alyssa Vargas
Secretary/VP – Brigid Powers
Treasurer/VP – INTERIM, Andrea Molin

Joscelyn Courtney
Brad Hoshaw
London Earnest (Student Director)
Lee Thibedeaux (Student Director)

I.D.E.A. Advisory Committee

Dr. James Armstead
Dr. Betzaida Arroyo
Alex Dutra
Lilliana Falco
Nettie Fox
Cilladean Hopkins
Past Student Directors & Interns
Calaveras County Poet Laureate

Staff:

Executive Director/CEO: meghan joy o’keefe (they/them). o’keefe is an interdisciplinary artist and administrative artist who is a graduate in performance studies from pacific conservatory of the performing arts, and holds a bachelors degree in biology from oberlin college in northeastern ohio. their work is focused on advancing freedom of expression in rural spaces with values rooted in non-conformity, human-centered leadership, and interculturality. their art is focused on interdisciplinary exploration of misogyny, trauma, gender identity, queerness, and neurodivirsity as they intersect with the rural american experience. since being hired to lead amador arts council, o’keefe has grown the operating revenue by over 300% and transformed the organizational structure to be of, by, and for all people living in and visiting the unceded lands of the Nisenan, Washoe, Plains Miwok, and Central Sierra Miwok of what we currently call amador county in the central sierra foothills of california, united states of america. o’keefe serves with deep gratitude for their ancestors and works to authentically engage with, learn about, and honor their Celtic, Scandanavian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi, and Central Asian heritage. o’keefe is a learning disabled, sexual trauma survivor, non-binary, queer, woman, doggie lover who spends their spare time frolicking in the garden with the fairies and loves creek walking, rocks, ugly things, cooking, insects, and aliens. (o’keefe intentionally declines capitalization in the written word, except when necessary out of respect.)

Administrative Assistant: Deja Douglas (she/her). Douglas is an emerging interdisciplinary artist and the Second Amador County Poet Laureate (2020-2022). Douglas is the student who founded Roots Black History Month Exhibit and was a student director for Amador Arts while in high school at Argonaut in Jackson CA. A current student of Columbia Community College, Douglas will be transferring to Sacramento State University in fall 2023 to finish a degree in Psychology with a focus on art therapy, graphic design, and website management. Douglas leads Amador Arts’ social media content, website updates, and Student Directors. Douglas comes from an intercultural family and celebrates her unique experience as a rural person of Black, Mexican, and European heritage. In her spare time, Douglas loves to cook, make art, and dance.

Teaching Artists:
Elizabeth Grandsaert
meghan joy o’keefe
Bruce Peccianti
Susan Ross
Pam Sharp
Linda Toren