Tennessee Craft Announces 2023 Governing Board

NASHVILLE, TN (February 22, 2023)— Tennessee Craft is pleased to announce our 2023 Governing Board Officers as well as seven new members who have joined our Governing Board. 2023 Governing Board President JoEl Levy LoGiudice says, “The new board members represent great depth and breadth in their leadership skills, expertise, and passion for handmade craft. Tennessee Craft is fortunate to have a governing board dedicated to building a diverse membership, increasing community outreach, engaging craft enthusiasts, and developing marketing opportunities for artists. We are all working together to further our state’s tradition of fine craft.”

These new members come to their leadership from across the state and represent a wide range of backgrounds and professional experience. Executive Director Kim McCurdy Waag says, “Tennessee Craft staff and statewide chapter members are honored to have the opportunity to work under the volunteer leadership of our newest board members. They truly complement our stellar Governing Board, and we thank them for their commitment and sharing of their time and insights in advancing the arts.”

The full list of Governing Board members and our Advisory Council can be found on our website.

Governing Board Officers

·         JoEl LoGiudice: PRESIDENT (Ashland City)

·         Audry Deal-McEver: VICE-PRESIDENT (Nashville)

·         Candace Gooch-Ward: SECRETARY (Jackson)

·         Reneau Dubberley: TREASURER (Johnson City)

·         Linda M. Nutt: PAST PRESIDENT (Kingston Springs)

New Governing Board Members

·         Evan Brown: MEMBER-AT-LARGE (Nashville)

·         Allison Letson: MEMBER-AT-LARGE (Nolensville)

·         Patricia Schwarz: MEMBER-AT-LARGE, Southwest Chapter Rep (Memphis)

·         David Taylor: MEMBER-AT-LARGE (Nashville)

·         Carlton Wilkinson: MEMBER-AT-LARGE (Nashville)

·         Donna Woodley: MEMBER-AT-LARGE (Nashville)

·         Jessica Wilson: MEMBER-AT-LARGE (Smithville)

Jessica Wilson is a regional and nationally recognized utilitarian ceramic artist living in Smithville, Tennessee. Her vessels explore the layers that make up humanity. She received her BFA from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Art and Design in Providence, RI. Jessica has a career in academia that spans over 15 years. She currently serves as Associate Professor of Ceramics at Tennessee Tech University’s satellite campus- best known as the Appalachian Center for Craft. No stranger to Tennessee Craft, Jessica has previously served as juror for the Tennessee Craft fair in 2019.