Maryland State Arts Councilors
The Maryland State Arts Council comprises an appointed body of 17 citizens from across the state, 13 of whom are named by the Governor to three-year terms that may be renewed once. Two private citizens and two legislators are appointed by the President of the Senate and by the Speaker of the House. Maryland's nonprofit arts organizations benefit from the expertise of this diverse group of leaders that drive the strategic direction of MSAC programs and funding.
John (Jack) Rasmussen
ChairMontgomery CountyA native of Seattle, Jack Rasmussen earned his BA in Art from Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, before moving to Washington, DC, and completing an MFA in Painting, MA in Arts Management, and MA and PhD in Anthropology at American University. He worked in the Education Department of the National Gallery of Art before becoming the Assistant Director of the Washington... Read More
Julie Madden
Vice ChairHoward CountyJulia (Julie) Madden is a lifelong arts activist and supporter who, in addition to the Maryland State Arts Council serves on the boards of the Maryland Citizens for the Arts, the Maryland Humanities, the Commission on Artistic Property, the Maryland Historical Society, the World War 1 Centennial Commission, as well as the Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art (... Read More
Joan M.G. Lyon
Secretary/TreasurerGarrett CountyJoan Lyon is an active supporter of the arts; she is a member of the Garrett County Arts Council and is currently serving her second term as President of its Board of Directors. Lyon also volunteers as a ceramics assistant/mentor in the Art Department at Garrett College.
Barbara Bershon
St. Mary's CountyBarbara Bershon was elected Chair of the Maryland State Arts Council in June of 2012, having served on the Council since 2008. Bershon brings leadership to the Council through extensive arts administration experience, having previously served as president of the St. Mary's County Arts Council and founding executive director of the Chesapeake Orchestra in Southern Maryland. For many years,... Read More
Gary Vikan
Baltimore CityGary Vikan was named Director of the Walters Art Museum in 1994 after serving as the museum's Assistant Director for Curatorial Affairs and Curator of Medieval Art since 1985; he stepped down from that position in June of 2013. Before coming to the Walters, Dr. Vikan was Senior Associate for Byzantine Art Studies at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC. A native of Minnesota, he received his B.A.... Read More
Carole Alexander
Anne Arundel CountyCarole Alexander is a resident of Annapolis, Maryland and formerly of Prince George’s County. She has been active in arts advocacy for the last twenty years. She is an independent consultant specializing in creative special events, marketing, fundraising and community outreach. Carole attributes her professional successes to serving with creative people on numerous boards, including the... Read More
Shelley Morhaim
Baltimore CountyShelley Morhaim was appointed to the Maryland State Arts Council in July 2013. She is a writer and filmmaker. Among her credits are the award-winning documentary The Next Industrial Revolution and the Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS) film Hard Fun: Transforming American Education Through the Arts. Morhaim has served on the boards of the Baltimore Jewish Council, the... Read More
Senator Richard S. Madaleno, Jr.
Montgomery CountyRichard Madaleno represents Maryland’s 18th Legislative District (which includes Kensington, Wheaton, and Chevy Chase, as well as parts of Silver Spring, Rockville, and Bethesda) in the Maryland State Senate. He is currently serving his second term in the State Senate (elected in 2006 and 2010), having first been elected in 2002 to serve a four year term in the House of Delegates. Senator... Read More
Carla Du Pree
Howard CountyCarla Du Pree is the Executive Director of CityLit Baltimore. Carla is a fiction writer, literary consultant, state arts ambassador, and speaker.
In 2012 she was appointed to the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) and serves as the Chair of the Diversity Outreach Committee. She’s currently on the One Maryland One Book Selection Committee, and has served as a county and state judge for... Read More
Anthony Cornwell
Allegany CountyAnthony Cornwell is owner of Cornwell Remodeling and Restoration He is an artist making mixed media sculptural faces from found items: pulleys, flashlights, and antique hardware and farm tools.
Delegate Alonzo Washington
Prince George's CountyDelegate Alonzo T. Washington represents District 22 in Prince George’s County. Del. Washington has been a member of the House since December 2012. He is the Deputy Majority Whip, serves on the Ways and Means Committee, Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families, Joint Committee on Federal Relations, Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds, and is a member of various committees... Read More
Anne Winter West
Baltimore CountyAnne Winter West is an active supporter of the arts and is a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, CenterStage, and the Walters Art Museum. Anne is a dedicated advocate for arts education, and has served as Trustee with the Enoch Pratt Free Library and Art with a Heart. A former employee with the Maryland State Arts Council, Anne has also been employed by the Learning Bank, The Kennedy... Read More
Zoë Charlton
Baltimore CityZoë Charlton received her MFA degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Her work has been included in national and international exhibitions including the Harvey B. Gantt Center (Charlotte, NC, 2015), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, AR, 2014), Studio Museum of Harlem (NYC, NY, 2012), Contemporary Art Museum (Houston, TX, 2000), the Zacheta National Gallery of Art (... Read More
Lily Bengfort
Queen Anne's CountyLily Bengfort is an award winning entrepreneur who has co-founded and built two successful firms, both of which were acquired by larger companies. Lily attributes her entrepreneurial successes to innovative and creative partners in business and colleagues on numerous Boards. Currently, Lily is President of UAS Safeflight Inc, a company developing communications technologies for Unmanned... Read More
BG Muhn
Montgomery CountyProfessor BG Muhn is a visual artist and teaches paintings in the Department of Art and Art History at Georgetown University. He has also achieved substantial and noteworthy professional recognition through solo exhibitions in venues such as Stux Gallery in Chelsea in New York City, Ilmin Museum of Art in Seoul and the American University Museum in Washington, DC. Through his professional... Read More
Jacqueline Copeland
Baltimore CountyJacqueline Copeland has a lifelong passion for art, culture and history. Copeland has served as a senior museum professional for nearly 30 years at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN and the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD, where she worked for 15 years. At the Walters where she served as Director of Education and Deputy Director of Audience Engagement, she led the Education Division... Read More
Timothy L. App
Baltimore CityTimothy App received a BFA from Kent State University and an MFA from Tyler School of Art. He has taught painting and drawing at MICA since 1990 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in painting and an individual artist's grant from the Maryland State Arts Council. In addition to his painting and teaching, he has... Read More