ArtsFairfax Announces New Board Leadership & New Members

ArtsFairfax, the nonprofit designated as Fairfax County's local arts agency, announced new officers and three new members to its Board of Directors.

Executive Officers

ArtsFairfax announces new Board officers who will serve two-year terms. Scott Cryer, Associate Vice President and Principal at HGA, is appointed as ArtsFairfax Board Chair; he succeeds Shelly Hazel who remains on the Board. Other officers include Julie Carter, President, Carter Consulting Group, as Vice Chair; Upen Patel, Senior Vice President, The Federal Savings Bank, as Secretary; and Amy Ginn, CPA, Audit Manager, Burdette Smith & Bish, as Treasurer.

"I'm thrilled to serve ArtsFairfax and guide the nonprofit as we look to growing our reach to the Fairfax community with greater impact through an access and equity lens," says Scott Cryer, ArtsFairfax Board Chair. "Shelly Hazel led us with so much grace and generosity during her three-year tenure, a time of great challenges for all. I'm so grateful to her and look forward to building on what she accomplished."

New to the Board

Three new community leaders also join the ArtsFairfax Board, adding to the nonprofit leadership's diverse set of skills and expertise. Skip Chaples, President of Music for Life, brings both business acumen and outstanding leadership in music and art education; Peggy Fox, four-time TV news Emmy winner and Dominion Energy's Northern Virginia spokesperson, brings media and community relations expertise; and Lynn Tadlock, formerly of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation and the Fairfax County Park Authority, brings extensive knowledge on nonprofit funding and leadership.

"ArtsFairfax is poised for growth and that is exemplified by this extraordinary roster of leadership. Together with our staff, the ArtsFairfax Board of Directors is committed to serving the entire Fairfax community with arts information services, opportunities, and resources needed to enhance the cultural landscape of Fairfax County," says Linda Sullivan, ArtsFairfax President & CEO.

ArtsFairfax Board Officers

Scott Cryer, Chair, is an Associate Vice President and Principal at HGA, where he leads the Arts, Community, and Higher Education practice group throughout the mid-Atlantic region. He has 20 years of experience designing museums, performing arts, academic arts, and community buildings nationally. In addition to ArtsFairfax, he serves as an Advocacy Committee Member of Virginia Association of Museums (VAM); is a graduate of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) DC Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program; and Co-founder and Co-chair of AIA Chicago Community Interface Committee, for which he received an AIA Chicago Presidential Citation. Scott has presented at multiple national conferences, including the Southeastern Museum Conference, Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Building Museum Symposium, VAM Annual Conference, Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, League of Historic American Theatres, Structures for Inclusion, and the AIA National Convention. He has also served as a guest design critic at University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte, Illinois Institute of Technology, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Scott holds a Master of Architecture from the UNC Charlotte and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Indiana University.

Julie D. Carter, Vice-Chair, has served as chief development officer with three organizations in the Washington, DC area. These institutions include Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Americans for the Arts, and George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. In 2010 she launched Carter Consulting Group, LLC, a boutique firm specializing in major gift and campaign fundraising for public policy think tanks, historic sites, and cultural nonprofits. During these tenures, Julie has built and expanded annual fund programs encompassing individual, foundation, corporate, and government support through direct mail and membership efforts, major and planned giving initiatives, online giving, and fundraising events. Her client list includes Americans for the Arts, the White House Historical Association, the Center for a New American Security, and Salzburg Global Seminar, among others.

Upen Patel, Secretary, is a Senior Vice President (Mortgage) at The Federal Savings Bank, where he helps homeowners and investors nationwide achieve their real estate goals. Mr. Patel has been a long-time resident of Vienna, VA, and has been a supporter of Music & Marching Band in the schools. Mr. Patel graduated from The University of Texas - McCombs School of Business with an MBA. After graduation, he spent several years as a management consultant advising and assisting Fortune 500 clients. Outside of work, Mr. Patel keeps busy completing the "honey-do" list, enjoying the arts, and spending time with family and friends.

Amy Ginn, Treasurer, is a not-for-profit audit manager who joined Burdette Smith & Bish in 2006 and has over 15 years of experience in accounting. She attended both George Mason University and University of Alabama. Amy loves college football, attending concerts and musicals, and spending time with family and friends. Amy grew up in the arts world which began with a passion for music and art appreciation at a very young age. Over the years, her love for supporting the arts has intensified and caused her to become an enthusiast in additional areas within the arts world.

ArtsFairfax New Board Members

Skip Chaples, President of Music for Life since May 2013, has established Music for Life as a model arts education nonprofit. Music for Life provides music education and mentoring programs to at-promise youth who otherwise lack the resources and support necessary to engage in a quality music program. Skip has held numerous leadership roles, including Treasurer for the North Springfield Civic Association from 2000 to 2016, President of Guitars not Guns of the National Capital Area from 2006 to 2013, President of the systems engineering company EAS from 1985 to 2005, and a Scoutmaster for Boy Scouts of America from 1979 to 2017.

Peggy Fox, four-time TV news Emmy winner, is Dominion Energy's Northern Virginia spokesperson and Media and Community Relations Manager. In this capacity, she is host and producer of "Actions Speak Louder" a weekly TV program that highlight's Dominion Energy's clean energy projects and community support. Prior to Dominion Energy, Peggy enjoyed an award-winning career in television news as an anchor and Northern Virginia Bureau Chief for WUSA9 in Washington, D.C. from 1995 until 2019. Previously, she also worked as an anchor and reporter in Miami, Charlotte, and West Virginia. Peggy is a proud Virginia Tech Hokie and was college roommates with dear friend and fellow Tri Delta Hoda Kotb of The Today Show.

K. Lynn Tadlock has a highly successful track record spanning 45 years serving as an experienced senior management executive in municipal government and philanthropy. Most recently Ms. Tadlock retired from the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, where she served as the Deputy Executive Director leading the grants program for one of the top private funding organizations in Virginia, having contributed more than 80 million to charities and non-profits mostly in Virginia. She serves on several boards including Virginia Funders (Founder, Membership Chair, Executive Board Member), Washington Regional Area Grantmakers (former Chair), and Northern Virginia Community Foundation (former Chair). She previously served on Moorefield Station Conservancy Board of Directors as Treasurer, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the One Virginia 2021 Advisory Board. Ms. Tadlock has received numerous recognitions for leadership including the 2016 Loudoun County Community Leadership Award, 2014 Chairman's Award Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, and 2013 Northern Virginia Leadership Award. She has also contributed to the educational sector serving as Adjunct Professor in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at George Mason University, and was the featured lecturer on the Tour of Bulgaria for the American Embassy. A frequent speaker at conferences and user groups, Ms. Tadlock has published many articles and Op-eds on philanthropy, planning, environmental land use, market trends, and policy issues.

About ArtsFairfax

ArtsFairfax is the nonprofit designated as Fairfax County's local arts agency. Dedicated to the belief that arts are essential to a thriving community, the ArtsFairfax mission is to expand support for and access to arts and culture opportunities for Fairfax County's more than 1.2 million residents. By offering informational, financial, and programmatic services, ArtsFairfax promotes the role of arts and culture to deepen social engagement, create a sense of place, and fuel economic growth. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) since 1964, ArtsFairfax provides these services to all who contribute to and experience arts in Fairfax County, and is funded in part by the County, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as corporations, foundations, and individuals.

For more information visit: https://artsfairfax.org/

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