Executive Board of Directors

Leslie Yunis - Art Buddies Board Chair
Director of Special Projects

Laura Norton - Art Buddies Treasurer
Director of Office Operations

Karisa Buechner Michel - Art Buddies Secretary
Director of Client Engagement

Heidi Rich - Art Buddies President
Executive Director, Art Buddies

Olivia Anizor
Designer, Artist

Cornel Beard
President of Ad and Marketing Agency

Kailey Mo Becker
Designer, Artist

Alla Ilushka
Project Manager, Artist

Fartoun Ismail
Community Coordinator

Sander Kolodziej
UX Designer, Artist

Cory Luckett
Director Community Ed

Stacy Janicki
Chief Operations Officer

Amy Jarrard
Art Director and Copywriter

Denise Malmgren
ELL Teacher

Michelle Miles
Email and Communications, Artist

Alexandra Motz
Culinary Director, Artist

Nuuria Osman
Community Ed Coordinator

Suyao Tian
Fine Art Professor, Gallery DIrector, Artist

Community Advisory Board

Jesus Barrera, Kindergarten Teacher

Racquel Banazek, Artist

Our Honorary Board Members

Lee Lynch, Honorary Board Member
Served on Art Buddies’ Board of Directors for 10 years
Chairman of the Board, MinnPost
Board Member, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota & South Dakota
Board Member, Growth and Justice
Board Member, The Benton Foundation
Former Board Chair, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Retired Founder, Carmichael Lynch

Michael O’Keefe, Honorary Board Member
Served on Art Buddies’ Board of Directors for 10 years
Former President, Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Former CEO, McKnight Foundation
Former Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Former Board Member, Board of Regents, University of Minnesota
Former President, Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education, Washington, D.C.

Joe Selvaggio, Honorary Board Member
Served on Art Buddies’ Board of Directors for 16 years
Founder, MicroGrants
Founder, One Percent Club
Founder, Project for Pride in Living

Carol Thacher, Founding Board Member
In memoriam for 20 years of service