Who We Are

Titzer has lived in Northwest Arkansas since 2002. She is from Evansville, Indiana, lived and worked 20 years in Los Angeles and one year in Manhattan. She has a bachelor’s degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, one of the top 10 business schools in the country. Her interest in art and film started at an early age. She is an art collector, art curator and an occasional coach for emerging artists in the region.

She has been a Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art patron and Kindred Spirits donor. She is serving a second three-year term as President of the Bella Vista Arts Council. Her primary initiative has been to build a public art program. They have 16 installations thus far, with more planned every year. Public Artworks are represented on a co-created new website. She has curated art exhibitions in partnership with the Northwest Arkansas business community and Bentonville Chamber of Commerce over eight years at seven locations.

She also served on the Bentonville Garden Club executive board and serves as the Director of Public Relations, including building their website in 2020, and creating and managing their social media platform. She has also served as Director of Public Relations for the Springdale Rotary, served on the Bentonville Arts Council advisory board, President of the Los Angeles Indiana University of Alumni organization, President of the NWA Indiana University Alumni organization, and Secretary of the Bella Vista Animal Shelter. She received a Governor's Volunteer Excellence Award from former Governor Asa Hutchinson for her volunteer service as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

After retiring, she served as the VP of Business Development for Rockhill studios for four years with a goal to build a thriving film industry in NWA in partnership with city leaders at the four largest cities. Two Rockhill studio films won top awards at the Bentonville Film Festival. Those and other films achieved distribution contracts with Lionsgate, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Paramount and others. Served as a Bentonville Film Festival Foundation member for five years.

 She has been fortunate to be instrumental in growing the film industry in Arkansas serving in various positions such as Location Scout, Locations Manager Co-Producer and Production Coordinator to produce 13 films in the $1-10 million dollar budget range, a series, a music video and two short films. Talent for some of these films included: Meg Ryan, David Duchovny, John Malkovich, Martin Lawrence, Jack Kilmer, Theo Rossi, Michael Rooker, David Constable, Kate Bosworth, Justin Long, Dean Cain, Angus McFadyen, Candace Cameron Bure, Ewen Bremer and many more.

After college, she worked in the Los Angeles fashion industry as designer, showroom manager and production manager. In 1994, she started a career in the technology industry that created the digital evolution and the internet. She achieved placing in the top five percent of all sales nationwide over many years, including numerous president's club awards. Starting in 2002, she led global client teams for Walmart in Arkansas for 16 years. Those projects generated, on average, $20 million in new revenue per year by deploying technology solutions in the Walmart expansion phase that averaged 500 Walmart super centers and many Neighborhood Markets each year. Deployments were made in Germany, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina during Walmart's international expansion.

Mary is currently Principal/Owner at Oldfields Design, a landscape architecture firm specializing in residential gardens and estates. She managed design work for P. Allen Smith and Associates for many years, after helping the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and Center for Planning Excellence launch award-winning Louisiana Speaks, the largest and most comprehensive regional planning initiative in history, created in partnership with the state of Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. A proud graduate of Pine Bluff High School, Mary earned her BA at Sewanee in English Literature with a minor in Art History, followed by a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA) at Louisiana State University, ranked first in the nation at the time of her study. She is certified as a landscape architect (PLA). Throughout her career, Mary has remained active in professional, civic, social and charitable organizations in Arkansas and Louisiana. She is a lifelong lover and patron of the arts.

Kate Boreham Maurras, a Fort Smith native, completed her B.S. at William Woods College. She taught preschool briefly before becoming a stylist for Etcetera, a NYC Fashion Company which she held for 20 years. She has served on the following boards: Girl Scouts, Girls Inc., Fort Smith Art Center, Bost Foundation, United Way, Good Samaritan Clinic, and the Bonneville House. She currently volunteers teaching Active Parenting and the Safe Babies Program through the Sebastian County Courts. She has raised two children who both currently live and work in Texas. She has been married to Hugh for 28 years.

Jackie Krutsch began her career at Bost, Inc., in Fort Smith, Arkansas after graduating from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in finance.  At Bost, a community non-profit organization serving individuals with developmental disabilities, Krutsch served as the Administrative Director and the founding Executive Director of the Bost Foundation.  After leaving Bost, Krutsch was named the Executive Director of the Leadership Fort Smith Program at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith in 1999, serving in that role for 7 years. 

In 2007, Krutsch assumed the role of President and CEO of the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce (VBCC), serving as the community’s chief economic developer working with both small businesses and large industries.  During her 9 years at the VBCC, Krutsch was involved with efforts that resulted in local expansions for Bekaert Corporation, Tyson, Tankersley Foods, and Experian; and community development initiatives with the City of Van Buren that included the new Van Buren Public Library, a new fire station, new police headquarters and a new senior citizen center. 

Krutsch most recently served as the Executive Director of Advancement for the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  While serving in that position from the opening of the new Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2016 through 2022, Krutsch secured over $30M in funding for the new institution.  This included a private gift for the purchase of original art by Arkansas artists.  The collection of over 65 original works is beautifully displayed in the medical school and serves the students and faculty, as well as the community.  (The collection is available for viewing on a scheduled basis with ACHE.)

In 2023, Krutsch and her family relocated to Bentonville, Arkansas.  Krutsch has spent the past year overseeing the construction of their new family home and getting settled into the community.  She continues to serve others, consulting with small non-profit organizations.

Deborah Baldwin was born in Indianapolis, In., and received her undergraduate degree at Ball State University and MA and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago. She has served UA Little Rock in numerous capacities: History Department Chair, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Interim Dean of the College of Business, Health, and Human Services, Interim Provost, and is currently the Associate Provost for the UA Little Rock Center for Arkansas History and Culture. Her commitment to educational initiatives has led to volunteer work with organizations that have a similar mission. She has been involved in local community projects through the Arkansas Humanities Council, the University History Institute, the MacArthur Museum of Military History Commission, the Rockefeller Distinguished Lecturer Program Board, Mount St. Mary Academy Board, and she currently chairs the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Board.

Kinya started her art career in 1998, working for a yearbook publishing company in Kansas City, Missouri. Over the course of twenty-five years, her branding work and fine art has been seen all over the country, from Broadway Publishing and HGTV, to public installations and private collections. She is a Mid-America Arts Alliance Artist360 grant recipient, and a Dr. Margaret Sirman Clark Leading With Excellence Award honoree. Kinya serves the City of Rogers as the Arts and Culture Coordinator, and is also a board member for the Rogers Experimental House.

Virmarie DePoyster is a Puerto Rican-born multidisciplinary artist, educator, and community leader. As a practicing artist, she explores the complexities of identity. As an educator, she develops therapeutic art programs, providing safe spaces for self-reflection. And as a community leader, she advocates for equality and inclusion. She exhibited her work internationally and throughout the United States for the last 19 years and taught pastel at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts for seven years. In addition, she advocates and works with schools, administrators, and non-profits to create a community feeling and add more art to everyday life and into curriculums. She joined the ACNMWA board in 2019 and lives with her husband, David, in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Kate Faust Franks is a native of Helena and moved to Little Rock after graduating from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. She began her career at The North Little Rock Times when it was the state’s largest weekly newspaper, then worked in corporate communications at ALLTEL for 20 years before moving to the communications and marketing team at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She has been active in the community as a member of the Junior League of Little Rock, an elder at Second Presbyterian Church, and a board member of Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center, the Mount St. Mary Booster Club, and the Historic Arkansas Museum Foundation. She also served as president of the Williams Magnet Elementary PTA and the Arkansas Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators.

Garbo Watson Hearne, a native Arkansan is the director of Pyramid Art, Books & Custom Framing/Hearne Fine Art in the historic Dunbar neighborhood in Little Rock, Arkansas. Since 1988, her business has focused on Black culture through art and literature. Hearne Fine Art represents emerging and established artists of the African Diaspora. In 2004, Hearne received her certificate for Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Arts from New York University. In 2014, she was accepted as a certified member of the Appraisers Association of America with a specialization in African American Fine Art. She co-founded Arkansans for the Art in 2015. Hearne is on the board of directors of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, UALR CHASSE Leadership Council, and the Dunbar Historic Neighborhood Association. Hearne is married to Dr. Archie Hearne IV and they have four children and three grandchildren. Her hobbies include reading, collecting art, juicing and traveling.

A native of Arkansas and a graduate of the University of Arkansas, before retiring, Martha Hendrix was a marketing professional with experience in brand development, strategic planning, marketing, and advertising. She had a distinguished marketing career while working with large corporations, local and regional businesses, as well as non-profit organizations. In addition, she owned a successful Little Rock retail shop which featured work by local and regional artist and craftspeople. Currently, Martha enjoys volunteering with various organizations, traveling, cooking, spending time on the White River and hosting gatherings with family and friends.

Persuasive and persistent, Debra Bennett Jackson is considered an 'enigma' of sorts. She had a distinguished 30 yr. career in both education/administration and as a visual artist. During her tenure in the high school arena, she was a visual arts teacher and fine arts coordinator, receiving awards for AZ Art Teacher of the Year and Deer Valley Teacher of the Year. As an administrator, Debra worked in various positions, including mentor, instructional specialist, assistant principal and principal. She earned a B.A.E. degree and an M.A. degree in Art Education from Arizona State, as well as an M.A. Degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. In addition, Debra had the opportunity to travel extensively by escorting students abroad on fine arts trips, thus the impetus of original ideas were nurtured in exploring and developing her artwork. It has been said that a community connection can give greater meaning to art. Having a vibrant art scene is good for the energy, economy and creative dynamic of a town/city. Debra has an understanding of this, and is not only inspired by her travels and her heart, she wants to make a community connection as well. After retiring in Arizona, she moved back to her beloved state of Arkansas. Now residing in the small town of Newport, where she lived until her teens, Debra is involved in a myriad of activities. She paints her experiences constantly, and her studio, "Southern Blend," is currently under construction. Debra hopes to host a variety of women's' events, as well as continue her involvement in the Newport Blue Bridge Delta Arts Show, held the first weekend in June.

With a career spanning over two decades in community college leadership, Dr. Jorgensen served as President of Northwest Arkansas Community College from 2013 to 2022 and previously led Moberly Area Community College in Missouri for 17 years. She holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in Higher and Adult Education from the University of Missouri, complementing her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbia College. Now retired, Dr. Jorgenson pursues her passion for the arts, actively participating in organizations such as Artists of Northwest Arkansas and Plein Air Painters of the Ozarks. She remains engaged in her community through the Rogers Noon Rotary and continues to contribute to the arts and education sectors. Married with two grown children and two grandchildren, she enjoys painting, nature walks, reading and gardening.

Born and raised in Illinois, Jeanne graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Hospital Administration and went on to do gradute work in Business Administration and Art History. She moved to Arkansas in 1984 as CEO of Crawford Memorial Hospital in Van Buren. In 1994 Jeanne accepted the Senior Vice-President position for the Sparks Health System in Fort Smith. Following her retirement in 2005, She pivoted to her long-time passion, art, opening an art gallery in downtown Fort Smith. Active in community non-profits related to the arts and healthcare, Jeanne was a Founding Board Member of the Chancellor's Coalition for the Visual Arts at the University of Arkansas/Fort Smith; Founding Board Member of Second Street Live, Board Chair of the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum; Founding Board Member of Fenix Fayetteville and Board Member of the Community Clinic/Northwest Arkansas.

Marilynn Moseley Porter, graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a degree in English and Journalism. One of her first jobs was working with Townsend Wolfe and the Arkansas Arts Center (now the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts) as the media and public relations director. It was during this period that she and her husband, Dr. Robert A. Porter, Jr., began collecting art with a combined interest, appreciation, and love of all forms of artistic expressions. Along with Townsend Wolfe and the board, Marilynn formed the first Director's Collector's group at the AAC. She also has served on the Arkansas Arts Center Board, created the local divisions for the Arkansas Community Foundation's statewide board, designed and raised the funds for the Centennial Pi Beta Phi Gate at the Old Main Maple entrance at the U of A, and was given a presidential appointment to the United States Access Board, which rewrote the American Disabilities Act and the American Barriers Act of 2002. Marilynn and her husband, Rob, both grew up in Northeast Arkansas (Mississippi County), where she is currently working with the National Cold War Center in Blytheville on this nationally acclaimed museum project, scheduled to open in 2027.

Patty Pyle earned her Bachelor of Science in Education at the University of Arkansas. She has 25 years of experience working for Stephens, Inc., an independent financial firm in Little Rock, Ark. Patty served on the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Board of Governors in Gatlinburg, Tenn, for 12 years. She held the position of Treasurer for eight years. She served on The Friends of Contemporary Craft Board-Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Discovery Board, Pryor Center for Oral and Visual History Board, Campaign for the 21st Century Committee-University of Arkansas Goal of One Billion. Patty enjoys traveling, collecting and promoting arts and craft, and playing bridge.

Dr. Gayle Seymour, who earned her Ph.D. in art history from U.C. Santa Barbara, is a professor and the associate dean in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. A recipient of the prestigious Carnegie U.S. Professor of the Year award, she is nationally recognized for her innovative teaching that fosters a deep passion for art in her students. Dr. Seymour has also received the UCA Teaching Excellence Award, the UCA Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award, and, most recently, the UCA External Funding Impact Award. Her research focuses on 19th-century British Pre-Raphaelite painting, resulting in publications in journals and exhibition catalogues on the artists Simeon Solomon and Edward Burne-Jones.

She is currently working on a catalogue essay for a 2027 Solomon exhibition at the Delaware Museum of Art, home to the largest Pre-Raphaelite collection in the U.S. As associate dean, Dr. Seymour oversees the UCA Artists in Residence program, which has hosted more than 400 artists over the past 25 years. She also produced the 2017 “Imagine If Buildings Could Talk” project, marking the 60th anniversary of the 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School, and the 2020 Suffrage Centennial project. Both initiatives received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mid-America Arts Alliance, and the Arkansas Arts Council.

In 2023, she secured NEA funding for “Waters of the Abyss,” a room-sized columbarium installation by Afrofuturist artists Fabiola Jean-Louis and Tawny Chatmon, created from three tons of paper donated by Morrilton-based Green Bay Packaging, Inc., Arkansas Kraft Division, along with Arkansas crystals, acrylic paint, and gold leaf. This work will debut in a new iteration at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 2025. Dr. Seymour's most recent project, funded by the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium (a NASA pass-through), was the 2024 Eclipse Festival at UCA, which featured a 25-foot inflatable sculpture, and attracted 1,500 attendees from 25 states and seven countries.

Ann works as a senior consultant with Arthur Alley Associated, a Mississippi-based consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and fundraising. Previously Ann helped open the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, MS and worked there in development and communications for four years, following a 15-year corporate career at Delta and Pine Land Company (D&PL) in Scott, Mississippi, a publicly-traded (NYSE) company where she retired as Vice President of Corporate Services. A proud graduate of Central High in Little Rock, Ann earned her B.A. at Stanford University in English Literature and Communications/Print Journalism, followed by post graduate study at the Stanford Publishing Course and at the Lilly School of Philanthropy. She is nationally certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and as a fundraising executive (CFRE). She was a Governor’s appointee to the Arkansas State Board of Higher Education and the Arkansas Humanities Council, founding member of the Audubon Arkansas board, and past president of both the Arkansas Women’s History Institute and the Mississippi Forum of the International Women’s Forum. She currently serves on the board of Hope Credit Union which provides financial services in underserved communities across five states, and the state commission of the Historic Arkansas Museum.

A Little Rock native, Anna Swaim has been a professional business communicator for more than 30 years. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Hendrix College and a master’s degree in Journalism from UA Little Rock, she worked for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and United Parcel Service before spending almost two decades as communications director at the Arkansas Forestry Association. In 2016, she started Anna Swaim Communications and works with a variety of nonprofit clients. In the community, she has served on the following boards: Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Friends of KLRE/KUAR, International Association of Business Communicators Arkansas Chapter, Central Little Rock Promise Neighborhood, Little Rock Racial and Cultural Diversity Commission and Broadmoor Recreational Improvement District. In addition, she is a long-time volunteer in the Little Rock School District and Destination Imagination program.

MaryRoss Taylor, a Pine Bluff native, completed the B.A. (Vanderbilt) and M.A. (University of Tennessee) in English and course work for the Ph.D. She then opened a bookstore in Houston, Texas, featuring arts, humanities and women’s studies. There, she launched a community campaign for a Houston exhibition of Judy Chicago’s celebrated The Dinner Party, now housed at the Brooklyn Museum. She earned an M.A. in Museum Studies (John F. Kennedy University) and served as Executive Director of Judy Chicago’s nonprofit Through the Flower and of Lawndale Art Center in Houston. She is a member of the National Advisory Board of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Advisors of the Brooklyn Museum, the Advisory Council of the University of Houston Friends of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and the boards of Friends of the Library and Synergy Forum in Pine Bluff. Taylor also spent more than 50 years in the timber business in Arkansas.

Marjorie Williams-Smith was born in Washington, D.C. She received a BFA degree from Howard University (Washington, DC) and an MFA from Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY). She taught art for thirty-three years at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, and is now Professor Emeritus. She has exhibited her work regionally and nationally. Her work is included in private and public collections including: the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection; Evansville Museum of Arts, History, & Science, Evansville, Indiana; and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, Little Rock, Arkansas. Marjorie was honored to create art for the United States Mint, which served as the design for the Congressional Medal honoring the “Little Rock Nine.”

Ashley Kemp Wimberley is executive director of the Arkansas Press Association, the leading voice for the state’s newspapers. Wimberley became APA executive director in February 2018, advancing to leadership of an industry she has been affiliated with all her life. Wimberley grew up in a newspaper family. Her parents owned newspapers in northeast Arkansas and Missouri. In her first year, she oversaw a major renovation of the APA’s headquarters and has achieved major victories for government transparency and for newspaper public notices at the Arkansas Legislature. Wimberley is a native of Rector, Arkansas. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in marketing from Union University in Jackson, Tenn. Before working for APA, she worked in public relations in Tennessee and at CJRW, a Little Rock advertising agency.