Meet Our Team
About our Board
At the heart of BRAHM is our Board of Trustees, visionary leaders whose belief in our mission guides and governs the institution. Each member brings their expertise and enthusiasm to ensure BRAHM thrives. Our board is supported by the Executive Committee, made up of four officers and an at-large member who work closely with the Executive Director to enact the institution's largest dreams.
Executive Committee
R. Dean Hamric, Immediate Past President
Dean has been involved with arts-related boards for over 30 years, most recently as a Trustee and Executive Committee member with The Tampa Museum of Art. In the past, he served on the board and as a past President of the Art Society with The North Carolina Museum of Art, Vice Chair of the Trustees at The Nasher Museum at Duke University, and the Board of Directors with The Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh.
Dean retired in 2019 after a career in banking and finance in both North Carolina and Florida. He and his husband Burt are permanent residents of Tampa and seasonal residents in Blowing Rock. In Tampa, Dean has served in leadership roles with The Tampa Rotary Club and with Suncoast United Way. Both are avid collectors of North Carolina pottery, photography as well as other regional art.
Dan McLamb, President
Dan grew up in Benson, North Carolina, and obtained his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has practiced law in Raleigh for over 40 years, primarily defending professional liability cases. He is one of only a handful of lawyers in North Carolina who has been admitted to fellowship in the three leading national societies for litigators: American College of Trial Lawyers, International Association of Barristers, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. In the past he has served on the Visual Arts Exchange Board of Advisors in Raleigh.
Dan and his wife Bonnie have had a home in Blowing Rock since 2016 and are active in the community. They are members of Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church and the Blowing Rock Country Club. Dan is also a Board Member of the Blowing Rock Civic Association. Dan and Bonnie enjoy hiking, travel, Carolina sports, and spending time with their four sons and daughters-in-law and with their five grandchildren.
Eric Overcash, Treasurer
Eric grew up in Kannapolis, NC, and still maintains a residence there. He currently serves as CEO of O Inc., which operates eight Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurants. Prior to O Inc., Eric held many different positions in KFC franchise organizations. Eric and his wife Diane are members of Blowing Rock Country Club and Rumple Presbyterian Church. They plan to ultimately make Blowing Rock their permanent residence. In addition to their two children, Eric and Diane have four grandsons and one granddaughter. Eric has always had a strong appreciation for the arts and enjoys collecting.
Cantey Tanner, Secretary
Cantey was born and raised in Charlotte, NC, spending summers throughout her life in Blowing Rock. She attended Hollins College and UNC-Chapel Hill, graduating with a degree in Psychology. After practicing as a clinical psychologist for 10 years, she retired to pursue her passion of figurative sculpture. Over the last 4 decades she has enjoyed a career of portrait sculpture, creating commissioned bronze portraits for individuals and galleries throughout the Southeast. Cantey has spent many years as a volunteer and/or Board member of community organizations in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Blowing Rock. She has loved her involvement with BRAHM, taking a leadership role with the last three Galas, and looks forward to serving on the Board. She and her husband Jim now enjoy traveling, playing golf, entertaining and collecting art.
Board of Trustees
Andrea Burns
Andrea grew up in Flint, Michigan, and received her PhD in History from the University of Minnesota. She and her husband, Trent (from Marquette, MI) moved to Boone, NC in 2009, and Andrea began teaching public history, museum studies, and American history classes at Appalachian State University. She is now an associate professor and director of the public history program at ASU. One of the highlights of her career has been to collaborate with local cultural institutions, including BRAHM and the Blowing Rock Historical Society. Andrea’s graduate students have gained valuable experience in the field through their creation and installation of several temporary history exhibits at BRAHM, including Truth Beneath These Hills: Uncovering the History and Heritage of Mining in Western North Carolina (2015). She looks forward to strengthening and expanding the partnership between ASU and BRAHM. Andrea has two young daughters and an assortment of cats. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano and trying to grow native flowers.
Marion Johnson Church, Vice President
Marion Church is a retired executive in the non-profit sector and throughout her life she has had a passion for volunteering herself! She has served as President of the NC State Art Society Board, the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, the Junior League of Raleigh, the Raleigh Little Theatre, and Saint Saviour’s Center. She recently completed nine years on the NC Museum of Art Foundation Board where she served as Development Chair and on the Executive and Nominating Committees. Marion has also been very involved with the NC Museum of History as a Board member, statewide Membership Chair, and on the Executive Committee when the new Museum opened in Raleigh. Active in the Episcopal Church, she has been Senior Warden at Christ Church Raleigh and Holy Innocents in Henderson. Marion’s first memories of Blowing Rock were summer trips with her mother which she cherishes. She and her late husband, John, enjoyed their Hound Ears home for many years and now she is thrilled to be in Blowing Rock as a part-time resident. She is a devoted, enthusiastic art collector who loves to decorate, travel, read and enjoy life with her Standard Poodle, Bogue!
Kadie Dean
Kadie has had a life-long passion for the arts. She served as a docent at the Milwaukee Art Museum and has led BRAHM’s docent program for the last five years. In that role, she recently led the docent curation of two BRAHM exhibitions. She has been Chair of Artist in Residence at Edgewood Cottage and actively serves on the Blue Ridge Conservancy Board of Trustees and Governance Committee. Prior to retiring, Kadie served as Vice President of Human Resources at a life insurance carrier in Milwaukee, leading it to repeated designations of Top Workplaces in Southeastern Wisconsin. She also founded and led a human resource management consulting firm delivering talent acquisition and professional development services for U.S. and international clients. She has an MS in Leadership Studies from Marquette University where she also taught, and a BA in Business Administration. She and her husband Tom O’Brien live outside Blowing Rock full time and enjoy hiking, collecting art and gathering with their blended family of six children and nine grandchildren.
Sue Glenn
Sue has been involved with BRAHM first as a Founding Board Member and then as a tireless volunteer. She helped organize and produce BRAHM’s first exhibition, helped write and produce the accompanying catalog, and played a similar role in two subsequent fundraising exhibitions and art sales. As a local real estate broker, Sue helped develop and negotiate the collaborative land lease with the Town that provided BRAHM’s present location. Since the Museum’s opening, she has served on numerous committee assignments and is an active docent. Other interests include the Blowing Rock Historical Society and Mayas for Ancient Mayan.
Mary Ann Poole
Mary Ann grew up in Kentucky where she attended and graduated from the University of Kentucky in Lexington and later received a Master’s of Education from UNC Chapel Hill. She has lived in Raleigh for 50 years and has been a summer resident of the Blowing Rock area for 25 years. Mary Ann currently serves on the board of the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy and is a member of various committees. She has been active on several nonprofit boards through the years.
Maria G. Saterbo
The arts and organizations that benefit children and families have always been the focus of Maria Saterbo’s board involvement and volunteering for over 35 years. She was born in Cuba to Spanish parents and grew up in Central Florida where she and her husband Bryan still reside. She is a graduate of Florida Southern College with a BA degree in Education. Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern was her first board involvement and she is still involved as a member and part of the Art Trust Committee. She has been a BRAHM member for many years. Maria and Bryan first visited Blowing Rock in the early 1980s and have been homeowners here since 2000. They are members of Blowing Rock Golf and Country Club. Maria has two children, four, grandchildren and a beloved Irish Terrier, Lucy.
Jean Wilkinson
Jean grew up in Asheboro, NC. She graduated from Peace College and UNC-Chapel Hill. After graduation, she married Walter and taught in elementary and middle schools in Honolulu, Boston, and Charlotte. Jean and Walter have two children and seven grandchildren. She has served on the Board of Trustees of Peace College, Charlotte Latin School, the Junior League, Women of Vision, and the Charlotte Assembly. Jean grew up coming to Blowing Rock. She and Walter spend most of their time in this wonderful community. She has been or is currently involved in leadership roles with the Blowing Rock Historical Society, Blowing Rock Community Foundation, Blowing Rock Country Club, and Blowing Rock Methodist Church.
Virginia Dulaney
Virginia Scudder Dulaney spent her formative years in her hometown of Georgetown and received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown College just like her parents and grandparents before her. After graduation Virginia worked all over the country, and eventually moved with her family to the Charlotte area for her husband, Joseph Dainergield Dulaney’s medical residency.
It was during this time in Charlotte that she created after school art programs including a Huramba mural series with the well-known artist, T.J. Reddy; Kindermusick, ballet, drawing, and painting for the Johnson YMCA. Virginia joined the BRAHM board in 2023 and looks forward to continuing her work in sharing the arts with all those around her.
Joan Zimmerman
Joan Zimmerman and her husband created and ran Southern Shows, Inc for over 50 years. Southern Shows conducted more than 20 major art exhibit shows annually. She is a former member and Chair of the Charlotte Branch of the Richmond Federal Reserve Board and has been in leadership roles for many organizations through the years such as Discovery Place, Queens University, United Way and the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation to name a few. In 2005 she was inducted into the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame. She has been extremely involved in the arts and is a founding Entrepreneur in Residence for the McColl School at Queens University. Furthermore, she has endowed a scholarship at Penland School and is the founding Entrepreneur in Residence for the McColl School at Queens University.
Nancy Caldwell
Nancy Caldwell’s family roots come from Hinsdale, Illinois. Nancy received her education from Wesleyan College in Macon Georgia. Here she developed a passion for utilizing music therapy as a vessel for serving others who are differently abled. She met her husband in Winter Park Florida. Soon after they moved to Coral Gables Florida to start their family.
Her love for the arts, including fine jewelry and visual arts, led her to start a successful wholesale business in Miami. This passion for sharing the arts has driven Nancy’s desire to be in leadership positions as well. Over the years she has served, most notably, as the Chair of the American Red Cross ball and as President of Beaux Art. Here at BRAHM she has graciously been the chair of the BRAHM Gala for the past two years and is ecstatic about continuing her role here at BRAHM on the Board of Trustees.
William R. Watson
Bill Watson has worked in investment management for the last 50 years, and has worked for the last 40 years as either the president or a chairman of Salem Investment Counselors. Currently, Bill lives with his wife of 50 years, Judy Watson, in Winston-Salem and they have had a house here in Blowing Rock since 1980.
Bill has a fervor for the arts and has been president and on the board of the Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery, Penland School of Craft, W.S. Symphony, and UNCSA Foundation. He continues his support for the arts by joining the BRAHM board in 2024.
Jess Wehrmann, Executive Committee Member At Large
A native of Wilkes County, Jess is a ‘07 graduate of Wake Forest University. Go Deacs! She and her husband, Kenneth, moved to the Blowing Rock area in 2012 when they acquired Monkee’s. As a business leader, resident, and volunteer, Jess is committed to the town of Blowing Rock. She is a 2013 graduate of the Blowing Rock Leadership Challenge, in her 6th year on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and has served as the head of the Business Support Committee where she developed the downtown Sip and Shop and the Holiday Stroll. She and Kenneth also have the privilege of using Monkee’s as a platform to support many local non-profits including BRAHM. It is Jess’ passion to be an integral participant in Blowing Rock’s continued growth. In her spare time; Jess is an avid reader, traveler, foodie, yogi, and loves hanging with her best friend, Kenneth.
About our Staff
BRAHM’s staff are a dedicated and close knit team. We believe that art is one of the most powerful tools in bridging communities. Through changing exhibitions and dynamic events our staff hopes to provide a safe space to engage with our peers about the evolving cultural and historical perspectives of the High Country. Below is a small bio for each of our treasured staff members as well as their contact information so that if you have any questions you may reach out to them.
Administrative Staff
Stephan Dragisic,
Teresa & Don Caine Executive Director
He/Him
As a part-time resident of Ashe County for the past twenty years, Stephan admired the collections and mission of BRAHM. Stephan joined BRAHM in July 2023 after serving on the leadership team of Reynolda House Museum of American Art for more than thirteen years. Prior work focused on tourism marketing for Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts with a major in History from High Point University, Dragisic has a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Essentials from Wake Forest University.
Community service has been and will remain important to Stephan. While at Reynolda, his service to the community included serving as a trustee for the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, President of the Rotary Club of Winston-Salem, and Arts Day Committee Chair for Leadership Winston-Salem. Additionally, he has served on the Diggs Gallery Advisory Board, Delta Arts Center 50th Anniversary Committee, Board member of the Downtown Arts District Association, and the Salem College 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee.
His education, work experience, and community service prepared him for leading BRAHM into the next decade. He looks forward to growing the Permanent Collection and program offerings for the benefit of the residents and many visitors to the
High Country.
828.295.9099 Ext. 3008
Sharon Caldwell, Office Manager
She/Her
Sharon has made the North Carolina High Country her home for the last 34 years. She came to the Boone/Blowing Rock area to visit with friends in 1982 and a chance meeting with local business person, the late Bob Caldwell, led to their marriage in 1983. Sharon loves this area and enjoys traveling the High Country and seeing the seasonal changes. Sharon is an avid gardener and reader. She grew up in coastal Connecticut and graduated from West Haven High School with a focus on business. After high school Sharon was able to travel and live in a number of locations in the US; North and South Dakota and the Blue Ridge Mountain area of Virginia, while working and sharing in volunteer activities until settling in Boone. Sharon’s work career since living in the High Country has been mainly focused on the Office Management and Accounting areas for a number of local businesses.
officemanager@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3003
Hannah Chaney, Membership & Administrative Specialist
She/Her
Originally from the Charlotte area, Hannah moved to the High Country in 2019 to finish her BA of English in Literary Studies. She continued at Appalachian State and is currently finishing a MA of English.
Hannah is new to the museum world, but has always had a passion for art and generative study. She is excited to be able to facilitate museum operations and memberships, sharing the joy and beauty of our institution with the public.
When she finds free time away from her MA studies, Hannah researches Dress History, with a focus on European fashions of the 17th and 18th Centuries. She loves to work with all forms of fiber and can often be found sewing, crocheting, or spinning.
hannah@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3011
Asher Davidson, Digital and Social Media Marketing Coordinator
He/Him
Asher is the Digital and Social Media Marketing Coordinator for BRAHM. He has a passion for the arts and has spent his time in school traveling around the world exploring the art world. In his spare time he can be found outside exploring the beauty of Watauga County. He is an avid mountain biker and runner.
He is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communications, focusing on Journalism and Media Studies. The former Arts and Culture Editor for The Appalachian, the university’s newspaper, he loved exploring and sharing the stories of the High Country’s vibrant arts community.
At BRAHM, he manages digital content and social media to help expand the Museum’s presence and connect with new audiences and nurture BRAHM’s relationship with the local community as well.
marketing@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3005
Program Staff
Ian Gabriel Wilson, Curator of Exhibitions & Collections
He/Him
Gabe returned home to Appalachia after a decade of studying and working in the Midwest, joining BRAHM in 2021. A curator, art historian, and arts administrator, he received a BA in Art History and Cultural History from Vermont’s Marlboro College before completing his graduate study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and holds an MA in Modern & Contemporary Art History, Theory, & Criticism and an MA in Arts Administration & Policy.
Most recently, Gabe served as the Jeanne and Ralph Graham Collections Fellow at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he curated a number of exhibitions including Ruth Adler Schnee: Modern Designs for Living, the first major museum presentation and publication to study the life and career of the eponymous textile designer and interior architect. Gabe has previously held positions at the academic journal ARTMargins, the Roger Brown Study Collection in Chicago, and the Sullivan Galleries of SAIC where he was awarded a Graduate Curatorial Fellowship by the Institute for Curatorial Research and Practice in 2015. He has also taught courses in the history of craft and the concepts and methods of visual culture at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies.
gabe@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3007
Reagan Petty, Collections Manager and Exhibitions Coordinator
She/Her
Reagan returned to North Carolina after completing a Henry Luce Foundation funded position as Assistant Curator for Folk Art at the Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Through the Luce Grant, Reagan has worked to digitize the more than 750 examples of folk art in the collection of the Kentucky Museum.
Reagan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Philosophy from Wofford College and a Master of Arts in Folklore Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has served as an English teacher in the Wake County Public School System and Educator for the City of Raleigh Museum in Raleigh, NC. Additionally, she served as a Curatorial Intern at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, TN, Gallery Assistant at the Spartanburg Art Museum in Spartanburg, SC, and as Curatorial Assistant at The Johnson Collection in Spartanburg, SC.
Reagan is excited to be returning to the Carolinas. When not working, she enjoys practicing and instructing yoga.
pettyre@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3009
Willard Watson III, Program & Outreach Director
He/Him
Originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Willard moved to Boone in 2008, but his roots run deep in Watauga County. His great-grandfather and namesake, Willard Watson I, was a well-known toy carver, moonshiner, and dancer.
Willard has a Masters in Appalachian Studies with a concentration on Sustainability and a Bachelors of Science in Sustainable Development both from Appalachian State University. Since 2010 Willard has been an active member of the High Country community through volunteerism and event planning. He has worn many hats in the area with a variety of organizations such as the Doc & Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest ‘n Sugar Grove, Sustain Appalachian, Center 45 Climbing & Fitness, High Country Local First, the Watauga Food Council, and the High Country Beer Fest. His academic and volunteer passions intersect on the topic of cultural preservation and community development through the creative arts.
He is also a member of the 2020-2022 class of the William C. Fridays Fellowship for Human Relations.
programs@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3006
Jennifer Garonzik, Education Center Director
She/Her
After graduating from Thomas Johnson High School Magnet Program for the Visual and Performing Arts, Jennifer earned her BFA in Fine Arts from UNCG with additional coursework in Education. She has taught art in both private and public settings as well as illustrated a series of early reader books. After spending 12 years in the fields of deadline-oriented print graphic design and educational publishing, she is grateful to return to the creative classroom. Jennifer has lived in the High Country with her husband, Michael, for 21 years, enjoying the hiking and scenic beauty that brought them here from Frederick, Maryland. She volunteers at Blowing Rock School, where her two children currently attend. Being involved with the Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival has recently rekindled her love of watercolor painting en plein air.
jennifer@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3004
Kayla Reische, Education Outreach Coordinator
They/Them/She/Her
Growing up in a creative family, Kayla always knew that they wanted to build a career in the arts. They received their Studio Art BFA, Art Management BA, and nonprofit management minor from Appalachian State University in 2021. Kayla first came to BRAHM in 2019 as a program and outreach intern, and was eager to return and pursue their love of arts education. When not at the museum, Reische is likely to be in their studio or garden. Their personal practice explores embodied imagination and transformation through the engagement of the body as both the art making subject and object. They’re a multi-disciplinary artist, working in traditional mediums such as paint and fibers, to more experimental work with video and performance. Reische is passionate about the capacities of art as a social and educational tool, and aims to facilitate play and dialogue both in and out of the classroom.
ed_outreach@blowingrockmuseum.org
828.295.9099 ext. 3014
Mark Brackbill, Facilities Manager
He/Him
Mark and his wife, Linda Hanawalt, purchased a farm in Banner Elk several years ago while living and working in Florida. In 2015, they decided to make the High Country their year-round home. Since 1999, Mark has been a small business owner. He has owned a painting and renovation company and has managed several rental properties. In Florida, Mark and Linda owned retail and foodservice businesses. Through his own business experience, Mark understands the needs of a building like BRAHM and his expertise is highly valuable.
Advisory Members & Founders Emeriti
Welborn E. Alexander, Jr., Founder Emeritus
Welborn served as president of BRAHM's Board of Trustees for 12 years before stepping down in June 2012. A native of Lenoir, NC, he is a graduate of Duke University and a retired senior executive of CSX Corporation, a major railroad and transportation company. Welborn and his wife, Patty, moved to Blowing Rock in 1995, living here until 2015 when they became residents of Winston-Salem. They are supporters of the visual arts and are collectors of American Impressionist Art from the early 1900s. Welborn brings a wealth of experience to this group, having served on the Boards of the Nasher Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and Mint Museum, and is currently on the Reynolda House Museum of American Art.
Herbert Cohen, Founder Emeritus
Herb has connections to Blowing Rock reaching back to 1958, when he began spending time with friend and fellow artist Philip Moose at his home here. Earning a BFA and MFA from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY, Herb has served as an instructor at Alfred University, a designer for Hyalyn Porcelain Company, Hickory, NC, and as Exhibits Director and Acting Director at the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte. As an award-winning potter and sculptor, he has exhibited throughout the United States; served as juror for numerous exhibitions, fairs, and shows; and served appointments to regional committees and boards.
Joseph Daingerfield Dulaney, Sr., Founder Emeritus
Joseph Daingerfield Dulaney is the grandson of artist Elliott Daingerfield, and son of Gwendoline Daingerfield, Elliott’s daughter. The Daingerfield family has been coming to Blowing Rock since 1886, when Elliott made his first visit “and fell in love with this bit of heaven,” says Joe. Joe has two grown children, Dain and Anna, and four grandchildren. He is a graduate of Davidson College and was an insurance agent until his retirement from BB&T Insurance Service in 2000. He is active in many organizations both in Blowing Rock and in Charlotte, including Christ Church in Charlotte, St. Mary of the Hills, Rotary, Urban Ministries of Charlotte, Habitat for Humanity, Little League, and the Boy Scouts. Joe is also a past board member of the Mint Museum in Charlotte.
Teresa Caine, Trustee Emeritus
Teresa Caine has been a homeowner in Blowing Rock since 1991. Her involvement with BRAHM began as a volunteer for several years before joining the Board of Trustees in 2006. She was actively involved in the fundraising and visioning of the museum in those early years. Teresa's field of study is Accounting. In 1966 she and her husband, Don, started Camco Manufacturing Inc. with one product. Today, Camco has more than 1,200 employees, 3,000 products, and multiple manufacturing facilities in the United States and around the world. Teresa has served on the Board of the Blowing Rock Community Club, Blowing Rock Gardening Club, and has served as Treasurer and President of BRAHM. Currently, she sits on the Board of the Blowing Rock Historical Society, and the Board of Trustees at High Point University. She has been married to Donald Caine for 56 years. They have two children, and four grandchildren.