Blair Campbell of Mill Valley, a writer and editor, is new Board President at O’Hanlon Center for the Arts. She was elected in January to a one-year term. Other current board members are architect Michael Heacock, artist Gail Robertson, photographer and business owner Barry Toranto, artist and corporate consultant Peller Marion, and writer and editor Abby Wasserman. Megan Wilkinson is the Center’s Executive Director.
Blair Campbell is married to winemaker Peter Kruse and has a two-year-old daughter, Willa. She originally came to O’Hanlon Center through Board Match Marin, a program run by the Center for Volunteer and Non Profit Leadership, and since then has become deeply involved in its operations. She has overseen several successful programmatic expansions at the Center, including the Local Women Writers Series last August and the hosting of this year’s Marin Open Studios the weekend of May 11-12.
Find out what's happening in Mill Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The new Board President also reflects a growing writers’ constituency at O’Hanlon, where programs, workshops and events focusing on the arts and the creative process are presented to the public. Membership is composed of professionals and non-professional artists, writers, performers and those who want to explore their own creative process. Participants relish the natural setting of the grounds in Cascade Canyon and the Center’s inclusive approach, blending self- expression with a strong emphasis on building community.
Find out what's happening in Mill Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“It was such a happy surprise to discover an amazing arts center here in Mill Valley with a strong and growing emphasis on writing programs and events,” says Blair. “I’ve since learned that many people in Mill Valley and Marin aren’t aware of all that the Center has to offer. We’re definitely ready to change that, and to increase community awareness and involvement however we can.”
Blair grew up in Middletown, Connecticut, on the campus of Wesleyan University, where her father served as president for 18 years. After earning her BA from Pomona College she began her career in Washington DC, where she eventually became an associate editor at Civilization, the magazine of the Library of Congress. Following that, she helped launch Fairfield County, a lifestyle magazine based in Connecticut, and went on to serve as the magazine’s managing editor. Upon relocating to San Francisco in 1999, she became the managing editor of two magazines published by Silicon Valley's Oracle Corporation. She continues to work extensively for Oracle as a contributing writer and editor while also freelancing for Marin Magazine (her next article, in the June issue, is on Eichler Homes).
From 2004 to 2008, she was a senior editor at the San Francisco–based literary magazine On the Page. Her biweekly wine column, "Wineau," appeared in the East Bay Express and Monterey County Weekly from 2006 through 2010. “Wineau” garnered several honors and awards, including the Best Newspaper Food Column award from the Association of Food Journalists. Beyond wine writing, Blair has also covered design, travel, books, film, and technology. Credits include Better Homes and Gardens, Wired, Budget Travel magazine, Wine Enthusiast, the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Weekly, San Francisco Magazine, the Washington Post, and Mother Jones.
O’Hanlon Center for the Arts’ Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tues. through Sat., or by appt.
415/388-4331 - 616 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941
