Arts Council of the Valley Board Welcomes 5 New Members

HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) is pleased to welcome five new members to its Board of Directors. These accomplished professionals bring a wealth of experience, expertise, and passion for the arts, enriching ACV's mission of cultivating the arts, creating experiences, and connecting communities.

● John Burgess is a theatrical designer with extensive arts administration experience. He recently retired from James Madison University (JMU), where he served as associate vice provost for academic effectiveness and evaluation and was a theatre professor. Burgess received a Compass Award from JMU for his leadership in diversity in support of underrepresented graduate students. He also served as chair and vice chair in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival's Region 2 Design, Tech & Management area.

Subscribe

● Zachary Elder is director of Massanutten Regional Library, where he has successfully applied for two ACV Advancing the Arts grants, and collaborated with ACV and other Harrisonburg-Rockingham arts organizations. He brings to the board experience in strategic planning, strengthening organizational sustainability, and fundraising; as well as skills in policy writing; grant writing/evaluation, and knowledge of the nonprofit landscape.

● Rubén Graciani is Dean of the JMU College of Visual and Performing Arts, overseeing the schools of Art, Design and Art History; Music; and Theatre and Dance—as well as multiple galleries, institutes, and performance venues. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Choreography and Performance from the University of Maryland-College Park, and advocates for the arts as a member of national organizations such as the International Council of Fine Arts Deans and the National Association of Schools of Dance. He continues to present his choreographic work nationally and internationally.

● Tatiana Roy leads the volunteer artists team currently working to bring Artomatic to Harrisonburg. A community advocate, Roy moved to Harrisonburg from Northern Virginia several years ago after retiring from the US Postal Service where she served as a senior public relations specialist. She earned an undergraduate degree from American University and an MBA from the University of Southern Maine.

● Virginia Soenksen, director of the Madison Art Collection at JMU, has a background in museum leadership, higher education, community engagement, fundraising, and cross-cultural arts scholarship. She holds a Master of Arts in Art History from Tufts University and an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Mary Washington.

Board officers for 2026-27 are: President and Treasurer Austin Sachs, Vice President Virginia Soenksen, Past President Paul Riner, Secretary Beth Harter, and Members-at-Large Ingrid De Sanctis and Jennifer Kozak. Other returning board members include Leigh Evans, Carol Fleming, Cannie Graham, Nicole Litwiller, Suzanne McCahill Perrine, Katherine Schwartz, and Arnita Taliaferro.

Leaving the board are Ruby Hostetler and Mary Rouse.

Hostetler joined ACV's board in 2018, working on the 2019 Progressive Party planning committee, serving on the Performing Arts Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic, and chairing the Advancing the Arts Grants Committee since 2020. More recently, as vice president, Hostetler has also served on the executive committee. An artist - and ACV Artist Member - she has participated in annual member exhibitions at Smith House Galleries (SHG), and often volunteers to assist with Smith House Galleries opening receptions.

ACV's longest-serving board member, Mary Rouse was involved in community committee discussions leading up to ACV's creation in late 2000. A music educator and ACV Artist Member, she is a prolific visual artist, and has served as an active arts advocate for decades, serving on the board's exhibitions committee; welcoming visitors to Smith House Galleries during opening receptions and as a weekday/Second Saturday docent; and volunteering as a photographer for many ACV events. Rouse also spearheaded a 2023 SHG exhibition, Never Stop Creating!, by Sunnyside residents, and is exhibiting her recent works - titled Artful Escapades - at Smith House Galleries this month.

Jenny Burden is executive director of ACV, with offices located in the historic Smith House, 311 South Main Street in Downtown Harrisonburg. Programs are supported in part by ACV's 2026 Strategic Partners: Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Riner Rentals, and Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC).

A 501(c)3 nonprofit, ACV is dedicated to cultivating the arts, creating experiences, and connecting communities throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Since it was established in 2000, ACV has grown into a multi-faceted community organization that fosters innovative partnerships among area businesses, civic organizations, schools, and artists. Today, ACV manages Smith House Galleries, funds local art projects through its Advancing the

Arts grant program (awarding more than $532,300 since 2001), supports public art initiatives, and coordinates monthly First Fridays of the Valley community gatherings.

ACV is supported in part by Rockingham County, the City of Harrisonburg and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly. To learn more, visit valleyarts.org.

This press release was provided by Ann Leatherwood at Arts Council of the Valley.