Meet the Northwest Art Alliance Team

These are profiles of some members of the Board of Directors, NWAA Staff, and key leadership volunteers. This is a group of dedicated creative enthusiasts who want to share art with the community.

Kathy Whitman - Guemes Island

**NWAA Board of Directors, President**
**Education:** University of Washington with degrees in Art and Recreation.
**Profession**: Retired from career in Recreation; now finding time for Art (sketching, colored pencil, watercolor, luminaries, fabric), beach walks, and gardening.
**Favorite Children’s Book:** Harold’s Purple Crayon which I read to my granddaughter.
**Passions:** My love of “living with art” is found throughout my home, both inside and out.
**Personal Quote:** *“When I retired, I made a commitment to two things every day…something outside, and something artsy.”*

Marissa Motto - Clinton, Whidbey Island

**NWAA Board of Directors, Event Director**
**Education:** BFA, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA.
**Profession**: Event Director **Favorite Children’s Book:** *Island of the Blue Dolphins*.
**Passions:** Walking our dogs on Whidbey; good films, friends, wine and family. Getting my hands dirty making art and in the garden. Sunsets!
**Favorite Quote:** *“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” - Bob Ross*

Cheryl Brown - Edmonds

**NWAA Board of Directors, Secretary**
**Education**: Eastern Washington University with Recreation Administration, and Art.
**Profession:** Recreation professional; and professional artist using mixed media often featuring birds and maps.
**Favorite Children’s Book**: *The Mitten* - great drawings of animals who sleep in a warm mitten in winter months.
**Passions:** My sons, my yard, birds, and time to create.
**Favorite Quote**: *“Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen.” - Robert Bresson*

Barbara DeCaro - Arlington

**NWAA Board of Directors, Treasurer**
**Education:** University of Washington, BA in Botany
**Profession:** Avid Gardener, Horticulturist, and Horticulture Instructor
**Favorite Children’s Book:** *Charlotte’s Web*, when I learned to love spiders!
**Passions:** Many, many passions but top of the list includes sharing my love of Horticulture with others, the artistry of Gardening, wildlife, collecting books of botanic illustration, enjoying great jazz music, and great wine.
**Favorite Quote:** *“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”* - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Gregg Goolsby - Fall City

NWAA Board Member

Education. BS Degree in Finance - University of Alabama, MBA University of Georgia Profession: Business Owner- OSP Images, LLC, Goolsby Industrial Investment Partners Favorite Movie: A River Runs Through It Passions: Family, Art, Photography, Wildlife Conservation, Hiking Personal Quote: “Colors are the smiles of nature”