Board of Directors

Except for a brief post collegiate interlude in Atlanta, Kim Ache is a Penn Stater who came to State College and never left.

A native of Susquehanna County, Kim is a pharmaceutical sales rep for Astra-Zeneca. She’s also the chair of our merchandise booth committee and during the festival, you can usually find her in the sales booth at the corner of Allen and College Avenue selling shirts and reminding folks that although posters are free, donations are welcome. Kim’s mother, Liz Keller, has been a First Night volunteer, and Kim’s husband, Dave, and kids Owen and Katie—both Penn State students—have been known to pitch in as well. Kim is a big music fan and was a longtime usher at The State Theatre.

A native of Reading, Joe Beddall and his family moved to State College in 1993 from the Washington, DC area. His wife, Vivienne, is a Professor at Bucknell University and daughters Alex and Abi live and work in Pittsburgh.

Joe’s work life in Happy Valley began at Centre Hills Country Club where he served as general manager for ten years until opening The Honeybaked Ham Co. & Café with partners Fred and Heidi Nicholas in 2003. Since selling the business after 18 years in operation, Joe has been serving as a substitute teacher in the State College Area School District, while pursuing a career as a visual artist.

He has been an active member of the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania and The Bellefonte Art Museum where his work has been featured in a variety of exhibits. One highlight of his artistic endeavors was teaching Design I and II as well as a History of Art and Architecture class at Antalya International University, Antalya, Turkey during the 2016-17 school year.

Joe was a member of The Palmer Museum Friends Board of Directors for seven years where he served as a past president for two years. He also served as past president of The State Theatre’s Board.

Kate Branford serves as the Assistant Director of Events with the Penn State Alumni Association, where she brings creativity, joy, and Penn State pride to every event she plans. She is the visionary behind Hintzpiration, one of the Association’s newest events, which celebrates Arts Fest with a showcase of the official poster gallery, student art, and a featured artist each year.

A proud Penn Stater originally from Murrysville, PA, Kate came to University Park as a student and never left—deeply rooted in the State College community she loves. She met her husband, Daryl, during her senior year, and together they’ve built a vibrant life with their three talented and fabulous children, Zoey, Atris, and Miles. (Zoey has even been a street painter at Arts Fest!)

In addition to her professional work, she’s a passionate advocate for equity and care, having led local initiatives such as SURJ, Happy Valley Cares, We Care, and assisting with the Central Pennsylvania Powwow. Kate is committed to uplifting the voices and artistry of the entire community.

When she’s not organizing unforgettable experiences, Kate enjoys live music (especially her husband’s), kayaking, hiking, and time well spent with friends and family. She is honored to serve on the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts Board of Directors.

Betha Christopher is the Early Childhood Coordinator and lead teacher for Musikgarten at The Music Academy and has taught early childhood music for over 15 years in State College. She is a fully licensed Musikgarten teacher and has taught as a International Musikgarten Teacher Trainer.

Betha earned a Bachelor of Music & Business from DePauw University in Indiana, and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Boston University. She began her career as a professional opera singer and transitioned to music education after her family’s move to State College. 

Betha volunteers with several local booster organizations, and looks forward to bringing her experience with young families to the Central PA Arts Festival Board.

Assistant Dean, Penn State College of Arts and Architecture; Executive Director, Pennsylvania PBS

With a strong belief in public media and making connections with the community, Carolyn Donaldson began a new phase of her life in December 2016, after serving as a news anchor for WTAJ-TV, the CBS affiliate serving the Johnstown/Altoona/State College market for more than 20 years. As Community Engagement Manager at WPSU Penn State, she shares the stories of this PBS, NPR and local public media station with the 24 counties in the service area.

A graduate of Siena Heights University, Carolyn is currently completing her master’s thesis as part of Penn State’s media studies program in the Donald E. Bellisario College of Communications. She serves as a Trustee at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, PA.

Carolyn currently lives in Bellefonte and is the mother of 2 amazing Penn State graduates – Elisabeth and Sarah and the grandmother to 5 year-old Grace and 3 year-old Henry!

Sarah E. Flynn grew up in Chicago during the tap dance renaissance of the 1980s. Since 1989, she has been a key contributor to tap dance education and pedagogy, teaching at some of the top studios in the nation and shaping generations of young tap dancers. She has performed internationally throughout her career—sharing the stage with artists from Savion Glover to The Pointer Sisters, and appearing on Broadway and at the Sydney Olympics.

With decades of experience as an award-winning performer, producer, and choreographer, she moved to State College in 2002 and quickly became a vibrant part of the region’s arts and performance scene. Sarah founded and directed the Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts for 14 years, served as a dance professor at Penn State, and produced the fabulous Lady Grey’s Late Night Cabaret from 2015–2020 at The State Theatre. Seeing the effect her work had in the community, she launched Live Outrageously, expanding her mission to create empowerment retreats and coaching events all over the world.

As an advocate for gender equality in the performing arts, Sarah sits on the advisory board of The Lady Hoofers in Philadelphia and previously served on the board of FIERCE! Queer Burlesque Festival in Pittsburgh. She is a member of the National Dance Educators Organization, the United Nations Association, as well as the International Dance Council, an official UNESCO partner. She is currently leading Penn State research in the U.S. and France on dance as a form of activism.  

Sarah lives in State College with her husband, Terry, and is the proud parent of five adult children—and one beloved daughter-in-law!

David Gaines thoroughly enjoys living in downtown State College with his wife, Katie; son, Andrew; and goldendoodle, Winnie. David and Katie met while attending Penn State, left for a short time, and returned to State College in 2010. They appreciate the many offerings of State College, from its small storefronts, to the overall friendliness, to the many activities going on at all times.

Professionally, David is a trial attorney with Miller, Kistler & Campbell. He is counsel to many State College businesses, and he serves as the solicitor for approximately 25 public entities in the area. He is the chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association municipal law section.

David, Katie, and Andrew try to serve the community in various ways. In addition to volunteering with the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, David volunteers with several local organizations like the Centre County United Way and its partner agencies. 

Former President of the Centre County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association

The Rev. Jeffrey Packard is a State College native. As a high school and college student, he performed at the Festival as a drummer in several bands. After his graduation from Penn State, Jeff married his wife, Sian, whom he met in college. He worked at the Meadows Psychiatric Center for three years before enrolling at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria and earning a Master’s of Divinity degree. 

Jeff returned to State College after seminary to serve a one-year curacy at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church under the Rev. Larry Hofer. During that year, he was ordained to the priesthood. Jeff went on to serve parishes in Coudersport and Spotsylvania, Virginia, where he served for 17 years.

In the fall of 2017, Jeff was pleased to move back to State College, this time as the rector of St. Andrew’s. During the pandemic Jeff launched a poetry contest sponsored by the church. The contest culminated in an in-person reading which was originally planned to take place during the 2021 Arts Festival.

Jeff is a movie buff and loves to spend time with his family, especially hiking on the many trails in central Pennsylvania. His family’s home is filled with animals: dogs, a cat, finches, fish, a rabbit, a pet rat, and ducks and chickens.

Although born and raised in Virginia, Turtle (Chris) Patterson has lived in the State College/Bellefonte area the majority of his life. After high school, Turtle joined the United States Coast Guard and then joined his parents in running their family restaurant and local radio station in South Central VA. Eventually, Turtle and his wife Lee Ann made the pivotal decision to relocate to State College in 1996 and raise their 3 children  (Ashley, Conner, and Sammy) in this vibrant community.

Entrepreneurship has always been Turtle’s calling, and upon settling in State College, he and Lee Ann took the leap to purchase DP Dough, which they successfully owned for 13 years. After an amazing short stint as an Offshore Fishing Captain and Guide, Turtle transitioned to a role at Penn State University’s Office of Physical Plant. However, the entrepreneurial spirit continued to beckon, leading Turtle and Lee Ann to introduce Sunset Slush Happy Valley, a mobile Classic Italian Ice business, to the State College/Bellefonte and surrounding areas in 2021.

For Turtle, connecting with people of all ages is one of life’s greatest pleasures. He thrives on building genuine relationships with customers and community members alike. In his free time, you can find Turtle enjoying outdoor activities, particularly those involving water, such as boating, fishing, golf, and soaking up the sun at the beach or Raystown Lake.

Bill is a risk management executive who lives in State College, with his wife and two children. 

Bill holds his bachelor’s degree from Penn State in Industrial Health and Safety, his master’s degree from Florida State in Risk Management and Insurance and a Doctorate of Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University.  He has 20 years of experience in the risk management and insurance industry where he held multiple leadership positions.  

In addition to his risk management experience, Bill spent the Spring 2019 semester as a visiting professor in the Florida State Risk Management and Insurance Program, and helped build a Risk Management and Insurance program at the University of Baltimore. 

Joyce Robinson moved to State College in the early 1990s with her husband, Norman Spivey, and taught art history courses at Penn State before landing as a curator, and now assistant director, at the Palmer Museum of Art. In addition to curating many exhibitions, authoring numerous catalogues, and serving on a variety of committees, she has been an active volunteer in the community. When her children Oakes and Sadie were young, she served as treasurer and co-president of the Park Forest Elementary PTO; president and board member of the Tussey Mountain Alpine Race Team (T-MART); Sunday school teacher and youth leader at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church; and treasurer for Boy Scout Troop 50.

Now an empty nester, she is delighted to return to the Board of Directors of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, having served as president of the board nearly a decade ago. During her tenure as board president, she helped foster the festival’s relationship with Penn State’s School of Theatre, the State High Thespians, and the Palmer. She is an ongoing member of the Schlow Library gallery committee, occasional juror for regional art exhibitions, and volunteer pledge host for WPSU-TV and WPSU-Radio.

Joyce has greasepaint in her blood and tries to indulge her love for theatre as often as possible. Favorite local performances include FUSE’s Les Misérables (aging prostitute!), Hunchback of Notre Dame (ensemble), My Fair Lady (Mrs. Higgins), and Sunday in the Park with George (Yvonne/Naomi); Hairspray (Prudy) with State College Community Theatre; La Bohème (chorus) with Penn State Opera Theatre; and Sound of Music (Elsa Schraeder) with Singing on Stage.

Lauren Schneider is the Head of Brand and Communications at Compt, steering the branding and internal and external communications for the leading employee lifestyle benefits platform. With a rich background in PR, marketing, and TV news, including work at WTAJ, her storytelling prowess and strategic insights amplify brand awareness and stakeholder engagement.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lauren is a proud Sun Devil, holding both a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcasting and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University. A Bucks County, PA native, Lauren loves calling State College home.

Lauren’s life outside of work is filled with adventures in Happy Valley, where she enjoys making memories with her husband and daughter.