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.

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!

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. 

Heidi Nicholas is a principal in Nicholas Enterprises (since 2001), a State College based firm that engages in the development and management of commercial and multi-tenant residential real estate. Prior to returning to State College, she spent time as in the investment banking and telecommunications industries.

Heidi earned a undergraduate and graduate degrees in in Fine Arts from UCLA and spent time working for New York City Opera’s touring company and teaching at SUNY- Brockport before earning her MBA in Finance at Cornell University. She currently serves on the board of FNB Corporation in Pittsburgh.

She has been involved in numerous civic and community organizations in the State College area including the Centre Foundation, Clearwater Conservancy, and Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA.

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.

James Tierney’s journey to State College began in 2014 when he took up a position as an economics instructor at Penn State. He quickly became enamored with the community and its surroundings, playing a significant role in local initiatives. Although he once served on the State College Borough’s Transportation Commission and was treasurer of the 3 Dots Downtown Board of Directors, James has since shifted his focus to his entrepreneurial and creative endeavors.

In 2021, James concluded his tenure at the university to dedicate himself fully to Tierney Education, a thriving educational consulting business based in downtown State College. Through this venture, he aids students and parents in navigating the complex landscape of higher education, empowering them to take charge of their journey with confidence. In addition to his commitment to education, James is a driving force in the local performing arts scene, co-owning the Blue Brick Theatre and fostering the growth of Happy Valley Improv.

His excitement for learning and growth continues as he contributes to the Arts Festival board, bringing his passion for the performing arts and comedy into new arenas. James’s adventures in improv and teaching economics have taken him from upstate New York to Western Massachusetts and Southern California. Now, alongside his wife Kim and their two rescue dogs, Penny & Dakota, he is delighted to call State College home, enjoying life just a stone’s throw from downtown.