OUR STAFF

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Carol Vredeveld

    PRESIDENT

    Carol joined the Arts Council in 2000, starting at the front desk, now managing books and serving as Interim Board Secretary. A Calvin College grad, she’s a Senior Financial System Analyst at MillerKnoll, focusing on International Finance for 25 years. From Fremont, she’s a caregiver to her mom, loves her dog Bayley, and dreams of a Grand Lake, CO cabin to enjoy family time.

  • Tom Farrah

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Tom is a life long resident of the West Michigan area and grew up in Holland Michigan. He has been with MillerKnoll for over 35 years working at multiple sites. He is also an Adjunct Professor at GRCC, celebrating 12 years in this role. He is passionate about teaching and learning, getting his Master Degree from Aquinas. Tom is excited about his future work with the Holland Arts Council.

  • Joseph M. Nowicki

    TREASURER

    Joseph M. Nowicki, a senior financial executive with 35+ years of experience, has expertise across manufacturing, distribution, and retail. He has led transformation initiatives, large-scale M&A transactions, and digital/organic growth projects while optimizing financial processes in complex settings. With deep corporate governance experience, he’s served on audit, compensation, and compliance committees

  • Wendy Sparks

    SECRETARY

    Wendy is passionate about the arts and believes art allows people of all ages to express themselves and connect in healthy ways. While she appreciates art, music, theater, and dance (and wishes for more talent), her strengths are in analysis, critical thinking, and writing. A Hope College graduate with a master’s from Texas A&M, she worked as a family law paralegal and ran a business in admin and accounting. She loves travel, the outdoors, and family.

  • Cheryl Bell

    BOARD MEMBER

    Cheryl, a lifelong graphic designer, spent 25+ years as a principal at Fairly Painless, an award-winning Holland agency. Specializing in branding, websites, videos, and packaging for clients from startups to Fortune 500s, she now leads design for legacy clients at Lambert. Cheryl recently designed and built a modern concrete-and-glass home, where she lives with her architect partner and cats, Claude and Gigi.

  • Ronna Alexander

    BOARD MEMBER

    Ronna earned her BFA in Industrial Design from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. For 25+ years, she has run Alexander Ink, collaborating globally as a Graphic Recorder. A mixed media artist, she specializes in encaustic painting, collage, fibers, and ceramics, showcasing her work in Michigan galleries. Originally from metro Detroit, Ronna now calls Saugatuck/Douglas home with her artistic family.

  • Bonnie Gettys

    BOARD MEMBER

    Bonnie is President & CEO of the Barry Community Foundation with 20+ years of expertise in financial management, fund development, and community leadership. Known for strategic thinking and dedication to engagement, she chairs Rural Partners of Michigan and contributes to numerous boards and committees, championing philanthropy and community development at every opportunity.

  • Kim Mitchell

    BOARD MEMBER

    Kim has called Holland home for 20 years and loves discovering its hidden gems. She and her husband, Mike, enjoy raising their four children in this vibrant community. A dedicated attorney with 15 years in employee benefits law, Kim also draws on her background as a speech-language pathologist, helping children with language and reading. She enjoys yoga, tennis, dance, and community connections.