Nichole Hickey, Executive Director & CEO: Nichole spent twenty years as a human resources/personnel management professional before pursuing the visual arts as a full-time second career. For more than a decade prior to joining the Festival staff in the fall of 2002, Nichole was a full-time resident visual artist at the Howard County Center for the Arts, a member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society’s Board of Governors, the education coordinator for a local arts and crafts center, a volunteer for arts organizations, and a frequent art exhibit juror. Serving as Deputy Director, Nichole was responsible for developing visual arts programming and administering the business operations of the Festival. In November of 2004, the Board of Trustees appointed Nichole to the position of Managing Director and CEO. In FY05/06 her titled was changed to Executive Director when the part-time contractual Artistic Director role was eliminated.
Josh Stoltzfus, Program Manager: Prior to joining the Festival in 2007, Josh spent twelve years working for a variety of professional music and arts organizations including Concerted Efforts, Inc., The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and The Wolf Trap Foundation. His work experience with these organizations coupled with his background as a professional musician provides him with a strong portfolio of skills including production management, artist services and arts administration. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and holds an M.A. in Arts Management from American University.
Diana Fooksman, Fundraising Coordinator: Diana is originally from Columbia, MD, and grew up attending the Columbia Festival of the Arts. She attended the University of Hartford where she earned her B.A. with a double major in Drama and Communications (with an emphasis in Public Relations). Diana also holds a M.F.A. in Theatre Management/Arts Administration from the University of Alabama/Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Prior to becoming Fundraising Coordinator for the Festival, she was the General Manager of the National Players and Olney Theatre Institute at Olney Theatre Center.
