The Thousand Islands Arts Center (TIAC) announced today that Kathleen M. Ferguson has been named the new executive director succeeding Leslie W. Rowland who will retire at the end of May.
Most recently Ms. Ferguson was an independent contractor working in event planning and marketing. She also was an emergency services worker for the City and County of Denver and Pontem LLC, and part of a team that provided over 200,000 COVID-19 tests for Denver and surrounding are residents. Prior to that, she was the Women and Children’s Practice Administrator at Denver Health, a comprehensive, integrated health system founded in 1860, for eight years. Kathleen brings many years of not-for-profit experience in several germane areas including development, marketing, finance, and grant research, and has served in a multitude of leadership roles throughout her career.
Chris Murray, TIAC’s Board Chairman, said: “We are happy to have Kathleen join the TIAC family. While we are very sad to see Leslie go, we look forward to working with Kathleen as she guides the Arts Center toward an exciting future and continued success established under Leslie’s tenure. On behalf of the Board, I wish to thank Leslie for her many years of service. The Arts Center has thrived under her leadership and we are truly grateful.”
Kathleen added: “I am thrilled and honored to join the Thousand Islands Arts Center and am equally excited about working with the team, Board, and community partners. TIAC has an impressive history of enriching lives through art and craft experiences that dates back to the 1960s. Building on the contributions made by Leslie Rowland, I look forward to guiding the organization through its next evolutionary phase and growing TIAC as a valued resource for artists, students, and the broader community.”
Kathleen holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University at Buffalo, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Colorado Denver, and has been a volunteer at the Redline Contemporary Art Center and Denver Art Museum for many years. Kathleen counts biking, hiking, and time on the water as her favorite hobbies and is eager to return to the Thousand Islands where she will be closer to family members and lifelong friends.
The Thousand Islands Arts Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of traditional arts and handcrafts through educational programs, classes, lectures, and exhibits. Home to a nationally renowned permanent collection and library of handwoven textiles, the Arts Center also offers a wide variety of classes for all levels of students – from the beginner to the professional artist. The Thousand Islands Arts Center’s mission is to advance art, craft and our unique handwoven textile collection through education and exhibition.