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Jodi-Tatiana Charles

CHARLES NAMED 2023 MARBLEHEAD FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS PRESIDENT

The Marblehead Festival of Arts (MFoA) selects Marketing Strategist  and podcast host Jodi-Tatiana Charles as the 2023 President. The selection was announced at  the October 10th meeting along with 4 new directors who will each help support the festival's  work to highlight art as a tool for cultural exchange, education, and expression. 

 

“After much work this past summer to identify a strong candidate to serve as the MFoA's next  President, the Nominating Committee was thrilled when Ms. Charles agreed to serve as  President for the 2022 - 2023 Festival year and was then unanimously elected by the members  present at the MFoA's annual meeting”, said Eric Knight, Chairman, MFoA’s Board Nominating  Committee. 

 

Charles has been a resident of Marblehead for the past 13 years and has been a festival  volunteer for over a decade. She brings 30 years of executive leadership in marketing,  branding and communication to the position and is looking to harness those skills to assist in  fulfilling her obligations as president. A staunch advocate for small businesses, Charles is the  founder of LCG Brands Consulting and host of the Minding Your Business Podcast. She is also  an honoree of Forbes’ Next 1000. She is passionate about serving her community and spends  her free time supporting causes benefitting children, the elderly and cancer research and  treatment. 

 

Knight added, “Ms. Charles is an experienced business marketing strategist and multi platform communicator, who exhibits the creative energy and enthusiasm the Committee  believes is necessary for continuing the growth and innovation of the MFoA. She also shares  the MFoA's core belief that support of the arts helps create and sustain a healthy and vibrant  community. We wish Ms. Charles and the officers and members of the MFoA's Board of  Directors a productive and successful year.” 

 

The Marblehead Festival of Arts has been enriching the community and supporting artisans  since 1962, through its hosting of fundraising and seasonal events including the annual  Summer Festival of Arts. Over the years MFoA has been firmly established as a major arts  festival for locals and neighboring communities. The organization’s signature 4-day Summer  Festival features a wide range of cultural activities, art exhibits, concerts, and film festivals,  all designed to provide an exciting experience for the entire family.  

 

Charles is excited about filling the role of President for the 2023 Marblehead Festival of Arts  and has ambitions to expand the festival’s reach and bring even more value for residents and  artisans. Commenting on the appointment, she said: “We have to work every day to keep  delivering a top-quality festival for our residents and neighboring towns and guests. My goal is to bring back the community of residents that have not attended the event in years, and  attract a wider age group with new activities, all while staying true to the core values of the  arts.” 

 

The new executive board members began their term with the Marblehead Festival of the Arts  effective October 10, 2022. The 2023 Board of Directors are: 

Executive Committee 

o Jodi-Tatiana Charles - President  

o Ilise Ratner - Vice President of Fundraising 

o Cynda Rohmer - Vice President of Community Engagement 

o Sheri Conte - Vice President of Arts & Exhibits 

o Rosanna Steinig – Secretary 

o Jo-Ann Murphy – Treasurer 

o Matthew Friedman – President Emeritus  

Directors  

o Kirsten Bassion –New 

o Molly Flynn – New 

o Lesli Mead 

o Bill Smalley  

o Alison Q. Spring - New 

o Amy Thompson - New 

Charles added, “On behalf of the board, I would like to express our gratitude to the nominating  committee of Eric Knight, Chairman; IIise Ratner, Bill Smalley, Peter Jackson, and Maggie  Raftus for their due diligence of selecting this year’s team. Also, to Matthew Friedman, who  has concluded his service as 2022 President, and Bill Smalley, who is MFoA's first chair, for  providing visionary leadership for the members of the board and their continuing service and  counsel.” 

For further information about the Marblehead Festival of Arts, visit:  

https://www.marbleheadfestival.org

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