Officers

Stephanie joined the WAI Board in 2020. She has a passion for the arts and enjoys the community that art brings. Stephanie currently serves as President of WAI and has served on the Public Relations committee in the past. As a native of Rock Hill, she enjoys the beautification public art brings for the greater Rock Hill area.

Michelle currently serves as Past President of the Women's Art Initiative (WAI). She joined the WAI board in 2018 and immediately was inspired by the women serving, their mission, and incredible accomplishments.  Michelle has a passion for the arts and is proud to serve on this board.  She is eager to see all that the future holds for art in our community.

Meet Suzanne. "I am very honored to be the treasurer of WAI and get to work with all of these wonderful artists. It makes me proud to drive around Rock Hill and see our projects and other public art projects." Thanks Suzanne for all you do for WAI.

Introducing Caroline Rust Ward who has served on the board since 2016, most recently as Vice President.  She creates artwork under the name Caroline Rust, and she has a passion for public art. Caroline says, "Public art provides a community with easy access to art and design for pleasure, beautification, and education." 

Pam joined the WAI board in 2018.  Pam says, "I am proud and honored to serve as the website administrator for this outstanding organization of creative and caring women dedicated to making a difference in downtown Rock Hill." 

Rebecca joined the WAI board in 2019 and is proud to be a part of this female-led organization, working to bring art to Rock Hill for all to experience and enjoy.  Follow along with Rebecca at @house.of.drennan. "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." - Edgar Degas

Meet Grazier. You don't know WAI without knowing Grazier. She, along with several other women, had a vision to raise private funds to make public art available to the greater Rock Hill community, and WAI was officially launched in January, 2015. Grazier says, "It has been inspiring to experience the collective energy of passionate, dedicated, and talented women to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time to further the quality of life through public art." 

Meet Phyllis.  Phyllis is an original WAI board member and a longtime resident and civic advocate of Rock Hill. Thank you, Phyllis, for your involvement with starting WAI and your continued support of our organization!

Meet Kathy. Kathy grew up surrounded by art: paintings, oriental rugs, sculpture, ceramics, and music. Despite coming from a family with little artistic talent, this environment fostered a lifelong interest in the arts for Kathy. She has a growing collection of "yard art" that fascinates her family and friends. Kathy and her mother shared many enjoyable afternoons exploring artist studios in the Carolinas, often returning home with a carload full of artwork. Kathy was honored to be asked to serve on the board in 2017 of the Women's Art Initiative, and is thrilled to help with bringing public art to the local community.

Meet Ashley. Ashley says, "To see the impact that the Women's Art Initiative has had through the commission of public art in our town is incredible. I live right in the middle of old town and I walk our downtown streets every day with my family. Watching firsthand my children being able to take in public art through the hard work and dedication of the WAI makes me so proud to be on this board. As a believer that art should be able to be enjoyed by all walks of life regardless of socioeconomic status, this organization is doing great things for our community and wholeheartedly living up to its mission: the enrichment of life through art."

Meet Sara. Sara McAllister joined the Women's Art Initiative board in 2023 and is thrilled to work with this talented group of women to increase access to public art in Rock Hill. Sara has been working as a graphic designer and photographer for 20 years, runs a design agency called 137 North, and enjoys photographing landscapes, nature, aerial perspectives, and the night sky in her free time. "There's so much beauty all around us and some of it is hard to see from our perspective on this planet. My hope is to share some of the natural world that reflects the beauty, truth, and goodness of our Creator."

Meet Kristin. Kristin Sessions joined the WAI board in 2021. Kristin has a heart for serving and says, "Volunteering to help a non-profit in your community can be so rewarding." Thank you, Kristin, for the ways you help WAI. (Pictured here with Past President, Michelle DiEduardo, at the latest WAI Member event).

Brooks Spencer joined the WAI Board in 2024. Brooks says, "I love serving my community.  What better way is there than through public art." Brooks has a background in makeup artistry and a BA in Costume Design. "Art has always been a part of my life in some fashion, and I am so excited to work on the next project for our community."

Monique Luck is an award winning visual artist and muralist with a focus on community and public art. She has exhibited her work frequently at galleries and museums across the US. Luck models the features of figures and natural forms using fragments of found paper. Soulful figures textured with emotion emerge, revealing colorful, lyrical stories moving fluidly across canvas. "The emotion in my work comes directly from the emotions I experience in life," she explains. "As I assemble a collage, I often wish I could rearrange pieces of my life as I do pieces of colored paper. Each day I am reminded that life choices are not as easily moved." 

Heather Deese became a member of the WAI Board in Fall, 2024. She enjoys being involved and giving back to the community.  Heather shared, "I work downtown and have watched this area grow and thrive over the years into such a beautiful place. I am excited to be part of an organization bringing amazing talent to light."

Back to front: Kathy Wilson, Rebecca Bridges, Suzanne Harnois, Melanie Cooper, Heather Deese,  Monique Luck, Kristin Sessions, Ashley Owens, Michelle DiEduardo, Stephanie Thompkins, Pam Poag, Caroline Rust Ward, Grazier Rhea. Not pictured:  Phyllis Ferguson, Ashley Lang, Sara McAllister, Brooks Spencer, Alexandra Davis

Back rows: Kristin Sessions, Rebecca Bridges, Suzanne Harnois, Kathy Wilson, Phyllis Ferguson, Stephanie Thompkins, Michelle DiEduardo, Ashley Lang, Pam Poag, Melanie Cooper, Ashley Owens. Front row: Sara McAllister, Caroline Rust Ward, Grazier Rhea. Not pictured: Monique Luck

Back row: Ashley Owens, Rebecca Bridges, Grazier Rhea, Stephanie Thompkins, Kristin Sessions, Michelle DiEduardo, Ashley Lang, Carolyn Moore, Pam Poag, Suzanne Harnois. Front row: Caroline Rust Ward, Kathy Wilson, Amanda Foshag, Sara McAllister. Not pictured: Monique Luck,  Lori Robishaw, Michele Dupre, Phyllis Ferguson. Nicole Davenport, Lucille Harper, Ashley Stevenson

Monique Luck, Amanda Foshag, Carolyn Moore, Lori Robishaw, Suzanne Harnois, Kathy Wilson, Stephanie Thompkins, Pam Poag, Kristin Sessions, Michelle DiEduardo Caroline Rust Ward, Michele Dupre, Grazier Rhea, Phyllis Ferguson. Not pictured: Rebecca Bridges, Nicole Davenport, Lucille Harper, Ashley Owens, Ashley Stevenson, Emily Wade

Back to front: Doris Leitner, Hannalie  Ferguson, Kathie Brabham-Dalton, Totty Wilkerson, Debra Heintz, Kathy Wilson, Grazier Rhea, Bobbie Roberts, Sandy Thomas, Harriet Goode