SMAHC Welcomes Four New Board Members

The Minnesota Arts & Humanities Council announces the appointment of 4 new board members.  Roberta Trooien will represent Lincoln County, Barbara Jean Kay will represent Meeker County, Jerry Ostensoe will represent Renville County and Deborah Meyer will represent Lac qui Parle County.

Roberta Trooien is a recently retired teacher of composition and literature in higher education and also has been very active in the arts as a performer, fundraiser, promoter, and advocate.  She returned full time to the Hendricks area upon retiring and has been involved in several musical ventures.  She plays bass and mandolin in the family bluegrass band, Genus, and sings in an a cappella vocal quartet, The Neighbors.  She has also directed children’s and high school church choirs and has served as church organist.  She looks forward to gaining a better knowledge of what is going on in the arts in her area and in turn helping to promote these events.  We welcome Roberta to the SMAHC Board.

Barbara Jean Kay is a retired music teacher having taught music for 30 years at the elementary, middle and high school levels.  She has also been involved in the visual arts being the chairman of the district arts department and judge at the high school art show with various mediums.  She is the recipient of a scholarship to attend the Minnesota Humanities Center for a week long workshop studying the Byzantium culture, literature and fine arts.  She has been involved in theater and has acted in plays for the local Historical Center. And she has participated in the Dassel Leikerring (a Norwegian folk dance group) for several years.  We look forward to using her experience on the SMAHC Board in the days ahead.

Jerry Ostensoe is a name that many people will recognize in Southwest Minnesota.  Jerry is a long time songwriter and performing musician. His country blues and jazzy ballads have entertained audiences throughout Southwest Minnesota.  Jerry has been associated with SMAHC over the years as a grant review panelist.  He has also been a recipient of a SMAHC Individual Artist Career Grant.  Jerry’s goal as a SMAHC Board Member is to continue SMAHC’s advocacy for regional artists and to give back to the area and SMAHC.  Welcome to the board.

Deborah Meyer has been an advocate for the arts in Madison and Southwest Minnesota for many years.  She has a strong interest in the arts community as an organizer and participant.  She is on the board of the Lac qui Parle Players.  She is also a choir member.  She would like to see the arts continue to be an important part in the communities of SW Minnesota.   She will be a great asset to SMAHC – welcome to the board of directors.