About

Randy Madnick grew up in the central valley of California during the 1950s. He developed a love for music and photography and played in a number of local rock and roll bands, while at the same time he became a photographer for the high school paper.

Following his Navy service in Vietnam, he continued his interests in photography by attending various classes and seminars, some of which were instructed by the well-known Ansel Adams.
Randy was event manager for High Sierra Entertainment, its premiere event being the Strawberry Blue Grass Festival, and worked as road manager and sound engineer for the Chambers Brothers. He has performed with numerous well-known groups, among them Freddy Fender and the Chambers Brothers Band.

In 1993, Randy and his wife Kathy moved to Seal Rock, Oregon. Here he has worked for local contractors as a fine finish carpenter. He organized the Fox Creek music revue, an annual event to help raise money for South Lincoln County Food Share.

Randy’s formed the jazz group Perpetua, where he participates in the composing, recording and performance of the group’s music. He is one of the original members of the jazz committee that founded what is now known as the Oregon Coast Jazz Party and he is co-founder of the not-for-profit production company, Just Jazz Inc. providing music education in our community.

Wayne Couto grew up in New England, became an Eagle Scout, joined the Navy, and served on an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. Upon his honorable discharge, he skied in the Alps for a month before moving to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany where for 3 years he taught and managed a Kayak School in the summer and the Kids Ski School in the winter. Upon returning to the US, Wayne obtained a degree in Real Estate & Economics at Cal. State, where he met his college sweetheart Karen. Following graduation, he moved to Colorado where he started a home renovation company and became a commercial real estate appraiser focused on ski areas, golf courses, large ranches and other unique properties throughout the West.

After developing two successful businesses in 14 years, Wayne moved back to the California Bay Area and joined a boutique appraisal company and finally married Karen. Together, they designed and built their dream house, created an oasis property in the center of town, and bought and renovated several other houses. Their frequent travels along the West Coast brought them to Newport in 2016 where they bought a condo and started regular visits. In 2018, they spontaneously bought a home in South Beach, sold their home in California and retired to Newport. In his free time, Wayne travels, attends concerts, hikes, kayaks, skis, plays pool, and enjoys the great outdoors. His creative outlets include wood carving and working with stained glass.

Since arriving in Newport, Wayne has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and is a regular driver for Meal on Wheels. He first got involved with OCCA as a musician’s driver then as Transportation Coordinator for the Oregon Coast Jazz Party. That led to joining the OCCA Board and helping to publicize events at the PAC and VAC. He is very passionate about Newport’s unique place in the world and amazed at all the talented and creative people who live here. Wayne hopes that the completion of the PAC’s ‘Back of House’ renovation will permit even greater opportunities for a vast assortment of creative performances, presentations and musical events.

Volola Newell moved to Newport 16 years ago when she met and married her husband, Mike. She grew up in Gresham (moving from North Dakota when she was 11), raised her two kids in the same house she grew up in, and always knew that she would one day live at the coast. She left a 28-year career in the title insurance industry, and found a life at the Rogue Brewery in their accounting department. Vo has always valued volunteering, serving on boards and committees throughout the years with her kids’ activities, school, and church.

Now retired, she was looking for places to volunteer in her new community. She spent an afternoon each week at the Newport Library, and hopes to be able to go back when they reopen. She assists at the monthly Stone Soup meals for the local homeless. And loves being connected to the happenings in the local art scene. You will often see her in the PAC box office. She enjoys sewing, knitting, and watching as many Mariners baseball games possible.

David M. Jones is looking forward to serving on the OCCA board and bringing a fresh view. “It’s an exciting time for our coastal confluence of art – with the continued upgrade of our own Performing Arts Center, as well as strengthening our bond up and down the Oregon Coast with our art communities. It presents challenges as well as opportunities.”

David’s arts background includes performance (acting, magician, musician) and visual (painting, pen & ink, sketching, woodblock printing, serigraph, photography, ceramics), along with running his own design/build company – all of which should help with board duties.

Brian Gardner has joined the OCCA Board in the hopes to give back to the coastal arts community that has enriched his family’s life so much since moving to Lincoln County in 2008.  “My family has benefited immeasurably from being able to participate in, and attend all of the many music, performance and visual art opportunities in our area.”

Having grown up in the Willamette Valley and after attending the University of Oregon, Brian moved to Utah to attend law school where he met his wife, Gretchen Havner, and where they started their family. Brian has worked for Lincoln County as a Deputy District Attorney and has also operated his own law firm in Newport.  Gretchen has worked for Lincoln County at the District Attorney’s Office, taught at OCCC and has operated her own law firm in Newport as well.

Brian’s family has been active in Coastal Act Production performances with Gretchen, Charlotte and Caroline (Coco) always looking forward to performing.  The girls have also been active in youth orchestra, school band, Newport School of Artistic Movement, Dance and All that Jazz, and visual art camps at the VAC.  Brian has also been involved in youth sports, as a board member for the Central Coast Soccer Association and as a basketball coach for the Newport Recreation Center and Newport Middle School.

Brian believes that access to all types of arts, regardless of whether you are performing, attending, seeing, hearing or touching, can be extremely beneficial to your mind, body and soul.  “We are very lucky to live in a community that appreciates the value of the arts and supports the art community so generously.”