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Randy Madnick

President

 

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.

 


 

Vo Newell

Secretary

 

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

Board Member

 

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.

 


 

Michael Spivey

Board Member

 

Michael is no stranger to the arts. As a former world-class artistic roller skater in pairs, figures, and dance his commitment, practice, and delivery was all for the love of art.

Introduced to picture framing as a teen and eventually running successful framing studios in the Sacramento area as well as operations manager for an art publishing company, he had a unique opportunity to have priceless works of art pass through his hands and preserved for generations.

Arriving on the coast 17 years ago Michael found himself gravitating toward framing and selling artists works on the bayfront. Yet to survive… 10 of these years successfully accomplishing his goals as a heating and sheet-metal journeyman. Immersed in the community as a journeyman he discovered the vast amount of artistic expression everywhere.

His wide range of study in art history, acting, and a variety of art mediums led him to find a family at the Newport PAC.

“Live theater, art, and music are in my soul! My intention for being part of the OCCA is to celebrate and encourage all ages to express themselves artistically”

 


 

 

Brian Gardner

Board Member

 

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.”

 


 

Cathey Briggs

Board Member

 


 

 

Kay Klose

Board Member

 


 

 

Alissa Lane-Keene

Board Member

 


 

 

Alfred "Buddy" Lane, IV

Board Member

 


 

 

Akia Woods

Board Member

Akia Woods has joined the OCCA board to help OCCA with its mission to promote and provide high-caliber arts experiences on the Oregon coast.

Woods is often seen onstage (or backstage) with Red Octopus, Porthole Players, and One Of Us Productions. She also ushers for the Newport Symphony as well as OCCA’s Met Opera Live in HD and National Theatre London in HD events.

She sings with Yachats Big Band and has sung with the Sweet Adelines and Central Coast Chorale locally, as well as other groups throughout the state. She has given solo and duet concerts locally and often sings at Oregon Music Teachers Association events and other fundraisers.

Did we say that Woods likes, indeed loves, to sing? She had her own record label for a while and used to tour with her original music.

She decided on early retirement from the state of Oregon where she started in social work with the elderly and alter-abled, moved to management, and served the last 17 years as a computer network technician. While working as a tech, she made theatre arts connections up and down the coast.

She loves to ballroom dance, is active in Dances of Universal Peace in Newport and Yachats and likes to hike.

“I look forward to giving back to the entire coastal community that so warmly welcomed me when I moved to the central coast from Grants Pass in 1997,” says Woods.