WPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The WPA is managed by a Board of Directors comprised of local artists, arts patrons, lawyers, designers, realtors and museum professionals. The board sets policies, develops the programming focus and oversees the administration of the organization. The board also provides policy and direction regarding community and outreach initiatives, membership issues, and events.

BOARD CHAIR
Andres Tremols is a fine artist and graphic designer. Born in Washington, DC of Cuban descent, Mr. Tremols spent his childhood and adolescence in Central and South America. His work has been widely exhibited nationally and internationally and is included in both private and public collections in Europe as well as North, Central, and South America. Mr. Tremols is a founding partner of Vivo Design, Inc., which specializes in branding/identity, marketing collateral, and integrated interactive services. His graphic design work has been published in PRINT, CA Magazine, HOW, Corporate Identity in America, AR 100 and has been included in numerous exhibitions such as AIGA 50 and The Art Director's Club.

ADVISOR
Robert Lehrman is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hirshhorn Museum. He is a collector of contemporary art and has been included in the "Top 100 Collectors" issues of ARTnews and Art in America for the past several years. Mr. Lehrman has one of the most comprehensive collections of works by Joseph Cornell. Mr. Lehrman is a native Washingtonian who currently serves as the Administrator of the Jacob and Charlotte Lehrman Foundation, Inc.

BOARD MEMBERS:
Max Brown is a founding partner of 360jmg, a leading DC based strategic communications firm specializing in advertising, direct mail, public relations, and new media. Mr. Brown has nearly 20 years of experience in campaign strategy and management, helping clients across the country achieve their goals, through the deployment of creative messaging and innovative technologies. In 1998, Mr. Brown led the successful campaign for DC Mayoral candidate Anthony A. Williams, then served as the Mayor’s Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff, focusing on communications and strategy. Brown is a member of the bar in both the District of Columbia and Ohio.

Daniel F. Burton, Jr. is Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy at Salesforce.com. Mr. Burton previously served as Vice President of Government Affairs for Entrust, Vice President of Government Relations for Novell, and President of the Council on Competitiveness. In addition to his extensive public policy experience on high-tech issues, he has over 15 years experience running non-profit organizations, has worked as an exhibition designer, edited three books and authored numerous articles, and done economic development work in West Africa. Mr. Burton served as WPA Chair from 2000 – 2003.

Kimberly Casey is an Associate Broker with TTR Sotheby's International Realty specializing in marketing distinctive homes in the DC Metropolitan area. She and her partner are the number one team for her firm. Before pursuing a career in real estate, Ms. Casey spent twelve years in the international telecommunications industry building partnerships, joint ventures and developing and executing strategies for entry into international markets. Ms. Casey serves as the Chair of the WPA Art Auction Gala and Chair of Fundraising for the WPA Board.

Stephen O. Hessler started collecting art just out of GW Law School, even before he had furniture. On a trip to the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 1990 he and his wife Dolly discovered intuitive and folk art and have collected it and supported self-taught artists ever since. In addition to litigating complex real estate and equity cases as the principal of Hessler & Assoc., Charted, and lecturing extensively to the DC Bar and the Courts, he has founded Gallery O/H in the "H" Street NE Atlas District, supports local and outsider artists, is a founding member of the "H" Street Social Aid & Pleasure Club, drinks bourbon, has been married to Dolly for 27 years, and adopts stray animals. He is affectionately known among the Board as the "outside the box" member who persists in an endless stream of ideas for the WPA and the DC arts community.

Elise Hoffmann is a Principal in the firm of Marshfield Associates, Washington, DC. Ms. Hoffmann has worked as a securities lawyer, legislative counsel, and investment professional since graduating from law school in 1983. Until 1987, she practiced corporate securities and banking law. From 1987 to 1995, she served as finance counsel to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance, U.S. House of Representatives. Since 1995, she has worked as a portfolio manager and research analyst at Marshfield Associates, where she has been a principal since 1997. Marshfield manages over a billion dollars for 400 clients, both institutional and individual.

Dwayne Leslie is an attorney and the Chief Executive Officer of Phase V Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing drug treatments for chronic conditions association with rehabilitation of neurological injury. Mr. Leslie has worked as an associate at major law firms such as Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue and as in-house counsel for financial and entertainment firms. He was twice named as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Minority Business Entrepreneurs and was appointed to the Maryland Economic Development Commission in 2005 by Governor Ehrlich. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Prince George’s Community College Foundation and KidsPeace Corporation.

Jennifer Motruk Loy is the founder of JML Consulting, a strategic marketing and public relations firm. Ms. Motruk Loy has extensive experience working with a diverse client base across the architecture, design, hospitality, non-profit and arts industries and communities, previously working as a Principal with Spin LLC and the Director of Marketing & Business Development at CORE architecture + design. Her association with WPA began in 1999 as Acting Director, followed by an Advisory Board position and as Art Auction Co-Chair from 2002-2004. From 2004 to 2007, she served in the role of Advisory Board Chair.  Ms. Motruk Loy has been a long-time active member of the regional arts community through her work with numerous arts organizations, galleries and artists, and is an avid collector of contemporary art.  
 
Erin Mackay is an independent contemporary art consultant and owner of Chase Contemporary Art Consulting, LLC, a full service contemporary art consulting company finding quality and affordable artwork in all media for private clients, corporations, and art related organizations. Ms. Mackay entered the Washington, DC art market by through her role as auction coordinator for WPA’s Annual Art Auction and Gala. Ms. Mackay received her Master's in Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market from Christie's Education in New York. Before working in the art world, Ms. Mackay worked at companies in New York and France where she sold and marketed independent films, television, and convergent media.

Meredith L. Margolis is a real estate agent with the Chevy Chase office of Long and Foster and currently serves as the Board Vice-Chair. Before pursuing a career in residential real estate, Ms. Margolis pursued her combined love for art and retail to open a paint-your-own pottery studio located off of Dupont Circle. As a frustrated artist, Ms. Margolis accepted herself as an art appreciator, and became a volunteer and fundraiser for the Corcoran Gallery of Art's 1869 Society, from 1998-2002.

Sophia McCrocklin is a fine artist whose work is focused on the areas of abstract painting and painted collage on canvas. She currently resides in Washington DC where she is represented by Studio Gallery. Ms. McCrocklin studied Studio Art and Economics at Smith College, followed by further studies in both textile arts at Penland School of Crafts and law at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. Upon graduation, she established her studio and practiced environmental law for many years. Ms. McCrocklin has earned the honor of a national fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and the award for Artistic Excellence from the Kentucky Department for the Arts. Her ongoing commitment to the arts and the environment is embodied throughout her work through the use of recycled materials.

Marisa Michnick serves as the Director of Business Development in the Washington, DC office of RTKL Associates Inc., one of the world’s most respected multi-disciplinary architecture, design and planning firms. Prior to moving to DC, Marisa worked in New York City as an Art Consultant for the Chelsea art gallery, Mixed Greens.  Ms. Michnick has been involved with the DC Preservation League, where she served on the Education Committee and helped to plan the architecture-focused DC Modern symposium and the interiors-focused DC Modern Inside. Ms. Michnick is also involved with the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), and CoreNet. She has served on the planning committee of the WPA Art Auction and Gala for two years and is currently the event’s Co-Chair.

Frederick P. Ognibene, M.D. is a collector of contemporary art and strong supporter of local artists. He lives in Washington, DC and works at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland as Director of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education in the Clinical Center. Dr. Ognibene has been a member of the Board of Trustees of WPA for over ten years, has served as the co-chair of the annual WPA Art Auction for three years, and is currently the Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee. Dr. Ognibene began collecting contemporary art by local emerging and mid-career artists in the early 1980’s and has expanded his collection to include well over 200 works by regional, national, and international artists. He takes pride in getting to know the artists whose work he owns and has been very supportive of the careers of some several DC-based artists.

William C. Paley is the President of the William C. Paley Foundation. William C. Paley is the son of William S. Paley, founder of CBS, noted art collector and connoisseur of fine living and Barbara "Babe" Cushing, the daughter of pioneering neurosurgeon and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, Dr. Harvey Cushing. Mr. Paley is also president of 2023 LLC, an addictions, alcohol, and family therapy practice in Washington, DC. From 1980 to 1984, Mr. Paley acted as president of his own emerging electronic media consulting firm, Paley Communications. He supports a variety of nonprofit organizations, serving on the Board of Directors for other local arts institutions as well as the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City and Los Angeles. He is a Director of the William S. Paley Foundation and the President of William C. Paley Foundation.

Mary Margaret Plumridge is the Director of Marketing and Communications with Akridge, a Commercial real estate firm providing acquisitions, development, leasing, and property management services in the greater Washington region. Prior to joining Akridge, Ms. Plumridge worked as a graphic designer for the Bomstein Agency and the American Pharmaceutical Association. Ms. Plumridge is a member of the Jubilee Support Alliance Auxiliary Board and the Greater Washington Board of Trade Marketing and Communications Network. She is also active with the Georgetown Ministries Homeless Shelter and occupies a leadership role at Christ Church Georgetown.

James F. Ritter is a Partner in the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP. Mr. Ritter has extensive experience with financing arrangements in the aerospace, communications, defense, heath care and private equity arenas.

Jan Rothschild is Vice President of Communications and External Affairs for Cambridge Information Group, a family owned management and investment firm, primarily focused on education, research, and information services companies.  Previously, Ms. Rothschild served as the Vice President for Communications and Marketing at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she oversaw media relations, marketing, messaging and branding, online communications and Preservation Magazine. While in New York, Ms. Rothschild served as Associate Director for Communications and Marketing at the Whitney Museum of American Art, overseeing communications, marketing, new media, visitor services, community and government affairs. Ms. Rothschild is a founding board member of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, and serves on the boards of a number of Washington-area organizations. Ms. Rothschild is a member of ArtTable, the American Association of Museums, and the College Art Association.

Richard Seaton is the Founder and CEO of Impact Marketing + Communications, a firm supporting nonprofits and small businesses through branding, corporate communications, marketing, and production of websites and print materials. His clients include leading philanthropic foundations, international development organizations, as well as for-profit clients in finance, real estate, and pharmaceuticals. Prior to founding his company, Mr. Seaton lived and worked in Italy, providing international development support for an Italian-based multinational corporation. He has also worked as a professional pianist with such organizations as the Santa Fe Opera, The Washington Opera, Howard University and Italy’s Festival of Montepulciano.

Adam Sidel is the founder and president of Brainstorm Creative Resources, a Washington, DC-based recruiting and staffing firm that supports organizations seeking to hire or contract with senior- and management-level creative services professionals. Mr. Sidel launched Brainstorm in 2002, just two years after entering the recruitment industry. Prior to 2000, he spent six years developing and tracking news stories for regional and national television programming operations. Mr. Sidel served as an assignment editor/producer at C-SPAN, the national capitol region’s Newschannel 8 and the New York metropolitan area’s News 12 Networks.

Michelle Zook is a freelance graphic designer in Arlington, Virginia, where she creates promotional materials, newsletters and brochures for a variety of clients. Ms. Zook is active in local charity and educational events, and has helped plan numerous community fundraisers. She was the Director of Administration at C-SPAN and Publications Production Coordinator at the National Association for Home Care before starting her graphic design business in 1993.