Tamara Hoffbauer, Executive Director 
Tamara brings a wide range of nonprofit, business and artistic experience to her work as executive director at the Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center For The Arts. She has served in various roles with nonprofit foundations, including as a board member, director of communications and development, and membership manager. She has also worked as CEO of a brand marketing company and has many years of business administration experience. Tamara earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design from DePaul University in Chicago, where she spent several years working in professional theater. A lifelong creator, she has an early background in arts and crafts throughout the Midwest and is an amateur photographer. Tamara has produced and led several workshops focused on teaching artisans how to turn their craft into a business, with lessons on marketing, pricing, sales channels, and how to register and set up a business entity. A creative problem solver with a passion for the arts, Tamara is now focusing on nonprofit work full-time with a goal to provide as many resources as possible to the artists of northwest Michigan.
Julie White Pierce, Gallery and Program Director 
Julie earned a Bachelor’s in Studio Art from Albion College, with concentrations in Ceramics and Painting. She earned a Master’s Degree in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in Non-Western Art. She has studied in Italy, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Guatemala, and Ecuador. She loves being outdoors and enjoys swimming, walking along the beach, and hiking in the dunes and forest. Art (especially drawing, painting, and sculpture) is more of a passion than a hobby, but she also enjoys found object work and making weird crafts with stuff she finds on her hikes. Digital photography is also a favorite.
Theresa Gimpel, Associate Director 
Born and raised in Chicago and its suburbs, Theresa moved to Kaleva in 2021 after many happy vacations spent in the area surrounding the Oliver Art Center. She has spent her career working with non-profit arts organizations, helping provide opportunities to create and prosper for artists of all ages, experience, and abilities. Theresa holds a fine art degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She managed the exhibition and class programs for the Hinsdale Center for the Arts for 14 years. Before her move to Michigan she was the Assistant Director of Employer Relations for the career center at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Free time is spent biking the hills and trails of the area, walking the beach, hiking, cooking and learning how to maintain a garden.
Morgan Kelsey, Program Coordinator 
A lifelong resident of Michigan, Morgan finds inspiration in the ever-changing landscapes of Northern Michigan and its people and their stories. She has been making art and writing since she was a little girl. Morgan is a mother and former small business owner. She self-published her first poetry book in March of 2022, titled “The Wild Becoming.”
2024 Board Members
Kelly Winter, President
Lesa Huget, Secretary
Kristen Vigland, Treasurer
Hallie Christian
Lauren Everett Finn
Beth Fitzsimmons
Jennifer Flynn
Mica Jones
Rick Rodes
Pam Spicer
Carol Penfold-Patterson
Betsie Hosick (Emeritus)
Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts
132 Coast Guard Rd.
PO Box 1513
Frankfort, MI 49635
(231) 352-4151
info@oliverart.org
Please contact the Executive Director at <Director@oliverart.org> for information about Annual Reports, the 2022 Funder Report – CDP, OAC’s Strategic Plan 2017 to 2020, Candid, or to learn about ADA accessibility.