Commissioners

Anne Penny Valentine, Commission Chair, Carmel

Anne serves as the Chief of Staff for the office of Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, leading the executive office and overseeing the operations of the state agencies within the portfolio of the Lieutenant Governor, including the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and the Office of Rural and Community Affairs. Prior to joining the Lieutenant Governor’s team earlier this year, she was the Vice President for Government Relations at United Way of Central Indiana where she advocated on behalf of early childhood education and whole-family solutions to address poverty. Anne’s career has covered three different industries: state government, nonprofit and higher education including leadership roles with Ivy Tech Community College and the Office of Governor Mitch Daniels. In the non-profit arts community, Anne has worked for Indianapolis Opera, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and the Arts Council of Indianapolis, allowing the opportunity to work closely with the city of Indianapolis as well as a wide range of arts organizations throughout central Indiana. In 2017, Governor Eric Holcomb appointed Anne to serve as a commissioner with the Indiana Arts Commission. Anne earned a bachelor's degree from Butler University and a graduate certificate in public management from the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI.

Dave Haist, Vice Chair, Wabash

A Wabash, Indiana native, Dave lived in South Bend for 10 years as a partner of Barnes & Thornburg and then moved in 1986 to Fort Wayne to help open the firm’s Fort Wayne office. He joined Do it Best Corp. in 1997 and retired as its COO in 2012. He and his wife recently returned to his hometown of Wabash and they share time between Wabash and Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver. Dave began serving for arts organizations in South Bend as he served the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. After moving to Fort Wayne, he served on the Boards of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic (including board president for two years) Arts United and the Fort Wayne Ballet. In Wabash, Dave has served as the Chair of the Board of The Honeywell Foundation and  now serves as Chair of the Board of the Honeywell Arts Academy. Dave serves on several other boards including Arts United and Manchester University.

Réna Bradley, Secretary, Fort Wayne

Réna Bradley is one of Fort Wayne’s foremost experts in placemaking, asset-based development, and neighborhood revitalization, and, believes that beauty is a call to justice. She is a community activator who pulls neighborhood residents into decision-making processes and uses her design skillset to help residents reimagine underserved communities -breathing new life and enthusiasm into both places and people. As Bridge of Grace’s Community Development Director, she has taken a design-thinking approach to create, support, and implement various initiatives. In the MVP neighborhood, those efforts have resulted in:

• The renovation of 20+ houses (and 3 youth-designed pocket parks),
• Reducing the crime rate by over 60%, and
• Infusing over $5 million in funding into the community.

Ms. Bradley serves as an Indiana Arts Commissioner, Fort Wayne Public Arts Commissioner, board member of the Fort Wayne Allen County Airport Authority, and advisory committee member of Input Magazine. She is a proud alumna of Howard University's College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science; the Detroit Revitalization Fellows; Fort Wayne’s Forty under Forty; and Virginia Society AIA’s Emerging Leaders in Architecture.

Azizi Arrington-Slocum, Terre Haute

Azizi Arrington-Slocum is the Associate Professor & Program Coordinator of Interior Architecture Design at Indiana State University.  Prior to her work at ISU she served as a project manager at Johnson Peterson Architects in Tallahassee, Fla., and as an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College for five years.  She is a licensed architect and registered interior designer. Her research interest focuses on relationships between architecture/design and the arts. She has volunteered as a Girl Scout Brownie Troop leader and received the Community-Based Learning and Scholarship Award from Indiana State University in 2011.

Chad Bolser, Richmond

Chad Bolser, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College’s Richmond Campus, has a thirty-year career in education, leading different organizations in K-12 and higher education. Bolser completed his undergraduate education at Lindenwood University (MO) in 1992 and spent the next two years on the Men’s Basketball staff before stints as a high teacher/coach at St. Teresa High School (IL) and an assistant basketball/head golf and faculty member at Millikin University (IL).  In 1998, he moved to Richmond, Indiana, and spent the next sixteen years in Richmond Community Schools as a teacher, coach, and athletic director.  In 2014, Bolser joined Ivy Tech Community College as Campus President of the Richmond Campus and, in 2017, was appointed Chancellor of the Ivy Tech Richmond Campus service area, which includes Fayette, Randolph, Rush, Union, and Wayne Counties.  In 2019, Bolser was named Vice President of Operations for the Southern Campuses of Ivy Tech Community College.  After three years in the Office of the President, Bolser returned to the Richmond Campus as Chancellor in 2023.

Bolser earned his Master of Education from Earlham College (IN) in 2007 and is pursuing his PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University (AZ).  Along with Bolser’s education, he is a certified coach, trainer, and facilitator of Simplex Creative Problem Solving and a certified Prosci Change Management facilitator.  Bolser is an active community member, previously serving as a member of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Board, Wayne County Foundation Board, and Richmond Civic Theatre Board.  Currently, Bolser serves as an appointed commissioner of the Indiana Arts Commission, along with other boards such as the Wayne County Economic Development Board member, Vision Corner Board (Union City), Rural Alliance Zone-32 Board (Randolph County), Rushville’s Project 140, and the Richmond Neighborhood Restoration Board.

Bolser resides in Richmond, Indiana, with his wife, Leslie, and their two daughters, Mallory and Maren.

Daniel Luis Martinez

Daniel Luis Martinez is a registered architect, educator, and co-founder of the multi-disciplinary design studio LAA Office, which explores the intersection of landscape, art, and architecture. His research and creative work investigate the potential of public art to generate alternative forms of Placemaking. Daniel is an Assistant Professor and Director of Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program and a faculty advisor to the Center for Rural Engagement. He was a participant in the 2023 Chicago Architecture Biennial and Art Omi’s 2022 Architecture Residency in upstate New York. In 2019, he was named an Exhibit Columbus University Design Research Fellow and received an AIA Henry Adams Medal from the University of Florida in 2012. Daniel has worked at leading architectural firms, including Allied Works and Weiss/Manfredi, and his writing has been published in notable architectural journals, including Mas Context, San Rocco, Clog, and Drawing Matter.

Greg Hull, Indianapolis

Walter Knabe, Indianapolis

A designer since the age of 14, Walter obtained his Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin. Walter opened his first studio nearly 35 years ago as a painter in New York City. His paintings quickly morphed into full-scale wall coverings, which have been in demand by many high profile clients and interior design houses. His artwork can be found in the homes and offices of film, sports and music legends. Walter has been the official artist for several high profile events, including the Indianapolis 500.

Mark Maxwell, Jeffersonville

Mark Maxwell fully understands what it is to be a working musician, and a person who depends on the arts to support his family through his music business, Maxwell’s House of Music. His experiences and knowledge range from retail to music education, direction, songwriting, consulting, community philanthropy, advocacy, and performing in bands (most notably, Spanky Lee, and The Crashers). Maxwell’s House of Music is an internationally recognized music education and retail resource that has consistently been awarded with the ‘Top 100’ global distinction for nearly a decade by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).

With thousands of artists, students, and customers gracing the halls of Maxwell’s, Mark witnesses how music and the arts benefit lives every single day. Artists recognize him as a resource as he willingly shares what he has learned from his life experiences as an artist, and business owner.  Arts advocacy is at the heart of what Mark has practiced his entire life, but now it is official as he proudly represents Region 12 for the Indiana Arts Commission!

Laurie Burns McRobbie, Bloomington

Laurie Burns McRobbie is First Lady Emerita and University Fellow at Indiana University. As IU’s 18^th First Lady, Laurie founded the women’s philanthropy program at the IU Foundation and served as Honorary Chair of the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council (WPLC). With a career background in higher ed IT and high-performance computer networking, she co-founded the Center of Excellence for Women and Technology at IU-Bloomington and the Laurie Burns McRobbie ServeIT Clinic (a service-learning program providing IT services to local non-profits) in the IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. She holds adjunct faculty appointments in the Luddy School and in the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where she serves on its Board of Visitors and on the governing board of the school’s Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Laurie serves on other local and state-wide boards in addition to the Indiana Arts Commission, including the Riley Children’s Foundation Board of Governors and the Indiana Conference for Women.

Jake Oakman, Indianapolis

Jake Oakman is the Executive Director of the White River State Park Development Commission. Before joining White River State Park, Jake was Special Assistant to Governor Eric Holcomb, serving as the governor’s primary speechwriter, liaison on international engagement, and adviser on communication strategies. Beginning in late 2019, Jake led all marketing and communications efforts related to the governor’s historically successful reelection campaign. Jake has extensive experience in Indiana’s travel & tourism and sports industries. He was Director of Communications and Media Relations for Visit Indiana and his first job in Indianapolis was at White River State Park, working as a ticket sales executive for the Indianapolis Indians at Victory Field. Additional experience includes serving as then-Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb’s Director of Communications, Deputy Press Secretary to Governor Mitch Daniels and Director of the IUPUI Student Foundation at the Indiana University Foundation. Oakman earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education with concentrations in US history, world history and political science from Indiana University where he served as student body president his final year on campus. A history buff, Jake enjoys reading biographies and histories, especially those about World War II. He is an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and the Indiana University Hoosiers. Jake lives in downtown Indianapolis’ Holy Cross Neighborhood.

Kelsey Peaper, Indianapolis

Kelsey has worked in education the past 16 years and is currently working at the Department of Education. Kelsey graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Theatre and minors in Vocal Music and Communication. After graduation she joined Teach for America and taught as a Special Educator at a high school in Los Angeles, California. She obtained her Masters in Special Education from Loyola Marymount University. Kelsey then taught middle school as a Special Educator in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to Indianapolis in 2013 with her husband and served as Assistant School Leader and the Director of Special Education at a public charter elementary school in Indianapolis. Her passion for both the arts and education is something that is very important to her, especially making art accessible to all as well as art integration in education.

Sofía Souto, Indianapolis

Dr. Sofía Souto is a professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Butler University. Her teaching and research interests primarily center on monolingual and bilingual language acquisition in children with and without language impairment. Dr. Souto earned her graduate degrees at Indiana University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Purdue University.

Renee Thomas, Lafayette