The Montgomery Parks Foundation Board of Trustees elected Theresa Cameron and Kelly Groff at their March 28 Board of Trustees Meeting.  Their appointment was approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board on Thursday, April 19, 2012. 

Theresa Cameron is Manager of local arts agency services at Americans for the Arts where she works closely with the Local Arts Advancement team to help develop and implement programs and services that strengthen the field of 5,000 local arts agencies.

Previously, she was CEO of the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) in Maryland for 10 years where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the county’s nonprofit local arts and humanities agency that included a staff of nine and a budget of more than $4 million. While at AHCMC, she developed Creative Montgomery, a countywide cultural planning process as well assisting several organizations in developing cultural facilities including Strathmore Performing Arts Center, Imagination Stage, Olney Theatre Center, etc. She also created enabling legislation for Maryland’s arts and entertainment districts. Prior to joining AHCMC, she was manager of corporate and foundation relations at the Association of University Women Educational Foundation and also served for six years as the senior program specialist for the National Endowment for the Arts in its Local Arts Agencies Program. Theresa earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Wyoming and credits toward a M.B.A. at the University of Phoenix.

Additionally, Theresa serves on many different boards including: Immediate Past Chair of Maryland Association of Nonprofits Board, Immediate Past Chair of Maryland Citizens for the Arts, Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District Advisory Committee, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, and Lumina Studio Theatre. She also served on the Montgomery County Conference and Visitor’s Bureau and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Leadership Maryland and Leadership Montgomery and was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women.

Kelly Groff joined the Conference and Visitors Bureau of (CVB) of Montgomery County, Maryland in 1994 as the Director.  Prior to joining the CVB, Kelly served as a Economic Development Specialist for the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development, Tourism Division.  Kelly began her career in 1985 as a travel trade development officer with the Baltimore City Office of Promotion and Tourism. Following this position, Kelly worked at the Admiral Fell Inn in Fells Point, Maryland directing the catering and room sales division.  Following the position with the Admiral Fell Inn Kelly opened the Clarion Inn at Pier 5 at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor as director of sales.

Other experience includes Adjunct Professor with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Department of Hotel Management for the Hospitality Industry based at Shady Grove.  Kelly served as a professor for five years teaching Eco & Cultural Tourism and Marketing Hospitality and Leisure Services.  Kelly is a native Marylander and has two sons Matthew and Stephen White.

“Both Kelly and Theresa bring an incredible amount of experience and perspective about Montgomery County”, comments Joe Isaacs, President of the Board of Trustees of the Montgomery Parks Foundation, “their insight into our community will help the Foundation enormously as we identify private sources of revenue to support Montgomery Parks at a time when tax dollars can no longer be expected to provide the funding necessary to maintain our Parks.”