Ragnar Avery is a retired Executive Account Manager for Dow Corning Corporation (now Dow Silicones). Ragnar and his wife, Kristy, moved to Kalkaska in 2009 after her retirement from Dow Corning as a Senior Event Planner. Ragnar retired from Dow Corning in 2013 and continued his professional work as a consultant for startups from 2103 till 2018. Ragnar was a mentor in residence at the Central Michigan Entrepreneur Department from 2013 till 2014. His creative interests include: photography, playing guitar, and building guitar amplifiers.
A transplant from Rochester, Michigan, Susan Beaufait-Bingham retired from a nursing career and lives in Traverse City. She pursued an interest in art after her retirement, and has contributed to various exhibits and has been an active member of CTAC since her move to northern Michigan. Her volunteer interests have involved families (Care House, Pontiac, MI, Child and Family Services and Child Advocacy Center, Traverse City, MI) as well as outdoor maintenance of her local church grounds.
Michelle Boyer is a retired National Board Certified middle grades teacher, and holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from Miami University, a Bachelors in Education from The Ohio State University, and a Masters in Education from the University of Dayton. She also holds a certification in Talented and Gifted Education from Bowling Green State University. While living in Ohio, she volunteered with ArtSpace Lima and Council for the Arts of Greater Lima.
Kathleen Davis had a rewarding and diverse career in a nonprofit manufacturing organization (Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Dearborn, MI) and then at a global materials science corporation (The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI). Kathleen led domestic and international conferences and tradeshows, customer and staff events, media relations, and managed business and executive communications. She and her husband Matt, both now retired, moved to Bay Harbor a few years ago and are thoroughly enjoying their new surroundings.
John Fergus-Jean, is an Emeritus Professor of Photography, former museum curator of photography, and currently a master photographic printer. He has created graduate and undergraduate art curricula, museum and university exhibitions, national art symposia, and essays and lectures. He has also published in books such as: Teachers on Photography, Perception and Imaging, and The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography. His own artwork has been exhibited in university and museum venues.
Rob Harold and his wife retired to Petoskey in the spring of 2015. They joined CTAC that summer and have been active in the Crooked Tree community ever since. He enjoys taking classes, exhibiting his photographs, acting as a docent in the galleries, and serves on several committees. Rob has been a member of the Crooked Tree Photographic Society since 2016, and a member of Crooked Tree Art Center’s Board of Directors since 2017.
Patricia Kaine brings over a decade of experience in Human Resource Management within the healthcare sector, as well as managing commercial properties in Miami, Florida. She is deeply committed to nonprofit work, serving on the Board of Directors of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Secondary Education.
Debbie Lamson and her husband, David reside in Kewadin and Farmington Hills. Debbie’s career began in accounting in the Detroit metro area until her daughter was born then left the business world. Once her three kids became independent, she returned to college for an art education degree. Teaching in a gifted and talented arts school in Ann Arbor, Debbie was encouraged to continue her artwork since the school saw the value of students observing working artists.
Hal Lawrence grew up in Muncie, Indiana. Hal went to college at Vanderbilt and returned to Indiana to attend medical school at Indiana University, followed by his OBGYN Residency at the University of North Carolina. Hal practiced in Asheville, NC for almost 30 years where he helped create an OBGYN Residency program in Western North Carolina that produced more than 125 OBGYN's and where he served as the Director for 15 years.
Don Molosky grew up in the Metro Detroit area and attended the University of Detroit where he obtained a degree in finance. After graduation he worked for General Motors as a financial analyst before attending Wayne State University Law School. While in law school, Don clerked for a large Detroit law firm and the General Motors Corporate Tax Department. After graduation from law school in 1987, Don worked at a law firm focused on business transactions. In 1991, Don successfully established Molosky & Co.
Anne Morningstar is a full-time Professor of Art and Design at North Central Michigan College. She is co-owner of Bear Creek Organic Farm and an active member in the Northern Michigan community, serving on myriad boards and committees. Morningstar holds her BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, as well as her MS from Indiana University. Her mission as a professional creative is to ensure access to art, design, and creative growth for all.
Stephen Palmer is currently a full-time artist making fish sculptures out of found objects. His work can be seen in galleries across the country. Professionally, Steve retired from Birmingham Public Schools as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. Before that, he was a principal and teacher, including twelve years as a principal in Harbor Springs. Steve has been involved with Crooked Tree Arts Center since the mid-1990s, including serving as Chairman.
Elaine Smiley is a former general education teacher, special education teacher, special education school administrator and university instructor who has worked in North Dakota, Minnesota and Michigan. Elaine’s job as a compliance monitor and supervisor afforded her the opportunity to supervise a variety of special education programs from birth to 26 years of age, as well as investigate complaints and try to mediate complaints against school districts. After Elaine retired, she contracted with six intermediate school districts in southern Michigan to investigate complaints.
Jane Stewart is a retired CPA who served as an Audit Senior Manager for a multinational accounting firm and as CFO for a nonprofit independent K–12 school in Cincinnati. After spending three decades enjoying summers in northern Michigan, she and her husband Paul retired to Harbor Springs in 2019. At Crooked Tree, Jane volunteers as a docent and has actively contributed to Finance Committee meetings.
Carrie Titus, a Charlevoix native, now has her own Edward Jones office there, and serves as a financial advisor to the people in her community and beyond. Carrie has a bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State University, as well as holding her Series 66, Series 7 licenses, along with an Insurance and Annuities license in numerous states. She also has her CFP®. CRPC™ designations. Carrie has been married to her husband Brian for 24 years, and they have three children: two daughters and a son.
Jennifer Tobias currently resides in Chicago, IL and on Old Mission Peninsula, MI. She maintains art studios in both places, and her painting reflects the experiences of living on both sides of Lake Michigan. Originally a South Dakotan, Jennifer lived in Michigan for 32 years, practicing law and owning retail home and interior design stores. She has previously served on the Women’s Resource Center Board in Petoskey and on the Women’s Board for the Lincoln Park Zoo.
