Our Leadership

We are a volunteer-powered organization led by the following board of directors, plus other leaders of various committees and interest groups.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JEFF LYSYCZYN

Jeff Lysyczyn is a veteran of the music business for more than 25 years, as an artist manager, major record label employee, PR and marketing consultant, and staff songwriter. He also served as an adjunct professor at The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University from 2015-2019. He is an alumnus of MTSU and long-time Murfreesboro resident. Jeff’s experience in the music industry will position him to reach many in the county who need direction in how to get involved with the arts locally. Jeff is also a visionary with a strong and professional work ethic who has many connections in the Nashville and Rutherford County music scene. He is thrilled to be joining the leadership team of RAA:

“I’ve made a living and a life of advocating for and nurturing artists for as long as I can remember. I am overjoyed at the opportunity to use my gifts in service of the Rutherford Arts Alliance and more importantly, the arts community in the county I’ve called home since I was a student at MTSU. To the RAA board members past and present, I thank you for the foundation you’ve built and for your confidence in me. I’m excited to join you in bringing the RAA mission forward. Art matters!”

Learn more about Jeff here | Email: jeff@rutherfordartalliance.org

TROY CHEAIRS, CO-CHAIR

Troy is a graduate of MTSU and owner of Legacy Ink Design, a progressive design and merchandising company located in Murfreesboro, TN. They specialize in screen printing, graphic design, embroidery, and brand development. His company has evolved over its 15-year existence to include a consulting  business that focuses on helping minority entrepreneurs do everything from creating a brand to setting up a website to marketing online. Troy started a consulting company, TCWW & Co., where he works with brands showing them how to make a website.

ANGELA RAMOS, CO-CHAIR

Angela is an art and dance enthusiast and advocate. As an artist, dancer, choreographer, and MTSU instructor, she has a strong interest in inculcating the power of art and dance in her students and the community. She began her dance training at the age of three and recalls how dance was the one thing that gave her a sense of freedom and happiness.

She has taught dance at MTSU for over 25 years and serves as the director of the dance company, MTSU Performing Arts Company (known as iMPACt). In her decades-spanning career, her love for the arts and dance still brings pure joy. She loves being part of the art community – connecting, sharing, and appreciating the beauty in it. She not only loves all things art and dance; she loves to travel, be outdoors, design flowers.

Yakruti Patel, Secretary

Yakruti was born with a passion for arts as all members of her family are artists. She is an abstract impressionistic artist and creative thinking, music-mixing engineer, living in Murfreesboro. Born and brought up in India, she has done many exhibitions there, internationally and in the U.S. She has always been fascinated by art and the imagination that comes from how the world is represented through the eyes. All of the layers, textures, marks and colors of her creations are there for the viewer to examine and explore. They echo the ‘layers’ and events in our lives – all woven together in their imperfection, creating something rich and beautiful. She hopes that viewers are blessed with joy and inspiration as they pause to experience her work, lifting their souls one peace at a time.

SUSAN GULLEY, TREASURER

Susan Gulley is a true local girl…raised in Brentwood during its founding years as a city and a graduate of MTSU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, emphasis in Commercial Design and Photography. She has an eclectic thread of work experience from commercial printing, human resources, international import/export and non-profit organizations which explains the wide range of connections, networking and love of all things cultural arts. With over 40 years of experience in vision casting and educating with artists and also a corporate project management background, she gets to use the best of both worlds in her brain – creativity AND analytics! In other words, she loves to create it and make sure it happens. Her passions include travel, nature, cooking, her faith and loving on her family and friends. Her position as Assistant Executive Director of Operations with Journeys in Community Living, Founding Board Member of Carpe Artista and treasurer of the Rutherford Arts Alliance allow her the space to inspire others and herself to experience imagination and opportunity on an intentional basis.

GINNY TOGRYE, WORKSHOPS CHAIR

Ginny Togrye is a sculptural painter and sculptor with Creative Visions Artists. She has been featured at the Greenway Arts Festival, the Gallery at the Mill in Lebanon, the City of Murfreesboro, and the Discovery Center Museum. Togrye was awarded Painter Laureate with in 2017 and collaborated with fellow laureates to create the “We Are Tennessee” exhibit at the Discovery Center Museum. In 2018, Togrye helped other Laureates form RAA which she served as the founding Chair. Her mission in all of these roles has been to create connections, which she continues to do with her current project: the Heart of Tennessee that will result in a large public sculpture to be donated to the city of Murfreesboro.

LEE ANNE CARMACK, DANCE INTEREST GROUP CHAIR

Lee Anne wants to live in a world that truly advocates for justice and beauty, a world where integrity matters and fairness rules. She does her best to create this world through her work with AAUW (American Association of University Women, National, TN and Murfreesboro) AND as a board member for the League of Women Voters Murfreesboro branch. She elevates arts appreciation in her roles as board member and dance interest (leader) for Rutherford Arts Alliance. She is a co-founder and an advisory board member of Blue Moves Modern Dance and has served on the City Hall Arts Committee and as a board member and Volunteer curator at Center for the Arts. Carmack was honored to serve as AAUW’s 2021 Athena Award nominee.

LUCY LANGWORTHY, GOVERNANCE CHAIR

Lucy has worked in the cultural arts all of her life and brought this passion to Rutherford Arts Alliance in 2019 when it first began. She has served as Chair of the Alliance, a role that brought her much joy, and lots of great, creative friends. She now turns her efforts toward other MTSU projects, all that center around collaborations between the University and the community. Her work with the Alliance and at MTSU confirms for her that the Arts are truly invaluable to our work and personal lives.

LISA MARIE BROWNING, RAA NEWSLETTER CHAIR

A local artist and arts educator, Lisa Marie is inspired by metaphor and symbolism that is rich with story, gleaned from everyday wisdom and nature. Her illustrative line, Visual Devotion, is a traveling gallery, offering viewers a space to wonder. When she is not creating graphics, she is illustrating, teaching art classes and connecting with artists’ initiatives.

Lisa Marie received her arts education at the Philadelphia College of Art in Graphic Design and Illustration which led to a career in advertising, publishing, gift design, book illustration, and graphic design. She is the former Assistant Coordinator for Cultural Arts – Visualize Murfreesboro and is now running her freelance art business and helping connect creatives with community through RAA.

ERIC SNYDER, VISUAL ARTS INTEREST GROUP CHAIR

Eric is interested in the Arts in general and their value within Rutherford County where he is a lifelong resident, involved in many aspects of the visual arts, as an artist, organizer, scheduler, and fan.

Eric is the Coordinator of the MTSU Department of Art and Design’s Todd Art Galleries. In addition to his work at MTSU, he organizes the Art Studio Tour and Stones River Crafts Fair, as well as manages Church Street Gallery. He has chaired the Murfreesboro City Hall Art Committee for 12 years, including art exhibits from art students in Murfreesboro City Schools. He has also juried and curated numerous other art exhibits.

GALE STONER, WORKSHOP CHAIR

Gale Stoner began photographing landscapes in the mid-sixties while stationed in Duluth, MN.  A self-taught photographer, Gale's work has been highlighted in the international publication, Photoshop User magazine, KelbyOne Insider Column, and his image of Old Faithful at sunrise was published in Outdoor Photographer magazine.  One of Gale's images was selected for the cover of the 2019 Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Visitors Bureau guide booklet.  Gale has served as the 2018-2019 Photographer Laureate for the City of Murfreesboro Cultural Arts Department.  In 2020, Gale was commissioned by the Chamber Visitor’s Bureau to produce images for the Safely Travel Project.  Gale enjoys sharing his skills in both group and one-on-one classes in fine art photography.

SHARON KOLLI, AT-LARGE MEMBER

Sharon has served on the American Cancer Society Board, American Heart Association Board, and the Community Foundation of Rutherford County Board. She feels privileged to bring her artistic talents to help RAA cultivate the arts in Murfreesboro.

THERESA ALLEY, MEMBERSHIP/VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Theresa is a graduate of United Way’s Catalyst Program who brings a passion for arts and community development to RAA. As a corporate trainer for Redstone Federal Credit Union and co-founder of Trellis & Vine, she combines her professional expertise with her love for the arts. Combining these talents has allowed her to launch a business from a dream, develop a sustainable plan, and cultivate a tight knit community. Theresa is eager to help RAA accomplish its mission of promoting the arts, culture, and heritage through connection, collaboration, and education.

TRACY JONES, AT-LARGE MEMBER

Tracy is an educator who understands the transformative power of the arts. With a deep passion for visual arts, she is excited to support RAA in its first major fundraiser. An avid painter and collagist, Tracy is dedicated to helping others experience the benefits of art at every stage of life. Tracy believes that we are all artists and show our creativity in various ways. She wants to encourage this philosophy in our community.

Past ChairS

Mark McLeod

Associate Professor of Art, MTSU

Susan Gulley

Director of Cultural and Heritage Tourism, Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau 

Dr. Lucy Langworthy

Assistant to the Dean College of Liberal Arts, MTSU

Ginny Togrye

Artist at Creative Visions; Inaugural Painter Laureate, City of Murfreesboro

In memoriam

Dr. Ginna Foster Cannon, Chair

Director of Cultural and Heritage Tourism, Rutherford County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Banner image: Unsplash/@mcbrae