Our Board
As a 501c3 non-profit organization, The Bay School and Art Speaks Gallery operate under the leadership of a Board of Directors. This group of dedicated, passionate volunteers is instrumental to our continued growth and success and are critical to shaping and implementing our business strategies that align with fulfilling our mission.
Board members serve three-year appointments and can serve two consecutive terms.
Sherri Hamm
Chair
Sherri retired from healthcare after almost 22 years and returned to college to finish her degree. In need of an organization to work with to finalize her last school project, she reached out to The Bay School’s Executive Director Pam Doss, who encouraged Sherri to get involved with us and helped her move in a different direction for her project while completing her degree requirements.
Having a natural love of the visual and performing arts, Sherri grew up performing in her school’s band and chorus, and was influenced by her father who had a talent for drawing and performed in theatrical productions that she always attended. Even today, his artwork decorates the walls of her home.
An energetic participant and volunteer, Sherri is committed to bringing art in all forms to the local community through her participation on the board. In addition to serving as Chairman of the Board, she chairs the Executive and Compensation Committees. She describes The Bay School, saying, “This organization reaches deep inside and reels you into the work that they do, the mission and vision they live and the level of commitment they demonstrate to the community is something others should emulate. The Bay School pushes you to be the best version of yourself as a board member to ensure that this organization is here for the community now and forever!”
Jennifer Wimmer
Vice Chair
Jennifer is in the midst of renovating an historic farmhouse on Gwynn’s Island and works full time for her Mathews-based architecture firm which she created in 2017 after working in Richmond, VA with a nationally recognized architecture, interior design, and planning firm for fifteen years.
Prior to moving to Richmond, she received her Master of Architecture from the University of Florida and her Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in Architectural History from the University of Virginia. After receiving a BS in Architecture, she worked for the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in Birmingham, Alabama. As a graduate student, she studied and taught at the Preservation Institute Nantucket (PI:N) and studied at the Vicenza Institute of Architecture in Italy.
She has always touted the value of a humanities-based education and has been a supporter of The Bay School and its mission for the last several years. She is an active member of the Board and helps bring arts education and appreciation to people of all ages and abilities. Currently she serves as Vice Chairman of the Board, sits on the Executive Committee, and co-chairs the Strategic Planning Committee.
She lives in the aforementioned farmhouse with her boyfriend and three dogs. When not working, she enjoys traveling, kayaking, yoga, reading, and gardening.
Bill Corbin
Treasurer
Bill has enjoyed two careers. After completing his BS in Electrical Engineering at Cornell in 1974, Bill worked in the commercial nuclear power business for 36 years, ending as Director of Nuclear Engineering at Dominion Energy. His second career started in 2010 with his wife, Christine, in her personal property appraisal business. He has learned a new skill set and become a whiz at bookkeeping, typing, and filing. He truly enjoys the part-time work, and has plenty of time to devote to other interests.
Bill and Christine purchased their home in Mathews 28 years ago, and have been working on it ever since. 2023, however, will mark the completion of the transformation of their “estate.” It’s time to get active on other pursuits! Along the way Bill and Christine became Master Gardeners, and subsequently they both recently completed the Master Naturalist curriculum which they actively support with the Middle Peninsula Master Naturalists. Bill became familiar with The Bay School while taking several pottery courses with Christine, yoga classes with Kat Sharp, and a stained glass class with Lynn Abrams.
In addition to serving as Treasurer, Bill’s board responsibilities include chairing the Finance Committee and serving on the Executive Committee. He sums up his admiration and passion for The Bay School, by stating, “It is a wonderful asset for our community. It’s not every small town that can boast about having a wide variety of arts and crafts courses for young and old alike and has such a wealth of local artists and craftsmen to draw from. It is a unique treasure I hope to support and help grow.”
Christine Corbin
Secretary
Christine is a local artist and estate appraiser. For 35 years, she was a Certified Art and Antique Appraiser and Fine Art Broker, traveling across the United States and serving on various national and international boards and councils. Her appointments include The International Society of Appraisers, The Appraisal Foundation in Washington, DC on the US Appraisal Subcommittee, the Virginia Auctioneers Board, the Historic Richmond Foundation, and as an expert witness for the Appraisal Qualifications Board. Christine has served as co-chair of Historic Richmond’s Council Garden Day Tour and was Auction Director and Senior Appraiser at Shields Auction and Motley’s Auction’s Antique Division for 19 years. In 2007, she started her own Business, Corbin Appraisal Services, Inc. and retired her auction license in 2014.
Retiring in 2023, Christine focuses on painting and creating art, serving the community, and most importantly her family. She is a mother of two, grandmother of five, and happy mother-in-law. Christine serves as Secretary, sits on the Executive Committee, and co-chairs the Membership Committee. She also volunteers with the Made in Mathews Open Studio Tour and serves as a Virginia Master Naturalist Volunteer.
Amy Chase
Amy has been involved with art since childhood. She grew up in Richmond in The Fan District surrounded by art. She attended classes at The Hand Workshop at The Visual Arts Center, day camps at Virginia Commonwealth University, and enrolled in private art classes.
As a mom, Amy wants her children to have the same experience of the arts as she did growing up and notes that The Bay School offers this. Summing it up she says, “ Mathews is lucky to have such a thriving artistic community and a place to share it! Being part of the Board, I hope I can help the Bay School Community Arts Center grow and share the same joy!”
As part of her Board responsibilities, Amy chairs the Marketing Committee.
Aaron Flynn
Aaron is an environmental lawyer, focused on climate change policy, clean air, and federal environmental regulation. Aaron grew up in Florida, where he developed a passion for nature, and moved to Washington, where he developed a passion for politics, which he explains, “is like nature but less civilized.” He worked as a legislative attorney for the US House of Representatives and Senate and as Associate Counsel for the White House before joining private practice in 2008. Aaron and his husband, Lee, discovered Mathews on one of their trips exploring the region and its history, and are very happy to have made this home.
Aaron is a strong believer in the central role art plays in building communities and is grateful for the opportunity to help The Bay School continue to serve the people of Mathews. Aaron states, “The Bay School, with all of the talent it nurtures and the programs and events it puts on, is a real cultural force for the area, and it is a unique privilege to have this resource here at our doorstep.” Aaron hopes to use his time on the board to grow and further diversify the arts in Mathews and currently co-chairs the Strategic Planning Committee.
Jeannine Kersey Johnson
Jeannine and her family are so thankful to have found the “Pearl of The Chesapeake” when they vacationed in Mathews County for the first time over 10 years ago! Jeannine instantly fell in love with the beauty of the area, the Bay School Community Arts Center and gallery and the people of Mathews! Since moving to Mathews almost three years ago, Jeannine and her husband are thrilled to be full-time residents of Mathews County living on the Piankatank River with their sons.
After receiving a BA in Psychology and a minor in Business from the University of Richmond, Jeannine had a vast and varied career including Marketing, Database Administration and Research in the RVA Real Estate Industry, IT Statistical Analysis in the banking industry, and Performance Management & Training for many years in the Corporate University of a Fortune 500 Company. Most recently, Jeannine has been a full-time homeschooling Mom focused on providing her sons not only the essential textbook learning, but developing their own unique gifts and skills. Jeannine is an active member of Mathews Baptist Church and enjoys supporting many other local organizations including The Fairfield Foundation.
While homeschooling and living in Mathews, Jeannine has been able to attend many Bay School art classes to build her skills in throwing clay on the wheel, beginner sketching, felting art, and painting with watercolors. Jeannine has found her passion in being a member of The Bay School Pottery Guild and takes even more joy in watching her youngest son, Lincoln, create pottery on the wheel and by hand-building, then selling his creations at the farmer’s market and Bay School events.
Jeannine has seen firsthand the impact that building artistic skills has had on her son and wants to help create & implement strategies that continue to extend the breadth of Bay School classes available for kids and adults in our community. Jeannine’s love of The Bay School’s mission, arts and the artistic community are what drove her to join the Board of Directors and volunteer her time, chairing the Development Committee. When she’s not volunteering, homeschooling or making pottery, you can find her attending Mathews Baptist Church, shopping or dining in Mathews, gardening, reading a good book from the Mathews Used Book Sale on Saturdays, and spending time with her family & friends.
Shelley Katsuki
Shelley is a passionate scientist studying oyster genetics and reproduction at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Beyond her scientific pursuits, Shelley wears multiple hats that reflect her commitment to equity and education. As the President of the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, she aims to foster a more inclusive environment within the scientific community. Her community engagement extends further as an active member of the parish council at the Church of the Visitation in Topping, VA.
Shelley joined The Bay School board with unwavering enthusiasm. She sees the school as a beacon of accessibility, a place where art is for everyone. “My first experience with The Bay School was attending the 100 x 100 show in the Art Speaks Gallery. I always had thought collecting art to be something beyond my financial means, but this show allowed me to collect pieces that spoke to me. This really is what sparked my interest in The Bay School. I have been thrilled to see other aspects of the programing reflect that accessibility, allowing everyone, regardless of their financial standing, to participate and benefit. This inclusivity fosters a diverse community, celebrating a range of perspectives and talents, ultimately enriching the experience for all involved.” As a member of the board, Shelley co-chaires the Membership Committee.
In Mathews, she shares a home with her loving husband and son, who is an active participant in the OpenArts After School program. They enjoy traveling as a family, spending time at the beach, and exploring their artistic sides by attending classes and gallery events at The Bay School.
Melissa Lamont-Gordon
Melissa Lamont-Gordon is a fiber artist and musician. As a child, she began violin lessons at a summer fine arts workshop in her hometown. This led to a career in the performing arts, specifically, directing high school orchestras, the Richmond Symphony Young Performers Artists Youth Orchestra, and instructing Advanced Placement Music Theory. She is still active in the music profession as a guest conductor and adjudicator.
In addition to her passion for music, Melissa is an active fiber artist who often incorporates sewing, weaving, knitting and spinning into her work. She has been an exhibiting artist at The Bay School since 2022 and is a frequent volunteer, and she hopes to channel her positive and life-changing experiences with the arts into her time with The Bay School board. As part of her responsibilities on the board, she is the Auction Lead for our annual Gala and Fine Art Auction.
Melissa and her husband Steve live in Hallieford with their three schipperke dogs Levi, Wrangler, and Genny the Beefaghetti.
Gabrielle Patrice
Gabrielle Patrice received her BFA in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design. She designed apparel for the fashion brands, Free People and Levi Strauss, which allowed her to travel around the world and gain hands-on experience from idea generation to final production of apparel. Inspired by her travels and the global community, she started her own companies—Mano Mercantile and Sister Gaiya—in the art community of Marfa, TX where she ran them for over ten years. She continues creating original paintings, weavings, and sterling silver jewelry designs through her company, Sister Gaiya, and is inspired by nature and its beautiful forms.
Gabrielle looks forward to teaching at The Bay School, as well as leading The Creative Circle, an open studio free to all who wish to work on their creativity in a communal setting. Summing up her interest, she says, “I am driven to inspire creativity in others and further bring our community together through art.”
Gabrielle enjoys horseback riding, hiking in nature, playing her Viola da Gamba instrument, experimenting with new ideas in the studio, and finding inspiration on beach walks and with her dog Marlo. As part of her board responsibilities, Gabrielle co-chairs the Outreach Committee.
John Salatino
John retired after 45 years in leadership roles across several technical industries with large and small businesses, including start-ups. John started his career with GE Aerospace and left after 20 years as the Technical Director and Executive Program Manager of Engineering, involved in developing state-of-the-art Navy, Army, and Air Force weaponry. He later joined the Department of Defense, Commercial and Business Jet Cockpit and Cabin Instrument Manufacturers, as Director of Engineering and New Product Development. Closing out the last ten years of his technical career, John enjoyed roles as VP and Director of Engineering for Electric Vehicles and EV components at innovative businesses, such as Wavecrest Laboratories and Texas Instruments. John is currently serving on the Board of Advisors for Falco eMotors. On a part-time basis, he continues to work as a Change Management and Product Development Consultant for companies struggling with mergers and acquisitions activity. Collectively, John has authored hundreds of proposals and grant applications and led the filing of just as many patents.
John and Judy, his wife of 45 years, have remodeled and restored several homes over the years in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, including their current 1800s home in Mathews Courthouse. Their effort to improve the functional efficiencies, structural features, and interior design of their home has been personally rewarding. They also truly enjoy the neighborhood and creating a place for their three children and nine grandchildren to come and enjoy.
John has many artistic and educational interests, including wood-turning, carving, wooden jewelry, and furniture. As a board member and volunteer, he plans to contribute new ideas, identify opportunities, and drive innovative solutions for the organization while continuing to support The Bay School’s vast offerings with creative problem-solving and whole brain thinking. As part of his board responsibilities, John chairs the Campus Committee, which is focused on expanding The Bay School’s physical structure.
Ray Stubblebine
Ray retired to Mathews with his wife Ula Ilnytzky, after a 48-year career as an award-winning photojournalist based in New York City. First with The Associated Press and later Reuters, he covered news and sports events throughout the world, including numerous political conventions, presidential campaigns, Super Bowls and World Series.
While photography has been his lifelong avocation, Ray also is an authority on the American Arts and Crafts Movement, particularly Gustav Stickley, the visionary furniture maker and tastemaker prominent in the early part of the 20th Century. He wrote Stickley’s Craftsman Homes (Gibbs-Smith, 2006), and served for 35 years as a trustee of The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, the site of the Stickley home in Parsippany, New Jersey. In 2024, his second book MORE Stickley’s Craftsman Homes was published by Gibbs-Smith.
Ray supports The Bay School as an important center for the arts on the Middle Peninsula of Virginia through both its support of local artists and its educational outreach to the community. As a board member, he currently chairs the Nominating Committee.
Dr. Michael Swiderski
Michael has been a business owner in Mathews for over 17 years. As an entrepreneur and educator, Michael’s professional experience is diverse. In addition to authoring many academic publications, he served as a tenured professor and dean at two universities and as an editor of an international academic journal. Currently, he owns and operates Storybound Construction, Inc. across the street from The Bay School in Frenchy’s Historic Pool Hall, which he remodeled.
His love of the outdoors is matched with his passion for art and working with wood, beautifying the interior and exterior of historic structures. When he is not remodeling old buildings or rebuilding his 1930s farmhouse, Michael contributes his business acumen and seasoned experience to the realization of our business goals and plans for the future by chairing the Facility Committee.
Rosemary Wagner
After searching for a home on the water and a community with a good art presence, Rosemary and her husband, Richard, moved to the Mathews County area in June 2024. Their 1880s home, located in Hallieford, is a nature retreat and perfect setting for an artist.
When Rosemary heard about the Bay School Community Arts Center, she was extremely impressed with its diverse class offerings and mission to provide all the opportunity to experience and appreciate the arts. She grew up in a small town in Illinois that did not encourage artistic pursuits as a career or a passion.
Rosemary worked in higher education and the non-profit corporate world for over 30 years wearing a multitude of hats, including Vice President for a financial consulting firm in Roanoke, a business analyst, a Compliance and Risk Systems Manager, and as an Office Manager in the Charlottesville area. She left the corporate world in 2021 and decided to pursue her passion as an artist.
Rosemary entered the Southport Open Your Doors contest and was selected as one of 12 artists to paint an antique door to be auctioned off to raise money for an art center. Rosemary also entered her first plein air event that year and fell in love. She knew then that art was her calling, and she wanted to be involved in some way to help others experience the joy of art.
When Rosemary is not painting, you will find her working on their 1880s home, planting flowers, gardening, fishing, hanging out with their bloodhounds, or spending time with her grandchildren. As part of her board responsibilities, she chairs the Fundraising Committee.
Lisa White
Lisa has been a resident and business owner in Mathews for over 20 years, first arriving via the East River and discovering a property for sale where she could keep her sailboat.
With a degree in mathematics and Master of Science in oceanography, Lisa is passionate about sailing, scuba diving, yoga, and art. After a career as an oceanographer on the high seas, she returned to Mathews to design her family’s platinum-certified green home as an artistic expression of sustainability. Most recently, she became a certified yoga instructor and hopes to add yoga classes to The Bay School’s program lineup.
Lisa believes art is critical for children to develop cognitive, social-emotional, and multi-sensory skills and first enrolled her sons in classes at the school. She then began taking pottery classes and has become an avid potter. As the daughter of an artist, she has even gotten her mom to take classes here!
With a love of art and design, Lisa enjoys the opportunities of expression offered to the community by The Bay School, which she states, “brings joy and creativity to all who enter.” As a board member, her involvement enables her to give back to the Mathews community in a meaningful and creative way. She currently serves as co-chair of the Outreach Committee and sits on the Finance Committee.