IFAM Board of Directors
Inspired to Lead
The International Folk Art Market Board of Directors is comprised of individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds. Our organization leans on the expertise of each board member, whether it be in law, real estate, retail, art history, business, marketing, or other, to bring Santa Fe the largest and most curated selection of Folk Art in the world.
While many of our members are New Mexican locals, our board members span both coasts, and beyond. Our board is not only active in making vital decisions, but also actively works together to help each other and our organization thrive. Click the dropdown buttons below to read more about the people who make it all possible.
Board of Directors Officers
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Helena Ribe serves on the Board of Directors for the International Folk Art Market as Vice Chair. Helena Ribe is an international development economist, retired from the World Bank where she worked for three decades. She is now a non-profit director in New Mexico and Washington DC. Helena was born in Colombia and is a US citizen. She holds a PhD in Economics from Yale University. She has devoted her career to reduce poverty and improve social and economic development and has worked with policymakers, academics, civil society organizations and communities all over the world.
Helena worked in research and strategy and contributed to shape the World Bank’s approach to poverty reduction and social protection. She also had several managerial positions. Her last assignment was Manager of the Social Protection program in Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously she managed the World Bank’s program of studies, technical assistance and financing of Health, Education and Social Protection in Southern and West Africa and Central America.
Helena is now a nonprofit director and is involved in community and cultural activities in Santa Fe and Washington DC. She has served in several non-profit boards and currently is a board member of WOLA (Washington Office for Human Rights in Latin America) where she was Vice Chair and now serves as Treasurer, of the International Folk Art Market (IFAM), where she is Vice Chair and of the Santa Fe Community Foundation where she is Vice Chair. She is a member of the International Women's Forum in New Mexico where she has been a Board member, in the Nominations Committee and Program Committee Chair. She is also in the Advisory Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC.
Helena loves to travel and to play with her three grandchildren and collects folk art.
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Nancy Bern is the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the International Folk Art Market. Nancy has over 40 years of domestic and international executive experience in the financial services, insurance and technology industries. At IBM, she was responsible for managing one of IBM’s largest clients, American Express. As Senior Vice President of John Hancock, she led the company’s Group Insurance business. She was Chairman and CEO of John Hancock Health Plan Management Services. She has served on numerous corporate and non-profit Boards. Currently she is Treasurer of the International Folk Art Market, Treasurer of the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico, and Advisory Board member of SAR. Nancy received a BA degree from Vanderbilt University, an MBA from Boston University School of Management, and a JD from Suffolk University Law School.
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Catherine Allen has served two terms on the Board of the IFAM and now is on the Advisory Board. She co-chairs the Strategic Planning Committee. She, and several others from the Belizean Grove, created the Mentor-to-Market (M2M) educational program. She is Founder and Chairman of The Santa Fe Group, a Santa Fe based cybersecurity and risk management advisory services company. Her corporate career included executive positions at Dun and Bradstreet and Citicorp. She was the founding CEO of BITS. Catherine and her husband, Paul Rooker, live between Santa Fe and Cape Cod, and share five step-children and ten grandchildren.
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Betty Hudson is a communications industry leader with experience in every aspect of corporate and strategic communications, including consumer, employee, financial and cause related marketing, as well as brand and communications management. Over the course of her career, Hudson served as the senior communications officer for NBC, the Reader’s Digest Association, iVillage and the National Geographic Society, and now consults with business leaders, non profit organizations and for profit entities on an array of marketing and communications issues. Active in community affairs, in addition to IFAM, Betty serves on the boards of the AARP Foundation, Kakenya’s Dream, (an education program for girls in rural Kenya fighting FGM & child marriage), Planet Forward, PRSA Foundation (Public Relations Society of America), and is a member of the Grady Board of Trust at the University of Georgia, her alma mater. A long time IFAM volunteer and donor, Betty has participated in both artist mentoring workshops and market support activities. She and her husband, Boyd Matson, a former journalist with National Geographic, NBC and ABC News, split time between homes in Washington, DC and Fort Worth, Texas - but spend much of their summer in Santa Fe.
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After 23 years in fashion, Bonnie and her husband left careers in NYC to move to Santa Fe over 11 years ago. Ever since, they’ve poured their hearts into their business, Kakawa Chocolate House, which has grown to national acclaim with multiple locations. Bonnie has chaired the IFAM Opening Night Party for nine years, tirelessly supporting IFAM’s mission and helping to create festive, successful events. She is involved in many local organizations, events and boards. Bonnie is an animal lover and a Black Belt Nia Instructor. She enjoys relaxing with friends, husband Tony, and their rescue puppies Lucy and Mackenzie.
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Lisa has been a thought leader in business innovation and strategic and financial sustainability for over 25 years. She is an experienced independent director and former McKinsey & Co. consultant. Lisa’s professional experience includes senior executive positions at Chase Manhattan Bank and The Leslie Fay Companies, where she launched a new women’s sleepwear and loungewear division. Lisa is now a freelance consultant and a published author. A graduate of Wellesley College and Harvard Business School, Lisa lives with one Pakistani-American husband, one shelter dog, and a revolving door of three adult children in Westchester County, NY and Martha’s Vineyard.
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Hank Coleman is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the International Folk Art Market. Hank practiced law for many years in Houston at the Vinson & Elkins law firm and served for a time as Houston’s City Attorney. His legal career focused on financing public improvements and infrastructure for local governments and nonprofit organizations as well as privatized airport development in Latin America. He is a graduate of Rice University (B.A. in Economics), the University of Texas Law School and the University of Saint Thomas (M.A in Theological Studies). Hank served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru 1966-1969 working with agricultural cooperatives. He has served on boards and provided pro-bono legal services to numerous charitable organizations in Texas and New Mexico. Hank began his service to IFAM by negotiating its lease from the State for the IFAM Summer Market on Museum Hill. He has served on IFAM’s Finance Committee since 2015 and its Board since 2021. His wife Kathryn King Coleman was a prior Chair of the Board for IFAM.
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Leigh Ann and her husband, David, have lived in Santa Fe since 1987. She’s served on the boards of United World College, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, Buckaroo Ball Committee (Chair, 1997), and as a Trustee for Santa Fe Preparatory School for six years (Chair, 2007-2010; capital campaign chair, 2003-2006). She has served IFAM as Board Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Capital Campaign Chair. Leigh Ann is a former executive with AT&T, Southwestern Bell, and healthcare administration.
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Judith Pelham is the President Emeritus of Trinity Health, a national system of healthcare facilities and one of the largest Catholic healthcare systems in the U.S. Judith was President and Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Health (2000 to 2004). She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix, AZ. She has received numerous honors for her civic and healthcare systems leadership, including the CEO IT Achievement Award in 2004, and the American Hospital Association Partnership for Action Grassroots Advocacy Award in 1992. Judith earned her B.A. in Government from Smith College and Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.
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Suzanne Sugg is returning from the IFAA Advisory Board to the Board of Directors for the International Folk Art Market. Suzanne has served on the Museum of New Mexico Foundation board, is a charter member of Texas Women for the Arts, served on the Board of Directors for the Taos Art Museum, and City of San Angelo Public Arts Commission. She attended Christies’ Decorative Arts Summer School in NYC and has participated in the American Association of Museum Trustees, the International Majolica Society and NY Silver Society national conferences. Suzanne collects American Illustration art, Martele Silver, International textiles, Majolica and other ceramics. She has designed handbags, clothing, jewelry and home interiors using antique and traditional components.
Board of Directors
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Makenzie attended Santa Clara University, where she studied Political Science; International Business; Arabic, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies; and graduated Valedictorian, Phi Beta Kappa, and Magna Cum Laude. She also studied at the Jordanian Institute of Diplomacy. A President of Remonov, Makenzie manages several buildings in Colorado, and is developing an affordable housing project called the Mtn Hive. Makenzie is involved in several volunteer activities and organizations including the Vail Valley Partnership’s Economic Development Advisory Council, the Vista Project at Eagle County, and IFAM. She enjoys spending her afternoons and weekends practicing and teaching acrobatic yoga, cooking, and paddling the river on her SUP.
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Martha Braniff created the first art program at Harris County Juvenile Detention Center and founded Houston’s Child Advocates, Inc. a non-profit serving abused and neglected children. Child Advocates, Inc. remains the largest Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program in the U.S. In 1989 Martha co-founded the Texas CASA Association. Her current memberships include: Appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to the New Mexico Children’s Trust Fund Board of Trustees; Appointed by NM Supreme Court to the Children’s Court Improvement Commission; Co-Founder, Restoring Hope for New Mexico Youth, public/private partnership with the NM Children Youth and Families Department and the Human Services Department. Braniff has published two novels and one book of poetry and short fiction.
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Anne is a retired California attorney. Her primary passions are international travel and cultural diversity. She is an avid supporter of folk art. She and her husband, James, moved from San Francisco to Santa Fe in 2016, where they are full-time residents. She currently serves on the Boards of the School for Advanced Research (SAR) in Santa Fe, NM as well as Felines & Friends New Mexico. She previously served on the Board of the Nob Hill Association, a community nonprofit organization in San Francisco. Past volunteer work includes working as an Artist Assistant at the Folk Art Market.
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DNCA’s founding principal, Devendra, has been a resident of Santa Fe and Albuquerque since 1974, and is a registered architect in the State of New Mexico. With a background in the liberal arts and 35 years of experience in design and construction, he approaches his work with an innate understanding of both the tectonics and the poetics of architecture. Devendra specializes in the design of education, fine arts and performing arts facilities, as well as residential projects. Prior to Devendra’s formal education in architecture, he worked in the construction industry as a builder, site superintendent, and mason for 15 years.
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Karen K. Domenici is the owner of Southwestern Silver, a wholesale business selling Native American jewelry to museums, galleries, and boutiques. She has an M.A. in Art History and has worked in the Education Departments of both the J. Paul Getty Museum and The National Gallery of Art. Karen has been involved with the International Folk Art Market since 2012, starting first as an artist mentor and volunteer to the Market. She strongly believes in IFAM’s mission and has seen the impact that the Santa Fe Market has on communities and artists around the world.
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Ardith Eicher spent 20 years as a marketing executive for Procter & Gamble and Clairol. As Vice President, International Marketing for Clairol, she had line responsibility for an $800 million business in 20+ countries and oversaw all aspects of its management—including investment allocation, strategic planning, marketing, and new product development. Prior, she worked as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company in New York. Since moving to Santa Fe in 2003, she has run a successful marketing consulting business catering to business and non-profit clients, including Unilever, Revlon, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Cancer Foundation for New Mexico, and Española Humane. She holds a BA from Wellesley College and an MBA from Northwestern University.
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Philip Fimmano is a trend analyst at Trend Union, working in fashion, textiles, interiors and lifestyle. In 2011, Fimmano co-founded Talking Textiles with Li Edelkoort; an ongoing initiative to promote awareness and innovation in textiles through touring exhibitions, a trend publication, a design prize and free educational conferences. He is the co-author of the design book A Labour of Love and the co-founder of the World Hope Forum, a platform for creative community building. He is the mentor of Polimoda's Fashion Trend Forecasting masters and the co-founder of the school's new sustainable textile program, Farm to Fabric to Fashion. @philipfimmano @worldhopeforum
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Margaret “Maggie” Hanson-Muse is a Director for the International Folk Art Market, a Trustee for the Pan American Development Foundation, and a Duke Global Educator. A Women Corporate Directors (WCD) member, she serves on the Family Business Peer Group. Maggie was a management professional at Allstate Insurance, General Electric, and Sprint/Telenet before her diplomatic career with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Her international assignments included Mexico, Cote d’Ivoire, India, Costa Rica, Peru, Colombia, and Singapore/ASEAN. In addition, she taught Strategic Leadership and national security-related courses at the Eisenhower School of the National Defense University as an Assistant Professor.
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Sarah is a community development practitioner and Chinese language and culture specialist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She spent 6 years working with farmers and textile artisans in ethnic minority regions of Southwest China, collaborating with NGOs and social enterprises to help rural women develop handcraft cooperatives and build bridges between village cooperatives and international markets. She holds an MPA in Social Change from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Having served as a boots-on-the-ground artisan coordinator, as well as an artist representative at IFAM, Sarah is now delighted to serve folk artists from around the world through her participation on the Board.
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Rodman has spent the last 25 years straddling the worlds of contemporary art, collectible design, and interiors. Rodman began his career directly following studies of Art History and International Relations at Tufts University, at Christie’s, New York and then worked for the world renowned architect Peter Marino and powerhouse gallerist, Larry Gagosian. He was a partner and the Chairman of Philips de Pury, London the auction house and later the Director of DesignMiami and DesignMiami/Basel while simultaneously building his own interior design practice RP Miller which he founded in 2004. The AD100 listed firm has offices in New York, Aspen, and Mexico City. A lifelong magazine enthusiast, Rodman is Contributing Editor, Latin American for The World of Interiors magazine. He is a Vice President of the Venetian Heritage, a New York based philanthropy that is dedicated to the protection and restoration of important architecture and artworks throughout the former Venetian Republic.
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In 1992, at the age of 23 Eric Mindling left home in the US and moved to Oaxaca, Mexico following an inner calling that he didn’t yet know how to name. Fine art documentary photographer, author and entrepreneur, Eric founded a cultural a tourism company called Traditions Mexico, has written two books that share insights into traditional knowledge; Fire and Clay, The Art of Oaxacan Pottery, and the award-winning Oaxaca Stories in Cloth, co-created the first ever traveling exhibition focused on the potters of indigenous Mexico, presented a TEDx and helped raise two daughters. Eric currently lives in Santa Fe and is the co-owner of Living Threads Studio.
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Courtney Taylor retired from American Express Company in New York where she held positions as a marketing executive in Consumer Card Marketing, Travel Related Services, and New Product Development. She holds a B.A. from Wellesley College and an M.B.A. from New York University Graduate School of Business.
Courtney currently serves as Treasurer of the Board of SITE Santa Fe and is a Trustee of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. She enjoys contemporary art, photography, travel, global textiles, and volunteering at the International Folk Art Market. While New York is home, she and her husband, Scott, also enjoy the people and landscapes of the desert Southwest and spend as much time as possible in Santa Fe.
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Charlotte Whitmore is founder and CEO of Wisdomist, a consulting matchmaking firm focused on Entrepreneurs. Charlotte is also heavily involved in La Pointe.Life, a non-profit, focused on providing educational and healthcare opportunities in the northern end of Haiti as well as supporting diverse Entrepreneurs in the United States. She sits on the boards of Shared Assessments, New York Institute of Technology Women's Council and the Board Risk Committee. Charlotte's background is in the Digital Analytics space in being the co-founder of Analytics Pros in 2009. Analytics Pros was acquired by AdSwerve in 2018. Charlotte loves the Folk Art Market and has been involved since 2015 with the Mentor to Market program. She is an avid Skier and Scuba Diver and travels the World with her 4 children and husband Caleb.
Ex-Officio Members
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Jamie Clements is President/CEO of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, which followed a 26-year career as a national fundraising professional with NPO Direct Marketing, an award-winning agency he founded in 1987. Jamie has consulted for more than 250 nonprofit organizations around the country, including 100 museums. Prior to NPO, he was Vice President for a national arts marketing agency in Texas and Membership Manager for the San Francisco Symphony. Jamie has been a lifelong visitor to New Mexico and was married in Santa Fe in 1983. He and his wife Diana have five daughters. Jamie is a graduate of Princeton University.
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Debra Garcia y Griego is the Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. In this capacity, she brings more than 20 years of cultural public policy experience to the stewardship of eight museums, nine historic sites and properties, arts, historic preservation, archaeology and library programs. Most recently, she was the Executive Director of the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission. Garcia y Griego serves as an at-large member of the Board of Directors for Americans for the Arts. She holds a Master of Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from the University of New Mexico.
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Charlie Lockwood currently serves as the Executive Director of the Museum of International Folk Art and has over a decade of experience as an arts administrator and public folklorist. He holds an MA in Ethnomusicology from UC Santa Barbara, where he played the oud with the UCSB Middle East Ensemble and did research with the Mardi Gras Indians of New Orleans. As the Executive Director of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) state-designated public folklife program Texas Folklife, Lockwood oversaw a variety of flagship public programs and initiatives, including an archival preservation project to organize, digitize and disseminate the organization’s rich archival holdings dating from 1984. Over the last several years Lockwood has spearheaded programs focusing on the intersections of folk and traditional arts and health, including a military veterans folklore and storytelling initiative with support from NEA Creative Forces and Hechos, No Miedo (Facts, Not Fear), a covid-19 PSA Series in partnership with a variety of central Texas partners.
Advisory Board Members
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Mark is the owner and CEO of Peyote Bird Designs, a 40 year-old jewelry design and manufacturing company headquartered in Santa Fe, with an office in Hong Kong, China. He is involved in all aspects of the business and frequently travels the world on research and development. Mark recently completed a six-year term on the Board of Trustees at Santa Fe Preparatory School, where his children attended private school. He is currently on the Board of Trustees for the United World College in Montezuma, NM. Mark is also an avid collector of American Indian, American folk art, and American kitsch artwork.
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Appointed by President Obama in 2010, JoAnn currently serves as a Trustee of the Institute of American Indian Arts. She also serves as a New Mexico Arts Commissioner. JoAnn is a recipient of the Santa Fe Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and served as Chair of the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission’s Cultural Affairs Working Group. They are the Founding Sponsors of the Innovation/Inspiration component of Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market. Before concentrating on the non-profit sector, JoAnn worked in advanced technology at IBM. She also taught college-level mathematics. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Westminster College. She holds a Master of Science in Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Amanda Alexander serves on the Board of Directors for the International Folk Art Market. She’s a Santa Fe native whose passion for travel, story-telling, and artisan product began at a young age. She is Creative Director at Peyote Bird Designs, a Santa Fe-based wholesale jewelry company specializing in Native & American Artisan Jewelry. Amanda works with artisan workshops in Bali & Thailand producing timeless designs with a focus on traditional techniques & high-quality materials. She’s the lead buyer at Peyote Bird Designs, where she fosters business relationships & trend driven development with artisans, particularly members of the Santo Domingo & Navajo tribes of the American Southwest. Amanda graduated from the University of Denver.
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Lisa Adelman is the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the International Folk Art Market. Lisa is an attorney with Sommer Udall Law Firm, P.A. in Santa Fe. Her practice focuses on real estate and business matters. A native of San Antonio, Texas, she earned her law degree at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and practiced law in Austin and San Antonio in the area of public finance for many years. Lisa moved to Santa Fe in 2012. She is an avid traveler and hiker. Lisa’s appreciation for IFAM began as a volunteer at the annual market.
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Kathryn is President of the Jesse T. & Jodie E. King Foundation, a family foundation which promotes charitable, religious and educational activities. Kathryn has owned an interior design firm for over 20 years, is an accomplished musician, and has an extensive background in law firm administration with both Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Vinson & Elkins. Coleman is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, and she holds a Master of Arts degree from Texas A&M University. Kathryn and her husband Hank have four grown children and seven grandchildren.
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Elaine Cole retired from a career in Fashion and Interior Design to become an avid philanthropist and world traveler. She is a supporter of the arts who holds leadership roles in the Smithsonian Women’s Committee which produces the annual Smithsonian Craft Show, the Hirshhorn Museum of Art, the National Museum for Women in the Arts in D.C., SITE Santa Fe, and the American Heart Association. She’s an active member and event organizer for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, as well as the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Naples, Florida. She divides her time between Santa Fe, Washington D.C., and Naples, Florida.
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Charlene has devoted her life to understanding and appreciating the world’s folk art and its makers. She is one of four co-founders of the International Folk Art Market, having co-chaired the first market in 2004. She served on the first governing board and oversaw the efforts to incorporate and then achieve 501(c)3 status. Charlene served as the Market’s full-time Executive Director from 2007-2012. She led six markets during a time when IFAM saw double digit growth in attendance and revenue each year, completed a successful $6MM comprehensive campaign and was an invited member of the Clinton Global Initiative. She is also Director Emeritus of the Museum of International Folk Art.
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Alexis is the President and CEO of Greer Enterprises, Inc., which is a closely held family corporation dealing primarily in real estate. Alexis and her husband received three historic preservation awards for the restoration of the Lensic Performing Arts Center. She serves as Chair of the Santa Fe Community Foundation, on the Board of Directors of First National Bank of Santa Fe, and is an Advisory Board Member of the Lensic Performing Arts Corporation. She is the Co-Chair of the New Mexico Historic Women’s Marker Initiative and has served as Treasurer for the New Mexico Women’s Forum.
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As co-founder, Judith has been instrumental in creating the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe and has provided leadership since 2004. She has a BA in Clothing and Textiles and in Art History, as well as two years of graduate work in Philosophy of Design. Judith served in the Peace Corps in Peru. She was previously the fashion director of Gimbels East NYC, Fashion Director of Menswear for all Gimbels stores, Director of Fashion Information for Butterick Fashion, Editor in Chief of Vogue Patterns International, Director of Evan Picone Design Studio, and VIP Design Director of Murjani International. Judith was previously the owner of The Clay Angel in Santa Fe, supporting her life-long interest and study of the world traditional ceramics.
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Jenny received her undergrad and law degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She’s licensed in Texas and New Mexico and was drawn from Dallas to Santa Fe in 1989 by family friends and owners of La Fonda on the Plaza, Ethel and Sam Ballen. Kimball was one of La Fonda’s attorneys and has served as chairman of the board of La Fonda since 2007. In 2014, Kimball, her brother, and a few select investors purchased the hotel. She’s currently chair of the New Mexico Tourism Commission.
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Carol is currently serving as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Children’s Foundation. She was President of the New Mexico Municipal League and Chair of the International Council for the National League of Cities. Carol is on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Sister Cities International. Carol served a long career in various administrative positions in state government including: the New Mexico Department of Transportation, Attorney General’s Office, State Personnel Office, and State Planning Division. Carol also chairs the Santa Fe-Bukhara Sister Cities Committee and is Chair of the City of Santa Fe’s Sister Cities Committee. Carol is President of American Women for International Understanding.
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Peter Speliopoulos, the founder of Peter Speliopoulos Projects, is a multidisciplinary artist creating ceramics, and home objects. His foundation as a fashion designer, creative director and designer of costumes for opera and modern ballet have influenced his work. He was most recently the Senior Vice President of Design and Creative Director of Donna Karan New York, and former Creative Director of Cerruti Arte, Paris, and has designed for leading international fashion houses in France, Italy, and New York, for over 30 years. Peter noted from having attended the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe over several years now, “Folk art and the artisan hand, Indigenous arts— these have always inspired my work in fashion and costume...”
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Karen has spent most of her career with financial institutions; Chase Manhattan, U.S. Trust and Bessemer Trust, primarily in the Wealth Management divisions. She took a 10 year digression to be part of the team at Christie’s, the international auction house, when it opened in America. She has served on the boards of numerous not for profit institutions. In Santa Fe these include the Santa Fe Opera Foundation, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the School of Advanced Research and Performance Santa Fe. She is a graduate of Radcliffe College, with a degree in Fine Arts, and a degree from the Harvard Business School.
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Linda, a native born Texan, earned Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Methodist University. Her academic research has centered on the cultural and archaeological record of lowland Maya in Yucatan and Central America. Linda has previously served on the boards of the Dallas Symphony Association, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, American Film Institute in Dallas, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum board, the Council for the Arts at MIT, and the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe.
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Michael is President Emeritus of St. John’s College, Santa Fe, where he served as President for eleven years. During his time at St. John’s, he was on the Board of IFAM including serving for a time as Chairman. Prior to his tenure at St. John’s, he was Executive Vice President of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Michael had a distinguished career in the U.S. Army. He was a platoon leader in Vietnam, an assistant professor of economics at West Point, a Soviet military specialist, an executive assistant in the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a battalion commander in the Army Special Operations Command. He concluded his military career as the Chief of Staff at the United States Military Academy. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy and a Master of Arts in economics from the University of Washington. He is a member of The Century Association and the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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Michael has been an avid collector of folk art, along with his wife, Laurie, since their college days over fifty years ago. One of the primary reasons they moved to Santa Fe was the International Folk Art Market. He was an artist assistant for several years, but wanted to become more actively involved in the Market. He and Laurie have been co-chairs of the Market Signs Committee for five years. He was also volunteer co-coordinator for the International Folk Art Market | Collection at the Dallas Market Center from 2012-2014. When he is not volunteering for IFAA/Santa Fe, Michael is an avid artisan sourdough bread baker and cook.
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Benita Weber Vassallo is a retired library administrator and information management professional having held positions at the University of New Mexico, UCLA, George Washington University and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB.) During her fifteen year career at the IDB, she traveled extensively throughout Latin American and the Caribbean to provide information management services to the Bank’s Country Offices as well as to many governmental entities and NGO’s. She has served on several governing bodies in professional and other non-profit organizations including the American Library Association and Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe. Benita began working as a volunteer with IFAM in 2006, chairing several committees, and then served on the Board of Directors from 2014-2019, also serving as Treasurer and Secretary of the Board. She has continued to serve on the IFAM Advisory Board since 2020. Benita holds a B.A. from Temple University in Spanish Language and Literature and a Master’s in Information Science from Drexel University. Benita is multilingual with fluency in Spanish and Italian.
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Alexander has spent a career in retail and importing and is experienced in all aspects of small business, including marketing strategies, advertising and administration. He is the owner of Foreign Traders, Inc., a family business located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, importing and selling Folk Art, antiques, and handicrafts from around the word including Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Czech Republic, Morocco, India and Pakistan. Born in Santa Fe, Alexander grew up in the Washington D.C. area and graduated from Boston University in 1979 with a degree in print journalism.
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Edd and his wife Carole have been supporters of IFAM since its inception in 2004, and Edd was honored to serve as IFAM's first Board Chair commencing in 2006. Afterward, Edd served on IFAM's Executive Committee for many years and on several other committees, and currently serves on the IFAM Advisory Committee. Edd also served as an officer on the Board of the Wheelwright Museum; on the voting Board, and currently Advisory Board, of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation; and as an officer on the Boards of several Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations. Edd is a lawyer, currently retired from the Los Angeles law firm of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher. Edd and Carole divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Santa Fe.
Founders
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Tom is a Founder of the International Folk Art Market. He is the former Executive Director of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and a co-founder of the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe, for which he received a Mayor’s Arts Award. He led the development of New Mexico Creates. Tom was recognized as one of New Mexico Business Weekly’s “Ten Power People in the Arts” in New Mexico for 2005 and “Top 100 Power People in New Mexico” in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, the United Way, Santa Fe selected him as “Humanitarian of the Year.” Tom advises the UNESCO Division of Cultural Expressions and Creative Industries, created the Santa Fe Cultural Leaders group, and led the economic development planning for Santa Fe’s arts and cultural industries in 2003-2004.
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In Memory - Charmay Allred
January 4, 1937 – April 8, 2020
Charmay was a Founder of the International Folk Art Market. Charmay served on the New Mexico State Arts Commission, boards of the Lensic Performing Arts Center, and the Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation. She was an active volunteer with numerous community organizations including Cornerstones Community Partnerships, Spanish Colonial Arts Society, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, Santa Fe Symphony, the National Dance Institute of New Mexico, and the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance among others. She was a co-founder of the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe and served as an advisory trustee of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. She and Forrest Fenn created One Horse Land and Cattle Company Publishing to publish Fenn’s memories, archives, and archaeological work. Charmay passed away in 2020 but not before helping us to create the Charmay Allred Legacy Society.
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Charlene has devoted her life to understanding and appreciating the world’s folk art and its makers. She is one of four co-founders of the International Folk Art Market, having co-chaired the first market in 2004. She served on the first governing board and oversaw the efforts to incorporate and then achieve 501(c)3 status. Charlene served as the Market’s full-time Executive Director from 2007-2012. She led six markets during a time when IFAM saw double digit growth in attendance and revenue each year, completed a successful $6MM comprehensive campaign and was an invited member of the Clinton Global Initiative. She is also Director Emeritus of the Museum of International Folk Art.
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Judy Espinar is a Founder of the International Folk Art Market, and has provided leadership since 2004. She has a BA in Clothing and Textiles and in Art History, as well as two years of graduate work in Philosophy of Design. Judith served in the Peace Corps in Peru. She was previously the fashion director of Gimbels East NYC, Fashion Director of Menswear for all Gimbels stores, Director of Fashion Information for Butterick Fashion, Editor in Chief of Vogue Patterns International, Director of Evan Picone Design Studio, and VIP Design Director of Murjani International. Judith was previously the owner of The Clay Angel in Santa Fe, supporting her life-long interest and study of the world's traditional ceramics.
For Board Members Only
IFAM Board Resources
Meet the Team
The IFAM staff are the backbone and unsung heroes of our organization. While the Board sets our course, it is our staff that truly bring the International Folk art Market to our community. From fundraising, to event planning, to marketing and more, our staff is what keeps us moving forward every day.