The Athens Arts League recently elected its 2022 board of directors officers. Since the organization’s beginning in 2006, their mission has been, “To Support Artists, Provide Art Education and To Bring Cultural Events to Athens and Limestone County Alabama.” The 2022 officers are president Garth Lovvorn, vice president Gail Bergeron, treasurer Vickie Camp, and secretary Jennifer Hilton Sampieri.

Lovvorn is an independent Draw Inspector working with local banks. He has a long history in nonprofit volunteerism dating back to 2006, including Habitat for Humanity in 2006. In 2007, he was named the executive director for Habitat for Humanity where he served until 2011. He has also volunteered for Habitat of Morgan County, Athens Arts League, Round Island Baptist Church, The Limestone Chamber of Commerce, Athens Rec Center Youth Soccer and Cotton Town United FC.

“My abiding passion for the arts in the community come from my involvement playing music ever since high school and through an interest in my wife, Carissa’s, writing as a local children’s author,” Lovvorn said. His goal is to help foster music and art education and provide opportunities for a new generation of young people in Athens and Limestone County.

Vice president Gail Bergeron is easily recognized as the face of fine art in the local community. She served as an art professor for 19 years at Athens State University’s Alabama Center for The Arts. Bergeron was a founding member of Athens Arts League in 2006 and has expressed her passion for the arts in our local community through many projects and programs benefitting local arts.

Vickie Camp began working with Athens Arts League 12 years ago. She served as finance director for The Boys and Girls Clubs of North Alabama for 21 years and has volunteered her artistic services by teaching young people painting at Friendship Methodist Church, Boys and Girls Clubs and Art Camps with Athens Arts League. Vickie has a heart for children expressing themselves in order to grow and to develop confidence and alternative ways to deal with stress in their lives.

Jennifer Hilton Sampieri is a social services supervisor at CPS/ Foster Care & Adoptions. She once served as president of Athens Arts League.

As a member of the band at UNA and as a personal fan of both musical and visual arts, she was led to the league. Through her work, she has seen the transformative power of art in buffering the effects of stress and trauma.

The additional 2022 Athens Arts League Board Members are: Trisha Black, Diane Lehr, Jim McDole, Maria Taylor and newly elected board member John Deemer — a graphic designer and drum line instructor for Athens High School.