St. Mary’s County Arts Council Staff

Susie Glauner - Executive Director

Susie has spent many years working as a writer, in various scopes of marketing and business development, management, and other areas of expertise. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University and a minor in German from Christian Albrechts Üniversität.

Most recently Susie was employed at the Art Center of Wilmington Island before moving to Southern Maryland.

Susie resides locally with her husband and children. She is an avid painter and crafter and enjoys traveling and scuba diving as well as volunteering her time for several different community projects.

Susie has been an active Board Member since 2020 and as of January 1st, 2023 started her position as Executive Director.

Wednesday Davis - Outreach Coordinator

Wednesday Davis has been a part of the SMCAC team since September of 2017. She organized and launched the Gallery & Gift Shop and can be found “behind the scenes” editing the monthly e-newsletters, writing monthly Spotlights on the Arts, and working on other projects and initiatives.

Originally from California state, Wednesday relocated to the area with her husband following his military retirement. She draws upon her travels to places such as San Francisco, Austin, and Asheville to bring innovative ideas and creativity to the local arts scene.

In 2016 she pitched the idea of an audience participation Drum Circle of which she states is one of her most favorite projects to have developed and also to be a part of!

Caitlin Wakefield - Gallery Manager

Caitlin Wakefield has been working within the art community in St. Mary’s County since she moved back to Maryland in 2016. Caitlin started her work with Carrie Patterson, at Yellow Door Art Studios, helping teach art classes to younger artists. And that grew into becoming a freelance illustrator creating Meenyx Studio.

Caitlin began working at the St. Mary’s County Arts Council in 2018 as a Gallery Assistant and has been able to meet and work with many local artists. In 2023 she became the Gallery Manager and is very excited to create exciting opportunities for local artists.

Being able to be apart of a community so passionate about the arts is exactly what she was looking for.

Barbara Bershon - President & MSAC Liasion

Barbara Bershon was appointed to the Maryland State Arts Council in 2008 and served as Chair from 2012 to 2014.

Bershon also serves on the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Board where she was Secretary and is currently the Vice Chair.

Barbara is the Emeritus Executive Director of the Chesapeake Orchestra in Southern Maryland and also has served as a past president of the St. Mary’s County Arts Council.

For many years Bershon was Director of Arts Outreach at St. Mary’s College of Maryland where she was the Managing Director of the River Concert Series, which is still one of her very favorite events in our community.

Dr. Christine Bergmark - Vice President

Dr. Christine Bergmark has 30 years of experience in research, education, and development, both nationally and internationally.

She is a strong entrepreneurial professional, skilled in economic development and strategic planning. Dr. Bergmark possesses impressive leadership abilities and has a rich background in community development, food systems, environmental programs, marketing and public policy.

She has a passion for humanities and the arts and created the Southern Maryland Trails: Earth, Art, Imagination program showcasing Southern Maryland arts, farms, food, parks, and cultural heritage. She currently resides in St. Mary’s County, where she runs a 104-acre organic produce farm along with her husband.

Adam Bradley

Adam currently works as a Senior Graphic Artist/Technical Writer for ManTech, where he develops documentation aerospace solutions for the Department of Defense. He also develops a myriad of graphic and design solutions w/ his work featured at: www.adambradleystudio.com

Adam has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design, Master of Business Administration, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Information Technology. Adam has shown tremendous excitement to be a part of the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and he looks forward to contributing to the community’s arts and culture.

Michael Brown

Michael Brown has been a member of the Arts Council board since 2013 and has resided in St. Mary’s County for almost 40 years. He likes to say he has no arts skills whatsoever, but does have an extreme appreciation for all types of art.

One of the reasons that he has been part of the Arts Council has been to assist in bringing art to all people of St. Mary’s County no matter of their age, income, or ethnicity.

Mr. Brown serves on the board of the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions and has been instrumental with organizing the Juneteenth Celebration held annually in Lexington Park.

Fred Heather

Although Fred grew up in upstate New York, he has been a resident of St. Mary’s County for over 40 years and works as an electronics engineer at Patuxent River Naval Air Systems Command.

In his youth his music interest was mainly as a listener but after a friend gifted him a guitar and challenged him to learn to play at church he realized that he loved playing and making music.

Fred and his wife have established a Maryland non-profit organization called Power Jam Music Alliance of which he is the President of, see description under “Sue Heather” to learn more.

Heidi Kaselemis

Heidi Kaselemis moved from Tucson Arizona to St. Mary's county in 2015 and is enjoying the uniqueness and beauty of Southern Maryland. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a BFA she pursued a career in interior design and retail management until deciding to be a full-time mom and raise her children. 

Heidi has always been very active in her church and community. She has had the privilege of serving on committees for Ballet Arizona, Moms in Prayer, Bible Study fellowship International, Boy Scouts, Young Life, and other organizations. Heidi lives in Leonardtown with her husband Chris and miniature Dachshund Kelvin. 

Deb McClure

Deb McClure started painting with tremendous glee in kindergarten and started drawing in earnest in her teens.  She became fascinated with watercolors in her twenties and has completed several stained glass pieces as well

Subsequently Deb started selling her watercolor collages to collectors and decorators and worked as a muralist and faux finisher, using primarily acrylics and venetian plaster. 

She has a special interest in creating wind chimes made with natural materials and also enjoys working with other artists on collaborative projects.

Laschelle McKay -  Immediate Past President

Laschelle McKay currently serves as the Town Administrator for the Town of Leonardtown and has held this position since year 2000. 

The Town Administrator is responsible for all of the day to day operations and management of the Town as well as all capital projects. 

Laschelle also oversees the Arts and Entertainment District and coordination of a variety of public events held in the town each year. 

She lives in Hollywood, MD with her husband, Tommy.

Colonel Susan P. McNeill (Ret.)

Colonel Susan P. McNeill (USAF, ret.) served in the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate and earlier as a Procurement Officer for over 23 years. She spent her last years before retiring in a variety of litigation and Headquarters, Air Force legal staff positions, and as a representative of the Air Force with the Dept. of Justice.

As a volunteer arts administrator, Susan has been one of the founders and managers the St Mary’s College Art Arts Alliance Arts Bridge Program which has, since 2003, provided multi-disciplinary arts education at St. Mary’s College to hundreds of County high school students. She has also been a member of the SMC Arts Council since 2006.

Donna Jordan

Hailing  from Va. Beach, Donna Jordan has been celebrating dance and movement for a lifetime.  She continued to follow her passion for years to come taking dance and movement classes all over the world.  All different styles, all different types - all different focus  - from hip hop to ballroom to bellydance to ballet - there was no dance style she didn’t like to explore. 

In 2002, when she moved to St Mary’s County, Donna shifted gears and gave up her fulltime career as a chemist to teach dance and movement full time. She has been delighted to work with many local schools, colleges, nonprofit agencies,  and countless others.

Jeffrey Silberschlag

Jeffery Silberschlag, Music director and founder of the Chesapeake Orchestra since 1994, is the winner of the European Union Lifetime Achievement Award for Music and the 2009 Governor’s Citation for Providing Music to the Southern Maryland Region.

Since 2001, Mr. Silberschlag also holds the position of co-music director of the Alba Music Festival in Italy.  He has recorded with the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Warsaw Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, and Czech Radio Orchestra.  Mr. Silberschlag has directed over 60 major orchestral world premieres.