Lisa Martin Named Executive Director of Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa Martin as Executive Director of Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.

“We are thrilled that Lisa Martin will be joining SSTCi as our Executive Director,” said Alan Bowser, President of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Board of Directors. “Lisa Martin shares our vision of celebrating diversity and creating community, and has the professional experience to creatively advance our agenda to promote cultural understanding through community arts & entertainment programming.”

Ms. Martin has over 10 years of experience working with arts and cultural events primarily in the Nation’s Capital, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as a wide variety of embassy events. Having worked on numerous arts festivals and other large community-based events, both domestically and abroad, she is skilled in all areas of program development, marketing and promotion, membership development, as well as event management. She also has a strong background in volunteer management having recruited, trained and managed hundreds of volunteers for city-wide events, including the 2004 International VSA Arts Festival, a four-day multi-arts event which brought together over 1000 visual and performing artists with a wide array of mental and physical disabilities from all corners of the globe.

For the last several years, she has managed the DC-Brasilia Partners of the Americas’ Lecture Series at George Washington University, which presents artists, scholars and other experts on Brazilian arts and culture. Previously, she managed the National Peace Corps Association’s Embassies Program, which featured an array of speakers and performing artists representing a variety of cultures and disciplines. In addition to this experience, she has an extensive background doing qualitative research and evaluation for museums, science centers, art galleries, historical sites and other places of learning.

"I am very excited to be working with the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. and helping to create a vibrant and welcoming place where the arts and culture can shine, said Martin." "I look forward to collaborating with local visual and performing artists, area businesses, other non-profits, and members of our community to ensure that the Civic Building and Veterans Plaza serve as a real 'community living room' where everyone is always welcome."

Ms. Martin served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Estonia. She holds a Masters Degree in Performing Arts Management, a B.S. in Cultural Anthropology and a B.A. in Journalism.

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. has been very active in promoting the arts and humanities in Silver Spring and in greater Montgomery County. It has organized the very successful Silver Spring Blues Festivals at Downtown Silver Spring which have entertained thousands of neighbors and visitors, the annual benefit concerts in support of Montgomery County’s veterans, community dance classes, and its popular Plaza Performances on Veterans Plaza. This year, alone, SSTCi’s Plaza Performances have brought more than 50 free musical acts to the public, featuring jazz, blues, folk, classical, and rock music.

SSTCi is a 501(c)3 organization. The members of the SSTCi Board of Directors are: Alan Bowser, Aurelia Martin, Beth Wong, David Fogel, Don Berkemeyer, Graciela Jaschek, Harriet Weil, Jack Hewitt, Jon Lourie, Jose Dominguez, Mark Kozaki, Mary Ann Zimmerman, Reemberto Rodriguez, Sheryl Chapman, and Wanda Whiteside.

For more information, please visit SSTCi’s website at www.silverspringtowncenter.com, its blog at www.silverspringtowncenter.blogspot.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/silverspringtowncenter or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sstowncenter