Officers of the Arts Alliance Mountain Empire board include President Richard Opp and Secretary / Treasurer Ann Holler.
President: Richard Opp previously served as Secretary and Vice-President on AAME's board. He is an employee benefits consultant with Opp & Associates in Bristol, Tenn. He is actively involved with Theatre Bristol and and the Mountain Empire Tennis Association and previously served on the Souvenir Committee for Bristol's Rhythm & Roots Reunion Festival. A native of Bristol, Richard was a television news reporter/anchor for stations in Knoxville, Tenn., as well as Wisconsin, Mississippi, Ohio and Nebraska. He also did public relations work for the New Mexico State Attorney General's office and The National Environmental Trust based in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of King College (B.A.) and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (M.S.).
Secretary / Treasurer: Ann Holler was the founding President of Arts Alliance Mountain Empire in 2003 and has been chair or co-chair of the A! Magazine Committee since 2001. She has also served in the capacities of Treasurer, grant writer, and Finance Committee chair. In April 2011 she was honored in the YWCA's Tribute to Women event for community service on behalf of AAME and A! Magazine for the Arts. Ann is a music educator, teaching part-time in the King College Music Department and maintaining a private piano studio. Her compositions have been performed across the U. S., as well as in England, Scotland, and Italy and have been published by ALRY, GIA, and www.holymeasures.com. Ann is a member of the Bristol Music Club and other music organizations.
In addition to Opp and Holler, members of the 2011-2012 Board of Directors include Jim Benelisha, Johnson City, Tenn.; Lisa Boardwine, Grundy, Va.; Anita Coulthard, Emory, Va.; Steve Fey, Bristol, Tenn.; Ann McIver Goodpasture and Rebecca Harrington, both from Abingdon, Va.; and Monica Hall, Susan Long, Zane Myers, Trupti Patel, and Jordan Pennington, all of Bristol, Va. Ex-officio members are Ben Jennings, Abingdon, Va.; and Angela Wampler, Bluff City, Tenn.
