Our Staff

Maud Lyon
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Maud Lyon has a passion for revitalizing Detroit's arts and culture sector that has defined her career. She is a catalyst for change, connecting CASM member organizations to each other, and to funding opportunities and community initiatives in other sectors. Maud is a true visionary with experience as a CEO in nonprofits and government. She was Director of the Detroit Historical Museum, back when it was a department of the City of Detroit, from 1990-1999; and she led Detroit 300, the celebration of Detroit's 300th anniversary in 2001. Maud was a senior vice president for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2002-03, and has consulted with many nonprofit organizations for strategic planning, program development and fund development programs. Maud's favorite phrase is "build the plane while you fly it." CASM staff will tell you her favorite pastime is slicing and dicing data. She is a boater, historian, gardener, a failed violist, and loves to change fonts in documents.

Denise Asker
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Denise Asker is the director of The Cultural Concierge, an innovative service linking the cultural arts to the professional community in Southeastern Michigan. With diverse skills in business development, marketing and organizational communications, Denise possesses a rare combination of visionary spontaneity and attention to detail. Denise has owned a consulting firm for a dozen years after making the rounds at renowned Detroit agencies such as W.B. Doner, Campbell-Ewald and Bozell Worldwide Advertising. She’s also served as a coach to more than 70 adults and teens involved with non-profit service. She’s currently a graduate student at Walsh College pursuing a degree in management. Anyone who has spent any time working with Denise will find it easy to believe that she was a cheerleader in a past life, but the tap dancing may come as a bit more of a surprise.

Ann Burns
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A commitment to excellence married with humor and grace is the signature of Ann Burns. She possesses a strong background in both arts management and performance that provides her with a unique perspective in her current work. Her high standards and wonderful grasp of administrative detail are valuable assets to CASM. A native Detroiter, Ann played the violin, acted, sang and danced her way through her early life. After attending college in Massachusetts, she made her way to New York City, where she spent 15 years polishing her professional skills at a variety of for profit and nonprofit businesses. She has recent experience in program development and education. Currently, she serves as the start-up administrative consultant for Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan.

Amy DeWysVanHecke
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Amy DeWysVanHecke is a dynamo who posseses an encyclopedic knowledge of funding, grant writing, and development. Amy manages the considerable tasks of heading up our education initiatives and is our membership maven–from participation to programming and everything in between. She is lovingly known as “Mamma VanHecke” to the neighborhood children, including the ones who tower above her. Amy is deeply committed to our sector and region. She serves on the Board of the Michigan Humanities Council. She teaches at Henry Ford Community College.

Amy Powers
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Amy Powers is a rock to which many kites are tied. As a lifelong learner, Amy has developed a talent for researching. Her resourcefulness, an aesthetic eye and great organizational skills are invaluable to the CASM office. Amy is indispensable at CASM member meetings and events...we’ve not seen her frazzled yet. Make sure you introduce yourself to her because after entering all of CASM’s information and contacts line by line for our database, she knows more about the member organizations then anyone really should, although putting faces with names can still elude her. She has lived in Michigan her whole life, splitting her time between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids while having a permanent home in Grosse Pointe Farms. She enjoys playing both the flute and the piano, and is an avid snowboarder. She has travelled extensively throughout North America and the World. When not running after her 7 yr old son, Aleks, she enjoys spending time with her two black cats, two gold fish (both named Bob) and Joanie the parakeet.

Pamela Rhoades Todd
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Pamela Rhoades Todd is the Sharing Resources Clearinghouse queen! This social butterfly exudes postivity and a nurturing presence. With an ever-present smile and easy laugh, Pamela is a wonderful communicator and is gifted with the ability to conceptualize ideas with wide benefit. Pam majored in Art at Clark Atlanta University and has worked in the Arts and Culture and Non-profit Sectors for years including Karmanos Cancer Institute, Volunteers of America Michigan, Detroit 300, and MotorCities National Heritage Area. She is a "recovering" facebook addict, and has a varied background in baton twirling, piano and the harp. She is the mother of 3 wonderful and delightful boys. Pamela is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and serves on the Executive Board of Jack and Jill of America Inc., Detroit Chapter, as Editor. She and her husband are active in their community and committed to youth development.

 

Jacquie Ward
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As Group Sales Coordinator for The Cultural Concierge, combines her business and networking skills to create customized entertainment experiences for client groups.   Jacquie has a personal, professional and educational mission of strengthening Southeast Michigan’s arts and cultural organizations.  This passionate love of the arts started at the age of five, when she began her classical piano training.  Jacquie earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Management from Madonna University and has also worked for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a PR Associate.  Additionally, she is an entrepreneur who owned her own business, which provided support, education and care to new families with infants.  In her spare time Jacquie enjoys reading, pilates, continuing to play piano and watching her favorite reality television shows.

Strategic Alliance Managers

Sondra Rhoades Johnson

A native Detroiter, Sondra Rhoades Johnson has an extensive background in the development of innovative systems and programs in government and the nonprofit sectors.  As Chief of Staff in the Office of the President for Morehouse College School of Medicine, she managed board relationships and special projects.  Sondra served as the Chief Planning Officer for Information Technology, Strategic Planning for the State of Georgia , and led a successful capital campaign as CEO of the St. Croix Valley Girl Scout Council, in Minnesota.  As a board member, she participated in a successful merger and acquisition between two non-profits that provide youth services.

Lynne Friman

Lynne Friman served as Installation Project Manager for the University of Michigan Museum of Art and facilitated the reinstallation process for the Detroit Institute of Arts. She is a trained facilitator with broad experience in project management. Her business, Envisions, has provided strategic planning, design and project management to numerous organizations. Lynne is a board  member of the Arts Alliance in Ann Arbor and led the team on Artists and Economic Development of the Cultural Master Plan for Washtenaw County.  She previously served as Senior Program Developer and Director of Facility Development for The Henry Ford and served as President for the National Association for Museum Exhibition (NAME).

Larysa Blysniuk

An experienced attorney and nonprofit leader dedicated to good governance, Larysa Blysniuk has a proven track record for implementing system improvements and finding artful solutions to organizational challenges.  She is adept at managing board relations and understands the important role of governance in organizational decision-making and capacity.  She previously served as the Director of Governance for the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. In her business, The Nonprofit Toolbox, she has served as a consultant for national and local nonprofit organizations.

 

Our Board

Anan Ameri	Arab American National Museum
Gary Anderson	Plowshares Theatre Company
Graham W.J. Beal	Detroit Institute of Arts
Aaron P. Dworkin	The Sphinx Organization
Ken Fischer	University Musical Society
Steven K. Hamp	Chairman
Paul Hillegonds	DTE Energy Company
David Baker Lewis	Lewis and Munday
Patricia E. Mooradian	The Henry Ford
Rick Nahm	Cranbrook Educational Community
Anne Parsons	Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Oliver Ragsdale	Arts League of Michigan
Sharon Rothwell	Masco Corporation
Peg Upmeyer	Arts & Scraps
Evan Weiner	Edward C. Levy Company