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ABOUT

Sweetwater Center for the Arts

About us

Sweetwater offers nearly 400 classes, workshops, and lectures annually in the visual, performing, literary and culinary arts for children, teens, and adults at every skill level, from beginner to experienced. Sweetwater’s multidisciplinary approach includes classes in ceramics/sculpture, cooking, drawing, painting, photography, jewelry & metalsmithing, fiber arts, traditional crafts as well as private music lessons.

Our vision is to thrive as a regional asset and to lead innovative, relevant arts and cultural programming throughout the region. Our values of Community, Classes, and Culture help us focus on serving communities as a regional asset, providing programming of the highest artistic quality, and creating an environment that supports excellence in the arts. We collaborate with schools and other community organizations to provide affordable and accessible opportunities; most of our outreach initiatives target underserved and at-risk youth. Sweetwater also continues to offer every student who wishes to attend a class the opportunity to do so through our need-based scholarship program. Sweetwater passionately believes that the foundation of arts education and skill development are critical to the individual regardless of his or her age or career path.

In addition to educational programming, Sweetwater provides cultural programming that is open to the public and offered for free or for a nominal cost – including musical performances, educational lectures, and exhibitions featuring local, regional, national, and international artists. Through gallery exhibitions, educational programming, and fundraising events, Sweetwater supports over 300 emerging and professional artists, musicians, and teachers throughout the region annually.

Four young children playing at Sweetwater Center for the Arts

Sweetwater’s Mission

Sweetwater Center for the Arts is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Our mission is to enrich the communities we serve by providing art education and cultural programming, fostering local and regional artist talent, and making art accessible to a diverse audience.

Board of Directors

Terri Tunick

Terri Tunick

President

Terri’s background in healthcare management and education as well as non-profit fundraising affords her the perspective that she plans to rely on as a board member. As the current President of the Board, Terri wants to see Sweetwater Center For the Arts thrive as a welcoming and inclusive sanctuary for individuals and families to enjoy, learn and create.

Sarah Aziz

Sarah Aziz

Vice President

Sarah Aziz, Director of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival and Highmark First Night Pittsburgh

Sarah Aziz, Sewickley native, has been part of the SCA board since 2017. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she lived in the New York City area for 15 years before relocating back to Sewickley in 2015. In addition to Directing the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival and Highmark First Night Pittsburgh, Sarah works with the visual arts team programming galleries and leads the Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (DEAI) committee at the Trust. She also serves at Board Chair for Sweetwater Center for the Arts, a community arts center in Sewickley, PA.

Chris Chan

Chris Chan

Treasurer

Director of Corporate Strategy at FNB Corporation

Chris Chan has been part of the SCA board since 2022. Chris is currently the Director of Corporate Strategy at FNB Corporation. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and is originally from Vancouver, Canada. Chris lives in Sewickley with his wife, Blair, and his two children, Felicity and Emmett.

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Bonita Lee Penn

Bonita Lee Penn

Secretary

Managing Editor, Soul Pitt Quarterly Magazine

A Sewickley Native, Bonita Lee Penn is the literary programmer at the United Black Book Clubs of Pittsburgh, creative writing facilitator for the Madwomen in the Attic Creative Writing Workshops held through Carlow University, and managing editor at the Soul Pitt Quarterly Magazine. With a focus on poetry and an appreciation for visual arts, Penn brings her existing Pittsburgh arts and culture network to Sweetwater to help create a more intimate community.

Gary Bates

Gary Bates

Board Member

Gary Bates is an artist, art educator, and former arts administrator whose career highlights include serving as a past President of the New York State Art Teachers Association; President of The University Council for Art Education at Columbia University; Director of Art for the Lawrence Public Schools in Long Island, NY; and was awarded the New York State Art Educator of the Year for his work in education. He has been recognized in the art field on state and local levels as well as nationally for his contributions to the field by the National Art Education Association and as an artist, his work has been shown nationally and internationally. Since retiring and relocating to the Pittsburgh area several years ago, Bates has been an active Osher board member and study leader where he has served on various committees, including Curriculum, Nominating, Chairman of the Lecture Committee; and is the creator and chairman of Osher’s special interest group, Patron of the Arts.

Shari Dearth

Board Member

Shari Dearth, former owner and president of Multimedia Unlimited in Robinson Township, graduated from Hiram College with degrees in both Economics and Management. A native of Ohio, she spent four years living in Germany with her husband and two sons. Her most recent adventures took her to Boston for two years before returning to the Pittsburgh area, where she is now happily a Sewickley resident.  Shari is a strong proponent of providing access to the arts and art education – especially to those who are underserved – and has been involved for years with a number of other nonprofits, including United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the American Heart Association, and the Sarah Heinz House

Karen Zyck Galbraith

Board Member

A native of Chicago, Karen Zyck Galbraith received her doctorate in English Literature from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2012. She and her husband, Byron, moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 2010 where he pursued his doctorate in Computational Neuroscience. Three wonderful children later, Karen and her family made the decision to move to the Pittsburgh area, where they quickly fell in love with Sewickley. Karen has experience in commercial insurance, marketing, teaching, and editing. She is active in the local community in many capacities and is currently a board member at several non-profits in Quaker Valley, including Sustainable Sewickley, Village Garden Club of Sewickley, and Learning Tree Preschool.

Stephen X. Hunter

Stephen X. Hunter

Board Member

Vice President of Innovation at Allegheny Health Network

Stephen has experience in strategic planning, entrepreneurialism, and community outreach. He describes his role at the health system as breathing new life into a closed hospital to serve a community. With a concentration on higher education and a passion for supporting his community, Hunter plans to bring his ability to pitch to other companies and utilize grant opportunities to help fund and expand Sweetwater’s resources beyond Sewickley.

Chad Kanick

Board Member

Senior Director, Business Insights and Reporting, Lark Health

Chad joined the SGA board in 2023. He has deep connections to the area, having grown up in West Virginia, and he received degrees from both WVU and PITT. Chad currently leads a data team at Lark Health, a digital health startup that is based in San Francisco. He loves modern art, live music, competitive sports, and dogs. He recently moved to Sewickley with his wife, Suzanne, and daughter, Amara.

Stacey Neilson

Board Member

Stacey Neilson holds a BFA degree in Graphic Design from the Art Institute and has spent many years in advertising, marketing, and sales all over the country. A professional 2D artist, she has been involved in Sweetwater classes since her arrival in Sewickley in 2018. Her unique style of oil painting, in which she combines her experience in graphic design with fine art, has earned her an established customer base that continues to grow and thrive via client referrals. In addition to these accomplishments, Stacey is mom to a terrific 11 year old boy and a sweet Great Dane named River. She is a certified yoga instructor and is involved with several other non-profits, including KIVA, FAPE, the Village Garden Club of Sewickley, and the Sewickley Community Center.

Janice Patz

Janice Maria Patz

Board Member

Janice Maria Patz grew up in the Sewickley area. She returned to her hometown with her family in 2009 from Syracuse, New York, where Janice attended law school at Syracuse University.

She maintains a law practice in Sewickley focusing on Family Law, Real Estate, Small Business, and Wills and Estates. In addition to practicing law, Janice is very involved with the nonprofit community in Sewickley. She has served as a two-time board member for Child Health Association of Sewickley (CHA), and has been an active member of CHA since 2012. She also served as Vice President of the Fern Hollow Nature Center board of directors.

She is a proud mom of two amazing daughters who graduated from Quaker Valley High School with high honors. Janice is an avid runner, mountain biker, skier, outdoor enthusiast, certified yoga instructor, and devoted fan of the Syracuse Orange basketball team. Her interest in the arts began at an early age when she took her first ballet lessons at the Barth School of Dance in Pittsburgh. She is passionate about her commitment to the nonprofit community in her hometown for organizations serving children and the arts.

Savannah Perez

Board Member

A native of Rochester, NY, Savannah Perez received her BA in Public Policy and Communications from Messiah University in Harrisburg, PA. She lives in Bellevue and originally moved to Sewickley to join the Pittsburgh Fellows, a Christian leadership development program that helps empower recent college graduates as they launch their careers and learn to integrate their faith in the workplace. Savannah is a Legislative Associate at the Oak Policy Group, where she works directly with legislators in Harrisburg and lobbies for clients all over Pennsylvania. In addition, Savannah has a passion for serving underserved communities and volunteers in the food pantry at The Center for Hope in Ambridge.

Nancy Sansom

Board Member

Tracey Staley

Board Member

Vice President Human Resources

Tracey Staley is a business executive who has held executive Human Resources positions with the JM Smucker Company, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, US Steel, and Lockheed Martin.  Currently, Ms. Staley is HR Vice President for Spirax Sarco Engineering where she is responsible for talent strategies and programs for the Electrical Thermal Solutions division.  Ms. Staley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from American University and a Master of Science degree in human resources leadership from Rutgers University. Ms. Staley is committed to serving her community.  In addition to the Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Ms. Staley is an active board member of the Foundation Board of the Community College of Allegheny County, and the Autism Society of America. Ms. Staley and her husband, Mike, live in Sewickley, PA with their son, Jeff.

Jennifer Crawford Young

Jennifer Crawford Young

Board Member

Director of Donor Engagement at RMU

Jennifer Young joined the SCA board in 2022. After growing up in the Sewickley area, she attended and graduated from Pennsylvania State University, Behrend. She returned to Pittsburgh and worked in the food distribution sector for a few years before joining Robert Morris University in 2007. She is currently the director of donor engagement for RMU and facilitates numerous projects for the university. Since joining the SCA board, she has headed the development committee.

Sweetwater Staff

Christine Brondyke

Christine Brondyke

Executive Director
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Christine brings over 15 years of patron stewardship, fundraising, and event management experience to the role of Executive Director. Whether she is in the office, out with a supporter or on the soccer field cheering for QV, she is constantly advocating for Sweetwater and the Sweetwater community. A proud Sewickley resident, Christine is raising her two sons, Wesley and Daniel in the village with her husband Marc.

Denise Ditrich

Denise Ditrich

Director of Finance & Operations
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Denise Ditrich relocated to Pittsburgh in 1998, and has been working for Sweetwater for the past 17 years. She has a BS in Accounting from Penn State University and an MBA from St. Joseph’s University. As a CPA, Denise runs her own Accounting and Tax business. If Denise is not coaching on a soccer field, you can find her in the stands supporting her son in basketball, volleyball and track. Denise resides in Moon Township with her husband, Bill and 3 children, Alexis, Andrew & Grant.

Liana Agnew

Liana Agnew

Director of Artistic Advancement
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Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Liana holds a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Robert Morris University (2021) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (2015). Outside of Sweetwater, Liana is also a ceramic artist, educator, arts advocate, and outdoor enthusiast.

Saige Baxter

Director of Community Engagement & Education
Email Saige

Saige Baxter, a native to Pittsburgh, has pursued her love for education and the arts for a decade in and outside of the city. She received her bachelor degree in Studio Art from Seton Hill University and then went on to earn her graduate degree in Teaching from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Since being named “Emerging Artist of Pittsburgh” in 2019, Saige Baxter has continued her career in visual arts and displayed her work in Manhattan, NYC for the Every Woman Biennial exhibit in 2024. Saige’s experience as a school teacher, working for education programs and being a welding instructor in makerspaces drives her passion to develop educational opportunities for youth and adult communities in and around Pittsburgh. A few of her community projects include Messejana’s women welding workshop in Portugal, Stamped advocacy project with PAAR, COVID-19 mask designs and distribution with (mask)MAKERS PGH and curating Woodland Hill’s district wide 2023 art show at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Andrea Ruotolo

Andrea Ruotolo

Manager of Development & Fundraising Events
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Andrea graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts. Andrea is most excited to return to the art industry after working in multiple industries accruing customer service experience. A Jersey girl who found her new home here in Pittsburgh, she is looking forward to planting roots at Sweetwater along with her husband, Christian and son, Luke.

Entrance to Sweetwater Center for the Arts

Sweetwater Center for the Arts

Our History

Sweetwater began as a grass-roots effort developed by community residents and initially offered a small number of classes in the fine arts and crafts for residents in local communities west of Pittsburgh. After receiving nonprofit and certified teaching institute status on October 22 1974, Sweetwater opened its doors in January 1975 and began operating as a full-service arts education facility. In 1987, Sweetwater moved from a small Victorian house into its current space in the Old Sewickley Post Office building — where it is uniquely situated on the periphery of Pittsburgh with easy access to many areas that traditionally have not had the opportunity to experience the high quality arts and cultural programming that Sweetwater offers. For the past 45 years, Sweetwater has been a cornerstone in the Sewickley community and continues to be committed to programming unique and innovative experiences in the fine and performing arts.

Sweetwater’s Founding Patrons

Mr. & Mrs. William Boyd
Mr. & Mrs. J. Judson Brooks
Mr. & Mrs. Henry Chalfant
Child Health Association
Mr. & Mrs. Clinton L. Childs, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Frederic L. Cook
Mr. & Mrs. William D. George, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. W. H. Krome George
Mr. & Mrs. W. D. George, III
Mr. Francis Gerald
Mrs. Elizabeth C. Hall
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur F. Hetherington, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Arthur F. Hetherington, III
Mrs. James H. Higgins
Mr. & Mrs. B. F. Jones, III
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Lockhart, III
Mr. & Mrs. William Metcalf, III
Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Muse, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Fredrick Okie, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. David B. Oliver, II
Mr. & Mrs. George Oliver

Mr. & Mrs. Henry Oliver
Mr. & Mrs. John C. Oliver, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Frederic C. Paffard, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Pearson
Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Ramsburg, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Henry O. Rea
Mrs. M. Pollard Rea
Mr. & Mrs. Frank E. Richardson, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. R. S. Risien
Mr. & Mrs. Alexander L. Robinson
Rockwell Foundation
Mrs. J.M. Schoonmaker, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. G. Harton Singer, III
Mr. & Mrs. G. Whitney Snyder
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Snyder, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Snyder, III
Mr. & Mrs. William P. Snyder IV
Mr. & Mrs. William L. Standish
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Wardrop
Mrs. Mary Wardrop
Mr. & Mrs. James W. Wilcock