Executive Committee
Joe Ales
President
Joe Ales is a structural engineer and Managing Principal with Walter P. Moore and Associates and serves as the Managing Director of their Orlando office. He started his career in the firm’s Tampa office and then served as Managing Director of their Los Angeles office before moving back to Florida. He has been a resident of Maitland with his family since 2014 and he and his wife have two children at UCF and one child at Winter Park High School. Throughout his 31 years in structural engineering practice, Joe has served on numerous technical committees and boards. He is a licensed professional engineer in Florida and several other states and is a Fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute. Joe received his Doctorate in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and his Master and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Though he is unequivocally left-brained, Joe has a deep appreciation for the arts and is proud to be an active member of the Maitland Arts Community.
Barbara Coleman-Foster
Vice President
Barbara Coleman-Foster currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Organizational Culture and Strategy at Seminole State College of Florida. Although Barbara's academic background is in mathematics, she is an art enthusiast who enjoys museum visits, guided talks, and interactions with artists. Barbara is a proponent of life-long learning and has experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at Seminole State and in her community.
Photo courtesy of Seminole State College of Florida
Michael Thomas
Second Vice President
Michael Thomas is the owner of John Michael Exquisite Weddings & Catering. He started John Michael Catering in 1995 with a partner, John. John soon lost interest and Michael bought him out, keeping the name the same. In 2007, John Michael Catering became John Michael Weddings and Special Events to better portray the company’s market and rebranded in 2015 to become John Michael Exquisite Weddings & Catering.
Michael attended the University of Central Florida where he earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and master’s in business administration, both of which well equip him to create the best events possible. Michael loves creating one-of-a-kind weddings and events, large or small, and infuses passion and creativity into everything he does. Each and every wedding and event he works on is an opportunity to make beautiful, lasting memories. He loves thinking of innovative ways to allow his clients to truly impress their guests…and with corporate parties, their boss!
Michael was born and raised in Hartville, Ohio, near the Akron/Canton area. He moved to Florida in 1987 and owns a home in the SoDo district of downtown Orlando with his husband Rustin Davis. Together, they have four children – Pugs Nadia and Nina, a tabby cat, Petey, and a Jack Russell Terrier, Lindy. In his spare time Michael enjoys bowling, golf, backpacking and travel.
John Michael Exquisite Weddings and Catering is committed to developing a stronger community and inciting social change. Many organizations are those that John Michael has proudly given back to over the past twenty years. We believe in giving back to the community that has helped us prosper, and, in doing so, have been named Orlando’s 36th most philanthropic company by the Orlando Business Journal.
William Dacko
Treasurer
Bill Dacko is a retired Correspondent Banker. He started his banking career in Tampa and has served Florida's financial services industry for 40 plus years. Bill earned a BA degree in Accounting and Political Science, plus an MBA in Finance from the University of South Florida.
A resident of Wekiva Springs since 2000, he serves as Treasurer of the Maitland Art Center for the period of 2008-2010; during the time of the merger of the Maitland Art Center and Historical Society.
Bill and his wife, Cherie Dacko, are avid supporters of the visual arts. Cherie is an accomplished artist in a style most closely identified with veristis currealism. As Central Florida's only National Historic Landmark, serving on the A&H board is a unique opportunity to help promote its cultural benefits.
Dr. Gloria Pickar
Secretary
Dr. Gloria Pickar holds Nursing degrees and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. She has more than 45 years’ experience in higher education and business, including President and Chief Academic Officer of the leading higher education online learning services company acquired by Pearson. She was named six times to Top 50 Women-Led Businesses in Florida. Gloria is also a nursing clinician, educator, and author of two nursing textbooks still in publication. She started teaching nursing at Valencia College and was the founding director of the nursing program at Seminole State. UF College of Nursing awarded her Nursing’s Education Leader for 2020. She served as Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Orange County for three years 2018-2021. She writes for the Orlando Sentinel as a member of Central Florida 100. In addition to serving on the Maitland Art & History Museums’ Board, she is a member of Friends of American Art for the Orlando Museum of Art, Friends of the Orlando Philharmonic, and the Founders Square Council for the new Rollins Museum of Art. Gloria was named an Orlando Super Woman for 2020 by Orlando Magazine. Gloria and her family are committed sustaining members of A&H.
Trent Tomengo
Immediate Past President
Trent Tomengo is a Professor of Humanities at Seminole State College of Florida, and professionally exhibits his paintings in museums and galleries. He was an Artist-in-Action at the A&H from 2013-15.
Tomengo earned a B.A. in Fine Art from Stetson University, and an M.F.A. in Painting and a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of South Florida. Upon graduating, he served in dual roles as the assistant curator and program coordinator at the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts. It was, however, his teaching a semester at Stetson University and at Seminole Community College that prompted Tomengo to pursue a full-time teaching career. He is now also a sought-after public speaker and writer on spirituality and the human condition in art.
Tomengo’s intelligent, provocative, and finely crafted paintings are well known in Central Florida, where he has been featured in selected solo and group exhibitions. His work is primarily concerned with exploring ways of conveying the universality of all human beings. Tomengo has earned numerous awards for his art, and has been a judge at various art festivals in the Central Florida area, including Walt Disney World’s Festival of the Masters.
Directors
Nate Balint
Nate Balint is a corporate attorney and a partner at Akerman LLP, specializing in mergers and acquisition transactions and other corporate representations. He is originally from New York and moved to the Orlando area in 2006. Nate is a graduate of the University of Rochester, with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science, and obtained his law degree from New York University School of Law. Nate has also been a non-profit board member with Health Workforce NY and ACG Orlando, and has done volunteer legal and teaching work with low-income youth. Nate is an appreciator of the arts and enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and coaching and playing basketball.
James B. Dorman, Jr.
James B. Dorman, Jr., CPA/PFS, CFP®, is the President and founder of Dorman Financial Management, P.A. in Maitland, FL. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting from Stetson University. Jim's work experience includes 8 years with Arthur Anderson & Co., at the time the largest international accounting and consulting firm in the world. He is a Member of the Financial Planners Association (FPA), and successfully completed the rigorous education curriculum for the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional certification. Jim is also a member in good standing with the American Institude of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institude of Certified Public Accountants., having also successfully taken and passed the Certified Public Accountants' (CPA) examination. Jim is active in the local community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Art and History Museum of Maitland and on the Advisory Council of the Enzian Theatre.
Christopher Grim
Christopher Grim serves as a Partner for Grennan Fender CPAs, leading their Outsourced Accounting Department. Mr. Grim has more than 25 years of experience in public accounting, corporate accounting and financial management. Prior to joining Grennan Fender, Chris was the Chief Financial Officer for a defense contractor, and he has held senior positions in a number of highly regarded accounting firms, where he was chiefly responsible for audit and financial review functions. Chris has served clients in a variety of industries including construction and real estate, defense, nonprofit, manufacturing, distribution, and technology. Chris possesses an MBA from Rollins College in Florida and a B.S. in Economics from the University of Delaware, and has been a licensed CPA in the State of Florida since 1999.
Patrick Terry
Immediate Past President
Patrick Terry was born and raised in Winter Park, a close neighbor to Maitland, and his family has been a member of the local community since the 1970’s. Since 2011, he has worked as an engineer at Siemens Energy, an international industrial conglomerate supplying hardware and service to power providers. He is a proud graduate and current student of the University of Florida, where he earned a BS in Materials Science and Engineering in 2014, and is currently pursuing an MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Since 2014, he has served on the board of FHSMUN, Inc., an educational nonprofit serving domestic and international middle and high school students. Patrick’s goal in joining the A&H board is to preserve and enrich a unique piece of history and culture in Central Florida.
Sinuhé Vega Negrin
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Sinuhé is a successful entrepreneur, having co-owned various restaurants in the Miami Design District, Upper East Side, and Downtown North Miami. He has also invested in real estate, owning four commercial buildings that house 24 tenants. Known for his keen eye for emerging neighborhoods, Sinuhé was an early pioneer in Wynwood and the surrounding areas.
Lisa Junkerman
Both a strategist and practitioner, Lisa Junkerman has 25 years of applied, integrated marketing expertise on national and global levels. She is currently Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Business Development for ITEC Entertainment, a global themed entertainment solutions provider. Lisa previously worked for Fortune 250 companies, including Motorola, Inc. and Progress Energy/Duke Energy, and in the higher education industry where she was Assistant Vice President and CMO for Marketing for Rollins College. Lisa is also Principal of Chief Marketing Associates, Inc., an integrated marketing communications and branding firm. She has an MBA degree from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and a BA in Business Administration with a marketing major from the University of South Florida.
Liz Moore
Elisabeth (Liz) Moore holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications. She studied art history & literature with Syracuse University in Strasbourg France, and is pursuing a Natural Science Illustration certificate through Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education. As a Walt Disney Imagineer, Liz managed projects for Walt Disney World Corporate Partners. Prior to Imagineering, Liz was a production professional for Disney i.d.e.a.s, a division of Walt Disney Entertainment, and had a fifteen-year career in TV commercial production in New York City and Orlando. Liz is thrilled to be a member of the Maitland Art & History Museums’ Board of Directors. She and her husband are Landmark members of A&H, and Liz volunteers on the A&H gala committee. Previous volunteer experience includes Syracuse University Alumni Association in New York City, Walt Disney Imagineering Local Diversity Action Team, and PTA Reflections Arts Program chair for Orange County Public Schools and South Pasadena Unified School Districts.
Carole Munroe
Carole Jackson Munroe is an accomplished communications and marketing executive whose career has been shaped by organizations inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., Walt Disney, and Conrad Hilton. She most recently served as Vice President of Brand Communications for Hilton Worldwide, leading PR for brands from Hampton to Waldorf Astoria and launching award-winning campaigns including It Matters Where You Stay and To New Memories. Her earlier roles include Director of Public Relations for Walt Disney World Resort and Special Assistant to Coretta Scott King at The King Center in Atlanta. Today, she leads her own firm—CommSense JEMC Marketing and Public Relations—offering consulting, training, and leadership development. In her spare time, Carole enjoys movies, travel, entertaining, and time with loved ones.
Zaghie (Z) Peterson
Ryan Peterson
Board Opportunities
Art & History Museums – Maitland seeks remarkable individuals to serve on the Board of Directors; individuals who desire to make a difference in Central Florida; individuals who are passionate about arts education for all ages and preservation of our cultural heritage, including a National Historic Landmark; and individuals who are dedicated to the Museum’s mission to “stimulate thought, spark the imagination, enrich the spirit, and foster appreciation in art, historical research and preservation.”
Ideal Board Candidates will have:
- Capacity to directly support the institution;
- Connections to supporting resources in the region; and
- Knowledge, experience and skill sets in leadership areas, such as legal, financial, fundraising, and business development.
Please contact A&H at 407.539.2181 or info@artandhistory.org for more information.