The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts board of directors are made up of community leaders. The board has very broad experience with non-profit and arts management and brings a variety of expertise in a number of important areas.
photo by Steve Growcock
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Steve’s decades-long career as a consultant to the electric utility industry provides to The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) a fresh, outside perspective. With his strong interest in the arts and music, he is also linked with the Manistee Shoreline Showcase; the hosts of the Tuesday night summer music series. Additionally, since his retirement, Steve has rediscovered his passion for Street Photography and has participated in several group and solo gallery shows in the Manistee regional area. Steve’s background and energy will help in continuing to advance The RRCA’s vision to be a vibrant regional center for cultural arts, education and community engagement.
photo by Crescent Rose Photography LLC
Virginia “Gini” Pelton moved to Manistee 20 years ago and serves as a real-estate agent with Century 21 Boardwalk. She is a high-spirited individual involved in community service boards such as United Way of Manistee, Downtown Development Authority, Professional Ladies of Manistee, and the Manistee Elks Lodge 250. She has received numerous accolades in Manistee from the Manistee Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Authority, and the Manistee Elks Lodge. She is an active volunteer with the local Vogue Theatre and Ramsdell Theatre and is proud to join the Ramsdell in her new capacity. Her enthusiasm and spirit bring great energy to the Ramsdell board.
photo by Johnnie Moreno
Sherri is the Marketing Director for the Manistee County Tourism Authority and has a passion for highlighting the natural and historic beauty of the Manistee area. She received her BA in Public Relations from Western Michigan University. Her family’s love for the Ramsdell Theatre goes back generations. Her grandparents, Sharon and Dennis Switalski, had the bust of TJ Ramsdell which currently resides in the RRCA lobby commissioned in the 90’s. She has trained with the Second City Theatre in Chicago studying stand-up and comedy sketch writing and had the opportunity to showcase a comedy set on the SCT stage. Sherri has performed on the Ramsdell stage under the direction of the Manistee Civic Players, Rick Plummer, Conservatory of Dance and the WSCC Collegiate Show Choir. In addition to performing, she has worked and volunteered at the Ramsdell Theatre and is excited to now offer support as a board member.
Bill originally became familiar with the Manistee area as a youth while tagging along with his father to trout fish on the many streams and rivers in the area. He remembers thinking to himself, someday I’d like to live here. That became a reality, when Bill and his wife Peg decided to make Manistee their retirement home in 2013. Bill’s career stops include executive management positions at Schlumberger, Mead Paper, Rubbermaid, Textron and Dollar General. He has a Masters of Business Administration Degree in finance and is a certified professional in Mergers and Acquisitions and Equities/Securities management.
Tammi is originally from Iowa, and spent her life moving around the world before arriving in Manistee in 2023. The Ramsdell and its excellent programming, as well as its capacity to serve the community and bring art lovers together, is something she immediately understood would be an important part of her life in Manistee. After receiving her undergraduate degree, Tammi served for two years in the Peace Corps in Belize, working on eco tourism projects and teaching literacy to adult students. Upon her return to the United States, she received a Master of Social Work from Colorado State University and had a variety of jobs in education, disaster relief, and language training. After raising her children while frequently moving around the country, both of her daughters attended Denver School of the Arts, a public arts high school where they majored in Theatre. During this time, Tammi was deeply involved in fundraising and planning efforts for the theatre program. Now in Manistee, she has dedicated much of her time to community service, volunteering at The Vogue and organizations such as the League of Women Voters. As a member of the Ramsdell Board, she brings these varied experiences, her strong sense of artistic taste, and her enthusiasm for collaborating with both creatives and fellow patrons of the arts.
photo by Crescent Rose
Photography LLC
Nancy Ferguson has had a long relationship with the Ramsdell Theatre. She met her husband on stage and married into a family with three generations of Ramsdell affiliations going back to the 1950s. She has performed, directed, written plays, and taught classes for the Ramsdell Theatre since 1978. In 1990, she resurrected a dormant theatre program at Manistee HS and went on to create a thriving program including multiple classes and productions. She also assisted with the design of the auditorium in the new high school and served as its first facility manager. Nancy has a BFA in Theatre Arts.
I was born and raised in Manistee, as were my two children. Steadily advancing in my career through education and experience I was instrumental in creating the Manistee County School Business Cooperative, which I left in 2005, to become Executive Director of Business Services in the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District, moving to Grosse Ile. After retirement from education in 2011, I traveled, cared for family members and worked as a Treasurer for the City of Flat Rock. In 2016, I returned to Manistee as Controller for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, retiring again in 2021. I hold a master’s degree in accounting and educational administration.
After serving for many years for the City of Manistee Parks Commission, I was elected to City Council in 2024. Soon after I was appointed to the RRCA Board and Sands Park Control Board. My time with the RRCA Board has been a time of new experiences, camaraderie and learning about the great historical building and regional arts center Manistee is privileged to have.
Aimee Zakrajsek is the co-owner of Z’s Cart Rentals in Manistee, a community she’s called home since 1997. She’s passionate about offering a unique way for visitors to explore the area and is committed to creating engaging content that highlights local attractions.
A highly motivated and organized individual, Aimee has a profound appreciation for the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts. She’s excited by the opportunity to contribute to its mission of becoming a central hub for creativity, producing captivating and enriching theatrical works for the community.
Aimee and her husband, Randy, are raising a large, active family. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling together.