Watermark Art Center is a member-supported organization made up of hundreds of artist and art patrons throughout the region who give and volunteer to help make art programming possible. The organization is run by a Board of Directors and small group of staff.
Watermark Art Center Staff
General Assistance – watermark@paulbunyan.net
Lori Forshee-Donnay, Executive Director – lforshee@watermarkartcenter.org
Leah Grunzke (not pictured), Outreach Coordinator – lgrunzke@watermarkartcenter.org
Karen E. Goulet, Program Director – Miikanan Gallery – kgoulet@watermarkartcenter.org
Nokomis Paiz (not pictured), Artist Liaison – Miikanan Gallery – npaiz@watermarkartcenter.org
Jill Neumann, Art Education Program Director – jneumann@watermarkartcenter.org
Lisa Seter, Communications Director – lseter@watermarkartcenter.org
Watermark Board of Directors
Join us! Volunteer and Board Member Application Form →
WAC Executive Board/ NMF Fund Grant Selection Committee:
Lorie Yourd – WAC Past President, Retired k-12 Educator, Artist and Writer, WAC Committees include: Executive Board Spoken Word Committee, and Board Recruitment Committee
Marilyn Miller – WAC President – Retired WAC Committees include: Executive Board, Board Recruitment and WAC Festival Commitee
- Member, Bemidji Noon Rotary Club – Co-chair,
- Capital Campaign for Watermark Art Center
- Past President, Bemidji Area Arts Endowment Advisory Committee
- Past President, North Country Health Services/Sanford Health Foundation
- Past President, Health Care Auxiliary of Minnesota
Mike Ohl – WAC Vice President – Retired Art Educator, ISD 31 WAC Committees include: Executive Board, Exhibit Committee and Exhibit Install Committee
- 1994-2018 Art Educators of Mn
- 1999-2003 AEM Northwest Rep
- 2004-2018-Perpich Center for Arts Education
- Served on all three writing teams in the development of Mn State Arts Standards
- Co-Chair 2018 Mn State Arts Standards Writing Team
Ann Gorman – WAC Secretary / Interim Treasurer- recently retired from IHS, pharmacy, WAC Executive Board, Exhibit Install Committee, WAC Festival Committee and Outreach through community collaborations.
WAC Board Members:
Patricia Kelly – Retired Professional in healthcare industry -Employment: Vice President of Development – North Country Regional Hospital (prior to Sanford Health Services) – 25 years.
Organizational Affiliations:
- Member and past Secretary of Bemidji Symphony Orchestra
- Member and past Secretary of Bemidji Senior Center
- Bemidji Chamber of Commerce – Past Board Member and Vice-President – Chamber Ambassador
- Bemidji State University – Member and Past President of BSU Foundation
- United Way – Past President – and Campaign Chair
- Watermark Art Center – Board Member – Past Secretary of Board
- Bemidji Rotary – Co-Editor of Weekly Newsletter
- Sanford Health Foundation – Member and Co-Chair Community Relations Committee
Eric Carlson – Assistant Professor of Technology, Art and Design – BSU, WAC Board and Exhibit Committee
- MN Teacher of the Year Semifinalist MN Education Association 2018
- MREA Profiles of Excellence Award Fabrication Arts Lab (Fab Lab) 2017
- First Robotics Coach – Kelliher Public School 2017 – present
- KEA President – Kelliher Education Association 2019 – 2020
Gillian Bedford – Artist, BFA Painting – Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA WAC Board and Exhibit Committee
- Adult teacher of Expressive Landscape Painting Class at Headwaters School of Music and Art, present
- Head Florist for Leukins North 2019
- Member of Orchard Artworks Gallery 2000 to closing date, 2019
- Member of Artessa
- Member of Artist Cultural Exchange, PA
- Member of Cheltenham Art Center, PA
- Member of Abington Art Center, PA
Nyleta “Zaagaatekwe” Belgarde – WAC Board and Miikanan Gallery Advisory Committee
- Arts & Humanities Department Chair and Ojibwe Language Instructor
- Tribal Affiliation: Turtle Mountain Ojibwe
- Ed., Gifted Education, Oklahoma City University, 1994
- A. Educational Anthropology, Stanford University, 1992
- Research & Experience : Documentation of female Ojibwemowin speakers
- Courses Taught: Speaking Ojibwe 1 & 2, Indigenous Leadership Internship
NEW BOARD MEMEBERS
Kristen Majkrzak – Spoken Word Committee
Kathy Gustafson – WAC Festival Committee,
Emma Adams