At a recent meeting of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) board, Elizabeth (Libby) Slader of Narragansett was reelected as its chairman. Slader's reelection places her as leader of the thirteen-member governing board of RISCA, the state agency responsible for support of the arts in communities throughout the state.
Also reelected were Jason Pamental of Rumford as Vice Chairman and Jennifer Fonseca, also of Rumford, as Secretary.
In acknowledging her election, Slader remarked that, "The work that RISCA does is so important to the quality of life for all Rhode Islanders. I am honored to be re-elected as Chairman and in this role I will do what I can to further advance arts and culture in the state".
Also commenting on his reelection, Pamental said that he was "honored and excited to be reelected as Vice Chair for the Council. It's been a wonderful—and highly rewarding—experience, and I look forward to what we'll accomplish in the year to come."
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency, supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.
About Libby Slader
Libby Slader is an award-winning designer who began her career as a designer in 1988. Since then she has worked and lived in Boston, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, California, New York, New York and Providence, Rhode Island. In 2010, Libby began her own namesake firm which specializes in hospitality and collaborative office interiors.
From 2006-2012, Libby was an instructor in the Continuing Education department of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, Rhode Island. She is a Co-Founder of DesignxRI, an initiative that galvanizes the design community in Rhode Island and is a past Board president. Libby earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design (Interiors) from the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University-Syracuse, NY. She has her certification in interior design from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and is a Professional Member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). In 2015, Libby was also named "Industry Leader in Creative Services" for the Providence Business News "Women in Business" awards.
About Jason Pamental
Jason Pamental has worked on the web since 1994, all the while living in the Providence area. With a background in design and an intimate understanding of technology and its application on the web, he has led creative and technical teams for NFL and America's Cup teams, Fortune 25 and technology corporations, and many other clients, serving in both creative and technical roles.
A passionate advocate of web standards and accessibility, Jason embraces new developments in web typography and responsive design as the next logical evolution in usability, search, and maintenance of complex web systems. Jason has also taken an active role in the local design and technology community; he is a past board member of the local AIGA chapter, hosts and co-organizes local meet-ups on User Experience (UX) Design and Drupal, and has been a 'UX mentor' at Betaspring, the Providence-based startup-incubator bootcamp.
Most recently, Jason has taken on the role of Senior Director of Design & Technical Strategy at Isovera. Jason also speaks about Responsive Design, Web Typography, and Web Strategy at conferences and workshops worldwide.
About Jennifer Fonseca
Jennifer Fonseca serves as the Marketing Director and Business Development Manager at DBVW Architects, a 32-person architecture, interiors, and planning firm in Providence. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in photography from the University of Notre Dame. Studying art and design also took Jennifer to the west coast of France where she spent a summer living and working with other artists through a Rhode Island School of Design Program. Jennifer also holds a Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Notre Dame and has experience in public and private art education. In addition to her position on the RISCA Board, Jennifer serves as a Board Member on the East Providence Arts Council.
