Board of Directors
Judith Webb, President
Ruby Drew, Vice President
John James, Treasurer
Penny Padgett, Secretary
Penny Padgett is from Mill Spring, NC and graduated from Polk Central High School in 1969. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a degree in Medical Technology from the Watts Hospital School of Medical Technology in Durham, NC. She worked as a clinical microbiologist for four years before entering graduate school at Virginia Tech. She earned a Ph.D in Microbiology at Virginia Tech and went on to an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia. She joined the faculty at Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, PA as an assistant professor after her postdoctoral fellowship ended. She then accepted a position at Shippensburg University where she earned the rank of Professor. In 1997 she entered the Dept. of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill to earn an M.P.H. in infectious disease epidemiology. After a long career in her field she retired from UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2013 and moved back to Mill Spring. Penny started a new career in July 2019 when she purchased The Book Shelf in Tryon. The Book Shelf is a small independent book store which has been in continuous operation since 1952.
Freida Allen
Freida was on the board of directors for the Burroughs & Chaplin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, for 4 years. She was the chairman for the annual tour of homes to benefit the museum and assistant chair of Bag Ladies Luncheon for the museum that included setup/display of bags. She assisted with art shows and all fund raising events with the board. Her interests include Decorative Painting, folk art, pen & ink, watercolor, oils, sketching and drawing.
Jimmi Buell
Jimmi Buell has been the Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Polk County Cooperative Extension Office for 10 years, where she teaches wellness and healthy cooking. She has been the chairman for PF3, a health and wellness committee, for the past 6 years and Chair for the Discover Columbus Committee (Economic Development for Columbus, North Carolina) for the past 5 years. Jimmi was instrumental in bringing HandMade in America to Columbus. Jimmi has practiced a metalsmithing arts for 20 years. She has been involved at TACS as a jewelry student for 10 years, a gallery exhibitor, and member. She is represented by Millstone Gallery in Landrum.
Jamie Carpenter
Jamie Carpenter is the Downtown Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Hendersonville, North Carolina. She served as Executive Director of the Tryon Downtown Development Association from 2015 to 2020. Prior to moving to Tryon, Jamie served as the Event and Operations Manager of the Asheville Downtown Association, and previously worked for HandMade in America. Jamie has a Masters degree in Public Affairs from Western Carolina University.
Jessica Foster Clark
Judy Lindsey
Judy Lindsey is a jewelry artist and wire-weaving instructor. Previously, she worked for 25 years as a Logistics Technician and Wellness Councilor for Baldor Electric in Greenville, South Carolina. Judy served in the US Navy from 1982 to 1986 in Radiological Controls for submarines. Recently retired, Judy found Tryon Arts and Crafts School in 2017. Since joining the school, she has been involved as a student, gallery exhibitor, Shop artist, and teacher. She is the winner of the 2018 Wire Artistry E-Magazine Artist of the Month title.
Julie McIntyre
Julie McIntyre is a licensed architect, having work in the field for 40 years. McIntyre has lived in Tryon for 17 years and works for the Brady-Trakas firm.
Julie has been affiliated with Tryon Arts and Crafts since 2008. Prior to her current term, she served for three years on TACS’ Board of Directors, during which time she was Co-President for two years. In 2011, Julie was part-time Co-Director of the school from 2011 to 2014.
Dee O’Brien
Karoline Shaffer O’Rourke
Karoline Shaffer O’Rourke is a Greenville, SC, fused glass and ceramic artist. As traveling teaching artists, she and her husband John instruct at the Las Vegas Glass Craft & Bead Expo, Greenville County Museum of Art, Tryon Arts & Crafts School, and various other venues. Karoline is the owner of Kakilaki Studio Arts, which specializes in creative art events such as the “Art Bar” at Euphoria, an annual food, wine and music festival in Greenville, SC.
Karoline is a designated artist of the South Carolina Arts Commission Approved Artist Roster (2001 to present), through which she has overseen site-specific public works and educational programming. She is Vice President of the St. Mary’s Council of Catholic Women, a Director of her Property Owner’s Association Board, and previously held a seat on the SC National Heritage Corridor Board in District 1.
Karoline first fell in love with TACS in 2011 as a workshop attendee. She brings to TACS’ Board a passion for artistic development for student and teacher, preservation of heritage crafts, fostering intercultural awareness, and community engagement.