Katie Cornell (she/her) is the Executive Director of ArtsAVL, the designated local arts agency serving Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina. In this role, she leads efforts to strengthen the region’s creative sector through ArtsAVL’s core focus areas of connection, advocacy, and grants—advancing strategic partnerships, public investment, and coordinated support for artists, arts organizations, and creative businesses. Since joining ArtsAVL in 2019, she has guided the organization through a period of significant growth, expanding its role as both a funder and regional convener while deepening its impact across Western North Carolina.

With more than 20 years of experience in Asheville’s arts community, Katie brings a systems-level perspective on the creative sector as a connected network of artists, organizations, and businesses operating both within the arts and across the broader economy. Her work advances visibility and market access, shapes policy and investment decisions, and directs resources across the sector—grounded in data, sector insight, and cross-sector collaboration.

Following Hurricane Helene in 2024, Katie became a key leader in coordinating arts recovery efforts across Western North Carolina. Working in close partnership with state and federal agencies, state and national funders, and regional organizations, she has helped mobilize and deploy millions of dollars in relief and recovery funding to artists, nonprofits, and creative businesses. She continues to play a central role in shaping long-term recovery strategies, advocating for the inclusion of the arts within statewide economic and disaster recovery frameworks.

Katie holds a Master’s degree in Arts Leadership and Cultural Management from Colorado State University. She currently serves as Board Chair of Arts North Carolina, President of the Western Arts Agencies of North Carolina, and is a board member of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Asheville’s Public Art & Cultural Commission. Through these roles, she advances policy, investment, and cross-sector collaboration that supports a thriving and inclusive creative economy at the local, regional, and state levels.

Rebecca Lynch (she/her) has dedicated her 24 year professional career to cultural non profits, including three years as a project researcher for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, a 15 year development career with the Asheville Art Museum, and three years leading Chow Chow: An Asheville Culinary Event Series. While at the Asheville Art Museum, she managed the successful $25 million capital campaign for the award-winning new Museum which opened in Fall 2019. As a fifth generation resident of WNC, she has deep roots and strong ties to the area’s artist, agricultural, culinary, civic and business communities. She firmly believes that our creative community is the heart of our region’s vibrancy and central to its identity, health and success. Rebecca shares the Puffin, her tiny home nestled on family land in Fairview, NC, with her cat Maple, surrounded by local farms, family and friends. She practices her art in the kitchen as an avid culinary maker and passionate home cook, and is thrilled for the opportunity to continue to support our region’s extraordinary community of creative makers and arts organizations as Development & Grants Director for ArtsAVL.

Alexa Whitman (she/her) advocates for policies that will sustain and enrich our arts community. Coming from a long line of Appalachian creatives, Alexa understands the essential role of art and creativity in our region. Her love of creating began as a child, learning from her self-taught grandmother’s mountain and farmhouse watercolors. Having danced with Charlotte Ballet and then earning a BA in Art and a JD from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, Alexa’s background allows her to appreciate both the unique ability of art to benefit a community, as well as the strategic needs of advocating for the artists and art organizations within that community. Alexa’s advocacy experience includes policy work at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, post-conviction relief cases with Washington University and Phillips Black, and First Amendment research for Yale University. As Policy & Research Manager, Alexa advocates for policies that reflect the needs of the cultural sector to support a thriving creative workforce and resources that are accessible, equitable, and inclusive.

Maria Buchanan (she/her) is a native of Southern Appalachia where she grew up going to regional craft shows with her Windsor chairmaking father, spending her time trying out everything from marbling to metal work to bobbin lace.  Arts roots run far and deep in her family beginning with her great grandfather who was a virtuosic blacksmith and opera aficionado in Italy, and continue with Maria who attended Belmont University and Emory & Henry College, earning a BA in Musical Theatre with minors in Dance and Music. She has worked for over a decade as a professional actor throughout the southeast, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.

Shortly after the birth of her child, Maria began spending more time on the administrative side of arts organizations, including four years as Marketing and Communications Director for Asheville’s professional theatre, North Carolina Stage Company, helping to manage the theatre’s successful post-pandemic reopening and growth. Maria currently lives in Asheville with her teacher/musician husband, exuberant third grader, and two energetic dogs. She is thrilled to join ArtsAVL in their advocacy, granting, and connection work as Communications Manager.

Selena Hilemon (she/her) is a Western North Carolina native growing up in neighboring Mitchell County. Learning to sew and farm from her grandmother and mother, the women of the Appalachian arts have long been a part of her formation. She has invested the past 24 professional years to the higher education and nonprofit arenas and finds deep connection in work that connects community entities in mutually beneficial partnerships.

Having earned degrees from Mars Hill University and Vanderbilt Divinity School, the ethics and equity in community systems have always taken center stage in her professional pursuits. Whether working with small liberal arts institutions, arts based nonprofits or organizations forming our community’s next generation of leaders, her greatest professional joys focus on the integration of community, creativity, and equity. Selena currently lives in Asheville with her wife and daughter and is thrilled to join the ArtsAVL staff as Operations & Program Coordinator.