Board of Directors
Our Board of directors is made up of volunteers from the community who utilize their various professional backgrounds, business connections, and personal skills to further the Sault Area Art Center's mission
Agatha Colbert,
Chair
A retired physician, Dr. Agatha Colbert, M.D., has served as Chair of the Sault Area Arts Council (SAAC) since 2019. Though she has spent most of her life in Boston and Portland, her love of the nature and community of the Eastern Upper Peninsula (EUP) runs deep. She was born in Sault Ste. Marie, spent summers near Brimley in her youth, and has made it her permanent home for the past 14 years. She has always valued creativity in herself and delights in seeing others discover their own creative processes. Her art historian husband, Charles, has long inspired and influenced her appreciation of the fine arts. Agatha’s personal passion now is to grow SAAC into the premier art center of the EUP, where art-loving locals and tourists can gather to share ideas, learn about, create, and sell art.
Scott Laurson,
Vice-Chair
Scott Laursen is SAAC Vice Chair, a member of the Fundraising and Grants Committee, Educational Outreach Committee, and Special Events Committee, and an artist. Scott joined the SAAC Board after having an exhibition in the gallery. He holds an MFA in Photography from the New Hampshire Institute of Art. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration and began his career as a CPA. He has been an artist, business owner, and entrepreneur for 25 years. Scott is passionate about helping build the artist community in the EUP and is also a board member of the Upper Peninsula Art and Culture Alliance. He was recently awarded a MACC Operational Support Grant.
Cathie Chenoweth,
Treasurer
Cathie Chenoweth lives in Pickford and holds a BS in Finance and Accounting from Central Michigan University. She recently retired after serving 20 years as CFO and co-founder of Old Mission Bank in Sault Ste. Marie, remaining as a Director. With 40 years of banking experience, including accounting, finance, tax, audit, internal controls, commercial lending, regulatory compliance, and staffing, Cathie contributes her background toward fiscal and organizational best practices. She has lifelong interests in the visual, performing, and culinary arts, and is a pianist, seamstress, and avid gardener.
Holly Morrison,
Secretary
Holly Morrison, a retired cardiac sonographer, was a former member of the Olive M. Gallery Board, prior to its dissolution, and served many years as its secretary. Holly was one of the five members who joined the SAAC Board in May of 2022. She was elected Secretary of the SAAC Board at that time and continues to serve in that capacity. While Holly is not an artist, she has always been a strong supporter of the arts. Her husband, Bill, who is now retired, was an art instructor for 40 years, teaching at all levels, and is an accomplished blacksmith. Holly appreciates the value of the arts within a community, especially its community-building aspects through the creativity and diversity found in the arts.
Robert Mucklebauer,
Board Member
Robert Muckelbauer is a long-standing member of the SAAC Board of Directors. Robert plays an essential role in supporting the organization’s mission to create a more artful life for all EUP residents. A resident of Sault Ste. Marie, he works to ensure SAAC remains a vibrant, welcoming space for local creators.
Tom Harrison,
Board Member
Tom Harrison is a distinguished artisan in the EUP, recognized for his mastery of traditional wood carving and acrylic painting. A dedicated member of the SAAC Board of Directors, Tom plays a vital role in preserving heritage crafts. He is especially celebrated for his hand-carved waterfowl and shorebird decoys, frequently sharing his expertise through immersive workshops and regional arts festivals.
Sara Maurer,
Board Member
Sara Maurer is the author of A Good Animal (St. Martin’s Press, 2026). A former banking analyst and technical writer, she served for 14 years as grant superintendent at the Chippewa County Fair, where she secured funding for numerous capital improvement projects. She holds a BA in English from Albion College and an MA in Written Communications from Eastern Michigan University. In her role as a SAAC board member, she is working to expand opportunities for creative expression throughout the EUP, especially in Sault Ste. Marie, where she lives.
Vicki Newland,
Board Member
Vicki Newland is retired and is a citizen of the Bay Mills Indian Community. Her career has spanned over 30 years, working with various Tribal governments and organizations in administrative, leadership, and consulting roles. She holds a BS in Human Services from Lake Superior University. Vicki currently spends most of her time as an amateur artist, working out of her “Giiziokwe (Sunwoman) Studio.” Her passion for art comes from the multigenerational, locally-renowned Bowen family. She became a SAAC Board member in 2023. Vicki is excited to work with SAAC in improving the artistic scene in the local community.
Wilda Hopper,
Board Member
Wilda Hopper currently serves as Chair of the SAAC Special Events Committee. A newer member of the Board, she has been instrumental in bringing new revenue streams to SAAC through spearheading several special events that not only achieved the goal of fundraising but also brought about awareness and exposure of SAAC to the community. Wilda and her husband own two local downtown businesses, Bird's Eye Outfitters and Café and Bird's Eye Adventures. Bringing art to the downtown business district is a passion of Wilda's. She is also co-founder of the non-profit O.U.T. House Consortium (Outdoor Use of Trails), founded to develop, maintain, and promote hiking, biking, and water trails in our area. Wilda sits on the boards of O.U.T. House Consortium and the Chippewa County Community Foundation.
Karen Justin,
Board Member
Karen Justin is a human resources professional with the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians with a passion for learning and creating. She is an accomplished artist and lifelong advocate for creative exploration and has worked extensively across a wide range of artistic disciplines, including metalsmithing, bronze casting, spinning and weaving, two- and three-dimensional design, painting, watercolor, acrylics, and oils. As a new member of the SAAC Board of Directors, she looks forward to meeting local artists and community members.
Raulaniesa Aranda
Executive Director
Raulaniesa Aranda assumed the role of SAAC’s Executive Director in 2025 in order to lead the organization’s mission of fostering community engagement through the arts. A longtime resident of the EUP, she brings over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience to the role. In addition to her administrative experience, she is a self-taught encaustic and mixed-media artist who specializes in painting with beeswax and fire—a process she describes as a meditative journey. Her leadership at SAAC focuses on expanding local cultural opportunities, supporting regional artists, and ensuring that the arts remain an accessible, healing, and transformative experience open to all members of the community.