Board of Directors

The mission of the Vestavia Hills Arts Council could not be pursued without the volunteer effort of its board members.  If you are interested in serving in this area, we want to hear from you!

Board Member Applicaton

Faith Lenhart, President is a long-time Vestavia resident and Vestavia Hills City Schools employee. Mrs Lenhart served as the dance director and performing arts chair at Vestavia Hills High School for 22 years. In 2022, Faith moved into the role of Director of Arts Education for Vestavia Hills City Schools. She has a BS in Dance Education, a Master in Administration and Leadership, an EdS degree in Educational Leadership, and certification in Arts Integration. Mrs. Lenhart is a past president of the Alabama Dance Council and founder of the Alabama Dance Educators Association. She was selected to pilot the National Core Arts Standards in 2017 and serves on the Alabama team to write the arts education state standards. Her passion for arts education has allowed her to promote the arts with creative solutions and support for arts teachers and school administrators. Faith enjoys spending time with friends and family. She and her husband, David Lenhart have two sons and a spunky dog.

Kelly Love, Vice President, is an independent, arts-based researcher and sustainability design consultant. She is a native of Cahaba Heights with a passion for the arts, social justice, travel and writing.  The daughter of an educator/artist and public health officer/jazz singer; her upbringing rooted within her a deep curiosity to understand the positive impact on human potential developed at the nexus of creative work, lifelong learning and public service. Her uncommon life journey includes being an accountant, social activist, arts evangelist, photographer, community organizer and educator; leading her to research arts-based social innovation with the Leonard Bernstein Center, Harvard Project Zero, Vanderbilt University and Scottish Executive. Recognized by Queen Elizabeth for her doctoral research articulating the unique culture of exemplary trans-national creative initiatives, she developed arts and lifelong learning policy for Creative Scotland while with the University of Edinburgh. Her fieldwork transects decades, disciplines, dogmas, nations and a variety of degrees. Foremost, as an ethnographer, she seeks to understand and develop the vital work of creative culture wherever it emerges. A proponent of local engagement for global good, she collaborates with communities of all ilk to propagate creative ecosystems which nourish humanity and foster social resilience. Kelly joyfully lives and works between Scotland and Alabama with her lovely husband and two sweet rescue dogs.

Sherri Arias, Treasurer has been a resident of Vestavia Hills for over 30 years and a former Visual Arts Educator for the Vestavia Hills School System. She is an artist specializing in watercolor and spends most of her weekends as a Live Event Painter. Sherri is a passionate supporter of the Arts and is excited to see the council support artists and art events in the city of Vestavia. Her business is S. Arias Creates and her studio is located in Homewood which she shares with her daughter Brittany Sturdivant who is a professional photographer. Believing in beauty of all kinds, she is also a member of the Vestavia Beautification Board.

Jessica Garrison, Secretary is a Vestavia resident and is currently serving as Secretary on the board of the Vestavia Hills Arts Council. She has been a supporter of the arts for as long as she can remember. An avid fan of both Theatre and Visual Art, she is the daughter of an education curator for an Art Museum and mother to active thespians. Seeing the joy and enrichment all forms of Art bring to a community, she is an active volunteer in several theaters including Red Mountain Theatre and Virginia Samford Theatre. She also assisted Dolly Ridge Elementary in their theatre endeavors for the past 4 years. She has four children in the Vestavia City School System from 6th grade to 11th grade. Art brings a community together and she hopes the council can continue to do just that.

Eden Anderson, Executive Member at large is the Marketing Coordinator for Vestavia Hills. She does not live in the city but is a Vestavian at heart. Her passion for the arts dates back to her youth when she used to make clothespin dolls with markers and yarn. Eden’s education was joyfully earned at several performing arts schools and the University of Montevallo. She lives in Pelham with her husband, Derek, an amateur cartoonist, and her two cats, Marty and Chee, professional freeloaders.
Bob Barker is a 15-year resident of Vestavia Hills and an avid supporter of the arts.  A father of two, Bob kept a full rock band’s worth of gear in his basement for years … just in case one of them made it big.  Bob owns Big Color and Barker Advertising, where his team offers creative marketing strategy and printed goods from promotional items to point of purchase.  During his time in Vestavia Hills, Bob has served in Leadership Vestavia Hills, as a local Cub Scout Pack Leader, and as organizer of Rocky Ridge Battle of the Bands. When not pretending to be a mandolinist and songwriter, Bob enjoys playing golf and spending time with family at Lewis Smith Lake.
As a manager at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest, Terri Leslie has served Vestavia citizens of all ages for over 18 years. Graduating from the University of Alabama with a Master of Library and Information Studies in 2003, she is currently Head of Adult Services where she is involved in advocacy, outreach, event planning, marketing, patron service, budgeting, and management of the Library’s adult collections and services. Terri provides front-line public service to the Library’s patrons, assisting with locating information on an unlimited number of topics ranging from career development to the history of baking – no two days are the same! The Library’s programming for adults covers everything under the sun, including medical, finance, yoga, special interests, and of course, the Arts. Terri ensures that concerts, art instruction, movie screenings, crafts, dance classes, and writing groups – just to name a few – are offered to the community on a regular basis. Service-oriented, an avid reader and adventurous extrovert, she is excited to serve on the board and brings vast experience in the literary arts and public service.
Judith Hand has had a professional life as an educator and advisor at Birmingham-Southern College.  She retired after 25 years as Assistant Dean for Adult Learners from BSU. Judith has a personal passion for art historyn and was aSenior Master Docent at the Birmingham Museum of Art after retirement until the docent program ended. She has always been interested in and invested in community organizations.  Currently she is the Program Chair for the Vestavia Hills Historical Association.  In addition, she is active in the National Society of Arts and Letters, on organization which encourages creative young artists, musicians, dancers, and theatre participants through competitions and scholarships as they prepare for careers in the arts. Mrs. Hand is an active at Shades Mountain Baptist Church since 1971, and is the Director of a Women’s Sunday School Class.Her hobbies include reading and history. 
Walt Costilow spent his childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he graduated from high school in 1967. It was there that he began his interest in art and participated in numerous art events throughout high school. His early influences were Norman Rockwell, the Wyeths, and the Jackson Square artists. In college, he became an aerospace engineer and then a military pilot. During his Air Force career, he continued his interest in watercolor art as a hobby. After leaving the military, he returned to Birmingham. It was here that he studied watercolor painting with successful local, national, and international artists. After retiring from international aviation, He now enjoys concentrating on watercolor realism and aviation subjects. Walt’s aviation art has been exhibited with the International Exhibit for the American Society of Aviation Artists at The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. Walt has won awards locally and regionally from watercolor societies. He is currently the President of the Watercolor Society of Alabama. He greatly enjoys his time with his four grandsons and two granddaughters.
Lindsey Hull is from Birmingham, Alabama, where she resides with her husband, Michael, two daughters, Reese and Kate, and her dog, Buddy. She holds a degree in Human Sciences from Auburn University and boasts forty years of dance experience, encompassing dance team and dance studio training, teaching, and coaching. Formerly, she served as the coach for the UAB Golden Girls and the nationally-ranked Mountain Brook High School Dorians. Presently, Lindsey owns and operates Dance Connections, offering dance lessons from preschool to collegiate levels in the Birmingham area. Additionally, she acts as a choreographer and coach for two local middle school programs. As the founder and director of the Magic City Sparks, a performance dance team for students with special needs, Lindsey passionately contributes to fostering inclusivity in the dance community. She served as a Universal Dance Association instructor for seven years, and for the past two decades, she has remained an integral part of Varsity Brands, fulfilling roles such as competition coordinator, announcer, and judge. Lindsey enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Lissa Peterson is a Vestavia resident with a lifelong love of the arts. She holds degrees in Theatre and Mathematics and loves to attend local plays, exhibitions, and concerts. As a Data Analytics and Visualization Consultant, she helps companies connect and visualize data to support strategic decision-making. She is the mom of two students of Vestavia Hills High School, both of whom are active participants in the arts. 

Dr. Quint Harris, DMA is the Director of Music & Arts Ministries at Vestavia HillsMethodist Church in Birmingham, AL where he directs the Chancel Choir, Bell Choir, Youth Choir, and Children’s Choir as well as supervises the music staff. In addition to his position at VHUMC, Quint is an adjunct professor at Birmingham Southern College where he has conducted the Southern Chorale and teaches theory/ear training and Ethno-music Global Perspectives. Prior to Vestavia Hills Methodist Church he was the Director of Music Ministries at Paradise Valley United Methodist Church in Phoenix, AZ. He holds a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Mississippi, a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Alabama, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Alabama. Throughout his career Quint has enjoyed teaching and directing on the Middle School and High School levels as well as part-time and full-time church music ministry. In March 2022 Quint became the founder and Artistic Director of the Cahaba Chamber Chorale: a professional vocal ensemble in Birmingham. Quint is a member of ACDA (American Choral Directors Association). He has served as Life-Long Committee Chair for the Alabama ACDA Board. In 2023, Quint became the President for the Alabama ACDA chapter. Quint is also a member of FUMMWA (The Fellowship of the United Methodist Church in Music and Worship Arts)where he has served as the Handbell Committee Chair and the Membership Committee Chair. Quint is married to Paige Pittman Harris, CPA, and they have three active children, Colin (24), Sarah Beth (21), and Nate (18).

Kaitlyn Avery is a Birmingham based artist with a concentration in painting and drawing. Her work has a wide range of mediums and subjects, but her style always exhibits striking use of color and composition. Avery received her BFA from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 2022, having been awarded numerous accolades during her time there. Since graduating, she has worked in galleries around Birmingham and volunteered with UAB’s ArtPlay as a teaching artist. In March of 2024, she was invited into the Board of Directors for the Vestavia Hills Art Council where she helps coordinate art events and classes. Avery continues her art practice from her studio at MAKE Bham in Avondale and hopes to resume her academic education with graduate school in the future.

Ashley and Terrill Brazelton have been Vestavia residents for 15 years and have two kids, Carter and Asher, as well as two fur babies, Ally and Millie.Their daughter, Carter attends Auburn University and son, Asher, is at Vestavia Hills High School. They both own and operate Troup’s Pizza in Cahaba Heights, where their children are often found working alongside them. Their longtime commitment in the hospitality industry has helped form many fruitful relationships throughout the community. They enjoy giving back anytime the opportunity presents itself and love to support the local arts, as well.