New Leadership for Guilford Art Center

The Board of Directors of the Guilford Art Center is pleased to announce that two longtime staff members will assume co-director responsibilities for the Center, effective immediately. Maureen Belden and Suzanne Hens-Kaplan are the new Program Director and Operations and Finance Director, respectively.

Belden has been the Center's Program Administrator and Expo Coordinator since 2005. In that capacity, she has overseen the presentation of the Center's annual Craft Expo on the Guilford Green, and handled public relations and advertising as well as varied administrative responsibilities. In her new position she will oversee all programmatic aspects of the Center, including the school, gallery, and community outreach programs.

Hens-Kaplan has served as the Center's Finance/Technology Manager since 2003. She has been responsible for all financial procedures and reporting, as well as oversight of the Center's IT functions including the Center's website and email promotions. In her new role she will oversee the Center's facilities and general day-to-day operations.

"We are thrilled that Maureen and Suzanne have assumed leadership responsibilities at the Center," says Deborah Witten, interim president of the Center's board of directors. "They are long-time members of a small and dedicated staff, and with their institutional knowledge and community involvement, they are uniquely poised to guide the Center at this time. New class offerings, a springtime gala, and increased gallery space highlighting local artists are among the many projects the Center is undertaking," Witten says.

Belden holds an MA in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and a BA from the University of Michigan. She has served as Director of the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay & the Highlands, Curator at Storm King Art Center, as well as in positions at the St. Louis Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. Belden lives in Guilford with her husband and two school-aged children. She is also a member of the board of the Guilford Fund for Education. Hens-Kaplan holds an MBA from Sacred Heart University and a BA from the State University of New York, Albany. She has served as Business Manager at the Pine Brook (formerly Wightwood) School and has held a variety of accounting and technical support positions during her career. Hens-Kaplan, who lives with her husband in Madison, just recently applied to be a mentor in the Guilford Youth Mentoring program.