Our Board of Directors

Jon Blinder | President

With 20 years of Board experience, Jon was President of the Board of Directors for The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley for almost 9 years out of his 13 in service. He has deep experience working in Public Benefit Corporations, including organizational, fund development and public outreach. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Hospice of the Foothills, and of the Board of Directors at Nevada County Economic Resource Council – representing the arts community through his role with NCArts. Originally from New York, Jon has lived in Nevada County for almost 30 years and currently lives in Nevada City. He is the only remaining founding member of Nevada County Arts Council in its current form. Jon chairs our Executive, Fund Development and Board Development Committees.

Robin Parisse

Robin brings over 30 years of cross industry experience in technology, consumer products, and retail to her work. She helps individuals and organizations bridge the gaps to achieve as they navigate change. As a Media Therapist, Robin helps organizations relieve the disorder and chaos associated with Digital Asset Management (DAM), Media Asset Management (MAM), Product Information Management (PIM), and data management projects. Robin’s client experience ranges from start-ups to enterprise organizations across industries including Hachette Book Group, Mohawk Industries, Illumination Entertainment, Apple, Wells Fargo, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and more. Robin graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She serves on the advisory boards of World Pulse, Land of Verse, and Nevada City Film Festival.

Amber Jo Manuel

Amber Jo Manuel is a visionary nonprofit leader with over two decades of experience advancing major cultural and educational institutions, including Roundabout Theatre, A.C.T., the California Academy of Sciences, and Berkeley Rep. As Executive Director of The Center for the Arts, she led a $6.1 million renovation, guided the organization through COVID-19, and expanded programs reaching thousands. Her leadership includes a $33 million theater project for A.C.T. and groundwork for Berkeley Rep’s $50 million campaign. Amber Jo has grown arts education from 60 to 4,000 students annually and launched initiatives like Shakespeare in the Park and a global Indigenous arts program. Having raised over $100 million, she combines strategic vision, community impact, and contagious enthusiasm for the arts.

Donn K Harris

Donn’s most recent position, prior to moving to Nevada County, was as Director of Creativity at San Francisco Unified School District, and before this, from 2007, was Executive and Artistic Director of the Oakland School for the Arts. Earlier, Mr. Harris served as the Principal of the San Francisco School of the Arts, where he created a sister school, The Academy of Arts and Sciences, offering the arts to students without prior experience. Mr. Harris received his BA and MA in Theatre Arts from CSULA, and holds teaching credentials in English and Special Education. Governor Jerry Brown appointed Mr. Harris to the California Arts Council in January 2014, where he served three successive terms as its Chair. Mr. Harris also serves as the Vice President of the National Arts Schools Network and is on the board of the Engineers Alliance for the Arts. He is a writer and thought leader, and also serves the board of directors for Color Me Human.

Shelly Covert

Shelly is Secretary and Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council; Nisenan Coordinator at the Nevada County Firehouse No. 1 Museum; and Executive Director, California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP). In these roles, respectively, she nourishes the cultivation of Nisenan culture, ensures the documentation of Tribal histories and genealogies; and oversees research, documentation, preservation and protection of California Indigenous culture more broadly. She is a musician – performing regularly across the county.  Shelly is a key consultant for us on a number of our programs, ensuring respectful engagement with our Tribal peoples and key teamwork within our OF/BY/ALL initiative within our California Cultural Districts and across the county.

Abdul Leblanc

Abdul currently works with Telestream as a Support Specialist, but he has a diverse background, in verbal and non-verbal expression, surrounded by artist and with a strong background in music, having been Tour Manager for Manphibian Inc. in Los Angeles. Abdul serves on our internally focused Committee for Cultural Equity, and on our public facing Community of Practice for Equity in the Arts for Creative Sector Leadership, and is an NU Alum.

Catharine Bramkamp

Catharine Bramkamp is Chief Storytelling Officer for various organizations across California, including - closer to home - Nevada County Economic Resource Council. She is also a writing coach, author of 15 books, a poetry anthology editor, and conference organizer. She and her husband Andrew Hutchins, raised two boys in Sonoma County where she worked for United Way of the Wine Country, Sonoma State University, the wine industry and taught at three universities. A world traveler, her favorite countries invariably include a thriving wine and beer culture.

Cassandra Robertson

Cassie is Community Outreach Manager at Bright Futures for Youth, and has diverse experience in hospitality, investment banking and architecture operations. Cassie is widely travelled, but returned home to Nevada County in 2016 with a commitment to community, particularly in the arts and arts education for young people. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature from San Francisco State University.

Jeannie Wood

Jeannie is Executive Director at Community Asian Theatre of The Sierra and founded its Cultural Enrichment programs. Born to immigrant parents in San Francisco’s Chinatown, she was active in many nonprofits in the Bay Area prior to moving to Nevada County.  Jeannie has worked as an English as a Second Language instructor and job developer for Asian adult immigrants, and is a torchbearer for Asian-American youth across Northern California.

Brandon Greathouse

Brandon "GR8" Greathouse is a musician, DJ, emcee, dancer, community builder, and all around music lover. His love for music gave him the ability to travel the US as the official host for World of Dance, not only as the man with the mic, but as a headliner and DJ. All while running two dance studios that have brought culture and life to the cities of Sacramento and Truckee. His charismatic way of teaching empowered his students with confidence, self worth, and the ability to work as a team. With six years of festival performances overseas, the stage is his comfort zone, from rocking mics with his lyrical abilities, to making the crowds jump from the energy he brings on the turntables.