Staff and Advisory Council

Since 2000, Auer has been with the University of Florida Performing Arts. During this time, she expanded community engagement programs, developed performance management and patron-focused operation and retention systems, produced numerous special events and participated in strategic plan development and implementation for the university. Through her work with boards of directors, community leaders and major donors, she matched passions with projects and programs to strengthen the arts at UF and within the local community.

Auer has served as a presenter and panelist for numerous regional and national arts organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, the International Society for the Performing Arts and South Arts Performing Arts Exchange. She has held leadership positions with numerous organizations dedicated to cultural exchange, including the Arts Presenters Inaugural Leadership Development Initiative and has led Center Stage Cultural Diplomacy site visits and interviews. She has also presented for numerous organizations on topics related to the arts in medicine and health care, and serves as a team member with the Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases.

Auer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from Louisiana State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre management from Florida State University.

Mary Anne Redding is a visual arts curator and writer; she serves as the senior curator of the Turchin Center. She recently completed an M.A. in Creative Leadership from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Additionally, she holds a B.A. in English Literature from Ohio University, an M.A. in Arts Administration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, an M.L.S. from the University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana, and an advanced certificate in Museum Studies from Arizona State University. She has written and published numerous essays on photography and contemporary art. Before taking her most recent post as the Curator at the Turchin Center, Redding was the Curator at the Sioux City Art Center in Sioux City, Iowa, for 13 months. Redding previously served for nearly 6 years as the Curator at the Turchin Center. Past positions include working as the Curator of the Marion Center for Photographic Arts and the Chair of the Photography Department at Santa Fe University of Art & Design, and as the Curator of Photography for the Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum. Redding has more than forty years experience working as a curator, archivist, librarian, educator, and arts administrator. Her publications include A Country No More: Rediscovering the Landscapes of John James Audubon with photographer Krista Elrick (2021); Gila: Radical Visions/The Enduring Silence with photographer Michael Berman (2012); the introduction for Light in the Desert: Photographs from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, photographs by Tony O’Brien and an essay by Christopher Merrill (2011); Through the Lens: Creating Santa Fe (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2009); and, Grasslands/Separating Species an exhibition catalog for 516 ARTS in Albuquerque, New Mexico; as well as an essay in Land/Art New Mexico, published by Radius Press in 2010.

A Boone native, Melody’s love for the arts began in high school as an usher at Horn in the West. While earning her BA at UNC-Chapel Hill, she worked with Carolina Performing Arts, interned at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and later returned to CPA for full-time work. The 2009 financial crisis shifted her path, leading her to earn an MA in Political Science from App State in 2011, which opened up irresistible travel opportunities. Her worldview was profoundly shaped through research and data work for non-profits in East Africa, Haiti, and other crisis-stricken nations. Returning to Boone in 2017, Melody engaged in business as a realtor and by acquiring two iconic local businesses. In early 2024, she sold her businesses and joined the Office of Arts Engagement. She is truly delighted to be helping bring art to her beloved Boone.

Christy has a passion for arts and learning. Since 2012, she has facilitated education programs for the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, including the APPlause! K-12 Performing Arts Series. Influenced at an early age by arts education, Christy pursued a vocation that promotes learning in and through the arts and connecting university arts resources to community members of all ages. She works closely with university faculty and staff, community organizations, and the network of public, private and home-schools across a ten-county region. Christy has held positions in public schools and arts organizations. She has a B.S. in theatre arts education and an M.A. in arts administration.

After several years of leading the TCVA Open Studio workshops and photographing gallery events, shauna (she/her) joined the full-time staff in 2019. shauna is an artist, educator, curator, and scholar who uses multimedia and photographic processes to honor land, familial connections, sacred relationships, and transformation. Through her work, she explores collaborative opportunities for the expansion of Appalachian placemaking through the arts and loving community. She received BFAs in both Studio Art and Art Education, an MA in Appalachian Studies, and an advanced graduate certificate in Non-profit Administration at Appalachian State University.

Since moving to the High Country in 2009, Lindsay has spent over a decade in the nonprofit sector and has developed a strong passion for giving back to the community. She is responsible for securing gifts to the Turchin Center that help sustain its programs, recognizing these valued gifts, connecting with members to fully engage them in the work of the center and interfacing with organizations that collaborate with center. She volunteers her time with nonprofits focusing on education, land conservation and human services, and is passionate about philanthropy that helps to connect people to causes that matter to them. Lindsay holds a B.S in communications with a minor in marketing.

A lifelong North Carolina resident and 2024 graduate of Appalachian State University, Lindsay fell in love with Boone on her first visit. She was a W.H. Plemmons Leadership Scholar and earned a B.A. in theatre arts with a concentration in design and technology and a minor in leadership studies. With a background in performance, the arts have always been a part of her life. During her undergraduate studies, Lindsay was the stage manager for six mainstage productions with the Department of Theatre and Dance. She also served as the public relations chair for the Lambda Zeta chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the national theatre honor society.

Lindsay’s passion is live productions. Prior to joining Appalachian State full-time, she was a member of the backstage crew for the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and An Appalachian Summer Festival from 2022 through 2024. In her new role as administrative assistant with the Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources, she supports a variety of functions for both the Turchin Center and Schaefer Center, including direct administrative support of the Executive Director and Director of Business Services in addition to other staff and advisory boards. Lindsay loves working to contribute to the creation of environments where all artists can shine both on and off the stage and in and out of the gallery.

Melinda joined Appalachian State University in the fall of 2016 and in addition to her position at the Turchin Center, she also serves as director of development for the Office of Arts and Cultural Programs and the Hayes School of Music. Prior to her arrival at Appalachian State, she served as the director of alumni relations at Valdosta State University, and as the director of development at Thomas University, in Thomasville, GA. Melinda is a graduate of Valdosta State University and Andrew College, where she majored in sociology with a double minor in criminal justice and biology.

Allie-Grace Poupore (she/her) joined the full-time staff as the Curatorial Assistant in September 2024. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Diversity Studies and a minor in Sociology in May 2024. While completing her degree, she worked at TCVA for 3 years in various positions including, Visitor Services Assistant, Gallery Ambassador Advisor, Workshop Instructor, and Gallery Ambassador. As the Curatorial Assistant, she works closely with the curatorial team and artists to install exhibitions. Additionally, she performs administrative and research tasks and updates the exhibition archives. Allie-Grace is passionate about making art and education easily accessible for all populations and engaging for all audiences.

Lisa joined the Turchin team in December 2022. As the Budget Manager, Lisa assists and works closely with The Associate Director, Karen Trefz, developing and managing budgets for both the Turchin Center and Office of Arts and Cultural Programs. She is responsible for budget/fund and procurement card reconciliations, financial reports, disbursements, purchasing and contracts. Lisa is pleased and compassionate to be part of the Turchin Center Team.