Katy Menne
President
Katy Menne moved to Astoria in 2022 to become the education director at Columbia River Maritime Museum. She has taught in informal and formal spaces for over 10 years and has been in maritime museums for eight years. She has a B.A. in history and a master’s degree in teaching, both from the University of South Carolina. Menne was recognized as the emerging museum professional of the year by the Southeastern Museums Conference in 2020. She has won awards for her technology and DEAI initiatives.
Valerie Garrett
Secretary/Treasurer
Valerie holds a B.Arch. and has built her career designing, remodeling and managing projects ranging from high-end residences to affordable housing, with a special love for preserving vintage homes. After relocating to Astoria to be surrounded by nature and historic architecture, she joined Ten Fifteen Productions as their Theater Operations Coordinator. When not traveling, Valerie can often be found volunteering with local arts and animal welfare organizations. She’s passionate about live theater, visual arts, concerts and the vibrant sense of community they create.
Jason Lambert
Jason is a native of the North Oregon Coast and has been active as a solo, acoustic guitarist/vocalist for over 30yrs. After majoring in music at Texas A&M and Portland State University, he served as the guitar and bass studies instructor for the Astoria Conservatory from 2004-2024.
Currently, he is employed at Pacific Ridge Elementary School in Title I academic intervention, and has been doing so since 2015. He has been the house musician at Hop & Vine Bottleshop and Taproom over the past 4yrs and is a fixture at the Seaside First Saturday Artwalk's featured artists reception. His passion lies in musical performance, education, and community enrichment.
Dawning McGinnis
Dawning is a multidisciplined artist who holds a double major bachelor degree from OSU in Psychology and Studio Art.
Dawning was Arcane Cellars’ Resident Artist, worked as the Administrative Coordinator and Event Director for the Wilsonville Arts and Culture Council, and was the Artist in Our Community for the City of Hillsboro. She has worked at the Walters Cultural Arts Center as an Arts Instructor, worked at 100th Monkey Art Therapy Studio as an Arts Instructor, was a ceramics lab tech for PCC, and she started her own business in 2015.
Dawning brought her business, Dawning’s Art, with her when she moved back to the Oregon Coast in 2020, where she continues to teach art, create murals, and run her design studio.
Joseph Buck
Joseph Buck is a Body Artist, with 20 years of experience, working in Clatsop County in 2025. In February 2025 he opened a studio in Seaside with the help of his partner Akiko Work and their crew at Angry Toad Tattoo & Piercing in Billings, Montana. After experiencing overwhelming demand at the shop in Seaside, he started an additional location in Downtown Astoria in November 2025. After selling their home in Montana, and closing both their business and church, Joseph and Akiko then followed the Lewis & Clark trail from Yellowstone County to Clatsop County where they have become active members of the artistic communities here along the Northern Oregon Coast.
Outside of his current “day-job,” Joseph has also had his art featured in galleries in several states, performing music with multiple punk and folk bands, worked with a variety of non-profits, cooked professionally in a variety of kitchens, and handled promotions and marketing for a wide range of businesses and events. Once upon a time even started a church! He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and parts of Mexico, and is actively involved with members of the body modification communities from around the world.
This could be you
Board application process:
- Initial conversation
- Submit an application to the person who made initial connection
- Board chats about the applicant and if we want to move forward with interviewing
- Interview with at least 2 board members
- Voted on in the next board meeting