CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH
VIRGINIA BEACH ARTS AND HUMANITIES COMMISSION
OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
201 Market Street, Ste. 204
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757) 385-2526 Fax: (757) 493-5450
www.VBgov.com/arts
COMMISSIONER MEMBER BIOS
Rose P. Daria (term ends 6/30/18)
Rose has served on the Arts and Humanities Commission since 2009. She served on the Tidewater Ballet Academy’s
Board of Directors and trained in Ballet and Jazz for ten years. Rose recently retired from the medical profession after
30 years. Among her civic, social and spiritual affiliations are: Founding member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church; Founder
and Director of the School of Creative and Performing Arts; serves on the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of
the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater, Inc., VA; Past President of the Filipino Women’s Club of
Tidewater, Inc.; Founder of the Philippine Nurses Association of Virginia and Founder and Advisor for the Mrs.
Philippines and Court Society of VA.
Juanita Felton (term ends 6/30/18)
Juanita earned her BVBA in ED – majors, History and Social Science and MST in Sociology through an NSF grant. She
dedicated 40 years to secondary education – US and World History, Sociology, Anthropology, Government, Gifted
Education and worked in VBCPS as a Resource Teacher for Gifted and helped establish the Legal Studies Academy at First
Colonial High School. She has presented at state, national, and International Conferences – including: NY, DC, Toronto,
Hong Kong, Beijing. Juanita was married to Thomas A. Felton, Jr. for 36 years. She has been a member of the Virginia
Beach Arts and Humanities Commission, off and on, for 30 years (she and her husband, Tom, would serve after each
other). Her hobbies include gardening, collecting art and Teddy Roosevelt memorabilia, cooking, attending/supporting
theatre and traveling.
Carolyn S. Garrett, Vice-Chair (term ends 6/30/16)
Carolyn is a retired Principal, Assistant Principal and Teacher. She is an Adjunct Professor and speaks on educational
leadership and community involvement. She was State Reading Principal of the Year. She has been an education
advocate for ten years in the General Assembly and has served as Director and Vice President of Virginia Beach Sister
Cities. Carolyn is also the Co-Developer of Character Approach to Problem Solving. She was voted Hampton Roads
Outstanding Professional Woman. Carolyn has been involved in musical drama for fifteen years and is currently ViceChair of the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.
Elliott C. Jones (term ends 6/30/17)
E.C. Jones is a painter and art professor residing in Virginia Beach. He studied at the Tyler School of Art, Temple
University, Philadelphia, in 1969 and earned his BA degree in Fine Arts from then Norfolk State College in 1974,
graduating magna cum laude. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing from The Ohio State
University, Columbus, Ohio in 1976. His work has been selected for national and regional juried exhibitions across the
United States.
Mr. Jones has thirty-seven years of experience in higher education, teaching a variety of courses in drawing, painting,
and design, including graduate courses. He was an Artist-in-Residence in Prince Edward County Schools for the Virginia
Commission for the Arts in 1977 and served on the art faculty of Norfolk State University from 1977 to 1992 – holding
the position of Graduate Program Director for Visual Studies, 1987 to 1992. He is currently an Associate Professor of Art
at Old Dominion University where he coordinates the programs in Painting and Drawing & Design as well as the area of
Foundations. During his twenty-two years at ODU, he has served as Graduate Program Director for Visual Studies and is
currently the Art Department’s Chief Departmental Advisor.
During his very active history of service to the community, he has promoted numerous programs and activities in
support of artists, conducted community arts workshops, organized exhibitions and judged art shows. He was a
member of the Virginia Beach Center for the Arts Board for six years. Mr. Jones, a former Chair, has been a member of
the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission for a combined total of fourteen years.
Brian Kirwin, Chair (term ends 6/30/15)
Brian Kirwin is a professional political consultant and government relations expert for Kirwin Development Strategies.
Brian has managed over 35 victorious political campaigns and has led approvals for many major projects ranging from
sporting venues to arts organizations and many other developments. As an actor, Brian has appeared in over two dozen
theatrical productions and several national television series and has begun to direct the stage in Virginia theater. He
first served on the Virginia Beach Performing Arts Center committee and was appointed to the Arts and Humanities
Commission in 2008.
Martha S. McClees, Secretary (term ends 6/30/16)
A lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Martha McClees is the Executive Director of Virginia Beach Vision, Inc., a nonpartisan, issue-oriented business organization. Having previously served as the Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator
for the City of Suffolk and as the Vice President for Governmental Affairs for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce,
she provides a long working affiliation with our elected officials and area business leadership. Martha's connection to
the arts in Hampton Roads began in grade school as a ballet student and continued to develop into a career goal with
her attending the North Carolina School of the Arts in high school and culminating with receiving her Bachelor's degree
in Fine Arts from Texas Christian University. Her arts affiliations later shifted to a volunteer role having served on the
Cultural Alliance of Hampton Roads Board of Directors and as the staff liaison to the Suffolk Fine Arts Commission. She
continues to serve on the boards of the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival and Virginia Musical Theatre. She was
appointed by City Council to the Virginia Beach Arts & Humanities Commission in 2009.
Sally Saunders (term ends 6/30/17)
Sally graduated from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro with a Bachelor of Music Degree and continued in
post graduate music studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She was a Teacher and Music Supervisor in
the North Carolina Public School system. Sally was a soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah, and lead role in “The Nativity
According to St. Luke.” She also performed with Bellissima, a professional women’s chorale and did two separate choir
tours to Austria and Italy. Her experiences also include choral participation in a Mass with Pope Benedict XVI in St.
Peter’s Basilica. She served as President of Symphonicity league and emcee for the “noted author dinner” featuring
prominent nationally recognized authors. In addition, she is a former real estate agent and retired as relocation
director. Sally served on the Board of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads. She currently serves on the
Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and is Chair of the Advocacy Committee.