OUR PEOPLE

Sarah Barr | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sarah is a dedicated advocate for the arts, known for her transformative work in building communities and raising funds in the nonprofit sector. With a BA in Studio Art and a Master in Art Education, Sarah combines her passion for the arts with her extensive leadership experience.

Before joining Wild Goose Creative, Sarah spearheaded multiple successful capital campaigns, breathing new life into abandoned historic buildings and turning them into vibrant cultural arts centers in rural communities across Ohio. Her commitment to revitalizing these spaces has left a lasting impact on the local arts scene.

With over 15 years of nonprofit leadership under her belt, Sarah has consistently demonstrated her ability to raise over $15 million for the arts and culture industry. She firmly believes that when artists thrive, communities thrive.

Sarah's core mission is to advocate for artists and make the arts accessible to local residents in their own neighborhoods. Her unwavering dedication to the Columbus arts community has made her a driving force in the region, and she continues to lead with passion and purpose at Wild Goose Creative.

sarah@wildgoosecreative.com

LYDIA GOKEY | GALLERY ASSISTANT

Lydia is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Arts management currently she is working on a Master of Arts in Art Education with a specialization in Museum Education and Administration.

Lydia has been around the arts her entire life, from a young age, she knew that the arts were an integral part of society and wanted to continue her work in this field. 

Within her academic studies, Lydia is focused on serving  communities that are underserved and need more accessibility to the arts. Her passion for the arts lies in equitable curriculums and community outreach.

lydia@wildgoosecreative.com

Our Board of Directors advocate for art in Columbus and guide the organization with their talents, time and pocketbooks.

Jillian Woltz
PRESIDENT

Jillian Woltz is the Director of Trade & Distribution at Spacestation CPG - a brokerage in the grocery world. She holds both a BA in Urban, Regional & Global Geography and a BS in Anthropological Sciences from Ohio State University. She has extensive experience in the nonprofit world and is a long-time supporter of the Columbus arts community and Wild Goose Creative. She is passionate about food-focused photography, modern design & color, queer geography, comedy, writing & film and has been playing soccer for more than 25 years. She's a fan of all things Columbus and is proud to support place-makers and anyone building community.

Madalynn Conkle

Madalynn champions art and education through technology, accessibility, and community building. Her work as Project Coordinator at Cambium Assessment is to help governments and educators use data to inform instruction, policy and growth in K-12 classrooms. She has volunteered at Wild Goose Creative since 2021 and is involved in the Curation and Made By Us committees. Madalynn's arts nonprofit experience includes working in Development for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Additionally, she has managed or collaborated on numerous arts and community projects with The Ohio State University as part of the student nonprofit Ohio Staters, Inc. Originally from Ashland, Ohio, Madalynn earned her B.A. in English literature and economics from The Ohio State University.

CHERYL HARRISON

Cheryl Harrison is a passionate supporter of the Columbus community, including through her gaming group Beers & Board Games Club, which has raised over $150,000 for local non-profits. She is also the co-founder of the Columbus Ale Trail and was the editor of the locally renowned blog Drink Up Columbus for over a decade. 

Roman Suer
Vice President | development Cochair

Roman currently serves as the Arts Scholars Program Manager at The Ohio State University and enjoys exploring the interdisciplinary relationships that exist within the broad umbrella of the arts, as well as between the arts and other disciplines. He was fortunate to have performed and toured internationally with Azaguno, a nonprofit company that aims to preserve and perform traditional and contemporary African American, Caribbean, and Latin American music and dance, while pursuing his studies at Ohio University. At OU he studied Organizational Communication and Global Leadership during his undergraduate years, and then earned his Master of Public Administration with a focus in Environmental Sustainability.

Jimmy Mackey
Secretary | Governance Chair

Jimmy Mackey is an attorney with The Legal Aid Society of Columbus. By day, Jimmy provides free legal services to low income people throughout Central Ohio. Jimmy helps run a free legal clinic inside the eviction court in which he directly represents low income tenants facing eviction. Outside of work, Jimmy sells vintage clothing online, while curating his own obsessive vintage shoe collection.

Tynita M White

Tynita serves as a Policy Analyst in Columbus Public Health’s Center for Public Health Innovation where she works to advance policy, programs, and services that improve health and equity. She is a Columbus native and a two-time alumna of Ohio University where she earned her B.A. in Political Science and Master of Public Administration from the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs. When not digging into policy, you can find Tynita biking around the city, listening to jazz, or enjoying a craft beer.

SOWMYA SASTRI

Sowmya most recently worked as a civil rights attorney at The Bloom Firm where she fought for survivors of sexual harassment, abuse, workplace discrimination, and police brutality. She previously worked at Columbus State Community College as a TItle IX Coordinator and Project Advisor to the President. Before moving to Columbus, OH, Sowmya worked as a public defender at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (NDS) where she defended parents against the State of New York’s Administration for Children’s Services and fought to end forced family separation. Prior to practicing law, Sowmya worked in public and private K-12 schools in Chicago, IL focusing on literacy work and counseling. She is a Chicago native and lover of all things Chicago--i.e. Chance the Rapper, the Chicago Bulls, and everyday of summertime Chi. Outside of work, Sowmya enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and discovering new music. 


AARON SMART
marketing chair

Aaron is a Columbus, Ohio native and proud UC DAAP alumni. He spends most of his time behind screens - designing, modeling, and rendering retail environments. In his downtime, he can be found shaking up daiquiris or wrenching on jeeps and vintage mountain bikes.

MAURICE STEVENS

Maurice Stevens, a professor in the Department of Comparative Studies at the Ohio State University, is also Associate Dean for Engagement for the College of Arts and Sciences. Stevens teaches theories and methods of interdisciplinary cultural and technological studies. Their university service spans university departments, colleges, centers, and initiatives including Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, the STEAM Factory a transdisciplinary space for collaborative knowledge production, the Ohio State University Senate, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, African American and African Studies, and Theater, Film, and Media Arts. Stevens brings expertise in designing interdisciplinary and engaged research methodologies, participatory leadership processes, and community-driven social justice informed research to their scholarly and systems enhancement efforts.