Wendy Underhill is the director for elections and redistricting at the National Conference of State Legislatures, headquartered in Denver. She has been with NCSL for 11 years, covering how America votes, and more recently, the census and redistricting. During election years, she follows state political changes—and notes that state politics is not always aligned with federal politics. Her mantra for 2020 was “Be Calm.” For 2021, it is “Stay Calm.” 

NCSL Website

Ann Marie Miller is Director of Advocacy & Public Policy for the ArtPride NJ Foundation and served as its Executive Director for 20 years. Prior to joining ArtPride, Ann Marie was Director of Development at McCarter Theatre, a Tony-award winning regional theatre and performing arts center, and Grants Coordinator at the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.  Ann Marie is a trustee of Arts Ed New Jersey, Young Audiences of NJ & Eastern PA, the South Jersey Cultural Alliance, and Chair of the Hightstown Cultural Arts Commission in her hometown.  A recipient of the 2015 Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award from Americans for the Arts, Ann Marie is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia with a B.S. in Art Education.

ArtPrideNJ Website

Jennifer Jones has served as an advocate, administrator, and programmer in the arts and culture industry for 20 years. As executive director of Bay Arts Alliance, she led the organization in the management and programming of a 2,500-seat performing arts center as well as a visual arts facility with multiple exhibit and educational spaces. With audiences reaching approximately 100,000 annually, she was instrumental in the coalescence of Bay County, Florida’s cultural constituency.   She is a graduate of Florida State University’s School of Music and alumni of the Disney Institute and Universität Lüneburg, Goethe Institute Arts Management and Leadership Programs.  

She has a deep conviction that the arts and culture are a path to vitality and well-being for every individual and the state of Florida. 

Florida Cultural Alliance Website

Jay Dick is the Senior Director of State and Local Government Affairs at Americans for the Arts where he works to educate and inform elected officials about the value of the arts and culture.  As a twenty-five-year veteran of K Street, Capitol Hill, the private sector, and federal, state, and local campaigns, Jay has a broad body of knowledge in the field of arts policy, government, the legislative process, and grassroots advocacy.  

With the mandate to positively affect the policies that promote state and local funding and expansion of the arts, Jay works closely with the Americans for the Arts’ members, local arts agencies, state arts advocacy organizations, state arts agencies and other key stakeholders to accomplish this goal.  Further, he oversees Americans for the Arts’ Public Partnerships and works closely with the members and staffs of the Western Governors Association, National Governors Association, National Lt. Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislators, National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities and ICMA (city/county managers).

Jay is a past Commissioner for the Virginia Commission for the Arts and he also served on the Board of ARTSFAIRFAX where he chaired their advocacy committee. 

Advocacy for the arts is his job but also his passion.