Kathy James was named as the new Executive Director of the Arts Council of the Twin Counties on March 5 by Council President, Carol Morris.

She succeeds Penny Moseley, who is leaving the Arts Council to pursue a new adventure in magazine publishing.

A native of Georgia, Kathy was educated at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and Georgia State University in Atlanta. She lived in Missouri before moving to Washington, D.C. and Maryland. "I'm delighted to be back in the real South," she says. "Galax has long been a favorite place for my husband and me."

Kathy's previous work has involved conceptualizing, organizing, and presenting public programs. In St. Louis she was one of the founders of the Frontier Folklife Festival, presented on the grounds of the Gateway Arch. In Washington she organized international tours by performing artists to Asia, Africa, the South Pacific, and the Near East for the Arts America Program of the United States Information Agency. Also in Washington, she directed a continuing education program for adults with a focus on arts and the humanities, wellness, and travel.

Her most recent work was with the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies as an academic and special events program planner. She organized seminars for members of the diplomatic community and military and civilian leaders from nations in the NESA region.

The Arts Council of the Twin Counties was established in 1987 serving Carroll and Grayson Counties and the City of Galax.

The Arts Council believes that art is important to the life of a community and nourishes human development. The oganization's purpose is to promote communication, cooperation and mutual support of the arts in the Twin Counties, serve as a liaison between the arts and businesses, government and educational institutions and provide educational services for and about the arts.

The Arts Council is partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts , the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, the City of Galax, the Town of Hillsville, Carroll and Grayson Counties. For more information you may call (276) 238-1217 or go online to www.artsculturalcouncil.org.