Governor nominated, R.I. Senate confirmed 4 new members to the State's Arts Council

RHODE ISLAND, May 5 - The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) announced today that Governor McKee nominated, and the Rhode Island Senate confirmed the following appointments to the RISCA Board: Maggie Anderson, Johnston; André Herrera, Providence; Kara Kunst, Warwick; and Michael Rose, Providence. Marisa Angell Brown and long-time board members Dominique Alfandre and Jennifer Fonseca have stepped down from their roles on the Council.

"On behalf of Rhode Island, thank you to Dominique, Jennifer and Marisa for their tenure serving our arts community. I am pleased to welcome Maggie, Andre, Kara and Michael to the Council." Governor McKee said. "Commitment to our state's volunteer arts board is commendable and important to our arts and culture sector, which adds not only to the state's economy but to the well-being of Rhode Islanders."

"The Council is grateful to the Governor for nominating and the R.I. Senate for confirming these key additions to the state's arts council. I want to reiterate my appreciation to Dominique, Marisa and Jennifer for your service to this state's key community," said Lawrence Purtill, RISCA's Chair. "All four new members bring expertise and resources, which will assist us in continuing to in our momentum locally and nationally. Along with fellow Council members and RISCA staff, they will ensure arts and culture continue to play a vital role in the daily lives of Rhode Islanders."

About

Maggie Anderson, Johnston, serves as the Director of Arts and Development at Hope High School in Providence where she manages the implementation of the school's strategic redesign plan. She co-chairs the Arts, A/V, Communication Subcommittee to the Career and Technical Education Board of Trustees. She spent more than five years as the Director of Arts in Education at RISCA. During her time there, she was appointed and served as Rhode Island's first representative to the State Education Agencies Directors of Arts Education. Before joining RISCA, she held the position of Director of Education at the Newport Art Museum and had extensive experience as an educator and instructional leader in K-12 arts education. In 2022, she was named Distinguished Friend of the Rhode Island Art Education Association, and, in 2024, she received a Producer's Circle Award at the R.I. International Film Festival. She holds a master's degree in arts and cultural management/administration from Pratt Institute and a bachelor's degree from Rhode Island College.

Kara McKinley Kunst, Warwick, is a policy leader and fiber artist with more than 15 years of experience in legislative affairs and economic development. She currently serves as the Director of Policy for the Rhode Island Executive Office of Commerce, where she oversees the policy and budget team with a focus on the state's economic development strategy. During her tenure, she managed the implementation of the $45 million RI Rebounds program, supporting over 3,500 businesses in their post-pandemic recovery.

Before her work in Rhode Island, Kunst held senior roles within the Baltimore City Council, including Director of Legislative Affairs, where she managed landmark initiatives such as the Children and Youth Fund and the city's first comprehensive zoning code rewrite in 40 years.

In addition to her public service, Kunst is an accomplished fiber artist with an online resource and portfolio of original knitting patterns. Kunst holds a master's in public administration and a bachelor's from the University of Baltimore.

André Herrera, Providence, is a Rhode Island native whose career and personal mission center on uplifting and building resilient communities prepared for both current and future challenges. With a master's degree in political science from Boston College, Herrera combines academic insight with nearly a decade of public. As Director of Policy and Constituent Services for the mayor East Providence, Herrera oversees constituent affairs and manages intergovernmental relations as the primary liaison with city council, state, local and federal leaders. Herrera is passionate about restoring people's faith in their government.

Michael Rose, Providence, is an art gallerist and writer. Since 2014, Rose has served as the Gallery Manager at the historic Providence Art Club, where he oversees a complex gallery schedule spread throughout three unique exhibition spaces. Rose has also led the galleries to new sales records and earned coveted Best of Rhode Island Awards for Best Gallery in Providence seven years in a row (2019-2025). Rose also works as curator, juror and judge and has helped to craft exhibitions at other venues throughout the region. In addition to his gallery work, Rose is an active arts writer. From 2021–2025, he authored a local column on the arts, and he founded an arts news blog and weekly newsletter.

Rose earned his bachelor's in art history from Providence College and a Graduate Certificate in Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Arts from New York University. He completed AS220's Practice/Practice Residency for Arts Administrators and, in 2025, received a Rhode Island Foundation Fellowship to complete the Institute for Nonprofit Practice Core Certificate program.