Our board members oversee the work of Austin Area Arts. They help envision the future of arts and culture and keep us connected to the community. Thanks, folks.

Penny Kinney

Board President Penny Kinney has been active in Southeast Minnesota theatres—on stage and behind the scenes–for over 50 years. Her roots in the theatre were planted at Austin State Jr. College (now Riverland Community College) and in Summerset Theatre–back in 1969. She has served in every capacity in theatre from chorus member to producer. Penny was born and raised in Rose Creek, Minnesota. She worked for Hormel Foods for 35 years. Penny is fairly sure of just two things: she had a past life as an acclaimed tap dancer and that she knows every Christmas song.

Rae Dawn Rao

An analytically minded art enthusiast, Rae Dawn resides in Austin with her husband and two teen-age daughters. Manager of Regulatory Affairs for Hormel Foods, Rae Dawn is a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Our Saviors Lutheran Church. She enjoys reading, knitting, practicing yoga, and attending arts and culture events. She serves as the Board Vice President.

Erin McClimon

This Iowa native has a strict no-drama policy and serves as Treasurer. She is a Financial Analyst for Ag Leader with over 20 years experience in accounting. Erin enjoyed dance as a kid and can’t decide if her favorite musical is Wicked or My Fair Lady. Erin lives in Austin with her dog Sophie.

Rick Young

Now retired, Rick was a partner in an oral surgery practice in Austin where his dry wit put patients at ease. Rick is Board Secretary and serves on the Gambling committee. Rick shared his singing and dancing talents for years with the now-defunct Northwestern Singers. Rick and his wife Carol enjoy traveling. Rick grew up in Alaska and is Austin Area Arts’ best hope for survival in a zombie apocalypse.

Austere Apolo

Austere Apolo came to Austin from Worthington, MN to support her family’s grocery business. She now works as a Public Health Nurse at Mower County Health and Human Services. Austere is a musician and her experience learning piano in a Thai refugee camp helped her connect with peers in America by participating in band while she was learning English.

John Beckmann

An attorney and author, John Beckmann has lived in Austin since 1979. Beckmann earned both undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Minnesota. He has exceptional writing talents and practices law in the areas of products liability, personal injury, wrongful death, employment law, commercial disputes, fire, arson and construction litigation at Hoversten, Johnson, Beckmann & Hovey LLP. John was a presenting author at the Austin ArtWorks Festival 2012 and 2018.

Emily Braaten

Emily is the Gambling Manager for the organization.  Her strongest skill is being able to count out 100 pulltabs. She is a mostly stay-at-home mom raising a free-spirited daughter. Emily was a teacher for Austin Public Schools and plans to teach again soon. In her free time, she likes to garden and bike. 

Marianne Bremer

Marianne is an Austin native and is currently working as a para for Head Start. She loves to explore the world. Near and far!

Brianne Erickson

Brianne Erickson joined the Board mid-2024. She’s been an Austin MN resident for 23 years and works as a local Financial Planner with Ameriprise. With two high school aged children, her and her husband enjoy spending time watching their sporting events and taking in live music in their free time. Additions to her family also include two pups and two cats.

Zach Fadness

Austin native Zach Fadness is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Hormel Foods. Zach enjoys running and biking and can often be found on one of Austin’s trails or Mower County’s gravel roads. He enjoys taking in varying musical performances at Austin’s theaters and bars, and is very excited about the new possibilities with the Paramount Renovation.

Kandee Feist

A native of Austin, Kandee was Austin High School's inaugural "Artist of the Year" winner in 1995. She has an AA degree in Visual Communications from Brown Institute. A mom and small business owner, Kandee is co-chair of the Visual Artists Committee of Austin ArtWorks Festival. Kandee is passionate about the arts and believes it should be open and accessible to all.

An Le

An is currently a lab animal care technician at The Hormel Institute - University of Minnesota. He earned three bachelor's degree from Rutgers University in Animal Science, Biological Sciences, and Cell Biology and Neuroscience in his home state of New Jersey. During his time in undergrad, he was very involved with the arts. From theater to improv, from playing the tenor saxophone in marching band to playing violin in concert band, he would have not been able to do it all without the help of his Co-Ed Music Fraternity Mu Beta Psi. If not acting or playing an instrument, you can find him playing with his childhood Nikon camera, snapping pictures of either landscapes or space. Now a days, he is active in the City of Austin Human Rights Commission and focuses on promoting DEI initiatives. If he's not working or assisting the city, you can find him reading books such as Fourth Wing, A Court of Thrones and Roses, and Zodiac Academy, playing with his cute little corgi named Bailey, or streaming on Twitch where he is sponsored by organizations such as Logitech and Xbox.

Michelle Lilly

Michelle Lilly recruits new talent for Hormel Foods Corp. An aspiring comedian, Michelle is recovering from working as an accountant for an oil and gas company for more than a decade. In her downtime, Michelle enjoys binge-watching TV with her husband but she does not know what is for dinner so just don’t ask, ok?

Shannon Salinas

Shannon Salinas joined the board in the fall of 2024. She is an Austin native with a passion for community through the arts. Shannon is an avid reader and enjoying running and traveling with her husband every chance she gets.

Advisory Corps

These community leaders are available on an as-needed basis to offer support and expertise to Austin Area Arts.

Randy Kramer, retired Financial Advisor

Isaac Leyk, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Hormel Foods

Belita Schindler, retired Interior Designer

Dom Venzant, Arts Faculty at Riverland Community College