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The Bascom Staff

Linda Steigleder, Executive Director

Initiatives during Steigleder's tenure (beginning January 2008) have included construction of The Bascom's new six acre, six building campus, improvements to educational programs and exhibitions, and capital campaign fundraising.  Steigleder brings credentials as an art historian, fund development professional, and historic site administrator. Growing up in Virginia her interests focused on landscape design, math and economics, but "one look at a Paul Cezanne painting at the National Gallery in Washington, DC, turned all that on end". Her art history master's and bachelor's degrees are from Syracuse University and The College of William and Mary. Her training includes studies with curators of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum.   Prior to The Bascom, she was director and CEO of Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT, a 152-acre estate with a premier French Impressionist paintings collection and formal gardens and earlier she was assistant director of Storm King Art Center, America's premier outdoor sculpture museum.  

Staff in alphabetical order:


Ginger Aldrich-Sweatt, Shop Associate
After years of employment with leading optical companies and subsequently opening, with her husband, a Highlands optometry and eye glass business, Ginger Aldrich-Sweatt longed for a change and came to The Bascom in 2009. She has helped set up and manage the art center's retail operations including complicated point-of-sale and inventory control systems. 

Kathy Collany, Administrative Assistant and Registrar
A Florida native and former competitive tennis player, Collany holds a Bachelor of Science degree in parks and recreation management with a concentration in resort tourism from Western Carolina University.  Her former positions include sales for Collany Properties (Winter Haven), Nantahala Realty (Highlands), and Hydro-Prop Tour, Inc.

Jessica Connor, Director of Marketing and Development
An award-winning newspaper professional, most recently editor of the Crossroads Chronicle (Cashiers, NC), and a former nonprofit public relations and major gifts director in Florida, Connor coordinates The Bascom's communications, marketing, publications and fundraising efforts. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's in English, and she taught college writing (she writes fiction in her spare time). She is active with the Cashiers Community Fund, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, and the Cashiers United Methodist Church.

Debbie Fields, Finance Director
Fields served for 15 years as CFO with Quality Logic, Inc. (Moorpark, CA) and was responsible for all facets of finance, administration, human resources and information technology. With The Bascom since October 2009, Fields is an accountant with strong family ties to the Highlands-Cashiers area.  Previously, she was a senior financial analyst with Rockwell International and Xerox Corp., and an internal control manager for Xerox.  Fields holds a master's degree in business administration and a certified professional manager.

Kaye Gorecki, Artistic Director
As Executive Director of The Bascom up until two years ago, Gorecki has worked closely with the Board to bring the organization through growth and change. Her passion is creating diverse educational experiences through the art center's changing art exhibitions.  Gorecki holds degrees in art education from the University of Central Florida (with National Board Certification in visual art, middle grades through adult) and music education from Stetson University.  An artist in her own right, she makes signature realistic architectural illustrations and mixed media creations. Gorecki is active with the Rotary Club of Highlands and she is a board member and officer of the Macon County Arts (NC) Council.

Leila Griffith, Retail Manager
Griffith came to The Bascom in 2009 on the heels of a 30 year career as a merchandising consultant.  She has worked magic for numerous clients, including as a product development consultant for The National Geographic Society catalog and its flagship retail store and as a creative consultant for the environmental products company Seventh Generation, Dove Chocolate Discoveries (a division of Mars), Scholastic Publishing, Blockbuster Entertainment, and Avon Products. She studied fine arts at Brenau University and Georgia State University.  Her grandparents kept a seasonal residence in Highlands and Griffith's family continues to summer here today.

Norma Smith Hendrix, Education Director
On staff since May 2009, Hendrix manages art instruction, public programs and volunteer engagement, delivering in six months more than 160 studio classes, workshops, lectures and presentations for children and adults.  She developed the first art program in the Highlands School in 1979 and continued to volunteer locally with children's art programs while owning a women's boutique in town.  From 2001-2009, Hendrix was on faculty in the School of Art and Design, Western Carolina University, where she taught studio art classes as well as art history. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in studio arts from Johnson State University, Vermont; a master of arts in painting and drawing, Western Carolina University; and a bachelor of fine arts in painting and drawing, Ohio State University, Athens.

Myra Hunt, Shop Associate
With a master's degree in early childhood education, Hunt was a kindergarten teacher for many years before retiring to Cashiers and exploring her talents as a master spinner and weaver. Since 2007, she has been a volunteer at The Bascom, and in 2009 she joined the staff of the Shop, where she shares not only an extensive knowledge of antiques and home decor, but also hands-on experience with arts and crafts. 

Mary James, Finance Associate
James is a certified Quickbooks Pro advisor and recently completed her associate's degree in accounting from Ashworth University.  With The Bascom since 2005, she began in bookkeeping and office management and additionally is now responsible for accounts receivable related to the art center's capital and endowment campaign and she generates related donor acknowledgements.  James is the art center's in-house computer network manager and Donor Perfect administrator.

Claire Ladensack, Marketing and Development Assistant
Recently a sales and project manager for Exposed Images Web Development (Cashiers, NC), Ladensack joined The Bascom in August 2009, where she assists with all aspects of media relations, communications and donor records management.  Previously she was Parish Administrator of the Church of the Good Shepherd (Cashiers, NC).  At The University of Georgia she majored in English literature and journalism.

Darlene Marett, Executive Assistant
Marett's career includes retail sales, nonprofit employment, and stints as a merchandize buyer for Urban Outfitters and vintage clothing distributors. She holds an associate's degree in advertising and graphics and attended Moore College of Art and the Art Institute, both in Philadelphia. She helped one of her professors start a school, A Jeweler's Way, in Canton, NC, and has worked as a blacksmithing apprentice at Norse Forge, in Asheville.  Marett is a gardener and artist.

Jim Newton, Exhibition Coordinator
Newton's marriage to a visual artist prepared him more fully for his exhibitions work at The Bascom than his previous career in banking collections receivables.  Newton joined The Bascom in February 2009 having previously held credit and credit management positions with SunTrust Bank, the National Association of Credit Management, Hagemeyer North America, and Cameron and Barkley.  His bachelor's degree from University of Florida is in public relations.

Margie Shambaugh, Volunteer Coordinator
A retired art educator and floral business owner, Shambaugh most recently managed volunteer services for the Appleton Museum (Ocala, FL). She is a member and past president of both the North Carolina International Porcelain Art Teachers Inc. and Highlands China Porcelain Artists.  Her work for The Bascom includes not only volunteer recruitment, assignments and recognition, but also floral design and garden and crafts instruction.  Shambaugh holds a bachelor's degree in fine arts from the University of Florida and a flight pilots' license.  She has studied at Penland School of Crafts and abroad.