Lake George Arts Project is pleased to announce the appointment of Tanya Tobias-Tomis as Executive Director, following the retirement of John Strong.
Tanya Tobias-Tomis has close to two decades of non-profit experience, including 12 years at Saratoga Arts, most recently in her role as Associate Director. Her accomplishments there were many, including contributing to a significant growth in Saratoga Arts’ audience and revenue. She was also responsible for many of their projects, including their [email protected] + Home program, and the immensely popular First Night Saratoga.
Prior to this, Tobias-Tomis was Education Coordinator at The Hyde Collection. In addition, she sits on a number of Boards, where she shares her knowledge and expertise in non-profit and arts management. These include The Adirondack Folk School, The Hudson River Mill Museum, and the steering committee for the Saratoga County EOC’s Latino Advocacy Program’s Estamos Aqui fundraiser.
The search for John Strong’s replacement began in the summer of 2019, after he announced his plans to retire at the end of the year.
“On behalf of the Board, I am so pleased to have found a person of Tanya’s caliber to take over the reins of this storied organization”, says Todd Rehm, President of Lake George Arts Project’s Board. “She has very large shoes to fill as John Strong has been our Executive Director for the past 40 years. We are certain that her experience, connections and personality will serve our organization well. We look forward to welcoming her to the helm and to making her transition as smooth as possible.”
Tanya Tobias-Tomis is no stranger to the work of the organization. “I’ve admired the work of John and the Lake George Arts Project team since I began working in the arts and have always been so amazed at the quality of the events I’ve attended in the past, like Jazz Weekend, Summer Concerts in the Shepherd Park and exhibitions in the Courthouse Gallery. I’m so excited to be a part of an organization that has made so many contributions to, and has had such a positive impact on the regional arts scene.”
Tanya Tobias-Tomis will step into the new role in late January, with John Strong staying on through January in order to assist with the transition.
“I’m thrilled that Tanya will be leading LGAP. She has a great background in the arts, has many connections in the Lake George region, and is very familiar with our programs and activities,” Strong says. “Tanya will hit the ground running with our biggest fundraiser of the year, Bands ‘n Beans, set for March 29 at Fort William Henry in Lake George.”
A retirement celebration for John Strong is being planned during Lake George Arts Project’s annual Spring Golf Tournament. Details will be announced in upcoming months.