Meet our new executive director…

The Board of Directors of Glynn Visual Arts is pleased to announce the naming of our new Executive Director, Kari Morris, who will lead us in fulfilling our current strategic plan emphasizing high quality far-reaching arts education, long term financial stability, member and volunteer appreciation, and heightened brand awareness. 

Many of you know Kari from her regular presence and volunteering at GVA. She has served in multiple leadership positions since 2022, including Board Member, Board President, and chair of the Fundraising and Hospitality committees. Kari has been instrumental in promoting our long term fiscal health, most recently in her ongoing work to establish the St. Simons Island Wine Festival as GVA's annual, flagship fundraiser.

As Kari takes over the helm at GVA, she is committed to working closely with GVA leaders and membership to align all new initiatives with our vision and mission to enrich our community through participation in, and support of, visual arts. 

“I’ve always valued the arts, and so I joined GVA to explore my potential for artistic expression,” said Kari. “To my delight, I found a vibrant community full of generous spirits willing to share and encourage...everyone from renowned artists to PhDs and even amateurs like me. I’ve always felt welcome, and I’m excited to extend that open door to new groups and individuals throughout the Golden Isles.” 

GVA Board President, Toni Bagala, shares her sentiment: “As our community’s oldest and most esteemed arts organization, GVA is well poised to expand our membership and programming—and our impact—throughout the county. The Board and I are united in our confidence in Kari to make this a reality, while also achieving other critical objectives for our small, but mighty, institution.”

Kari has an accomplished background in small business management. For several years, she was chef and owner of a restaurant in the North Georgia mountains, where she and her husband, Jerry, lived for 20 years before relocating to St. Simons Island in 2017. Kari enjoyed fulfilling other roles in business, organizational communications, and public relations. She holds a degree in journalism from The University of Texas at Austin.

Speaking to her new endeavor as the leader of GVA, Kari said “I am thrilled to be entrusted with this opportunity to lead an organization with such an accomplished past and unlimited potential.”

Kari looks forward to hearing from our membership and community. She may be reached at kari@glynnvisualarts.org or at 912-638-8770.