Our Staff

Mary McNamara Bernsten is a born-and-raised Rockfordian. Serving as Director of the Rockford Area Arts Council since 2020, Mary has spent the past 30 years creating art, teaching art, and developing opportunities in the arts in the Rockford Region. After spending nearly ten years in Wisconsin for school and jobs, Mary returned to Rockford and got involved in the community through the League of Women Voters, founding and running I HEART ART Art Camps, Women’s March Rockford, coaching basketball, the YMCA, and her neighborhood. She was elected to the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County, serving from 2010-2016. Mary and her husband Ben have four sons, all students or graduates of RPS205. Mary is a tennis nut and loves to buy more plants than there is dirt to plant them. In her role at the Arts Council and in her personal life, bridgebuilding is Mary’s favorite pastime.

Kayla is a proud Rockford local! She has traveled the country and the world working in the arts for the past 10 years and is excited to bring her experiences to the Arts Council. Kayla brings enthusiasm for the arts and a passion for bringing people together and looks forward to partnering with local community members and organizations to develop arts programming in our region.

Rhiannon is a Rockford native, working visual artist, and children’s art and yoga teacher.  She is an active member of the local art community and brings enthusiasm and passion to her work; connecting artists and community members together.