EGAD’s passionate Board of Directors:

Preserving the past.
Igniting the present.
Shaping the future.

The Eau Gallie Arts District Main Street program is led by a volunteer Board of Directors, an Executive Committee, and an Executive Director.

Kathie J. Elías

Kathie J. Elías

EGAD Executive Director, EGAD Executive Committee Member

Kathie Elías brings a depth of cultural and non profit experience to EGAD Main Street. She is a Cultural Manager and Independent Curator with expertise in event coordination, cultural program management and curatorial services to art institutions and artists. Past positions include Museum Art School Manager at Vero Beach Museum of Art, Curator of Education at Foosaner Art Museum in Eau Gallie, and Educator at the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Ponce, Puerto Rico. In those positions, she developed classes and workshops, prepared and managed annual budgets, trained volunteers to secure efficient and effective operations, coordinated community engagement, and managed grants and scholarships. Kathie earned a Masters in Public Administration from FIT, Certification in Non-for-profit Management and Grant Writing from UCF, and a Bachelor in Arts and Humanities from Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce.

Mike McBride

Mike McBride

Chairman of the EGAD Board of Directors, EGAD Executive Committee Member

Mike McBride is the President, Chief Marketing Officer, and Owner of Cowbell Agency and award winning marketing professional. Since 2001, he and his team have served clients in technology, communications, manufacturing, health care, business services, retail, real estate, and travel as well as many local charities and non-profits in Brevard. Before moving to Brevard in1998, Mike worked as Creative Director for Nevins Marketing Group in Atlanta and Vice President of Marketing for Home Innovations in New York. He is an active community supporter with Board Memberships that have included Space Coast Advertising Federation, Brevard Workforce Development, BSO Vivace Society, Florida Public Relations Association, Founders Forum, Space Coast Ballet, Junior Achievement Space Coast, Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce, Business Voice, University of Florida School of Advertising Advisory Board, Bridges Foundation and Space Coast Office of Tourism Marketing Committee. Mike has owned commercial property in EGAD and has served on the EGAD Board multiple times.

Brian M. Stephens

Brian M. Stephens

Florida Real Estate Development and Transactional Attorney, EGAD Executive Committee Member

Brian Stephens is a transactional development and land use attorney in Dean Mead’s Real Estate Department. He works with landowners, farmers, ranchers, investors, lenders and developers to assist with all of their real estate needs. His former experience as a commercial real estate agent in central and south Florida gave him ample practical experience to help his clients find and protect value in all of the deals that he helps structure.

Donna Lynn

Donna Lynn

President and Founder of Synergia Global, Inc., EGAD Executive Committee Member

Donna Lynn provides executive consulting services to private and public sector, Strategic and operational planning and execution, Organizational change and realignment, business restructuring and transformation, Venture origination, building and structuring new businesses or operations, capital raising, Knowledge management and information solutions;, product strategy and strategic partnering, and Business development. She is an advisor to early/mid-stage firms engaged in emerging market areas, including e-business supply chain management, electronic commerce, information-education industries, and emerging info technologies.

Kelly Swartz

Kelly Swartz

Board Certified IP Attorney with Widerman Malek PL

Afton Johnson

Afton Johnson

Owner / Florist at Fern & Curl

Christina Geiger

Christina Geiger

Realtor, Co-Owner of GT Realty

Christina Geiger is Co-Founder of GT Realty and real estate professional with experience in advertising design and over 25 years of marketing experience.

Derek Gores

Derek Gores

Collage Artist / Fine art and live art experiences

Derek Gores exhibits with top galleries in Los Angeles, Paris, Quebec, New England, Miami, and more. He’s considered part of the New Contemporary Movement, playing in a post internet and post pop-art vista, letting the real, digital, and virtual worlds mingle. He builds on Dada and Surrealist ideas from the last century, especially enjoying the idea of “automatic” art and allowing chance and repetition in as part of the process. Gores’ work is inclusive and inviting, partly due to the humble disposable materials, and partly due to the artist’s drive to connect and let the viewer in. The balance of detail and playfulness in each piece reveals Gores’ knack for discovery and for building seemingly endless puzzles into his works. He received his BFA from The Rhode Island School of Design in 1993. Derek is deeply invested in his home town Eau Gallie Arts District 

Steve Gould - In Memoriam

Steve Gould - In Memoriam

Founder and CEO of NConnections

Steve has a successful history in providing guest-engagement software solutions for the hospitality industry, and the founder and CEO of NConnections. Steve launched HotAir wireless for hotels as well as the CogoBuzz marketing platform. Gould graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1984 with a bachelor’s in computer science. And worked for Harris Corporation 16 years. Steve has served on EGAD Boards multiple times.

Tisha Howard

Tisha Howard

Financial Advisor, Raymond James

Tisha joined Raymond James in May, 2010 after extensive experience in the financial services industry dating back to 1995. She is an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®) and takes a holistic planning approach that includes longevity, health, lifestyle, time and financial freedom, and legacy planning. Born in the Bronx and raised in Miami, FL, Tisha has called Palm Bay, FL home for most of her adult life. Tisha enjoys a very active life with her fiancé, Chris and her three daughters Kodi, Jami and Jordan.

Kelly Hyvonen, AICP

Kelly Hyvonen, AICP

Principal Planner/Founder at Land Development Strategies

Kelly Hyvonen, AICP is Principal Planner and Founder of Land Development Strategies, a company she created after 13 years working as a planner for the cities of Melbourne and West Melbourne. Her passion is providing friendly, understandable, and knowledgeable land planning services to any client, in any city. She is skilled in navigating government regulations, proposing strategies and solutions to everyday development challenges, and following up with thoughtful plan implementation.  

Larry Jarnes

Larry Jarnes

Northboro Builders ,Inc Managing General Partner at Relentless Private Equity Group, EGAD resident

Larry Jarnes is in the hospitality, restaurant and retail construction business. Jarnes has since owned, operated and invested in several highly successful franchises around the country. Northboro Builders evolved into building high-end custom homes and commercial build outs and has become the leading Design-Building firm for franchise development in all fifty states.

Anna Marron, M.S.A.

Anna Marron, M.S.A.

Instructor at Florida Institute of Technology, EGAD resident

Anna Marron is a Professor in the Aeronautics department at Florida Institute of Technology. She teaches aviation planning, airport design, computer-aided design, and aviation computer applications. Anna is also experienced in Land-Use Management and is an EGAD resident.

Serene McGroarty

Serene McGroarty

Public Art Consultant, Via Partnership, LLP

Serene McGroarty is a public art consultant based in Melbourne Beach, Florida. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design, as well as a Master of Arts in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University and the Sotheby's Institute of Art. She has worked with the Smithsonian Institution, Pearson, and on many private commissions and curatorial projects. McGroarty has worked with the consulting firm Via Partnership since 2013, on projects spanning from public art master plans to private hotel commissions and everything in between. Her work has run in publications such as the The Huffington Post and Art Papers magazine. Locally, McGroarty curated Derek Gores: Local Edition; a transformative, large scale, multimedia exhibition at the Foosaner Art Museum in Melbourne, Florida.

Keith Schachter

Keith Schachter

President, B2K12, EGAD Living magazine and Melbourne Beach Neighbors magazine publisher, EGAD resident

Katerin Kate Cole

Katerin Kate Cole

Owner / Operator of Elite Hair Design