Our board of directors
Jane Back - President janeback@accessthearts.net 330-350-0589
Jane Back has been a K-12 language arts teacher for the last 20 years. She has also been a business owner in Medina County and raised 3 children with her husband Steve. After coordinating several community events in Sharon Township for 9 years, she founded this non-profit as an outreach to under-served groups. She is a trustee on the Medina County Arts Council and a member of 100+ Women Who Care. She values the arts as a way to unite the community and to provide healing and joy to those who need it most.
Steve Back - Vice-President
Steve Back has been a mechanical Engineer for 30 years and is currently a Business Development Manager for New York Blower. He has been a Boy Scout Master and Firefighter in Sharon Township, and values giving back to others in his community. Steve is the business consultant, youth mentor, traffic director, supply runner, and equipment technician for the many programs AtA has held.
Janet George - Treasurer
Janet George is a small business owner who has several years of experience in food service management and catering. Prior to food service, she spent 15 combined years in managed healthcare and international finance. Janet has been involved in a number of boards and a wide range of programs- a board member of ACBC (Aluminum Cans for Burned Children), Sharon Township Firefighters' Association, Sharon Women's Club, Sharon Heritage Society, and Medina 100+ Women Who Care.
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Julie Spaite - Secretary
Julie Spaite is a resident of Montville Township with her husband and two boys. You can find her cheering her sons on at multiple baseball fields during the spring and summer months. She’s been following her passion of teaching for the last 19 years with the Highland Local School District and was named Outstanding Mathematics Educator in 2015. She enjoys multiple outdoor activities, such as gardening, which has lead her to initiate a gardening program for troubled youth at the Medina County Juvenile Detention Center. Julie is a leader at heart and enjoys brainstorming new ideas to spread music and joy to as many people, both young and old, as possible.
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Diane Dermody - Director
Retiring from Medina Co. District Library after 34 years in public service, Diane joined Access the Arts in 2020. A Hinckley resident, she has served on numerous boards in the county, including the Kidney Foundation of Medina Co., Highland Schools Facilities Board, Hinckley Chamber of Commerce and the Hinckley Zoning Commission. Diane is an alumni of Leadership Medina Co. In addition to AtA, she volunteers with the Medina Co. Health Department, Ronald McDonald House and Better Business Bureau in Akron.
Lodi Family Center Arts Classes for teens
AtA is funding several arts classes for teens, including digital art, ukulele lessons and 3D Sculpture. See our Outreach Programs page and go to https://lodifamilycenter.org/ to register.