Indiana Arts Commission announces new team members & staffing changes

The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) has added several key staff members, with an additional staff member stepping into a new role.

Lydia Campbell-Maher joined the IAC in February as the Communities Services Manager. In this newly created role, she works to support communities around the state through the Every County Funded, Creative Convergence, Poet Laureate, and Creative Community Pathways programs. She is also working to co-manage the IAC’s accessibility efforts. She was born and raised in Indianapolis. She earned her BMA in Music Business at DePauw University, MA in Ethnomusicology from U.C.C. in Ireland, and is a PhD Candidate in Ethnomusicology at Indiana University. She has over 15 years of experience working in non-profits including service at ArtMix, Arts for Learning, Habitat for Humanity, and Traditional Arts Indiana. She has worked with the IAC in the past as a member of the Strategic Framework Advisory Committee and a member of the 2023 On-Ramp Cohort.

Austin Hendricks joined the IAC in April 2024 as the new Administrative Assistant. At the IAC, he is responsible for office management, including archiving, scheduling and managing public meetings, and overseeing travel. He was born and raised in Marion and grew up studying the performing arts at organizations around the state. He is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University where he received a BA in Writing and a BS in Theatre. Prior to joining the IAC, he served as a professional theater technician for several years. He is passionate about all forms of art (particularly theater and performance art), community engagement, and arts education.

Gwendolyn Pickett joined the IAC in May as the Communications Manager. In her role, she sources and creates content designed to engage audiences and articulate the IAC’s mission, programming, and impact through social media, artist and community newsletters, and other outreach efforts. An Indiana native, she attended Indiana University Bloomington where she received a BA in Journalism. She said she is thrilled to bring her passion for digital marketing and storytelling to her position at the IAC.

In addition to the new team members, an IAC employee has stepped into a new role.

Stephanie Pfendler was recently promoted to the Financial Operations Manager position. She has been with the IAC since 2015, previously serving as the agency’s Executive Assistant. Prior to joining the IAC, she worked in antique restoration and conservation, assisting antiquarians with maintaining and archiving their collections. She received her BA in Art History with a minor in Painting from the Herron School of Art and Design with graduate non-degree work in Museum Studies.