FrostburgFirst Executive Director: Deirdre Robertson
A native of Keyser, WV, Deirdre grew up going to swim meets at Frostburg University and doing community theatre at the Palace. Robertson completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at Shepherd University, and then completed a Master of Journalism and Mass Communications degree at Marshall University, with a concentration in public relations. As a student, she worked at the Marshall Artists Series in the public relations and marketing department and got to see firsthand the benefits of a strong relationship between a university and the surrounding community. Deirdre taught public speaking, public relations, and other communications courses at Shepherd University for several years, and upon her return to the Keyser area, she worked as a library assistant at Keyser-Mineral County Public Library. As a result of this experience, Robertson pursued a second Master degree in Information Science at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. While completing her degree, Robertson worked as a museum/archives technician with the National Park Service (NPS) at Harpers Ferry Center in the NPS History Collection and the NPS Commissioned Art Collection, which fostered her interest in historic preservation and community identity. Robertson is thrilled to be a part of a thriving community and working together to implement a collaborative vision for downtown Frostburg, and hopes to contribute to making Frostburg a destination for arts and entertainment, cultural heritage, economic vitality, and historic significance.
FrostburgFirst Events & Promotions Coordinator: Dana Bridges
Dana Bridges, a Frostburg native, has been involved in the local arts community and area events for over a decade. Graduating Mountain Ridge High School in 2009 they went to graduate summa cum laude from Frostburg State University in 2013 with a degree in International History and minors in sociology, psychology, and cultural anthropology. Following college they began to work as the Assistant Director of Mountain City Traditional Arts and the FSU Appalachian Festival. In 2015 Dana and a few coworkers started the Frostburg Winter Famers Market which is going strong. Dana has worked for and volunteered with the Allegany Arts Council and is on the board of Cumberland’s Whiskey Rebellion Festival. Dana has also been very involved in local community theatre through the last decade working as an actor, stage manager, costumer, production assistant, and director. They have a passion for the arts and culture of Western Maryland and are excited to bring their skills to FrostburgFirst and gain new experience.
Spring Intern: Piper Schenk
Born and raised in Garrett County Maryland, I am senior here at Frostburg State University. I will be graduating this May of 2022 with a degree in Mass Communications and Marketing. The courses I took at FSU solidified my passion for Mass Communications and Marketing. I have a great interest in Marketing, and everything that goes into it. I’ve called Frostburg my home for the last four years, and I’ve seen the city advance, while maintaining its character. When I am not at school, you can find me serving at the Hen House Restaurant or with my friends and family. I am very excited to announce my internship at FrostburgFirst, as well as working with Deirdre and Dana.
Officers 2021-2023
Jenni Georgeson – President (RTL Productions)
Dr. Sarah O’Neal – Vice President (FSU Children’s Literature Centre)
Jacki Dixon- Secretary (Mountain City Center for the Arts)
Dr. Joseph M. Hoffman- Treasurer (Community Member/Retired FSU)
Directors:
Donny Carter (Mayor and Council Representative)
LJ Bennett (City Staff Representative)
William Mandicott (Frostburg State University Representative)
Abby Lindner (Madison Paige Boutique)
Kyle Durbin (Frostburg United Methodist Church)
Meaghan Guthrie (LG’s Pizzeria)
Michael Miller (Somerset Trust Company)
Meg Roque (Carter & Roque)
Website Contributors:
Paul Maxey – Web Design & Development (Maxey Web Development LLC)
Ed DeWitt – Photo Contributor – Check out Ed’s facebook page for more information on his photography!