Shaun Hayes
Executive Director
Art & Apples Festival®: Sponsorships & Media/PR
Staff
Shaun Hayes
Shaun Hayes joined Paint Creek Center for the Arts in February 2022. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in General Management from Oakland University. He has worked in non-profits for the past 10 years, including three as an executive director prior to joining PCCA. His responsibilities include oversight of all staff, budget preparation and evaluation, grant procurement, development of new programming, and execution of the annual Art & Apples Festival.
Grace Francis joined the PCCA team in May of 2025. Full bio coming soon!
Kelly Johnston
Business Manager
Art & Apples Festival®: Accounting
Kelly joined PCCA in December 2020, bringing with her a strong foundation in accounting and taxation. She earned both her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and her Master’s Degree in Taxation from Wayne State University. With extensive experience in both public accounting and industry, she has spent the past five years focusing on the nonprofit sector. In addition to her work at PCCA, Kelly has been sharing her expertise as an instructor of accounting and tax courses at two local business colleges for the past nine years. Passionate about helping students and nonprofits achieve their goals, she oversees PCCA’s financial operations, including day-to-day processes, financial statement preparation and analysis, and ensuring all funds for the Art & Apples Festival are properly accounted for.
Julia Felts
Manager of Artist Engagement
Art & Apples Festival®: Artists
Julia joined PCCA in July of 2022 with 2 years of experience in event management and recreation and leisure programming. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Recreation from Central Michigan University, and a minor in event management. For as long as Julia can remember, she has been involved in the arts, whether she was creating or supporting art in her community. Julia is passionate about providing meaningful opportunities for self-expression through one’s artistic pursuits. In her free time, she loves experimenting with new mediums, and particularly loves printmaking in all forms. As the Manager of Artist Engagement, she supports PCCA’s efforts in growing and maintaining our network of artists, including those who submit work to our art market and Art & Apples Festival.
Hunter Parsons
Marketing & Engagement Coordinator
Art & Apples Festival®: Volunteers
Hunter Parsons joined PCCA in June 2023. In her role as Marketing & Engagement Coordinator, she is responsible for PCCA communications such as social media posts and the member e-newsletter. Her responsibilities at the festival include recruitment and management of volunteers, as well as oversight of our Gate Group program to help encourage donations into the festival. Hunter is passionate about expanding accessibility to the arts, previously working in roles at the Detroit Institute of Arts and as a creative writing instructor. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s MFA program in Creative Writing and holds a BA in English from Kalamazoo College.
Catherine Brieden
Art Education Coordinator
Art & Apples Festival®: Food Vendors and Entertainment
Catherine joined the PCCA staff in 2024 as the Education Coordinator and has almost 3 years of previous experience teaching and running programs in a non-profit art studio setting. Catherine hopes to amplify and embody the mission of Paint Creek Center for the Arts by providing unique and engaging experiences in the arts for everyone as she grows within her new role. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Illustration from Grand Valley State University and has a passion for teaching and creating arts wherever she is.