Meet Our Board Members

Abby Gitlitz
Chair Person
BCGC was founded in 2011 by Abby Gitlitz. After earning her Masters of Fine Arts in Glass in 2009, she moved back to her hometown of Bloomington to become a full time artist. At the first Great Glass Pumpkin Patch in 2010, in which all the pumpkins were made by Abby as a personal fundraiser, she was overwhelmed by the number of people clamoring to learn glass blowing. Soon after she began teaching classes, and in 2012 BCGC was incorporated as a nonprofit educational arts center.

Kathy Koontz
Treasurer
Kathy was born and raised in Bloomington. Kathy found BCGC when she was retiring from T.I.S., Inc. in 2019. She was hooked after her first event. Pretty glass and super nice people. What’s not to love? Kathy joined the Board of Directors as Treasurer in 2022.
Kathy is also a member of the Monroe County History Center where she serves on the Cemetery Committee helping to restore headstones. Kathy is a very proud mother and grandmother to her two sons and three granddaughters.
.png)
Erica Barrow
Secretary
Erica moved to Bloomington permanently in 2020 and found BCGC classes in early 2021. She mostly works to fuse glass and recently participated in her first ever glass art show. Erica is Professor of Earth Science at Ivy Tech Community College where she has taught full-time since 2010. She and her husband, Dave, love to travel, camp, exploring the outdoors and are longtime IU basketball season ticket holders for both the women’s and men’s teams. Erica is a lifelong learner and is excited to work with BCGC to achieve its' educational and community goals. Erica currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors of BCGC

Sue Yoder
Member
Sue has recently retired early from her position as the inaugural Executive Director of Seed Your Future – a national movement to promote horticulture and encourage more young people to pursue careers working with plants. She has more than thirty years of
experience working with nonprofit organizations. For most of her career, she has worked with organizations that focus on youth development and providing children, youth and families with opportunities to grow and thrive.
She is passionate about the outdoors and the positive impact it can have on physical and emotional health. She is dedicated to finding more opportunities to move the traditional classroom outside, thus providing youth with the opportunity to learn about — and in — the natural world.
She found her way to the Bloomington Creative Glass Center, with her first fusing classes in 2021. It reignited her interest in art and she has since taken many classes at BCGC. She is committed to helping the Center to thrive by volunteering on the Board of
Directors.
An avid outdoorswoman and gardener, her personal motto is “Think Outside – No Box
Required.”

Arnold Fodor
Member
Arnold is a media and marketing professional with experience in strategic advertising, media buying, and building collaborative partnerships. Throughout his career, he has worked with clients and orgs to develop effective communication strategies, manage complex projects, and steward resources responsibly.
Passionate about arts and community engagement, Arnold believes creativity inspires and connects community. He is honored to serve on the board of BCGC where they support the organization's mission to provide high-quality glass arts education, foster
creativity for all ages, and strengthen community through the arts.
Arnold is committed to advancing BCGC's long-term sustainability, expanding community impact, and ensuring access to meaningful artistic experiences for all. He has enjoyed stained glass and fusing glass courses - and looks forward to more! Arnold, his wife, and Boston Terrier root for our Hoosiers and Cutters/Teter cycling.
.jpg)
Kristin Blackwell
Member
Kristin found BCGC in 2020 while participating in the Galentine's Day Heart Paperweight workshop and was instantly hooked! After volunteering several times, she joined the apprentice glass blowing team and never stopped learning.
​
Kristin has a passion for encouraging everyone she meets to try creating even if, like her, they don't consider themselves to be artistic. BCGC's mission continues to draw her to try new classes and techniques. The feeling of community, encouragement, and opportunity to continue learning lead her to join the board and keeps her coming back to the studio as often as possible.
.jpg)
Norman Dean
Member
Norm earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Indiana University in 1994. After living in Austin Texas and Los Angeles California he moved back to Bloomington in 2007. He currently is the Director of Undergraduate Laboratories for the Department of
Chemistry at IU. Growing up in Dearborn Hts. Michigan he regularly watched the glassblowers at Greenfield Village. He took his first glassblowing class at BCGC in
January 2020 and has since taken several other classes locally with both Justin Kern and Abby Gitlitz. In 2023 he began taking summer classes at the Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning NY taught by Cat Labonte, Bill Gudenrath, Jonathon
Swanz, Hence Bollinger, and Boyd Sugiki & Lisa Zerkowitz.

John Wright
Member
Bio coming soon...
.jpg)
Cindy Houston
Member
Bio coming soon...
.jpg)
Stephanie Burk
Member
Bio coming soon...
