The AFWP Council of Elders

When Artists for World Peace was formed in 2003 by Wendy Black-Nasta, she wanted to establish a non-profit organization that was led by women. With this in mind, every Executive Board member was a woman for the first 15 years of AFWP, before AFWP opened the Executive Board up to men in its 16th year. Wendy then went on to establish the Artists for World Peace Council of Elders and fashioned it after Tribal Councils that she is familiar with in the Native American tradition.

The Council

Lyn Shaw / Jamie Datino / Chantal Laliberte / Maria Louise Bower

Wendy Black-Nasta / Rosemary Nichols / Michele Wytas

Annaita Gandhy / Janine Thomas / Karen Kebinger / Marylin Tyrol

Phyllis Sheridan / Terri Atkinson / Joan McAdam-Sutch

Joanne Lombardo / Faraneh Carnegie-Hargreaves / Amelia Lord

Michele Desimone / Adele Santangelo 

Honorary Council Members

Diane Valentine / Nan Zimmer / Ginger Blume

How It Works

Wendy had a vision of a circle of sixteen wise women — from every background, and willing to lend their expertise towards the guiding path forward for humanitarian work. This Council soon became considered “The Heart of AFWP.” It is composed of women from various professions, ranging from psychology, to art, to medicine, to environmentalism, to spiritual guidance, and more. It takes a village, as they say. Council members not only design projects with Wendy, but also organize and help facilitate each project and event. When AFWP is approached with domestic and international requests for collaborations, partnerships, or offers, these requests are discussed and reviewed by the Council. The prospect is first posed to the “specialist”, before being discussed by all. This process is how the council fine-tunes humanitarian projects and artistic events. It is through these back-and-forth brain storming sessions that projects are accepted, rejected and tweaked. From there, the results are brought to the Executive Board, who focus is on the financials and legal aspects of running Artists for World Peace.

The Council of elders meets the first Monday evening of every month. Our Executive Board meets every other month.

There are currently a few openings on the Council. AFWP is currently seeking women with specialties in grant writing and advertising. Please send your inquiry to afwp03@gmail.comand write “Council member” in the subject of the email.