Howard County Arts Council Welcomes Three New Members to Board of Directors

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) welcomes three community leaders to its Board of Directors. Thomas Engleman, Julia Kovacs, and Sabina Taj join a multitalented group led by Board President Sharonlee Vogel, Community Liaison and Visual Artist.

In welcoming the new members, Vogel said, "The Arts Council's stature as a model multi-purpose arts agency and advocate for the arts is due, in large part, to strong governance. As President of the Board, I look forward to working with the new and existing Board members to foster the arts and connect people with the arts. "

The new members bring a wealth of experience and expertise along with new perspectives to the Arts Council Board:

Thomas Engleman | Howard Community College & Visual Artist
Thomas Engleman is a multi-discipline studio artist with a background in commercial printmaking and art handling. Engleman keeps an active studio and professional life, guest curating exhibitions, hosting printmaking workshops, participating in art panels, and exhibiting nationally and internationally. These pursuits and experiences inform his pedagogical pursuits within the classroom and influence the cultural and curatorial decisions he makes as the Director of Galleries at Howard Community College.

Julia Kovacs | DLA Piper
Julia Kovacs is a compensation and benefits attorney and a partner at DLA Piper. The daughter of Hungarian refugees who settled in America after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, Kovacs grew up in Ellicott City, completed her undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, and received her law degree from George Washington University Law School. She was a tax consultant at KPMG before joining DLA Piper 2000. In her spare time, Kovacs enjoys drawing digital portraits and spending time outdoors.

Sabina Taj | Braitmayer Foundation
Sabina Taj is a long-time Howard County resident and senior philanthropic leader supporting innovative K-12 educational initiatives. In 2018 she was elected to the Howard County Board of Education, running on a platform of representation and equity. Previously, she was Adjunct Professor at Howard Community College where she taught arts integration to future school teachers. Ms. Taj has long been active in the community, which she first got to know in her role as Columbia Foundation program officer. She is a Leadership Howard County graduate, previously served on the board of the Little Patuxent Review, and was an advisory board member to the Columbia Housing Center. Sabina has two daughters and loves to paint when she has the time.
The Arts Council's Board of Directors is a volunteer governing Board that is legally and fiscally responsible for the organization. The Board hires the Executive Director, makes strategic decisions, and sets policy to ensure programs and operations are consistent with the Arts Council's mission. The new Board members join the Arts Council at an exciting time with a new season of programming and the kick-off for the annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County fundraising campaign just underway.

For more information on the Arts Council and its programs, visit hocoarts.org or call 410-313-2787.