December 5, 2024
Join us in welcoming the newest additions to the Center for Irish Music Board of Directors!
Becky Bollinger took her first song lesson at the 2009 MIM and has been a student and volunteer since March of 2010. She takes harp lessons with Chad McAnally, guitar lessons from Brian Miller, and is in the Open Sky Ensemble. Becky currently dances with Knocknagow Irish dancers and teaches the adult beginner/intermediate class at O’Shea Irish Dance. She also just started helping IAM with some scheduling for their St. Patrick’s Day and Day of Dance celebrations.
Becky Bollinger (At Large) works as the Director of Compliance for Hammer & NER, a non-profit organization that provides residential and case management services to adults with developmental disabilities. Becky brings policy knowledge from her professional work, and is well-versed in planning and executing events at the CIM where she has been heavily involved in planning Eigse and coordinating volunteers for MIM over the last decade.
Becky loves that CIM is a space for intergenerational learning, and is passionate about the school’s place in the local Irish community. Becky finds that serving on the Board is another way to share her enthusiasm for the Center for Irish Music and to give back.
Karen Smith brings a wealth of skills to CIM from her professional experience in corporate public relations, non-profit communications and PR, and in promoting women’s intercollegiate sports. Recently retired, Karen is now working as a PR/communications consultant and as a volunteer on CIM’s board. Karen is especially skilled at identifying story ideas and working with diverse teams to develop those ideas. She looks forward to helping to tell the CIM story!
Karen was drawn to the Center for Irish Music to learn to play the tenor banjo. As a child she studied classical violin and piano, but as a teenager she took up banjo lessons with Lizzie Fullilove, a renowned teacher in Waterloo, Iowa. Lizzie eventually sold her Gibson banjo to Karen’s family. While Karen’s earlier banjo experience was with Dixieland music, she’s enjoying learning Irish music with Brian Miller, and is playing with CIM’s Open Sky ensemble.
Karen is an avid sports fan of the Hawkeyes, WNBA Lynx and women’s college basketball.
Samantha Jekot-Graham brings a diverse set of skills and professional experience to the CIM board team as Library Services Manager for Hennepin County, overseeing seven libraries. She was drawn to serve the CIM through harp lessons with Hannah Flowers, and says “I want to be a part of an organization that supports culture, history and learning and it [CIM] felt like a good fit.”
In her current role with Hennepin County Library, she has experience in strategic planning, supervision, continuous improvement and supporting diversity and inclusion goals. She also loves to be a part of planning and organizing events.
Jeff Larsen’s connection to CIM started with their son, Owen, an accomplished fiddler who graduated from the Advanced Youth Ensemble in 2024 after 13 years of Irish fiddle studies. After years of attending Midwest USA and All-Ireland Fleadhs with Owen, Jeff has become a big fan of ceili band music!
Jeff has been with Quicksilver Express Courier for 34 years and currently serves as the company’s Chief Technology Officer. He brings his information technology expertise and networking, wifi, and software skills to the CIM board. Jeff feels that his board membership allows him to stay involved with CIM and give back to the community that played an impactful role in his son’s musical and social life.