Stacy Braun

Executive Director

I started as the Administrative Assistant for the Aberdeen Area Arts Council in November 2000. In March of 2002, I was named the Executive Director. Prior to that time, I had a private piano studio 19 years here in Aberdeen, teaching 30-38 students a week. I was raised on a farm southeast of Ipswich, SD.

I have been involved in the arts for as long as I can remember. My first performance experience was after church on Sunday mornings when I would go up to the organist as she played her postlude. She would help me play the pedals for her. I began piano lessons at the age of 8 and feel so blessed to have studied with three outstanding women, all of whom have passed away - Marie Bebermeyer of Ipswich, Virginia Hall of Aberdeen and Alyce Berggren during my time at Northern State. While attending Northern, I also had the opportunity to study some with Allan Jacobson. I graduated from Northern State University - then college - with my degree in music in the spring of 1983. I served as chairman of the Aberdeen Area Piano Festival for numerous years as well as chairwoman of the Guild Piano Auditions. I am also the secretary for the Aberdeen Community Concert Association.

I serve on the South Dakotans for the Arts Board. I also serve as the chairwoman for the state Community Arts Network.

The most rewarding part of my job is working with the educational outreach programs. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the students is worth all of the work that goes into the planning. The students are like big sponges - so excited to see, hear, and learn. I cannot imagine my own life without the arts. That gives me the "drive" to keep the arts a vital part of the Aberdeen community. Healthy, vibrant communities need to have strong arts and cultural base.

My husband LeRoy is a Territory Manager at Praxair in Aberdeen. He is also originally from Ipswich. We have two children. Shelby is a junior at Central High School and Brooke is a 8th grader at Holgate Middle School.