Visit Circle Gallery to experience our exhibitions in person
Located on State Circle across from the Maryland Statehouse, Circle Gallery is an adaptive reuse of an 1820’s era warehouse. MFA opened Circle Gallery in 1968 to host 12 exhibitions a year and house our main office.
During the pandemic, we have done our best to offer a clean and socially distanced experience to viewers. Please follow the gallery manager’s directions on entering the building and maintain distance from others in the space.
Get directions to Circle GalleryThank you to our Sponsors





In 2023, MFA celebrated its 60th Anniversary. In 2013 we created video for our 50th Anniversary to showcase MFA’s history and what we’re all about!
50th Anniversary and History of MFA
And see what we are doing now…
Press Release
MFA formally announces our new Executive Director: Patrice Drago.
Please click below to read the press release
Press Release
MFA Arts Management Fellowship
The MFA Arts Management Fellowship program operated from 2013 to 2022, and provided ten college graduates with hands-on experience in arts management and non-profit leadership. The program expired in 2022.
We continue to provide our staff and interns with valuable experience in arts and gallery management in the non-profit environment. When positions are open, they are posted here.
Meet Us
STAFF
Patrice Drago, Executive Director • patrice@mdfedart.org
Patrice Drago is a visual artist and art columnist, and she served on the MFA Board of Directors as Vice President of PR & Programming for 12 years.
Patrice brings both management and leadership skills from her career in the hospitality industry. Growing up in hotels managed by her father, she put herself through school, studying journalism at the University of Maine, while working in hotels.
Hired by Marriott International, she was able to create a unique career path at the corporate level, combining her hospitality and business skills with her creative writing ability to work across disciplines to connect operations, human resources, and brand management. She then gave up her corporate career to become a full-time artist.
Since then, she has been writing the Gallery Column for the Capital Newspaper, was an Artist in Residence at Maryland Hall for six years, blogged about art for Visit Annapolis, and is now a co-lead of the Annapolis Gallery Association.
Karen Ricketts, President • krickettsmdfedart@gmail.com
Karen Ricketts is president of the Maryland Federation of Art and has served as a board member for 3 years. As a board member, Karen chaired the Resource Development committee and has supported many fundraising activities.
Karen holds an arts degree from Mary Washington University and began her career with a private multimedia studio arts business. However, her career journey would lead her to a 30-year career in information technology. During these years, Karen rose through the ranks from Programmer to Project Management and on to various leadership roles. In 2020, Karen retired as a Regional Vice President with Salesforce.com.
While the busy pace of raising young daughters and managing a corporate career interrupted Karen’s artistic pursuit – her love and appreciation of the arts has always remained at her core.
Karen resides in Annapolis with her husband. They enjoy the Annapolis boating lifestyle and spending time with their two young grandchildren.
Laura Carty, Assistant Executive Director • laura@mdfedart.org
Amani Freeman, Exhibitions Manager • amani@mdfedart.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Committee

Karen Ricketts
Karen Ricketts assumed the role of Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) board president in 2022. Karen has been an active MFA board member for 5 years and is committed to supporting the MFA vision of connecting Maryland communities to the arts, through vibrant and enriching art experiences.
Karen holds a BFA from Mary Washington University and began her career as an artist with her multimedia studio art business. Later, her journey would lead her to a 30-year career in information technology, where she began as a software developer and retired from the industry as a Regional Vice President with Salesforce.com.
Today, Karen resides in Annapolis, MD with her husband. They enjoy the arts, boating, travel,and spending time with their growing family – which includes two young grandchildren.

Hope Stewart
Hope Stewart currently serves as the board secretary for the Maryland Federation of Art. She is also on the Board of Directors of Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County and is a Community Ambassador and Spokesperson for the National Foundation for Cancer Research.
Hope has spent her career in public relations, economic development, and community affairs, both locally and internationally. She is currently the Small and Minority Business Liaison for the City of Annapolis, where she is responsible for the strategic implementation of the city’s business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts. Hope holds an MSc in International Management and Sustainability Systems from The American University of Paris, an MA in International Studies from the University of Exeter, and a BA in International Relations from Mary Baldwin University.

Emil Petruncio
Emil Petruncio assumed the role of Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) board vice president for public relations and programming in 2023, one year into his first term as a board member. Emil has been an artist member of MFA since 2015. His digital art includes nature photography, cityscapes, abstract works that employ radially symmetric designs, and cubist explorations of light and shadow. He has exhibited his work in 29 juried MFA exhibitions, as well as in exhibitions at St. John's College, the Lowe House of Delegates Office Building, 49 West Coffee House, and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. He has served on the installation team for numerous MFA exhibitions and chairs the annual Digital Directions exhibition at the Circle Gallery. He has worked to broaden the diversity of MFA’s exhibitions by conceiving a joint exhibition with the Black Art Today Foundation in 2024, and is leading the planning of an exhibition celebrating the influence of Asian Art in 2025.
Emil is retired naval officer and earned a BS in Oceanography from the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), a master’s degree in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in Physical Oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School. He capped off 32 years of active duty with an assignment to USNA, where he served as a Permanent Military Professor and chair of the Oceanography Department. He has served as head coach of the Navy men’s and women’s fencing teams since 2005 and as a member of the USNA Sea Level Rise Advisory Council since 2015. Emil has served as a navigator, chief scientist, and expedition leader for 15 expeditions to map and explore the deep sea with the Ocean Exploration Trust. He currently teaches oceanography as an adjunct professor at Anne Arundel Community College.
Emil resides in Arnold, MD with his wife and fellow MFA artist Angela. They serve as President and Vice President of the Campus Green Community Association and enjoy the visual and performing arts, travel, and quality time with friends and family.

Craig Friedrich
Craig Friedrich joined MFA’s Board of Directors as Resource Development VP in December 2018. In that role, she managed the Development portion of MD non-profits’ Standards for Excellence application, creating policies and a Development plan for the organization. In January 2021, Craig shifted to the Operations VP position and has since focused on the organization structure, Nominating, the hiring of our new Executive Director and lining up leaders from the board to run committees that fall under her role.
Craig also sits on the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Board of Directors, culminating in being Board Chair in 2022. Her longest service to a non-profit organization has been to Jr. League of Annapolis, Inc (JLA). There, she held committee chair positions before joining the Board as Nominating Director, followed by Secretary, President-elect, President and Executive Director. She has maintained sustainer status since June 2018.
Craig and husband, Rob, are newly-made empty nesters, with a Freshman in college and Sophomore in boarding school. When she is not volunteering, she is a Certified Health Coach through Optavia, enjoys playing tennis, participating in various other outdoor activities, traveling to see her kids and spending time with her 2 dogs, Stella and Dutch, at home in Severna Park or at their getaway in the Poconos.

Stephanie Sams
Stephanie, a Senior Auditor with the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., has served as Treasurer of the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) since 2018. A certified public accountant, she brings over 30 years of experience in risk management and finance to her role as Treasurer. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Norwich University.
An Annapolis resident since 1993, Stephanie is a passionate supporter of the arts and is dedicated to advancing MFA’s mission of connecting Maryland communities to the arts and providing artists with opportunities to showcase their work. She is also an active community volunteer and enjoys spending time on the water. When she's not on the water, Stephanie loves to travel, experiment with new recipes, and open her home to U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen as a sponsor mom.

Craig Newcomb

David Diaz

Joseph Dickey

Sarah Jane Dunaway

Michelle FauntLeRoy
Michelle has over 30 years of professional experience working in business analytics and data science for a variety of different industries. Michelle currently resides in Annapolis, Maryland with her husband John and their two young adult daughters. She and her family reside on the Chesapeake Bay where they enjoy paddle boarding, sailing, and crabbing.
Michelle is a native of Washington, DC. Her education includes a B.A. in Economics from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a MBA from St. Louis University, and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics from Penn State. She has a long volunteer history including serving on the Board of Junior League of Annapolis, Inc, the Board of her community association, and serving as a youth mentor for Seeds for Success and Big Brother Big Sisters.
Michelle has been a passionate art collector for over 30 years and is a member and supporter of a large number of museums and art galleries. Michelle joined the Board of Maryland Federation of Art in 2019.

Jacob Goldsmith
Jacob is new to the MFA Board, joining in 2025. With an exceptionally artistic and compassionate eye, Jacob is an award-winning and established American artist. He has captured photographs at The White House, The Senate, and The Congress.
Specializing in impressionism and modern art, Jacob is on the cutting edge and creates artworks that have the potential to become culturally significant and is available for commissions. He has been published in the Washington Post, The Washingtonian Magazine, Coastal Living Magazine, British Airways Magazine, and The American Society of Picture Professionals.

Joanne Graham
As a new board member of the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA), Joanne Graham is excited and eager to assist the Board in its mission to connect Maryland residents with the arts.
Joanne is a graduate of Morgan State University. Her 30-yr federal government career encompassed numerous roles and responsibilities. Twenty-four years were devoted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) where she held various positions to include Tax Auditor, Revenue Agent, Internal Auditor, Policy Analyst, Senior Operations Advisor, and National Problem-Solving Officer.
As a long-standing member of the Baltimore County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she has been actively involved in the Sorority chapter's Ways and Means Committee, Arts and Letters Committee, and Internal Audit Committee. As a former Board member of the Baltimore County Delta Foundation, she was a key contributor to the development of the Foundation's policy and procedures document.
Joanne currently is a member of the Annapolis Arts Alliance and the Muddy Creek Artist Guild, as well as having served as a past Board member of the Guild.
Joanne resides in Deale Maryland with her husband. Together they enjoy the arts and traveling.

Richard Issacman
Rich Isaacman has chaired the MFA Technology Committee since 2021. He is part of the initiative to keep MFA’s website modern and attractive in its look and feel, both to attract new members, make our online shows easily available to the public, and to facilitate our member artists’ experience in applying for and creating our shows.
Rich is an astronomer by training, retired from a long technical and management career as a NASA contractor. He has lived abroad and travels extensively, so his photography is closely linked to his visits to nearly 60 countries. His photography career includes FAA certification as a commercial drone pilot; one of his drone photos, taken in Iceland, was the first drone photo ever to win an award from the Washington Post. His work has appeared in a number of publications and textbooks.
Rich lives just outside Annapolis, MD with his wife with whom he travels and spends time with their two children and four young grandsons. In addition, Rich’s retirement careers include consulting for aerospace firms around the Beltway, publishing a travel blog, and – as a member of the Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence -- mediating financial and domestic conflicts for the District Court of Maryland.

Erica Krieger
Erica is the visionary Creative Director of Octovortex Media, bringing over 15 years of expertise in media, communications, branding, and digital storytelling. Erica is passionate about exploring the potential of emerging technologies like AI, AR, and VR to craft engaging, inclusive, and universally accessible content. She has experience leading cross-disciplinary teams, consistently driving innovation and achieving creative excellence in every project.
In her personal life, Erica enjoys working as a freelance painter and designer, exhibiting at art fairs, and exploring new horizons through the intersection of art and technology through augmented reality artworks. She resides in Maryland and continues to lead innovative creative projects that aim to revolutionize how we engage with media and technology.

Wil Scott

Martha Spencer

Michele A. Ward CFA
Michele Ward joined the board of Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) in 2021. She is a member of the board’s Investment Committee and has been an active collector of art for the past 30 years.
Michele holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA from Yale’s School of Management. She is also a CFA charter holder. She has spent over 40 years in the investment industry, as an equity analyst, portfolio manager and investment consultant, before joining T. Rowe Price as a portfolio specialist.
Today, Michele resides in Annapolis, MD, when she is not traveling. Her adult children are spread across three countries, providing ample incentive to explore the world.
MFA Partners

Alternate Venue for MFA’s annual member exhibition MFA @ Gallery B. Located in Bethesda.

Alternate Venue. Hosts of Annual Collector’s Choice. The Annual Event is held in their beautiful showroom each year!

Alternate Venue for MFA members. MFA Members are welcome to hang any artwork. Exhibitions run in three month cycles.

Alternate Venue. Greek restaurant on West Street, Annapolis MD 21401.