The North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) announces the addition of Cindy Haider of Bismarck, and Dean Opp of Grand Forks, who have recently accepted appointments to serve on the NDCA's board of directors effective August 1, 2010.
Cindy Haider has been passionate about the arts for years. After her children were in school, she began working at a local art gallery/framing shop, where she stayed until the store closed in 1999. In 2000, Cindy became the director of Dakota West Arts Council, working closely with the different artists in the area, helping to promote and provide support to the member organizations. The job also included daily office management, administration of funds and grant writing. While at Dakota West Arts Council, Cindy helped establish the Art Venture Program. This program brought art programs to disadvantaged students. She was recently the coordinator for the statewide Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest. Cindy is a native of Lewistown, Montana. She and her husband Dennis live in Mandan and have three grown children and twin grandchildren. Hobbies include reading, gardening and being with family and friends.
Dean Opp has been working at Red River High School in Grand Forks for the past 25 years. He has a B.A. with a major in Speech and a M.A. in Communication, both from the UND. He currently teaches drama and speech. For the past 20 years he has produced a character education production that tours upper Red River Valley schools, presenting 50 performances for over 7000 students each year. He also developed a non-traditional improvisational comedy troupe, Tuesday Night Live, that has been presenting shows for almost 15 years. In the summer he works with the Summer Performing Arts Company (SPA) in Grand Forks as the Administrative Director. Dean helped to develop SPA 23 years ago along with a small group of Grand Forks area music teachers. Today SPA provides dance, drama, and music opportunities for over 1000 K-12 students each summer. Dean has received a number of awards and recognitions over his career. His wife, Mary Haslerud Opp, serves as the Director of Public Speaking at UND. His son, Lukas, and daughter, Hannah, are both students in the Grand Forks Public Schools.
We would like to welcome the new North Dakota Council on the Arts board of directors and give a sincere thank you to our departing members, Alfred Jason Lindell of Park River, and Thomas Porter of Bismarck, for their time and efforts displayed during their appointed terms.
The NDCA's board consists of nine members - one from each of the state's regions, and one member-at-large, each of whom is appointed by the governor for a five-year term. Additional information on each of the board members, as well as the regions they represent, is available on the NDCA’s web site at www.nd.gov/arts/aboutus/board.html.
Counties served by Cindy Haider (figures taken from 2000 census): McLean County, population 9,311; Mercer County, population 8,644; Oliver County, population 2,065; Morton County, population 25,303; Grant County, population 2,841; Sioux County, population 4,044; Sheridan County, population 1,710; Burleigh County, population 69,416; Emmons County, population 4,331; Kidder County, population 2,753.
Counties served by Dean Opp (figures taken from 2000 census): Pembina County, population 8,585; Walsh County, population 12,389; Nelson County, population 3,715; Grand Forks County, population 66,109.

For more information, contact Amy Schmidt, ND Council on the Arts, (701) 328-7594