LEADERSHIP

Office Staff

Tish Davis serves as the Executive Director of Berks Arts, a position she assumed in June of 2024. Prior to this role, she was Event Operations Director from July 2022 through 2024, where she lead operations for events such as Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest, the Reading Blues Fest, and the Bandshell Concert Series, overseeing aspects like stage production, hospitality, and transportation.
Born and raised in Reading and now residing in West Reading, Tish has a long history with Berks Jazz Fest, having volunteered in hospitality and production for 18 years. She retired from R.M. Palmer Candy Co. after three decades and transitioned to a second
career in event operations. She also has experience as a stage manager at the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Fest and the Low Country Jazz Fest.
Tish expressed her enthusiasm for working full-time with Berks Arts, stating, "I love it; it makes me happy and feeds my soul-to be able to do it full-time and have more impact."

As Community Programs Director, John Ruggles leads Berks Arts’ PA Council on the Arts grant programs. He also supports educational initiatives through getJazzed (the educational component of Berks Jazz Fest) and Music Educators of Berks County (MEBC) scholastic festivals.
As a practicing artist, and former educator Ruggles brings a unique and valuable set of skills to this position. He has taught art classes at Rochester Institute of Technology, Penn State University, The PA Guild of Craftsmen, as well as in secondary schools. He has worked with non-profits and parks & recreation departments in the past, where he assisted in grant writing, and helped facilitate a wide variety of community focused arts programs, including outdoor concert series, youth summer camps, farmers markets, and public art initiatives. He has exhibited extensively and works both nationally and internationally. His art focuses on exploring the intersection of identity and experience within liminal spaces.
Ruggles earned a Master of Fine Art degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. He lives in the southern Berks, along with his fiancé Laura where they both enjoy making art, going to festivals, and enjoying nature.

New to the world of jazz, but not to non-profit organizations. Chanteé Gibson has worked for a non-profit organization in the past helping with A/R and A/P, in-house graphic designing/marketing and administrative duties. She now leads the programs Fast Lane Arts and The Art of Jazz for Berks Arts. She earned her Associate in Specialized Technology Degree: Graphic Design through Berks Technical Institute and has 20 plus years experience in Administration.
She has been involved in the community whether it was teaching dance or being a volunteer coordinator for Cups of Compassion. She loves the community and wants to help where she can.
Moved to Reading when she was 9 and an alumni of Reading High School, she now resides in Muhlenberg with her husband and children.