ArtStart Board of Directors & Staff
ArtStart Board of Directors
ArtStart Staff
Program & Operations Director
Ashley McLaughlin
Ashley McLaughlin, a Rhinelander native, has always been passionate about nonprofits and the arts.
McLaughlin is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point where she studied public relations and communication and focused on nonprofit work.
She has lead community nonprofits for over 15 years, most recently as the Director of The Fix Is In, Inc., a mobile spay, neuter clinic. In 2015, McLaughlin began as a gallery assistant volunteer and coordinator at ArtStart. Her passion for the organization grew, and in early 2017, she joined ArtStart staff as the Program and Operations Director.
From childhood to adulthood, McLaughlin has participated heavily in arts education. She enrolled in art classes throughout her education in the Rhinelander School District and at Nicolet Area Technical College. Her areas of artistic interest are in ceramics, soft pastel drawing, and acrylic painting.
Beyond ArtStart, McLaughlin enjoys the northwoods lifestyle and the uniqueness of Rhinelander’s bountiful lakes. She and her young family recreate through watersports, kayaking, fishing, snowshoeing, dog walking, hiking, and biking.
Community Cultural Development Director
Melinda Childs
As Community and Cultural Development Director for ArtStart in Rhinelander Childs focuses on Arts Based Community Development in rural settings. She leads collaborative community projects that span sustainability, economic development, youth advocacy, and cultural inclusion. Recent projects include working with local youth on a skatepark feasibility study for the CIty of Rhinelander, gallery and public art curation for Nicolet College, co-coordinating Project North, a music, art and sustainability festival, and launching a Northwoods JEDI initiative. Prior to moving to Rhinelander Childs was Director of Artists Services and a consultant for rural placemaking at Forecast Public Art in St. Paul, MN. In this role Childs designed professional and economic development training programs for artists and communities. Childs studied at the University of MN where she created an individualized degree focused on Art and Social Change with emphasis on Urban Studies, Geography, and Art. In addition to her work with ArtStart, Childs owns a frame shop and art gallery with her husband Jaron who is also an artist. The couple live in the woods with their two children, two dogs, a mess of chickens and lots of gardens.
Development & Communications Associate
Traci Stinebrink
Traci Stinebrink, a Wisconsin native, holds a BA in Communications and began her career at the Community Foundation of South Wood County, where she developed communication materials for the foundation’s community revitalization initiative. During her time at the foundation, she grew to be the lead event planner for the organization’s annual meetings, continuing education and community building workshops, donor recognition dinners and other special gatherings. In 2008 she was awarded the national Wilmer Shields Rich Award for Excellence in Communications. In 2010 she and her family relocated and Traci stepped away from her career to focus on family. She continued volunteering in the community. Most recently, as Chair of the Sustainability Committee for the Project North Festival. In September 2020, Traci was hired as the Communications and Development Associate for the art and cultural center, ArtStart in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. In her free time, Traci enjoys writing songs at her piano and traveling with her husband and their three daughters.