Bethann Steiner, Senior Director of Public Affairs
Today, Mass Cultural Council’s staff and governing Council recognize the seven-year tenure of our outgoing Council Chair, Marc Carroll of Milton, whose term of service concluded yesterday.
Marc was appointed to the Council on February 26, 2019, by Governor Charlie Baker and was named Vice Chair shortly thereafter. In that role, he served with distinction alongside former Chair Nina Fialkow, and stepped into the role of Acting Chair following her departure from the Council in May 2023. Governor Maura Healey formally appointed Marc as Chair on October 2, 2023.
During his time on the Council, Marc worked closely with three Executive Directors, Anita Walker, Michael J. Bobbitt, and David T. Slatery, as well as Vice Chair Jo-Ann Davis, fellow Council members, and the Agency’s staff and partners.
Marc co-led the executive search that resulted in Michael Bobbitt’s appointment as Executive Director, helped guide the Agency through the disruption and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, presided over the development and adoption of several equity plans and the Agency’s strategic plan, and ensured Council consideration and annual approval of the Agency’s program guidelines and spending plan.
An award-winning marketing and communications strategist and founder and principal of Carroll Communications Group, Marc led the Council with determination, thoughtfulness, and grace. Over seven years of service, he proved to be not only a leader but also a champion of the cultural sector – an advocate, strategist, and steady partner to the Agency and the communities it serves.
“From his very first day of service, Marc was always available to be a partner and a friend to our team. He never hesitated to jump into any project or issue with both feet, and worked to support, approve, and implement new ideas and initiatives. Marc was a true partner who always had our backs, and he will be missed by all of us at Mass Cultural Council. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership, your time, and your dedication to the Massachusetts cultural sector,” said Acting Executive Director David T. Slatery.
Mass Cultural Council, the Commonwealth’s independent state arts agency, occupies a unique place within Massachusetts state government. As outlined in its enabling statute, the Agency sits within the Office of the Treasurer but operates independently of it, governed by a 19-member board of citizens known as the governing Council.
Members of the governing Council are appointed by the Governor to staggered three-year terms. They are private citizens who demonstrate scholarship or creativity in the arts, humanities, interpretive sciences, or local arts, and who represent communities across every county in Massachusetts.
The Governor also appoints a Council Chair and Vice Chair, who serve at the Governor’s pleasure. The Chair acts as the chief executive officer of the Council and is responsible for appointing the Agency’s Executive Director, who serves at the pleasure of both the Chair and the full governing Council.