Staff

Jerri Stanard, B.F.A., M.A.S.
Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Jerri began K12 Gallery & TEJAS as K12 Gallery for Young People in September 1993. She holds a Master's in Arts and Science from the University of Dayton and a BFA from Wright State University. Jerri loves everything creative and connected to the creative intelligences. She sees each person she meets as a work of art! In 2008, Jerri won the honor of the Pamela Houk award from The Dayton Art Institute for her tenacity to further art education. In 2002, Stanard was recognized as one of the Dayton Daily News Top Ten Women of Dayton for K12 Gallery, her community contributions and her numerous art awards. In 2000, Jerri won the Ohio Arts Council’s Emerging Leader Award. Jerri began her career as an art teacher for the Dayton Public Schools and later joined the Sinclair Community College staff as a gallery coordinator. Through her pertinacious vision and strong work ethic, she has guided K12 Gallery & TEJAS through many expansions and continues to connect people and financial resources to sustain it into the future.

Steve Yates, Chief Operations Officer

Steve is the Chief Operating Officer and an installation artist. He received his BA with an emphasis in sculpture from the University of Arkansas. Steve served 5 years in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman. Steve joined the K12 Gallery & TEJAS team in 2019 as an Artist in Resident for Montgomery County Juvenile Court. He became a full-time staff member a few months later. In his work, Steve focuses on site-specific installations and found objects. Lately, he has been focusing on reusing plastic by making bottles tangible with different applications of melting in his installation pieces.