Pat Bland – President

2020 Roblan of the Year | Grandmother Extraordinaire

A graduate of UC Davis in Ag Economics and Business Management, Pat retired from a 36-year banking career in Paso Robles in November 2014. Pat has become busier than ever as a grandmother of 6 and Paso Robles community volunteer.

In addition to serving as the Board President for the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center, Pat also serves as the Board Treasurer for Rec. Inc. and Treasurer for Swim Paso Association Inc.

Pat is a former Board member for the Boys & Girls Club and served in various capacities as Treasurer and Secretary. In addition to volunteering for many local community non-profits over the past 41 years, Pat has also volunteered with other non-profit organizations, including Hotline of SLO, Paso Robles Co-Op Preschool, North County Aquatics, Boy Scout Troop 60, Safe & Sober Grad Nite, and United Way-Financial Literacy.

To all of these groups, Pat brings collaboration, enthusiasm, financial management, problem-solving, and experience in the non-profit sector. Pat enjoys spending time with her kids and 6 grandchildren, going to hot yoga, and working on getting more stamps on her passport.

The Youth Arts provides local kids the gift of the arts. As a Youth Arts Board member, she is dedicated to continuing the stewardship and fulfillment of our founder, Donna Berg’s dream–providing accessible visual and performing arts classes in a safe and nurturing environment!

Brynn Diaz – Vice President

Brynn, formerly Berg, spent many family trips in Paso Robles at her grandparent’s ranch commuting between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. As a teenager, she remembers her grandparents, Bob and Donna Berg, laying the foundations of Paso Robles Youth Arts and their pride in giving back to their community. Inspired by a family love of the arts, she completed her undergraduate studies in Comparative Literature, Philosophy, and Art History at the American University of Paris and the University of Cape Town, returning home for her master’s Degree in Psychology at Pepperdine.

Brynn has a 10+ year career in Human Resources, specializing in founder-led and ethically-driven DTC and retailers, constantly seeking better ways to engage and sustain mutually beneficial business relationships between colleagues, customers, community, and the environment. Passionate about volunteerism, public schools, and accessibility, Brynn brings an activist, organizer, and equity lens to her work and her life.

Brynn and her husband, Quique, moved to her grandparents’ hometown in 2021, where they lived with their two kids and two dogs. She is honored to be part of the board, continuing her grandparents’ legacy at Youth Arts, and hopes to make them proud.

Gene Runkle – Treasurer

Hayli Macomber – Secretary

Mother of 100 Houseplants

Hayli is a Templeton/Central Coast native! While she enjoyed the small-town life, after high school she ventured to Oaxaca, MX and San Franciscio, CA to study Spanish and International Relations. Her passion for politics inspired a move to New York City where she lived and worked for 5 years. After 9 years in big cities, that small-town lifestyle lured Hayli home to the Central Coast. What started as lending a hand in a friend’s tasting room led to positions at multiple local wineries handling marketing, wine club/customer relations, and event planning. Hayli now uses this experience in her position as Outreach & Education Coordinator for Vineyard Team: a local non-profit focused on sustainable winegrowing/winemaking and their scholarship program, which provides college tuition assistance to children of vineyard and winery workers. In her free time, Hayli spends time with family and friends, sees the ocean often and dabbles in interior design projects. Evenings at home are spent reading by her TV fireplace, accompanied by her two rescue dogs and 74 house plants.

Gwen Severson

Real Estate Wizard

Gwen has lived in Paso Robles for 23 years with her husband Dave. They have two children, Emma and Nolan, both of whom attended the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center when they were young. Gwen is a Business Economics graduate of UCLA and has worked in business sales and marketing since she graduated.

After relocating to the Paso Robles area, Gwen got into Real Estate and started her business and her commitment to the community. Raising her children in the Paso Robles Public Schools allowed Gwen to be involved in the classrooms that they were in, but also be a part of school site councils. She volunteered as an Art Docent in the classroom throughout their elementary school years, and she served on the Board of the Paso Robles Education Alliance Board for 5 years, raising much-needed funds for teachers and students in the district.

In addition to her role on the Board of the Youth Arts, Gwen currently also serves on the Board of Success Charities and is Chair of the Swim Paso Association. She has a passion for helping the youth in the community, be it through the arts, sports, or the education system. “The Youth Arts is an incredible place for children to explore so many areas of the arts in a supportive and creative environment that compliments their academic learning in school. San Luis Obispo County is fortunate to have such a magical place serving so many children, and hopefully, it can continue to gain momentum and support to serve more children for years to come.“

Erika Martin

Erika Martin has been part of the Central Coast community for more than 25 years and brings experience across nonprofit leadership, healthcare, and creative industries. Her work focuses on building partnerships and strengthening mission-driven organizations that serve our community.

Erika currently serves at Must! Charities as Brand Manager and PURPOSE Concierge, supporting donor relationships, nonprofit partnerships, and strategic fundraising efforts. She has held multiple roles at Must! Charities, contributing to community initiatives and nonprofit collaborations.

She holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin and is committed to the arts and expanding access for underserved youth, believing that strong nonprofits are essential to healthy communities.

Outside of work, Erika enjoys traveling, hiking, and skiing with her two daughters and, of course, being active with their doodle, Bentley. 

Peggy Turk

Peggy Turk moved to Atascadero in 2010 from Truckee, California, where she raised her three sons, including one with special needs. Her life and career have been deeply rooted in service, advocacy, and creativity.

Peggy brings over 40 years of professional experience as a bankruptcy reorganization paralegal, along with extensive work supporting children and families as a parent advocate and through the Nevada County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). In that role, she served children with special needs and advocated for families, helping them access essential services and educational support.

In addition to her legal and advocacy work, Peggy serves on the boards of several private companies, contributing strategic insight, leadership, and organizational guidance.

Peggy is also a professional artist and a former founding owner of Park Street Gallery in Paso Robles, where she championed artists and fostered creative community. Her lifelong love of art and belief in its transformative power drive her commitment to arts education. She firmly believes that teaching children to create is among the most important investments a community can make, nurturing confidence, imagination, and lifelong learning.

Peggy is honored to serve on the board of the Paso Robles Youth Art Center, supporting its mission to inspire and empower young artists.

Diane Zannotti

Diane Zannotti brings a background in education, executive leadership, and public service to the Paso Robles Youth Arts board. A former bilingual elementary teacher in Los Angeles Unified, she later built a career in human resources and organizational leadership, earning her SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential and serving as an executive overseeing a 250-employee organization with a $25M budget. She holds a master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University. Her leadership has been recognized with regional honors, including CEO of the Year in Anaheim and a Los Angeles Business Journal “Women Making a Difference” nomination.

She currently serves as Regional Director for Congressman Jimmy Panetta and is active locally as a board member for the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Diane is passionate about expanding access to the arts and creating opportunities for young people to thrive through creativity.