Meet your Town of Parker Cultural and Scientific Commission. Members are appointed by Town Council and serve for a period of one or two years.
Bethany Wood, Ph.D.
Cultural and Scientific Commission Chair, History Committee
Bethany Wood is an arts educator dedicated to teaching through sharing compelling stories with diverse audiences. Her love for theatre began with school trips and events funded by Colorado’s Scientific Cultural and Facilities District, and she is excited to support arts opportunities for her community in Parker. Bethany brings decades of experience in theater, arts management, and cultural history to her work with the Cultural and Scientific Commission.
Terri Tilliss
Cultural and Scientific Commission Vice Chair, Parker Arts Lecture Series Committee Chair, Science Committee
Dr. Terri Tilliss is an ‘art appreciator’ who feels strongly that accessibility and exposure to ‘the arts’ elevates a community and promotes beauty and understanding. A native Coloradan, she served on the Arts and Humanities Council in Greenwood Village, Colorado before moving with her husband to Parker where they are relishing the wide-open spaces, big expanses of blue sky, cultural and art opportunities, and the deer! Together they have five adult children living in the Denver area. Terri is Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine where she was a faculty member for over four decades teaching patient communication skills to dental and medical students. A dental hygienist with two Master’s Degrees and a PhD in Health and Behavioral Sciences, Terri is published widely in professional journals and presents on health-related topics. She is a true believer in ‘learning as much as you can about as much as you can’ and loves being actively involved in Parker Arts. She enjoys skiing, biking, hiking, reading, entertaining, travel and appreciating art!
Tabitha LaRose Burroughs
Science Committee and Honey Festival Committee
Tabitha has a deep love for nature and all the unique ecosystems and animals encompassed in it. She is pursuing her Master’s in Biology with an emphasis on community engagement in conservation. Her past experience includes interning at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Blank Park Zoo. As a member of the Cultural and Scientific Commission, she looks forward to contributing to community events such as the Honey Festival and Science Day. Her interests and hobbies include wildlife rehabilitation, protecting pollinators, birdwatching, backpacking and travel.
Annie Day
Honey Festival Committee Chair and History Committee
Annie Day has a deep passion for the arts and the future of Parker. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in American Studies. During her time as a student, Annie was a leader among her peers as Student President of American Studies and was elected Student of the Year. In addition to her academic pursuits, she served as a curatorial assistant and was able to compose various cultural displays using BYU’s prestigious special collections. Since her graduation, Annie served as a legislative campaign manager. She also volunteers as a youth leader and tutor. Annie is the proud mother of two beautiful girls. She is eager to give back to her community. She is excited to use her leadership skills and her background in the arts to enrich the Town of Parker.
Christine Kennedy
Parker Arts Lecture Series Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Art in Public Places Committee
Christine is honored to serve as an arts and cultural commissioner for the Town of Parker. She’s a proud Colorado native with a BA in Interior Design from Colorado State University. Christine’s worked in the field of design, planning, and construction for both commercial and healthcare facilities which includes focus on the built environment in feasibility, development, space planning, and project management. She enjoys the collaboration of ideas and seeing those concepts ‘come to life’ in a project.
She’s been active with various art related institutions and events, including art nonprofits and, in the past, a champion for her daughters in school and local theater, fine arts, and music. Most recently, she’s been a member of the Parker Public Arts Committee.
Christine looks forward to bringing her energy and passion for the arts, to which, she hopes will reflect the rich history and uniqueness of our town, as well as creating opportunities for impactful placemaking and community engagement with the arts.
Phil Kramer
Art in Public Places Committee Chair
Phil has been involved with arts and technology most of his life. While attending college in Washington, DC, he interned at the Smithsonian Institution, the Kennedy Center Opera Society of Washington and on Capitol Hill. After college, he worked in the telecommunications and computer industries in Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs. After moving to Colorado in the 1990’s, he joined the advisory board of KTSC-TV, the PBS station for Southern Colorado and eventually became its board chair. Having collected art for many years and wishing for a change of direction, he and his wife opened an art gallery in Beaver Creek and enjoyed cultivating and working with artists. He returned to technology, helping clients all over the country with their Salesforce.com installations. He and his family moved to Parker about seven years ago, and they have really enjoyed the arts scene in Parker and greater Denver. He and his wife look forward to post-pandemic traveling, gallery-hopping, theater and movies. He is an avid board-gamer.
Katie Milazzo
Parker Arts Lecture Series Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Art in Public Places Committee
Katie returns to her home state of Colorado after 15+ years of performing professionally in New York and Chicago. She has appeared in the National Touring companies of Annie, S Wonderful, and South Pacific as well as on regional stages across the country. In Colorado, she has performed at Lakewood Cultural Center, Town Hall Arts Center, and was nominated for a Henry Award for Best Actor in a Musical as Vi Moore in Footloose on the Parker Arts stage. In addition to performing, Katie has worked in arts education for the last eight years teaching, directing, and music directing at various schools and studios and currently serves as the Resident Acting Director at Performing Arts Academy in Highlands Ranch. She also made her professional directing debut with School of Rock at Parker Arts in January 2024. Katie is passionate about the transformative power the arts can have on both individuals and a community. As a new mom and resident of Parker, Katie is thrilled to serve her town on the Cultural and Scientific Commission to ensure that the amazing opportunities Parker provides both artists and members of the community will continue to grow, elevate, and thrive.
Michael Montoya
Art in Public Places Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, History Committee
Michael is a long-time supporter of the arts, believing that arts and culture are essential parts of the human experience. He is newly retired after spending over 30 years as a lawyer and compliance professional with a Fortune 500 company where he served in an executive role. He now spends much of his time with family and enjoying his passion for music, painting and other creative arts. He looks forward to putting that passion to work as a member of the Parker Cultural and Scientific Commission.
Diana Norton
Art in Public Places Committee
Diana has extensive experience in the arts, from a childhood spent in theater and dance, to a career spent both studying film and visual media–and organizing cultural events such as lectures and film festivals–as an academic in Spanish cultural studies. She and her husband moved to Parker in 2020, and she currently spends her time caring for their daughter and volunteering with Nourish Meals on Wheels. She is honored to become a part of the Parker Scientific and Cultural Commission and contribute to Parker Arts in any way she can.
Tom O’Malley
Honey Festival Committee, Strategic Planning Committee
As a resident of Parker since 1979, Tom O’Malley has seen first-hand the growth that the town has experienced. From his involvement in performing arts at Ponderosa High School, to his participation in the Parker CASC, photographing for the PACE Center, and onetime webmaster for Parker’s Creative District, Tom has always sought to be an active part of the Parker art scene. A small business owner in Parker for the past twenty years, Affinity Photography & Music, Tom brings a local insight to the Cultural and Scientific Commission. He is a devoted husband to his wife Melissa, and proud father of a talented teenaged boy. A graduate of Colorado State University, Tom has always called Colorado home and loves to find ways to contribute to the community.
Allen Rosen
Strategic Planning Committee, Science Committee
“In 2022, my wife Jan and I made Parker our home, drawn in by the town’s unique charm. As avid supporters of the arts, we’ve been thrilled to explore the diverse cultural offerings here. I firmly believe that the arts can be a linchpin for a community, enriching lives and fostering connections. Having previously served as a school board member for 11 years, I understand the value of community leadership and collaboration. Now, I’m eager to contribute to Parker’s cultural and scientific landscape as a member of the Parker Cultural and Scientific Commission, working towards a community where the arts thrive and play a vital role in our shared experience.”
Robert Sánchez
Science Committee Chair, Parker Arts Lecture Series Committee, Strategic Planning Committee
Robert is involved in many aspects of science. As a Senior Energy Analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office—a non-partisan, fact-based legislative agency for the U.S. Congress, he has worked on nuclear-related issues for more than 20 years. He is a Colorado Master Gardener with Douglas County Extension and volunteers with Denver Audubon. He is also a member of the Denver Metro Regional Science and Engineering Fair Community Advisory Council, which encourages youth to pursue science, engineering and technical careers. Robert received his BA and MA from the University of New Mexico. He has a passion for science and wants to be a role model in sharing that passion so that people of all ages can better appreciate the roles of science in nearly every aspect of our lives. As a new commissioner, Robert looks forward to engaging with the community in Parker Cultural and Scientific Commission activities.
Learn more about the Parker Cultural and Scientific Commission.