Board of Directors
John Kettell
John Kettell has lived in the Tampa Bay Area all his life. His dedication to the Arts started when his son, Jackson started dancing at age 3. He has always been involved as the parent who took his son to sports and also to dance classes, as his wife Linda teaches tennis and was working during dance and sports time. John has a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering from Louisiana Tech University. He is currently employed as an estimator for a local construction company.
Linda Kettell
Linda Kettell has also lived in the Tampa Bay Area for her whole life. Linda currently teaches tennis lessons on Davis Islands. Linda has a Bachelor of Science in Recreation from the University of Florida and a Masters of Arts in Human Relations and Supervision from Louisiana Tech University. When her son was dancing locally, she usually found it necessary to make all of Jackson’s costumes.
Jackson Kettell
Jackson Kettell is a product of Tampa Bay Area School Arts programs. In 2012, he graduated from Blake High School and was granted a full scholarship at Jacksonville University in Dance. He has attended numerous summer intensive programs on scholarships – The Rock, Philadelphia, PA; Boston Ballet, Boston, MA; Ballet West, Salt Lake City, UT; Next Generation Ballet, Tampa, FL; Nashville Ballet, Nashville, TN. Jackson has performed locally as a Guest Artist for the Next Generation Ballet, Tampa City Ballet, Tampa Bay Ballet and Bay City Ballet. He was hired out of college by Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a soloist and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2019. Currently he is employed by Ballet Virginia in Norfolk, VA.
Nora Armstrong
Collection Caretaker, Henry Plant Museum
Education: Masters of Fine Art Degree in Sculpture, Cranbrook Academy of Art
Bachelors in Fine Art Degree, University of South Florida
Nora has worked in the arts community as a visual and performing arts advocate for over 30 years. She has served on K.F.I. and Knox Family Foundation Board of Directors and recently on the U.S.F. Contemporary Art Museum Acquisition Committee. Having a strong belief in the value of a public school arts program, she joins the JKFA as supporter and advocate for the programs they endorse and underwrite.
Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr
Fine Artist
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Painting from University of New Orleans
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Elizabeth was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Influenced by the unique culture and strong creative environment of the city, she knew at a young age that she wanted to be an artist. Her recent works, combining her love of color and the mystery of nature, have been exhibited in solo shows and national juried exhibits, such as the Southeast Regional Juried Fine Arts Exhibition, ISAP International 1st Annual Online Show., and the Focus On Color National Exhibit. Elizabeth’s paintings are also in private collections in Texas, New York, Alabama, California, Louisiana, Florida and Hawaii.
From teaching children’s art programs, raising a professional ballerina and being married to a musician, Elizabeth fully understands and supports the importance of art programs in our school system.