Members of Staff

CELESTE BADR 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Originally from Southcentral Michigan, Celeste Badr moved to North Carolina in 2006 and became a resident of Mooresville in 2014.

Celeste worked in higher education fundraising and development for 20 years. Her experience includes strategic planning, fundraising, educational and alumni program management, marketing and public relations. She holds a MPA in Nonprofit Leadership & Management and a BA in Public Relations.

Celeste enjoys quilting and embroidering along with photography and other "artsy" adventures. She lives in Mooresville with her husband, Hef, two little dogs and Larry the Cat. Together they have four children and two grandchildren. They enjoy traveling to visit family and friends whenever they get the chance. 

JENNY DONAGHY

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Jenny grew up in the suburbs of Houston, TX  and briefly attended Texas A&M. She spent many vacations visiting family in NC and  developed a strong attachment to the area. Jenny transferred from the big university to the Catawba College in Salisbury, NC where she graduated with  bachelor of arts degrees in Communication Arts and Business. 

Jenny spent 23 years working in the Recycling side of the Paper and Packaging Industry where her work took her all over the eastern and Midwest U.S. In 2019, she left the corporate world to pursue a happier work-life balance, became a real estate broker in the Lake Norman area, and  started a small furniture consignment business. 

Jenny also found time to explore her long buried creative side and began up-cycling and re-selling vintage furniture as well as exploring painting with colorful acrylics. 

Jenny's husband, Scott, owns an IT company which helps companies all over NC and SC. 

They raised our daughter, Devin, in Mooresville where she graduated from Lake Norman High School, is a now an ECU college grad, and works and lives in uptown Charlotte.

"I am excited to work for and support such a dynamic and creative organization as Mooresville Arts. Can't wait to see it flourish."

JESSICA HARVEY 

MARKETING ASSISTANT

Jessica is a graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. in Marketing.  Originally from Florida, she made her way to the Carolina's and has called Lake Norman home for over 10 years.  

While not an artist herself she has always appreciated the arts and admired the artists behind the work.  She finds satisfaction in her work to connect the community to an art center like Mooresville Arts, and loves to see local artists celebrated both socially & financially in order to continue to reward their expression and talents.  

Jessica currently lives in Mooresville, NC with her two daughters, Ella, and, Harper, who both attend summer camps at the depot and participate in the annual Youth Art Show hosted at the gallery.