Diana Francis – Executive Director
Bachelor of Arts (BA), English and a Communications Minor concentrated on Film Studies, Virginia Tech
Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.), Teaching and Learning, Virginia Tech
Diana has been a Blacksburg resident since 1994. She grew up in Arlington, Virginia where her father and mother worked for The National Park Service and The Library of Congress, respectively. As a kid, she accompanied her parents to a variety of concerts, museum events, monument unveilings, historic landmarks, and outdoor events on the National Mall and as a high school student, she interned at both the Library of Congress and Ford’s Theatre. She credits her appreciation of history, culture, and ghost stories to these experiences.
Diana comes to this role after an 8-year dual role as the Gallery Manager and co-founder of The Artful Lawyer, A Fine Gallery Inc. and a paralegal at The Creekmore Law Firm where in addition to curating art exhibits, she helped start and manage events such as Blacksburg en Blanc, Dinner en Noir, paint parties, and figure drawing.
Diana has raised two boys in Blacksburg, and as a mother and avid outdoor runner, cyclist and hiker, is quite happy with all this town and surrounding areas offer. She also spends much of her spare time in another historic building downtown, The Lyric Theatre, where she volunteers on Monday nights, serves on the Board, and facilitates the Reel Talks (post-film discussions) on Sunday afternoons.