POTSDAM -- Suzy McBroom has succeeded Rebekah Wilkins-Pepiton as St. Lawrence County Arts Council executive director. Wilkins-Pepiton is moving to Washington State at the close of this month.

Prior to this promotion, McBroom was SLC Arts' grants and education coordinator. She has worked for SLC Arts for six years, initially administering a single grant program with state funding. Her responsibilities later expanded to include community arts classes and two additional grant programs.

McBroom's immediate focus as the new director, according to a news release, will be running the Young People's Arts Festival for ages 7 to 13 on June 14, planning the Potsdam Plein Air Festival in September, and implementing distance learning technology in preparation for the future Regional Arts and Interactive Learning center.

"We'll continue to build on the solid foundation we've already established with our community programming. I'm a firm believer in steady, incremental growth in response to community needs and interests," McBroom says in the release.

Future goals include expanding accessibility for current programming. McBroom will be seeking funding sources to offer more financial assistance for people who want to take classes at SLC Arts.

In 2014, the Sweetgrass Foundation provided the first funding for individuals with financial need to meet class fees, which cover costs such as paying teachers and providing supplies, equipment, and space. Financial assistance guidelines consist of a simple sliding scale created by SLC Arts which compares household size to household income.

McBroom holds a master's degree in secondary English and a bachelor's degree in English literature and writing, both from SUNY Potsdam. She is permanently certified to teach English in New York State for grades 7 through 12. Her hobbies include volunteering for two non-profit organizations and exploring medieval Scandinavian fiber arts.