Meet Christy Ponder! Christy leads Art with a Heart in Healthcare's (AWAHIH) team of Artists-in-Residence, community volunteers, and University of North Florida interns.

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Christy started volunteering with AWAHIH in 2011 and knew right away she wanted to be apart of AWAHIH's mission. After realizing that not many people knew about AWAHIH's work, Christy felt it was an easy decision to make when the board chair asked her to step into the executive director role. As a trained chef, Christy says more of her artistry happens in the kitchen than on the canvas. That said, she views her role at AWAHIH "as a creative process of supporting our artists, making sure they have the resources they need to conduct successful art sessions with patients."

Christy says, "I see the impact that art has on the hospital floor on a daily basis. We are the one thing that kids get to choose while in a hospital setting. They can choose to paint, or to draw, or to make jewelry or origami, among many options. They can even choose just to have an artist sit with them and paint a piece for them. Our service provides empowerment in a frequently powerless situation." ​