Kelly Smith is an innovative, enthusiastic, and dynamic professional dedicated to community building and helping others succeed through kindness, compassion, and genuine care. She has over fifteen years of experience in non-profit, recreational, and media sectors, with an extensive background in leadership, supervision, and establishing strong community relationships.
Kelly’s commitment to the Huntington Chamber of Commerce began as a member, where she valued the power of networking and building relationships, an experience that led to her receiving the Celebrate Long Island’s Young Professionals, 30 under 30 award in 2017. Her involvement deepened as a committee member and then Co-Chair of the Young Professionals committee beginning in 2018.
In January 2020, Kelly joined the Chamber staff as the Director of Member Services, where she utilizes her diverse experience to serve members through creative and non-profit approaches. She is passionate about connecting members with fellow community leaders and important resources to help their businesses and professional careers thrive. Her experience with the Huntington Chamber has shown her the true value of building relationships and the positive effects it can have on your professional and personal growth.
Kelly’s professional foundation was built at the Huntington YMCA, where she worked as an aquatic professional, coaching competitive swimming and lifeguarding for over 10 years. This work instilled in her the importance of accountability, safety, and prioritizing the well-being of others. She also has a background in the music video industry in production, filming, and editing roles, leveraging her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communications (with specialization in TV, Film, and Radio Production) from the New York Institute of Technology. Her communication skills allow her to connect effectively with people from all backgrounds.
A lifelong resident of Huntington Station, Kelly’s passion for her community is evident through her extensive volunteer work. As a graduate of the Leadership Huntington program (Class of 2019), she continues to expand her involvement in local growth and collaboration. Kelly currently serves in several key community roles, including President of the Rotary Club of Huntington, Secretary of the Huntington Station BID (Business Improvement District), Member of the Town of Huntington’s Anti-Bias Task Force and Co-Chair of the Millennial Leadership Coalition Long Island Chapter. She also serves as a member of the Huntington Township Housing Coalition, as well as a Career & Technical Education Advisory Council Member for Western Suffolk BOCES.
When she’s not working or volunteering, Kelly enjoys producing creative video and photography content, writing creative poetry, exploring nature, trips to the beach, spending time with her family, friends, and most of all, her daughter, Marina.
Caitlyn Dailey is a Long Island-based illustrator and graphic artist with a passion for capturing characters—whether they’re people, animals, or buildings. Her work blends bright colors, distinct shapes, and a keen attention to detail, bringing each concept to life with unique personality and emotional depth.
A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology with a BFA in Illustration, Caitlyn has had the opportunity to work with a variety of clients, including The Hershey Company, National Geographic Channel, FOX Networks, Bixbee, Signature Premier Properties, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, and Pinelawn Memorial Park & Arboretum. These collaborations have encompassed a wide range of illustration, portrait, pattern, and design needs.
Caitlyn is also dedicated to creating lasting memories for her community through custom pet and house portraits, a more realistic style of her work that still retains the vibrancy needed to bring memories to life. Currently, Caitlyn is focused on developing new personal projects, including her own line of themed wrapping papers and colorful pattern designs. When Caitlyn isn’t in her studio—listening to audiobooks and surrounded by sketchbooks, coffee, and her trusty mini dachshund—she’s often out exploring Manhattan, the city she loves so dearly. Whether visiting new gallery exhibits or catching a theater performance with friends, Caitlyn finds endless inspiration from the world around her, supporting and engaging with the community of artists who fuel her creativity.
I am distracted by many things. Words, nature, emotions, a great face. All of these have inspired me at one time or another. They are wrapped up in the magical realism that is genetic when you are born on the coast in Colombia, and the allure of pop culture from my adopted country. But mostly, it’s the joy of using any materials I have on hand and the challenge of transforming the vivid images that words evoke in my mind into
something tangible, whether inspired by a beloved book, poem or lyric..
My motto, “work with what you have,” goes beyond just promoting sustainability and minimizing waste. It's also about honoring the memories and previous lives of the materials I use. My mixed media textiles are a perfect reflection of these ideas; the fabric, ephemera, three-dimensional pieces, and even the hoops that were once intended for different purposes, are now connected by new threads.
Kiera McCourt Davis is a mother of three and a full-time project manager with a passion for pottery. Her love of clay began at a young age and she spent the next decade improving her hand building techniques. After a hiatus of nearly 10 years, she found her way back during Covid and discovered that her happy place is sitting at a pottery wheel. For this PAURA session, she has been experimenting with surface decoration techniques applied after throwing, exploring new ways to enhance her wheel-thrown pieces through embellishment.
Maria has a background in digital design, art history, color theory, and mixed media art for over 20 years. She owns a design company, digho, and runs an art club, PAURA, to keep her creative virtues relevant in the corporate and personal side of creativity. Her travels have taught her to embrace creativity with classic traditional design and the power of color that speaks volumes with emotions.
Diane has been a fine art enthusiast since her first real art interaction; the Sensation exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 1999.
Diane holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Art from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor’s of Fine Art in Digital Arts and Design from Long Island University. It was a class trip at Post that took her to the controversial Brooklyn Museum show over 25 years ago. Ever since it has been an ever growing, ever changing experience of art, design, entrepreneurship and local community advocacy.
Throughout her art career Diane has always been inclined to show her hand in all her pieces. Her work has direct personal connections to her experiences and what is going on in her life. Diane’s pieces are minimal in style but always have a meaningful message that allows the viewer to get a peek into her world as well as an opportunity to connect it to their own experiences. Being a member of PAURA almost from inception has allowed her to continue her personal exploration and growth through hand drawn writings and illustrations on paper.
Diane’s art related achievements include receiving an Excellence in Mixed Media Award from CW Post Fine Art Department, an Installer for the NYC art installation, The Gates, by world famous artists Christo and Jeanne Claude, Founder and CoChair of the Arts & Experiences Committee that spearheaded a wide PUBlic Art Crawl through the Chamber which she also sits on the Executive Board. She CoFounded Huntington Art Week and the local looks project in Huntington. Beginning Fall 2023 she has been teaching graphic design at her alma mater, CW Post.
I learned from a young age that a way to quiet a busy and anxious mind was through creating. Growing up, I would often escape into wild elaborate daydreams to help regulate myself.
This body of work is an ongoing compilation of windows into those dreamscapes. Each piece is unique but shares a common theme, suspending reality and evoking the feeling that anything is possible.
Here you’re invited to disappear into my world and seek refuge in the nostalgia of imagination. Use this imagery as a tool to calm your mind at the end of a busy day. Allow yourself to indulge in your daydreams.
Elizabeth Villacres is a Long Island, NY artist that draws inspiration from memories, vintage aesthetic, nature, her travels, cultures, dancing, traditions but adding her own twist, folklore and music. Her eclectic mind gives room to try to unearth unknown views. To her the world around her contains many unseen worlds that are waiting to be voiced, unveiled, and explored. You can view more of her work on her website www.ElizabethVillacres.com. As for pricing- $65 for each one. The only Exception is Spain, that one is not for sale…since I have plans for that art piece lol. FYI I won’t be publishing my website till this Sunday, just in case it’s relevant to know.
digho, llc
376 New York Avenue, Suite 4
Huntington Village, New York 11743
info@dighoarts.com
Stay up to date with dighoNEWSLETTER!