2025-2027 Officers
President: Gigi Matthews
Vice-President: Patty Chrisman
Treasurer: Joanna Brandt
Secretary: Valerie Clark Bolton
Gigi Matthews, President
Gigi Matthews’ keen interest in fibers and materials is a result of decades of world travel to over 30 countries. As a spinner, she teaches at guilds, regional conferences, the Tatter Textile Library, and the John C. Campbell Folk School. She has published articles in Ply Magazine and Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot. Gigi is a member of the New York Guild of Handweavers and a board member of the Handweavers Guild of America, where her focus is on sustainability.
Patty Chrisman, Vice President
It all began with the discovery of a little spinning wheel in her grandmother’s attic when she was a young girl, and a brief episode at a loom during Camp Fire Girl Camp in the 1970s. The spinning wheel is now in her possession. The location of the bookmark, woven in a small overshot pattern, is a mystery—it was pink and purple.
Long a spinner and knitter, following her retirement Patty was able to fulfill a long time goal of learning to weave. Patty maintains an active interest in all things historic—from buildings to textiles, and is involved with her local historic house museum, where she has been known to demonstrate spinning on her Great Wheel.
Patty believes in the benefits of belonging to a guild (or several) and she is a member of Frances Irwin Handweavers, Essex County Hand Spinners, and the New York Guild of Handweavers. She served as MAFA Secretary from 2018 through 2023 and as Vice-President since 2023. Patty served as Events Coordinator for MAFA 2023 and 2025 and is the Conference Co-Chair for 2027.
Joanna Brandt, Treasurer
Joanna has been intrigued by fiber for years and has dabbled in crochet, needlework and sewing. She never considered creating cloth herself until 2016 when she took a beginning weaving course through the Weaver’s Guild of Greater Baltimore. Since then, she has been fascinated by the infinite possibilities in color and structure that weaving offers. She has attended the last four in-person MAFA Conferences and found the workshops and comradery to be wonderful.
Joanna is retired from a career in medicine as a general and forensic psychiatrist. She remains an active member of several boards and committees related to psychiatry. In addition to weaving, Joanna enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, traveling and gardening.
Joanna joined the MAFA Board as Treasurer in 2023. From 2019 to 2023, she served as Treasurer for the Weaver’s Guild of Greater Baltimore.
Valerie Clark Bolton, Secretary
While primarily a sewist, Valerie loves almost anything related to the craft of fiber and textiles and is always exploring new fiber crafts.
She is quasi-retired from a 25 year career in the legal industry which has given her a love and appreciation for rules, structure and documentation.
She is a member of the Philadelphia Guild of Hand Weavers and recently served for two years as their vice-president.