Board Of Directors
Meredith Edmister – Executive director
Meredith is the NEW Executive Director of ADT, bringing a lifelong passion for dance and the arts to the forefront. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Communications from UNC-CH, she built a career in technology in Raleigh. She moved to New Bern in 2017 to be closer to her family, where she now raises her two children. With a dedication to the performing and creative arts, Meredith is deeply committed to promoting the arts as a vital means of building and shaping young minds, and she is thrilled to lead ADT in its mission to promote the art of dance in communities across eastern NC.
Joan Taylor – President
Joan has lived in the New Bern area for the last 30 years where she and her husband John have raised their three grown children. Joan has taught Classical Ballet and Pointe at Down East Dance for 27 years. She is a past president of Atlantic Dance Theatre and has served on many community and church boards, including Craven County Health Department Foundation and NC Community Foundation. Joan’s hope is to pass on a great appreciation for the Arts and support that growth in our fine community.
Kit Jordan – Secretary
Kit has a degree and had a career in Graphic Arts. She is involved in several youth programs which continue to teach art to young children’s fundamental motor and education skills. She became involved in the world of dance while raising two daughters and was the backstage mom to so many dancers. She is a member of the Twin Rivers Art Association (TRAA) and a 2020 award recipient. Creating visual arts, caring for her farm animals, active on several cook teams at church, and taking every opportunity to watch, listen to, and support the arts in our community are all vital to her happy soul.
Rachel Hardy – Treasurer
Rachel graduated from Campbell University with a BBA in Accounting and earned her Master of Accounting from N. C. State University. A significant portion of Rachel’s over 13 years of public accounting experience was gained working both for Ernst & Young in Raleigh, followed by Langdon & Company in Garner, North Carolina, auditing not-for-profit organizations. Rachel currently resides in New Bern with her husband and four children and now enjoys her role as a stay-at-home mom. Although her personal experience in fine arts is in music, Rachel has spent much of the last twenty years at dance performances supporting various family members, and now her two daughters, who are both dance students. Rachel is so excited to be a part of ADT as the organization brings fine arts education through dance to communities in eastern NC.
marina daw – board member
Born and raised in New Bern, North Carolina, Marina’s lifelong passion for dance began at the age of three. Her dedication and artistry flourished during her years studying at Down East Dance (2007-2022) and on the New Bern High School Drill Team (2019–2022), where she achieved All-American status and excelled as both performer and choreographer.
In 2023, she stepped into a leadership position as Assistant to the Director at Down East Dance, where she continues to support and shape the studio’s artistic vision. Her passion for teaching was sparked in 2022 and has grown into a fulfilling pursuit—now an integral part of the studio faculty. Marina’s journey reflects a deep commitment to the transformative power of dance and its ability to inspire, connect, and elevate communities.
President Emeritus as of January 1, 2023, Chuck Dale (1991-1994, 2002-2005, 2019-2020)
Chuck has experience that spans several decades in education, sales, counseling, coaching, and executive management with a graduate degree in Clinical and Industrial Psychology. He has been and is active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. He has served as Past President and Vice-President of Atlantic Dance Theatre.
FOUNDING Director
Elizabeth Pope (1985-1999, 2002-2005, 2018 to 2025)
Elizabeth founded Atlantic Dance Theatre (ADT) in New Bern in 1985, creating it as a nonprofit organization with a mission close to her heart: to bring professional dance performance to the New Bern area and to connect professional dancers with students—many of whom might not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience the beauty and discipline of the dance arts. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with graduate degrees in social work and law, she pursued dance as a serious “hobby,” including a decade of auditing classes and performing at East Carolina University. She studied during summers in New York City, primarily with Melissa Hayden, at the UNC School of the Arts, and at the American Dance Festival at Duke University. She danced with Atlantic Dance Theatre and Raleigh Civic Ballet and was a guest soloist for groups across eastern North Carolina. She also served on the boards of the North Carolina Dance Alliance and the North Carolina Association of Arts Councils (now Arts NC).
Under Elizabeth’s leadership as Artistic Director until 2002, Atlantic Dance Theatre touched the lives of thousands of young people, enriching the community by opening doors to creativity, expression, and culture. Her focus was always on uplifting and building young lives through the joy of dance, and her passion for making dance accessible created a legacy that will continue to inspire for generations.
As we mourn the passing of Elizabeth Pope, the visionary founder of Atlantic Dance Theatre, we honor her legacy by continuing her mission—ensuring that future generations have access to the transformative power of dance and the opportunities she worked so passionately to provide.
