Meet our 2024 Elected Leadership
Joanne Jensen
President
Growing up in New York with an expert seamstress for a mother, I never had to sew for myself. Home Ec classes in middle school put me in front of a real sewing machine for the first time. I made an apron and a dress, and gave up on that craft until many years later when I was pregnant. But I really took up the craft in earnest when I retired. Now I enjoy sewing just about every day, and vary my projects, going from clothing to table linens to window coverings to totes and bags to quilts. Always loving a challenge, I get in over my head at times, but I just keep on sewing.
Sharon Carter-Merlo
Vice President
Sharon Carter-Merlo has been a Plano ASG member since 2014. She has been the retreat coordinator since 2015. Sharon learned to sew from her mother at an early age and by the time she attended high school she sewed all of her own clothes with the help of her mom and home economics teacher. Sewing was put on hold when she went to college and pursued her career in commercial finance. Sharon returned to her creative roots in 2010 when she purchased her first computerized sewing machine. She enjoys machine embroidery, quilting, garment construction and taking seminars and workshops to improve her skills. She also enjoys spending time in her sewing studio creating and making things for family and friends as well as attending sewing and quilting expos and taking classes when the opportunity arises
Ginger White
Treasurer
At a young age, Ginger had a desire to sew. She finally started just a few years ago with a couple of Halloween costumes for her boys. In 2020 she joined Plano ASG to be a part of a sewing community. She is enjoying the fellowship and learning from the generous sharing of wisdom and experience.
Cathey Jordan
Secretary
I have been sewing since I was 8 years old. My mother taught me how to sew, my aunt taught me how to knit and my grandmother taught me how to crochet. I am happiest when I am creating. For the last several years, I have been the group leader for We’re Sew Special, the Mesquite group that meets the first Tuesday of the month. I am looking forward to working with the Board in this new opportunity.
Meet our 2024 Chapter Advisory Board Members
Linda Davis
Membership Chair
Mary Jo Forbes, Donna Outhouse, Davie Marie Hurlbert
Special Events Committee
Maggie Tinnin
Retail Liaison
Neighborhood Group Leader for all of the quilting and Electric Quilt neighborhood groups.
Nia Kelley
Social Media Manager
Nia began to sew as a recovery method after suffering from a stroke in 2014. She loved the craft and went on to pursue an AAS in Technical Pattern Design (2020) and an AAS in Apparel Design (2021) from Dallas College. She went from not knowing how to sew to designing and producing her first collection! She joined ASG in 2019 to partake in the specialty meetings, such as Kenneth D. King and Lynda Maynard workshops. She has since volunteered to work on the ASG social media team, and loves her new sewing buddies! She looks forward to participating for many years to come.
Mary Anderson
Donations Manager
Pam Walker, Jane Dempsey, Mary Anderson
Storage Unit Team
Debbie Reid
Website Manager
Debbie’s mom taught her to sew from a young age. After learning to embroider and making doll clothes by hand she was given a Christmas gift of her very own treadle sewing machine. This was when treadle machines were just old, not antiques. By high school graduation she was using her mother’s Singer and making a lot of her clothes, including prom dresses and skating costumes. She majored in Home Economics Education and taught at Greiner Middle School in Oak Cliff for seven years. Although she left the world of education for the world of business, she continued to sew, making almost all her clothes and teaching several grandchildren to sew. As soon as she retired, she joined the sewing guild so that she can share her passion for sewing and learn more!