Since 2007, Candace Lee Heald has served as the Director of AHA! New Bedford’s 2nd Thursday FREE Art and Culture Night. AHA! is the longest continuously funded grant for place-making and the creative economy from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and continues to have one of the best returns on financial investment in the Commonwealth. Lee was one of the authors for the original AHA! grant and has been on the Steering Committee from the beginning as Program Chair, or later,  asSteering Committee Chair until she was hired as staff. Previously, she was Vice-President of Program, Education and Exhibitions at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, where she oversaw educational and public programs, exhibitions and library functions as well as visitor services and volunteers. During her tenure, the museum won the Mass Cultural Council’s Award for excellence in community programming. Her undergraduate degree in American History is from Brown, her Master’s Degree in American History and Museum Studies is from the University of Delaware and her Ph.D. is from Lesley University. She served on the Governor’s Creative Economic Development Council as well as other non-profit boards.