We are united by a shared commitment to supporting young dancers, expanding access to the arts, and creating meaningful performance opportunities within our community. Whether you have a question, want to get involved, or are interested in supporting our mission, we would love to connect with you!

NCDF Board of Directors

Lily Chang

Lily and her husband retired to the Paso Robles area in 2021 after 35 year business careers in the Los Angeles area.  Lily’s career spanned big global brands like Disney and P&G as well as 20 years as a senior team member at private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners, where she created and led the Portfolio Services team, working closely with management teams at companies like Petco, Whole Foods, J. Crew, and 100+ others. She has served on public and private company boards and is a qualified financial expert. In addition to NCDPAF, Lily has gotten involved with Flag Foundation, Paso Robles Youth Arts, and the advisory board of Etto Pastificio. 

Growing up, Lily got her start in dance at a performing arts magnet high school in Baton Rouge and was a company member of Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre. She was a cast member in the 1988 production of Sacramento Ballet’s Nutcracker.  She was an active parent booster for the performing arts at her children’s public schools.  Most days, you can find Lily taking ballet class at CAD, usually with the kids and teens who inspire and energize her.

President

Helen Purcell

Helen Purcell serves as the Secretary of NCDF, where she is excited to help bring the arts to the forefront of the community. Helen moved to the Paso Robles area after graduating from Cal Poly in 2023 and starting her career in environmental consulting and rangeland management. Helen began taking ballet classes at CAD shortly after moving to north county, where she fell in love with the community and the mission of NCDF.

She began dancing as a young child and has been involved in countless productions over the years, including performing at The Kennedy Center in productions of Romeo and Juliet and Septime Webre’s Alice in Wonderland while attending The Washington School of Ballet in Washington, D. C., where she lived until moving to San Luis Obispo for college. During high school, she expanded to other types of dance, including jazz, modern, and hip hop. Helen’s experience in the arts, as well as in leadership positions for instructionally related clubs throughout college led her to join the wonderful team at NCDF.

Secretary

Arianne Hall

Arianne Hall serves as the Treasurer of NCDF, where she helps support the organization’s mission of expanding access to dance and performing arts opportunities for youth in the community. In her role, she helps oversee the financial health of the organization, ensuring resources are managed responsibly so the Foundation can continue to expand opportunities for students in the community.

Professionally, Arianne works in the banking industry specializing in treasury and cash management solutions for agribusiness and food industry clients. Her experience helping businesses manage financial operations, liquidity, and risk brings a strategic financial perspective to the Foundation. Arianne is passionate about supporting programs that build confidence and creativity in young people. She is actively involved in her community and enjoys contributing her financial expertise to organizations that invest in youth development and education.

Treasurer

Rachel Connerton

Rachel Connerton serves as a non-voting representative for Class Act Dance, helping strengthen communication and collaboration between CAD and the North County Dance Foundation.

Rachel trained at The School of Ballet Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, LINES Contemporary Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and Richmond Ballet. Her professional career began in 2014 and has included work with Charlottesville Ballet, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, RVA Dance Collective, Oakland Ballet, Virginia Repertory Theatre, Stavna Ballet, Collide Dance Theatre, James Sewell Ballet, and Pegasus Contemporary Ballet, where she retired in June 2024.

In addition to her performance career, Rachel has taught for over a decade in California, Virginia, Minnesota, and Texas, working with students ages 3 through adult at studios, schools, and academies across the country.

CAD Representative, Non-Voting Member

Cheryle Armstrong

Cheryle is the founder of NCDF and a longtime leader in dance education and performance on the Central Coast. Cheryle began her dance training in Washington, D.C. with Oleg Tupine of the Kirov Ballet and continued her studies at Florida State University, where she was a member of the South Florida Ballet Company. Her performance background includes classical ballet with several East Coast companies and contemporary ballet with Valerie Huston Dance Theater in California. She later earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Throughout her career, Cheryle has instructed, choreographed, and directed a wide range of dance styles. For more than 30 years, Cheryle has helped shape generations of dancers through training, mentorship, and performance. Her work with the Foundation reflects her ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for dancers to grow, perform, and experience the lasting impact of the arts.

Founder