Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce the newly elected leadership of its four National Network Advisory Councils. These individuals were nominated by their peers to advise Americans for the Arts staff on programs and services concerning the areas of Arts Education, Emerging Leadership, the Private Sector and Public Art.  These individuals will serve three year terms beginning January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. They will join an existing slate of advisory council members who act as national leaders and use their field expertise to connect the national work of Americans for the Arts to the work of our membership at the local levels.

Americans for the Arts welcomes the following individuals to each of our National Network Advisory Councils: 

The Arts Education Council

Eric Delli Bovi
Executive Director, Urban Gateways

Lauren S. Hess
Arts Integration Specialist, Cincinnati Public Schools

Myran Parker-Brass
Executive Director, Boston Public Schools

Rebecca Cruse
Deputy Director, South Dakota Arts Council

The Emerging Leaders Council

Jessica Gaines
Project Supervisor, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Hilary Amnah
Community Arts Coordinator, Utah Division of Arts & Museums

Elisheba Johnson
Executive and Commission Liaison, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Lauren M. Merker
Development and Communications Manager, Taproot Foundation

Aileen Alon
Arts & Creative Industry Manager, Opa-locka Community Development Corporation

The Private Sector Council

*an asterisk denotes that the member was re-elected to the council to serve an additional term.

Laura Bruney*
President & CEO, Arts & Business Council

Jim Sparrow*
President & CEO, Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County

H. Perry Mixter
Vice President, Development Arts & Science Council

Mary Eileen Fouratt
Executive Director, Monmouth Arts

Mary Anne Winkelman
President, Cultural Alliance of York County

Christen Boone
President & CEO, Fund for the Arts

Janet Langsam*
Chief Executive Officer, ArtsWestchester

Dan Bowers
President, ArtsBuild

Deborah Jordy*
Executive Director, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts

Susan Soroko
Cultural Development, Arlington County Cultural Affairs

The Public Art Network Council

*an asterisk denotes that the member was re-elected to the council to serve an additional term.

James Hirschfield
Artist, Univ. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Robin Franklin Nigh
Manager, Art Programs Division, City of Tampa

Sarah Conley Odenkirk*
Assistant Professor of Art Law and Public Art, Claremont Graduate University/Drucker Graduate School of Management

Susan Pontious*
Civic Art Collection and Public Art Program Director, San Francisco Arts Commission

Jon Pounds*
Executive Director, Chicago Public Art Group

Karen Bubb*
Public Arts Manager, Boise City Department of Arts & History

Erin Harkey
Project Manager, Los Angeles County Arts Commission

Americans for the Arts would also like to recognize and thank the following advisory council members who have successfully and dutifully completed their council term(s). These individuals will be stepping off the council at the end of the year and we thank them for their service and leadership.

The Arts Education Council

Erin Gough
Manager of Arts and Education Initiative, The Education Policy and Leadership Center

Talia Gibas
Manager, Arts for All, Los Angeles County Arts Commission

Raymond Tymas-Jones
Dean and Associate Vice President of the Arts, University of Utah College of Fine Arts

Ron Jones
President, Memphis College of Art

The Emerging Leaders Council

Todd Eric Hawkins                     
 Project Manager, Public Art for Public Schools, NYC School Construction Authority

Kirstin Wiegmann
Director of Education + Community Engagement, Forecast Public Art

Angela Harris
Executive Artistic Director, Dance Canvas

Crystal Benavides
Marketing and Development Consultant/Curator

The Private Sector Council

John Bryan                                                             
Retired formerly President of CultureWorks in Richmond, VA

James Clark                                                            
Consultant

Kelly Seward
Private Consultant

Jeff Hawthorne
Director of Community Affairs, Regional Arts and Culture Council

Cynthia Prost                                                         
President , Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis

Andrew Witt                                                          
Executive Director, St. Johns Cultural Council

The Public Art Network Council

Penny Balkin Bach
Executive Director, Association for Public Art

Constance White                      
Vice President, Public Art, Arts & Science Council of Charlotte/Mecklenburg, Inc.