CAPE Announces New Board Leadership and Members
New Leadership + New Members Elected to Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education Board of Directors
Chicago, Ill. – September 5, 2023 – Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education is pleased to announce three new Board Officers and three new members to the Board. Board member Kyle Johnson has been elected as President, Kirti Parakh as Vice President, and Adam Engle as Treasurer, (William Estrada will continue as Secretary). Newly elected Board Members are Marsha J. Carey, Nathan G. Echols II, and Timothy J. Slomka.
New Board President, Kyle Johnson, describes his commitment and motivation for CAPE.
“It is an incredible honor to be entrusted with this role, and I am beyond excited to contribute to the remarkable work that CAPE is doing in the field of arts education.
As the product of several non-profit programs, such as the The Y (YMCA) and 15-LOVE, I know the value that organizations like CAPE have in the neighborhoods they serve and in the lives of the kids who participate. They function as catalysts for positive change, addressing crucial needs and empowering communities. Through our program, we not only inspire students but also support teachers and local artists, nurturing a creative ecosystem that enriches everyone involved.
At CAPE, our mission is to bring traditional subjects to life through the arts by fostering long-term classroom partnerships and providing support to Chicago Public Schools teachers. We believe that arts integration is a powerful tool that can ignite students’ passion for learning and enhance their educational experience – and hundreds of pieces of research supports this. By weaving visual and digital art, music, theater, and dance into subjects like science, math, history, and language arts, we create engaging, impactful and transformative learning environments.
As the newly elected President, I am committed to advancing CAPE’s mission and building upon the organization’s outstanding legacy. During my tenure, my focus will be on three key areas:
– Amplifying our impact through use of technology and digital tools
– Increasing our visibility within Chicago
– Securing additional funding to support our initiativesI am excited to support and serve CAPE to create a future where every student has the opportunity to unleash their creativity, explore their potential, and thrive through arts education.”
Newest board member, Tim Slomka, says,
“I’m grateful for this opportunity to join an organization that has been part of the community for over 30 years. I’m also excited to help CAPE grow to an even larger organization and help more teachers and students. CAPE’s ability to link teachers with students, who both are looking for a way to represent themselves artistically, energizes me to help CAPE grow over the next few years.”
Executive Director, Amy Rasmussen, is excited about the board additions and role changes.
“It’s such an exciting time at CAPE with the new gallery, and now with the new board and leadership roster,” said Amy Rasmussen, Executive Director of CAPE. “As we develop new strategies to engage audiences and strengthen what we do in our new space, it is especially important that our board membership reflects the communities and families we serve. Our board not only comes from all over Chicago, they represent many needed fields of expertise and are a dedicated set of committed people who believe in helping students across Chicago. They add invaluable leadership experience and perspective to our board at a critical point in our history.”
Read more about CAPE’s Board of Directors here: https://capechicago.org/board-of-directors/
Directors:
Richard Assmus
Marsha Carey
Phil Cotton
Carol P. Eastin
Nathan G. Echols, II
Adam Engle, Treasurer
William Estrada, Secretary
Kyle Johnson. President
Margaret Koreman
Kevin McGowan
Joshua Nathan
Kirti Parakh, Vice President
Timothy J. Slomka
Karrie Sullivan
About Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education
CAPE is a 30-year old organization dedicated to promoting students’ voices, advancing equity in education, and engaging young people in social justice understanding by collaborating with schools to provide high-quality arts education through partnerships with artists. CAPE works with schools that serve low-income students of color in order to build equity and improve access to the arts in communities that lack the resources to do so.
These programs are offered free of charge to families and schools. CAPE is a nonprofit organization that is funded by grants and generous donations from individuals.
