NEFA’s Advisory Council Welcomes New Members

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts announces the appointment of eight new members to the Advisory Council.

Launched in 2017, Advisory Council members serve as NEFA’s strategic advisors and community ambassadors. Members of the Advisory Council are charged with providing their professional expertise and diverse knowledge, including of artists and cultural enterprises, philanthropic practice, nonprofit business practice, and policies that impact artists, the cultural sector, community development, and entrepreneurship.

The co-chairs of NEFA’s Advisory Council, David Howse of ArtsEmerson and Liana Krupp of the Krupp Family Foundation, commented, “We look forward to expanding NEFA’s connections and engaging as a strategic think tank.”

“As we begin our 45th year, the best way we can imagine our future is to work alongside this circle of strategic advisors to help us understand how we can be ever-more equitable and impactful stewards of resources,” said NEFA executive director Cathy Edwards. “We are grateful for the contributions of members who rotated off of the Council this year: Sandra Burton, Sara Coffey, Molly Davies, Ana Flores, Felicia Knight, Angie Lane, Denise Menton, Frank Mitchell, and Anita Walker.”

The new Advisory Council members are:

• Christal Brown, INSPIRIT dance company; Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
• Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture, City of Boston, Boston, MA
• Orlando Hernández, Performer, Teacher, Writer, Providence, RI
• Adriane Jefferson, Director of Cultural Affairs, City of New Haven, CT
• Chris Newell (Passamaquoddy), Executive Director and Sr. Partner to Wabanaki Nations, Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME
• Melissa Richmond, musician and Executive Director, West Claremont Center for the Arts, Claremont, NH
• Larry Simpson, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
• Kerry Thompson, Executive Director, Silent Rhythms; Senior Officer, Disability Rights Fund, Boston, MA

About NEFA

The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation.  NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.org.