Prior to joining Americans for the Arts, Carolyn spent 15 years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.  She served in a variety of assignments to include three deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.  Carolyn finished her active duty Air Force career working in the Office of Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer where she oversaw staff activities of more than 50 personnel.

Carolyn received her B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland College Park and a M.S. in Computer Systems from the Air Force Institute of Technology.  Arts and crafts have been a constant in her life since childhood.  Carolyn currently participates in the arts through watercolor, print making and collecting books on craft and creativity.

Susan joined Americans for the Arts in 2014 as an AmeriCorps VISTA member specifically working with the National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary Call to Service Corps. She served as a combined capacity builder and advocate, supporting access to the arts for the health and well-being of our servicemembers, veterans, their families and caregivers. After the initial AmeriCorps service year, Susan continues at Americans for the Arts as a consultant, assisting in outreach, social media, and communications between organizations, individuals, and localized programs involved in advancing the arts for the health and well-being across the military continuum.  Susan is currently working from the Northeastern Florida region.

Prior to Americans for the Arts, Susan was an Art teacher with the Diocese of Palm Beach for 20 years.  She holds a Psychology degree from Barry University, is a certified “Memories in the Making” facilitator with the Alzheimer’s Association, serves on the board of Arts For Health Florida, and is a confirmed military brat.  Susan enjoys and believes in the power of all disciplines of art.  She currently creates recycled/repurposed collages.

Cristyn Johnson is the Local Arts Advancement Program Manager at Americans for the Arts. In this capacity, she develops Americans for the Arts’ comprehensive full-career-spectrum field education offerings to advance competent and informed local, regional and national arts professionals.  She also develops a suite of programs and resources centered around the full leadership pipeline and organizational needs of a diverse workforce. She manages, grows, and cultivates an Emerging Leaders Network, a Mid-Career Leaders Network, and an Executive Leaders Network by building a connected network of arts professionals in the field of practices, who can share their knowledge with the field at large.