Kristin Larsen is the Executive Director of the Arts & Business Council of Chicago. Kristin was the Executive Director of Remy Bumppo Theater Company from 2002 to 2012 and most recently the Executive Director of Stage 773, a performance venue in Lakeview. Kristin has her BFA in production management from The Theatre School, DePaul University and her MA in facilitating organizational effectiveness in the arts from DePaul University’s School for New Learning. Kristin volunteers with DePaul’s Alumni Sharing Knowledge program, the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, and the Unitarian Church of Evanston, where she is also a member. As an only child growing up in unincorporated Will County, she participated in all sorts of art making. Left to her own devices, she was often found slathering mud on boards and affixing such things as wildflowers, pebbles and bird feathers. Today her art making includes gardening, needlepoint, and elaborate EXCEL spreadsheets. If you think Kristin can be of service, please connect with her. If you don’t reach her straightaway, she’s likely out of her mobile’s service area camping, canoeing and stargazing.

The mission of the Office of Cultural Affairs is to champion the arts and cultural vitality for San Jose’s one million ethnically diverse residents and its visitors.  Her portfolio includes public art, creative placemaking, special events, cultural funding, convention and cultural facility management, creative entrepreneurship, conventions and visitor bureau, and the creative economy.   

In 2014 and 2015, Kerry was named one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the United States’ nonprofit arts sector in Barry’s Blog, published by the Western States Arts Federation.  Kerry earned her degree in art history and business administration at UCLA. Currently, she is pursuing an interdisciplinary master in liberal arts degree at Stanford University. 

Jessica is the Private Sector Initiatives Program Manager with Americans for the Arts. Prior to this position, she acted as the Membership and Resources Manager for the Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO), providing oversight of NAO’s statewide membership program while curating and reinventing its online platform of nonprofit management best practice resources. Prior to NAO, Jessica spent nearly five years working with Portland’s local business committee for the arts, Business for Culture & the Arts (BCA), delivering programs that engaged employees from BCA’s 200+ business members, managing all marketing and communications strategies, and retaining and cultivating corporate and community partnerships. Jessica has also served in development roles at Metropolitan Youth Symphony and Literary Arts; and has freelanced as an independent web designer and developer.