Advocacy |
Arts Leaders Selected for Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s 2027 Advocacy Leadership Institute
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has announced the selection of 25 arts and cultural leaders from Southwestern Pennsylvania for the inaugural cohort of the Advocacy Leadership Institute (ALI), a first-of-its-kind initiative which has become a nationally recognized model for statewide arts advocacy.
Licensed from CreativeOhio and made possible through the generous support of the Heinz Endowments, the Advocacy Leadership Institute prepares leaders across Southwestern Pennsylvania’s arts and cultural community to advocate with clarity, credibility, and confidence, at both the local and state levels.
“This has been a strong year for arts advocacy in our region, and the Advocacy Leadership Institute is how we build on that momentum,” says Patrick Fisher, CEO of the Arts Council. “Advocacy can’t rest on the shoulders of a few voices. ALI is about building a deeper bench of people in Allegheny County and Southwestern Pennsylvania who are passionate, prepared, and resourced to speak about why the arts matter, how they shape everyday life, and why a healthy arts ecosystem depends on sustained investment from both public and private sources. When more of us are making that case, together and in more places, the whole region benefits.”
Launching in January 2027, the six-month immersive program includes hands-on workshops, site visits to cultural hubs, and in-depth policy discussions with lawmakers and advocacy experts. Participants will gain practical tools to influence public policy, secure funding, and strengthen the statewide network of arts advocates.
The selected cohort members are:
- Jackie Baker, Partner & Co-founder, Workhorse Collaborative
- Marina Balko, Executive Director, Radiant Hall
- Christine Brondyke, Executive Director, Sweetwater Center for the Arts
- Cat Burton, Creative Director, Create Art Together
- Craig Cannon, President/CEO, Belle Voci
- Julie DeSeyn, Executive Director, Quantum Theatre
- Jonathan Engel, Heritage Arts Coordinator, Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation
- Joseph Farrell, Co-founder and Director of Programs, Evolve Coaching
- Liz Foster-Shaner, Director of Arts Education, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
- Marlee Gallagher, Executive Director, Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall
- Sarah Gilmer, Programming Manager, Kelly Strayhorn Theater
- Nanci Goldberg, Founder/Executive Director, Artspiration
- Kayla Hennon, Director of Advancement, New Hazlett Theater
- Trisha Hosac, CEO/Creative Director, Magic Hour Creative
- Aja Jones, Director of Advancement & Revenue, Confluence Theater of Pittsburgh
- Sydney Kaczorowski, Artistic Director, Opus: Impact/Academy Concerts
- DS Kinsel, Co-founder, BOOM Concepts
- Rachel Klipa, Program Manager for Education, Shiftworks Community + Public Arts
- Micky Krenek, Department Coordinator, University of Pittsburgh Theatre Arts
- Christine Kroger, Executive Director, Neighborhood North Museum of Play
- Linsey McDaniel, Executive Director, Balafon West African Dance Ensemble
- Rachel Niederberger, Deputy Director, Pittsburgh Glass Center
- Ethan Rhabb, Engagement Operations, The Equity I Impact Center
- Pamela Rossi-Keen, Executive Director, The Genesis Collective
- Natalie Sweet, Executive Director, Brew House Arts
“Leaders who know how policy and public funding decisions are made play a key part in a vibrant, inclusive arts ecosystem that provides opportunities for artists to build sustainable careers in our region,” says Mac Howison, senior program officer for The Heinz Endowments. “The Endowments is honored to invest in southwestern Pennsylvania’s cultural future by supporting the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s Advocacy Leadership Institute as it builds a diverse network of informed, connected cultural leaders.”
This inaugural cohort brings together executive directors, program leaders, educators, and creative entrepreneurs from across the region, representing theaters, museums, dance and music ensembles, artist studios, community arts centers, universities, and more. Together, they reflect the breadth of our arts ecosystem and cultural sector, and the shared understanding that advocacy is strongest when it comes from within the field.
“I'm eager to learn how to navigate the civic channels that shape public investment in the arts,” says ALI cohort member Linsey McDaniel. “Working alongside peers, I want to help art forms too often at the margins and under-resourced, like African arts, gain visibility and support to create new experiences that bring out our gifts and connect us in ways only the arts can.”
The inaugural Greater Pittsburgh cohort will be facilitated by Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford, Teaching Professor of Arts Management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy and Executive Director of the Arts Management and Technology Laboratory, and evaluated by Dr. Latonya Latamore, a researcher, evaluator, strategist, and founder of Harmony Strategic Solutions.
"I dream of a Pittsburgh that is a city of arts and crafts where artists are supported and flourish,” adds ALI cohort member Micky Krenek. “I want to learn how to make this future possible through the Advocacy Leadership Institute."
For more information about the Advocacy Leadership Institute and to see the full cohort, visit pittsburghartscouncil.org/2027ALICohort.
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