BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Sara Stewart Schumann
, President
Former dancer and ballet master with the Lyric Opera of Chicago; former soloist in Ruth Page’s Arie Crown Nutcracker; Funds’ Counsel for the Chicago & Vicinity Laborers’ Funds; Artistic Director of Madison Ballet; freelance choreographer and dance instructor

Michael J. Anderson, Vice President
Former dancer with The Joffrey Ballet; Vice President for External Engagement and Development at the Chicago History Museum; fundraising professional; longtime advocate of arts and education

Brian W. Smuts, Treasurer
Designer; Senior Project Director at Gensler; former board member of DIFFA Chicago; dance advocate

Andre Hansford, Secretary
Change Management Manager at KPMG; Ikebana student at the Japanese Culture Center; dance and contemporary art advocate

Christine Beattie
Marketing and brand strategy professional; Vice President, Account Services at IF Studio; dance advocate

Lynne Belsky
Former dancer with The Joffrey Ballet; Co-Founder and ballet teacher at CBG Institute for Dance and Health; Internist and owner of Living Well Medical Associates, LLC

Pierre Desy
Professional association/non-profit management executive with 22 years’ experience in the healthcare arena; past member, Dance for Life Ambassadors Committee

Patti Eylar
Former dancer with Lyric Opera Ballet, Chicago City Ballet and Ballet Chicago; Former Faculty and Accountant School of Ballet Chicago; Former Co-Director Chicago Ballet Arts, Current Faculty Chicago Ballet Arts, Chicago Dance Collective; longtime supporter of Chicago dance

Krystina Fisher
Senior Vice President, Executive Director, MSL; consumer brand marketer in entertainment, travel and hospitality, and mass CPG brands; senior advisor to Fortune 500 companies

Len Mayersky
Former board member for the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Northalsted Business Alliance; Board Chair for Hope For The Day; Vice President of Business Banking at Fifth Third Bank

Natan Mendes
Medical Director, City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College; administrative, clinical, and academic leader in health sciences

Massimo Pacilli
Deputy Commissioner, Disease Control Bureau at the Chicago Department of Public Health; adjunct faculty member, DePaul University; former dancer with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

Daryl Sneed
Co-Founder / Owner / CEO at SOUNDOFF; Founder & Creative Director, Ricorso; former healthcare management consultant and people executive

Jose Torres
Repetiteur and former First Dancer with Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater; Manager of Division Operations, Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition / Nephrology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Aaron Weiss
Supervising Attorney at the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office; past member of Dance for Life Ambassadors Committee for more than 15 years; Co-Chair of 25th and 26th Dance for Life events

 

STAFF


Nathaniel Ekman, Executive Director

Jill Chukerman, Communications and Media Relations
Independent communications professional for Chicago performing arts companies and presenters, including many dance organizations, for 25+ years; board president, Saint Sebastian Players theatre company

Maryellen Coens, Accountant