2025 AAAE Board Elections
We are pleased to announce the eligible Nominees, and current Board members standing for re-election, in the 2025 AAAE Board elections! Elections will open in March this year. Please stay tuned for more information about voting.
Ayden Adler (Institutional Member)
Biography: With degrees from Princeton University (A.B.), the Juilliard School (M.M.), and the Eastman School of Music (M.A., D.M.A., Ph.D.), Dr. Ayden Adler currently serves as Associate Professor of Arts Administration at the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) where she also teaches in the graduate Nonprofit Management program. Dr. Adler’s vision is to sustain the arts through robust inclusivity and diversity, superlative artistry, and innovative approaches to audience engagement and retention. This is reflected in her work at UHD as a Fellow of the Center for Critical Race Studies and as Director of the Cultural Engagement Center. Previously, she served as Dean of the Conservatory at Michael Tilson Thomas’ New World Symphony, as Dean of the School of Music at DePauw University, and as Executive Director of the world-renowned Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, in addition to senior staff positions at the Atlanta and Philadelphia orchestras. As a nonprofit consultant and executive coach, her clients include small and large nonprofit cultural organizations as well as individual administrators, board members, artists, academics, and entrepreneurs. Dr. Adler regularly gives presentations at national and international arts and culture forums that address issues of civic and economic relevance, power and privilege, entrepreneurship, leadership, and new technologies. Dr. Adler is a Chief Executive Global Fellow of National Arts Strategies and a former research affiliate of the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project. She has served as an accreditor for the National Association of Schools of Music, as a director on the board of the College Music Society, and a member of the arts advisory board for the Chumir Foundation. She currently serves on the board of the Star Spangled Music Foundation, on the Board Development Committee for the AAAE, and volunteers as a member (by audition) of the Houston Symphony Chorus. Her current book project, Orchestrating Whiteness: Serge Koussevitzky, Arthur Fiedler, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under contract with the University of Illinois Press, addresses the historical roots of systemic racism in classical music in the United States.
Position Statement:I am deeply honored to be nominated for a seat on the board of the AAAE. Through my current role as Associate Professor of Arts Administration and Nonprofit Management at the University of Houston-Downtown, I bring my knowledge and passion for teaching and preparing my students for careers in the arts. My academic and administrative work delves deeply into issues of race, ethnicity, power, and privilege that sit at the core of important conversations about what we have taught, what we currently teach, and what perhaps we should teach in our field. My past contributions as an arts executive, reflect my skills and accomplishments in strategic planning, fundraising ($50M over the course of my career), leading effective teams, and program development. As dean of the School of Music at DePauw University, I lead the groundbreaking 21st-Century Musician Initiative (21CM). As dean of the conservatory at New World Symphony, with renowned conductor, Michael Tilson Thomas, I oversaw the creation of our multi-million-dollar digital arm, MUSAIC. As Executive Director of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, with support from the Mellon Foundation, I expanded the Orpheus Institute, through which Orpheus musicians mentor the next generation of musicians and business leaders in shared leadership, entrepreneurship, and communication. Additionally, I led the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program™, and as Director of Education and Community Partnerships for the Philadelphia Orchestra, conceived and created the Billy Joel Fund for Music Education, eZSeatU, and LiveNote®. As a life-long administrator of arts and higher education, I would bring deep expertise to AAAE board discussions about the future of our profession. If elected to serve, I plan to leverage my expertise in nonprofit management and my dedication to cultivating diverse and inclusive cultures to support the mission of the AAAE, our fantastic administrative staff, and the growth of the organization to support the current and future needs of our field.
Taiwo Afolabi (Individual Member)
Biography: Taiwo Afolabi is an entrepreneur and management consultant. Through his work in corporate and not-for-profit sectors, he provides strategic governance, advisory functions, and leadership necessary to build an impactful organization. His experience in twenty-one countries across five continents in various contexts continues to advance broad-minded thinking and scale operations of businesses in aviation, entertainment and education domains. He co-founded Green Africa Airways and ScholarshipIQ, served as Executive Director of Theatre Emissary International, and sat on the boards of Green Africa Airways, ScholarshipIQ and Common Weal Community Art and is currently the director of the Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre, the Canada Research Chair in Socially Engaged Theatre and an Associate Professor at the University of Regina.
Position Statement: I firmly believe that AAAE has the potential to contribute further to art administration, especially in terms of equity-owned communities. I am interested in co-creating strategic opportunities, making meaningful connections and facilitating gatherings to advance this essence. As a connector, researcher, artist, and entrepreneur, I am interested in working with the Board to find ways to support the vision and mandate of AAAE.
Jessie Bower (Individual Member)
Biography: Jessie Bower (she/her) is an experienced arts administrator, educator, and marketing professional with a diverse background spanning nonprofit arts organizations, higher education, and digital marketing. She is currently the Communications Manager at Tessitura, where she leads global content strategies and supports arts administrators in bringing cultural experiences to communities. Jessie’s career includes teaching at the College of Charleston, where she pioneered the transition of arts management courses to an online format in 2014. She has contributed to arts organizations like The Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh Opera, and Art Basel Miami, along with entrepreneurship experience in the food, hospitality, and retail sectors. Jessie’s educational journey includes a Master’s in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University, a graduate certificate in Global Marketing Management from Boston University, and studies in cultural economics at the University of Bologna and CREARE Foundation. Passionate about arts administration research, she frequently attends conferences such as ENCATC and AAAE, where she presented her research in 2024. Jessie is an LGBTQIA+ advocate. Her passion for advancing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) in the arts aligns with AAAE’s mission. Through her work on the board, she seeks to amplify these initiatives. Having lived and studied in France and Italy, Jessie brings a global perspective to her work and fosters international collaboration in arts administration. As a steadfast advocate for arts administration education, she is eager to contribute her experience, passion, and innovative mindset to shaping a more inclusive and resilient future for the field.
Position Statement: As a new board member, I plan to use my diverse experience in arts administration, education, and marketing to help advance AAAE’s mission. I have been involved with AAAE since 2018 and recently presented my research at the 2024 AAAE conference. I am deeply committed to the ongoing development of arts administration education and its impact on our communities. As Communications Manager at Tessitura, I work daily with arts organizations worldwide, providing innovative solutions to engage and support the global arts community. My career has spanned nonprofit organizations, higher education, and digital marketing, equipping me with a multi-faceted understanding of the field. With this broad perspective, I aim to strengthen AAAE’s DEAI initiatives, expand its reach, and deepen its ties with international organizations like ENCATC. I bring a wealth of experience creating cross-departmental collaborations and developing content strategies that resonate with diverse, global audiences. Additionally, I am dedicated to enhancing AAAE’s programming, from webinars to the annual conference, ensuring we provide relevant, inclusive, and forward-thinking content. I also firmly believe there is a place for arts administrators to address global challenges, including climate justice. I look forward to supporting these conversations within AAAE’s educational and advocacy efforts. Through my background as an educator, researcher, and international arts administrator, I will help shape a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient arts administration education field while modeling the values of transparency, equity, and accountability.
Akua Kouyate-Tate (Institutional Member)
Biography:Akua F. Kouyate-Tate is the Vice President of Education at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Kouyate-Tate oversees Wolf Trap’s education programs, including the nationally recognized Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, and Internship and Apprenticeship program. She also has oversight of Community Programs, including Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods and Grants for Performing Arts Teachers. With its affiliates, Wolf Trap’s education programs reach nearly 100,000 children, educators, and families annually. Prior to joining Wolf Trap in 2001, Kouyate-Tate worked for more than 25 years as a professional artist and administrator with arts and disability organizations and government agencies; and an educator at the public school and university levels, including Memory of African Culture, Inc., Young Audiences – DC Chapter, DC Public Schools, Howard University, United Cerebral Palsy, National Endowment for the Arts, and Library of Congress. Kouyate-Tate holds an M.A. in Arts Management and a B.A. in Performing Arts-Dance from American University. She is a recipient of a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Award and a 2015 BEYA STEM Global Competitiveness Conference K -12 Promotion of Education Award. Kouyate-Tate has conducted postgraduate research in African Cultural Studies at Howard University and in the countries of Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia.
Position Statement: Leading a team of 18 Wolf Trap Foundation Education colleagues, we have formulated guiding principles with the commitment to deliver high-quality arts education experiences that are accessible, equitable, and respectful of diverse audiences and participants. As a member of the AAAE Board, I would actively contribute to AAAE efforts to embrace meaningful inclusion –particularly including populations and communities who have traditionally been underrepresented or overlooked by the arts administration profession and education fields. I would bring the following principles in my engagement with the understanding that the AAAE Board and membership shares many of these principles:
- Embracing the diversity of experience, thought, perspective, and artistic expertise of AAAE participants and communities
- Building and maintaining quality relationships to best serve the needs and priorities of AAAE participants and communities
- Developing authentic experiences that reflect the people and communities AAAE engages
- Valuing rigorous, high quality professional development for Arts Administration Professionals, Educators, Teaching Artists, and Students
- Ongoing investment in AAAE core activities to maximize their potential for sustainability, accessibility, deepening learning, and capacity building.
- Affirming that access is critical to achieving equity among all participants.
- Applying accountability measures to these principles through multiple methods of evaluation.
La Ruchala A. Murphy (Individual Member)
Biography: With over 20 years of experience spanning nonprofit, arts, and business sectors, La Ruchala A. Murphy is a seasoned professional specializing in grants management, organizational leadership, relationship-building, community program development, and data management. Throughout her career, she has championed the arts as a catalyst for community engagement, equity, and cultural preservation. La Ruchala has successfully developed and implemented innovative programs that address community needs while fostering sustainable partnerships among nonprofits, cultural institutions, and local organizations. Her expertise in grants management and fund development has enabled them to secure critical resources, empowering arts organizations to expand their reach and impact. A dedicated advocate for inclusive and equitable access to the arts, La Ruchala is passionate about fostering environments where diverse voices are celebrated and supported. She has demonstrated a commitment to advancing arts education and professional development by bridging the gap between scholarship and practice.
Currently, La Ruchala serves as Development Director with the SC Humanities, where she focuses on enhancing organizational impact, fundraising, and strengthening relationships for arts and culture partnerships in the humanities. Her work aligns with her belief that arts administrators are pivotal to shaping vibrant, resilient communities.
Position Statement: As a candidate for the AAAE Board, I bring a wealth of experience in organizational leadership, program development, and relationship-building to advance the organization’s mission. I am committed to supporting arts administration educators and fostering a resilient arts environment that reflects the communities we serve. If elected, I will focus on enhancing AAAE’s capacity to promote equitable and inclusive access to the arts through strategic partnerships and sustainable resource development. My background positions me to help enhance leadership capacity and arts management practices to expand AAAE’s reach and impact. I will also prioritize building bridges between educational institutions, arts organizations, and underserved communities, ensuring arts administrators are equipped with the tools and knowledge to address the challenges of an evolving cultural landscape. Together, we can strengthen arts administration education and inspire the next generation of creative leaders.
Jane Zheng (Individual Member)
Biography: Jane Zheng, Ph.D., specializes in cultural management and planning, with expertise spanning cultural tourism, art history, and the intersection of culture and urban development. She holds two doctoral degrees: the first from the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong (2009), where her research focused on creative industry clusters in China, and the second from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2022), where her dissertation proposed innovative mechanisms for evaluating cultural plans.
Jane has held diverse academic and professional roles. Early positions include assistant researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Technology Sydney. From 2012 to 2018, she was an assistant professor in the BA Program of Cultural Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, teaching core and elective courses such as “Introduction to Cultural Management,” “Management of Public and Non-Profit Cultural Organizations,” and “Public and Community Art.” Currently, she serves as the executive director of the Cultural Cities Research Institute (Chicago) and a professor of cultural planning in the College of Fine Arts at Shanghai University, where she teaches courses on topics like cultural heritage, urban regeneration, and Western urban theories. She also holds honorary research fellow positions at both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
A pioneering scholar in the study of creative industry clusters in China, Jane’s current research focuses on cultural resource planning in American and Chinese cities, cultural facilities, and the impacts of platformization and cultural globalization. Her extensive publication record includes articles in leading journals such as Urban Studies, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, and Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society. Jane has also secured multiple academic grants since 2014, supporting her innovative contributions to the field.
Position Statement: As a dedicated educator and researcher with 13 years of experience in arts and cultural management, I am committed to advancing AAAE’s mission by contributing my expertise, leadership, and collaborative spirit to the Board of Directors. With a dual background in academic scholarship and professional consultancy, I bring a deep understanding of the intersections between cultural management education, policy, and practice.
My extensive involvement with AAAE since 2018 has provided me with valuable insights into the organization’s goals, programs, and evolving priorities. Having participated in multiple conferences, delivered award-winning presentations, and collaborated on global dialogue panels, I am deeply aligned with AAAE’s focus on inclusivity, academic rigor, and innovation. I aim to support and strengthen these efforts by leveraging my experience in research, teaching, and international collaboration to foster meaningful dialogue and actionable initiatives.
As a board member, I will actively engage in strategic planning, committee work, and outreach to ensure AAAE continues to grow as a leading organization in arts administration education. I am particularly eager to contribute to efforts that expand global perspectives, embrace technological advancements, and enhance professional development opportunities for members.
I am fully committed to fulfilling the board’s responsibilities, including attending meetings, supporting organizational goals, adhering to governance policies, and contributing financially in a personally significant way. I believe my skills, dedication, and passion for advancing the field will enable me to serve AAAE and its members effectively and responsibly.
Current AAAE Board members up for re-election to a second term:
Cheryl Slay Carr (Individual Member)
Biography: Cheryl Slay Carr, J.D., Ed.D., M.P.A. is an award-winning innovator, author, attorney, speaker, and singer/songwriter championing the three faces of justice: organizational, cultural, and soul justice. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland, a Doctor of Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University, a Master of Public Administration from Clark-Atlanta University, Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, and completed the Harvard Law School Program in International and Comparative Intellectual Property.
As a professor, Dr. Carr designs courses blending law, culture, and justice, including Law and Justice in Movies and Music, Copyright Law, Music Industry Contract Law, and Building Your Authentic Career in Entertainment. Her publications include Music Business Careers: Career Duality in the Creative Industries, co-authorship of Music Copyright Law, and contributions to Trademark Infringement Remedies.
A seasoned leader, Dr. Carr served seven years as Associate Dean of the Curb College, overseeing strategic initiatives and operations. She founded and manages an intellectual property and entertainment law firm representing creatives and innovators, and chaired the Maryland Bar Association Entertainment & Sports Law Committee for five years. Her 17 years in federal public policy include roles as Presidential Management Fellow at NASA and the EEOC, Attorney-Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and Division Director at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She is also an alumna of prestigious executive leadership programs, including Leadership Music and Clark-Atlanta University’s HBCU Executive Leadership Institute.
Her honors include Maryland Bar Foundation Fellow, Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence and Women in Music City awards, and nFocus magazine’s Model Behavior recognition. Cheryl has served the cultural community on boards including Nashville Opera (President), Opera America, Maryland Lawyers for the Arts, and the Association of Arts Administration Educators. An accomplished vocalist, she produced Invocation, an EP of jazz-inspired recordings (www.musicarr.com).
Rebecca Peirson (Individual Member)
Biography: Rebecca is the Program Coordinator of the post graduate Arts Management program at Centennial College in Toronto, Canada. She serves as Secretary on the Board of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and sits on the Credential Committee and the International Committee.
She is a seasoned arts marketing professional. She managed Mongrel Media’s Theatrical and Video Marketing and Sales departments, was the Marketing Manager at the National Film Board of Canada, the Marketing and Communications Director at Nightwood Theatre, the Associate Director of Marketing and Audience Development at Luminato Festival as well as the Marketing Manager at Crow’s Theatre.
As Program Coordinator of the Arts Management program at Centennial College, Rebecca brings a wealth of organizational and administrative experience to her lead role as well as solid post-secondary teaching experience – Centennial’s Arts Management and Museums and Cultural Management programs as well as Seneca College’s Event Marketing program. From January 2019 to January 2020, she was hired as the Interim Chair of the Arts and Design department at Centennial’s School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design as well as continuing her role as the Arts Management Coordinator.
Position Statement: It is with pleasure and excitement that I submit my candidacy for re-election to the Association of Arts Administration Educators’ Board of Directors. In the past three years on the Board, I have participated in bolstering AAAE’s mission of inclusivity, equity and strength for the field of arts administration, its programs, faculty and learners. I have brought a uniquely Canadian perspective to the table and helped to further AAAE’s quest to grow the organization internationally. I currently serve as Board Secretary as well as on two committees: Credential and International Committees. I have attended three conferences professionally representing the Board at each event. I contributed to the AAAE Graduate Standards and as well, participated as an evaluator for the 2023 conference proposals. It is my wish to continue my service on the AAAE Board for the next three years to continue to be a proactive steward of arts and culture.