DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative Announces New Executive Director

WASHINGTON, April 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (DC Collaborative) announced the appointment of Louise Kennelly as its new executive director.

"On behalf of the entire DC Collaborative, I welcome Louise Kennelly as our new Executive Director," said Jeffrey Travers, President of the DC Collaborative  "Louise brings to the Collaborative her deep understanding of the transformative power of arts in education,  broad education reform experience, and an appreciation of the coalition building necessary for making our work successful. She will truly be an asset to the DC Collaborative."

Ms. Kennelly joins the Collaborative after more than a decade working with nonprofits committed to education reform. Most recently, she was a Director at the federally funded National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research dedicated to bridging research to practice for better high schools. Prior to that position, she was a Managing Director at New American Schools overseeing the provision of external relations services, including outreach, policy, media relations and fundraising.

"Louise has great experience, and I know she will be adept at linking the Collaborative's efforts to the larger national agenda for arts education. She understands the intersection of policy, communications and research and also brings a passion for the arts that will help relay the imperative behind providing more arts access to more students," said Anne Corbett, a board member and chair of the Search Committee.

"There are unparalleled opportunities for arts experiences of the highest possible quality right here in DC. I look forward to expanding arts access to more DC students so that they can benefit from the excellent and varied artists and arts institutions our nation's capital has to offer. By stabilizing our provision of services, growing our programming, and introducing our work to more stakeholders and supporters we can continue to expand access to the arts," said Louise Kennelly.

Ms. Kennelly is a published poet and painter showing at the Anne C. Fisher Gallery, a recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award, a North Carolina State Arts Council Grant, and is a Maryland Artist in the Schools through the Maryland State Arts Council Arts in Education Artist-in-Residency program. She is an adjunct faculty member of Hood College and is a graduate of Yale University, the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and has an MFA from the University of North Carolina.

About the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative

Sixty members strong, the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (DC Collaborative) provides equitable access to quality arts and humanities education for all DC public and chartered public schools for the growth of the whole child. Working with its partners, since its founding in 1998, the DC Collaborative produces such exemplary programs as Arts for Every Student and the Arts Education Initiative.

Contact: Michelle Hoffmann

1-202-204-7753

SOURCE DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative