The Field Foundation Of Illinois Announces Veteran Cultural And Civic Leader Angelique Power As President

CHICAGO, May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors at The Field Foundation of Illinois today announced the selection of Angelique Power as its new President. As President, Power, a Chicago native, is responsible for collaborating with the Board and staff to achieve its core mission of strengthening Chicago through supporting community, civic and cultural organizations across the city. Annually, the Foundation distributes more than $2 million in grants to a wide spectrum of organizations.

"With her commitment to the community, deep-seeded relationships among key advocates, and an in-depth understanding for the substance of our work, Angelique is the right leader to ensure The Field Foundation most effectively supports our City during such a critical time," said Lyle Logan, chair of the Board of Directors for The Field Foundation. "With Angelique's diverse professional experience, we are able to better serve the Chicagoland community, providing organizations with insightful ideas and strategic support to help achieve their goals. I thank Aurie Pennick for her past service as Executive Director of the Foundation."

Power has more than 20 years' experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors, previously serving as Program Director at the Joyce Foundation. At the Joyce Foundation, Power managed the Culture Program portfolio, with a special focus on racial equity in the arts. Additionally, Power oversaw the Joyce Awards, the only award program geared toward artists of color across the Great Lakes. Power also worked closely with artists and helped to curate Joyce's first signature art collection. While also at the Joyce Foundation, Power co-founded Enrich Chicago, a nonprofit led movement that seeks to address historic inequity and structural racism across the art sector.

"As a born and raised Chicagoan, the daughter of a Chicago police officer and a Chicago public school teacher, I have a deep and intense love for this complicated city. Deeply scarred, dazzlingly innovative and fiercely scrappy, Chicago has always held an electricity that pulses beneath the streets, compelling us to do more, to work harder, to think more creatively, to do all we can to solve its pressing issues," Power said. "This is an important moment in Chicago. I am honored to be chosen to lead the Field Foundation with its storied legacy of over 75 years of catalytic grantmaking. It is known for its ability to closely partner with thought-leaders across the city while steadfastly and humbly working to create an urban center that benefits everyone. This position is an immense gift and palpable responsibility."

Prior to the Joyce Foundation, Power served as Director of Community Engagement and Communications for the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA). At the MCA, Power led the museum's communication, digital and social media strategy and social programming, helping to create a 21st century art space that focused on diverse artists and audiences. Power is credited for creating the most racially diverse attendance in the MCA's history.

In the private sector, Power managed community relations across the country at Target Corporation. Ranked one of the most philanthropic companies in the US, donating over $3 million a week to various organizations, Power co-created the strategic vision and program implementation for the company's philanthropic initiatives.

"Then there are the poetics," Power continued. "Twenty years ago, my career began at Marshall Field's in the public affairs department. It was here I first learned grantmaking and where I began to understand what it means for an organization to be civically engaged as a true neighbor."

Power earned a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Michigan and a Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Power serves on the board of Grantmakers in the Arts and 6018North. She lives on the Northwest side of Chicago with her husband Sean Power and their six year old daughter, Sadie Louisiane.

The selection of Power, following the retirement of Aurie Pennick, was made after a thorough nation-wide search, overseen by Koya Leadership Partners, a national executive search firm dedicated to the nonprofit sector. Power will begin at the Field Foundation in July.

About The Field Foundation

The Field Foundation, established by Marshall Field III in 1940, provides support for community, civic and cultural organizations in the Chicago area and is considered one of the most thoughtful forces in Illinois philanthropy. It accomplishes its mission by enabling both new and established programs to test innovations, expand proven strengths or address specific, time-limited operational needs. Annually, the Foundation distributes more than $2 million in grants to a wide spectrum of organizations.

For more information about The Field Foundation visit www.fieldfoundation.org

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SOURCE The Field Foundation