Press Release: Young Audiences Welcomes Two Local Arts Supporters to Board

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Young Audiences Welcomes Two Local Arts Supporters to Board

PRINCETON, NJ; September 30, 2019 — Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern PA(YA), the leading arts education partner in the region has named Donna McInerney, Ed.D. and Ann Marie Miller to its Board of Trustees. The two arts advocates were welcomed to the 26-member board at the June annual meeting.

“We are so excited to have Ann Marie and Donna, two very passionate community leaders, join the board to help us advocate for arts education for the children of New Jersey and Eastern PA,” shared Stacy Mattia, Trustee and Chair for the Committee on Trustees.

New Young Audiences Board Member, Donna McInerney, Ed.D.

Dr. Donna McInerney, a Hopewell resident, is the Chief Executive Officer of The Foundation for Educational Administration, Inc.(FEA). A former high school Social Studies teacher and supervisor, she earned her doctorate from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, specializing in curriculum theory and development. Over the last 15 years she has been an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Graduate Education, Leadership and Counseling at Rider University and in the Secondary Education Preparation Program at The College of New Jersey. Throughout the course of her career, Dr. McInerney has presented at state and national levels on instructional leadership, systemic approaches for sustained and equitable school improvement, research-based instructional strategies, and collaborative learning communities.

“My first introduction to YA was through a friend whose husband competed as a dancer at YA’s gala, Dazzle. Throughout the Dazzle performance and fundraiser, not only did I learn a great deal about the work of YA, but I was truly impressed with their accomplishments,” shared McInereny. “Having grown up in Trenton, it touched my heart even more deeply to see the dedication of YA to providing ever greater access to the arts for as many students as possible. Educating the whole child is a fundamental and compelling mission of our schools and if we are to accomplish this, then the arts must play a central role, not a peripheral one. I hope to support YA in expanding access to the arts to greater numbers of students, particularly those whose current access is limited.”

New Young Audiences Board Member, Ann Marie Miller

Hightstown resident Ann Marie Miller is the Director of Advocacy & Public Policy for the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and served as Executive Director there for 20 years. Prior to joining ArtPride in 1995, Miller served as director of Development at McCarter Theatre, as grants coordinator for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and as a high school art teacher in the Freehold Regional School District. Miller serves on the Executive Committee of the State Arts Action Network of Americans for the Arts; as chair of the Hightstown Cultural Arts Commission in her hometown; as member of the Governance Committee of the NJ Arts Education Partnership; and served on the board for the Center for Non-Profit Corporations in New Jersey. Miller is a graduate of Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia with a B.S. in art education.

“Young Audiences has a remarkable reputation for its programs and as a model nonprofit organization so I was delighted to be asked to come on to the board of trustees,” shared Miller. “I really think that the arts help students see things in different ways more easily. I think arts education helps students accept and value different perspectives. I hope to provide some perspective from my work in statewide and federal arts advocacy, and to learn more about who YA Teaching Artists are and how they can be active arts advocates in and outside of the teaching space.”

“We are delighted that Donna and Ann Marie have joined the Young Audiences Board,” said Michele Russo, YA President & CEO. “Our trustees provide exceptional guidance and support to further our mission and to help realize our goal to provide quality arts experiences to every child in the region. There is no doubt that these new ambassadors of arts education will make a remarkable addition to the YA team.”

Steve Runk, Young Audiences’ Board Chair shared, “Our new trustees have made considerable contributions to their respective fields, and we look forward to Ann Marie and Donna bringing their extensive knowledge and experience to our work at Young Audiences.”

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About Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern PA

Founded in 1973, Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern PA is the premier arts-in-education resource in the region, providing high-quality performances and artist-in-residence programs to schools in all 21 counties of New Jersey and the 7 easternmost counties of Pennsylvania. Young Audiences’ extensive professional artist roster represents all art forms—from dance and theater to music, language and visual arts. Since its founding, the organization has reached over 15 million children with essential arts education experiences.

A not-for-profit organization, Young Audiences’ mission is to inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts. YA’s programs are accessible to all socio-economic, ethnic, cultural, and geographic communities, and are designed to strengthen the arts in schools, meet local and state curriculum standards, involve families in arts activities, and enrich cultural life in New Jersey and Pennsylvania communities.

Young Audiences is the first arts education organization designated as a major service organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and, as part of the national network of Young Audiences, Inc., was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. Young Audiences programs are made possible in part through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. Additional funding comes from foundations, corporations and generous individuals. To learn more, visit www.yanjep.org. To be “social” with us, join us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @YAAFLORG.