Category: Education

Johanne Bryant Reid managed to merge her business career with her passion for the arts. While working at Merrill Lynch as Manager of its Global Human Resources Department, she joined the Board of the Romare Bearden Foundation. After serving as primary fundraiser for 7 years, she was named co-director in 2009. The foundation was created in 1990 as a non-profit, aimed at preserving and perpetuating the legacy of this pre-eminent African/American artist. So the Reid/Bearden match makes perfect sense. He made art, she makes sure it lives on. Sit back and enjoy this engaging conversation.

Meet Tamra Ryan, CEO of the Women's Bean Project. Founded in 1989, this Denver-based non profit is dedicated to helping women break the cycle of chronic unemployment and poverty through on-the-job-training and life skills coaching. Tamra defines her role as the visionary leader and organization's spokeswoman, a position she's eminently qualified for with more than 20 years of marketing and sales experience. Products made by Women's Bean Project include mixes for bean soup, chili, corn bread, cookies and brownies and are sold at womensbeanproject.com, amazon.com, walmart.com and nearly 1,000 retail stores across the U.S. Here's yet another conversation you won't want to miss!

The National Museum of Women in the Arts, in Washington, D.C. is the only major museum dedicated solely to celebrating the creative contributions of women. Founded in 1987, NMWA not only champions women artists, it also directly addresses the gender imbalance in presenting art worldwide. Susan Fisher Sterling has been with the NMWA since 1988 when she was hired as an associate curator. In 2008, she was named Director. Susan has built her career and the stature of the museum around the message of equity for women through the example of excellence in the arts. Tune in as she shares what that's been like and what's in store as NMWA prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

A music teacher since 1980, Lisha Lecari is the driving force behind Music and the Brain, a hands-on program that teaches public school children to read and play music through classic keyboard instruction. Neurological research links music and cognitive development, so when children receive sequential music instruction, it impacts their proficiency in language, reading, math, etc. Since this music teacher on a mission founded and created Music and the Brain in 1997, hundreds of thousands of youngsters in grades K-5, have benefitted from the program, in schools throughout New York City, as well as other cities in the U.S. and abroad.

WITH COOL FALL weather just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get out and about to explore your city. And what better way to get to know a city than through its public art? There is astonishing art happening across the world, from Malta to Atlanta to Rio. But…