We’re excited to announce our Summer Business Volunteers for the Arts (BVA) class! We welcomed six new consultants to our cohort that come from a variety of professional backgrounds. As the founding program of the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, BVA recruits business professionals, trains them in nonprofit practice, and matches them to serve on pro-bono consulting projects for small-to-medium-sized arts nonprofits throughout the Chicago area. Here are our new BVAs.

Meixi Bao
Business Analyst
Sears Holding Corp

Chris Blueher
Consultant
Willis Towers Watson

Kelsey French
Underwriter
AIG

Kristen Lega
Advertising Strategist
Resolution Media

Janet Weiss
Marketing Executive/Consultant
Independent Contractor

Irma Wirawan
Senior Financial Specialist
NORC at the University of Chicago

Consultants utilize their professional skills on a project basis to help strengthen the management and organizational capacity of arts nonprofits with limited resources. At the same time, the program gives consultants opportunities to build their networks, strengthen their business skills, and contribute meaningfully to the arts. In 2017, our BVAs contributed 1,917 pro bono consulting hours, valued at $287,550!

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago is committed to helping strengthen non-profit arts organizations. We do this by building working relationships between arts organizations and highly-qualified business professionals, providing training in all aspects of management and board function, and conducting research in leading and emerging issues related to the world of arts nonprofits. To find out more about who we are and what we do, visit our website today.

Are you interested in skills-based volunteering? Our upcoming Fall Orientation is Friday, October 19. The application deadline is September 29. Find out more here.