Christina DePaul, President and CEO of National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA)

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCEMENT IN THE ARTS APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO

Christina DePaul Brings Strong Combination of Arts Management Experience, Artistic Achievement and Deep Understanding of Arts Students

MIAMI (April 9, 2008) – The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) has named Christina DePaul as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, James Dubin, Chairman of the NFAA Search Committee announced today. As NFAA’s top executive, DePaul will be responsible for all programming, development, communications and financial issues in running the foundation.

An accomplished and award-winning artist, DePaul most recently served as Senior Vice President of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Dean of the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC, where she managed all educational and academic programs and activities, including the graduate and undergraduate degree programs, continuing education programs, research, galleries, and community programs, among other endeavors.

Much like the young students who are the soul of youngARTS™, the core program of NFAA, DePaul’s artistic journey began as a high school student in Pennsylvania, where she attended the Governor’s School for the Arts, an intensive program in visual and performing arts. She majored in art as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University and continued her training at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, where she earned a master’s degree in fine arts. DePaul returned to Carnegie Mellon as an artist-in-residence and instructor for undergraduate and graduate programs and then accepted a tenure-track position at the University of Akron/Myers School of the Art. While there, she became Chair of Metalsmithing, and in 1994 assumed the title of Director of the School of Art. Throughout these years in academia, DePaul continued her career as a successful working artist, exhibiting in national and international shows, and winning awards and commissions. She was selected as a “Y!
oung
American” by the American Crafts Council and received the Cleveland Arts Prize. Her work is displayed at the White House, the Cleveland Museum and numerous museums and galleries throughout the nation.

Established in 1981 by Ted and Lin Arison, NFAA identifies emerging artists and assists them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development, in nine artistic fields: cinematic arts, dance, music, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing. Each year, talented students receive up to $10,000 and the chance to be named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Alumni include actress and recording artist Vanessa Williams, dancer/choreographer Desmond Richardson, recording artist Josh Groban, New York Philharmonic guest solo violinist Jennifer Koh, jazz trumpet player Roy Hargrove, Broadway actors Ron Eldard and Raul Esparza, writer Allegra Goodman and visual artists Doug Aitken and John Currin.

For more information, call (305) 377-1140 or visit www.youngARTS.org.

###

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lisa Treister/Emily Treister

THE TREISTER MURRY AGENCY
(305) 531-5720
lisa@tma-pr.com
emily@tma-pr.com