Matthew Piacente: Executive Producer at NBC News Chicago, Matthew is in touch with the goings-on in the Chicago land area. As a board member Matthew brings a passion for education as well as firsthand experience of the benefits and impact a school art program can have on a well rounded education. With his help, the mission of The Art Project Foundation will be broadcast throughout the region and to a national audience.

Veronica Rivas: As a screen writer and educator, Veronica Rivas has worked toward fulfilling her goal of a career in the arts. A recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship given out by the US State Department to international students studying writing and film production, Veronica’s life was directly touched by the charity of others. Communication is an art form and Veronica has a talent. Her work with The Art Project Foundation will include communicating our mission to those in need and reaching into ethnic communities where language might otherwise prove to be a barrier.

Aric Simons: Aric has been a member of a number of charitable organizations. In addition to his work with The Art Project Foundation, Aric serves as a board member to Rock for Kids, an organization which provides music education to underserved children in Chicago. As a supporter of Rock for Kids, Aric has witnessed the positive impact private charitable funds can have on a community’s youth. Aric not only brings experience in serving the arts education community but also will provide legal counsel for The Art Project Foundation.

Larry Stone: The Stone family has long been an institution in the philanthropy scene. It was Larry’s grandfather who developed the first family charitable foundation and today the Emergency Fund is still providing direct assistance to the Chicago land area. It is with this same concept that The Art Project Foundation plans to have an immediate impact on the arts education community, by providing support directly to those individuals in need. With Larry’s participation and guidance we hope to better serve those who are passionate about keeping the arts in the educational foreground.

Colton Adams: Our youngest member of the board, Colton is an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Fine Arts College. By having a board member that has personally benefited from participation in the arts, we gain a deeper understanding and have a living example of the long term benefits arts education can deliver to a community. Colton will be called upon to meet directly with students and encourage their dreams through his personal story.

David Temkin: A Chicago Public Schools social worker for the past 20 years David has been fighting battles on many fronts. He has been witness to the efforts of the school district to improve testing and how they have unfortunately had a negative impact on arts programs and the teachers of the arts. The deeper problems of the majority of the students David sees will not be erased by an art program, but he knows the arts can give children something fun to look forward to during the school day and a positive, healthy and meaningful expression of their troubles.

Jose Soto: A member of the DePaul University faculty, Jose Soto brings an educational authority to The Art Project Foundation. His work as a professor in the College of Computing and Digital Media speaks directly to the future arts can have on the lives of those students The Art Project Foundation is looking to affect. There are career paths for those that participate in the arts and Jose is teaching some of them the ever evolving art of storytelling through television writing and production. As a board member, Jose looks forward to demonstrating to students in the arts what a rich career they can have by following their dreams.