FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kimberly Olsen, kolsen@nycaieroundtable.org
NEW YORK, NY – The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable is pleased to announce the election of two new members to the Board of Directors: Rose M. Crichton-White and Debra Freeman.
Board Co-Chair Traci Lester welcomes newly elected Board Members, “The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is excited to welcome Rose M. Crichton-White and Debra Freeman to our Board. Both Rose and Debra will work collaboratively with the Board and staff to help advance the future direction of the Roundtable in support of our community in the arts education sector. We are thrilled to have them join us on this very important journey.”
“On the heels of celebrating 30 years of service, we look forward to partnering with these incredible leaders to deepen the Roundtable’s impact and drive our mission forward,” says Kimberly Olsen, Executive Director of the Roundtable. “As we continue to grow and professionalize the organization at this milestone moment, we are thrilled to have Rose and Debra help us continue to meet the needs of our membership.”
With gratitude and admiration, the Roundtable also said farewell to Board Member Leena Bhutta who completed her board term as of June 30, 2023. We thank Leena for her keen financial leadership, organizational support, and dedicated service.
Please click here for a complete list of the Roundtable’s Board of Directors.
Meet Our New Board Members
Rose M. Crichton-White is a New York Emmy Award-winning marketing professional with over 15 years of integrated marketing, event management and community relations experience. She is currently the Director of Marketing & Development at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM). Before working at BKCM, she was Director of Marketing and Communications for Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children and served as Interim Director of Development.
Prior to Spence-Chapin, Rose served as Associate Director of Partnerships & Marketing for BRIC Arts & Media. There, she managed the Emmy Award-winning BRIC Media Share program. Rose received a New York Emmy Award for her work with Turning Point Brooklyn on “The Johnny Effect” and a New York Emmy nomination with ECPAT-USA on their PSA “Does Your Hotel Know?”
Rose began her career in the media industry at broadcasting conglomerate Emmis Communications managing Community Relations for the global Hip-Hop media brand Hot 97 and as Director of Promotions & Digital for legendary urban radio station 98.7 KISS FM.
Rose is an NYC Public School graduate and City University of New York (CUNY) alumna with a bachelor’s degree in Media Studies from Hunter College and a master’s degree in Marketing from Baruch College.
Debra Freeman is an attorney and policy advocate dedicated to supporting New York City public schools and arts education. Her legal experience practicing law for over 20 years in government and private sector positions includes serving as Associate General Counsel of Wunderman Thompson, a global advertising agency, as lead attorney for government, nonprofit and Fortune 500 clients. Prior to joining Wunderman Thompson, she practiced at the firm Hall Dickler Kent Friedman & Wood and at the Federal Trade Commission.
Debra’s extensive nonprofit experience focused on education and the arts includes leadership positions with nonprofit boards, bar associations, political clubs, and community arts organizations. She Co-Chairs the Education Working Group of Four Freedoms Democratic Club and serves on the City Bar’s Education and the Law Committee leading advocacy supporting arts education in public schools. Debra is an Arts Ambassador for New Yorkers for Culture & Arts promoting arts support and a fundraiser on their Gala Committee. She serves on the board of Four Freedoms Democratic Club and served in leadership advocacy and development roles on three NYC public school boards.
Debra holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Hamilton College and a JD from Emory University School of Law.
About the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable
The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable improves, advances, and advocates for arts education in New York City. We are a community of organizations and individuals that shares information, provides professional development, and communicates with the public to promote our work in schools and beyond. Founded in 1992, the Roundtable produces a major annual conference, Face to Face; monthly professional development programs; a destination website; and other activities, in addition to ongoing advocacy and communications efforts for thousands of individuals and member organizations.
For more information please visit: www.nycaieroundtable.org.