LOUISVILLE, KY, OCTOBER 15, 2015- Fund for the Arts welcomes Kat Abner as the organization’s first Impact Officer. Abner will develop an innovative framework and set of tools to measure outcomes, track, communicate and increase the impact of the Arts across the region.
“Fund for the Arts is committed to building a stronger, more vibrant community,’ said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President and CEO. “Whether it is fueling economic activity, attracting talent, improving educational attainment or supporting an overall healthier community, the Arts play a vital role. Working with local and national Arts leaders, Kat will be an invaluable member of our team as she develops, measures and helps to accelerate the transformative impact of the Arts on this community.”
Abner will be working with the newly formed Impact Advisory Committee led by Fund for the Arts Board Member and Glenview Trust Co-CEO Tawana Edwards, and comprised of impact experts from different sectors across the community including Metro United Way’s Vice President of Community Impact Maggie Elder, Louisville Metro’s Chief of Performance Improvement Teresa Reno Weber, JCPS’s Director of Curriculum Management Suzanne Wright, Trisha Finnegan, Community Foundation of Louisville’s VP for Community Leadership, Alecia Kennedy, Humana Foundation’s Evaluation and Impact Consultant, Ben Reno Weber, Director of the Greater Louisville Project, along with Alison Huff, President of the Arts & Cultural Attractions, and Heather Weston Bell with the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts.
Working with the Education Advisory Council, Abner will also lead the Fund for the Arts EVERY CHILD Arts Education Initiative with the goal to ensure every child in our community has access to the Arts. EVERY CHILD includes the following innovative programs: the ‘5×5 Program’ provides at least five professional Arts/cultural experiences by the completion of grade five, ‘Schools Out = Art’s In’ delivers Arts residencies during out-of-school time in Louisville Metro’s Zones of Hope, and ‘Arts for Kosair Kids® Initiative’ allows special needs students to experience the powerful therapeutic healing power of Art and movement.
Abner brings to the Fund for the Arts a diverse background in community development and non-profit management. In her role as Program Officer with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Abner coordinated federal grantmaking of more than $5 million across the state and assessed each program’s effectiveness in alleviating poverty. At the heart of her work is training grantees to use high-¬quality data to tell their stories – to describe their needs, inform their programming, and communicate their impact. She is a graduate of Centre College and holds master’s degrees in Public Administration and Urban Planning from the University of Louisville.
About Fund for the Arts
The Fund for the Arts builds a stronger community by investing in world-class Arts organizations, driving collaborative initiatives and fueling innovative arts-in-education programs throughout the region. A national leader in corporate partnerships; helping business and creative find a unified voice, a more educated workforce, and attract talent through the Arts. The annual Fund for the Arts campaign has generated more than $196 million for the Arts since its establishment in 1949. More than 20,000 donors contribute to the campaign each year. For more information visit www.fundforthearts.com.
