Our team

As CEO, Sharon provides visionary leadership in fulfilling the Levitt Foundation’s mission to strengthen the social fabric of America and reinvigorate public spaces through the power of free, live music. Through her role at the Levitt Foundation—a national social impact funder working at the intersection of music, public space, and community building—she has become a recognized thought leader on arts investments in public spaces to build equitable, healthy, and thriving communities.

Following 15 years in community arts programming and the performing arts, Sharon joined the Levitt Foundation in 2009—the family Foundation’s first employee—to professionalize the organization and scale Levitt programs nationally. Sharon’s passionate commitment to the arts as a vehicle for positive change in communities has guided the growth of Levitt programs across the country to include over 40 towns and cities today, including the development of long-term public/private partnerships in major U.S. cities, expanding grant programs into rural areas, sustainability strategies for Levitt grantees, and fostering the Levitt network’s ethos of shared learning and advancing collective impact, in addition to the Foundation’s creative placemaking research and investments in music ecosystems.

With her background working with grassroots nonprofits, Sharon transitioned the Levitt Foundation to a trust-based philanthropy model early on in her tenure. She has earned a reputation as a thoughtful and respected collaborator within the fields of philanthropy, creative placemaking, and community development. Responsive to the realities of nonprofits, she has guided Foundation staff to develop robust resources, toolkits, and peer connections for grantees, providing meaningful support beyond funding for their work in communities. Sharon centers equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of Levitt’s work, from internal operations to the Foundation’s funding philosophy and grantmaking to ensuring grantees receive trainings and resources to embed EDI into the many layers of bringing a music series to life.

Sharon collaborates closely with the Levitt Foundation team in the organization’s contributions to the field, including multi-year research and field-building initiatives. As the chief spokesperson for the Foundation, Sharon travels across the country to speak about the impact of Levitt programs, Levitt-commissioned research, and creative placemaking at large. Reflecting the reach of Levitt and how integrating the arts across sectors elevates the overall well-being and economic vitality of communities, Sharon shares the Levitt model with a wide range of audiences—including those in the arts, government, music industry, philanthropy, community development, urban planning, and parks—to illustrate why inclusive arts investment strategies should be prioritized. She is often an invited speaker and moderator at regional, national, and international conferences. Sharon also guest lectures at undergraduate and graduate music business and nonprofit management programs, providing inspiration to the next generation of leaders to create access and equitable opportunities within their fields.

Beyond Levitt, Sharon currently serves on the board of Center for Music Ecosystems, an international organization dedicated to globally relevant research to address societal issues and effect change through music. Sharon has been a grant panelist for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the Nebraska Arts Council, where she is from. As a board member of California Presenters, Sharon played an active role leading one of the country’s largest presenting associations—she served as Vice President, mentored emerging leaders, and chaired three annual conferences. She was also executive co-producer of the 2019 National Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit | Pacific in partnership with the National Consortium of Creative Placemaking and ArtPlace America.

Prior to her position with the Levitt Foundation, Sharon was the founding Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles at MacArthur Park. Her work there and the venue’s impact in the community earned her the recognition of “Los Angeles Park Hero” by the City of Los Angeles. Sharon’s career began in metropolitan Chicago, where she produced free outdoor concert series and worked with a range of artists and arts nonprofits, followed by time in the finance sector. Sharon earned a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University with a concentration in arts and business management.

As Executive Vice President, Vanessa plays a key role in the strategic direction and long-term vision of the Levitt Foundation as it pertains to funding allocation, program development, communications, research and field-building initiatives. She also spearheads new and existing partnerships to advance the organization and reflect Levitt’s mission, values and commitment to EDI, including funding and program collaborations.

Vanessa joined the Levitt Foundation in 2012 as the Senior Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives, where she led the Foundation’s creative vision and communications strategy and developed a vast portfolio to share the inspiring impact of the Foundation, its nonprofit partners and grantees, and the field of creative placemaking at large. Vanessa built her career working in the arts & culture sector as an award-winning writer, editor and content strategist. Her previous roles include: Editorial Director at Art Center College of Design; Arts Specialist for the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and various communications and program positions with The Museum of Modern Art, Columbia University’s Research Center for Arts & Culture and The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Vanessa has been an invited speaker at a variety of national conferences including City Nation Place Americas, National Forum on Family Philanthropy, Main Street Now, ComNet18, Grantmakers in the Arts, the National Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit and the CASE Conference of Publications Professionals. She was also executive co-producer of the 2019 National Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit | Pacific in partnership with the National Consortium of Creative Placemaking and ArtPlace America. Vanessa earned her bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and received a master’s degree in Arts Administration from Columbia University. Her position with Levitt combines her lifelong passions for the performing arts, storytelling and social impact.

As Vice President of Operations, Mark manages Levitt’s office operations, human resources, financial reporting and IT infrastructure. He plays a key role in ensuring all systems and procedures add to the efficiency of the Foundation so that our mission can be realized in the most cost-efficient and effective way.

Mark has dedicated his career to helping others through service in the nonprofit sector—from civic engagement, HIV/AIDS, and social work to healthcare, the military, and performing arts. For more than 10 years, Mark has been a strategic thought partner with boards and staff while creating and managing budgets, developing and implementing policies and procedures, and recruiting and nurturing staff, all while fostering a culture of accountability, inclusivity and collaboration. Mark prides himself on being a hands-on leader, supporting his teammates wherever needed.

Mark studied at the University of Southern California earning both a bachelor’s degree and a Master’s in Public Administration.

As Vice President of Programs, Victoria plays a key role in shaping the grantmaking strategy at the Levitt Foundation. She oversees the management of the Foundation’s Friends of Levitt partners and grantee portfolios, develops strategies and priorities to support the sustainability of Levitt’s grantee partners, and identifies resources that provide meaningful support to the Foundation’s growing national network of music venues and Levitt AMP sites.

Victoria has over 16 years of experience in grantmaking and community engagement. Prior to working at the Levitt Foundation, she worked at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children where she developed operational standards, increased brand awareness through community relationships and secured major donations. While at the Lymphoma Research Foundation she implemented an overall communications strategy and local grassroots marketing efforts to increase awareness of available resources, services, and fundraising events. In addition to her community engagement experience, Victoria has worked in grantmaking with verve. At the W. M. Keck Foundation, she supported grantmaking activities for high-impact research, undergraduate education, and programs that enrich lives of local children and families. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Occidental College and M.S. in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California.

As Associate Vice President of Communications, Chris develops and implements comprehensive communications strategies to share the impact of Levitt Foundation programs and the national Levitt network of partners and grantees—primarily via media and public relations, social media, print, web, and film. Through these vehicles, Chris and the communications department advance the mission, vision, and core values of the Levitt Foundation, as well as support internal and external programs, Friends of Levitt partners, and Levitt AMP grantees.

Chris brings over a decade of experience in communications, marketing, and public relations spanning the cultural, nonprofit, and entertainment sectors. Most recently, he was the Director of Marketing and Communications for The Climate Registry, and previously for The Autry Museum of the American West. Originally from Massachusetts, Chris also holds a Ph.D. in Film and Media Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

As Art Director, Nicole plays a lead role in directing the creative development and production operations of all Levitt Foundation visual communications, from concept to completion. Working collaboratively with the Deputy Director and communications department, Nicole connects brand strategy with design, generating creative new ways to share the Levitt story through a visual lens.

Before joining the Levitt Foundation, Nicole contributed to various nonprofit arts organizations including the Guggenheim Foundation, Whitney Museum of American Art, and MoMA PS1. Nicole earned her B.F.A. from the University of Denver and M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University. Passionate about building community through the arts, Nicole is thrilled to be part of the Levitt team.

As the Content Writer, Sydney creates editorial content and copy for the blog and other platforms, working as part of the Foundation’s Communications team to highlight how Levitt venues and AMP sites bring the joy of free, live music to America’s diverse communities. She holds a BA in Journalism and Creative Editing/Publishing from San Diego State University.

Before joining the Levitt team, Sydney leveraged her storytelling expertise as a music and entertainment journalist in digital media, working as a staff writer at Bustle Digital Group’s Elite Daily. Her freelance work has been published online in publications like PEOPLE and Cosmopolitan, and, in her free time, she focuses her personal writing practice on critically exploring the popular music industry’s relationship with class and labor.

Over the years, Sydney has also been a copywriter in various sectors, including tech, advertising, fashion, and theatre arts. As a lifelong music enthusiast and an arts equity advocate, Sydney is ecstatic to be at the Levitt Foundation, utilizing her creative passions to help strengthen the social fabric of our country.

As the Digital Communications Associate, Joanna creates content that is aligned with the Levitt Foundation’s mission, to create community through music. Supporting the Communications team, she manages the day-to-day curation, scheduling and posting of content on Levitt’s various social media channels. Joanna also plays an important role in the creation of blog posts, eblasts, web banners and other collateral materials as needed by the foundation.

Prior to joining the Levitt foundation, she worked in various content curation-related positions and as an English teacher for both high school and middle school students. Joanna graduated from University of California, Irvine with a B.A. in English and, most recently, earned a M.A. in English from California State University, Long Beach. Combining her skillset with her love of music and desire to make it accessible to all, she is honored and proud to be a part of the Levitt Foundation.

As the Communications Fellow, Valerie supports internal and external communication projects and processes to help shape the branding, marketing, and communications strategy for the Levitt Foundation. She supports the Director of Communications and collaborates with the Communications Team in creating engaging multifaceted media content for Levitt.

Valerie is a recent graduate of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University with a B.A. in Public Relations & Advertising and minor in Visual Journalism. She is a pianist and thrilled to explore her passion for music through Levitt.

As Operations & Special Events Manager, Arianne manages various aspects of Foundation events including Levitt network events, group site visits, national convenings and conferences. She provides comprehensive administrative support to the Foundation, including providing daily support to the Executive Director and Director of Operations. She also plays an important role in maintaining and managing the Foundation’s financial, HR, and IT records.

Arianne has a background in performing arts and is passionate about live entertainment and serving the community. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.A. in Theatre Arts, and earned a M.A in Theatre Arts, with a focus on audience and community engagement, from California State University, Northridge. Her community engagement experience includes developing and moderating multiple pre-show and post-show theatre panels on the California State University, Northridge campus, and working as an Audience Engagement Fellow in the Education, Engagement, and Community Partnerships Department at Center Theatre Group in downtown Los Angeles.

As the Operations Associate, Rayna provides support to the Director of Operations and the Operations Manager, including general office management, event coordination, financial, HR, and IT support.
 
Beyond her work with Levitt, Rayna is a fine artist and entrepreneur; she creates original content for sales and exhibition purposes and curates artistic and educational events for the Greater Los Angeles community. With varied administrative and artistic experience, and passion for community engagement, she is excited to champion Levitt’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Rayna graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a B.A. in Latin American Studies and minors in Spanish and Portuguese.

As the Senior Programs Manager, Kimberly provides grants management support for the Foundation’s national portfolio of grantees, with a focus on the Friends of Levitt venue partners. She also plays a key role in identifying resources to support the Levitt network, manages network-wide collaborations and programming, supervises audience and grantee data collection, and supports the development of new Levitt venues and implementation of new grant programs.

Kimberly brings over fifteen years of program management and community engagement experience. Prior to joining the Levitt Foundation, Kimberly has worked with a variety of nonprofits and educational institutions to develop programs, build partnerships, promote community development, and encourage cross-cultural understanding. Kimberly received her B.A. in Intercultural Education from Long Island University, Global College, and earned a M.A in Peace and Justice Leadership, with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging from SIT Graduate Institute. Kimberly is thrilled to combine her passion for inclusive community engagement and her strengths in program management to further the impact of the Levitt Foundation.

As the Program Officer, Amber provides meaningful support and resources to advance the work of Levitt AMP grantees as part of the Levitt Foundation’s grantmaking activities.

Amber has over ten years of program management and community engagement experience. Prior to the Levitt Foundation, she worked at a Los Angeles-based education and enrichment nonprofit where she developed their outreach and overall programmatic leadership. In addition to her programmatic experience, she also balanced her work while studying for her doctorate in African and African-American religion and culture. Amber is honored and excited to utilize her experiences to support the Levitt AMP program at the Levitt Foundation. Amber earned her Ph.D. in History from UCLA and is also a proud Howard University alumna.

As the Database Administrator, Ryan ensures that Friends of Levitt partners and Levitt AMP grantees are provided with accurate information while visiting the Foundation’s grantee portal. He is also responsible for analyzing and organizing data to assist in measuring the Foundation’s long-term success and impact.
 
Prior to joining the Levitt Foundation, Ryan spent thirteen years in the nonprofit and educational space, with over ten of those at an organization that provides academic assistance and resources to temporarily unhoused students in Southern California. In this current chapter, Ryan feels fortunate being part of a team that works with communities nationwide to bring people together through the arts.

As the Program Associate, Dagmar provides administrative support to the Programs Department, including support to the Foundation’s grantmaking cycles and processes. She also helps coordinate various national gatherings and collaborative, network-wide program initiatives.


Prior to joining the Levitt Foundation, Dagmar spent eight years managing farmers markets in NYC and LA where she oversaw community outreach and operations. She also worked at a NYC-based emergency food nonprofit managing and writing grant proposals and bringing educational programs to underserved communities. Dagmar is excited to use her previous experience and continue her work in creating more open spaces for everyone to enjoy!