Our team

As Executive Director, Sharon provides visionary leadership in fulfilling the Levitt Foundation’s mission. She is the chief spokesperson for the organization, traveling across the country to share the impact of Levitt programs and creative placemaking. Her passionate commitment to the arts as a vehicle for creating equitable, sustainable and healthy communities has guided the strategic growth of Levitt programs nationwide, including the development of long-term public/private partnerships and sustainability strategies for the national Levitt network of venues and concert sites. In her role, Sharon also leads the Levitt Foundation’s contributions to the field, including research and field-building initiatives.

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 working with arts nonprofits in metropolitan Chicago. She earned a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University with a concentration in arts and business management.

Sharon is often an invited speaker at regional and national conferences, including the National Main Street Conference; Grantmakers in the Arts; Walk/Bike/Places; Growing Sustainable Communities Conference; Association for Performing Arts Presenters; EcoDistricts Summit; National Recreation and Parks Association Conference; Music Cities Convention; City/Nation/Place Americas; FestForums; VenueConnect; and National Outdoor Recreation Conference, amongst others.

As the Director 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 Content Writer, Andrew Barker helps to tell the stories behind the Levitt Foundation’s mission and work in the field. A member of the communications team, he works to increase national visibility for the Foundation’s various programs and initiatives, and the role its networks of venues and Levitt AMP grantees play in building healthier, more connected communities through free, live music.

Prior to joining the Levitt Foundation, Andrew spent 14 years as a film and music writer and critic for Variety, where he covered everything from film festivals and award shows to corporate acquisitions and emerging artists. His first book, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, was published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2017, and his writing has also appeared in the DGA Quarterly, the Chicago Tribune, and Women’s Wear Daily. He is thrilled to combine his love of music and storytelling to help spotlight the Levitt Foundation’s continuing impact on communities nationwide.

As Director 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 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 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 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!

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 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 Senior Communications Manager, Nicole plays a key role in implementing Levitt’s communications strategies for both internal and external audiences. The Senior Communications Manager supports the Director of Communications in the creation, implementation and oversight of print pieces, e-newsletters, eblasts, and website content.

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 Operations Manager, Arianne is responsible for providing 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 organization’s financial, HR, IT and donor 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 Deputy Director, 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.

Previously, Vanessa served as the Levitt Foundation’s Senior Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives for nine years, 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 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.