National Guild for Community Arts Education
Announcement from the Board of Trustees
September 24, 2020
Jonathan Herman, CEO of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, has announced that he is leaving the organization after 25 years of service.
Jonathan has served as the Guild’s executive leader since 2004 and as a member of the staff since 1995. Over this time Jonathan has seen this 83-year-old organization through many transformations, including a name change in 2010 (from the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts). During his tenure, the organization launched and supported national initiatives in creative aging, leadership development, arts in education, and creative youth development. The Guild’s membership increased in diversity and grew to include over 400 community arts education organizations across 47 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.
Jonathan’s decision to leave his position was announced to the Guild’s Board of Trustees and staff in early 2020. A public announcement was planned for March, but it was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Guild’s board chair, Duffie Adelson, stated that “Jonathan has served the Guild with passion and devotion over the past 25 years. He has led the organization through challenges, many successes, and significant growth during his tenure. We are extremely grateful for his service to the Guild, to our members, and to the field. We wish him all the best and much happiness in his next chapter.”
Adelson continued by stating, “Even in the midst of the pandemic and the accompanying economic and social crises, the Guild is in a strong position to make this transition. Our staff and board represent a wealth of experience, energy, passion, and commitment to the Guild’s mission and values. The organization is financially stable, with the resources to navigate this leadership change as well as the challenging years ahead.”
The Board of Trustees is in the process of launching a national search to identify the Guild’s next CEO. The details of this search and process will be shared transparently with the field.
Jonathan’s last day with the Guild will be November 20, 2020, which coincides with the 2020 Annual Meeting. The board sincerely expresses its gratitude to Jonathan for his 25 years of dedicated service to the Guild and to the field of community arts education.
You can read a letter from Jonathan to the field here.
Published: September 24, 2020