Advocacy 101: How to Use our Toolkit for Protecting Federal Funding for Preservation

Lissa joined AIC and FAIC in June 2022 with 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience, primarily in service to the arts and culture. Throughout her career, she has focused on coalition building, membership service, and advocacy. She is committed to supporting our staff, board and volunteers while promoting a deeper understanding of cultural heritage, advocating for public policies that advance cultural heritage preservation, providing excellent and responsible member services, advancing life-long learning for AIC members and the public, and striving to create inclusive and equitable environments in all that we do.

Past leadership roles include Executive Director of DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative and Future of Music Coalition. Past Development Director roles include Pittsburgh Glass Center and MoMA PS1. Lissa was Programs Director of American Council for the Arts (now Americans for the Arts), where she led national Arts Advocacy Day in during the 90s. In addition to her work advancing the arts and cultural heritage, Lissa has a long history of leadership in social justice organizations, including National Program Director of PAX: Real Solutions to Gun Violence, where she led programs to support reducing gun violence against children. She served as the National Corporate Sponsorship Officer and National Senior Team Director of MZA Events, where she honed her team-based strategies producing AIDS Walks and Dance-a-thons benefitting AIDS service organizations nationwide.

Storytelling and communications have played a major role in Lissa’s work. She owned a public relations firm where she led marketing, program development, and fundraising to support the arts, food, cultural and community events in Pittsburgh and New York City. Her educational background includes degrees and advanced study in Art History, Fine Arts, and Museum Studies. Current board service includes the National Cherry Blossom Festival and SoCo Arts Lab. Lissa spends most evenings listening to vinyl while working on sculptures in her studio on the Western Chesapeake. Personal interests include anything square, transparent, plastic, and pickled. She likes to wear black.

Ruth joined AIC in 2005 after working at several other DC-based associations. She manages all annual meeting components, and is a point-person for our advocacy efforts. As part of her position, she is able to work with conservators on issues facing the field and to assist them in networking with related professionals. She enjoys the opportunities to interact with our members and to learn about their current projects. She holds an undergraduate degree from Smith College and a Master’s Degree from American University.

As the daughter of a native Washingtonian, she enjoys living and working in DC and is involved in efforts to preserve Washington’s historic buildings.