Caralyn Spector is a Philadelphia native and resident who has been working in the nonprofit and commercial arts sectors for more than 30 years. Her work has supported organizations, throughout the country, focusing on the intersection of innovation and social justice, and how cultural leaders and placemakers are making the institutions and neighborhoods they work in and serve more joyful, equitable, and welcoming places – where each person can bring their authentic selves. Currently Caralyn is the senior managing consultant for The ROZ Group and a principal at Spector Gay Consulting with Val Gay. Prior to consulting, Ms. Spector was most recently a program officer on the Creative Communities team of the William Penn Foundation (2018-2020) where her portfolio focused on operating support for arts organizations across Philadelphia.
She also served as Interim President and CEO for DataArts (2017-2018), bringing big data to the arts and culture sector. During the Obama Administration (2009-2017), she served as Deputy and Chief of Staff to the Senior Deputy Chair and the Senior Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. Ms. Spector has also worked with an array of organizations during her career including Americans for the Arts, Blue Star Families, Disney Theatrical Productions, Endowment for the Humanities, Fleisher Art Memorial, Jordan Roth Productions, the Kennedy Center, National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed, National Science Foundation, National Nickelodeon Productions, Playbill Inc., Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), State Education of Directors of Art Education, Theatreworks/USA, U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. Department of Education, among others.
Ms. Spector also serves on the Board of Fresh Artists, a highly innovative arts education organization based in Philadelphia serving creative kids and teachers from all backgrounds and across the country. Ms. Spector received her B.A. from Barnard College and has a certificate in Executive Leadership from National Arts Strategies (NAS) Executive Program in Arts and Culture Strategy at the School of Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania and a certificate in Diversity & Inclusion in HR from Cornell University. Caralyn is currently pursuing her Masters in Creative Leadership at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design.
