Introducing PofA’s New Executive Director
To the Membership of the Puppeteers of America,
The Board of Trustees is proud to welcome Dr. Cheryl A. Maloney as our new Executive Director.
This is a major step in our process of becoming a more sustainable organization that can thrive and grow in today’s non-profit environment. This step will allow us to enhance management of PofA services; improve our communication with you; and eventually lower costs, expand festivals, and add new programs.
Cheryl brings over thirty years of experience in the fields of art administration, economic development, nonprofit leadership, and consulting. Her expertise includes: nonprofit management, fundraising, community building, business development, marketing, and large-scale special event production. Cheryl is born and raised in MN, spent ten years in the San Francisco Bay Area quickly becoming a strong community leader in Fremont, CA, while earning her Doctorate. Cheryl is passionate about the arts and currently manages and is the host and warm-up act in Macy’s Annual Holiday Puppet Show, Moose Crossing USA, Minneapolis, MN. She is committed to engaging the community with respect and enthusiasm for collaborating with multicultural and diverse communities along with youth leaders to develop meaningful programs.
Her professional experience in the Twin Cities includes leadership positions at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Twin Cities Pride, Riverview Economic Development Association, MN Recovery Connection and independent consulting. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area Cheryl served as President of the Mission San Jose Chamber of Commerce. She held leadership positions with Cañada College, Sisters of the Holy Family and the Fremont Chamber of
Commerce, where she directed the largest Art & Wine Festival in CA, with over 400,000 people. In addition, Cheryl cofounded the HERS Foundation to respond to the needs of women and their families surviving breast cancer.
Cheryl has long been involved in local, national and international social justice organizations and see’s the arts as a valuable pathway to building a stronger more engaged community. While in California she earned her doctorate from the University of Creation Spirituality where she explored the role of spirituality in relationship to values and ethics in the marketplace. She earned her Master Degree in Theology/Spirituality from the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN. The Board of Trustees of Puppeteers of America is excited to welcome such a dedicated and accomplished community leader to build and establish our new office in the heart of Minneapolis, MN.
Cheryl will be joining us at Puppet Festival (r)Evolution, the 2013 National Puppetry Festival in Swarthmore, PA, August 5-10. There will be opportunities to connect with her throughout the week.
For more information or questions, the Board of Trustees can be reached through President Nick Hubbard.
Dr. Cheryl A. Maloney
Executive Director
Please visit our newly redesigned website, www.puppeteers.org,